1986 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
Encyclopedia
The 1986
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
season began with the team trying to improve on an 2-14 season. This was one of the worst seasons in franchise history. There is some sentiment that the 1986 team was even worse than the winless team of 1976
. The Buccaneers selected Bo Jackson
with the top pick in the draft
, but were unable to convince him to join the team. Three weeks after the draft, Jackson signed a three-year baseball contract with the Kansas City Royals
. Despite holding four of the first forty selections in the draft, and the presence of a great influx of fresh talent from defunct USFL teams, the Buccaneers were unable to find any impact players in either the draft or free agency. They entered the season with a roster nearly identical to the previous season's 2-14 team.
Coach Leeman Bennett
treated the season as a building season, but was disappointed with the team's mental errors and lack of progress. Later in the season, he would begin to privately admit that the Buccaneers' talent was much worse than he had realized. Steve DeBerg
won the starting quarterback job after outplaying Steve Young in the preseason, but was benched in favor of Young after struggling in the first two games. Kevin House
and Jimmie Giles
were released after an October loss to the New Orleans Saints
, along with ex-Dallas Cowboys
fullback Ron Springs
. Bennett showed up at a press conference held after the season by owner Hugh Culverhouse
, unaware that the purpose of the press conference was to announce Bennett's firing. Giles, then with the Detroit Lions
, criticized the move, saying that no coach could compensate for the Buccaneers' lack of talent. He also claimed that administrator Phil Krueger
destroyed team chemistry by demeaning players during contract negotiations, pointing to guard Sean Farrell
's disgruntlement as an example.
retired a week before the draft. He missed the entire 1985 season due to a herniated disk, and chose to retire rather than undergo surgery. Although his retirement was expected, the Buccaneers did not seek a replacement in the draft. With Mark Cotney
and Steve Wilson
having retired earlier in the year, Selmon was the last of the original Buccaneers on the roster.
The Buccaneers received additional picks in the 1st and 2nd rounds from the Miami Dolphins
in exchange for linebacker Hugh Green. Their extra 6th-round pick came from the New England Patriots
in exchange for a 5th-round pick in the 1987 draft
. The second pick in the 12th round came from the San Francisco 49ers
in return for the rights to center Jim Leonard. The Buccaneers' 3rd-round pick was traded to the New Orleans Saints for defensive back David Greenwood. Their 6th-round pick was traded to the Denver Broncos
in exchange for defensive end Brison Manor
. Their 7th-round pick went to the Buffalo Bills
in exchange for wide receiver Perry Tuttle
. Their 8th-round pick went to the Rams
for defensive back Ivory Sully
.
running back Bo Jackson was selected with the Buccaneers' first overall pick in the draft, but refused to sign with them. Jackson was angry with the Buccaneers after accepting a private jet ride to attend a team workout caused him to lose his eligibility to play baseball at Auburn. Although NCAA rules allow a professional athlete to compete collegiately in a different sport, stricter Southeastern Conference
rules disqualify a professional athlete from competing in any college sports. Jackson accused the Buccaneers of sabotaging his college baseball career, although Phil Krueger insisted that they the SEC had advised them that the flight was allowable, and that it was Jackson himself who had insisted on using a private flight. Jackson had been rated as the best running back prospect to come out of college since O.J. Simpson 17 years earlier. Jackson was said to have ridiculed Tampa Bay's offensive line, and shortly before the baseball draft to have told two teams that he had no intention of playing football. Most teams did not believe him, but the Kansas City Royals, although they were unsure enough that they waited until the fourth round of the Major League Baseball Draft to select him. Jackson vowed never to play football again and accepted an offer from the Royals worth much less than what the Buccaneers offered. The Buccaneers turned down several impressive trade offers for Jackson, including the San Francisco 49ers' offer of Ronnie Lott
, Wendell Tyler
, and first- and second-round draft picks.
There was speculation that owner Hugh Culverhouse
was torn between his promise to make Jackson the highest-paid rookie ever, and his status as a member of the NFL Finance Committee, which obligated him to set a reasonable fiscal precedent for the rest of the league. This resulted in an underwhelming contract offer and produced the perception that the Buccaneers were not serious about signing Jackson. Although the Buccaneers offered Jackson $7 million over the five years, half of it was in the form of incentives, annuities, and real estate. The actual salary averaged to over $700,000 per year, still more than twice his yearly salary from the Royals, who gave him a three-year, $1 million contract. Negotiator Phil Krueger
said that officials from other NFL teams agreed that the Buccaneers had offered Jackson fair money. Jackson's Royals contract gave him the option of buying out his contract if he wanted to return to football. Jackson was eligible to be drafted again the next year if not signed by April 28, 1987, which turned out to be the case. Culverhouse announced the embarrassment at a news conference in which he quoted the "keep smiling, keep shining" lyrics of Dionne Warwick
's then-current hit song "That's What Friends are For
". Jackson became the fourth consecutive Heisman Trophy
winner (after USFL players Herschel Walker
, Mike Rozier
, and Doug Flutie
) to spurn the NFL, although he was the first since Pete Dawkins
in 1958 to leave football entirely. It was the first time since 1979
, when Tom Cousineau
signed with the Canadian Football League
instead of the Buffalo Bills, that the first overall pick chose not to play in the NFL.
of the national champion Oklahoma Sooners
was still available. The Buccaneers did eventually draft Murphy, who they were surprised to find still available with their 40th overall selection. Murphy was believed to have fallen due to rumors of a knee injury. The Buccaneers had rated both Walker and Murphy among the top 15 players in the draft. Craig Swoope
was rated as the best safety in the draft, but fell to the fourth round because of a previous charge (and acquittal) of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Swoope was eventually the only Buccaneer to achieve any kind of postseason honors in 1986, being selected to the Football Digest
All-Rookie team. The team went for big offensive linemen in the later rounds. One of them was J.D. Maarleveld, the first cancer patient drafted by the NFL. Maarleveld was considered to have been a second-round talent, but fell all the way to the fifth round. Belief that Maarleveld was worth much more money than the average fifth-rounder caused his agent, Greg Marotta, to advise him to reject the Buccaneers' offer and sign with the USFL Baltimore Stars
. Maarleveld was eventually able to reach agreement with the Buccaneers.
cornerback Vito McKeever, a product of local Dunnellon High School who had played for the USFL Michigan Panthers
under Buccaneer defensive coordinator Jim Stanley
, was signed toward the end of preseason. The addition of McKeever, who took over Jeremiah Castille
's starting spot, meant that three of the four secondary positions turned over from the previous year. The quest for speed in the secondary meant cutting safety and punt returner Mike Prior
, who went on to become a mainstay on the Green Bay Packer playoff teams of the 1990s. In an attempt to upgrade the offensive line, five-time Pro Bowl
tackle Marvin Powell
was brought in. While there was speculation that the New York Jets
let him go because he was President of the National Football League Players Association, the Jets were concerned over quarterback Ken O'Brien
having been sacked an NFL-record 62 times the previous season, and selected two tackles in the draft. There was sentiment among some teams that, despite his Pro Bowl appearances, Powell was an overrated player who had never lived up to his reputation. Powell performed well for Tampa Bay, but was placed on injured reserve midseason after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. Undrafted free-agent running back Nathan Wonsley
emerged in the preseason as a legitimate complement to James Wilder
. Tyrone Keys
, a defensive end from a team loaded with pass-rushers, and David Williams
, a receiver who had led the nation in catches during his junior year, were claimed off waivers from the defending world champion Chicago Bears
.
