Category: Bucs History

50 years ago today, the Bucs were born

On this day 50 years ago, the NFL awarded a new expansion franchise to the Tampa Bay community, and the Buccaneers were born

It’s a good day, Tampa Bay.

That’s because 50 years ago today, the NFL awarded a new franchise to the Tampa Bay community, and the Buccaneers were born.

Things started out rough for Bucco Bruce and the krewe, as the Bucs lost the first 26 games of their existence. But they quickly turned things around, winning a division title and coming up nine points short of a trip to the Super Bowl in 1979, just their fourth season in the league.

Two decades later, the Bucs would hoist the Lombardi Trophy for the first time, thanks to a legendary defense that featured four future Hall of Famers.

Nearly two more decades after that, another dominant defensive performance and another MVP outing from Tom Brady would give the Bucs a second world championship.

Along the way, the Bucs have built a tightly knit fan base that now stretches across the entire world.

Happy birthday, Bucs fans.

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29 years ago today, Bucs made NFL draft history

The Bucs’ 1995 draft class will always go down as one of the best in NFL history

Only one time in NFL history has a team picked two Hall of Fame defenders in the first round of the same draft.

It was 1995, the team was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

At the No. 12 overall pick, the Bucs landed Miami defensive lineman Warren Sapp. At the 28th overall selection, Tampa Bay stayed in-state once again with Florida State linebacker Derrick Brooks.

Sapp and Brooks became two of the best players in NFL history at their respective positions, and helped change a losing culture in Tampa Bay, a transformation that culminated with the team’s first Super Bowl win back in 2002.

Those two selections continue to live on as one of the best drafts in NFL history, and easily the most important one the Bucs have ever had.

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The legend of Lee Roy Selmon

48 years ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made Lee Roy Selmon the first draft pick in franchise history

48 years ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made their first NFL draft pick in franchise history.

And boy, did they make it count.

With the No. 1 overall selection in the 1976 NFL draft, the Bucs picked Oklahoma defensive end Lee Roy Selmon, who would quickly become one of the most dominant defensive players in league history, and one of the most iconic figures to ever wear a Bucs uniform.

The NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 1979, Selmon was six-time Pro Bowler who eventually became the Bucs’ first member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Ron Wolf, the Bucs’ vice president of football operations back in 1976, holds Selmon in the highest regard among the greatest defenders to ever play the game:

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Bucs flashback: Relive the 2020 Super Bowl season

Take a trip down memory lane and relive the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ incredible Super Bowl season of 2020

Right now, the current version of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is about to add even more talent to their roster in the upcoming 2024 NFL draft.

But in the meantime, let’s take a look back at beginning of this current run in which the Bucs are currently riding a four-year playoff streak, including three consecutive NFC South titles.

This run began with the addition of Tom Brady heading into the 2020 season, and despite a somewhat rocky start, that campaign would end with an epic playoff run, one that would culminate with a dominant victory over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs for Tampa Bay’s second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.

Take a look back at the epic 2020 season in Tampa Bay:

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WATCH: Rondé Barber’s career highlights

Relive all the best plays from Rondé Barber’s legendary Hall of Fame career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

One of the most legendary players in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history, Hall of Fame cornerback Rondé Barber turns 49 years old today, so let’s celebrate by looking back at some of the best plays from his incredible 16-year career.

A third-round pick in the 1997 NFL draft out of Virginia, Barber was an afterthought early in his career, but he eventually became a revolutionary player who redefined what it meant to be an impact player at the cornerback position.

A big-play machine, Barber finally received his long-awaited place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame last year.

Here’s a look back at all the best plays from his legendary career:

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WATCH: Rondé Barber’s Hall of Fame speech

Relive Rondé Barber’s awesome induction speech at the Pro Football Hall of Fame

After a long wait, Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend Rondé Barber was finally inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023.

One of the most unique and dynamic playmakers in the history of the game, Barber redefined the slot/nickel cornerback position, revolutionizing the game. He was finally rewarded with his gold jacket and a bronze bust in Canton, joining three other members of Tampa Bay’s legendary Super Bowl defense of 2002.

Back in August, Barber delivered an impassioned speech at the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony, recounting his incredible journey on the gridiron from third-round draft pick to football immortality:

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Check out this awesome Rondé Barber documentary

Celebrate Rondé Barber’s birthday by checking out this fantastic documentary about his legendary football journey

One of the most legendary players in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history, Rondé Barber turns 49 today, so we’re celebrating with all kinds of No. 20 content today.

Barber’s rise from third-round draft pick to Pro Football Hall of Famer is the stuff of legend, as he overcame doubts about his size to become one of the most dynamic playmakers in NFL history.

Spending all 16 of his NFL seasons with the Bucs, Barber gave Tampa Bay fans a seemingly endless highlight reel, and remains an active member of the community.

If you haven’t seen it yet, make sure to check out this fantastic documentary about Barber’s incredible journey:

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WATCH: Bucs legend Rondé Barber shuts down Veterans Stadium

Celebrate Rondé Barber’s birthday by reliving the most iconic play in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history

We never miss an opportunity to bring back the most iconic play in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history, and considering today is Rondé Barber’s birthday, we’re gonna do it again.

Barber turns 49 years old today, but we’re gonna turn the clock all the way back to January of 2003, when he sealed the Bucs’ legendary 27-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC title game, sending Tampa Bay to their first Super Bowl in franchise history.

No. 20’s memorable pick-six in the final minutes also sealed the Eagles’ fate in their final home game at Veterans Stadium.

Here’s the moment, for your viewing pleasure:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCHvKUzTK4k&t=11s

Yeah, I could watch that all day.

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Mike Evans, the rare top-10 hit from the 2014 NFL draft

Most of the top 10 picks from the 2014 NFL draft have failed to live up to expectations, but Mike Evans was a grand-slam selection

Heading into the 2014 NFL draft, all the talk at the top of the board was about Jadeveon Clowney, the highlight-making defensive end out of South Carolina, who was the no-brainer pick to go No. 1 overall to the Houston Texans.

As it turns out, Clowney was nowhere near the best player to come out of the top 10 picks in that draft. He wasn’t even the best player at his own position, as Khalil Mack has put together a much more productive career over the past decade.

Outside of Mack, the only other stud to come out of that top 10 was Mike Evans, the dominant wide receiver out of Texas A&M selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 7 overall:

Evans wasn’t the first receiver off the board, either. The Buffalo Bills traded up from No. 8 to No. 4 overall for Clemson’s Sammy Watkins, who has bounced around the league and never made the kind of impact that Evans has over his time in the league.

A future Hall of Famer, Evans is the only player in NFL history to start his career with 10 straight seasons of at least 1,000 receiving yards. He currently ranks 13th all-time in touchdown receptions, and will likely move into the top 10 after another season of his usual production.

The Bucs knocked that top-10 pick out of the park, and it’s still paying off a decade later.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers all-time starting lineup

Who makes the cut for the best players at every position in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history?

There’s no denying the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had some lean years throughout their existence, but they’ve also enjoyed unforgettable stretches of championship success, with two dominant Super Bowl victories over the past two decades.

Along the way, Bucs fans have been treated to a long list of star players on both sides of the ball, including some of the best the NFL has ever seen.

Putting together an all-time starting lineup for the Bucs is quite the challenge at some positions, while others have obvious selections that stand out above the rest.

Here’s how we would stack that roster: