1985 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
Encyclopedia
The 1985
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
season began on a hopeful note, with the hiring of Leeman Bennett as the team's head coach. A massive turnover of personnel occurred, which included the offseason career-ending injury of Lee Roy Selmon
, the trade of Hugh Green, and the early-season signing of Steve Young. The numerous roster changes produced a team which, while talented, struggled in their new system. Mistake-prone play combined with a difficult early-season schedule helped the team to lose their first nine games, which eliminated them from title contention before the end of October.
Despite their poor record, the Buccaneers were repeatedly competitive in games, even against the league's top teams. The season saw the resurgence of tight end Jimmie Giles
, who returned to Pro Bowl
form after having spent the previous two seasons in disfavor with John McKay and his staff. Giles set several Buccaneer records in an October matchup with the Miami Dolphins
that Miami coach Don Shula
described as having "more thrills than any I can remember". James Wilder
led the NFL in rushing for the first several games while handling the ball on over 50% of the offense's plays, until the team began to diversify their offense more. Rookie kicker Donald Igwebuike
set team records for field goals and points scored. Patches were worn on the jerseys to commemorate their 10th season.
coach Leeman Bennett
was named by owner Hugh Culverhouse
as the replacement for retired head coach John McKay. Other candidates interviewed included Buccaneer defensive coordinator Wayne Fontes
, Seattle Seahawks
defensive coordinator Tom Catlin
, former Michigan Panthers
head coach Jim Stanley
, former New England Patriots
head coach Ron Meyer
, Washington Redskins
quarterback coach Jerry Rhome
, former Pittsburgh Steelers
defensive coordinator Bud Carson
, and former Florida Gators
coach Charley Pell
. Bennett was an unexpected choice, as Fontes had long been considered to be the leading candidate and had the near-unanimous support of the players and existing staff. Culverhouse almost gave Fontes the job without conducting an interview process, before having second thoughts and soliciting recommendations from McKay, Tex Schramm
, and Dan Rooney
. Described as "heartbroken", Fontes learned while attending a scouting combine in Arizona that he had been passed over for the job. Bennett indicated that nobody who had been a candidate for the head coaching job would be hired as an assistant, ending speculation that he might retain Fontes or bring in his former assistant Jim Stanley. Fontes eventually accepted the defensive coordinator position with the Detroit Lions
.
Bennett had served as the Los Angeles Rams' offensive coordinator under Chuck Knox
before taking the Falcons job, where he became the only coach to lead that franchise to the playoffs. He did so three times, and was fired after their third playoff appearance, when the owners felt that a change was necessary in order for the Falcons to advance further. The Falcons finished in last place in the NFC West in both of the years following Bennett's firing. Twice named NFC Coach of the Year, Bennett was well respected as a coach, with the only knock against him being a reputation as possibly "too nice". Although Bennett was one of the candidates recommended by McKay, his easygoing style was considered to be a complete opposite to McKay. He vowed to keep the 3-4 defensive alignment with which Tampa Bay had been so successful, and said that the team would be a playoff contender in 1985. He believed that they had a good nucleus of players, although he admitted to knowing little about their personnel.
Jerry Glanville
, the coordinator of the league-leading 1977
Falcons defense, indicated that he would be unavailable due to his contractual ties to the Houston Oilers. The offensive coordinator position was filled by Jimmy Raye
, a former Bennett assistant who had been holding the same position with the Rams. Offensive line coach Kim Helton
and linebackers coach Howard Tippett were the only assistants to be retained by the new regime. Rams assistant Vic Rapp
was brought in as the running backs coach. Former Michigan Panthers defensive coordinator Dick Roach was brought in as the defensive backfield coach. Longtime trainer Tom Oxley was replaced by former Falcon trainer Jay Shoop.
and Jeff Komlo
were also released. New contracts were offered to Michael Morton
, Adger Armstrong
, Leon Bright
, Cedric Brown
, Robert Thompson and Glenn Bujnoch
. Morton eventually rejected his contract offer, and signed with the Washington Redskins
. Vagas Ferguson
, a former star running back at Notre Dame
and a one-time 1st-round draft choice of the New England Patriots, was signed as a free agent.
, who held the first overall choice, and Ray Childress
was expected to be taken by the Houston Oilers, leaving University of Washington
defensive end Ron Holmes
as Tampa Bay's most likely selection with the eighth overall pick. Director of player personnel Jim Gruden described his as having the combination of size and speed, versatility, and a productive college career that the Buccaneers desired.
The Buccaneers' 2nd-round pick went to the Denver Broncos
as part of the trade for Steve DeBerg
. Their 5th-round pick went to the New York Jets
for running back Scott Dierking
. Their 6th-round pick was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals
for tackle Don Swafford. The second 12-round pick came from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for defensive end Booker Reese
.
and with Dave Logan
at nose tackle. Holmes was named first-team All-America
by five different organizations, and was once much-coveted by Memphis State and DePaul
as a basketball recruit. Ervin Randle
was a versatile linebacker who had also played defensive end and nose tackle at Baylor
. Mike Heaven, a Delray Beach, Florida
native, was a defensive back who was expected to provide immediate help to a secondary that had aging safeties and struggling young cornerbacks. Likewise, Mike Prior
was the Missouri Valley Conference
career leader in interceptions as well as a former Baltimore Orioles
draftee. He turned down a contract offer from the Los Angeles Dodgers
to sign with Tampa Bay. Phil Freeman
was the University of Arizona
starting tailback until suffering a broken leg in 1982, but was projected as a wide receiver with what Bennett called "rare speed". Steve Calabria was the leading quarterback in Colgate
history, with a strong arm and the ability to throw while rolling out. He claimed to already have signed a letter of agreement with Tampa Bay Bandits
owner John Bassett
, although it was unclear whether the Bandits would still be in existence, or whether they would be part of the USFL or part of a new spring league that Bassett was proposing. Calabria had been expected to be drafted as high as the fourth round, until rumors of his USFL agreement (which the Buccaneers were unaware of) began to circulate. By the time the ailing Bassett released Calabria from his contract, mini-camp was already over, and he was unprepared for preseason competition. Donald Igwebuike
was a soccer player who tried football at the encouragement of his fellow Nigerian and Clemson
teammate Obed Ariri
, against whom he would now be competing for the kicking job. James Melka
was a second-team All-Big Ten selection at linebacker who had been expected to be drafted much higher than the twelfth round.
The team followed the draft by signing 22 free agents, including Southern
tight end Calvin Magee
, LSU quarterback Alan Risher, and cornerback Irvin Phillips
, who had been obtained via trade from the Oakland Raiders
the previous year, but had been waived after failing a physical.
was unable to participate in a team mini-camp due to a heart rate of 160. Attributing this to his heavy use of anabolic steroids, he quit using them, and detailed his experience in a Sports Illustrated
article. He later stated that he did not believe that steroid use was really as rampant as he indicated in the article, in which he estimated that 75% of NFL linemen use steroids and 95% have tried them, and alleged that amphetamine
use was also common. He said that he began using them in an attempt to gain strength, to avoid being dominated by larger defensive linemen in the NFL and at the University of South Carolina
. He did not name any other players who used them, other than to say that Rocky Bleier had publicly admitted to it. Former trainer Tom Oxley estimated that the team had three to six steroid users in any given year, and that most were linemen. Oxley said that the team did not provide steroids to players, but that the team medical staff had almost prescribed them to Doug Williams to maintain weight when a 1978
broken jaw left him unable to eat. The article touched off controversy, as numerous players denied its allegations. Steroid use was at the time discouraged, though not prohibited, by the NFL.
had been operating without an owner since the previous fall, and speculation began to be raised in April that the team might be disbanded. The Buccaneers had acquired the NFL rights to Express quarterback Steve Young in a special draft held the previous spring. With the franchise struggling financially, agent Leigh Steinberg
said that a delay in payments to Young's annuity voided his contract with the team, and USFL Commissioner Harry Usher
granted Young permission to negotiate with an NFL team. Usher indicated that if Young were to change teams, his contract would need to be bought out. The Buccaneers expressed reservations, as they were unsure of Young's physical condition due to the beating he'd taken over the past year with the Express. Negotiations intensified toward the end of preseason, with the major sticking points being the $1.5 million dollar repayment the USFL demanded on the remaining two years of Young's contract, and the requirement that Young clear USFL waivers. Steinberg was able to renegotiate the payment with the USFL, and Young signed a series of six one-year contracts with the Buccaneers on September 10. The financial details were not disclosed, but Steinberg said that Young's contract was comparable to those of John Elway
, Warren Moon
, and Bernie Kosar
, who were all paid roughly $1 million per year. A star at BYU, Young would have been the first overall pick in the 1984 draft, but instead signed a 40-year (due to much of the payment being in the form of annuities), $43 million contract with the Express. Young had a sub-par 1985 season in Los Angeles, but was still able to complete over 50% of his passes while playing behind an injury-riddled offensive line. Bennett indicated that the team would be content to bring Young along slowly, and that he would serve as DeBerg's backup for at least the time being. The signing put an end to the team's interest in veteran quarterback Jim Zorn
.
was originally thought to be a muscular injury, but turned out to be a herniated disc. With uncertainty over how to treat the injury or whether he would ever recover enough to be able to play again, Selmon postponed any decisions about his future plans and was lost to the team for the season. This meant that instead of Selmon and Ron Holmes playing as bookend pass-rushers, Holmes would now become Selmon's replacement. However, contract negotiations went so slowly that Holmes' agent, Leigh Steinberg, began to question whether the team had any intention of signing him, to the point that he asked negotiator Phil Krueger
if they intended to trade him. Holmes was eventually signed after a two-week holdout, which caused him to miss much practice time. Selmon eventually chose non-surgical rehabilitation for his back, although he would consider the microsurgery recommended by the team, but only as a last resort.
The other two remaining original Buccaneers joined Selmon on the injured list during the preseason. Steve Wilson
suffered a broken leg in a preseason game against the Washington Redskins
, which left Redskins safety Curtis Jordan
as the only remaining original Buccaneer active in the NFL. Safety Mark Cotney
had earlier suffered two broken neck vertebrae while trying to tackle Gerald Riggs
during an earlier game against the Falcons. Former Michigan Panthers All-USFL safety David Greenwood was signed to add depth after Cotney's injury, and wound up as the opening-day starter at strong safety.
. With no second running back standing out in practice, he instead chose to use a single-back offense that would enable tight ends Jimmie Giles
and Jerry Bell
to be on the field at the same time. The team was not able to find a reliable backup to Wilder until the early-season signing of former Dallas Cowboys
fullback Ron Springs
. Problems with the pass defense were exposed in the first preseason game, in which the reserves turned a 20-0 lead into a 42-27 defeat. Bennett expressed concern over the lack of a pass rush, and the way that Steelers receivers were able to jump inside of Buccaneer defenders on slant routes. Pittsburgh third-string quarterback Scott Campbell
connected twice with Weegie Thompson
for touchdowns on such routes, once burning Anthony Washington for 34 yards. Ron Holmes debuted in the following week's loss to Atlanta, although the pass defense saw little improvement. The special teams performed well, but quarterback Jack Thompson struggled in his attempt to reclaim the starting job. The team's first win under Bennett came in New Orleans, the site of the franchise's first victory. The defense played better, while DeBerg led the team on two long touchdown drives. By the end of preseason, Bennett began to back off of his original assessment of the team as a playoff contender, with linebacker being the only position on the team he expressed confidence in. He was uncharacteristically silent following the final preseason game, a 20-7 loss to the Washington Redskins that was marked by a dismal offensive effort.
, the offensive tackle who had shouldered much of the criticism for the offensive line's performance in recent seasons, was moved to Steve Courson's guard spot. Ken Kaplan took Sanders' place, with Courson still in contention for the starting guard spot. Needing depth in the secondary, the team traded former starting right tackle Kelly Thomas to the Redskins in return for Anthony Washington, the starting cornerback in Super Bowl XVII
; and sent an eighth round draft pick to the Rams for safety Ivory Sully
, conditional on his making the team. Sully was a Pro Bowl alternate as a special teams player, but had been unable to break into the starting lineup, playing behind Nolan Cromwell
and Johnnie Johnson
. He became one of the team's opening-day starters, originally slated at strong safety, but moved over to free safety with the signing of David Greenwood. Jay Carroll, a tight end who had played in all 16 games as a rookie in 1984, announced his retirement from football, as did backup fullback Scott Dierking
.
