| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | |||||||||||||
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| Established | April 24, 1974; 51 years ago (April 24, 1974)[1] | ||||||||||||
| Stadium | Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida | ||||||||||||
| Headquartered | One Buccaneer Place, Tampa, Florida[2] | ||||||||||||
| Colors | Buccaneer red, pewter, orange, black[3][4][5] | ||||||||||||
| Fight song | "Hey! Hey! Tampa Bay!" | ||||||||||||
| Mascot | Captain Fear | ||||||||||||
| Website | buccaneers | ||||||||||||
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| Owner | Glazer family[a] | ||||||||||||
| Chairman |
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| President | Darcie Glazer Kassewitz | ||||||||||||
| General manager | Jason Licht | ||||||||||||
| Head coach | Todd Bowles | ||||||||||||
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National Football League (1976–present)
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| Championships | |||||||||||||
League championships: 2
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| Conference championships: 2 | |||||||||||||
| Division championships: 10 | |||||||||||||
| Playoff appearances (15) | |||||||||||||
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TheTampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as theBucs) are a professionalAmerican football team based inTampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in theNational Football League (NFL) as a member of theNational Football Conference (NFC)South division. They joined the NFL in1974 as anexpansion team, along with theSeattle Seahawks, and played their first season in1976 as a member of theAmerican Football Conference (AFC)West division.
Before the1977 season, Tampa Bay switched conferences and divisions with Seattle, becoming a member of theNFC Central division. The Seahawks eventually rejoined the NFC in 2002, leaving the Buccaneers as the only NFL team not to play in their original conference. As a result of the league's realignment before the2002 season, the Buccaneers joined three formerNFC West teams to form the NFC South. The team is owned by theGlazer family and plays its home games atRaymond James Stadium in Tampa.
The Buccaneers have won twoSuper Bowl championships and, along with theBaltimore Ravens, are the only two NFL franchises that are undefeated in multiple Super Bowl appearances. They were regarded as a perennial losing franchise for most of their first two decades due to suffering 26 consecutive losses in their first two seasons (including awinless inaugural season) and 14 consecutive losing seasons from 1983 to 1996—the most in NFL history—contributing to theirleague-worst overall winning percentage of .410
Despite these early struggles, Tampa Bay is the first post-merger expansion team to clinch a division title, win a playoff game, and host a conference championship, all of which they accomplished by their fourth season in1979. The team's image improved by the time of their first championship in2002, also the first for any of the six organizations built after the merger,[b] but they would not win another playoff game until their second Super Bowl championship season in2020. In2024, the team tied theNew Orleans Saints for the most NFC South titles with seven. The 2024 season also set franchise and division records with four consecutive division titles as well as five consecutive playoff appearances.
The Buccaneers joined the NFL as members of theAFC West in 1976.[6] The next year, they were moved to theNFC Central, while the other 1976 expansion team, theSeattle Seahawks, switched conferences with Tampa Bay and joined the AFC West.[7] This realignment was dictated by the league as part of the 1976 expansion plan, so that both teams could play each other twice and every other NFL franchise once during their first two seasons. Instead of a traditional schedule of playing each division opponent twice, the Buccaneers played every conference team once, plus the Seahawks.[8]
Tampa Bay went 0–14 in their first season. They were outscored by an average of almost 21 points per game. Only three games ended with the Buccaneers within one possession.[9] Until theDetroit Lions in 2008, the 1976 Buccaneers were the only Super Bowl-era team to go winless in a whole season. Their losing streak caused them to become the butt of late-night television comedians' jokes.[10] Tampa Bay did not win their first game until the 13th week of theirsecond season, starting with a record of 0–26 (though the Buccaneers had beaten theAtlanta Falcons, 17–3, in a 1976 pre-season game before their first regular season).[11] The Saints' head coach,Hank Stram, was fired after losing to the Buccaneers.[12] Their first win came on December 11, 1977, on the road against theNew Orleans Saints in Week 13. Tampa Bay needed one more week to get their second victory, a home win over theSt. Louis Cardinals in the 1977 season finale.[13] The Cardinals also fired their coach,Don Coryell, shortly afterward.[14]
The Buccaneers improved to a 5–11 mark in 1978. The team boasted a strong defensive unit that finished seventh in points allowed. The team was competitive in numerous close games.[15] The Buccaneers' situation improved rapidly in the1979 season. With the maturation of quarterbackDoug Williams and future four-time Pro Bowl tight endJimmie Giles, the first 1,000-yard rushing season from running backRicky Bell, and a smothering, league-leading, Star Studded defense led by future NFLHall of FamerLee Roy Selmon,[16] the Buccaneers kicked off the season with five consecutive victories, a performance that landed them on the cover ofSports Illustrated.[17]
With four games left in the season, the Buccaneers needed to win only one of them to make the playoffs. In the first,STP was put all over the goal posts in Tampa to prevent the goalposts from being ripped down in the event of a celebration. Four blocked kicks later, the Buccaneers wasted the oily substance, falling to theMinnesota Vikings 23–22. STP was wasted again the following week as the Buccaneers were shut out 14–0 by theChicago Bears; and inO. J. Simpson's final home game inSan Francisco, Tampa Bay lost its third straight attempt to clinch a division title against a 49ers team which came in with a 1–13 record. However, in the season finale at home against theKansas City Chiefs, which was played in the worst downpour in Buccaneers history, Tampa Bay pulled out a 3–0 victory. Finishing with a 10–6 record, the Buccaneers had their first winning season in franchise history, and won the Central Division in a tiebreaker over the Bears.[18] In an upset, the Buccaneers defeated thePhiladelphia Eagles 24–17 in the divisional round of theplayoffs.[19] Because theLos Angeles Rams defeated theDallas Cowboys in the other NFC playoff game, the Buccaneers hosted theNFC Championship Game the following week in Tampa. The Buccaneers lost to the Rams 9–0.[20] In their fourth season, the Bucs seemed on the verge of fulfilling McKay's five-year plan.[21] The Buccaneers regressed in 1980 and finished with a 5–10–1 mark.[22]
The Buccaneers made the playoffs again by winning their division in the1981 season.[23] It came down to a thrilling final game atDetroit; the winner would take the Central Division crown and the loser would miss the playoffs. TheDetroit Lions had not lost at home all season. Although the Buccaneers trailed early, an 84-yard touchdown bomb from quarterback Williams to wide receiverKevin House and a fumble recovery for a touchdown by defensive tackleDavid Logan sealed the win for the Buccaneers.[24] In the playoffs, the Cowboys defeated the Buccaneers, 38–0, in the divisional round. The loss remains the largest postseason shutout loss in franchise history.[25]
The1982 season started 0–3 for the Buccaneers, before aplayer's strike shut down the NFL for seven weeks. When the league resumed play, the Buccaneers were nicknamed the "Cardiac Kids" for winning five of their next six games, all in the final moments, to go 5–4 and qualify for the expanded playoff slate.[26] In the first round, the Buccaneers once again faced the Cowboys at Dallas, losing 30–17.[27] As it turned out, this would be the last winning regular season under Culverhouse's ownership.
Before the 1983 season, Williams bolted to theUnited States Football League in a salary dispute.[28] The Buccaneers lost their first nine games of the 1983 season en route to finishing 2–14, the first of 12 consecutive seasons with at least ten losses—an NFL record.[29] Included was the drafting ofHeisman Trophy winnerBo Jackson with the first pick in the1986 draft.[30] Jackson had let it be known that he would never play a down for Hugh Culverhouse at Tampa Bay.[31] Making good on his threat, he opted instead to play baseball for theKansas City Royals and would later return for parts of football seasons with theLos Angeles Raiders.[32][33] Along with Williams, who later was a Super Bowl champion quarterback for Washington, two other Buccaneers quarterbacks during this era led other teams to Super Bowl wins.Steve Young won with the 49ers andTrent Dilfer won with the Baltimore Ravens. In the 1984 season, the team went 6–10 in John McKay's final season.[34][35]
Former Atlanta Falcons' coach Leeman Bennett was named head coach before the 1985 season.[36] He led the team to consecutive 2–14 finishes in 1985 and 1986.[37][38] Bennett was fired after the 1986 season.[39] Ray Perkins was hired to be the head coach of the Buccaneers before the 1987 season.[40] Perkins coached for the team for almost four seasons, getting fired during 1990 season.[41] Under Perkins's tenure, the team won no more than five games in a single season.[42]
Under Culverhouse, the Buccaneers were one of the NFL's more profitable teams during the 1980s; however, this was largely because he kept the payroll among the lowest in the league, hampering their ability to sign quality players. Attendance also sagged; at one point the Buccaneers went parts of three whole seasons without having a home game televised locally, and when they did it was more attributed to a strong visiting team with a large following in the area, such as the Chicago Bears orGreen Bay Packers.
Hardy Nickerson, a future five-time Pro Bowl linebacker, signed as a free agent from the Pittsburgh Steelers.John Lynch, a future Pro Bowl, and Hall of Fame strong safety, was drafted in 1993. In the1995 NFL draft the Buccaneers drafted two future Hall of Famers:Warren Sapp andDerrick Brooks. Pro Bowl Fullback,Mike Alstott, was drafted the next year in the 1996 draft.
Despite the profitability of the Buccaneers in the 1980s, Culverhouse's death in 1994 revealed a man close tobankruptcy despite having a low payroll for his team.[43] His son,Miami attorney Hugh Culverhouse Jr. soon sued his father's associates (Stephen Story, Jack Donlan, and Fred Cone) who had built the trust account that was meant to manage the elder Culverhouse's business (which involved a $350 million estate) after having his wife sign a post-nuptial agreement. At any rate, a settlement was soon reached that gave control of the trust to Culverhouse Jr., who sold the team for $192 million. Interested parties includedNew York Yankees ownerGeorge Steinbrenner[44] andBaltimore Orioles ownerPeter Angelos, the latter of whom publicly declared he would move the team toBaltimore, as the city did not have an NFL franchise at that time.[45]
However, in a last-minute surprise, real estate magnateMalcolm Glazer outbid both of them for $192 million, the highest sale price for a professional sports franchise up to that point.[46] Glazer immediately placed his sonsBryan,Edward, andJoel in charge of the team's financial affairs. He stated that he had every intention of keeping the team in Tampa, but informed area citizens its current stadium deal would not support the record paid amount and that a new stadium would be required. The Glazers convincedHillsborough County voters to raise sales taxes to fund the construction of what would becomeRaymond James Stadium.
