NFL fans may have been wondering what the duck was doing on Sunday when the bird flew onto the field at Raymond James Stadium during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ victory over the Carolina Panthers.

The Duck appeared with about 5:30 left in the third quarter. The CBS broadcast began focusing on the animal when the Buccaneers blocked the Panthers’ punt. JJ Russell returned the ball 23 yards to the end zone for a touchdown.

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Dec 29, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; A duck stands on the field during the third quarter of an NFL game between the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

A Buccaneers employee managed to get the duck to safety. Fans on social media were outraged.

The result gave Tampa Bay a 41-14 lead. The Buccaneers won the game 48-14 after Jalen McMillan scored his second touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The duck’s appearance won over the internet and the NFL, as the league made the duck its new header photo on its X account. But McMillan wasn’t exactly convinced. He said he saw the duck and didn’t like it.

“It was one of the worst moments of the game — that duck that landed on the field,” he told WFLA-TV. “Ducks don’t bring luck. They are strange. I hate ducks.”

Dec 29, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; A duck interrupted the game between the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third quarter at Raymond James Stadium. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

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McMillan didn’t say exactly why he hated ducks, but it might have something to do with his alma mater. The wide receiver visited Washington and faced the Oregon Ducks during his career. The two schools are rivals.

Ducks are also considered good luck charms in some cultures, although McMillan isn’t a fan. The duck appeared on the punt block and it turned out to be a fluke for Tampa Bay – not so much for Carolina.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan lines up against the Carolina Panthers during the second half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Tampa, Florida. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

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The Buccaneers selected McMillan in the third round of the 2024 draft. The rookie has 32 catches for 387 yards and seven touchdowns this season. One more win and the Bucs are in the playoffs.

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