Fourth-round draft pick Mike Heaven, who was having difficulty with the transition to strong safety, was released with the second round of cuts. The cut to sixty players saw Cedric Brown
, the team's all-time leader in interceptions, released. Numerous players who had been expected to contend, or even to have the inside track for starting jobs, were released at the end of preseason. These included team kicking leader Obed Ariri, beaten out by childhood friend Donald Igwebuike, to whom Ariri had introduced the sport of football; defensive end Byron Braggs
, who had been considered a candidate for the starting right defensive end spot until his lack of pass rush became a liability; preseason starters Glenn Bujnoch
and Danny Spradlin; Fred Acorn, a third-round selection the previous year who had started some late-season games; and Anthony Washington, a speedy and experienced player who nonetheless failed to live up to expectations. Jack Thompson, the previous season's opening-day starting quarterback, and starting safety Beasley Reece
were also released.
attributed the defense's problems to a young, inexperienced team trying to learn a new system. Even as the losses mounted, opponents reported surprise, both from studying game films and playing the team on the field, at the Buccaneers' record. The Buccaneers frequently held halftime leads and lost by a touchdown or less; through the first 9 games, they were outscored 77-17 in the third quarter. In one game, Jimmie Giles was congratulated despite having turned over the ball by fumbling, because the 44-yard reception that preceded the fumble was a rare example of a player making something happen in the third quarter.
on the first day of practice that the new defense wasn't going to work. As the season began, he became critical of the defensive schemes, saying that they were not "molded to the individual talents of the players", and that he was just "trying to survive this season". He then walked out of camp for a day. It came to light that this had occurred regularly over the past four seasons, but that John McKay had kept the matter away from the press. Seeing Green's attitude as a negative influence on the team, and unsure of why Green was unhappy, Bennett traded him to the Miami Dolphins for their 1986 first-round draft choice, and the second-round pick obtained from Minnesota in the Anthony Carter trade. Team owner Hugh Culverhouse
also required Green to repay $335,000 of the signing bonus from his 1984 two-year contract, which was believed to be the first such buyout in NFL history. The trade was thought to be the Dolphins' biggest-ever trade for a defensive player, with Green considered to be second-only to Lawrence Taylor
as an NFL linebacker. Green's disgruntlement was attributed to a combination of the team's losing record, and the new defensive scheme that did not give him the opportunity to freelance. The trade put Keith Browner
back into the starting lineup, despite Bennett's criticism of his lack of effort.
Meanwhile, former Dallas Cowboys fullback Ron Springs was offered a contract on the very day that a Dallas police officer testified that she believed him to have been on drugs the night that he was arrested for aggravated assault on a police officer at a Dallas-area topless nightclub. He was eventually sentenced on the reduced charge of resisting arrest, following a trial marked by character testimony from Springs' teammates. Shortly afterward, it was revealed that Springs was one of several Cowboys players under investigation by the NFL and the FBI, for suspicion of shaving points
in return for cocaine. The FBI eventually concluded that there was no basis to the allegations.
and Gerald Carter
had combined for the third-most catches of any receiving duo in the NFL the previous year. Although Bennett insisted that the timing was unrelated, Young's first start was announced one day after one of the team's worst-ever losses, a 62–28 blowout against the New York Jets. Bennett said that he felt comfortable enough with Young's progress to give him the start, but Young admitted to having taken only "10 or 12" snaps in practice, and had never run any of the Buccaneers' plays. Starting behind an injury-battered offensive line against a blitzing Detroit Lions team, Young struggled for three quarters before rallying the team for a victory. Although Young's statistics were not especially impressive, Bennett noted that he had little practice time and no training camp, and that he performed well enough through his first three starts that Bennett would consider modifying the next season's offense to take better advantage of Young's abilities.
at Lambeau Field
in Green Bay, Wisconsin
. The game was played in a record snowfall, with a foot of snow on the field, and four more inches falling during the game. It was nearly delayed, as the tarp protecting the field was frozen to the ground, and could not be removed until shortly before kickoff. The 35-mph wind produced a wind-chill factor of zero. According to an employee who had been to every Packer home game in their history, it was the worst weather ever at Lambeau Field. The attendance of 19,856, and the 36,586 unused tickets, were the lowest in both Buccaneer and Lambeau Field history. The Packers gained 512 yards to the Buccaneers' 65, as Tampa Bay lost their 18th consecutive road game.
Speaking after the season of the team's future plans, Bennett would not immediately say how the next year's first-round pick would be spent, but offered that he'd seen enough of the team's one-back offense that featured Wilder and no supporting players. John McKay announced that he would step down as team president, though he would maintain a part-time advisory role with the team.
, Chicago, Illinois
The Buccaneers scored a team-record 28 first-half points against the Bears' defense, which had been ranked first in the league the previous season. James Wilder's 105 first-half rushing yards was higher than the average the 1984 Bears
had allowed per game. The Bears got no sacks, and Steve DeBerg was able to complete eight passes for three touchdowns, repeatedly able to fool the Bears with fake handoffs. After halftime adjustments, the Bears held the Buccaneers scoreless for the remainder of the game, while scoring three touchdowns to take the lead. The turning point of the game was considered by Bennett to be a DeBerg pass that was deflected by Richard Dent
, and returned by Leslie Frazier
for a touchdown. The Bears clinched the game when a blocked punt led to a 1-yard Jim McMahon
touchdown run. Phil Freeman returned a kickoff 58 yards, the longest in Buccaneer history. Walter Payton
rushed for 120 yards, his 64th career 100-yard rushing game. On-field temperatures were recorded at 121 degrees.
The Minnesota Vikings took advantage of Buccaneer turnovers; intercepting Steve DeBerg twice, recovering two James Wilder fumbles, and blocking a punt. Joey Browner
returned one of the interceptions for a touchdown, and the blocked punt set up a 1-yard Alfred Anderson
touchdown run. Wilder rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown, while catching 13 passes for 71 yards.
, New Orleans, Louisiana
Preparing for a matchup between two 0-2 teams, a New Orleans radio station invited a voodoo
priestess to hold an on-air ritual to remove the hex that had prevented the team from having a winning season in any of its 18 years. Three New Orleans offensive linemen suffered injuries in a 12-minute span, but Dave Wilson
was still able to pass for 246 yards, and touchdowns to tight ends Hoby Brenner
and Larry Hardy
. Morten Andersen
contributed two field goals, while Terry Hoage
forced a James Wilder fumble and intercepted a Steve DeBerg pass. Wilder's 114 yards left him as the NFL's leading rusher, and through three games the only Buccaneer running back with a carry.
, Pontiac, Michigan
The Buccaneers were held without a touchdown for the first time in 21 games, despite two first-and-goal situations inside the Lions' five-yard line. The first resulted in a field goal which gave them only their second lead of the season. The Buccaneers committed three fumbles, while allowing 315 yards to the Lions' 27th-ranked offense. Buccaneer pass-rushers got four sacks, almost as many as their total in the first three games, but the secondary was victimized for numerous big plays. Karl Morgan forced Eric Hipple
to fumble on one of his two sacks, while Dave Logan and Hugh Green also got to Hipple. Mark Nichols
beat Jeremiah Castille
twice for touchdowns.
The Buccaneers were unable to obtain a victory over the Chicago Bears, despite holding a lead in a dominant first half against what was widely considered to be the best team in football, and lackluster games from Jim McMahon and the Bears' defense. The Bears held James Wilder to 29 yards, preventing him from tying an NFL record by joining O. J. Simpson
and Earl Campbell
as the only backs with seven consecutive 100-yard rushing games. In doing so, they allowed Steve DeBerg to have his best passing day as a Buccaneer, with 346 yards. Jimmie Giles and Kevin House both had over 100 yards receiving. Giles' 112 yards came on 7 catches, his career high. The game was sealed with a daring, late-game bomb to Willie Gault
that set up a 9-yard Walter Payton touchdown run. Payton scored his 100th and 101st touchdowns, making him the sixth NFL player to reach the 100-touchdown mark. It was the Bears' sixth consecutive victory over Tampa Bay.
For the second consecutive week, the Buccaneers lost, despite holding a halftime lead against an unbeaten team. The Buccaneers' defense played well in their first game without Hugh Green, and they recovered three Ram fumbles in the first half. The Rams also committed eight first-half penalties. In the second half, LeRoy Irvin
and Carl Ekern
returned interceptions for touchdowns to edge past the Buccaneers. DeBerg's four interceptions gave him a season total of 13, the most in the NFL.
, Miami, Florida
For the third week in a row, the Buccaneers suffered a close loss to one of the NFL's best teams. This time, it was a final-period rally in which the Buccaneers outscored the Dolphins 17-3. Don Shula
said of Jimmie Giles, "I can't remember any other tight end dominating us that way", after Giles caught 7 passes for 116 yards and 4 touchdowns against the Dolphins' man-to-man coverage. Giles' 4 touchdowns and 24 points scored remain, as of 2010
, the all-time Tampa Bay records. James Wilder evaded Hugh Green on Tampa Bay's first touchdown, a 10-yard run. Green reported playing "the worst game of my career" and feeling lost in Miami's defensive scheme, although he produced the Dolphins' only interception of the day. With starting linebackers Jeff Davis
and Scot Brantley
out with injuries, and Green no longer with the team, the Buccaneers were defenseless against the Dolphins' attack. Fuad Reveiz
scored the winning field goal with 6 seconds remaining. The loss, combined with an Atlanta Falcons victory, left the Buccaneers as the league's only winless team at 0-7.
The Buccaneers took a 14-0 lead on a 1-yard James Wilder run, but barely crossed midfield for the rest of the game. Wilder's touchdown was his 33rd and gave him 198 career points, which made him the franchise scoring leader ahead of Bill Capece
, with 196. Injuries were again a problem, with starting linebackers Brantley and Davis leaving the game for the second week in a row, along with starting tackle George Yarno
and kick returner Leon Bright
. Bright's knee injury required surgery. Injured guard Sean Farrell
did not play at all. The game eliminated the Buccaneers from the NFC Central Division race, and had the second-smallest home attendance in team history, 34,661.
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Freshly signed kicker Eric Schubert kicked five field goals to help the highly favored New York Giants
to edge past the Buccaneers. Four times, the Giants had possession of the ball in the red zone, but were held to field goals. Heavy Buccaneer blitzes failed to stop Joe Morris
from rushing for 132 yards, making Morris the first Giant in two years to have consecutive 100-yard games. A last-minute rally appeared to have brought the Buccaneers in position to attempt a game-winning field goal, but a holding penalty on Sean Farrell
erased Adger Armstrong's reception at the Giants' 38-yard line, and Terry Kinard
intercepted a DeBerg pass on the next play. Farrell criticized the call at the time, but Bennett later confirmed that it was correct, although he questioned why the only holding penalty of the entire game would be called in that situation. Craig Curry started at safety, leaving David Greenwood on the bench. U-back (a second tight end position) Jerry Bell
suffered a season-ending knee injury. His backup, Calvin Magee, also went out with an injured knee, although it didn't require immediate surgery.
Donald Igwebuike kicked three field goals as the Buccaneers recorded their first victory under Leeman Bennett. James Wilder rushed for 120 yards, while Steve DeBerg passed for 196 yards and a touchdown to Adger Armstrong. The Cardinals' offense was ineffective without injured starters Ottis Anderson
and Roy Green
. It was the Buccaneers' first shutout since their division-clinching 3-0 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs
on Dec. 16, 1979. The game was attended by a crowd of 34,736, the third-smallest in team history. Players afterward expressed relief, rather than joy, at getting their first win. Igwebuike, Wilder, and David Logan were presented with game balls after the game, the first ever awarded by the Buccaneers.
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
After the Buccaneers took a 14-0 lead on a recovery of a Ken O'Brien
fumble and Steve DeBerg touchdown passes to Kevin House and Calvin Magee, the Jets' offense caught fire, scoring a team-record 62 points. Players afterward denied that they were thinking about revenge for the previous season's "Buc Flop" incident, in which James Wilder was approaching an NFL record, and the Buccaneer defense allowed the Jets to score a touchdown in an attempt to get the ball back so that Wilder could get more carries. O'Brien passed for 367 yards and 5 touchdowns, with Al Toon
catching 6 of his passes for 133 yards. Mickey Shuler
tied a Jets record with three touchdown receptions. Jeremiah Castille intercepted an O'Brien pass, but then fumbled it back to Wesley Walker
.
Donald Igwebuike kicked a field goal to force overtime with a minute remaining in regulation, and then kicked another with 2:29 remaining in overtime to secure the victory in Steve Young's NFL debut. The Buccaneers were aided by the decision of Lions coach Don Rogers, who as a former college coach in the NFL for the first time had no experience with overtime, to punt on fourth-and-inches from the 50-yard line in hopes that Young's inexperience would give the Lions the ball back with good field position. The Lions blamed the 80-degree heat, and crowd noise that drowned out several audibles, for a series of fourth-quarter breakdowns that allowed the Buccaneers to erase a 16-6 deficit. Fatigued Lions defenders allowed James Wilder to gain 42 yards on his last 9 carries. Young's scrambling style gained zero net passing yards through the first three quarters, but when he switched to a dropback style of passing in the fourth quarter, he began to find success completing long passes. The Buccaneers scored on a 6-yard Wilder run, while the defense held the Lions scoreless, and Young drove the team into field goal range twice. Young became the first Buccaneer quarterback to win in his first start.