won the starting quarterback job over Steve Young in the preseason, but lost it after throwing seven interceptions in the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers, and another two the next week against the Minnesota Vikings
. Nose tackle Dave Logan
summed up the team's condition after the 49ers game by saying, "the teams we play do not respect us". Players coming from winning teams to the Buccaneers, such as Marvin Powell and Tyrone Keys, found themselves shocked by the constant losing and discouraged by the team's easy acceptance of losses. Keys in particular thought that the Buccaneers were too used to losing, and not bothered by it. Young later criticized the team's will to win, saying that "if they could hide for four quarters and just go home, they would be happy". Powell, one of the highest-paid offensive linemen in the league, was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury after only a few games. An embarrassing loss to the New Orleans Saints
was followed by the release of Jimmie Giles and Kevin House, the top two receivers in Buccaneer history at the time, and former starting fullback Ron Springs. This upset several club veterans, and weakened an offense that already had to compensate for a defense that had allowed over 1,000 rushing yards in the previous four games. League perception was that the Buccaneers were replacing older veterans with younger players who were incapable of taking their places. Said an executive from another team of Giles' replacement, "Calvin Magee
runs a 5.2 40...We wouldn't even bring him into camp". Rumors, denied by Culverhouse, began to circulate that secret meetings were being held to arrange replacing Bennett with Steve Spurrier
. Nathan Wonsley, the rookie free-agent running back whose play was one of the few bright spots in the season, was lost to the team after suffering dislocated neck vertebrae during a week 10 loss to the Chicago Bears. After the abnormally large number of injuries suffered during the Bears game, the Buccaneers ended their pattern of suffering fourth-quarter collapses in close games, instead losing their last seven games by an average of over 21 points. With Jerry Bell
, a tight end who played a "U-back" position that was crucial to Tampa Bay's running game, suffering a broken ankle in the same game, the Buccaneers were forced to re-sign Ron Springs just to have enough runners in their backfield. Culverhouse, saying that he had made the decision only minutes prior, fired Bennett at a press conference on Dec. 29. Bennett, who had spoken to Culverhouse earlier the same morning, was unaware that he was to be let go. Culverhouse met with Ray Perkins and offered him the Tampa Bay coaching job only hours after firing Bennett. The firing was criticized by some, who felt that no steps were being taken to address the front-office problems that were the real root of the Buccaneers' woes. This criticism was echoed by safety David Greenwood, by then with the Packers, who pointed out the team's cheapness by recounting a 1985
incident in which he wanted to keep a football as a game ball after catching it for an interception. Executive Phil Krueger demanded that Greenwood pay $35 for the football.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana
completed 32 of 46 passes for 356 yards before leaving the game with an injury in the fourth quarter. The injury, similar to the one that ended Lee Roy Selmon's career, would require season-ending surgery and threaten Montana's football future. Steve DeBerg's 31-yard touchdown pass to Gerald Carter
in the third quarter brought the Buccaneers to within a touchdown, but they would not score again. The 49ers' seven interceptions of DeBerg were a team record, and one short of the NFL record. DeBerg placed blame for the loss on himself, but teammates defended him, pointing out that he was under constant pressure from the 49ers' pass rush. Opposing safety Ronnie Lott
said that DeBerg was predictable as to where he would throw the ball when pressured. James Wilder rushed for 81 yards and caught five passes. Selmon's number 63 was retired in a halftime ceremony.
Early in the first quarter, James Wilder tipped a pass from Steve DeBerg into the hands of Vikings linebacker Chris Doleman
, who returned it for a touchdown. Wilder took a helmet to the sternum on this play, leaving a deep bruise that caused him to miss the next two games, and reduced his effectiveness for the remainder of the season. Seventeen seconds later, Scott Studwell
recovered a Wilder fumble at the Tampa Bay 18-yard line, leading to a Viking field goal. The Buccaneers added a Donald Igwebuike
field goal before the end of the quarter, but the Vikings answered it with a touchdown pass from Tommy Kramer
to Mike Mularkey
. DeBerg's 1-yard touchdown pass to Jimmie Giles brought the Buccaneers to within a touchdown before halftime, but they were unable to score in the second half. The Buccaneers outperformed the Vikings in a number of statistical categories, but could not overcome the turnovers.
, Pontiac, Michigan
With running back James Wilder nursing a bruised sternum, Nathan Wonsley rushed for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Wonsley became the first Buccaneer running back, other than Wilder, to rush for 100 yards since Nov. 29, 1981. He was the first Tampa Bay rookie to rush for 100 yards since Jerry Eckwood
in 1979
. Wonsley followed in the footsteps of his two older brothers, George
and Otis
, both backup NFL running backs who came off the bench to have breakout games while leading their respective teams to victory against the Lions. Constant Buccaneer blitzes resulted in four sacks, two interceptions, and six forced fumbles. Although Lions quarterback Eric Hipple
had a good statistical day, completing 31 passes for 318 yards, the Tampa Bay defense's pressure prevented him from converting his opportunities into points. The win broke Tampa Bay's 19-game road losing streak.
The Atlanta Falcons
overcame a 20-7 halftime deficit to defeat the Buccaneers in overtime on a Mick Luckhurst
field goal. The strategy of running out the clock with a conservative offense that had worked so well against the Lions the previous week backfired against the Falcons. The Buccaneers' offensive line failed to dominate, and the Falcons wound up running 57 offensive plays in the second half, while the Buccaneers ran only 26. Twenty of those plays were runs by Gerald Riggs
, who finished the day with 127 yards rushing. The Buccaneers outgained the Falcons 255 yards to 190 in the first half, but were outgained 300 yards to 68 in the second half, in which the Buccaneers never advanced beyond midfield. The win left Atlanta undefeated at 4-0.
, Anaheim, California
Eric Dickerson
earned his fourth career 200-yard rushing game with a 42-yard touchdown run to win the game in overtime for the Los Angeles Rams
. Steve Young led an 80-yard drive in the fourth quarter that ended in a Donald Igwebuike field goal and sent the game into overtime, but the Buccaneers were unable to stop Dickerson all day. It was the second consecutive overtime loss for the Buccaneers. Nathan Wonsley rushed 18 times for 108 yards and a 59-yard touchdown run. Young also ran for a touchdown. Bennett was again criticized after the game for conservative play-calling, although the Buccaneers' total of 174 rushing yards was more than double the average the Rams had allowed in their previous four games. The game left Wonsley as the NFL leader in rushing average, with 5.7 yards per carry. Dickerson continued to lead the NFL in rushing with 657 yards, 159 ahead of his record-setting pace from 1984
.
The Buccaneers were once again criticized for poor tackling and conservative play-calling following a loss to a previously winless St. Louis Cardinals
team. This time, complaints came from the players as the Cardinals seemed to know in advance which plays the Buccaneers would be running, and the Buccaneers waited until too late in the game to make adjustments. The Buccaneers led early, after Steve DeBerg's touchdown pass to Calvin Magee on a fake field goal. Steve Young's rushing and passing combined for 304 of the Buccaneers' 347 yards. The Cardinals unexpectedly used a soft zone defense instead of their usual blitzing, which contributed to Tampa Bay's decision to avoid the passing game until the fourth quarter. The Cardinals put the game away with Stump Mitchell
's 31-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run, in which three Buccaneers missed tackles. Ron Holmes
, Jeremiah Castille, Marvin Powell, and Gerald Carter all missed the game with injuries.