The Glazers' deep pockets and serious commitment to fielding a winning team–in Tampa Bay–finally allowed the Buccaneers to become competitive. The team's performance dramatically improved when the Glazers hired Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinatorTony Dungy as head coach.[47] Additionally, the team jettisoned the old uniform designs in favor of a modern look.
DuringDungy's first season in 1996, the team continued to struggle, starting the season 1–8. But in the second half of the season, they finished 5–2, primarily due to the performance of a defense ranked seventh in the NFL led by Hardy Nickerson and the maturing of Sam Wyche's draftees Brooks, Lynch, and Sapp.[48] Dungy, with his even-tempered personality, quickly brought balance and morale to the team, and hisCover 2 defensive scheme, sharpened to perfection bydefensive coordinatorMonte Kiffin and linebackers coachLovie Smith, became the foundation for Tampa Bay's future success.[49] Their version of Cover 2 was so successful that it became known as theTampa 2.[50] It has been brought to theChicago Bears by Smith, Detroit Lions by Rod Marinelli, Kansas City Chiefs byHerman Edwards and to theIndianapolis Colts by Dungy himself, and copied by several other teams.
The team started the1997 season 5–0, picking up where they left off the previous year, and this quick start once again landed them on the cover ofSports Illustrated twice.[51][52] The Buccaneers went 10–6 for their first winning season and playoff appearance since 1982, as a wild-card team.[53] In the Buccaneers' final home game atHoulihan's Stadium (formerly Tampa Stadium), the team defeated the Lions 20–10. They lost atLambeau Field to the eventual NFC champion Packers 21–7 in the Divisional Round.[54] Still, there was reason for optimism, and the expectations were high for the following season.
The1998 season, the first to be played in the newly constructed Raymond James Stadium,[55] saw the Buccaneers lose several close games en route to a disappointing 8–8 record.[56] The Buccaneers had to play the first six football games of the year (including preseason) on the road, as the new stadium was not quite finished.
The1999 season brought much better fortune. On the strength of the NFL's number 3 overall defense and a performance by rookie quarterbackShaun King, the Buccaneers finished the season with an 11–5 record and won their third NFC Central Division Championship.[57] They beat theWashington Redskins 14–13 in the Divisional round, before losing to the eventual Super Bowl Champion St. Louis Rams in a low-scoring NFC Championship Game, 11–6.[58][59] The Buccaneers' loss was controversial, highlighted by the reversal of a pass from King to wide receiverBert Emanuel, which ended the Buccaneers' chances at continuing their last-minute drive. In league meetings after the season, the NFL changed the rules regarding what constituted anincomplete pass.[60]
While the Buccaneers played well in2000 and2001 and made the playoffs in each season, they were unable to fulfill their primary goal of a Super Bowl victory.[61][62] The wild card spots that Tampa Bay earned forced them to go on the road for their postseason opener in each year, and both road games took them into frigid Philadelphia to play the Eagles. The Buccaneers historically have struggled in games played with a temperature of less than 32 °F (0 °C) (as late as 1999, they had never won a game with a temperature played under 40 degrees[63]) and the latter loss to the Eagles was the sixth time that Tampa Bay had lost a postseason game on the road (out of six played).[64][65][63]
Dungy was fired by the Buccaneers after a 31–9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wildcard Round of 2001[66] and soon thereafter hired as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts,[67] while the Buccaneers mounted a search for his replacement that would include numerous names and rejections.[68] Several potential candidates were offered the job, includingUniversity of Florida head coach (and former Buccaneers quarterback)Steve Spurrier, formerNew York Giants head coachBill Parcells, and Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinatorMarvin Lewis. Spurrier jumped to the Redskins when he was offered the most lucrative salary package ever offered to an NFL head coach, and Parcells eventually passed on the Buccaneers' offer—the second time he had done so in the history of the franchise. Buccaneers' general manager Rich McKay threw his support behind Lewis. The Glazer brothers were so displeased with the selection of yet another defensive-minded coach that they overruled McKay and took control of the candidate search themselves. They made it clear that their top choice wasJon Gruden; however, he was still under contract with the Oakland Raiders.
While talks with the Raiders were secretly underway, the Glazers publicly pursued another respected offensive mind,San Francisco 49ers head coachSteve Mariucci. Just when initial reports indicated that Mariucci had agreed to become both the Buccaneers' head coach and their general manager, Raiders ownerAl Davis agreed to release Gruden to Tampa Bay.[69]
The Glazers' shrewd move eventually paid off in acquiring Gruden, but it was costly. The team hired Gruden away from the Raiders on February 20, 2002, but the price was fourdraft picks, including the Buccaneers' first and second-round picks in 2002, their first-round pick in 2003, and their second-round selection in 2004, along with $8 million in cash.[70] (The league as a result prohibited any further trading of draft picks for coaches.) Gruden was frustrated by the limitation of his coaching authority by Davis and was more than pleased to return to Tampa Bay. His parents lived inCarrollwood, and he had spent part of his childhood in Tampa in the early 1980s when his father was a running backs coach and later a scout for the Buccaneers.[71]
Upon his arrival in Tampa, Gruden immediately went to work, retooling a sluggish offense, changing over 50% of the starting offense. With a new Tailback, Wide Receiver, Two Tight Ends, Left Tackle, and Left Guard, Gruden put his stamp on the teams offense to remove the "Dungy's Team" label. The league's sweeping realignment sent the Buccaneers to the new NFC South Division, along with the Falcons,Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints.[72]
Led by the league's top defense, the2002 season was the Buccaneers' most successful to date. Linebacker Derrick Brooks was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year with a tendency to make big plays.[73] They won the NFC South title with the team's best ever record, 12–4, and scored more points in two playoff wins over the 49ers and Eagles than in Buccaneers playoff history combined. ThePhiladelphia Eagles were a thorn in Tampa Bay's side, having eliminated the Buccaneers in each of the last two seasons' wild card games. Tampa Bay entered the game as heavy underdogs and fell behind early. However, the Buccaneers persevered and took a ten-point lead into the fourth quarter.Ronde Barber sealed the win in dramatic fashion with a late interception return for a touchdown, and a 27–10 victory.[74] The Buccaneers then went on to rout Gruden's former team, the Raiders, who had the league's number one offense, by a score of 48–21 inSuper Bowl XXXVII, nicknamed 'The Pirate Bowl'.[75]
Soon after the Super Bowl victory, a growing number of press reports indicated Gruden's lack of patience with general manager McKay, a major architect of the Buccaneers' rebuilding effort over the previous ten years. McKay, like Gruden, had long-established ties to theTampa Bay area. However, during the2003 season, the Gruden-McKay relationship deteriorated as the Buccaneers struggled on the field. In November,Keyshawn Johnson was deactivated by the team ten games into the season for his conduct, which included sideline arguments with Buccaneers coaches and players.[76] Johnson was eventually traded to the Dallas Cowboys for wide receiverJoey Galloway, who later in his career played for the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Washington Redskins.[77]
In December, the Glazers allowed McKay to leave the Bucs before the end of the regular season, and he promptly joined the Falcons as president and general manager.[78] Thus, McKay watched his first game as a Falcons executive sitting next to ownerArthur Blank in a Raymond James Stadium skybox. The Falcons defeated the Buccaneers 30–28. The Buccaneers suffered a sluggish start and finished the season 7–9. With the Raiders' dismal 4–12 performance, neither Super Bowl team reached the playoffs that year.[79]
For 2004,Bruce Allen was hired as general manager.[80] After Allen's arrival, both John Lynch and Warren Sapp were released, stunning many Buccaneers fans.[81] The distracted Buccaneers began the2004 season with a 1–5 record, their worst start under Gruden. The fading accuracy ofkickerMartín Gramática did not help matters, as the team lost many close games en route to a 5–11 record.[82]
In the2005 season, the Buccaneers celebrated their 30th season in the league, and returned to their winning ways. The Buccaneers selectedCarnell "Cadillac" Williams in the first round of the 2005 draft, and the rookie would provide a running game the Buccaneers had not possessed since the days ofJames Wilder Sr. in the 1980s. Williams would later go on to receive the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.[83] After starting 5–1, the team entered a midseason slump hampered by a season-ending injury to starting quarterbackBrian Griese. Replacement starterChris Simms struggled early,[84] but came into his own, leading the team to a last-minute win over the Redskins. The Buccaneers won the NFC South Division finishing 11–5. The season ended abruptly, however, with a 17–10 loss in the Wild Card round, in a rematch with Washington that saw receiverEdell Shepherd drop the potential game-winning catch in the endzone.[85]
After winning the division in 2005, the Buccaneers suffered through an abysmal2006 season. The season was plagued by injuries, with starters such as guardDan Buenning,[86] wide receiverMichael Clayton,[87] running back Cadillac Williams, defensive endSimeon Rice, cornerbackBrian Kelly,[88] and quarterback Chris Simms all being placed on injured reserve at some point in the season.[89] The season also saw a lot of rookies starting for the Buccaneers, such as quarterbackBruce Gradkowski,[90] tackleJeremy Trueblood,[91] and guardDavin Joseph.[92]
The Buccaneers started off the season 0–3, with Simms throwing one touchdown to seven interceptions. In the third game of the season, a last-minute loss to the Panthers, Simms'sspleen was ruptured, and he was placed on injured reserve for the balance of the season.[89] After their bye week, the Buccaneers elected to start Gradkowski, a sixth-round pick from Toledo.[90][93] After nearly beating the Saints, Gradkowski led the team to last-minute wins over theCincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles. The success was short-lived, however, and the Buccaneers lost five of the next six games.Tim Rattay replaced Gradkowski as quarterback late in the season, and the team finished 4–12.[94] The aged defense, with five starters who had played there for a decade or more, was ranked 17th overall, the first time a Tampa Bay defense was not ranked in the top ten since 1996.