, Green Bay, Wisconsin
The Buccaneers' 65 net yards and their average gain of 1.6 yards per play were both team lows. It was the lowest offensive total by any Packers opponent since a game against the Atlanta Falcons on Oct 1, 1967. Having difficulty finding open receivers, Steve Young ran 7 times for 31 yards, and was sacked 5 times for 42 yards. He completed no passes longer than 10 yards, and reported trouble keeping a grip on the ball. James Wilder was held to 23 yards rushing. Anticipating bad weather, the Packers prepared for the game by moving their practices outdoors during the week. Several Buccaneers reported loss of feeling in their extremities. Lynn Dickey
passed for 299 yards and a touchdown, James Lofton
caught passes for 106 yards, Eddie Lee Ivery
rushed for 109 yards, and Gerry Ellis
rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown. Alphonso Carreker
got four of the Packers' five sacks. It was the Buccaneers' 18th consecutive road loss, tying the 2nd-longest such streak in NFL history, and their 25th consecutive road loss in an outdoor stadium.
, Minneapolis, Minnesota
An attempted rally from a 19-0 deficit died when a holding penalty called back a Kevin House pass reception at the Vikings' 3-yard line. The Buccaneers committed 10 penalties in all, for a total of 76 yards. In a 1:42 stretch of the third quarter, the two teams combined for five turnovers in nine plays, with James Wilder afterward fumbling on his next possession. Wilder became the first Buccaneer to pass the 4,000-yard rushing mark, but could not savor it, due to the injury-filled loss. Kick returner Phil Freeman broke a wrist and linebacker Dennis Johnson bruised a shoulder, both while making tackles. Craig Curry suffered an eye injury, and Scot Brantley injured a shoulder.
Steve Young threw for a career-high 251 yards, but threw two late-game interceptions that ended the team's chances for a rally. The game opened with a 59-yard pass to Kevin House, the team's longest pass in 30 games. The attendance of 25,577 shattered the team's previous record-low attendance, and the 17,419 no-shows were also a record. The 55-degree weather was also a record, the coldest-ever for a game in Tampa Stadium. In only their fourth win of the season, the Colts rushed for 257 yards, and scored 14 fourth-quarter points to come from behind for the win. Along with the interceptions, they were aided by two fourth-quarter fumbles. Randy McMillan
led Colts rushers, with 108 yards. George Wonsley
rushed for two touchdowns, and Albert Bentley
one. The loss assured the Buccaneers of the following year's first-overall draft pick, as the strength of schedule gave the Buccaneers the advantage over the Atlanta Falcons, the only other team that could potentially win as few as 3 games. (The Buffalo Bills
would finish with two wins, but their first-round pick had already been traded away and spent on Bernie Kosar
in a supplemental draft the previous season, leaving the 1986 NFL Draft
with only 27 first-round picks). Of his defense's performance, Bennett could only say, "That team shouldn't have scored 31 points on us".
Thanks to a missed Donald Igwebuike field goal attempt late in the fourth quarter, the Packers edged Tampa Bay in a game full of turnovers and errors. David Greenwood fumbled the ball back to the Packers on a return of an intercepted Jim Zorn pass, a John Holt fumble recovery was called back due to an offside penalty, and Calvin Magee fumbled the ball back to the Packers on the first play following a Jeremiah Castille interception. Gerry Ellis fumbled the second-half kickoff for the Packers. The Buccaneers' first touchdown was set up by a Mark Murphy pass interference penalty in the end zone. With a glut of aging quarterbacks, the Packers used the fourth quarter to get a look at Randy Wright
, who led the team to their winning points.
Wide receiver Theo Bell
, noted for his team leadership and for his contributions to the community, retired from a 10-year NFL career following the game.
James Wilder, Pro Bowl alternate
James Wilder, team Most Valuable Player
Theo Bell, the NFL Alumni Tampa Bay Buccaneers Chapter Ricky Bell
Award for contributions on and off the field
1985 NFL season
The 1985 NFL season was the 66th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XX when the Chicago Bears defeated the New England Patriots.-Major rule changes:...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
season began on a hopeful note, with the hiring of Leeman Bennett as the team's head coach. A massive turnover of personnel occurred, which included the offseason career-ending injury of Lee Roy Selmon
Lee Roy Selmon
Lee Roy Selmon was a Hall of Fame NFL football defensive lineman.-Early life:Selmon was the youngest of nine children of Lucious and Jessie Selmon, raised on a farm near Eufaula, Oklahoma...
, the trade of Hugh Green, and the early-season signing of Steve Young. The numerous roster changes produced a team which, while talented, struggled in their new system. Mistake-prone play combined with a difficult early-season schedule helped the team to lose their first nine games, which eliminated them from title contention before the end of October.
Despite their poor record, the Buccaneers were repeatedly competitive in games, even against the league's top teams. The season saw the resurgence of tight end Jimmie Giles
Jimmie Giles
Jimmie Giles, Jr. ; , was a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Houston Oilers in the third round of the 1977 NFL Draft. A 6'3", 238 lbs. tight end from Alcorn State University, Giles played in 13 NFL seasons from 1977-1989...
, who returned to Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
form after having spent the previous two seasons in disfavor with John McKay and his staff. Giles set several Buccaneer records in an October matchup with the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
that Miami coach Don Shula
Don Shula
Donald Francis "Don" Shula is a former American football cornerback and coach.He is best known as coach of the Miami Dolphins, the team he led to two Super Bowl victories, and to the National Football League's only perfect season. Shula was named 1993 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated....
described as having "more thrills than any I can remember". James Wilder
James Wilder
James Curtis Wilder is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, and the Detroit Lions.-High school career:...
led the NFL in rushing for the first several games while handling the ball on over 50% of the offense's plays, until the team began to diversify their offense more. Rookie kicker Donald Igwebuike
Donald Igwebuike
Donald Amechi Igwebuike is a former Nigerian kicker of American football for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . He is the fourth place all-time scorer for the Buccaneers with 416 overall points...
set team records for field goals and points scored. Patches were worn on the jerseys to commemorate their 10th season.
The Hiring of Leeman Bennett
Former Atlanta FalconsAtlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
coach Leeman Bennett
Leeman Bennett
Leeman Bennett is a former football coach who served at both the collegiate and professional levels, but is most prominently remembered as head coach of the National Football League's Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers....
was named by owner Hugh Culverhouse
Hugh Culverhouse
Hugh Franklin Culverhouse, Sr. was the longtime owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League . He was a successful tax lawyer, and his real estate investments made him one of the nation's wealthiest men...
as the replacement for retired head coach John McKay. Other candidates interviewed included Buccaneer defensive coordinator Wayne Fontes
Wayne Fontes
Wayne Fontes is a former American football coach and college and professional football player who was the head coach of the NFL's Detroit Lions from 1988 to 1996. His 67 wins and 71 losses are each the most for a head coach in team history.-Background and early career:Fontes was born in the...
, Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
defensive coordinator Tom Catlin
Tom Catlin
Tom Catlin was a former American Football player and coach. He spent a total of 37 years in the NFL including defensive coordinator stints with the Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks ....
, former Michigan Panthers
Michigan Panthers
The Michigan Panthers were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid-1980s.-Team history:The Michigan Panthers were named as a charter member of the United States Football League on May 11, 1982....
head coach Jim Stanley
Jim Stanley
James L. Stanley is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Oklahoma State University–Stillwater from 1973 to 1978, compiling a record of 35–31–2. Stanley was also the head coach of the USFL's Michigan Panthers in 1983 and 1984, their own...
, former New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
head coach Ron Meyer
Ron Meyer
-References:...
, Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
quarterback coach Jerry Rhome
Jerry Rhome
Jerry Byron Rhome is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He played for the Dallas Cowboys , the Cleveland Browns , the Houston Oilers , and the Los Angeles Rams...
, former Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
defensive coordinator Bud Carson
Bud Carson
Leon H. "Bud" Carson was an American football coach best known for his role on the Pittsburgh Steelers' championship teams of the 1970s.-Player:Carson played defensive back for North Carolina from 1949 to 1951, then entered the Marines.-Georgia Tech:...
, and former Florida Gators
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
coach Charley Pell
Charley Pell
Charles Byron "Charley" Pell was an American college football player and coach. Pell was an Alabama native and an alumnus of the University of Alabama, where he played college football. He is most notably remembered as the head coach of the Clemson University and the University of Florida...
. Bennett was an unexpected choice, as Fontes had long been considered to be the leading candidate and had the near-unanimous support of the players and existing staff. Culverhouse almost gave Fontes the job without conducting an interview process, before having second thoughts and soliciting recommendations from McKay, Tex Schramm
Tex Schramm
Texas Earnest "Tex" Schramm, Jr. was the original president and general manager of the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys franchise. Schramm became the head of the Cowboys when the former expansion team started operations in 1960.-Early life and career:Despite his name, Schramm was not born...
, and Dan Rooney
Dan Rooney
Daniel Milton "Dan" Rooney is the United States Ambassador to Ireland. He is chairman emeritus of the Pittsburgh Steelers football team in the National Football League , which was founded by his father, Art Rooney. Rooney was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000 for his contributions...
. Described as "heartbroken", Fontes learned while attending a scouting combine in Arizona that he had been passed over for the job. Bennett indicated that nobody who had been a candidate for the head coaching job would be hired as an assistant, ending speculation that he might retain Fontes or bring in his former assistant Jim Stanley. Fontes eventually accepted the defensive coordinator position with the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
.
Bennett had served as the Los Angeles Rams' offensive coordinator under Chuck Knox
Chuck Knox
Charles Robert "Chuck" Knox is a former American football coach at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. He is best remembered as head coach of three National Football League teams, the Seattle Seahawks, the Buffalo Bills, and the Los Angeles Rams, serving two separate stints with...
before taking the Falcons job, where he became the only coach to lead that franchise to the playoffs. He did so three times, and was fired after their third playoff appearance, when the owners felt that a change was necessary in order for the Falcons to advance further. The Falcons finished in last place in the NFC West in both of the years following Bennett's firing. Twice named NFC Coach of the Year, Bennett was well respected as a coach, with the only knock against him being a reputation as possibly "too nice". Although Bennett was one of the candidates recommended by McKay, his easygoing style was considered to be a complete opposite to McKay. He vowed to keep the 3-4 defensive alignment with which Tampa Bay had been so successful, and said that the team would be a playoff contender in 1985. He believed that they had a good nucleus of players, although he admitted to knowing little about their personnel.
Jerry Glanville
Jerry Glanville
Jerry Glanville is a former American football player and current head coach of the Hartford Colonials of the United Football League, former NASCAR driver and owner, and sportscaster in the United States. He served the head coach of the Houston Oilers from 1986 to 1990 and the Atlanta Falcons from...
, the coordinator of the league-leading 1977
1977 Atlanta Falcons season
The 1977 Atlanta Falcons season was the Falcons 12th season.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:-Milestones:* Jerry Glanville's "Grits Blitz" defense set the NFL record for fewest points allowed per game since the AFL-NFL Merger .-References:**...
Falcons defense, indicated that he would be unavailable due to his contractual ties to the Houston Oilers. The offensive coordinator position was filled by Jimmy Raye
Jimmy Raye II
James Arthur Raye, Jr. is a former American football player and coach. He was most recently the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League until he was fired on September 27, 2010, one day after the team's lopsided loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.-Playing...
, a former Bennett assistant who had been holding the same position with the Rams. Offensive line coach Kim Helton
Kim Helton
Charles Kimberlin "Kim" Helton is an American college and professional football coach. He currently serves as the offensive coordinator for the University of Alabama at Birmingham football program. Helton was formerly the head football coach of the University of Houston from 1993 to 1999.-...
and linebackers coach Howard Tippett were the only assistants to be retained by the new regime. Rams assistant Vic Rapp
Vic Rapp
Vic Rapp is a former American and Canadian football coach who served as the head coach of the BC Lions from 1977–1982.-Early career:A graduate of the University of Missouri, Rapp served as the Tigers End coach from 1967-71. In 1972, he became the offensive coordinator of the Canadian Football...
was brought in as the running backs coach. Former Michigan Panthers defensive coordinator Dick Roach was brought in as the defensive backfield coach. Longtime trainer Tom Oxley was replaced by former Falcon trainer Jay Shoop.
Personnel Moves
Although he and Jimmie Giles had been hoping that the staff turnover would restore their playing time, Richard Wood was not offered a new contract. Maurice HarveyMaurice Harvey
Maurice N. Harvey is a former professional American football safety in the National Football League. He played seven seasons for the Denver Broncos, the Green Bay Packers, the Detroit Lions, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers....
and Jeff Komlo
Jeff Komlo
William Jeffrey "Jeff" Komlo was an American professional football quarterback who played for the Detroit Lions, the Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL. He was born in Cheverly, Maryland.-Football career:...
were also released. New contracts were offered to Michael Morton
Michael Morton (American football)
Michael Da'mond Morton is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Washington Redskins, and the Seattle Seahawks. He played college football at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas....
, Adger Armstrong
Adger Armstrong
Adger Armstrong Jr. is a former American football fullback in the National Football League. He was signed by the Houston Oilers as an undrafted free agent in 1980. He played college football at Texas A&M....
