MIN @ TBFinal 23-16, Sep 27, 2026
defensive: TOT 1, SOLO 1, SACKS 0, TFL 0, PD 0, QB HTS 0, TD 0
FootballNFLTampa Bay BuccaneersSafety
Ifeatu Melifonwu
Stats, career, game log and next gameDrafted in the 3rd round of the 2021 NFL Draft with the 101st pick overall, Ifeatu Melifonwu is a safety for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
60NFL games6seasons
Updated
About Ifeatu Melifonwu
Ifeatu Melifonwu plays safety for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and wears number 5. Born on May 2, 1999, in Grafton, Massachusetts, United States, he played college football at Syracuse. His first NFL season was 2021.
Melifonwu played for the Detroit Lions from 2021 to 2024, then for the Miami Dolphins in 2025. Since 2026 he has played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Ifeatu Melifonwu had 1 tackle on Sep 27, 2026, in a 23-16 loss against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on Thursday, Oct 8, 2026, in Week 5.
Agatha Research DeskUpdated Oct 5, 2026Season by season60
Regular season and playoffs, every NFL game in our records, newest season first.
| Season | Team | Games | Tackles | Sacks | INT | PD | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | TB | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 2025 |  MIA | 16 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2024 |  DET | 3 | - | - | - | - | 1 g |
| 2023 | DET | 17 | - | - | - | - | 3 g |
| 2022 | DET | 10 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2021 | DET | 7 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Career | 56 | - | - | - | - | 4 g |
How he is doing now
2026 defense1 tackle1 tackle, 3 games
Buccaneers0-42026 regular season
Last game1 tackleSep 27 vs Vikings
Injury status
No active flag. Latest report Active (2h ago).
Game log, 2026
Box score lines from ESPN.
Next game
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys - 8:15 PM ETAgatha predicts TB 21, DAL 2767%PRED1UODDS-480
BET
Melifonwu against the Cowboys1 game
Last met Dec 30, 2023; his teams 0-1.
Career
Syracuse Orange2017 to 2020 - college
Detroit Lions2021 to 2024 - 41 gamesMiami Dolphins2025 to 2025 - 16 gamesTampa Bay Buccaneers2026 to now - 3 games5years2021 to 2026
- 2021NFL debut41-33 loss vs 49ers
- 2026Best gamevs Vikings
- Sep 27, 2026Latest gamevs Vikings
Regular season
56 games
Playoffs
4 games
First NFL game
Sep 12, 2021: 49ers 41, Lions 33
Latest game
Sep 27, 2026: 1 tackleVikings 23, Buccaneers 16
Most often against
The teams he has faced most, with his teams' record and his line against each.
Minnesota Vikings5 games
4-1his teams
Last met Sep 27, 2026
Green Bay Packers4 games
3-1his teams
Last met Sep 28, 2023
Atlanta Falcons3 games
2-1his teams
Last met Oct 26, 2025
Chicago Bears3 games
2-1his teams
Last met Dec 22, 2024
New England Patriots3 games
0-3his teams
Last met Jan 4, 2026
San Francisco 49ers3 games
1-2his teams
Last met Dec 30, 2024
Injury history
ESPN's injury reports, newest first.
- Oct 5, 2026Active
Head coach Todd Bowles said Melifonwu is likely to start at safety Thursday night against Dallas, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.
ESPN / TB
- Sep 29, 2026Active
The Buccaneers signed Melifonwu from the practice squad to the active roster Tuesday, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports.
ESPN / TB
- Jul 29, 2026Active
The Buccaneers signed Melifonwu to a one-year contract Wednesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
ESPN / TB
Sources and updates
Stats, scores and injury reports come from Agatha's own records: nflverse weekly stats, ESPN box scores and ESPN's injury reports.
Updated Oct 5, 2026, 11:00 PM ET. Results and form refresh after every game; biography facts are checked weekly.