, New Orleans, Louisiana
Reuben Mayes rushed for 147 yards, the second-most in New Orleans Saints history, as the Saints equalled their highest-ever margin of victory. The Saints scored on their first three possessions. The Buccaneers did not score until the fourth quarter, when Steve DeBerg ran for a 1-yard touchdown. Steve Young left the stadium on crutches, and starting defensive end Ron Holmes left the game after trying to play the first quarter with a broken fibula. Mayes was selected with a third-round draft pick that had been obtained from the Buccaneers in exchange for safety David Greenwood, who the Buccaneers had already waived.
, Kansas City, Missouri
Veteran quarterback Bill Kenney
, making the start for the Kansas City Chiefs
in place of the struggling Todd Blackledge
, completed 15 of 29 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown. The Chiefs' offensive line protected Kenney well, allowing only one sack and few hurries. Although the Buccaneers led at halftime on a 10-yard pass from Steve Young to Calvin Magee and two Donald Igwebuike field goals, they were unable to hold the lead in the second half. They tied the game at 20 on a fourth-quarter touchdown run, James Wilder's first of the year, but immediately allowed the Chiefs to drive the length of the field for the winning touchdown. The sloppily played game included four fumbles, six sacks, two interceptions, and 17 penalties for 146 yards. Art Still
contributed three of the Chiefs' five sacks.
The Buccaneers took a 20-0 halftime lead over the Buffalo Bills after recovering fumbles on two kickoffs. They barely held on for victory, as a Jim Kelly
pass went incomplete in the end zone with no time remaining. Afterward, Leeman Bennett declared it the "start of a new season". Steve Young completed 14 of 24 passes for 193 yards, and ran for two touchdowns. James Wilder also contributed a 45-yard touchdown run. The Bills attempted a comeback, with Kelly throwing three touchdowns. Kelly, who only threw twice in the first half, completed 21 of 32 for 257 yards in the second half. It was the Bills' 31st consecutive road loss. Bills coach Hank Bullough
was fired following the loss, and was replaced by Marv Levy
.
Doug Flutie
made his NFL debut in the fourth quarter for the Chicago Bears. The Bears took an early 14-0 lead after Mike Tomczak
's 37-yard touchdown pass to Willie Gault
. The play occurred after Ervin Randle
's recovery of a Calvin Thomas fumble was nullified due to an offsides penalty on Craig Swoope. While the Buccaneers' defense improved later in the game, it was not enough to overcome the problems of the injury-battered offense. Nathan Wonsley suffered a broken neck while making a tackle on the opening kickoff. This was followed by injuries to Jerry Bell, Phil Freeman
, Craig Swoope, and Willie Gillespie. Calvin Magee played with a prior injury, as did James Wilder and Leonard Harris
, though both were forced to leave the game. With Gerald Carter left as the only experienced receiver, the Bears keyed on him, and with Bell, Wonsley and Wilder out, the Buccaneers could not run.
, Green Bay, Wisconsin
With James Wilder leaving the game after aggravating his rib injury, the Buccaneers were unable to take advantage of Green Bay Packers quarterback Randy Wright
's three interceptions. Wright completed 18 of 29 passes for 238 yards, with a career-best three first-half touchdowns. The win was only the Packers' second of the season. The loss left the Buccaneers' defense in last place in the league, despite their having spent four of their first five draft picks on defensive players.
Three first-half possessions deep in Detroit Lions
territory led to zero Buccaneer points en route to another blowout loss. Lions receiver Jeff Chadwick
took a 73-yard reception to the Buccaneers' 1-yard line when Rod Jones fell down while covering him. Jones also got beaten by Leonard Thompson
on a jump ball in the end zone. Vito McKeever was outrun by Chadwick on the Lions' third score. James Wilder had 130 yards rushing and 71 yards receiving for the Buccaneers.
, Minneapolis, Minnesota
With Tommy Kramer injured, Vikings quarterback Wade Wilson threw for a career-best 339 yards and three touchdowns. With Tampa Bay down by 45-6, Steve DeBerg's 45-yard pass to Calvin Magee set up a 1-yard touchdown pass to Ron Heller
on a tackle-eligible play. The Buccaneers' only other offense came on two Donald Igwebuike field goals.
, Chicago, Illinois
The Buccaneers almost exceeded their worst-ever loss, a 42-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers
, on its 10th anniversary. They were shut out until the fourth quarter, and only scored when Chicago Bears safety Todd Bell
intercepted a Steve Young pass and lateraled it to Mike Richardson, who attempted to lateral it to Shaun Gayle
, only to have Tampa Bay receiver Vince Heflin
intercept the lateral and run it in for a score. Mike Tomczak ran for the Bears' first score. Later, a Walter Payton
touchdown was called back on a holding penalty. The Buccaneers stopped the Bears on fourth-and-1, but an offside penalty on Craig Swoope gave the Bears another chance. Tomczak fumbled, however, causing him to be benched in favor of Doug Flutie. Flutie scored two touchdowns, one passing and one running, before Tomczak returned in the second half. Tampa Bay scored a second time on Young's 14-yard pass to Calvin Magee, but Lew Barnes
returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown. Magee's 143 receiving yards remain (as of 2009) the Buccaneers' single-game record for a tight end.
The Green Bay Packers had seven different players each contribute a sack, and Randy Wright's 190 yards passing made him the second player in Packers history to throw for 3,000 yards in a season. The crowd cheered the news that an Indianapolis Colts
win moved the Buccaneers into first place for the rights to the first overall draft pick, and pelted Buccaneer players with lemons. Ron Holmes's sack of Wright was the Buccaneers' first since Oct. 12, and Ivory Sully
recorded the first blocked punt in Buccaneers (regular-season) history. Both teams went to their second-string quarterbacks in the second half, but Steve Young returned to the game after Steve DeBerg suffered a concussion, and Wright was reinserted after the Buccaneers threatened to start a comeback.
, St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis Cardinals Pro Bowl rookie Vai Sikahema
tied an NFL record by returning two punts for touchdowns as the Buccaneers clinched the NFL's worst record for the second consecutive year. Frank Garcia, playing with a back injury, had a third punt blocked for a net gain of 1 yard. The Buccaneers scored first, on a 1-yard Bobby Howard run, but the Cardinals' 21 unanswered points gave them the lead for good before halftime. A 33-yard touchdown pass from Steve Young to Phil Freeman brought the Buccaneers to within 4 points in the third quarter. The game not only ended a futile season for the Buccaneers, but also concluded the Cardinals' worst season since moving to St. Louis 27 years earlier.
1986 NFL season
The 1986 NFL season was the 67th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXI when the New York Giants defeated the Denver Broncos to win their first league title in 30 years.-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 with the team trying to improve on an 2-14 season. This was one of the worst seasons in franchise history. There is some sentiment that the 1986 team was even worse than the winless team of 1976
1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers played their debut season in 1976, making league history as the first team to play an entire 14-game season without winning or tying a single game. They did not score until their third game and did not score a touchdown until their fourth. They lost by a touchdown or...
. The Buccaneers selected Bo Jackson
Bo Jackson
Vincent Edward "Bo" Jackson is a former American baseball and football player. He was the first athlete to be named an All-Star in two major American sports, and also won the Heisman Trophy in 1985....
with the top pick in the 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...
, but were unable to convince him to join the team. Three weeks after the draft, Jackson signed a three-year baseball contract with the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
. Despite holding four of the first forty selections in the draft, and the presence of a great influx of fresh talent from defunct USFL teams, the Buccaneers were unable to find any impact players in either the draft or free agency. They entered the season with a roster nearly identical to the previous season's 2-14 team.