, Leon Bright
Leon Bright
Leon "Pop" Bright, Jr. is a former Gridiron football player in the Canadian Football League for four years and in the National Football League for five years....
, Cedric Brown
Cedric Brown
Cedric Brown , is a former American professional football player who played in 9 NFL seasons from 1976-1984 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Brown was a very solid and underrated free safety for the Bucs, seldom making errors but capable of big plays also....
, Robert Thompson and Glenn Bujnoch
Glenn Bujnoch
Glenn David Bujnoch, . is a former National Football League offensive lineman from 1976 through 1984. He played college football at Texas A&M University....
. Morton eventually rejected his contract offer, and signed with the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. Vagas Ferguson
Vagas Ferguson
Vagas Ferguson was a star running back for the University of Notre Dame who continued on to the National Football League for three seasons with the New England Patriots, who drafted him in the first round, the Cleveland Browns, and the Houston Oilers.In 1979, his senior season at Notre Dame,...
, a former star running back at Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
and a one-time 1st-round draft choice of the New England Patriots, was signed as a free agent.
NFL Draft
This was the first time in three years that the Buccaneers held a first-round pick on draft day, and they indicated that they needed much defensive help. The defensive line and linebacker positions lacked depth, and the secondary was aging. Of the three premier defensive ends available, Bruce Smith had already been signed by the Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, who held the first overall choice, and Ray Childress
Ray Childress
Raymond Clay Childress, Jr. is a former American football defensive lineman in the NFL for the Houston Oilers from 1985–1996, earning Pro Bowl honors five times....
was expected to be taken by the Houston Oilers, leaving University of Washington
Washington Huskies football
College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by...
defensive end Ron Holmes
Ron Holmes
Ronald "Ron" Holmes was a professional American football defensive end who played eight seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Denver Broncos in the National Football League. He started in Super Bowl XXIV. He was considered to have Pro Bowl talent, but his development was slowed by...
as Tampa Bay's most likely selection with the eighth overall pick. Director of player personnel Jim Gruden described his as having the combination of size and speed, versatility, and a productive college career that the Buccaneers desired.
| Pick | Round | Player | Position | School |
| 8 | 1 | |Ron Holmes Ron Holmes Ronald "Ron" Holmes was a professional American football defensive end who played eight seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Denver Broncos in the National Football League. He started in Super Bowl XXIV. He was considered to have Pro Bowl talent, but his development was slowed by... |
|Defensive End | Washington Washington Huskies football College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by... |
| 64 | 3 | Ervin Randle Ervin Randle Ervin Randle is a former American football linebacker in the NFL. He played in the NFL from 1985-1992 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs. He attended Baylor University for college. He is the older brother of Hall of Famer John Randle.... |
Linebacker | Baylor Baylor Bears football The Baylor Bears football team represents Baylor University in Division I FBS college football. They are a member of the Big 12 Conference. The team plays its home games at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Texas.-History:... |
| 92 | 4 | Mike Heaven | Defensive Back | Illinois Illinois Fighting Illini football The Illinois Fighting Illini are a major college football program, representing the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. They compete in NCAA Division I-A and the Big Ten Conference.-Current staff:-All-time win/loss/tie record:*563-513-51... |
| 176 | 7 | Mike Prior Mike Prior Michael Robert Prior , is a former American professional football player who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 7th round of the 1985 NFL Draft. A 6'0",... |
Defensive Back | Illinois State Illinois State Redbirds The Illinois State Redbirds are the athletic teams that represent Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois. Teams play at the NCAA Division I level . The football team competes in the Missouri Valley Football Conference while most other teams compete in the Missouri Valley Conference... |
| 204 | 8 | Phil Freeman Phil Freeman Phillip Emery "Phil" Freeman is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He played three seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers .... |
Wide Receiver | Arizona State Arizona State Sun Devils football The Arizona State Sun Devils' football program represents Arizona State University in college football, and competes in NCAA Division I FBS as a member of the Pacific-12 Conference.... |
| 232 | 9 | Steve Calabria | Quarterback | Colgate Colgate Raiders football The Colgate Raiders football team represents Colgate University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Patriot League.-History:... |
| 260 | 10 | Donald Igwebuike Donald Igwebuike Donald Amechi Igwebuike is a former Nigerian kicker of American football for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . He is the fourth place all-time scorer for the Buccaneers with 416 overall points... |
Kicker | Clemson Clemson Tigers football The Clemson Tigers football team is an American football team from Clemson University in South Carolina. It competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference... |
| 288 | 11 | Punkin Williams | Running Back | Memphis State Memphis Tigers football The Memphis Tigers football team represents the University of Memphis in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Tigers compete in Conference USA... |
| 316 | 12 | Jim Rockford | Defensive Back | Oklahoma Oklahoma Sooners football The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association... |
| 330 | 12 (from L.A. Rams) | James Melka James Melka -Career:Melka wad drafted in the twelfth round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He would later go on to be a member of the Green Bay Packers.He played at the collegiate level at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.-References:... |
Linebacker | Wisconsin Wisconsin Badgers football The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football... |
The Buccaneers' 2nd-round pick went to the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as part of the trade for Steve DeBerg
Steve DeBerg
Steven Leroy DeBerg had a long career as an American Football quarterback. His career spanned 21 years over 3 decades. Despite the fact that large portions of his career were spent as a backup, DeBerg ultimately accumulated some impressive NFL statistics, particularly during the early 1990s, when...
. Their 5th-round pick went to the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for running back Scott Dierking
Scott Dierking
Scott Dierking was a running back in the NFL. He played for the New York Jets from 1977-1983. Before his NFL career, he played for Purdue University....
. Their 6th-round pick was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
for tackle Don Swafford. The second 12-round pick came from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for defensive end Booker Reese
Booker Reese
Booker Reese is a former American Football defensive end who played four seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Los Angeles Rams from 1982 to 1985 in the National Football League...
.
Draft Selections
Holmes was chosen over Eddie Brown, who was not expected to have been available with the eighth-overall pick. Bennett decided that, with the passing game already performing well, it was more important to select for defense. The Buccaneers envisioned Holmes as a starting end, opposite of Lee Roy SelmonLee Roy Selmon
Lee Roy Selmon was a Hall of Fame NFL football defensive lineman.-Early life:Selmon was the youngest of nine children of Lucious and Jessie Selmon, raised on a farm near Eufaula, Oklahoma...
and with Dave Logan
David Logan (American football)
David Logan was an American football defensive tackle in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 12th round of the 1979 NFL Draft. He played college football at Pittsburgh....
at nose tackle. Holmes was named first-team All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
by five different organizations, and was once much-coveted by Memphis State and DePaul
DePaul Blue Demons men's basketball
The DePaul Blue Demons Men's Basketball program is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois...
as a basketball recruit. Ervin Randle
Ervin Randle
Ervin Randle is a former American football linebacker in the NFL. He played in the NFL from 1985-1992 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs. He attended Baylor University for college. He is the older brother of Hall of Famer John Randle....
was a versatile linebacker who had also played defensive end and nose tackle at Baylor
Baylor Bears football
The Baylor Bears football team represents Baylor University in Division I FBS college football. They are a member of the Big 12 Conference. The team plays its home games at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Texas.-History:...
. Mike Heaven, a Delray Beach, Florida
Delray Beach, Florida
Delray Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 60,020. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S...
native, was a defensive back who was expected to provide immediate help to a secondary that had aging safeties and struggling young cornerbacks. Likewise, Mike Prior
Mike Prior
Michael Robert Prior , is a former American professional football player who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 7th round of the 1985 NFL Draft. A 6'0",...
was the Missouri Valley Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
career leader in interceptions as well as a former Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
draftee. He turned down a contract offer from the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
to sign with Tampa Bay. Phil Freeman
Phil Freeman
Phillip Emery "Phil" Freeman is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He played three seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ....
was the University of Arizona
Arizona Wildcats football
The Arizona Wildcats football team is the football team of the University of Arizona, located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level.-Early years:...
starting tailback until suffering a broken leg in 1982, but was projected as a wide receiver with what Bennett called "rare speed". Steve Calabria was the leading quarterback in Colgate
Colgate Raiders football
The Colgate Raiders football team represents Colgate University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Patriot League.-History:...
history, with a strong arm and the ability to throw while rolling out. He claimed to already have signed a letter of agreement with Tampa Bay Bandits
Tampa Bay Bandits
The Tampa Bay Bandits were a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. They were members of the United States Football League . They were a charter member of the USFL and folded along with the league after the 1985 season....
owner John Bassett
John Bassett
John White Hughes Bassett, was a Canadian publisher and media baron.Born in Ottawa, Ontario, he was the son of John Bassett , publisher of the Montreal Gazette, and Margaret Avery. Bassett attended Ashbury College and graduated from Bishop's University with a BA in 1936...
, although it was unclear whether the Bandits would still be in existence, or whether they would be part of the USFL or part of a new spring league that Bassett was proposing. Calabria had been expected to be drafted as high as the fourth round, until rumors of his USFL agreement (which the Buccaneers were unaware of) began to circulate. By the time the ailing Bassett released Calabria from his contract, mini-camp was already over, and he was unprepared for preseason competition. Donald Igwebuike
Donald Igwebuike
Donald Amechi Igwebuike is a former Nigerian kicker of American football for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . He is the fourth place all-time scorer for the Buccaneers with 416 overall points...
was a soccer player who tried football at the encouragement of his fellow Nigerian and Clemson
Clemson Tigers football
The Clemson Tigers football team is an American football team from Clemson University in South Carolina. It competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
teammate Obed Ariri
Obed Ariri
Obed Chukwuma Ariri is a Nigerian former placekicker of American football in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Redskins. He also played in the United States Football League for the Washington Federals and in the Arena Football League for the Miami Hooters...
, against whom he would now be competing for the kicking job. James Melka
James Melka
-Career:Melka wad drafted in the twelfth round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He would later go on to be a member of the Green Bay Packers.He played at the collegiate level at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.-References:...
was a second-team All-Big Ten selection at linebacker who had been expected to be drafted much higher than the twelfth round.
The team followed the draft by signing 22 free agents, including Southern
Southern Jaguars
The Southern Jaguars represent Southern University in NCAA intercollegiate athletics.-Conference affiliation:Southern University's athletic teams participate in the Southwestern Athletic Conference which is a part of the NCAA Division I. Football participates in the Football Championship...
tight end Calvin Magee
Calvin Magee
Calvin Magee is a former professional American football player who played tight end for four seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1985 to 1988...
, LSU quarterback Alan Risher, and cornerback Irvin Phillips
Irvin Phillips
Irvin Jerome Phillips is a former American football defensive back. Phillips was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the third round out of Arkansas Tech University in the 1981 NFL Draft. He played 15 games for the Chargers in 1981. In 1983, he played 5 games for the Los Angeles...
, who had been obtained via trade from the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
the previous year, but had been waived after failing a physical.
Steroid Controversy
Guard Steve CoursonSteve Courson
Stephen Paul "Steve" Courson was an American football guard for the National Football League's Pittsburgh Steelers.- Early years :...
was unable to participate in a team mini-camp due to a heart rate of 160. Attributing this to his heavy use of anabolic steroids, he quit using them, and detailed his experience in a Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
article. He later stated that he did not believe that steroid use was really as rampant as he indicated in the article, in which he estimated that 75% of NFL linemen use steroids and 95% have tried them, and alleged that amphetamine
Amphetamine
Amphetamine or amfetamine is a psychostimulant drug of the phenethylamine class which produces increased wakefulness and focus in association with decreased fatigue and appetite.Brand names of medications that contain, or metabolize into, amphetamine include Adderall, Dexedrine, Dextrostat,...
use was also common. He said that he began using them in an attempt to gain strength, to avoid being dominated by larger defensive linemen in the NFL and at the University of South Carolina
South Carolina Gamecocks football
The South Carolina Gamecocks football team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college football. The Gamecocks have been a member of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. Steve Spurrier is the current head coach, and the team plays its home games at Williams-Brice...
. He did not name any other players who used them, other than to say that Rocky Bleier had publicly admitted to it. Former trainer Tom Oxley estimated that the team had three to six steroid users in any given year, and that most were linemen. Oxley said that the team did not provide steroids to players, but that the team medical staff had almost prescribed them to Doug Williams to maintain weight when a 1978
1978 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 1978 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on a 2-12 season. Since their two 1977 victories came in the last two games of the season, they entered the 1978 season with the longest active winning streak in the NFC Central. The Buccaneers entered the season with new...
broken jaw left him unable to eat. The article touched off controversy, as numerous players denied its allegations. Steroid use was at the time discouraged, though not prohibited, by the NFL.