After the disappointing 2006 season, the Buccaneers for the first time in several seasons had money to spend in free agency. They brought in quarterbackJeff Garcia,[95] offensive tackleLuke Petitgout,[96] defensive endKevin Carter,[97] and linebackerCato June.[98] On April 28, 2007, the Buccaneers draftedClemson defensive endGaines Adams with the 4th overall pick in theNFL draft. After the draft the Buccaneers picked up tight endJerramy Stevens.[99] and defensive tackleRyan Sims.[100]
The off-season changes resulted in the Buccaneers winning the NFC South title in the2007 season, finishing with a 9–7 record, and the 4th seed in the conference. The division crown was the second one in three seasons under Gruden. In the Wild Card round of the playoffs held on January 6, 2008, the Buccaneers lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Giants by a final score of 24–14.
During the 2008 offseason, the Buccaneers re-signed head coach Gruden and general manager Allen through the 2011 season. They also acquired former playersWarrick Dunn, who had spent the last 6 seasons with the Falcons, and Brian Griese, who was the starting quarterback for the team in 2005 until a knee injury sidelined him for the remainder of the year. Chris Simms was finally released, having not played in a game since his injury in 2006. TheBuccaneers got off to a great start in 2008, with a 9–3 record going into the final month of the season, tied for first place in the division, with a chance at the top seed in the conference. On December 2, it was announced that defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin would be leaving the team after the season's end, for the same job at theUniversity of Tennessee, serving under his sonLane Kiffin, who had just been named the new head coach at the school. After the announcement, the Buccaneers would lose their final four games of the season to finish 9–7 for the second consecutive season. Unlike 2007, it was not enough to secure the division championship, nor a playoff appearance.
Raheem Morris was named the replacement for Monte Kiffin as defensive coordinator in December 2008.[101] A month later, after the huge collapse that ended the 2008 season, the Buccaneers fired Jon Gruden and swiftly elevated Morris to the head coach position.[102] Bruce Allen was also let go, withMark Dominik named his successor as general manager. Several veterans were released including Derrick Brooks, Joey Galloway, and Jeff Garcia.[103] The new staff traded for tight endKellen Winslow Jr.,[104] signed quarterbackByron Leftwich,[105] and draftedJosh Freeman with the 17th overall pick.[106]
The2009 squad started out 0–7, behind Leftwich and laterJosh Johnson. After their bye week, the team elevated Freeman to starting quarterback,[107] resulting in the team's first win of the season. The team finished 3–13, the worst record since 1991.[108]
The Buccaneers'2010 season surprised many, producing the greatest single-season turnaround in franchise history, going 10–6.[109] This was largely behind the stellar performances of Freeman,[110][111] rookie receiverMike Williams,[112][113] andLeGarrette Blount.[113][114] Despite the effort, the team narrowly missed the playoffs, losing out on thewild card tiebreaker to the eventualSuper Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers.[115]
Tampa Bay began the2011 season with high hopes, adding several key defensive players through the draft.[116] After a 4–2 start, however, the Buccaneers collapsed, dropping ten consecutive games to finish 4–12.[117] The day after a 45–24 loss to the Falcons in their final game of the season, the team fired Morris, offensive coordinatorGreg Olson and the rest of his corresponding staff.[118] During the Morris era, the lack of on-the-field success, along with several contributing factors, including therecession, saw attendance slip, precipitating local television blackouts for the first time since the mid-1990s. All eight regular-season home games were blacked out in 2010, and five of seven were blacked out in 2011 (one "home" game was played in London).
About three weeks after firing Raheem Morris, the Buccaneers hiredGreg Schiano fromRutgers as the new head coach.[119] During his introductory conference he stated "There will be Buccaneer men, and there will be a Buccaneer Way." The phrase "The Buccaneer Way" became a slogan among fans and local media, describing the new regime and attitude. The team filled out the coaching staff with new faces, includingMike Sullivan,[120]Bill Sheridan,[121] andButch Davis.[122] In 2013,Dave Wannstedt was also added as special teams coach.[123] In the first day of free agency, the club signed top prospectsVincent Jackson andCarl Nicks, as well asEric Wright.[124] The $140 million committed to the team during that 24-hour period is the largest investment the Glazer family has put into the team going back almost a decade.
The team finished the2012 season at 7–9, notably ranking first in rushing defense.[125] Furthermore, the rushing offense was highlighted by the breakout performance ofDoug Martin. After two seasons of game-day local television blackouts, the improved team began seeing increased attendance and attention, and some blackouts lifted. 6 games were blacked out in 2012. For the three-year period of 2010–2012, the Buccaneers led the NFL in local television blackouts with 19 (Cincinnati was second with 11). Schiano's strict and regimented coaching style, however, drew criticism at the end of a game against the Giants, ordering his defense to continue to aggressively tackle the offense as Giants quarterbackEli Manning was taking a knee to end the game. Afterwards, Schiano was met at midfield by an irateTom Coughlin, who did not appreciate the Buccaneers' aggressiveness.[126]
Coming into the2013 season, fans and analysts had better than average expectations for Tampa Bay. They were expected to improve their record, and potentially make a playoffs run. The predictions proved unfounded, as numerous issues on and off the field saw the team collapse. The team dealt with several players, includingLawrence Tynes, Carl Nicks,[127] andJohnthan Banks,[128] contracting antibiotic-resistantMRSA infections, which led to a 2015 lawsuit by Tynes that settled in 2017.[129][130][131] During training camp, a reported rift began to divide Schiano and quarterback Josh Freeman. After an 0–3 start, Freeman was benched, and ultimately released. This was after Freeman reportedly missed several team meetings, along with the team's annual photograph.[132] Schiano started rookieMike Glennon,[133] but the team continued to lose. The fans' confidence of Schiano began to decay rapidly, and after a 0–8 start, the team got its first win of the season on a Monday night against Miami. A brief win streak saw improvements with Glennon at quarterback, andBobby Rainey took over at running back with stellar numbers afterDoug Martin went down with a shoulder injury.[134] There were no blackouts in 2013, as the Glazers bought up the necessary tickets for two of the games to get to the 85% threshold needed to prevent local blackouts.
Despite some individual improvements, and some impressive performances by members of the defense, the team dropped the last three games of the season, and finished 4–12. The team ranked last or near the bottom in almost every offensive category. On December 30, 2013, Schiano and general managerMark Dominik were fired.[135]
On January 1, 2014, Lovie Smith was hired as the new head coach of the Buccaneers, replacing Greg Schiano.[136] Smith had previously spent 5 seasons with the Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001 coaching the linebackers under Tony Dungy.[136] During his first news conference with the Buccaneers, Smith talked about restoring the quality of the team from the late 1990s and early 2000s: "There was a certain brand of football you expected from us," Smith said. "You know we would be relentless. There was a brand of football that you got from us each week at Raymond James Stadium. It was hard for opponents to come in and win. We have gotten away from that a little bit, and it's time ... for us to become a relevant team again."[137]
On January 21, 2014,Jason Licht was hired as the new general manager, replacing Mark Dominik.[138] He was officially introduced at One Buc Place on January 23, 2014. In his first news conference, Licht talked about his philosophy: "Our philosophy is going to be to build through the draft. That's where we find our stars. That's where we find the next generation. But also in the short term and long term we're going to supplement our roster through free agency but we're going to look for value. We're going to spend wisely."[139]
After signing veteran free agentJosh McCown and many more free agents,[140] many analysts predicted that the Buccaneers could be the surprise team of the year and possibly make a playoff run. Those predictions soon went away after the Buccaneers began the season 0–3, including a 56–14 blowout against the Falcons onThursday Night Football. McCown was injured in that game,[141] and second-year quarterback Mike Glennon was named the starter. His first start of the 2014 season ended with the Buccaneers earning their first victory of the season in Pittsburgh against the Steelers 27–24. The Buccaneers lost the next four games, including two overtime losses against the Saints and the Vikings, one blowout against the Ravens, and a 5-point loss against theCleveland Browns. Going into week 10 at 1–8, McCown returned as the starter. Mathematically, the Buccaneers were still in playoff contention only being 3 games out of first place in the division. McCown's first game back ended with a 27–17 loss to the Falcons but won the following week in a 27–7 blowout against struggling Washington.[141] The Buccaneers would lose the next three games and were officially knocked out of playoff contention in week 14. The Buccaneers finished 2–14, winning two fewer games than the previous season and secured the first-overall draft pick for the2015 NFL draft.[142]
Despite the team's record, first-round draft pick wide receiverMike Evans[143] had more than 1,000 receiving yards,[144] and he became the youngest NFL player to record more than 200 receiving yards in a single game.[145] Vincent Jackson also had more than 1,000 yards receiving,[146] which represented Tampa Bay's first pair of 1,000 yard receivers in a season.[145] Second-year cornerback Johnthan Banks led the team with 4 interceptions and has 50 tackles.[147] Danny Lansanah flourished in the Tampa 2 system with 81 tackles, 1.5 quarterback sacks, and 3 interceptions, with 2 of those interceptions returned for touchdowns for the 2014 season.[148] Jacquies Smith, who was signed from Buffalo after waiving rookie defensive end Scott Solomon a month into the season, had 17 combined tackles, 13 solo tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 1 forced fumble in only 8 starts for 2014.[149]
In December 2014, a report surfaced that the Buccaneers used homeless people to sell beer and did not pay them.[150]
After the conclusion of the 2014 season, Tampa Bay hiredBen Steele to become the team's new offensive quality control coach as well as former Falcons offensive coordinatorDirk Koetter to be their new offensive coordinator after parting ways with quarterbacks coach and interim offensive coordinatorMarcus Arroyo. Having a 2–14 record, tied for the worst record in the NFL in 2014, Tampa Bay gained the first-overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft. They also made some headlines when they released quarterback Josh McCown on February 11, 2015, to save $5.25 million in cap space.[151] With the first overall pick in the NFL draft, the Buccaneers selectedJameis Winston from Florida State.[152] Throughout the off-season, there was much debate whether the Buccaneers should pick Winston or Oregon quarterbackMarcus Mariota.[152]
On January 6, 2016, Smith was fired by the Buccaneers after posting a record of 8–24 in his two seasons, including a 6–10 record in the 2015 season.[153]
On January 15, 2016, Dirk Koetter was promoted from offensive coordinator to become the new head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.[154][155] In2016, Koetter won his first game as head coach, but the team's record slipped to 3–5 by week 9 after a 43–28 loss to Atlanta onThursday Night Football. The Buccaneers rattled off five straight victories, their longest winning streak since 2002. They earned upset victories over the heavily favored Chiefs and Seahawks, but snapped the streak with late-season losses to both Dallas and New Orleans. The Buccaneers ended with a 9–7 record, but lost the NFC's sixth seed to the Lions due to tiebreakers.[156][157]
On March 9, 2017, the Buccaneers signed former Washington Redskins wide receiverDeSean Jackson,[158] defensive tackleChris Baker,[159] former Cowboys safetyJ. J. Wilcox (traded to Pittsburgh Steelers),[160] former New York Jets kickerNick Folk,[161] and veteran quarterbackRyan Fitzpatrick.[162] The season got off to a 2–6 start with poor performance, especially in the kicking game. After a loss to the Lions in week 14, they were mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Tampa Bay finishedthe season 5–11.[163] This was their tenth consecutive season without a playoff appearance.[164] Also, the Buccaneers finished last in the NFC South for the seventh time in nine seasons.
