Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
See which players have received the franchise tag from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since it became an option in 1993
The window has officially opened for NFL teams to use the franchise tag to keep one of their most important free agents from hitting the open market.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a prime candidate this year in cornerback Jamel Dean, but they might not be able to afford it, thanks to their daunting salary cap situation.
As the Bucs deliberate whether or not to use the tag this year, here’s a look back at all the players in Tampa Bay history who have received it:
Check out our picks 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:
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a long list of legendary players from over the years, but who takes the top spot?
For a franchise that started its existence by losing 26 straight games, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have enjoyed plenty of success since then.
Over the years, Bucs fans have enjoyed watching some of the best players in the league, many of whom combine to make a long list of legends who have donned a Tampa Bay uniform.
The Bucs are adding yet another Hall of Famer this year, and despite some more lean years over the past couple of decades, Tampa Bay fans have still been treated to more iconic players along the way.
But who is the best player in team history?
We asked, and the fans answered:
The longtime journeyman is now thrust into the spotlight, with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line
One of the NFL’s most intriguing journeymen has been thrust into the spotlight in the NFC title game.
After an elbow injury suffered by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, longtime veteran Josh Johnson has been forced into action Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Johnson was a fifth-round pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2008 NFL draft, after a stellar college career at San Diego. After spending his first four NFL seasons with the Bucs, Johnson would go on to play for 14 different NFL teams, with multiple stops for the same team, and multiple stops in other leagues.
Now, at 36 years old, Johnson finds himself having to save the day for a 49ers team that lost both Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo to injury during the regular season, and now could be without their star rookie in Purdy as they try to earn a trip to the Super Bowl.
[listicle id=75452]
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had plenty of underrated players over the years, but who takes the top spot?
At this point, Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans are used to some of the team’s best and most iconic players not getting the respect and attention they deserve on a national, league-wide level.
Some of the NFL’s best players of many different generations have treated Bucs fans to elite football on a weekly basis, only to be ignored by Pro Bowl ballots, All-Pro voters, and even Hall of Fame considerations.
The Bucs have had tons of underrated players on both sides of the ball over the years, but which one takes the top spot?
We asked Bucs fans for their choice, and here’s what they said:
Celebrate the anniversary of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ first Super Bowl victory, a 48-21 win over the Oakland Raiders in 2003
20 years ago today, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took home their first Lombardi Trophy, beating the Oakland Raiders 48-21 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego.
It was Tampa Bay’s first appearance in a Super Bowl, and they made sure they didn’t leave empty-handed as their top-ranked defense dominated the Raiders’ top-ranked offense. The Bucs intercepted league MVP Rich Gannon five times, returning three of them for touchdowns.
Yes, that incredibly means that the Tampa Bay defense outscored the No. 1 offense in the NFL. (One of the Raiders’ touchdowns came on a blocked punt.)
As we celebrate the anniversary of such an iconic moment in Bucs history, let’s relive their victory with some of the best images from the epic blowout:
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of their first championship, Bucs legend Rondé Barber takes us for a trip down memory lane
Who better to break down Super Bowl XXXVII than @rondebarber for the 20th anniversary? 🏆#GoBucs pic.twitter.com/ml7s0EHlnG
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) January 26, 2023
It seems hard to believe, but it’s been 20 years since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hoisted their first Lombardi Trophy.
On this day in 2003, the Bucs dominated the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII, picking off NFL MVP Rich Gannon five times, and returning three of them for touchdowns in a 48-21 blowout victory.
Watch the video above to see Bucs legend Rondé Barber break down some of his favorite plays from Tampa Bay’s championship performance.
[listicle id=75292]
20 years ago today, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hoisted their first Lombardi Trophy after dominating the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII
20 years ago today, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hoisted their first Lombardi Trophy after dominating the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII.
The Bucs made the most of their first Super Bowl appearance, intercepting NFL MVP Rich Gannon five times, and running three of them back for touchdowns on their way to a 48-21 victory.
Watch the video above to relive the full game, in all its glory.
[listicle id=75292]
Steve Young tells the hilarious story of his failed attempt to convince Bo Jackson to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
“Who is the worst NFL draft pick ever?”
The answer is an easy one, and yet another slice of Tampa Bay Buccaneers history that fans would love to forget.
Tampa Bay had the No. 1 overall pick in the 1986 NFL draft, and they obviously wanted to spend it on Auburn star running back Bo Jackson.
The only problem? Jackson had no interest in playing for the fledgling franchise, and especially not for then-owner Hugh Culverhouse.
One of Culverhouse’s last-ditch efforts to convince Jackson to come to Tampa came at a private dinner with just one other attendee: Steve Young, who played quarterback for the Bucs at the time, long before his Hall of Fame career with the San Francisco 49ers.
Young recently told Rich Eisen how quickly his recruiting pitch to Bo that night got shut down:
The Bucs spent the No. 1 overall pick on a player who never played a down for them, and hated them so much he decided to play a completely different sport instead.
No bust at No. 1 will ever top that.
[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbw5aerff6ff182 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]
[listicle id=75173]
Celebrate the 20th anniversary of one of the most iconic moments in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history
January 19th is a day that will always bring a joyful tear to the eye of every Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan, and induce crying of another kind for every supporter of the Philadelphia Eagles.
On this day in 2003, Bucs cornerback Rondé Barber clinched Tampa Bay’s first-ever trip to the Super Bowl with a coast-to-coast pick-six to seal a victory over the Eagles in the NFC title game.
That game was the last the Eagles would ever play at Veterans Stadium, ending a playoff drought in Philly for the Bucs, and delivering heartbreak to their faithful fan base.
Here’s the iconic play, in all its glory:
2️⃣0️⃣ years ago, @rondebarber shut down the Vet & the rest is history 🙌#GoBucs pic.twitter.com/GSL92DF1yl
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) January 20, 2023
[listicle id=66434]