Steve Young
The Los Angeles Express of the United States Football LeagueUnited States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
had been operating without an owner since the previous fall, and speculation began to be raised in April that the team might be disbanded. The Buccaneers had acquired the NFL rights to Express quarterback Steve Young in a special draft held the previous spring. With the franchise struggling financially, agent Leigh Steinberg
Leigh Steinberg
Leigh William Steinberg is an American sports agent and sports lawyer. His client list has included Steve Bartkowski, Steve Young, Troy Aikman, Warren Moon, Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas, Kordell Stewart, Jeff George, Ben Roethlisberger, Myron Rolle, Matt Leinart, Mark Brunell, Ricky Williams,...
said that a delay in payments to Young's annuity voided his contract with the team, and USFL Commissioner Harry Usher
Harry Usher
Harry Lester Usher was an American attorney who was the second and last commissioner of the United States Football League . He was also the executive vice president and general manager of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee , which oversaw the business operations of the 1984 Summer Olympics...
granted Young permission to negotiate with an NFL team. Usher indicated that if Young were to change teams, his contract would need to be bought out. The Buccaneers expressed reservations, as they were unsure of Young's physical condition due to the beating he'd taken over the past year with the Express. Negotiations intensified toward the end of preseason, with the major sticking points being the $1.5 million dollar repayment the USFL demanded on the remaining two years of Young's contract, and the requirement that Young clear USFL waivers. Steinberg was able to renegotiate the payment with the USFL, and Young signed a series of six one-year contracts with the Buccaneers on September 10. The financial details were not disclosed, but Steinberg said that Young's contract was comparable to those of John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
, Warren Moon
Warren Moon
Harold Warren Moon is a former American professional gridiron football quarterback who played for the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos and the National Football League's Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs...
, and Bernie Kosar
Bernie Kosar
Bernard Joseph "Bernie" Kosar, Jr. is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. Kosar played for the Cleveland Browns from 1985 to 1993 and then finished his career with the Dallas Cowboys and the Miami Dolphins.-Early life and high school career:A Hungarian-American...
, who were all paid roughly $1 million per year. A star at BYU, Young would have been the first overall pick in the 1984 draft, but instead signed a 40-year (due to much of the payment being in the form of annuities), $43 million contract with the Express. Young had a sub-par 1985 season in Los Angeles, but was still able to complete over 50% of his passes while playing behind an injury-riddled offensive line. Bennett indicated that the team would be content to bring Young along slowly, and that he would serve as DeBerg's backup for at least the time being. The signing put an end to the team's interest in veteran quarterback Jim Zorn
Jim Zorn
James Arthur "Jim" Zorn is an American quarterbacks coach in the National Football League. He was formerly the quarterbacks coach for the Baltimore Ravens and now holds that same position with the Kansas City Chiefs...
.
Defensive End Problems
A soreness in Lee Roy Selmon's back that became apparent shortly after the Pro BowlPro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
was originally thought to be a muscular injury, but turned out to be a herniated disc. With uncertainty over how to treat the injury or whether he would ever recover enough to be able to play again, Selmon postponed any decisions about his future plans and was lost to the team for the season. This meant that instead of Selmon and Ron Holmes playing as bookend pass-rushers, Holmes would now become Selmon's replacement. However, contract negotiations went so slowly that Holmes' agent, Leigh Steinberg, began to question whether the team had any intention of signing him, to the point that he asked negotiator Phil Krueger
Phil Krueger (coach)
Phil Krueger was a college football coach at Fresno State, and Utah State. From 1964 to 1965, he coached at Fresno State, where he compiled a 10-10 record. From 1973 to 1975, he coached at Utah State, where he compiled a 21-12 record. His overall record stands at 31-22.-References:...
if they intended to trade him. Holmes was eventually signed after a two-week holdout, which caused him to miss much practice time. Selmon eventually chose non-surgical rehabilitation for his back, although he would consider the microsurgery recommended by the team, but only as a last resort.
The other two remaining original Buccaneers joined Selmon on the injured list during the preseason. Steve Wilson
Steve Wilson (offensive lineman)
Steve Wilson is a former American football center in the National Football League who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1976 to 1985. He was the last original Buccaneer to retire and the only original Buc player to be a starter in each of the first 10 seasons of the franchise...
suffered a broken leg in a preseason game against the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
, which left Redskins safety Curtis Jordan
Curtis Jordan
Curtis Wayne Jordan is a former American football safety in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Redskins...
as the only remaining original Buccaneer active in the NFL. Safety Mark Cotney
Mark Cotney
Mark Cotney , is a former professional American football player who played in 10 NFL seasons from 1975-1984 for the Houston Oilers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Selected by the Buccaneers in the 1976 NFL Expansion Draft, he was a member of the original winless 1976 team and the 1979 team that played in...
had earlier suffered two broken neck vertebrae while trying to tackle Gerald Riggs
Gerald Riggs
Gerald Antonio Riggs is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Atlanta Falcons from 1982-1988 and the Washington Redskins from 1989-1991....
during an earlier game against the Falcons. Former Michigan Panthers All-USFL safety David Greenwood was signed to add depth after Cotney's injury, and wound up as the opening-day starter at strong safety.
Preseason Play
Although preseason games had no importance in the standings, Bennett spoke of the importance of setting a winning tone for the season. Bennett had to abandon his plans of using a two-back offense, due to a lack of any quality running backs other than James WilderJames Wilder
James Curtis Wilder is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, and the Detroit Lions.-High school career:...
. With no second running back standing out in practice, he instead chose to use a single-back offense that would enable tight ends Jimmie Giles
Jimmie Giles
Jimmie Giles, Jr. ; , was a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Houston Oilers in the third round of the 1977 NFL Draft. A 6'3", 238 lbs. tight end from Alcorn State University, Giles played in 13 NFL seasons from 1977-1989...
and Jerry Bell
Jerry Bell (American football)
Jerry Bell is a former American football tight end in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1982 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State....
to be on the field at the same time. The team was not able to find a reliable backup to Wilder until the early-season signing of former Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
fullback Ron Springs
Ron Springs
Ronald Edward "Ron" Springs was a professional American football running back, who played eight seasons in the NFL, for the Dallas Cowboys from 1979–1984, followed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1985-1986. He is the father of NFL cornerback Shawn Springs...
. Problems with the pass defense were exposed in the first preseason game, in which the reserves turned a 20-0 lead into a 42-27 defeat. Bennett expressed concern over the lack of a pass rush, and the way that Steelers receivers were able to jump inside of Buccaneer defenders on slant routes. Pittsburgh third-string quarterback Scott Campbell
Scott Campbell (American football)
Robert Scott Campbell is a former professional American football player who played quarterback for six seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons. He played collegiately at Purdue University. He is currently a real estate broker and owner of Brownstone Realty in Hershey,...
connected twice with Weegie Thompson
Weegie Thompson
Willis Hope “Weegie” Thompson is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for six seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played high school football for Midlothian High School in Richmond, Virginia...
for touchdowns on such routes, once burning Anthony Washington for 34 yards. Ron Holmes debuted in the following week's loss to Atlanta, although the pass defense saw little improvement. The special teams performed well, but quarterback Jack Thompson struggled in his attempt to reclaim the starting job. The team's first win under Bennett came in New Orleans, the site of the franchise's first victory. The defense played better, while DeBerg led the team on two long touchdown drives. By the end of preseason, Bennett began to back off of his original assessment of the team as a playoff contender, with linebacker being the only position on the team he expressed confidence in. He was uncharacteristically silent following the final preseason game, a 20-7 loss to the Washington Redskins that was marked by a dismal offensive effort.
Preseason Personnel Moves
Gene SandersGene Sanders
Eugene Sanders is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the eighth round of the 1979 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas A&M and Washington....
, the offensive tackle who had shouldered much of the criticism for the offensive line's performance in recent seasons, was moved to Steve Courson's guard spot. Ken Kaplan took Sanders' place, with Courson still in contention for the starting guard spot. Needing depth in the secondary, the team traded former starting right tackle Kelly Thomas to the Redskins in return for Anthony Washington, the starting cornerback in Super Bowl XVII
Super Bowl XVII
Super Bowl XVII was an American football game played on January 30, 1983 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the strike-shortened 1982 regular season...
; and sent an eighth round draft pick to the Rams for safety Ivory Sully
Ivory Sully
Ivory Sully is a retired American football player.Sully grew up in Leonia, New Jersey, and played high school football there at Leonia High School. Undrafted as a running back from Division II Delaware, he was signed as a free agent by the Los Angeles Rams, who moved him to safety...
, conditional on his making the team. Sully was a Pro Bowl alternate as a special teams player, but had been unable to break into the starting lineup, playing behind Nolan Cromwell
Nolan Cromwell
Nolan Neil Cromwell is the wide receiver coach for the St. Louis Rams. He was an All-Pro safety for the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL and was the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M University. Cromwell played for the Rams from 1977 through 1987 and was named to the Pro Bowl in four consecutive...
and Johnnie Johnson
Johnnie Johnson (American football)
Johnnie Johnson was a member of the Los Angeles Rams from 1980 to 1988. He played cornerback and safety. Johnson played football for the University of Texas from 1976 to 1979. He was a unanimous All-America selection at defensive back in 1978 and 1979...
. He became one of the team's opening-day starters, originally slated at strong safety, but moved over to free safety with the signing of David Greenwood. Jay Carroll, a tight end who had played in all 16 games as a rookie in 1984, announced his retirement from football, as did backup fullback Scott Dierking
Scott Dierking
Scott Dierking was a running back in the NFL. He played for the New York Jets from 1977-1983. Before his NFL career, he played for Purdue University....
.
Fourth-round draft pick Mike Heaven, who was having difficulty with the transition to strong safety, was released with the second round of cuts. The cut to sixty players saw Cedric Brown
Cedric Brown
Cedric Brown , is a former American professional football player who played in 9 NFL seasons from 1976-1984 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Brown was a very solid and underrated free safety for the Bucs, seldom making errors but capable of big plays also....
, the team's all-time leader in interceptions, released. Numerous players who had been expected to contend, or even to have the inside track for starting jobs, were released at the end of preseason. These included team kicking leader Obed Ariri, beaten out by childhood friend Donald Igwebuike, to whom Ariri had introduced the sport of football; defensive end Byron Braggs
Byron Braggs
Byron Charles Braggs is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League who played for the Green Bay Packers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers .-Early years:...
, who had been considered a candidate for the starting right defensive end spot until his lack of pass rush became a liability; preseason starters Glenn Bujnoch
Glenn Bujnoch
Glenn David Bujnoch, . is a former National Football League offensive lineman from 1976 through 1984. He played college football at Texas A&M University....
and Danny Spradlin; Fred Acorn, a third-round selection the previous year who had started some late-season games; and Anthony Washington, a speedy and experienced player who nonetheless failed to live up to expectations. Jack Thompson, the previous season's opening-day starting quarterback, and starting safety Beasley Reece
Beasley Reece
Beasley Young Reece, Jr. was an American football defensive back with a nine year NFL career from 1976 to 1984...
were also released.
Regular season
Bennett said that, given the Buccaneers' record over the past two seasons, it was "automatically a rebuilding year". The squad began play as a young team, with 17 players who had not been there the previous year, and ten of the previous year's opening-day starters out of the starting lineup. The season began with a second-half collapse in a loss to the Chicago Bears, in which Bennett noted a lack of concentration and attention to detail. He admitted to being unable to explain the reason for the large number of errors, which in the first two games alone included 20 penalties, 4 interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), 3 fumbles, 2 blocked punts (one returned for a touchdown), and a missed extra-point and field goal attempt. Special teams coach Howard Tippett pointed out that the Buccaneers weren't making any mistakes that other teams didn't, but that the Buccaneer mistakes tended to get magnified and repeated. Linebacker Chris WashingtonChris Washington
Chris Washington is a former linebacker in the NFL. He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Phoenix Cardinals. He played seven seasons in the league, and has suffered from debilitating injuries brought on by his NFL career since his retirement....
attributed the defense's problems to a young, inexperienced team trying to learn a new system. Even as the losses mounted, opponents reported surprise, both from studying game films and playing the team on the field, at the Buccaneers' record. The Buccaneers frequently held halftime leads and lost by a touchdown or less; through the first 9 games, they were outscored 77-17 in the third quarter. In one game, Jimmie Giles was congratulated despite having turned over the ball by fumbling, because the 44-yard reception that preceded the fumble was a rare example of a player making something happen in the third quarter.