The Buccaneers began the2018 season 2–0, their first 2–0 start since 2010. Journeyman quarterbackRyan Fitzpatrick started the first two games whileJameis Winston was serving a three-game suspension.[165] Fitzpatrick threw for over 400 yards and four touchdowns in both games, against the Saints (the eventual NFC South winner) and the Eagles (the defendingSuper Bowl champions).[166] On Monday night in Week 3 against the Steelers, Fitzpatrick became the first player in NFL history to throw for 400+ yards in three consecutive games.[167] However, he also threw three interceptions, and Tampa Bay lost the game 30–27. Fitzpatrick remained the starter for Week 4 against the Bears. He struggled and was benched after halftime in favor of Winston.[168] Winston was named the starter for Week 6,[169] but was averaging at least two interceptions per game. After week 6's loss to the Falcons, defensive coordinatorMike Smith was fired and linebackers coachMark Duffner was named interim defensive coordinator.[170] Both Winston and Fitzpatrick took snaps under center as the season wore on, and at 5–7 they were still mathematically alive for the postseason. However, they dropped their last four games to finish 5–11. After a second consecutive last-place season, Koetter was fired.[171][172]
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After the termination of Dirk Koetter, the Buccaneers namedBruce Arians as the 12th head coach in franchise history on January 8, 2019. Arians had been retired from coaching for a year, having spent the 2018 season in the broadcast booth.[173] Because Arians was still under contract with theArizona Cardinals through the end of the 2019 season, Tampa Bay agreed to give the Cardinals a sixth-round pick in the2019 NFL draft for the rights to Arians, as well as receiving Arizona's seventh-round pick in the same draft. On the same day it was reported the Buccaneers would also bring Byron Leftwich, who had served under Arians in Arizona, as offensive coordinator.[174] The next day the Buccaneers announced the hiring of former Jets head coachTodd Bowles as defensive coordinator.[175]
In2019, Tampa Bay finished with a 7–9 record.[176] The team finished the season with the best run defense in the league and top 10 in total offense.[177]Jameis Winston, in the final year of his five-year contract, set franchise records with 5,109 passing yards and 33 touchdown passes. He became the eighth quarterback in NFL history to eclipse 5,000 yards in a single season.[178][179] However he had a league-leading 30 interceptions. He set a mark as the first quarterback in league history to throw 30 touchdown passes and 30 interceptions in the same season.[180] His final pass attempt as a Buccaneers player was apick-six in overtime to lose against Atlanta in Week 17. Winston was not re-signed by Tampa Bay, and he was subsequently picked up by the Saints during the 2020 offseason.[181]
The Buccaneers made arguably the biggest acquisition of the 2020 offseason when they acquired veteran quarterbackTom Brady, widely considered the greatest to ever play the position.[182][183][184][185][186][187] The offensive engine of theNew England Patriots' sportsdynasty from 2001 to 2019, Brady announced that he would not be re-signing with the Patriots after 20 seasons[188] and joined the Buccaneers for 2020.[189]
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Later in the offseason, tight end and Brady's New England teammateRob Gronkowski announced that he was coming out of retirement to return to the NFL. On the same day, the Patriots made an agreement to trade Gronkowski to the Buccaneers, along with a seventh-round pick in exchange for a compensatory fourth-round pick in the2020 NFL draft. Gronkowski would finish the regular season with 45 receptions, 623 receiving yards, and 7 receiving touchdowns in 16 games.[190]
On September 6, 2020, the Buccaneers signed running backLeonard Fournette, who had been waived the previous week by the Jacksonville Jaguars.[191]
On October 27, 2020,free agentwide receiverAntonio Brown signed a one-year contract with the Buccaneers. The move reunited Brown with Arians, who was his first offensive coordinator on thePittsburgh Steelers, and Brady, whom he played one game alongside of for the Patriots. Brown made his first appearance with the Buccaneers in week 9 and would finish the regular season with 45 receptions, 483 receiving yards, and 4 receiving touchdowns in eight games.[192]
In Week 15, the Buccaneers overcame a 17–0 deficit against theAtlanta Falcons, to win 31–27 atMercedes-Benz Stadium inAtlanta, Georgia.[193]
In the2020 season, Tampa Bay clinched their first playoff berth since 2007 after a 47–7 victory against the Lions in Week 16.[194] By the end of the 2020 regular season, Brady had set the Buccaneers record for passing touchdowns with 40.[195] In the same game, receiver Mike Evans set the NFL record for consecutive 1,000-yard seasons to start a career with 7 straight 1,000 yard seasons.[196]
In the playoffs, the Buccaneers defeated theWashington Football Team 31–23 in the wild card round, their first postseason victory since winning Super Bowl XXXVII in 2002. In the divisional round, they defeated the Saints 30–20 to advance to the NFC Championship Game for the fourth time in franchise history, and first since the 2002 season. They then defeated the Packers to advance toSuper Bowl LV for the franchise's second appearance in the league championship, facing the defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. The Buccaneers defeated the Chiefs to win their second Super Bowl title by a score of 31–9. Coincidentally, Raymond James Stadium was named as the host stadium of Super Bowl LV in 2017 when it was determined thatSoFi Stadium, which had been awarded the game the year before its construction had begun, would not be completed in time to be eligible under league requirements to host.[197] Thus, the Buccaneers became the first team in NFL history to play in and win a Super Bowl that was held at its home stadium.[198]
In the 2021 offseason, the Buccaneers re-signed all 22 of their starters from the 2020 Super Bowl championship season, in addition to re-signing Fournette and former Bengals running backGiovani Bernard. The Buccaneers are the first team in the salary cap era (1994), and fourth team all-time, to re-sign all 22 starters from their Super Bowl team, while every other team's roster changed.[199]
After the 2021 regular season, in which they posted a 13–4 record and secured the #2 seed in the NFC playoffs.[200] The team defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 31–15 in the Wild Card Round.[201] The Buccaneers' title defense came to an end with a 30–27 last-second loss to the eventualSuper Bowl LVI championLos Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round.[202]
On February 1, 2022, quarterbackTom Brady announced his retirement from the league.[203][204] Brady had one season remaining on his contract with the Buccaneers. However, on March 13, after only forty days, he reversed his decision, and announced he would return for the 2022 season.[205] On March 30, a couple weeks after Brady's announcement, head coachBruce Arians announced his second retirement from coaching and shifted to Senior Football Consultant. Defensive coordinator and formerJets head coachTodd Bowles was immediately named his replacement.[206][207]
Despite signing former All-Pro receiverJulio Jones, former Pro-BowlersAkiem Hicks andKeanu Neal, and Brady's former teammatesShaq Mason andLogan Ryan, the Buccaneers struggled under Bowles in hisfirst season as head coach. They finished 8–9, but still won the NFC South division title, the fifth sub .500 team since the merger to make the playoffs. They lost at home to the Cowboys in theWild Card Round.[208][209] On February 1, 2023, Brady announced his retirement, this time "for good".[210]
In2023, Tampa Bay hired Seahawks quarterbacks coachDave Canales to be their offensive coordinator and signedHeisman Trophy winnerBaker Mayfield to a one-year, $8.5 million contract to be the team's next starting quarterback.[211][212] The Buccaneers won the NFC South with a 9–8 record, their third consecutive division crown.[213] They defeated Philadelphia in theWild Card Round 32–9.[214] The Buccaneers saw their season end in theDivisional Round with a 31–23 loss to the Detroit Lions.[215]
During the2024 offseason,Baker Mayfield signed a three-year contract extension with the Buccaneers to remain the starting quarterback.[216]Dave Canales departed to take the head coaching job atCarolina, and was replaced at the offensive coordinator position byLiam Coen. The Buccaneers finished the regular season 10–7, and won the NFC South for a franchise-best fourth consecutive season. This also tied the record for most consecutive NFC South titles, with four, and total NFC South titles, with seven; furthermore, this marked the fifth consecutive playoff appearance for the team, both a franchise and division record. Mayfield threw 41 touchdown passes, and the Tampa Bay offense ranked third in the league. Despite missing three games due to a hamstring injury, wide receiverMike Evans finished the regular season with 1,004 receiving yards. Evans tied the NFL record held byJerry Rice for the most consecutive seasons with 1,000+ receiving yards (11), as well as extend his own current record for most such seasons consecutively from the start of a career.[217] In theNFL playoffs, they were upset by theWashington Commanders by a field goal, 20–23.
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Throughout their history, the Buccaneers have been known for their suffocating defense. It started with the drafting of Hall of Fame defensive end Lee Roy Selmon with their first pick ever in 1976. Three Buccaneer players have been named theAP Defensive Player of the Year, and the team has led the league in total defense on three occasions, including the 2002 championship season. The team's defense was instrumental in their 2020 playoff run which led to their second Super Bowl title. All five of the Buccaneers Hall of Fame inductees are defensive players or coaches.
Led by Selmon, LinebackersDewey Selmon,Richard Wood,Dave Lewis, andMike Washington,Mark Cotney, andCedric Brown in the secondary, the early years Buccaneers quickly earned an identity as a defensive team. Their 3–4 defense peaked in 1979 when they led the league in total defense, points allowed, and first downs allowed. Lee Roy Selmon was voted NFL Defensive Player of the Year, but they eventually fell 10 points short of the Super Bowl as the offense held them back in the NFC Championship game in a 9–0 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Although 1980 was a down year, the unit made pass defense adjustments and returned in 1981 to finish No. 1 in Touchdowns allowed; giving up only 10 touchdowns all season.[218]
The team drafted franchise cornerstones Franchise Player & highest paid on the team Chidi Ahanotu, and John Lynch in 1993, and Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks in 1995 to go along with All-Pro linebacker Hardy Nickerson. That was followed by the hiring of innovative defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin in 1996. The new-look Buccaneers set the stage for one of the greatest defensive runs in NFL history. From 1997 to 2008, the Buccaneers defense finished in the league's top ten every year but one, including eight top-5 finishes, and two top-ranked efforts. Kiffin along with head coach Tony Dungy created the "Tampa 2" defense, a modified version of the established Cover 2 scheme.
