The 2025 NFL playoffs are well underway, with many teams already saying goodbye to their Super Bowl aspirations. One of them are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, whose last championship came with Tom Brady under center.
However, one of the members of that Super Bowl-winning team may have a chance to pursue another ring this year. We’re talking about running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn, who became a free agent on Monday.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported that practice squad contracts for players on teams that missed the 2025 NFL playoffs have already expired, making these free agents eligible for the rest of the league.
Ke’Shawn Vaughn’s experience with Tom Brady, Buccaneers
Vaughn, 27, is part of this list as the San Francisco 49ers missed the postseason by finishing bottom of the NFC West with a 6-11 record. The Niners had last signed him to their practice squad in December.
Tom Brady #12 and Ke’Shawn Vaughn #21 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates a touchdown during the first quarter gacp at Bank of America Stadium on December 26, 2021 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
A third-round pick out of Vanderbilt in the 2020 NFL Draft, Vaughn spent the first four years in his career with the Buccaneers, where he celebrated Super Bowl LV as a rookie alongside an experienced Brady.
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In fact, he scored his first touchdown as a pro early in his career thanks to a pass from Brady, making a nine-yard catch in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers. That year, Vaughn ended up recording 26 carries for 109 yards in 10 appearances. He also caught five passes for 34 yards.
The Nashville native improved his rushing numbers the following year, producing 180 yards on 36 carries for two touchdowns as well as four receptions for 26 yards. Vaughn also enjoyed a bigger role on Brady’s offense in the postseason, earning his first start in a playoff game and scoring a rushing TD in the Bucs’ Wild Card win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2022 NFL playoffs.
Vaughn, a Super Bowl champ looking to bounce back
However, things only went downhill from there. Vaughn rushed for only 53 yards on 17 carries with just three catches for 19 yards in the 2022 NFL season, which proved to be the last in Brady’s career.
Vaughn recorded 42 yards on 24 carries in six appearances the following season before being waived by the Buccaneers in December 2023. He landed on the New England Patriots’ practice squad only a few days later, but his stint in Foxborough didn’t last long, with the Pats releasing the running back in May.
His time in the Bay area didn’t go to plan either, as Vaughn only logged two carries for just four yards in three games played in the 2024 NFL season. Now, he’ll be looking to get his career back on track elsewhere. We’ll have to wait and see whether his previous experience helps him draw interest around the league.
