Former Pitt Star to Make Season Debut With Buccaneers

Former Pitt Panthers star to make season debut with Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Jan 21, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) is sacked by Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Calijah Kancey (94) during the first half in a 2024 NFC divisional round game at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Junfu Han-Imagn Images / Junfu Han-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- Former Pitt Panthers star defensive tackle Calijah Kancey will make his season debut for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as they face NFC South rival in the New Orleans Saints on Oct. 13.

Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles announced that Kancey would return this weekend, after missing the first five weeks of the season with a calf injury. Bowles said that Kancey was a full participant in practices and is ready to go.

The Buccaneers took Kancey with the No. 19 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He also had a calf injury last season, which he suffered in the season debut, keeping him out until Week 6.

He still had an excellent rookie season, starting 14 games, making 26 tackles (19 solo), four sacks and one pass defended. He also had a solid postseason, with six tackles (four solo), 1.5 sacks, two tackles for loss and one pass defended in two games.

Kancey is from Florida and played for Miami Northwestern High School in Miami. He helped his school win back-to-back Florida 6A State Championships and had more than 200 tackles combined in both his junior and senior seasons.

Pitt was one of four Power Five schools to offer Kancey, and thanks to recruitment from defensive line coach Charlie Partridge, now in the same position with the Indianapolis Colts, he chose to commit to the program.

Kancey made just one appearance as a true freshman in the Quick Lane Bowl in 2019, preserving his redshirt.

He had a solid season in 2020, playing all 11 games and starting the final four contests. He made 27 tackles (seven solo), 1.5 sacks and two passes defended, earning Freshman Team All-American honors from the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), The Athletic and Rivals.

Kancey started all 14 games in 2021, leading the Panthers to their first ACC Championship. He made 34 tackles (22 solo), team-high 13 tackles for loss, seven sacks, one pass defended and one forced fumble. He earned First Team All-ACC and Third Team All-American honors from the Associated Press (AP).

He spent one more season at Pitt in 2022, playing in 11 games, making 31 tackles (17 solo), 14.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.

Kancey earned ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors, plus was a Unanimous All-American, just the second Pitt defensive tackle to do so along with Aaron Donald (2013).

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