Kiffin's defenses were known as gang tacklers with tremendous team speed with a front four that could pressure the quarterback consistently, fast sideline-to-sideline linebackers, and a hard-hitting secondary that caused turnovers. Many teams have copied the Tampa 2, but none have come close to the success the Buccaneers experienced led by numerous Pro Bowlers and Hall of Famers. The Tampa Bay defense featured future Hall of Famers: Derrick Brooks, John Lynch, Warren Sapp, Ronde Barber, and Pro Bowlers, Hardy Nickerson, Simeon Rice,Shelton Quarles,Donnie Abraham, and Super Bowl XXXVII MVPDexter Jackson. Sapp and Nickerson were named to the1990s All-Decade 2nd Team while the2000s All-Decade Team featured Sapp and Brooks as 1st Team players and Ronde Barber on the 2nd Team.
The2002 Buccaneers defense is widely regarded as one of the greatest defenses in NFL history, rivaled only by the1976 Steelers,1985 Bears,1986 Giants,2000 Ravens and2010's Seattle Seahawks.[219][220] In the regular season, Tampa Bay led the league in total defense (252.8 ypg), points allowed (196), first downs allowed (14.8 pg), passing (155.6 ypg), interceptions (31), interceptions returned for touchdowns (5), opponent passer rating (48.4), and shutouts (2). They also finished third in opponent rushing average (3.8 ypc), and sixth in sacks (43).[221] Derrick Brooks was awarded AP Defensive Player of the Year as the defense led the way to a 12–4 regular season.[222] The team was even better in the postseason allowing only a combined 37 points in three games – all against top ten offenses. In those three playoff games, they intercepted 9 passes – returning 4 for touchdowns – and collected 11 sacks.
In Super Bowl XXXVII, the Buccaneers delivered one of the most impressive defensive performances in Super Bowl history. Playing against the #1 offense in the league led by league MVPRich Gannon, the defense actually outscored the Raiders offense, allowing 2 offensive touchdowns while returning 3 interceptions for touchdowns. The defense set two records in the 48–21 blowout, one for most interceptions in a Super Bowl (5), and one for most interceptions returned for touchdowns in a Super Bowl (3).[223] Defensive backDwight Smith became the only player in Super Bowl history to record multiple interceptions returned for touchdowns in a Super Bowl, while fellow defensive back Dexter Jackson was awardedSuper Bowl MVP for his two interceptions in the game.[224][225] In 19 total games in 2002, the Buccaneers recorded 40 interceptions, 53 sacks, and 9 defensive touchdowns.
When Arians was hired by the Bucs, he appointed formerNew York Jets head coach Todd Bowles to be the team's defensive coordinator. That same offseason, the team drafted linebackerDevin White with the fifth overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft, after signing outside linebackerShaquil Barrett to a one-year, $4 million contract, and defensive endNdamukong Suh for one year, $10 million. With these acquisitions, along with linebackersLavonte David,Carl Nassib,Jason Pierre-Paul, nose tacklesVita Vea andBeau Allen and defensive endWilliam Gholston, Bowles implemented the3–4 defensive scheme, with a heavy emphasis on blitzing. David and White were the teams' leaders, Barrett led the team, and the league, in sacks with 19.5, and the 2019 Buccaneers finished No. 1 in the league in run defense. The team's defense improved next season after Suh, Barrett, and Pierre-Paul were re-signed andAntoine Winfield Jr. was drafted in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft. The Buccaneers defense was a massive part of the teams' turn-around in 2020, finishing 1st in run defense, 7th in pass defense and 8th in total defense. The Buccaneers pass defense improved 29th to 7th, thanks in part to their young secondary, led byCarlton Davis,Sean Murphy-Bunting,Jordan Whitehead, Winfield Jr.,Ross Cockrell,Herb Miller andMike Edwards. Nicknamed, the "Grave Diggers", they forced two interceptions, including a pick-six byJamel Dean, four sacks and gave up no touchdowns against 2020 NFL MVPAaron Rodgers in Week 6, forced three interceptions against future Hall of famerDrew Brees, and five sacks and another interception against Rodgers in the NFC Championship Game. In Super Bowl LV, against the league's No. 1 offense led by 2018 NFL MVPPatrick Mahomes, the Buccaneers held Kansas City to season lows in points and red zone attempts, with 9 points, all from field goals, 22 first downs, and 0–3 red zone attempts. They forced two interceptions, three sacks, 29 pressures, and five quarterback hits, and a 49.9 passer rating during the game. In 19 total games in 2020, the Buccaneers recorded 18 interceptions, 58 sacks, 19 forced fumbles, and 12 fumble recoveries.[226]
The Buccaneers played their home games atTampa Stadium until 1998, when they moved toRaymond James Stadium in Tampa.
In 1975, the Buccaneers built a small practice complex with offices nearTampa International Airport called One Buccaneer Place—often shorted to "One Buc Place". The team used the unspectacular facility through 2005. It sat across the street fromInternational Plaza and Bay Street, and backed up to the runways of the airport. It was located about two miles away from Tampa Stadium. As other NFL clubs began replacing and upgrading their respective facilities, Buccaneers players and coaches stepped up their complaints about the constant aircraft noise, cramped offices, small locker rooms, infestations, and decrepit condition of One Buc Place. Then-head coach Jon Gruden sarcastically referred to the facility as "The Woodshed"; some of the coaches' offices were converted broomclosets.[227] The frequent summertime rain sent the team to practice in a nearby parking garage. Some players and staff claim to have come down with illnesses from spending too much time in the building. For much of the team's existence, the Buccaneers heldtraining camp on theUniversity of Tampa campus, then at the expansive and better-equippedDisney's Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando (2002–2008).
In August 2006, the Buccaneers unveiled a $30 million training facility located across the street from Raymond James Stadium (on the former site ofTampa Bay Center). The state-of-the-art 145,000-square-foot (13,500 m2) facility on 33 acres (13 ha) is one of the largest in the NFL. It includes offices and meeting rooms, three natural grass practice fields, a theater for meetings and press conferences, an expanded weight room, a fully equipped kitchen and dining room, a rehabilitation center with three pools and a locker room twice the size of the former location. The building has a five-story glass and steel football. In 2009, the team began holdingtraining camp at this new complex.
In September 2007, statues of important figures from the Buccaneers 2002 championship season were moved into the lobby area in an exhibit called "Moment of Victory". The life-size statues included players Mike Alstott, Ronde Barber, Derrick Brooks,Brad Johnson, John Lynch, Shelton Quarles, Simeon Rice, Warren Sapp, and head coach Jon Gruden. The statues are modeled after images from the sideline towards the end of Super Bowl XXXVII.[228]
An adjacent climate-controlled indoor practice facility with an artificial turf field was added in 2017.
Initially, the facility might have been unnamed, but for over a decade, it simply was referred to as "One Buc Place", the same name as the old building. In 2018, the facility was named AdventHealth Training Facility, as part of a ten-year naming rights deal withAdventHealth.[229]
Since their inception in 1976, the Buccaneers have gone through two distinct logo/uniform eras. From 1976 to 1996, the team used orange, red, and white uniforms with a "Bucco Bruce" logo. Since 1997, the team has used red and pewter uniforms, with a "skull and swords" logo.
The original "Bucco Bruce" logo has seen three distinct versions. The original version was the most distinctive, both in color and design. The logo was refreshed in 1992 with the most obvious differences being the design of the face, specifically the open eye, the design on the dagger, and the usage of white near the neck of the first design. The 2009 throwback uniforms used a cleaned up and crisper version of the 1976–1991 logo. From 1997 onwards, the Buccaneers' newer "skulls and swords" logo has gone through three iterations. The first was somewhat smaller on the helmet, and featured a more conventionally-shaped skull. The second edition was larger on the helmet, had a different shade of red, and a different design for the shape and face of the skull. The current version is mostly the same as the second, with only minor changes, including a smaller size on the helmet.
Shortly after the franchise was awarded, in February 1975 the team name of "Buccaneers" was selected, along with proposed team colors of green, orange and white. The name was said to be reminiscent ofJosé Gaspar and theBuccaneers of theCaribbean Sea, and the color orange representing the Floridacitrus industry. Almost immediately, the nickname "Bucs" became popular, but the alternative "Bay Bucs" failed to gain traction.[230]
A few months later, however, green was dropped from the color scheme. The artists' renditions were too similar to theaqua used by theMiami Dolphins, as well as the green shades used by theMiami Hurricanes andFlorida A&M. While they desired to keep the primary color orange, which provided a popular visual link to theGators, Hurricanes, and Florida A&M, they sought to further distinguish themselves. The color red as an accent color was substituted, as a gesture to the formerTampa Spartans and loosely, to theFlorida State Seminoles. The orange/red/white combination was now a composite of all major college teams in the state at the time.[231] Officially speaking, the club's colors during this time period were Florida orange, red, and white.[232]
Long-timeTampa Tribune cartoonist andYe Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla member Lamar Sparkman designed the first team logo.[233][234] Faced with the challenge of designing a logo that did not closely resemble that of the other "pirates" in the league, the Raiders, Sparkman came up with amoustached pirate wearing aplumedslouch hat, with a large hoopearring in his left ear and clutching adagger in his teeth.[231] The pirate appeared to be winking. Sparkman decided to portray the character not as a "hairy-legged slob", but more of gallant, swashbuckling, and rakish, "classy" type. The eye wink was used rather than aneyepatch, since the Raiders' logo already depicted a patch over one eye.[231] For a very brief time he was referred to as "Morgan", and coachJohn McKay called him "Errol Flynn".[234] LocalSt. Petersburg Times sportswriter Hubert Mizell coined the somewhat belittling nickname "Bucco Bruce" in a February 1976column, noting almost immediately the mascot's unintimidating and "cavalier" appearance.[235][236] The nickname stuck,[237] while the logo and the name "Bucco Bruce" became symbols and reminders of the club's ongoing futility.[238] Sports writer and commentatorNick Bakay once said that Bucco Bruce was a pirate who "struck fear in the hearts of no one".