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....
treated the season as a building season, but was disappointed with the team's mental errors and lack of progress. Later in the season, he would begin to privately admit that the Buccaneers' talent was much worse than he had realized. 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...
won the starting quarterback job after outplaying Steve Young in the preseason, but was benched in favor of Young after struggling in the first two games. Kevin House
Kevin 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 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...
were released after an October loss to the 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 ....
, along with ex-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...
. Bennett showed up at a press conference held after the season 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...
, unaware that the purpose of the press conference was to announce Bennett's firing. Giles, then 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...
, criticized the move, saying that no coach could compensate for the Buccaneers' lack of talent. He also claimed that administrator 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:...
destroyed team chemistry by demeaning players during contract negotiations, pointing to 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....
's disgruntlement as an example.
Offseason
Defensive end 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...
retired a week before the draft. He missed the entire 1985 season due to a herniated disk, and chose to retire rather than undergo surgery. Although his retirement was expected, the Buccaneers did not seek a replacement in the draft. With 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...
and 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...
having retired earlier in the year, Selmon was the last of the original Buccaneers on the roster.
NFL Draft
| Pick | Round | Player | Position | School |
| 1 | 1 | Bo Jackson Bo Jackson Vincent Edward "Bo" Jackson is a former American baseball and football player. He was the first athlete to be named an All-Star in two major American sports, and also won the Heisman Trophy in 1985.... |
Running Back Running back A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running... |
Auburn Auburn Tigers football Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the... |
| 25 | 1 (from Miami) | Roderick Jones | Defensive Back Defensive back In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of... |
Southern Methodist SMU Mustangs football The SMU Mustangs football program is a college football team that represents Southern Methodist University . The team competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member Conference USA... |
| 28 | 2 | Jackie Walker | Linebacker | Jackson State Jackson State University Jackson State University is a historically black university founded in 1877 in Natchez, MS by the American Baptist Home Mission Society of New York. The Society moved the school to Jackson in 1882, renaming it Jackson College, and developed its present campus in 1902. It became a state supported... |
| 40 | 2 (from Miami) | Kevin Murphy Kevin Murphy (American football) Kevin Murphy is a former American football linebacker who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the San Diego Chargers and the Seattle Seahawks in the National Football League. He was converted from defensive lineman to linebacker in the NFL. He played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners... |
Linebacker | 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... |
| 83 | 4 | Craig Swoope Craig Swoope Craig Swoope , is a former professional American football player who played collegiately for the University of Illinois, and in 3 NFL seasons from 1986 to 1988 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts... |
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... |
| 112 | 5 | J.D. Maarleveld | Tackle | Maryland Maryland Terrapins football The Maryland Terrapins football team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Terrapins compete within the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference... |
| 165 | 6 (from New England) | Kevin Walker Kevin Walker (cornerback) Kevin Walker who went to Ben L. Smith High School in Greensboro, North Carolina was an All American defensive back for East Carolina University and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He led the nation with nine interceptions in the 1985 college football season.-References:... |
Defensive Back | East Carolina East Carolina Pirates football The East Carolina Pirates is a college football team that represents East Carolina University . The team is currently a member of the Conference USA, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association .The Pirates have won seven conference championships and... |
| 223 | 9 | Tommy Barnhardt Tommy Barnhardt John Thomas Ray Barnhardt is a former American football punter in the National Football League. He played college football at the University of North Carolina and was selected in the ninth round of the 1986 NFL Draft.... |
Punter | North Carolina |
| 250 | 10 | Benton Reid | Defensive End | Mississippi Ole Miss Rebels football The football history of the University of Mississippi , includes the formation of the first football team in the state and is 26th on the list of college football's all-time winning programs... |
| 279 | 11 | Mark Drenth | Tackle | Purdue Purdue Boilermakers football The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of... |
| 306 | 12 (from San Francisco) | Clay Miller | Guard | Michigan Michigan Wolverines football The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history... |
| = 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... er |
= Hall of Fame Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees... r |
The Buccaneers received additional picks in the 1st and 2nd rounds from 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...
in exchange for linebacker Hugh Green. Their extra 6th-round pick came from the 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...
in exchange for a 5th-round pick in the 1987 draft
1987 NFL Draft
The 1987 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 28–29, 1987...
. The second pick in the 12th round came from the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
in return for the rights to center Jim Leonard. The Buccaneers' 3rd-round pick was traded to the New Orleans Saints for defensive back David Greenwood. Their 6th-round pick was traded 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...
in exchange for defensive end Brison Manor
Brison Manor
Brison Manor was an American football defensive end who played eight seasons in the National Football League for the Denver Broncos, from 1977–1984, before appearing in six games with Tampa Bay Buccaneers, also in 1984. He played college football at the University of Arkansas.Manor played high...
. Their 7th-round pick went to 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...
in exchange for wide receiver Perry Tuttle
Perry Tuttle
Perry Tuttle is a former Clemson football standout in the early 1980s. His career continued into the National Football League and Canadian Football League...
. Their 8th-round pick went to the 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,...
for defensive back 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...
.
The Bo Jackson draft fiasco
Auburn UniversityAuburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
running back Bo Jackson was selected with the Buccaneers' first overall pick in the draft, but refused to sign with them. Jackson was angry with the Buccaneers after accepting a private jet ride to attend a team workout caused him to lose his eligibility to play baseball at Auburn. Although NCAA rules allow a professional athlete to compete collegiately in a different sport, stricter Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
rules disqualify a professional athlete from competing in any college sports. Jackson accused the Buccaneers of sabotaging his college baseball career, although Phil Krueger insisted that they the SEC had advised them that the flight was allowable, and that it was Jackson himself who had insisted on using a private flight. Jackson had been rated as the best running back prospect to come out of college since O.J. Simpson 17 years earlier. Jackson was said to have ridiculed Tampa Bay's offensive line, and shortly before the baseball draft to have told two teams that he had no intention of playing football. Most teams did not believe him, but the Kansas City Royals, although they were unsure enough that they waited until the fourth round of the Major League Baseball Draft to select him. Jackson vowed never to play football again and accepted an offer from the Royals worth much less than what the Buccaneers offered. The Buccaneers turned down several impressive trade offers for Jackson, including the San Francisco 49ers' offer of Ronnie Lott
Ronnie Lott
Ronald Mandel "Ronnie" Lott is a former American football player who starred as a cornerback, free safety, and strong safety in college football and the NFL. He is most well known for his crushing hits on opposing players...
, Wendell Tyler
Wendell Tyler
Wendell Avery Tyler , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the 3rd round of the 1977 NFL Draft. A 5'10", 198 lbs...
, and first- and second-round draft picks.
There was speculation that 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...
was torn between his promise to make Jackson the highest-paid rookie ever, and his status as a member of the NFL Finance Committee, which obligated him to set a reasonable fiscal precedent for the rest of the league. This resulted in an underwhelming contract offer and produced the perception that the Buccaneers were not serious about signing Jackson. Although the Buccaneers offered Jackson $7 million over the five years, half of it was in the form of incentives, annuities, and real estate. The actual salary averaged to over $700,000 per year, still more than twice his yearly salary from the Royals, who gave him a three-year, $1 million contract. 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:...
said that officials from other NFL teams agreed that the Buccaneers had offered Jackson fair money. Jackson's Royals contract gave him the option of buying out his contract if he wanted to return to football. Jackson was eligible to be drafted again the next year if not signed by April 28, 1987, which turned out to be the case. Culverhouse announced the embarrassment at a news conference in which he quoted the "keep smiling, keep shining" lyrics of Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick is an American singer, actress and TV show host, who became a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, and a United States Ambassador of Health....