Off-field problems
The early season was marked by off-the-field problems with players. Hugh Green had told Jeff DavisJeff Davis (American football)
Jeff Davis is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 1982 NFL Draft. He played college football at Clemson.Davis was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007.-College career:Davis...
on the first day of practice that the new defense wasn't going to work. As the season began, he became critical of the defensive schemes, saying that they were not "molded to the individual talents of the players", and that he was just "trying to survive this season". He then walked out of camp for a day. It came to light that this had occurred regularly over the past four seasons, but that John McKay had kept the matter away from the press. Seeing Green's attitude as a negative influence on the team, and unsure of why Green was unhappy, Bennett traded him to the Miami Dolphins for their 1986 first-round draft choice, and the second-round pick obtained from Minnesota in the Anthony Carter trade. Team owner Hugh Culverhouse
Hugh Culverhouse
Hugh Franklin Culverhouse, Sr. was the longtime owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League . He was a successful tax lawyer, and his real estate investments made him one of the nation's wealthiest men...
also required Green to repay $335,000 of the signing bonus from his 1984 two-year contract, which was believed to be the first such buyout in NFL history. The trade was thought to be the Dolphins' biggest-ever trade for a defensive player, with Green considered to be second-only to Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Julius Taylor , nicknamed "L.T.", is a Hall of Fame former American football player. Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants in the National Football League...
as an NFL linebacker. Green's disgruntlement was attributed to a combination of the team's losing record, and the new defensive scheme that did not give him the opportunity to freelance. The trade put Keith Browner
Keith Browner
Keith Browner is a former American Football defensive end and outside linebacker. He is also the father of Keith Browner jr who is a standout LB for the Cal Golden Bears.-College career:...
back into the starting lineup, despite Bennett's criticism of his lack of effort.
Meanwhile, former Dallas Cowboys fullback Ron Springs was offered a contract on the very day that a Dallas police officer testified that she believed him to have been on drugs the night that he was arrested for aggravated assault on a police officer at a Dallas-area topless nightclub. He was eventually sentenced on the reduced charge of resisting arrest, following a trial marked by character testimony from Springs' teammates. Shortly afterward, it was revealed that Springs was one of several Cowboys players under investigation by the NFL and the FBI, for suspicion of shaving points
Point shaving
In organized sports, point shaving is a type of match fixing where the perpetrators try to prevent a team from covering a published point spread. Unlike other forms of match fixing, sports betting invariably motivates point shaving. A point shaving scheme generally involves a sports gambler and one...
in return for cocaine. The FBI eventually concluded that there was no basis to the allegations.
Quarterback controversy
As the loss column incremented, fans began to clamor for Steve Young. Bennett insisted that he would not play Young until he felt that he was ready, and at one point was booed for inserting Alan Risher into a game as Steve DeBerg's replacement. While DeBerg's statistics were not bad, he had difficulty completing long passes, even though receivers Kevin HouseKevin House
Kevin Nathaniel House is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round of the 1980 NFL Draft. A 6'1", 175 lbs. wide receiver from Southern Illinois University, House played in eight NFL seasons from 1980-1987 for the Buccaneers...
and Gerald Carter
Gerald Carter
Gerald Louis Carter , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 9th round of the 1980 NFL Draft. A 6'1", 190-lb. wide receiver from Texas A&M, Carter played in 8 NFL seasons from 1980 to 1987...
had combined for the third-most catches of any receiving duo in the NFL the previous year. Although Bennett insisted that the timing was unrelated, Young's first start was announced one day after one of the team's worst-ever losses, a 62–28 blowout against the New York Jets. Bennett said that he felt comfortable enough with Young's progress to give him the start, but Young admitted to having taken only "10 or 12" snaps in practice, and had never run any of the Buccaneers' plays. Starting behind an injury-battered offensive line against a blitzing Detroit Lions team, Young struggled for three quarters before rallying the team for a victory. Although Young's statistics were not especially impressive, Bennett noted that he had little practice time and no training camp, and that he performed well enough through his first three starts that Bennett would consider modifying the next season's offense to take better advantage of Young's abilities.
Snow Bowl
The Snow Bowl was played on December 1, 1985 against the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
at Lambeau Field
Lambeau Field
Lambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Opened in 1957 as City Stadium, it replaced the original City Stadium as the Packers' home field...
in Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
. The game was played in a record snowfall, with a foot of snow on the field, and four more inches falling during the game. It was nearly delayed, as the tarp protecting the field was frozen to the ground, and could not be removed until shortly before kickoff. The 35-mph wind produced a wind-chill factor of zero. According to an employee who had been to every Packer home game in their history, it was the worst weather ever at Lambeau Field. The attendance of 19,856, and the 36,586 unused tickets, were the lowest in both Buccaneer and Lambeau Field history. The Packers gained 512 yards to the Buccaneers' 65, as Tampa Bay lost their 18th consecutive road game.
Speaking after the season of the team's future plans, Bennett would not immediately say how the next year's first-round pick would be spent, but offered that he'd seen enough of the team's one-back offense that featured Wilder and no supporting players. John McKay announced that he would step down as team president, though he would maintain a part-time advisory role with the team.
Schedule
| Regular season | ||||||||
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Kickoff | Game site | TV | Attendance | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 8, 1985 | at Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 38-28 | 1:00 | Soldier Field Soldier Field Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears... |
CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
57,828 | 0-1 |
| 2 | September 15, 1985 | Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... |
L 31-16 | 4:00 | Tampa Stadium | CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
46,188 | 0-2 |
| 3 | September 22, 1985 | at New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
L 20-13 | 1:00 | Louisiana Superdome | CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
45,320 | 0-3 |
| 4 | September 29, 1985 | at Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
L 30-9 | 1:00 | Pontiac Silverdome Silverdome The Silverdome is an indoor sporting and entertainment venue located in Launceston, Tasmania built in 1984. The Silverdome was built at an estimated cost of A$4 million, as the Tasmanian Government "proposed a world class facility" to replace the run down velodrome in the Launceston suburb of St... |
CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
45,023 | 0-4 |
| 5 | October 6, 1985 | Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 27-19 | 1:00 | Tampa Stadium | CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
51,795 | 0-5 |
| 6 | October 13, 1985 | Los Angeles Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... |
L 31-27 | 1:00 | Tampa Stadium | CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
39,607 | 0-6 |
| 7 | October 20, 1985 | at Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 41-38 | 4:00 | Orange Bowl Orange Bowl The Orange Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. It has been played annually since January 1, 1935 and celebrated its 75th playing on January 1, 2009... |
CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
62,335 | 0-7 |
| 8 | October 27, 1985 | New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
L 32-14 | 1:00 | Tampa Stadium | NBC NFL on NBC NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS... |
34,661 | 0-8 |
| 9 | November 3, 1985 | at New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 22-20 | 1:00 | Giants Stadium Giants Stadium Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to... |
CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
72,031 | 0-9 |
| 10 | November 10, 1985 | St. Louis Cardinals Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 16-0 | 1:00 | Tampa Stadium | CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
34,736 | 1-9 |
| 11 | November 17, 1985 | at New York Jets New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 62-28 | 1:00 | The Meadowlands Giants Stadium Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to... |
CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
65,344 | 1-10 |
| 12 | November 24, 1985 | Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
W 19-16 | 1:00 | Tampa Stadium | CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
43,471 | 2-10 |
| 13 | December 1, 1985 | at Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
L 21-0 | 1:00 | Lambeau Field Lambeau Field Lambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Opened in 1957 as City Stadium, it replaced the original City Stadium as the Packers' home field... |
CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
19,856 | 2-11 |
| 14 | December 8, 1985 | at Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... |
L 26-7 | 4:00 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University... |
CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
51,593 | 2-12 |
| 15 | December 15, 1985 | Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League .... |
L 31-23 | 1:00 | Tampa Stadium | NBC NFL on NBC NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS... |
25,577 | 2-13 |
| 16 | December 22, 1985 | Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
L 20-17 | 1:00 | Tampa Stadium | CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
33,992 | 2-14 |
Roster
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1985 roster | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
|
Offensive Linemen
Steve Courson Stephen Paul "Steve" Courson was an American football guard for the National Football League's Pittsburgh Steelers.- Early years :... LG Sean Farrell Sean Farrell is a former American Football guard who played mainly for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Farrell played college football for Penn State University, where he was named to two All-American teams. Sean starred at Westhampton Beach High School both on the football and track fields.... RG Randy Grimes Randy Grimes was an American football player who played center for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1983 to 1992.Randy played for Baylor University during the early 1980s and was a part of the 1980 Southwest Conference Champion Bears, which also included the likes of other NFL players Mike Singletary,... C/G Ron Heller (offensive tackle) Ronald Ramon Heller is an American football coach and former offensive tackle, who played twelve seasons in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins... RT Gene Sanders Eugene Sanders is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the eighth round of the 1979 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas A&M and Washington.... LT/G/DE/NT Joe Shearin Joseph Leslie Shearin is a former American football center and guard in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Dallas Cowboys. He graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas, Texas. He played college football at the University of Texas at... G/C Steve Wilson (offensive lineman) Steve Wilson is a former American football center in the National Football League who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1976 to 1985. He was the last original Buccaneer to retire and the only original Buc player to be a starter in each of the first 10 seasons of the franchise... C/G/T George Yarno George Anthony Yarno is a former professional football player, a guard with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, and Houston Oilers. He also played two seasons with the Denver Gold of the USFL... LT/G/C Defensive Linemen
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Linebackers
Scot Brantley Scot Eugene Brantley is an American radio and television sports broadcaster and former college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League for eight seasons in the 1980s... RILB Keith Browner Keith Browner is a former American Football defensive end and outside linebacker. He is also the father of Keith Browner jr who is a standout LB for the Cal Golden Bears.-College career:... LOLB Jeff Davis (American football) Jeff Davis is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 1982 NFL Draft. He played college football at Clemson.Davis was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007.-College career:Davis... LILB Cecil Johnson Cecil Johnson is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for nine seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers... LOLB Dennis Johnson (linebacker) Dennis Craig Johnson is a former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League. He played six seasons for the Minnesota Vikings and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers .... LB/DE Larry Kubin Lawrence William Kubin Jr. is a former American football linebacker who played with the Washington Redskins from 1981 to 1984 in the National Football League. He played college football at Penn State University.Kubin played high school football at Union High School.-References:... Ervin Randle Ervin Randle is a former American football linebacker in the NFL. He played in the NFL from 1985-1992 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs. He attended Baylor University for college. He is the older brother of Hall of Famer John Randle.... LOLB Chris Washington Chris Washington is a former linebacker in the NFL. He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Phoenix Cardinals. He played seven seasons in the league, and has suffered from debilitating injuries brought on by his NFL career since his retirement.... LOLB/ROLB Defensive Backs
Special Teams
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Reserve Lists
Practice Squad Rookies in italics Starters in boldface |
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Coaching Staff
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1985 coaching staff | ||||||
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Front Office
Head Coaches
Offensive Coaches
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Defensive Coaches
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Week 1: at Chicago Bears
Sep. 8, 1985 at Soldier FieldSoldier Field
Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...
, Chicago, Illinois
The Buccaneers scored a team-record 28 first-half points against the Bears' defense, which had been ranked first in the league the previous season. James Wilder's 105 first-half rushing yards was higher than the average the 1984 Bears
1984 Chicago Bears season
The 1984 Chicago Bears season was their 65th regular season and 15th post-season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 10-6 record, earning them a spot in the NFL playoffs...
had allowed per game. The Bears got no sacks, and Steve DeBerg was able to complete eight passes for three touchdowns, repeatedly able to fool the Bears with fake handoffs. After halftime adjustments, the Bears held the Buccaneers scoreless for the remainder of the game, while scoring three touchdowns to take the lead. The turning point of the game was considered by Bennett to be a DeBerg pass that was deflected by Richard Dent
Richard Dent
Richard Lamar Dent is a former American football defensive end, who played primarily for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was the MVP of Super Bowl XX...
, and returned by Leslie Frazier
Leslie Frazier
Leslie Antonio Frazier is a former cornerback/safety in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears and is currently the head coach for the Minnesota Vikings.-College career:...
for a touchdown. The Bears clinched the game when a blocked punt led to a 1-yard Jim McMahon
Jim McMahon
James Robert "Jim" McMahon, Jr. is a former American football player. He played college football at Brigham Young University, where he was a two-time All-American and later in the professional ranks with the Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona...
touchdown run. Phil Freeman returned a kickoff 58 yards, the longest in Buccaneer history. Walter Payton
Walter Payton
Walter Jerry Payton was an American football running back who played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League for thirteen seasons. Walter Payton was known around the NFL as "Sweetness". He is remembered as one of the most prolific running backs in the history of American football...
rushed for 120 yards, his 64th career 100-yard rushing game. On-field temperatures were recorded at 121 degrees.
Week 2: vs Minnesota Vikings
Sep. 15, 1985 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
The Minnesota Vikings took advantage of Buccaneer turnovers; intercepting Steve DeBerg twice, recovering two James Wilder fumbles, and blocking a punt. Joey Browner
Joey Browner
Joey Matthew Browner is a former American football strong safety for the Minnesota Vikings from 1983 until 1991.-Professional career:...
returned one of the interceptions for a touchdown, and the blocked punt set up a 1-yard Alfred Anderson
Alfred Anderson
Alfred Anderson was a Scottish joiner and veteran of the First World War. He was the last known holder of the 1914 Star , the last known combatant to participate in the 1914 World War I Christmas truce, Scotland's last known World War I veteran, and Scotland's oldest man for more than a year.In...
touchdown run. Wilder rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown, while catching 13 passes for 71 yards.