The original home uniforms featured orange jerseys with white numerals outlined in red, white trousers, and striped socks. These are the now-infamous "Creamsicle uniforms", so named from the perceived similarity of the uniform's appearance to theice cream snack.[239] Road white jerseys had orange numerals outlined in red.[232] During their first season in 1976, however, the orange jerseys were only used for preseason games. The Buccaneers wore their white jerseys for all 14 regular season games.[231] After the 1976 season, the team would not see striped socks again until they began wearing them as throwback uniforms starting in 2009.
After only one season, the original orange numerals (with red outline) for the white "away" jerseys were reversed. For 1977 and beyond, the white jerseys were revised to have red numerals with an orange outline. The color swap provided better visibility, especially for television coverage purposes.[240] The striped socks were dropped.
During the 1985 season, the team wore a special patch marking their tenth season. In 1989, 1990, and 1991, the Buccaneers elected to wear white at home to accommodateVinny Testaverde's color blindness. Testaverde had bad performances in the darker (orange) uniforms and persuaded head coachRay Perkins to change the team's home uniform to white.[241][242]
Beloit College, located in Beloit, Wisconsin, received a notice from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the college's illegitimate use of their mascot.[243] Beloit College's buccaneer is the mirror image of the Tampa Bay buccaneer, with the creamsicle colors replaced with Beloit's school colors.[244] Athletic Director Ed DeGeorge said Beloit's Buccaneers have used the logo since the early 1980s, when he chose it from a book while ordering decals for the football team's helmets. The NFL's Buccaneers joined the league in 1976. However, the Buccaneers withdrew their claim against Beloit College because of the independent decision to redesign the logo.[245]
In 1992, the Bucco Bruce logo was redrawn, yielding a crisper and larger version that would be used for five seasons.[246] A simultaneous uniform refresh introduced new orange trousers to be paired with the white jerseys, which now featured an orange collar. The Buccaneers utilized the white-on-orange combination for the vast majority of regular season and preseason games (both home and away) during this period. The orange-on-white combination was used sparingly, mainly for primetime games, some late-season games, and away games where the other team chose towhite at home. The white-on-white combination was rarely used.
Before the team's season finale in 1995 against the Lions, coachSam Wyche suggested that the Buccaneers wear the orange pants with their orange jerseys.[247] The idea was vetoed by, among others, Pro Bowl linebacker Hardy Nickerson.
For the 1993 season, the Buccaneers added a commemorative patch to the right sleeve of their uniforms, which read "Mr C" in cursive script. It was in recognition of owner Hugh Culverhouse, who was battling terminal lung cancer.[248] For 1994, the Buccaneers carried the league-wide NFL 75th anniversary patch, and as part of the "throwback" theme of the season, wore white jerseys with white pants on two occasions.
Shortly afterMalcom Glazer purchased the franchise in January 1995, ownership announced that they were planning to introduce new team colors, logos, and uniforms.[249] Ownership hoped to switch to new uniforms as early as the1995 season, however the NFL informed them that it was too late to do so at that time.[249] A formal uniform switch request was then submitted to the league and tentatively scheduled to take effect for the1996 season.[250][251] Team officials and the NFL Properties department began to research a new design. The local newspaper even held an informal design contest to raise awareness and generate publicity.[252] However, in the meantime, the talks for a new stadium had stalled, leaving open the chance that the franchise might move. As a result, the uniform change was postponed. In March 1996, it was announced that the orange "Creamsicle" uniforms would be used for at least another year until the stadium plans were ironed out.[253]
A ballot measure to fund the construction of a new stadium passed in September 1996. As a result, the franchise was guaranteed to stay in Tampa, and the plans to design a new uniform were resurrected and reenergized.[254] The Buccaneers worked with the NFL to develop a more marketable and intimidating look in order to improve the team's image. Starting with the1997 season, the primary team colors were changed to red andpewter, with black and orange as accents. The "Bucco Bruce" logo was replaced by a red wind-swept flag displaying a white pirate skull and crossedsabres which is a modified version of theCrossed Swords Jolly Roger. The flagpole was another larger sabre. The "Buccaneers" team name was written in a new font,Totally Gothic, and was either red with shadows of pewter or red and white. Orange pinstriping, and an orange football, was used to maintain a visual link to the former colors.[255][238]Chris Berman nicknamed them "the pirates in pewter pants," a play on theGilbert and Sullivan operaThe Pirates of Penzance. The nickname "Pewter Pirates" also became trendy. The Buccaneers staged a ceremony atThe Pier on April 7, 1997, in which Bucco Brucewalked the plank of the pirate shipBounty docked in Tampa Bay. But not before he was pardoned at the last minute by GovernorLawton Chiles.[234][256]
The new uniforms were adopted while Raymond James Stadium was still under construction, and the new colors would be prominent at the new facility. This new color scheme loosely resembled that of theTampa Bay Bandits, theUSFL team that played in the region during their three-season existence from 1983 to 1985. That team had a color scheme of red, silver, black, and white.
The new uniforms provided a combination of either red or white jerseys with either pewter or white trousers. The white-on-white combination has been used numerous times during the preseason and for early regular season games. The red-on-white combination has been used sparingly, for some prime time home games or special occasions. Most games, home and away, have used pewter trousers.
For 2005, the uniform featured a patch commemorating the club's 30th season. In 2014, a circular patch was worn with the initials "MG", after the death of owner Malcolm Glazer. For 2015, a patch commemorating the club's 40th season was worn.
Like many other NFL teams located insubtropical climates, the Buccaneers customarily wear their white road jerseys at home during the first half of the season – forcing opponents to wear their darker colors during the hot summers and autumns in Tampa. Additionally, the visitors' bench of Raymond James Stadium is located on the east side of the stadium, which is in direct sunlight for games that kick off at 1:00 p.m.Eastern, whereas the west (home) sideline is in the shade. In certain previous years, such as 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1996 – the last year of the original uniforms, the Buccaneers generally wore white at home for the entire season including preseason. Since the new uniforms were adopted, the Buccaneers typically wear their red jerseys for home games during the second half of the season, and for most nighttime home games. They have also worn red jerseys all four times as the home team inInternational Series games. During the preseason, the Buccaneers usually wear white for their home games. Since the 1997 season, the Buccaneers have worn both their red jerseys (5 times) and white jerseys (4 times) for home postseason games. At Super Bowl XXXVII, in which Tampa Bay was the designated home team, they elected to wear their red home jerseys. This was despite the kickoff temperature of 81 °F (27 °C), one of the hottest Super Bowls on record.[257]
The Buccaneers' 1997 uniform change prompted a 2003 lawsuit by the Raiders, who claimed that the NFL and the Buccaneers had infringed upon keytrademark elements of the Raiders' brand, including the Raiders' pirate logo. In the same suit, the Raiders challenged the Carolina Panthers' color scheme, which included silver and black. The Raiders wanted the courts to bar the Buccaneers and Panthers from wearing their uniforms while playing in California. However, since the lawsuit was filed in aCalifornia state court, the lawsuit was tossed out because only federal courts have jurisdiction onintellectual property issues.[258]
The Buccaneers unveiled a revised logo and helmet on February 20, 2014.[259][260] This was followed two weeks later on March 3, with the unveiling of new uniforms to be used starting in the 2014 season. The jersey numbers featured a high visibility reflective outline, the helmet logo was revamped and enlarged, the helmet itself was a darker shade of pewter, and the facemask had a chrome-effect coating. The original Creamsicle shade of orange was reintroduced as accent trim.[261][262][263] The reaction to the newer uniforms was mixed.[264] Of note, the jersey numbers were derisively compared todigital alarm clock numerals.[265] Different color sock combinations were used with white and colored uniforms, almost always being pewter or red; however, there were two occasions in 2014 when orange socks were used for two different weeks.
Like the 1997–2013 version, the new 2014 uniforms could be worn as combinations of red or white jerseys paired with either pewter or white trousers. As before, the Buccaneers typically wore their white jerseys at home during the first half of the season, and their red jerseys at home during the second half of the season as well as for night games.
In 2015, the Buccaneers debuted aColor Rush uniform featuring red jerseys and red trousers, with pewter numerals.[266]
The Buccaneers unveiled three new jersey designs on April 7, 2020. The new uniform designs evoke the club's 1997–2013 design, while incorporating modern design elements from the 2014 uniform refresh, including the enlarged flag-and-crossed-swords logo, the newer shade of pewter, as well as the modern ship design logo on the sleeves. While the Buccaneers kept the familiar red and white jerseys with either white or pewter pants, they changed their "Color Rush" alternate uniform to an all-pewter combination.[267][268][269]
For Super Bowl LV held at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay was the designated home team, the first team in NFL history to play in a Super Bowl in their own stadium. They elected to wear their road white jerseys with pewter trousers, instead of their red jerseys, citing the success they had enjoyed during the season in that combination. Tampa Bay routed Kansas City 31–9, giving them a Super Bowl win in both their red jerseys (XXXVII) and their white jerseys (LV).[270]
During the 2020 season, the Buccaneers finished with a 6–0 record wearing their newer white jersey/pewter pants combination, including three postseason victories overNew Orleans,Green Bay, andKansas City, respectively. They were first introduced in their Week 6 game against Green Bay, a 38–10 win at Raymond James Stadium. A renewed interest in wearing white jerseys at home saw Tampa Bay schedule six of eight 2021 home games with white (up from the typical four), plus home playoff games in the Wild Card and Divisional rounds with white/pewter as well.
During the 2025 season, a 50th season patch will be worn across all uniforms. Three versions of the anniversary patch will be used. A red version with the skull & swords logo will be used on the current red/pewter uniforms. A white version with the skull & swords logo will be carried when wearing the white 'away' jerseys. A white and orange version of the patch, with the Bucco Bruce logo, will be worn on the throwback uniforms.[271]
After their uniform change in 1997, the Buccaneers did not wear the old orange uniforms, even during popular league-sponsored "throwback" weekends. The old uniforms were mostly eschewed by the club, and the sale of team merchandise in the old color scheme was embargoed for several years. Fans' opinions of the old uniforms were equally negative. However, after over a decade, there was a renewed interest in the old uniforms, as throwbacks and otheralternate uniforms across the league were becoming increasingly popular. In 2008, the team revealed that they would be wearing orange throwback uniforms for one game in the 2009 season.[272] Their use was in conjunction with the creation of a BuccaneersRing of Honor, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the1979 division championship team.
