The football side of the NFL is over for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as they missed out on a playoff berth.
But now comes the harsh reality for so many NFL teams and players.
With many likely to move on via retirement or being cut, the locker room won't be the same entering 2026.
For the Buccaneers, that means Mike Evans might not return.
And for Jalen McMillan, ending the season knowing that some of his teammates won't be back in 2026 is a tough thing to work through.
“It's sad,” McMillan said. “It's definitely a low vibe. We're appreciative of all of our relationships and each other and what we built, but at the end of the day, we know it's not going to be the same locker room, so it's a little heavy.”
More: Buccaneers' Tristan Wirfs reveals why he's bullish on 2026 bounce-back
NFL is a brutal business
We get caught up in all the money and highlight moments throughout an NFL season, but now that the offseason is upon us, the harsh reality of football hits home.
Teams are ruthless when it comes to which players stick around and which don't. Some are purely money decisions, so it isn't personal; it's all about managing the salary cap.
That can be a tough thing to wrap your head around, and for McMillan, he's getting to experience this for the second time.
Players will get cut, others will re-sign; it is all part of the NFL machine.
So yes, there's a lot of money and fame, but it comes with a nasty side, as well.
More Buccaneers news:
- Buccaneers get what they deserve after Week 18 disaster
- Buccaneers 'break that spell' in Week 18, but too little, too late?
- No Week 18 pity party for Buccaneers' Todd Bowles
- Why Buccaneers' 'main focus' is an odd aspect of Week 18