Week 3: at New Orleans Saints
Sep 22, 1985 at the Louisiana SuperdomeLouisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
, New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
Preparing for a matchup between two 0-2 teams, a New Orleans radio station invited a voodoo
Louisiana Voodoo
Louisiana Voodoo, also known as New Orleans Voodoo, describes a set of underground religious practices which originated from the traditions of the African diaspora. It is a cultural form of the Afro-American religions which developed within the French, Spanish, and Creole speaking African American...
priestess to hold an on-air ritual to remove the hex that had prevented the team from having a winning season in any of its 18 years. Three New Orleans offensive linemen suffered injuries in a 12-minute span, but Dave Wilson
Dave Wilson (American football)
David "Dave" Carlton Wilson is a former professional American football player in the NFL who played with the New Orleans Saints from 1981-1988. A 6'3",...
was still able to pass for 246 yards, and touchdowns to tight ends Hoby Brenner
Hoby Brenner
Hoby F. J. Brenner is a former American football tight end in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints.-Professional career:Brenner played for the New Orleans Saints between 1981 and 1993...
and Larry Hardy
Larry Hardy
Larry Hardy is a retired American football tight end who played eight seasons in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints. He played college football at Jackson State University....
. Morten Andersen
Morten Andersen
Morten Andersen , nicknamed "The Great Dane", is a former National Football League kicker. He holds the distinction of being the all-time leading scorer in NFL history, as well as being the all-time leading scorer for two different teams; the New Orleans Saints, with whom he spent 13 seasons, and...
contributed two field goals, while Terry Hoage
Terry Hoage
Terrell Lee "Terry" Hoage is a former football defensive back for the University of Georgia from 1980 – 1983 and several National Football League teams. He was a two time consensus All-American and graduated from Georgia in 1985 with a B.S. in Genetics with a 3.85 GPA...
forced a James Wilder fumble and intercepted a Steve DeBerg pass. Wilder's 114 yards left him as the NFL's leading rusher, and through three games the only Buccaneer running back with a carry.
Week 4: at Detroit Lions
Sep. 29, 1985 at the Pontiac SilverdomePontiac Silverdome
The Silverdome is a domed stadium located in the city of Pontiac, Michigan, USA, which sits on . It was the largest stadium in the National Football League until FedEx Field in suburban Washington, D.C...
, Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
The Buccaneers were held without a touchdown for the first time in 21 games, despite two first-and-goal situations inside the Lions' five-yard line. The first resulted in a field goal which gave them only their second lead of the season. The Buccaneers committed three fumbles, while allowing 315 yards to the Lions' 27th-ranked offense. Buccaneer pass-rushers got four sacks, almost as many as their total in the first three games, but the secondary was victimized for numerous big plays. Karl Morgan forced Eric Hipple
Eric Hipple
Eric Ellsworth Hipple is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Detroit Lions in the fourth round of the 1980 NFL Draft. A 6'2", 198 lbs. quarterback from Utah State, Hipple played in 9 NFL seasons for the Lions from 1980–1986 and 1988-1989...
to fumble on one of his two sacks, while Dave Logan and Hugh Green also got to Hipple. Mark Nichols
Mark Nichols (American football)
Mark Nichols is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. Nichols was selected in the first round by the Detroit Lions out of San Jose State University in the 1981 NFL Draft.-External links:*...
beat Jeremiah Castille
Jeremiah Castille
Jeremiah Castille is an American professional football player. A 5'10", 175-lb. defensive back from the University of Alabama, Castille was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1983 NFL Draft. He played in six seasons in the NFL from 1983–1988 for the Buccaneers and...
twice for touchdowns.
Week 5: vs Chicago Bears
Oct 6, 1985 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
The Buccaneers were unable to obtain a victory over the Chicago Bears, despite holding a lead in a dominant first half against what was widely considered to be the best team in football, and lackluster games from Jim McMahon and the Bears' defense. The Bears held James Wilder to 29 yards, preventing him from tying an NFL record by joining O. J. Simpson
O. J. Simpson
Orenthal James "O. J." Simpson , nicknamed "The Juice", is a retired American collegiate and professional football player, football broadcaster, and actor...
and Earl Campbell
Earl Campbell
Earl Christian Campbell , nicknamed The Tyler Rose, is a former professional American Football running back. He, Paul Hornung and O.J Simpson are the only people to have won the Heisman Trophy , were first overall National Football League draft picks and are in both the Pro Football Hall of Fame...
as the only backs with seven consecutive 100-yard rushing games. In doing so, they allowed Steve DeBerg to have his best passing day as a Buccaneer, with 346 yards. Jimmie Giles and Kevin House both had over 100 yards receiving. Giles' 112 yards came on 7 catches, his career high. The game was sealed with a daring, late-game bomb to Willie Gault
Willie Gault
Willie James Gault is a former American football wide receiver and Olympic athlete. Gault played in the National Football League for 11 seasons for the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Raiders. He was a member of the Bears team that won Super Bowl XX, and was also a member of the U.S. Olympic team...
that set up a 9-yard Walter Payton touchdown run. Payton scored his 100th and 101st touchdowns, making him the sixth NFL player to reach the 100-touchdown mark. It was the Bears' sixth consecutive victory over Tampa Bay.
Week 6: vs Los Angeles Rams
Oct. 13, 1985 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
For the second consecutive week, the Buccaneers lost, despite holding a halftime lead against an unbeaten team. The Buccaneers' defense played well in their first game without Hugh Green, and they recovered three Ram fumbles in the first half. The Rams also committed eight first-half penalties. In the second half, LeRoy Irvin
Leroy Irvin
Leroy Irvin was a member of the Los Angeles Rams from 1980 to 1989. He played cornerback. He played in the Pro Bowl in 1985 and 1986. He currently holds the record for most punt return yards in a single game against the Atlanta Falcons in 1981. Irvin is one of only a few players in NFL history...
and Carl Ekern
Carl Ekern
-Biography:Carl Ekern was born in Richland, Washington. He attended Fremont High School in Sunnyvale, CA. Ekern was a graduate of San Jose State University and played pro football from 1976 to 1988 for the Los Angeles Rams. He died of head injuries on August 1, 1990 when the Jeep he was driving ran...
returned interceptions for touchdowns to edge past the Buccaneers. DeBerg's four interceptions gave him a season total of 13, the most in the NFL.
Week 7: at Miami Dolphins
Oct. 20, 1985 at the Orange BowlOrange Bowl
The Orange Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. It has been played annually since January 1, 1935 and celebrated its 75th playing on January 1, 2009...
, Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
For the third week in a row, the Buccaneers suffered a close loss to one of the NFL's best teams. This time, it was a final-period rally in which the Buccaneers outscored the Dolphins 17-3. Don Shula
Don Shula
Donald Francis "Don" Shula is a former American football cornerback and coach.He is best known as coach of the Miami Dolphins, the team he led to two Super Bowl victories, and to the National Football League's only perfect season. Shula was named 1993 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated....
said of Jimmie Giles, "I can't remember any other tight end dominating us that way", after Giles caught 7 passes for 116 yards and 4 touchdowns against the Dolphins' man-to-man coverage. Giles' 4 touchdowns and 24 points scored remain, as of 2010
2010 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 2010 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the club's 35th season as a franchise in the NFL. The Buccaneers entered the season attempting to improve on their 3–13 record and last place finish in the NFC South in 2009, a feat they accomplished after only six games...
, the all-time Tampa Bay records. James Wilder evaded Hugh Green on Tampa Bay's first touchdown, a 10-yard run. Green reported playing "the worst game of my career" and feeling lost in Miami's defensive scheme, although he produced the Dolphins' only interception of the day. With starting linebackers Jeff Davis
Jeff Davis (American football)
Jeff Davis is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 1982 NFL Draft. He played college football at Clemson.Davis was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007.-College career:Davis...
and Scot Brantley
Scot Brantley
Scot Eugene Brantley is an American radio and television sports broadcaster and former college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League for eight seasons in the 1980s...
out with injuries, and Green no longer with the team, the Buccaneers were defenseless against the Dolphins' attack. Fuad Reveiz
Fuad Reveiz
Fuad Reveiz is a former placekicker for the Miami Dolphins, the San Diego Chargers, and the Minnesota Vikings. He played for Miami Sunset Senior High and was voted one of the top high school football players from Miami of all time by the Miami Herald...
scored the winning field goal with 6 seconds remaining. The loss, combined with an Atlanta Falcons victory, left the Buccaneers as the league's only winless team at 0-7.
Week 8: vs New England Patriots
Oct 27, 1985 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
The Buccaneers took a 14-0 lead on a 1-yard James Wilder run, but barely crossed midfield for the rest of the game. Wilder's touchdown was his 33rd and gave him 198 career points, which made him the franchise scoring leader ahead of Bill Capece
Bill Capece
William George Capece is a former professional American football player who played placekicker for three seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
, with 196. Injuries were again a problem, with starting linebackers Brantley and Davis leaving the game for the second week in a row, along with starting tackle George Yarno
George Yarno
George Anthony Yarno is a former professional football player, a guard with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, and Houston Oilers. He also played two seasons with the Denver Gold of the USFL...
and kick returner Leon Bright
Leon Bright
Leon "Pop" Bright, Jr. is a former Gridiron football player in the Canadian Football League for four years and in the National Football League for five years....
. Bright's knee injury required surgery. Injured guard Sean Farrell
Sean Farrell
Sean Farrell is a former American Football guard who played mainly for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Farrell played college football for Penn State University, where he was named to two All-American teams. Sean starred at Westhampton Beach High School both on the football and track fields....
did not play at all. The game eliminated the Buccaneers from the NFC Central Division race, and had the second-smallest home attendance in team history, 34,661.
Week 9: at New York Giants
Nov. 3, 1985 at Giants StadiumGiants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
Freshly signed kicker Eric Schubert kicked five field goals to help the highly favored New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
to edge past the Buccaneers. Four times, the Giants had possession of the ball in the red zone, but were held to field goals. Heavy Buccaneer blitzes failed to stop Joe Morris
Joe Morris (American football)
Joseph Edward Morris is a former American football running back in the National Football League who played for the New York Giants from 1982 to 1988. Initially noted for his diminutive stature — 5' 7", Morris was a key member of the Giants team that won Super Bowl XXI in 1987...
from rushing for 132 yards, making Morris the first Giant in two years to have consecutive 100-yard games. A last-minute rally appeared to have brought the Buccaneers in position to attempt a game-winning field goal, but a holding penalty on Sean Farrell
Sean Farrell
Sean Farrell is a former American Football guard who played mainly for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Farrell played college football for Penn State University, where he was named to two All-American teams. Sean starred at Westhampton Beach High School both on the football and track fields....
erased Adger Armstrong's reception at the Giants' 38-yard line, and Terry Kinard
Terry Kinard
Alfred "Terry" Terance Kinard , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the New York Giants in the 1st round of the 1983 NFL Draft. A 6'1", 200-lb...
intercepted a DeBerg pass on the next play. Farrell criticized the call at the time, but Bennett later confirmed that it was correct, although he questioned why the only holding penalty of the entire game would be called in that situation. Craig Curry started at safety, leaving David Greenwood on the bench. U-back (a second tight end position) Jerry Bell
Jerry Bell (American football)
Jerry Bell is a former American football tight end in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1982 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State....
suffered a season-ending knee injury. His backup, Calvin Magee, also went out with an injured knee, although it didn't require immediate surgery.
Week 10: vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Nov. 10, 1985 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
Donald Igwebuike kicked three field goals as the Buccaneers recorded their first victory under Leeman Bennett. James Wilder rushed for 120 yards, while Steve DeBerg passed for 196 yards and a touchdown to Adger Armstrong. The Cardinals' offense was ineffective without injured starters Ottis Anderson
Ottis Anderson
Ottis Jerome "O.J." Anderson is a former American football running back. He was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1979, and the MVP of Super Bowl XXV in 1991 when playing with the New York Giants...
and Roy Green
Roy Green
Roy Calvin Green is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League who played for the St. Louis Cardinals , Phoenix Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles ....
. It was the Buccaneers' first shutout since their division-clinching 3-0 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
on Dec. 16, 1979. The game was attended by a crowd of 34,736, the third-smallest in team history. Players afterward expressed relief, rather than joy, at getting their first win. Igwebuike, Wilder, and David Logan were presented with game balls after the game, the first ever awarded by the Buccaneers.
