The Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Part 2

Part 1 of the Buccaneers article  

was posted on March 4, 2025

The Bucs started off the season 0 – 3, with Simms throwing one touchdown to 7 interceptions. In the third game of the season, a last-minute loss to the Panthers, Simms’s spleen was ruptured, and he was placed on injured reserved for the balance of the season(89). After their bye week, the Bucs elected to start Gradkowski, a sixth-round pick from Toledo(90)(93). After nearly beating the Saints, Gradkowski led the team to last-minute wins over the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles. The success was short-lived, however, and the Bucs lost five of the next six games. Tim Rattay replaced Gradkowski as quarterback late in the season, and the team finished 4 – 12(94). The aged defense, with five starters who had played there for a decade or more, was ranked 17th overall, the first time a Tampa defense was not ranked in the top ten since 1996.

After the disappointing 2006 season, the Buccaneers for the first time in several seasons had money to spend in free agency. They brought in quarterback Jeff Garcia,(95) offensive tackle Luke Petitgout,(96) defensive end Kevin Carter,(97) and linebacker Cato June(98). On April 28th, 2007, the Buccaneers drafted Clemson defensive end Gaines Adams with the 4th overall pick in the NFL draft. After the draft, the Buccaneers picked up tight end Jerramy Stevens,(99) and defensive tackle Ryan Sims.(100)

The off-season changes resulted in the Buccaneers winning the NFC South title in the 2007 season, finishing with a 9 – 7 record, and the 4th seed in the conference. The division crown was the second one under Gruden. In the wild card round of the playoffs held on January 6th, 2008, the Buccaneers lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Giants by a final score of 24 – 14.

During the 2008 offseason, the Bucs re-signed head coach Gruden and general manager Allen through the 2011 season. They also acquired former players Warrick Dunn, who had spent the last six seasons with the Falcons, and Brian Griese, who was the starting quarterback until a knee injury sidelined him for the remainder of the year. Chris Simms was finally released, having not played in a game since his injury in 2006. The Bucs got off to a great start in 2008, with a 9 – 3 record going into the final month of the season, tied for first place in the division, with a chance at the top seed in the conference. On December 2nd, it was announced that defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin would be leaving the team after the season’s end, for the same job at the University of Tennessee, serving under his son Lane Kiffin, who had just been named head coach at the school. After the announcement, the Buccaneers would lose their final four games of the season to finish 9 – 7 for the second straight consecutive season. Unlike 2007, it was not enough to secure the division championship, nor a playoff appearance.

Raheem Morris was named the replacement of Monte Kiffin as defensive coordinator in December 2008(101). A month later, after the huge collapse that ended the 2008 season, the Buccaneers fired Jon Gruden and swiftly elevated Morris to the head coach position(102). Bruce Allen was also let go, with Mark Dominik named his successor as general manager. Several veterans were released including Derrick Brooks, Joey Galloway, and Jeff Garcia(103). The new staff traded for tight end Kellen Winslow Jr.(104), signed quarterback Byron Leftwich(105), and drafted Josh Freeman with the 17th overall pick.(106)

Raheem Morris

The 2009 squad started out 0 – 7, behind Leftwich and later Josh Johnson. Following their bye week, the team elevated Freeman to starting quarterback,(107) resulting in the team’s first win of the season. The team finished 3 – 13, the worst record since 1991.(108)

The Bucs’ 2010 season surprised many, producing the greatest single-season turnaround in franchise history, going 10 – 6(109). This was largely behind the stellar performances of Freeman,(110)(111) rookie receiver Mike Williams,(112)(113) and LeGarrette Blount(113)(114). Despite the effort, the team narrowly missed the playoffs, losing out on the wild card tiebreaker to the eventual Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers.(115)

Tampa Bay began the 2011 season with high hopes, adding several key defensive players through the draft(116). After a 4 – 2 start, however, the Buccaneers collapsed, dropping ten consecutive games to finish 4 – 12(117). The day after a 45 – 25 loss to the Falcons in their final game of the season, the team fired Morris, offensive coordinator Greg Olson and the rest of his corresponding staff(118). During the Morris era, the lack of on-the-field success, along with several contributing factors, including the recession, attendance slipped, precipitating local television blackouts for the first time since the mid-1990’s. All eight regular-season home games were blacked out in 2010, and 5 of 7 blacked out in 2011 (one “home” game was played in London).

Greg Schiano

About three weeks after firing Raheem Morris, the Buccaneers hired Greg Schiano from Rutgers as the new head coach(119). During his introductory conference he stated “There will be Buccaneer men, and there will be a Buccaneer Way.” The phrase “The Buccaneer Way” became a slogan among fans and the local media, describing the new regime and attitude. The team filled out the coaching staff with new faces, including Mike Sullivan,(120) Bill Sheridan,(121) and Butch Davis(122). In 2013, Dave Wannstedt was also added as special teams coach(123). In the first day of free agency, the club signed top prospects Vincent Jackson and Carl Nicks, as well as Eric Wright(124). The $140 million committed to the team during that 24-hour period is the largest investment the Glazer has put into the team going back almost a decade.