's then-current hit song "That's What Friends are For
That's What Friends are For
That's What Friends Are For is a 1981 album by the Irish band the Moondogs. A boot re-issue of this LP with a different inner sleeve was released in Germany in 1999...
". Jackson became the fourth consecutive Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner (after USFL players Herschel Walker
Herschel Walker
Herschel Junior Walker is an American mixed martial artist and a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Georgia Bulldogs and earned the 1982 Heisman Trophy. He began his professional career with the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League...
, Mike Rozier
Mike Rozier
Michael Rozier is a former American collegiate and professional football running back who won the Heisman Trophy in 1983. He was born in Camden, New Jersey. Mike and his wife, Rochelle, an attorney, reside in South Jersey and together they have one son. Mike has two other children who reside in...
, and Doug Flutie
Doug Flutie
Douglas Richard "Doug" Flutie is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League...
) to spurn the NFL, although he was the first since Pete Dawkins
Pete Dawkins
Peter Miller Dawkins is a Heisman Trophy winner, Rhodes Scholar, U.S. Army Brigadier General, and Republican candidate for Senate. He is the former vice chairman of Citigroup Private Bank.-Early life, education and athletic career:...
in 1958 to leave football entirely. It was the first time since 1979
1979 NFL season
The 1979 NFL season was the 60th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XIV when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Los Angeles Rams...
, when Tom Cousineau
Tom Cousineau
Tom Cousineau is a former American Football linebacker who played three seasons in the Canadian Football League with the Montreal Alouettes from 1979 to 1981, and six seasons in the National Football League with the Cleveland Browns and the San Francisco 49ers from 1982 to 1987...
signed with the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
instead of the Buffalo Bills, that the first overall pick chose not to play in the NFL.
Other draft selections
Rod Jones was known as a hard hitter and a world-class track star, but was a controversial selection because, coming from the run-heavy Southwest Conference, his pass-coverage skills were unknown. At 5'11", 165 lbs., he was considered undersized for the NFL. Jones was the first defensive back selected, but was rated no better than fifth-best by most scouting services. The Buccaneers were criticized for taking linebacker Jackie Walker with their third pick, when Kevin MurphyKevin Murphy (American football)
Kevin Murphy is a former American football linebacker who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the San Diego Chargers and the Seattle Seahawks in the National Football League. He was converted from defensive lineman to linebacker in the NFL. He played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners...
of the national champion Oklahoma Sooners
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...
was still available. The Buccaneers did eventually draft Murphy, who they were surprised to find still available with their 40th overall selection. Murphy was believed to have fallen due to rumors of a knee injury. The Buccaneers had rated both Walker and Murphy among the top 15 players in the draft. Craig Swoope
Craig Swoope
Craig Swoope , is a former professional American football player who played collegiately for the University of Illinois, and in 3 NFL seasons from 1986 to 1988 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts...
was rated as the best safety in the draft, but fell to the fourth round because of a previous charge (and acquittal) of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Swoope was eventually the only Buccaneer to achieve any kind of postseason honors in 1986, being selected to the Football Digest
Football Digest
Football Digest was a sports magazine for fans interested in professional American football, with in-depth coverage of the National Football League...
All-Rookie team. The team went for big offensive linemen in the later rounds. One of them was J.D. Maarleveld, the first cancer patient drafted by the NFL. Maarleveld was considered to have been a second-round talent, but fell all the way to the fifth round. Belief that Maarleveld was worth much more money than the average fifth-rounder caused his agent, Greg Marotta, to advise him to reject the Buccaneers' offer and sign with the USFL Baltimore Stars
Baltimore Stars
The Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars were a professional American football team which played in the United States Football League in the mid-1980s. They were owned by real estate magnate Myles Tanenbaum. They were the league's dominant team, playing in all three championship games and winning two of...
. Maarleveld was eventually able to reach agreement with the Buccaneers.
Personnel moves
Bennett made efforts in the offseason to address the passing game, and to improve team speed. He held an extra "passing camp" before training camp for all offensive and defensive players involved in the passing game. Establishing the offense was complicated by the situation of not having enough reliable running backs to run a two-back offense. Finding enough speedy receivers to run a three-receiver set was also difficult, as was finding faster defensive backs who could play the man-to-man coverage that Bennett wanted to move to. Cutting safety David Greenwood and trading cornerback John Holt improved the speed of the secondary by opening up starting spots for rookies Jones and Swoope. Former Florida GatorsFlorida Gators
The Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
cornerback Vito McKeever, a product of local Dunnellon High School who had played for the USFL 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....
under Buccaneer defensive coordinator 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...
, was signed toward the end of preseason. The addition of McKeever, who took over 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...
's starting spot, meant that three of the four secondary positions turned over from the previous year. The quest for speed in the secondary meant cutting safety and punt returner 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",...
, who went on to become a mainstay on the Green Bay Packer playoff teams of the 1990s. In an attempt to upgrade the offensive line, five-time 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...
tackle Marvin Powell
Marvin Powell
Marvin Powell is a former Offensive Tackle for the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.-College career:Powell was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994...
was brought in. While there was speculation that 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...
let him go because he was President of the National Football League Players Association, the Jets were concerned over quarterback 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...
having been sacked an NFL-record 62 times the previous season, and selected two tackles in the draft. There was sentiment among some teams that, despite his Pro Bowl appearances, Powell was an overrated player who had never lived up to his reputation. Powell performed well for Tampa Bay, but was placed on injured reserve midseason after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. Undrafted free-agent running back Nathan Wonsley
Nathan Wonsley
Nathan Wonsley Jr. is a former American football running back in the National Football League and current bodybuilder. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 1986. He played college football at Mississippi.-External links:*...
emerged in the preseason as a legitimate complement to 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:...
. Tyrone Keys
Tyrone Keys
Tyrone Keys is a former professional American football player who played defensive lineman for six seasons for the Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and San Diego Chargers. He was a member of the Bears team that won Super Bowl XX following the 1985 NFL season...
, a defensive end from a team loaded with pass-rushers, and David Williams
David Williams (wide receiver)
David Williams is a former American football wide receiver. Williams was named consensus All-American twice at the University of Illinois, and is an inducted member of the College Football Hall of Fame....
, a receiver who had led the nation in catches during his junior year, were claimed off waivers from the defending world champion 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...
.
Regular season
Steve DeBergSteve 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...
won the starting quarterback job over Steve Young in the preseason, but lost it after throwing seven interceptions in the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers, and another two the next week against the 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...
. Nose tackle Dave Logan
Dave Logan (American football)
David Russell Logan is a former American football player. Logan played in nine National Football League seasons from 1976 to 1984, primarily for the Cleveland Browns...
summed up the team's condition after the 49ers game by saying, "the teams we play do not respect us". Players coming from winning teams to the Buccaneers, such as Marvin Powell and Tyrone Keys, found themselves shocked by the constant losing and discouraged by the team's easy acceptance of losses. Keys in particular thought that the Buccaneers were too used to losing, and not bothered by it. Young later criticized the team's will to win, saying that "if they could hide for four quarters and just go home, they would be happy". Powell, one of the highest-paid offensive linemen in the league, was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury after only a few games. An embarrassing loss to the 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 ....
was followed by the release of Jimmie Giles and Kevin House, the top two receivers in Buccaneer history at the time, and former starting fullback Ron Springs. This upset several club veterans, and weakened an offense that already had to compensate for a defense that had allowed over 1,000 rushing yards in the previous four games. League perception was that the Buccaneers were replacing older veterans with younger players who were incapable of taking their places. Said an executive from another team of Giles' replacement, "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...
runs a 5.2 40...We wouldn't even bring him into camp". Rumors, denied by Culverhouse, began to circulate that secret meetings were being held to arrange replacing Bennett with Steve Spurrier
Steve Spurrier
Stephen Orr Spurrier is an American college football coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina's Gamecocks football team. He is also a former professional player and coach...
