The Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived rookie safety Shilo Sanders on Sunday, less than 24 hours after he was ejected from the club’s preseason finale for throwing a punch at Buffalo Bills tight end Zach Davidson. The altercation occurred late in the second quarter of the 23–19 loss at Raymond James Stadium, leading officials to send Sanders to the locker room immediately. Sanders, 25, joined Tampa Bay in April as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado and had been battling for the final safety spot behind Antoine Winfield Jr., Tykee Smith and Christian Izien. He logged three solo tackles during the preseason while competing with Kaevon Merriweather and Rashad Wisdom. Head coach Todd Bowles criticised the on-field outburst, saying, “You can’t throw punches in this league. It’s inexcusable. They’re going to get you every time.” One play after Sanders’ ejection, Buffalo capitalised with an 11-yard touchdown. Agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey said they are hoping another team claims Sanders on waivers before Tuesday’s league-wide roster deadline. The swift release underscores teams’ limited tolerance for disciplinary issues as final cuts approach.