Patriots rookie blows the roof off Tampa with longest play of 2025 season

Going into their Week 10 game, the New England Patriots were expected to have a tough outing against a very good team in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The NFC South frontrunners were just coming off a bye and were expected to pick up where they left off the week before, with Baker Mayfield continuing his MVP campaign.

The Patriots' defense started the game with the same old story, allowing a first drive touchdown by the Bucs that looked far too easy. The offense then skunked it up on their next series, partly due to some well-timed rain by the home team, but eventually they made things happen with an unexpected name who hasn't registered a catch since Week 3: rookie receiver Kyle Williams.

Because Kayshon Boutte injured his hamstring last week against the Falcons, Williams was expected to be utilized more in Drake Maye's offense, and that became apparent at the end of the first quarter when he recorded a 72-yard touchdown grab to tie the game in beautiful fashion.

It is officially the longest play of the season, and it couldn't have come at a better time for the rookie, as questions began to pop up regarding his fitness for the Patriots.

Kyle Williams just flipped the script with an incredible play in Week 10

There was a lot of hype surrounding Williams from the moment the Patriots picked him in the third round of this year's draft. He was known for being a speedy receiver capable of explosive plays, but he didn't display that much, if at all, throughout the summer.

Instead, players like Kayshon Boutte and Stefon Diggs stole the spotlight, along with undrafted rookie Efton Chism III. That then carried over into the regular season, and concerns about Williams became a weekly topic around New England.

Knowing he would have a big opportunity this week presumably put a lot of pressure on his shoulders to deliver when called upon. And it didn't take long for Josh McDaniels to make the call, as Williams made his first catch since the game against the Steelers on the final drive of the first quarter.

Not only that, it was his first touchdown of his NFL career, too, making it even more exciting to watch unfold.

Now we just have to hope he can keep that going the rest of the season, even when Boutte is able to return to the field.