. Nathan Wonsley, the rookie free-agent running back whose play was one of the few bright spots in the season, was lost to the team after suffering dislocated neck vertebrae during a week 10 loss to the Chicago Bears. After the abnormally large number of injuries suffered during the Bears game, the Buccaneers ended their pattern of suffering fourth-quarter collapses in close games, instead losing their last seven games by an average of over 21 points. With 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....
, a tight end who played a "U-back" position that was crucial to Tampa Bay's running game, suffering a broken ankle in the same game, the Buccaneers were forced to re-sign Ron Springs just to have enough runners in their backfield. Culverhouse, saying that he had made the decision only minutes prior, fired Bennett at a press conference on Dec. 29. Bennett, who had spoken to Culverhouse earlier the same morning, was unaware that he was to be let go. Culverhouse met with Ray Perkins and offered him the Tampa Bay coaching job only hours after firing Bennett. The firing was criticized by some, who felt that no steps were being taken to address the front-office problems that were the real root of the Buccaneers' woes. This criticism was echoed by safety David Greenwood, by then with the Packers, who pointed out the team's cheapness by recounting a 1985
1985 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
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...
incident in which he wanted to keep a football as a game ball after catching it for an interception. Executive Phil Krueger demanded that Greenwood pay $35 for the football.
1986 roster
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1986 roster | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
|
Offensive Linemen
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.... G 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 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... T Marvin Powell Marvin Powell is a former Offensive Tackle for the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.-College career:Powell was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994... 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... G Defensive Linemen
|
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 Quentin Lowry Quentin Ivory Lowry is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Youngstown State University and was drafted in the 12th round of the 1979 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys.... Kevin Murphy (American football) Kevin Murphy is a former American football linebacker who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the San Diego Chargers and the Seattle Seahawks in the National Football League. He was converted from defensive lineman to linebacker in the NFL. He played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners... 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.... Jackie Walker Jackie Walker who attended Carroll High School in Monroe, Louisiana was an American football linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was the 28th player selected in the 1986 NFL Draft, the first player drafted in the second round of a year in which there were... 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.... ROLB Defensive Backs
Special Teams
|
Reserve Lists
Rookies in italics Starters in boldface |
|||||
Coaching staff
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1986 coaching staff | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front Office
Head Coaches
Offensive Coaches
|
Defensive Coaches
Special Teams Coaches
|
|||||
Schedule
| Regular season | ||||||||
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Kickoff | Game site | TV | Attendance | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 7, 1986 | San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... |
L 31-7 | 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:... |
50,780 | 0-1 |
| 2 | September 14, 1986 | 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 23-10 | 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:... |
34,579 | 0-2 |
| 3 | September 21, 1986 | 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... |
W 24-20 | 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:... |
38,453 | 1-2 |
| 4 | September 28, 1986 | Atlanta Falcons Atlanta 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... |
L 23-20 | 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:... |
38,950 | 1-3 |
| 5 | October 5, 1986 | at 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 26-20 | 4:00 | Anaheim Coliseum Angel Stadium of Anaheim Angel Stadium of Anaheim is a modern-style ballpark located in Anaheim, California. It is the home ballpark to Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of the American League, and was previously home to the NFL's Los Angeles Rams... |
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:... |
50,585 | 1-4 |
| 6 | October 12, 1986 | 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... |
L 30-19 | 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:... |
33,307 | 1-5 |
| 7 | October 19, 1986 | 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 38-7 | 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:... |
43,355 | 1-6 |
| 8 | October 26, 1986 | at 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... |
L 27-20 | 1:00 | Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.... |
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:... |
36,230 | 1-7 |
| 9 | November 2, 1986 | 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... |
W 34-28 | 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... |
32,806 | 2-7 |
| 10 | November 9, 1986 | 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 23-3 | 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:... |
70,097 | 2-8 |
| 11 | November 16, 1986 | 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 31-7 | 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:... |
48,271 | 2-9 |
| 12 | November 23, 1986 | 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 38-17 | 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:... |
30,029 | 2-10 |
| 13 | November 30, 1986 | 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 45-13 | 1:00 | 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:... |
56,235 | 2-11 |
| 14 | December 7, 1986 | 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 48-14 | 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:... |
52,746 | 2-12 |
| 15 | December 14, 1986 | 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 21-7 | 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:... |
30,099 | 2-13 |
| 16 | December 21, 1986 | at 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... |
L 21-17 | 1:00 | Busch Memorial Stadium Busch Memorial Stadium Busch Memorial Stadium, also known as Busch Stadium, was a multi-purpose sports facility in St. Louis, Missouri that operated from 1966 to 2005.... |
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:... |
23,957 | 2-14 |
Week 1: vs San Francisco 49ers
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....
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana
Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford "Joe" Montana, Jr. , nicknamed Joe Cool, Golden Joe, The Golden Great and Comeback Joe, is a retired American football player. Montana started his NFL career in 1979 with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played quarterback for the next 14 seasons...
completed 32 of 46 passes for 356 yards before leaving the game with an injury in the fourth quarter. The injury, similar to the one that ended Lee Roy Selmon's career, would require season-ending surgery and threaten Montana's football future. Steve DeBerg's 31-yard touchdown pass to 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...
in the third quarter brought the Buccaneers to within a touchdown, but they would not score again. The 49ers' seven interceptions of DeBerg were a team record, and one short of the NFL record. DeBerg placed blame for the loss on himself, but teammates defended him, pointing out that he was under constant pressure from the 49ers' pass rush. Opposing safety Ronnie Lott
Ronnie Lott
Ronald Mandel "Ronnie" Lott is a former American football player who starred as a cornerback, free safety, and strong safety in college football and the NFL. He is most well known for his crushing hits on opposing players...
said that DeBerg was predictable as to where he would throw the ball when pressured. James Wilder rushed for 81 yards and caught five passes. Selmon's number 63 was retired in a halftime ceremony.
Week 2: vs Minnesota Vikings
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....
Early in the first quarter, James Wilder tipped a pass from Steve DeBerg into the hands of Vikings linebacker Chris Doleman
Chris Doleman
Christopher John Doleman is a former American Football defensive end who played in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, and San Francisco 49ers from 1985 to 1999. He was an 8-time Pro Bowl selection and a 3-time First-team All-Pro during his playing days, recording 150⅓ career sacks...
, who returned it for a touchdown. Wilder took a helmet to the sternum on this play, leaving a deep bruise that caused him to miss the next two games, and reduced his effectiveness for the remainder of the season. Seventeen seconds later, Scott Studwell
Scott Studwell
Scott Studwell is a former professional American football player. He was nicknamed "Stud". Studwell graduated from the University of Illinois, where he starred as a linebacker...
recovered a Wilder fumble at the Tampa Bay 18-yard line, leading to a Viking field goal. The Buccaneers added a 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...
field goal before the end of the quarter, but the Vikings answered it with a touchdown pass from Tommy Kramer
Tommy Kramer
Thomas Francis Kramer is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the NFL from 1977 to 1990...
to Mike Mularkey
Mike Mularkey
Michael Rene Mularkey is an American professional football coach and a former college and professional football player. He played college football for the...