The team finished the 2012 season at 7 – 9, notably ranking first in rushing defense(125). Furthermore, the rushing offense was highlighted by the breakout performance of Doug Martin. After two seasons of game-day local television blackouts, the improved team began seeing increased attendance and attention, and some blackouts lifted. Six games were blacked out in 2012. For the three-year period of 2010 – 2012, the Bucs led the NFL in local television blackouts with 19 (Cincinnati was second with 11). Schiano’s strict and regimented coaching style, however, drew criticism at the end of a game against the Giants, ordering his defense to continue to aggressively tackle the offense as Giants quarterback Eli Manning was taking a knee to end the game. Afterwards, Schiano was met at midfield by and irate Tom Coughlin, who did not appreciate the Bucs’ aggressiveness.(126)

Coming into the 2013 season, fans and analysts had better than average expectations for Tampa Bay. They were expected to improve their record, and potentially make a playoff run. The predictions proved unfounded, as numerous issues on and off the field saw the team collapse. The team dealt with several players, including Lawrence Tynes, Carl Nicks,(127) and Johnthan Banks,(128) contracting antibiotic-resistant MRSA infections, which led to a 2015 lawsuit by Tynes that settled in 2017(129)(130)(131). During training camp, a reported rift began to divide Schiano and quarterback Josh Freeman. After a 3 – 0 start, Freeman was benched, and ultimately released. This was after Freeman reportedly missed several team meetings, along with the team’s annual photograph(132). Schiano started rookie Mike Glennon,(133) but the team continued to lose. The fans’ confidence of Schiano began to decay rapidly, after a 0 – 8 start, the team got it’s first win of the season on a Monday night against Miami. A brief win streak saw improvements with Glennon at quarterback, and Bobby Rainey took over at running back with stellar numbers after Doug Martin went down with a shoulder injury(134). There were no blackouts in 2013, as the Glazers bought up the necessary tickets for two of the games to get the 85% threshold needed to prevent local blackouts.

Despite some individual improvements, and some impressive performances by members of the defense, the team dropped the last three games of the season, and finished 4 – 12. The team ranked last or near the bottom in almost every offensive category. On December 30th, 2013, Schiano and general manager Mark Dominik were fired.(135)

Lovie Smith

On January 1st, 2014, Lovie Smith was hired as the new head coach of the Buccaneers, replacing Greg Schiano(136). Smith had previously spent five seasons with the Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001 coaching the linebackers under Tony Dungy(136). During his first news conference with the Bucs, Smith talked about restoring the quality of the team from the late 1990’s and early 2000’s: “There was a certain brand of football you expected from us,” Smith said. “You know we would be relentless. There was a brand of football that you got from us each week at Raymond James Stadium. It was hard for opponents to come in and win. We have gotten away from that a little bit, and it’s time … for us to become a relevant team again.”(137)

On January 21st, 2014, Jason Licht was hired as the new general manager, replacing Mark Dominik(138). He was officially introduced at One Buc Place on January 23rd, 2014. In his first news conference, Licht talked about his philosophy: “Our philosophy is going to be built through the draft. That’s where we find our stars. That’s where we find the next generation. But also, in the short term and long term, we’re going to supplement our roster through free agency but we’re going to look for value. We’re going to spend wisely.”(139)

After signing veteran free agent Josh McCown and many more free agents,(140) many analysts predicted that the Buccaneers could be the surprise team of the year and possibly make a playoff run. Those predictions soon went away after the Bucs began the season 0 – 3, including a 56 – 14 blowout against the Falcons on Thursday Night Football. McCown was injured in that game,(141), and second-year quarterback Mike Glennon was named the starter. His first start of the 2014 season ended with the Bucs earning their first victory of the season in Pittsburgh against the Steelers 27 – 24. The Bucs lost the next 4 games, including two overtime losses against the Saints and the Vikings, one blowout against the Ravens, and a 5-point loss against the Cleveland Browns. Going into week 10 at 1 – 8, McCown returned as the starter. Mathematically, the Bucs were still in playoff contention only being 3 games out of first place in the division. McCown’s first game back ended with a 27 – 17 loss to the Falcons but won the following week in a 27 – 7 blowout against struggling Washington(141). The Bucs would lose the next three games and were officially knocked out of playoff contention in week 14. The Bucs finished 2 – 14, winning 2 fewer games than the previous season, and secured the first-overall pick for the 2015 NFL draft.(142)

Despite the team’s record, first-round draft pick wide receiver Mike Evans(143) had more than 1,000 yards receiving,(146) which represented Tampa Bay’s first pair of 1,000-yard receivers in a season(145). Second-year cornerback Johnthan Banks led the team with 4 interceptions and had 50 tackles(147). Danny Lansanah flourished in the Tampa 2 system with 81 tackles, 1.5 quarterback sacks, and 3 interceptions, with 2 of those interceptions returned for touchdowns for the 2014 season(148). Jacquies Smith, who was signed from Buffalo after waiving rookie defensive end Scott Solomon a month into the season, had 17 combined tackles, 13 solo tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 1 forced fumble in only 8 starts for 2014(149).