Throwback merchandise went on sale in the summer of 2009, and referred to the orange color not as "Florida Orange", but as "Orange Glaze". Considerable research was done using photographs and old uniforms to match the original color schemes. The dagger-biting pirate was given a cleaned-up look, and the orange, red, and white uniforms debuted against the Packers (Tampa Bay's former division rival) on November 8, 2009. Raymond James Stadium was also transformed via orange banners and classic field logos and fonts back to the classic Tampa Stadium look of the late 1970s. The Buccaneers won their first throwback game behind rookie quarterback Josh Freeman's first-career NFL start.[273] The throwback game was to become an annual tradition, but went on hiatus after 2012 due to league-wide safety restrictions requiring players wear the same helmet throughout the season.[274] After changes in league policies, the throwback uniforms returned in 2023.[275]
Ahead of the 2025 season, to celebrate the franchise's 50th season, the Buccaneers unveiled a second throwback uniform based on the team's1976 regular season uniforms. It features white jerseys and white trousers, orange block numerals outlined in red, red-orange-red sleeve stripes, the "Bucco Bruce" helmet, and a 50th season patch. This effectively retired the all-pewter uniform, which they last wore in 2023, in order to comply with the NFL's two-alternate/throwback uniform limit.[276] Tampa Bay wore this ′76 Uniform in Week 3 against theJets, and atSeattle in Week 5.[277] The ′76 Uniforms were widely praised,[278][279] and the Bucs won both games in which they were used.
The Buccaneers are 3–5 all-time in throwback games.
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | ||||
| No. | Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted |
| 63 | Lee Roy Selmon | DE | 1976–1984 | 1995 |
| 8 | Steve Young | QB | 1985–1986 | 2005 |
| 64 | Randall McDaniel | OG | 2000–2001 | 2009 |
| 99 | Warren Sapp | DT | 1995–2003 | 2013 |
| 55 | Derrick Brooks | LB | 1995–2008 | 2014 |
| 81 | Tim Brown | WR | 2004 | 2015 |
| 47 | John Lynch | S | 1993–2003 | 2021 |
| 20 | Ronde Barber | CB | 1997–2012 | 2023 |
| 24 | Darrelle Revis | CB | 2013 | 2023 |
| Coaches and Executives | ||||
| Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted | |
| Ron Wolf | GM/VP | 1976–1978 | 2015 | |
| Tony Dungy | Coach | 1996–2001 | 2016 | |
| Pro Football Hall of Fame's Awards of Excellence | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted |
| Charlie Dayton | Public relations associate | 1976 | 2022 |
| Jimmy Raye II | OC | 1985–1986 | 2022 |
| Senior offensive assistant | 2012–2013 | ||
| Tom Moore | Offensive consultant | 2019–present | 2023 |
| Monte Kiffin | DC | 1996–2008 | 2024 |
| Dave Levy | Video producer | 1988–2017 | 2024 |
The Buccaneers have retired three jersey numbers, led byLee Roy Selmon's number63.Derrick Brooks (55) andWarren Sapp (99) had their numbers formally retired after they were inducted into the Hall of Fame. Despite not being formally retired, the Buccaneers have not reissued20 (Ronde Barber),40 (Mike Alstott), or47 (John Lynch) since those players retired from playing. As of 2024, neither Lynch nor Barber have had their numbers retired, despite also being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Another number that has seen limited usage is42, worn by the lateRicky Bell. Since Bell's last season in 1981, 42 has only been worn for two seasons, the most recent being in 1990. The number12 has also not been used sinceTom Brady retired in 2022. The number was also notoriously worn byDoug Williams.
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers retired numbers | ||||
| No. | Player | Position | Tenure | Retired |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | Derrick Brooks | LB | 1995–2008 | September 14, 2014 |
| 63 | Lee Roy Selmon | DE | 1976–1984 | September 15, 1986 |
| 99 | Warren Sapp | DT | 1995–2003 | November 11, 2013 |
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Since Tampa Bay's entrance into the NFL, at least one player has been included on eachNFL All-Decade Team, excluding the1970s which Tampa Bay only had existed for four seasons. Tampa Bay has had players elected to the1980s,1990s,2000s, and2010s teams. Among the three Anniversary Teams, the franchise did not exist for the50th Anniversary Team, no players were selected to the75th Anniversary Team, and five players were selected to the100th Anniversary Team. Players are only included on lists which they played for the team within the years of the decade; members, such asTom Brady, did not join the Buccaneers until 2020, despite being a member of the 2000s and 2010s All-Decade Teams. Additionally, two players were named toThe Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players in 2010, and one was named to theSports Illustrated All-Decade Team in 2009.
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In 1991, the organization initiated the "Krewe of Honor" to recognize top players, and featured a mural of the first class of three members.[290] The display was painted in 1992 by Pat Donatelli and located on the east side of the stadium.[291][292] Honorees were presented with a plaque. Quarterback Doug Williams was subsequently inducted September 6, 1992,[293] and owner Hugh Culverhouse on September 5, 1993.[294] No more members were added beforeTampa Stadium was closed and demolished; when the stadium was demolished in 1998, so was the Krewe.
| Elected to thePro Football Hall of Fame |
| Tampa Stadium Krewe of Honor | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | No. | Name | Position | Tenure |
| 1991 | 63 | Lee Roy Selmon | DE | 1976–1984 |
| — | John McKay | Head Coach | 1976–1984 | |
| 42 | Ricky Bell | RB | 1977–1981 | |
| 1992 | 12 | Doug Williams | QB | 1978–1982 |
| 1993 | — | Hugh Culverhouse[295] | Owner | 1976–1994 |
On November 8, 2009, the team unveiled a newRing of Honor atRaymond James Stadium.Hall of Famedefensive tackle, as well as the franchise's first everdraft pick,Lee Roy Selmon was the first inductee.[296] On October 19, 2008, one year before the inception of the Ring of Honor,Mike Alstott was honored by the club after his retirement.[297] He would be formally inducted into the ring in 2015. Former head coachJon Gruden was inducted in 2017, but due to controversy surrounding emails he sent while working forESPN, his name was removed in 2021.[298] However, he was reinstated in February 2025.[299] Due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the induction ceremony for 2020 inducteeMonte Kiffin was postponed until 2021.[300] InducteesJohn Lynch andRonde Barber were both honored a second time for having subsequently been named to thePro Football Hall of Fame.[301]
Criteria for induction is loose, and no formal voting process is conducted. Ownership considers players, coaches, or club executives that have had "an indelible impact on the franchise". Maintaining strong ties to the team and the greater Tampa Bay community is an important factor.[302] As of 2024, each of the players that had been named to the defunct "Krewe of Honor" have been subsequently inducted into the new Ring of Honor, with the lone exception ofRicky Bell.
The ring initially featured the player's number and last name in protruding, illuminated letters, along thefrieze of the stadium's east side upper deck. The east side (visitor's side) is utilized so the ring is better visible on television. When the stadium underwent renovations in 2016–2017, the ring was refreshed to flat white letters on a red background, expanded to include both first and last names.Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees are additionally denoted by a hall of fame logo next to their names. In 2021, the ring was expanded to a second row of names along the wall below the frieze - starting with the recognition of Tampa Bay's two Super Bowl victories (2002 and2020). When Gruden's name was re-added in 2025, it was the first name placed on the newer second row.
Simeon Rice is scheduled to be inducted November 30, 2025.[303]
| Elected to thePro Football Hall of Fame |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers Ring of Honor | |||||
| Year | No. | Name | Position | Tenure | Ceremony |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 63 | Lee Roy Selmon | DE | 1976–1984 | November 8, 2009 |
| 2010 | — | John McKay | Head Coach | 1976–1984 | December 5, 2010 |
| 2011 | 88 | Jimmie Giles | TE | 1978–1986 | December 4, 2011 |
| 2012 | 74 | Paul Gruber | OT | 1988–1999 | October 14, 2012 |
| 2013 | 99 | Warren Sapp | DT | 1995–2003 | November 11, 2013 |
| 2014 | 55 | Derrick Brooks | LB | 1995–2008 | September 14, 2014 |
| 2015 | 40 | Mike Alstott | FB | 1996–2007 | October 4, 2015 |
| 12 | Doug Williams | QB | 1978–1982 | December 6, 2015 | |
| 2016 | 47 | John Lynch | S | 1993–2003 | November 13, 2016 (HOF celebration:November 22, 2021) |
| 2017 | — | Malcolm Glazer | Owner | 1995–2014 | October 15, 2017 |
| — | Jon Gruden | Head Coach | 2002–2008 | December 18, 2017 | |
| 2018 | — | Tony Dungy | Head Coach | 1996–2001 | September 24, 2018 |
| 2019 | 20 | Ronde Barber | CB | 1997–2012 | September 22, 2019 (HOF celebration:September 25, 2023) |
| 2020 | — | Monte Kiffin | Defensive Coordinator | 1996–2008 | September 19, 2021 |
| 2022 | — | Bruce Arians | Head Coach Executive | 2019–present | January 1, 2023 |
| 2025 | 97 | Simeon Rice | DE | 2001–2006 | November 30, 2025 |
| Club-wide Recognitions | |||||
| 2021 | — | Super Bowl XXXVII Super Bowl LV | — | 2002 2020 | September 9, 2021 |
Many current and former members of the Buccaneers have been selected to theAssociated PressAll-Pro first and second teams.[304] While the AP All-Pro teams are generally considered the highest nomination,Pro Football Writers of America,Newspaper Enterprise Association,Pro Football Weekly,Pro Football Focus, andThe Sporting News have also nominated Buccaneers players to their All-Pro teams.