. DeBerg's 1-yard touchdown pass to Jimmie Giles brought the Buccaneers to within a touchdown before halftime, but they were unable to score in the second half. The Buccaneers outperformed the Vikings in a number of statistical categories, but could not overcome the turnovers.
Week 3: at Detroit Lions
at 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...
With running back James Wilder nursing a bruised sternum, Nathan Wonsley rushed for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Wonsley became the first Buccaneer running back, other than Wilder, to rush for 100 yards since Nov. 29, 1981. He was the first Tampa Bay rookie to rush for 100 yards since Jerry Eckwood
Jerry Eckwood
Jerry Eckwood is a former NFL running back. He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1979–1981, and was a key member of the Buccaneers team that made the first playoff appearance in franchise history in 1979...
in 1979
1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season saw the team make a dramatic leap from being a winless expansion franchise, perceived as mistake-prone and ridiculed by the rest of the league, to becoming a serious contender for the National Football League championship...
. Wonsley followed in the footsteps of his two older brothers, George
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....
and Otis
Otis Wonsley
Otis Wonsley is a former American football running back who played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He played college football at Alcorn State University and was drafted in the ninth round of the 1980 NFL Draft. His time spent with the Redskins was as a backup to John...
, both backup NFL running backs who came off the bench to have breakout games while leading their respective teams to victory against the Lions. Constant Buccaneer blitzes resulted in four sacks, two interceptions, and six forced fumbles. Although Lions quarterback 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...
had a good statistical day, completing 31 passes for 318 yards, the Tampa Bay defense's pressure prevented him from converting his opportunities into points. The win broke Tampa Bay's 19-game road losing streak.
Week 4: vs Atlanta Falcons
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 Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta 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...
overcame a 20-7 halftime deficit to defeat the Buccaneers in overtime on a Mick Luckhurst
Mick Luckhurst
Michael Christopher Wilbert "Mick" Luckhurst is a retired American football placekicker. He made his professional debut with the Atlanta Falcons in 1981, remaining with the team until the 1987 NFL season. Mick was also the face of Channel Four's American Football coverage from 1988 through until...
field goal. The strategy of running out the clock with a conservative offense that had worked so well against the Lions the previous week backfired against the Falcons. The Buccaneers' offensive line failed to dominate, and the Falcons wound up running 57 offensive plays in the second half, while the Buccaneers ran only 26. Twenty of those plays were runs by 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....
, who finished the day with 127 yards rushing. The Buccaneers outgained the Falcons 255 yards to 190 in the first half, but were outgained 300 yards to 68 in the second half, in which the Buccaneers never advanced beyond midfield. The win left Atlanta undefeated at 4-0.
Week 5: at Los Angeles Rams
at Anaheim ColiseumAngel Stadium of Anaheim
Angel Stadium of Anaheim is a modern-style ballpark located in Anaheim, California. It is the home ballpark to Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of the American League, and was previously home to the NFL's Los Angeles Rams...
, Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
Eric Dickerson
Eric Dickerson
Eric Demetric Dickerson is a former professional running back in the National Football League who in his career played for the Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons.-College career:...
earned his fourth career 200-yard rushing game with a 42-yard touchdown run to win the game in overtime for the 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,...
. Steve Young led an 80-yard drive in the fourth quarter that ended in a Donald Igwebuike field goal and sent the game into overtime, but the Buccaneers were unable to stop Dickerson all day. It was the second consecutive overtime loss for the Buccaneers. Nathan Wonsley rushed 18 times for 108 yards and a 59-yard touchdown run. Young also ran for a touchdown. Bennett was again criticized after the game for conservative play-calling, although the Buccaneers' total of 174 rushing yards was more than double the average the Rams had allowed in their previous four games. The game left Wonsley as the NFL leader in rushing average, with 5.7 yards per carry. Dickerson continued to lead the NFL in rushing with 657 yards, 159 ahead of his record-setting pace from 1984
1984 Los Angeles Rams season
The 1984 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 47th year with the National Football League and the 39th season in Los Angeles. During this season second-year running back Eric Dickerson set the NFL record for most rushing yards in a season, with 2,105 yards....
.
Week 6: vs St. Louis Cardinals
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 once again criticized for poor tackling and conservative play-calling following a loss to a previously winless 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...
team. This time, complaints came from the players as the Cardinals seemed to know in advance which plays the Buccaneers would be running, and the Buccaneers waited until too late in the game to make adjustments. The Buccaneers led early, after Steve DeBerg's touchdown pass to Calvin Magee on a fake field goal. Steve Young's rushing and passing combined for 304 of the Buccaneers' 347 yards. The Cardinals unexpectedly used a soft zone defense instead of their usual blitzing, which contributed to Tampa Bay's decision to avoid the passing game until the fourth quarter. The Cardinals put the game away with Stump Mitchell
Stump Mitchell
Lyvonia Albert "Stump" Mitchell is an American football coach and former running back. He is currently the head coach of the Jaguars of Southern University.-Early years:...
's 31-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run, in which three Buccaneers missed tackles. 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...
, Jeremiah Castille, Marvin Powell, and Gerald Carter all missed the game with injuries.
Week 7: at New Orleans Saints
at 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...
Reuben Mayes rushed for 147 yards, the second-most in New Orleans Saints history, as the Saints equalled their highest-ever margin of victory. The Saints scored on their first three possessions. The Buccaneers did not score until the fourth quarter, when Steve DeBerg ran for a 1-yard touchdown. Steve Young left the stadium on crutches, and starting defensive end Ron Holmes left the game after trying to play the first quarter with a broken fibula. Mayes was selected with a third-round draft pick that had been obtained from the Buccaneers in exchange for safety David Greenwood, who the Buccaneers had already waived.
Week 8: at Kansas City Chiefs
at Arrowhead StadiumArrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs....
, Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
Veteran quarterback Bill Kenney
Bill Kenney
William Patrick Kenney is a retired quarterback who spent 9 years in the National Football League with the Kansas City Chiefs from 1980 to 1988 and a former politician who spent 8 years as a Missouri State Senator...
, making the start for 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...
in place of the struggling Todd Blackledge
Todd Blackledge
Todd Alan Blackledge was an American football quarterback in both the NCAA and National Football League. In college, he led the Penn State Nittany Lions to a national championship; and, as a pro, he played for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Steelers...
, completed 15 of 29 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown. The Chiefs' offensive line protected Kenney well, allowing only one sack and few hurries. Although the Buccaneers led at halftime on a 10-yard pass from Steve Young to Calvin Magee and two Donald Igwebuike field goals, they were unable to hold the lead in the second half. They tied the game at 20 on a fourth-quarter touchdown run, James Wilder's first of the year, but immediately allowed the Chiefs to drive the length of the field for the winning touchdown. The sloppily played game included four fumbles, six sacks, two interceptions, and 17 penalties for 146 yards. Art Still
Art Still
Arthur Barry Still is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League. He played for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills...
contributed three of the Chiefs' five sacks.