Week 11: at New York Jets
Nov. 17, 1985 at Giants StadiumGiants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
After the Buccaneers took a 14-0 lead on a recovery of a Ken O'Brien
Ken O'Brien
Kenneth John O'Brien is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles. When he retired he was the only Jets quarterback to have ever been the top ranked passer in a season. He held the team record for most...
fumble and Steve DeBerg touchdown passes to Kevin House and Calvin Magee, the Jets' offense caught fire, scoring a team-record 62 points. Players afterward denied that they were thinking about revenge for the previous season's "Buc Flop" incident, in which James Wilder was approaching an NFL record, and the Buccaneer defense allowed the Jets to score a touchdown in an attempt to get the ball back so that Wilder could get more carries. O'Brien passed for 367 yards and 5 touchdowns, with Al Toon
Al Toon
Albert Lee Toon, Jr. is a former professional American football player. He was selected by the New York Jets in the 1st round of the 1985 NFL Draft...
catching 6 of his passes for 133 yards. Mickey Shuler
Mickey Shuler
Mickey Charles Shuler Sr. , is a former professional American football tight end from 1978 to 1991. He played in 181 games over 14 seasons in the National Football League for the New York Jets and the Philadelphia Eagles...
tied a Jets record with three touchdown receptions. Jeremiah Castille intercepted an O'Brien pass, but then fumbled it back to Wesley Walker
Wesley Walker
Wesley Darcel Walker is a former professional American football wide receiver for the New York Jets in 1977 - 1989....
.
Week 12: vs Detroit Lions
Nov 24, 1985 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
Donald Igwebuike kicked a field goal to force overtime with a minute remaining in regulation, and then kicked another with 2:29 remaining in overtime to secure the victory in Steve Young's NFL debut. The Buccaneers were aided by the decision of Lions coach Don Rogers, who as a former college coach in the NFL for the first time had no experience with overtime, to punt on fourth-and-inches from the 50-yard line in hopes that Young's inexperience would give the Lions the ball back with good field position. The Lions blamed the 80-degree heat, and crowd noise that drowned out several audibles, for a series of fourth-quarter breakdowns that allowed the Buccaneers to erase a 16-6 deficit. Fatigued Lions defenders allowed James Wilder to gain 42 yards on his last 9 carries. Young's scrambling style gained zero net passing yards through the first three quarters, but when he switched to a dropback style of passing in the fourth quarter, he began to find success completing long passes. The Buccaneers scored on a 6-yard Wilder run, while the defense held the Lions scoreless, and Young drove the team into field goal range twice. Young became the first Buccaneer quarterback to win in his first start.
Week 13: at Green Bay Packers
Dec 1, 1985 at Lambeau FieldLambeau Field
Lambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Opened in 1957 as City Stadium, it replaced the original City Stadium as the Packers' home field...
, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
The Buccaneers' 65 net yards and their average gain of 1.6 yards per play were both team lows. It was the lowest offensive total by any Packers opponent since a game against the Atlanta Falcons on Oct 1, 1967. Having difficulty finding open receivers, Steve Young ran 7 times for 31 yards, and was sacked 5 times for 42 yards. He completed no passes longer than 10 yards, and reported trouble keeping a grip on the ball. James Wilder was held to 23 yards rushing. Anticipating bad weather, the Packers prepared for the game by moving their practices outdoors during the week. Several Buccaneers reported loss of feeling in their extremities. Lynn Dickey
Lynn Dickey
Clifford Lynn Dickey is a retired National Football League quarterback, who played for the Houston Oilers and the Green Bay Packers in the 1970s and 1980s.-High school:...
passed for 299 yards and a touchdown, James Lofton
James Lofton
James David Lofton is a former American football player and coach. He is a former American football coach for the San Diego Chargers but is best known for his years in the National Football League as a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers , Los Angeles Raiders , the Buffalo Bills...
caught passes for 106 yards, Eddie Lee Ivery
Eddie Lee Ivery
Eddie Lee Ivery is a former professional American football player.-Early years through college:Ivery was born in McDuffie County, Georgia. He played high school football at Thomson High School in Thomson, Georgia...
rushed for 109 yards, and Gerry Ellis
Gerry Ellis
Gerry Ellis is a former professional American football player who played running back for seven seasons for the Green Bay Packers....
rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown. Alphonso Carreker
Alphonso Carreker
Alphonso Carreker He attended Columbus Marion Franklin High School. He is a former defensive end who played seven seasons for the Green Bay Packers and the Denver Broncos in the National Football League. He started in Super Bowl XXIV, recording 1 sack and 1 tackle....
got four of the Packers' five sacks. It was the Buccaneers' 18th consecutive road loss, tying the 2nd-longest such streak in NFL history, and their 25th consecutive road loss in an outdoor stadium.
Week 14: at Minnesota Vikings
Dec 8, 1985 at Hubert H. Humphrey MetrodomeHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University...
, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
An attempted rally from a 19-0 deficit died when a holding penalty called back a Kevin House pass reception at the Vikings' 3-yard line. The Buccaneers committed 10 penalties in all, for a total of 76 yards. In a 1:42 stretch of the third quarter, the two teams combined for five turnovers in nine plays, with James Wilder afterward fumbling on his next possession. Wilder became the first Buccaneer to pass the 4,000-yard rushing mark, but could not savor it, due to the injury-filled loss. Kick returner Phil Freeman broke a wrist and linebacker Dennis Johnson bruised a shoulder, both while making tackles. Craig Curry suffered an eye injury, and Scot Brantley injured a shoulder.
Week 15: vs Indianapolis Colts
Dec 15, 1985 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
Steve Young threw for a career-high 251 yards, but threw two late-game interceptions that ended the team's chances for a rally. The game opened with a 59-yard pass to Kevin House, the team's longest pass in 30 games. The attendance of 25,577 shattered the team's previous record-low attendance, and the 17,419 no-shows were also a record. The 55-degree weather was also a record, the coldest-ever for a game in Tampa Stadium. In only their fourth win of the season, the Colts rushed for 257 yards, and scored 14 fourth-quarter points to come from behind for the win. Along with the interceptions, they were aided by two fourth-quarter fumbles. Randy McMillan
Randy McMillan
Lewis Lorando "Randy" McMillan , was a professional American football player who was selected by the Baltimore Colts in the 1st round of the 1981 NFL Draft. A 6'0", . running back from Harford CC two-time 1st team All-AmericanPittsburgh, McMillan played in 6 NFL seasons from 1980-1986.-External...
led Colts rushers, with 108 yards. George Wonsley
George Wonsley
George Ivory Wonsley is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth round of the 1984 NFL Draft. He played college football at Mississippi State....
rushed for two touchdowns, and Albert Bentley
Albert Bentley
Albert Timothy Bentley is a former professional American football player who played running back for eight seasons for the Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers. He also played in the USFL for the Michigan Panthers and the Oakland Invaders. He played high school football at Immokalee High...
one. The loss assured the Buccaneers of the following year's first-overall draft pick, as the strength of schedule gave the Buccaneers the advantage over the Atlanta Falcons, the only other team that could potentially win as few as 3 games. (The Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
would finish with two wins, but their first-round pick had already been traded away and spent on Bernie Kosar
Bernie Kosar
Bernard Joseph "Bernie" Kosar, Jr. is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. Kosar played for the Cleveland Browns from 1985 to 1993 and then finished his career with the Dallas Cowboys and the Miami Dolphins.-Early life and high school career:A Hungarian-American...
in a supplemental draft the previous season, leaving the 1986 NFL Draft
1986 NFL Draft
The 1986 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 29–30, 1986...
with only 27 first-round picks). Of his defense's performance, Bennett could only say, "That team shouldn't have scored 31 points on us".
Week 16: vs Green Bay Packers
Dec 22, 1985 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
Thanks to a missed Donald Igwebuike field goal attempt late in the fourth quarter, the Packers edged Tampa Bay in a game full of turnovers and errors. David Greenwood fumbled the ball back to the Packers on a return of an intercepted Jim Zorn pass, a John Holt fumble recovery was called back due to an offside penalty, and Calvin Magee fumbled the ball back to the Packers on the first play following a Jeremiah Castille interception. Gerry Ellis fumbled the second-half kickoff for the Packers. The Buccaneers' first touchdown was set up by a Mark Murphy pass interference penalty in the end zone. With a glut of aging quarterbacks, the Packers used the fourth quarter to get a look at Randy Wright
Randy Wright
Randall Steven Wright is a former professional American football quarterback who played for the Green Bay Packers from 1984 to 1988.-High school:...
, who led the team to their winning points.
Wide receiver Theo Bell
Theo Bell
Theopolis Bell, Jr. was an American football wide receiver who played nine seasons in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers....
, noted for his team leadership and for his contributions to the community, retired from a 10-year NFL career following the game.
Postseason Honors
Jimmie Giles, Pro BowlJames Wilder, Pro Bowl alternate
James Wilder, team Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
Theo Bell, the NFL Alumni Tampa Bay Buccaneers Chapter Ricky Bell
Ricky Bell (running back)
Ricky Lynn Bell younger brother of recording artist Archie Bell, was an American professional football player who played running back in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Diego Chargers from 1977 to 1982...
Award for contributions on and off the field
Team and Individual Records
Most team records set this season tended to be either of the individual variety, or related to the Nov. 17 game against the New York Jets:- James Wilder, most season 100-yard rushing games (5, tied his own 1984 mark, broken by Carnell WilliamsCarnell WilliamsCarnell Lamar "Cadillac" Williams is an American football running back for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
in 20062006 Tampa Bay Buccaneers seasonThe 2006 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on their 11-5 record in 2005.-Summary:After winning the division in 2005, the Buccaneers suffered through an abysmal 2006 season...
) - James Wilder, most team single-game pass receptions and pass receptions by a running back (13 vs. Minnesota 9/15, since tied by Earnest GrahamEarnest GrahamEarnest Graham, Jr. is an American football running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League . He was signed by the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2003. He played college football at Florida....
at Detroit 10/21/07) - Jimmie Giles, most team single-game touchdowns (4 at Miami 10/20)
- Jimmie Giles, most team single-game points scored (24 at Miami)
- Jimmie Giles, most team single-game receiving yards by a tight end (134 vs. St. Louis 11/10, broken by Calvin Magee at Chicago 12/7/86)
- Donald Igwebuike, longest team field goal attempt (62 yards vs. Minnesota 9/15, and New Orleans 9/22; since tied by Matt BryantMatt BryantSteven Matt Bryant is an American football placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was signed by the Frankfurt Galaxy as a street free agent in 2002...
and Martin GramaticaMartin GramaticaMartín Gramática is an Argentine-American former football placekicker.Gramática was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft after playing college football at Kansas State, and has also been a member of the Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Dallas...
) - Donald Igwebuike, most season field goals (22, since broken numerous times)
- Donald Igwebuike, most season points scored (96, since broken numerous times)
- David Greenwood, most rookie interceptions (5, tied by Donnie AbrahamDonnie AbrahamNathaniel Donnell "Donnie" Abraham , is a former American football cornerback. In his career, he played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New York Jets . After considering retirement since the 2004 season ended, he finally decided to do so on July 15, 2005. He is now the head coach for Gibbs...
in 19961996 Tampa Bay Buccaneers seasonThe 1996 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on an 7-9 season. It was the first season for Tony Dungy as the team's head coach who had no previous experience as a head coach. Prior to the season the Buccaneers were still unsure if the team would remain in Tampa Bay or...
) - Phil Freeman, most team single-season kickoff returns (48)
- Most team kickoff returns (80)
- Most single-game kickoff returns (9 vs. New York Jets 11/17, tied vs. Minnesota 10/30/94)
- Most passing touchdowns (22, tied 1984 mark, broken in 19871987 Tampa Bay Buccaneers seasonThe 1987 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was a year of great change for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' organization in the National Football League. The season began with the hiring of former New York Giants and University of Alabama head coach Ray Perkins...
) - Best team single-game average gain per-play (8.35 yards vs. Miami 10/20, broken vs. Minnesota 10/29/00)
- Most single-half points scored (28 vs Chicago on 9/8, broken vs. Chicago on 12/22/96)
- Best time of possession (41:21 vs. Detroit 11/24 in OT, 31:40 in regulation; broken vs. Washington 12/4/94)
- Most penalty first downs, season (34)
- Most points allowed (62 at New York Jets 11/17)
- Most touchdowns allowed (8 at New York Jets, tied at Cincinnati 10/29/89)
- Most single-game yards allowed (581 at New York Jets)
- Most single-game first downs allowed (35 at New York Jets)
- Most touchdown passes by an opponent (5 by Ken O'Brien, New York Jets 11/17, tied by three others)
- Most field goals by an opponent (5 by Eric Schubert, New York Giants 11/3, since tied twice)
- Best opponent punting average (54.0 by Maury BufordMaury BufordMaury Anthony Buford was an American football punter in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers, the Chicago Bears and the New York Giants. Buford attended Texas Tech and was selected by the Chargers in the 1982 NFL Draft. He won a Super Bowl ring as a member of the 1985 Chicago...
of Chicago 10/6, broken by Reggie RobyReggie RobyReginald Henry "Reggie" Roby was an American football punter in the National Football League and a three-time Pro Bowler. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the sixth round of the 1983 NFL Draft out of the University of Iowa...
12/4/94) - Most points, two teams (90 at New York Jets, 62-28; broke record of 79 set one month earlier vs. Miami, 41-38)
- Most rushing yards, two teams (414 vs. Indianapolis 12/15; Indianapolis 257, T.B. 157; broken vs. Atlanta 9/28/86)
- Most first downs, two teams (54 vs. Miami 10/20; Miami 30, T.B. 24)