| Elected to thePro Football Hall of Fame |
Notes:
To mark their 50th season in2025, the Buccaneers released a list of their franchise's all-time Top 50 players, as ranked through a combination of fan votes, consultation with media experts, and the conclusions of a team committee. The members were selected from a list of players who had started at least 50 games with the Buccaneers, were ranked in the team's top five in a major statistical category, had been voted to aPro Bowl, namedAll-Pro, or were part of an iconic moment in Buccaneers history.[305]
Former Buccaneer players and seasons profiled onA Football Life andThe Timeline:
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had the first overall pick in the NFL draft on five occasions.[309]
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| Coach | Seasons | W–L–T (%) | Division titles | Wild Card berths | NFC Championship appearances | NFC Championships | Super Bowl Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John McKay | 1976–1984 | 45–91–1 (.332) | 1979,1981 | 1982 | 1979 (vs.Rams) | ||
| Leeman Bennett | 1985–1986 | 4–28–0 (.125) | |||||
| Ray Perkins | 1987–1990 | 19–41–0 (.317) | |||||
| Richard Williamson | 1990–1991 | 4–15–0 (.211) | |||||
| Sam Wyche | 1992–1995 | 23–41–0 (.359) | |||||
| Tony Dungy | 1996–2001 | 56–46–0 (.549) | 1999 | 1997,2000,2001 | 1999 (atRams) | ||
| Jon Gruden | 2002–2008 | 60–57–0 (.513) | 2002,2005,2007 | 2002 (atEagles) | 2002 | XXXVII (vs.Raiders) | |
| Raheem Morris | 2009–2011 | 17–31–0 (.354) | |||||
| Greg Schiano | 2012–2013 | 11–21–0 (.344) | |||||
| Lovie Smith | 2014–2015 | 8–24–0 (.250) | |||||
| Dirk Koetter | 2016–2018 | 19–29–0 (.396) | |||||
| Bruce Arians | 2019–2021 | 36–18–0 (.667) | 2021 | 2020 | 2020 (atPackers) | 2020 | LV (vs.Chiefs) |
| Todd Bowles | 2022–present | 27–24–0 (.529) | 2022,2023,2024 |
The Bucs created an official cheerleading squad in their first season, called the "Swash-Buc-Lers". In 1999, they were renamed as the "Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders".[310]
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A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story is amade-for-television movie that recounts the life of the late Buccaneer running backRicky Bell.[311] The movie takes place through a dramatic reenactment of the1981 season, including actual footage of gameplay around the dramatized role byMario Van Peebles playing Bell himself. Bell finds himself befriending an impaired child who inspire each other to become better in their own ways. It also includes other former Buccaneer players, likeLee Roy Selmon,Charley Hannah, andDoug Williams (only through gameplay footage).
The Buccaneers and Falcons met for the first time in the1977 season, one year after the Buccaneers joined the NFL as the newest expansion team. The rivalry became fiercer after the2002 season, when the Buccaneers and Falcons were placed in the same division, leading to constant clashes for the divisional title.[312][313][314][315][316] The Falcons lead the overall series, 32–31. The two teams have not met in theplayoffs.[317]
The Buccaneers and Panthers first meet in 1995, back when the later team joined the NFL as expansion franchise.[318] However, the rivalry would take off during the 2000s with the creation of the NFC South and was described as "heated" and "physical" due to two main reasons; the first being that both teams fought for dominating control over the NFC South throughout most of the 2000s.[319][320][321][322][323][324] The second reason being that players on both franchises suffered season ending injuries during their annual games. Examples includeChris Simms,Dante Wesley,Clifton Smith, andKavika Pittman.[318][325] As of the 2024 season, the Panthers lead the rivalry 25–24.[326]
The Saints and Buccaneers have one noticeable parallel throughout the two franchises history, they were both regarded as unsuccessful franchises until the 21st century, which was both teams were placed in the NFC South in 2002, as well as when their rivalry would truly begin to take off,[327] when both teams improved their fortunes, though the Buccaneers got over the hump first with by winningSuper Bowl XXXVII and the Saints winning their first Super Bowl 7 years later inSuper Bowl XLIV. The first meeting between these two franchises first occurred in 1977 when the Buccaneers beat the Saints and ended their 26-game straight losing streak.[328] While it is not the most well known rivalry in the NFL, it's grown into one of the league's fiercest and most physical. The rivalry reached new heights in the 2000s, which was when the Buccaneers had a higher advantage over the Saints in the regular season, when both teams started posting winning seasons in that decade.[329][327][330][331] New Orleans Saints leads the rivalry 39–24 and the two franchises met once in the playoffs in which the Buccaneers defeated the Saints 30 to 20 and eventually wonSuper Bowl LV.[332][333]
From 1977 to 2001; the Buccaneers played in the formerNFC Central division, culminating in two former divisional rivalries developing with theDetroit Lions[334][335] and theGreen Bay Packers.
The Buccaneers and Packers were division rivals from 1977 to 2002 when both were in the NFC Central division. The teams have played several notable games, includinga Snow Bowl game in 1985, aplayoff game in 1998 and the2020 NFC Championship Game. As of the 2023 season, the Packers lead the series 34–24–1.[336][337][338][339][340][341]
The Buccaneers have grown a fairly recent playoff rivalry with thePhiladelphia Eagles beginning in the late 1970s, but reached new heights in competition during the new millennium as the two teams have met in the postseason four times since 2000.[342][343][344] The rivalry would return in the early 2020s when the Buccaneers beat the Eagles in the 2021 and 2023 NFC Wild Card games.[345] As of Week 4 of the 2025 season, the Buccaneers lead the all-time series 13–12. The regular season has the Eagles lead 10–9, while the Buccaneers lead 4–2 in the postseason.[346]
The Buccaneers have also grown a recent rivalry with theLos Angeles Rams as the two teams have faced off numerous times in the postseason;[347][348] first meeting in the 2021 NFC Divisional round,[349] and in the Conference Championship twice, both in 1979 and 1999[350][351] with the Rams winning all 3 matchups. The two teams became the first in league history to win a Super Bowl in their home stadiums as Tampa wonSuper Bowl LV in 2021, and Los Angeles wonSuper Bowl LVI a year later.[352] Both teams combine for four Super Bowl championships as they regularly fought for control of the conference in the early 2000s and 2020s respectively.[353] As of the 2023 season, the Rams lead the all-time series 19–10.[354]
The Buccaneers developed a minor instate rivalry with fellow Floridian team; theMiami Dolphins. The two teams had their first meeting in Week 7 of the 1976 season, with the Dolphins winning 23–20.[355] The 1976 meeting was the only one where both teams were members of the AFC, with Tampa leaving later to join the NFC. As a result, the two teams can only meet as interconference rivals, which is not guaranteed to be annual. As of the 2023 season, the Buccaneers leads the all-time regular-season series 7–5.[356][357]
The Buccaneers' current flagship radio stations areWXTB 97.9 FM andWDAE 620 AM.[359] Theplay-by-play announcer since 1989 has beenGene Deckerhoff.[360] Former Bucs tight endDave Moore joined Deckerhoff as analyst for the2007 season.[361]T. J. Rives works as the sideline reporter.[362]
Broadcast legend and former Green Bay Packers' announcerRay Scott was the play-by-play man for the Bucs' first two seasons in 1976 and 1977.Dick Crippen called the team's games in the first half of the 1978 season, with Jim Gallogly taking over for the second half. From 1979 to 1988Mark Champion, who became the radio voice of the Detroit Lions (1989–2004) and then the Detroit Pistons (2001–present), held that position with the Bucs.
Former Buccaneer Hardy Nickerson served as color commentator for one season in 2006, until he signed with the Bears as a linebackers coach on February 23, 2007. Nickerson had replacedScot Brantley, who was the commentator from 1999 through 2005.Jesse Ventura, the famousprofessional wrestler,actor, and formergovernor of Minnesota, was Deckerhoff's partner on the Bucs radio broadcasts for one year, 1990, and former BucDavid Logan held that position after Ventura until his death after the 1998 season.Dave Kocerek andFran Curci were also color commentators for the Buccaneers during their earlier years.
Ronnie Lane previously worked as a sideline reporter.[363]
The Bucs have broadcast on FM radio since signing withTop 40 stationWRBQ-FM in1992. The team moved toWQYK-FM in1994, then toWFUS in2004, and then to WXTB in2017.
While regular season and playoff games in the NFL are all broadcast by national television contracts onCBS,Fox,NBC,ESPN andNFL Network, the television broadcasts are for the most part handled by the individual teams.WESH simulcasts the broadcast in theOrlando area.
CBS, Fox and NBC games are shown respectively in Tampa Bay on WTSP,WTVT andWFLA-TV, while they are shown respectively in Orlando onWKMG,WOFL and WESH. The great majority of games are aired on Fox owned-and-operated stations WTVT and WOFL, by virtue of Fox owning the rights to NFC games. WTSP and WKMG air any Buccaneers home games against American Football Conference teams.Monday Night Football games on ESPN and Thursday night games on NFL Network are simulcast locally onWMOR-TV, who also previously carried the Bucs'Sunday Night Football games when they were televised on ESPN andTNT; previously, the Bucs' appearances on the cable networks were seen locally on WFLA-TV andWFTS.
At WFLA,Chris Myers was the play-by-play announcer withJohn Lynch as color commentator. Both Myers and Lynch worked nationally with Fox Sports at the time until Lynch became the general manager of the San Francisco 49ers in 2017.Ron Jaworski previously served as color commentator, until he signed withMonday Night Football for 2007.Charles Davis also served as color commentator from 2007 to 2008.
WTOG channel 44 also previously broadcast Buccaneers preseason games for many years, ending in 2002. Former CBS play-by-play and ESPN golf broadcasterJim Kelly was the play-by-play announcer for many of those games in the 1980s, andJoe Namath was a commentator.
In the early years of the franchise, WTVT, then a CBS affiliate, broadcast some Buccaneers preseason games. Sports anchor Andy Hardy handled the play-by-play, and for one game in 1978, his broadcast partner was his friend, Florida State alumni, and movie actorBurt Reynolds.[364]
Tampa Bay returns to the traditional deeper, richer red to accompany the modern pewter hue as its primary colors while including orange highlights to honor the team's origin and restoring black as an accent color.
The team unveils its eagerly anticipated new logo and color scheme at a noon downtown ceremony. The new logo, consisting of a red pirate flag with a skull and crossed swords, draws instant rave reviews. The team colors are Buccaneer red, pewter, black and orange.
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