Week 9: vs Buffalo Bills
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 20-0 halftime lead over the Buffalo Bills after recovering fumbles on two kickoffs. They barely held on for victory, as a Jim Kelly
Jim Kelly
James Edward Kelly is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and the USFL's Houston Gamblers....
pass went incomplete in the end zone with no time remaining. Afterward, Leeman Bennett declared it the "start of a new season". Steve Young completed 14 of 24 passes for 193 yards, and ran for two touchdowns. James Wilder also contributed a 45-yard touchdown run. The Bills attempted a comeback, with Kelly throwing three touchdowns. Kelly, who only threw twice in the first half, completed 21 of 32 for 257 yards in the second half. It was the Bills' 31st consecutive road loss. Bills coach Hank Bullough
Hank Bullough
Henry Charles "Hank" Bullough is a former American Football player and coach. He played college football at Michigan State and graduated in 1954. Bullough was a starting guard for the Spartans team that won the 1952 Rose Bowl...
was fired following the loss, and was replaced by Marv Levy
Marv Levy
Marvin Daniel Levy is a former American and Canadian football coach, front office executive and author.He is a former professional football coach, in the CFL as head coach of the Montreal Alouettes , and in the NFL as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills , coaching the Bills...
.
Week 10: vs Chicago Bears
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....
Doug Flutie
Doug Flutie
Douglas Richard "Doug" Flutie is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League...
made his NFL debut in the fourth quarter for the Chicago Bears. The Bears took an early 14-0 lead after Mike Tomczak
Mike Tomczak
Michael John "Mike" Tomczak is a former American football player. Tomczak played quarterback for several NFL teams including the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers....
's 37-yard touchdown pass 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...
. The play occurred after 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....
's recovery of a Calvin Thomas fumble was nullified due to an offsides penalty on Craig Swoope. While the Buccaneers' defense improved later in the game, it was not enough to overcome the problems of the injury-battered offense. Nathan Wonsley suffered a broken neck while making a tackle on the opening kickoff. This was followed by injuries to Jerry Bell, 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 ....
, Craig Swoope, and Willie Gillespie. Calvin Magee played with a prior injury, as did James Wilder and Leonard Harris
Leonard Harris (American football)
Leonard Harris is a former National Football League wide receiver and kick returner who played for the Houston Oilers and Atlanta Falcons . He also played for the Denver Gold of the United States Football League....
, though both were forced to leave the game. With Gerald Carter left as the only experienced receiver, the Bears keyed on him, and with Bell, Wonsley and Wilder out, the Buccaneers could not run.
Week 11: at Green Bay Packers
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,...
With James Wilder leaving the game after aggravating his rib injury, the Buccaneers were unable to take advantage of Green Bay Packers quarterback 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:...
's three interceptions. Wright completed 18 of 29 passes for 238 yards, with a career-best three first-half touchdowns. The win was only the Packers' second of the season. The loss left the Buccaneers' defense in last place in the league, despite their having spent four of their first five draft picks on defensive players.
Week 12: vs Detroit Lions
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....
Three first-half possessions deep in 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...
territory led to zero Buccaneer points en route to another blowout loss. Lions receiver Jeff Chadwick
Jeff Chadwick
Jeffrey Allan Chadwick , is a former professional American football player. A 6'3", 185-lb. wide receiver from Grand Valley State University, Chadwick was never drafted by a National Football League team, but did play in 10 NFL seasons from 1983 to 1992 for the Detroit Lions, the Seattle Seahawks,...
took a 73-yard reception to the Buccaneers' 1-yard line when Rod Jones fell down while covering him. Jones also got beaten by Leonard Thompson
Leonard Thompson (American football)
Leonard Irwin Thompson is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League who spent his entire NFL career with the Detroit Lions ....
on a jump ball in the end zone. Vito McKeever was outrun by Chadwick on the Lions' third score. James Wilder had 130 yards rushing and 71 yards receiving for the Buccaneers.
Week 13: at Minnesota Vikings
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...
With Tommy Kramer injured, Vikings quarterback Wade Wilson threw for a career-best 339 yards and three touchdowns. With Tampa Bay down by 45-6, Steve DeBerg's 45-yard pass to Calvin Magee set up a 1-yard touchdown pass to Ron Heller
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...
on a tackle-eligible play. The Buccaneers' only other offense came on two Donald Igwebuike field goals.
Week 14: at Chicago Bears
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 almost exceeded their worst-ever loss, a 42-0 loss to the 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...
, on its 10th anniversary. They were shut out until the fourth quarter, and only scored when Chicago Bears safety Todd Bell
Todd Bell
Todd Anthony Bell was an American football safety in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears during the early 1980s.-College:...
intercepted a Steve Young pass and lateraled it to Mike Richardson, who attempted to lateral it to Shaun Gayle
Shaun Gayle
Shaun Lanard Gayle is a former American football cornerback/safety in the NFL. He played twelve seasons, eleven for the Chicago Bears , and one for the San Diego Chargers . He was a member of the Bears squad that won Super Bowl XX in 1985. He was also a member of the "Shuffling Crew" in the video...
, only to have Tampa Bay receiver Vince Heflin
Vince Heflin
Vince Heflin is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for five seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins....
intercept the lateral and run it in for a score. Mike Tomczak ran for the Bears' first score. Later, a 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...
touchdown was called back on a holding penalty. The Buccaneers stopped the Bears on fourth-and-1, but an offside penalty on Craig Swoope gave the Bears another chance. Tomczak fumbled, however, causing him to be benched in favor of Doug Flutie. Flutie scored two touchdowns, one passing and one running, before Tomczak returned in the second half. Tampa Bay scored a second time on Young's 14-yard pass to Calvin Magee, but Lew Barnes
Lew Barnes
Lew Eric Barnes is a former professional American football wide receiver who played three seasons for the Chicago Bears, the Atlanta Falcons, and the Kansas City Chiefs....
returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown. Magee's 143 receiving yards remain (as of 2009) the Buccaneers' single-game record for a tight end.
Week 15: vs Green Bay Packers
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 Green Bay Packers had seven different players each contribute a sack, and Randy Wright's 190 yards passing made him the second player in Packers history to throw for 3,000 yards in a season. The crowd cheered the news that an 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 ....
win moved the Buccaneers into first place for the rights to the first overall draft pick, and pelted Buccaneer players with lemons. Ron Holmes's sack of Wright was the Buccaneers' first since Oct. 12, and 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...
recorded the first blocked punt in Buccaneers (regular-season) history. Both teams went to their second-string quarterbacks in the second half, but Steve Young returned to the game after Steve DeBerg suffered a concussion, and Wright was reinserted after the Buccaneers threatened to start a comeback.
Week 16: at St. Louis Cardinals
at Busch StadiumBusch Stadium
Busch Stadium is the home of the St. Louis Cardinals, of MLB...
, St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
St. Louis Cardinals Pro Bowl rookie Vai Sikahema
Vai Sikahema
Vai S. Sikahema is a Tongan former American football player. The first Tongan ever to play in the National Football League , he played running back and kickoff returner in the league for eight seasons, from 1986 to 1993. He played college football for the Brigham Young University Cougars, and was...
tied an NFL record by returning two punts for touchdowns as the Buccaneers clinched the NFL's worst record for the second consecutive year. Frank Garcia, playing with a back injury, had a third punt blocked for a net gain of 1 yard. The Buccaneers scored first, on a 1-yard Bobby Howard run, but the Cardinals' 21 unanswered points gave them the lead for good before halftime. A 33-yard touchdown pass from Steve Young to Phil Freeman brought the Buccaneers to within 4 points in the third quarter. The game not only ended a futile season for the Buccaneers, but also concluded the Cardinals' worst season since moving to St. Louis 27 years earlier.