In December 2014, a report surfaced that the Buccaneers used homeless people to sell beer and did not pay them. (150)

After the conclusion of the 2014 season, Tampa Bay hired Ben Steele to become the team’s new offensive quality control coach as well as former Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter to be their new offensive coordinator after parting ways with quarterbacks coach and interim offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo. Having a 2 – 14 record, tied for the worst record in 2014, Tampa Bay gained the first-overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft. They also made some headlines when they released quarterback Josh McCown on February 11th, 2015, to save $5.25 million in cap space(151). With the first pick in the NFL draft, the Buccaneers selected Jameis Winston from Florida State(152). Throughout the off-season, there was much debate about whether the Buccaneers should pick Winston or Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. (152)

On January 6th, 2016, Smith was fired by the Buccaneers after posting a record of 8 – 24 in his two seasons, including a 6 – 10 record in the 2015 season. (153)

Dirk Koetter

On January 15th, 2016, Dirk Koetter was promoted from offensive coordinator to become the new head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers(154)(155). In 2016, Koetter won his first game as head coach, but the team’s record slipped to 3 – 5 by week 9 following a 43 – 28 loss to Atlanta on Thursday Night Football. The Buccaneers rattled off five straight victories, their longest winning streak since 2002. They earned upset victories over the heavily favored Chiefs and Seahawks but snapped the streak with late-season losses to both Dallas and New Orleans. The Buccaneers ended with a 9 – 7 record but lost the NFC’s sixth seed to the Lions due to tiebreakers.(156)(157)

On March 9th, 2017, the Buccaneers signed former Washington Redskins wide receiver DeSean Jackson,(158) defensive tackle Chris Baker,(159) former Cowboys safety J.J. Wilcox (traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers)(160), former New York Jets kicker Nick Folk,(161) and veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick(162). The season got off to a 2 – 6 start with poor performance, especially in the kicking game. After a loss to the Lions in week 14, they were mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Tampa Bay finished the season 5 – 11(163). This was their tenth consecutive season without a playoff appearance(164). Also, the Bucs finished last in the NFC South for the seventh time in nine seasons.

The Buccaneers began the 2018 season 2 – 0, their first 2 – 0 start since 2010. Journeyman quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick started the first two games while Jameis Winston was serving a three-game suspension(165). Fitzpatrick threw for over 400 yards and four touchdowns in both games, against the Saints (the eventual NFC South winner) and the Eagles (the defending Super Bowl champions)(166). On Monday night in week 3 against the Steelers, Fitzpatrick became the first player in NFL history to throw for 400+ yards in three consecutive games(167). However, he also threw three interceptions, and Tampa Bay lost the game 30 – 27. Fitzpatrick remained the starter for week 4 against the Bears. He struggled and was benched after halftime in favor of Winston(168). Winston was named the starter for week 6,(169) but was averaging at least two interceptions per game. After week 6’s loss to the Falcons, defensive coordinator Mike Smith was fired and linebackers coach Mark Duffner was named interim defensive coordinator(170). Both Winton and Fitzpatrick took snaps under center as the season wore on, and at 5 – 7, they were still mathematically alive for the postseason. However, they dropped their last four games to finish 5 – 11. After a second consecutive last-place season, Koetter was fired. (171) (175).

Bruce Arians years (2019 – 2021)

Following the termination of Dirk Koetter, the Buccaneers named Bruce Arians as the 12th head coach in franchise history on January 8th, 2019. Arians had been retired from coaching for a year, having spent the 2018 season in the broadcast booth(173). Because Arians was still under contract with the Arizona Cardinals through the end of the 2019 season, Tampa Bay agreed to give the Cardinals a sixth-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft for the rights to Arians, as well as receiving Arizona’s seventh-round pick in the same draft. On the same day, it was reported the Bucs would also bring Byron Leftwich, who had served under Arians in Arizona, as offensive coordinator(174). The next day the Buccaneers announced the hiring of former Jets head coach Todd Bowles as defensive coordinator. (175)

In 2019, Tampa Bay finished with a 7 – 9 record(176). The team finished the season with the best run defense in the league and top 10 in offense(177). Jameis Winston, in the final year of his five-year contract, set franchise records with 5,109 passing yards and 33 touchdown passes. He became the eighth quarterback in NFL history to eclipse 5,000 yards in a single season(178)(179). However, he had a league-leading 30 interceptions in the same season(180). His final pass attempt as a Buccaneer player was a pick-six in overtime to lose against Atlanta in week 17. Winston was not re-signed by Tampa Bay, and he was subsequently picked up by the Saints during the 2020 offseason. (181)

Super Bowl LV champions (2020)

The Buccaneers made arguably the biggest acquisition of the 2020 offseason when they acquired veteran quarterback Tom Brady, widely considered the greatest to ever play the position(182)(183)(184)(185)(186)(187). The offensive engine of the New England Patriots sports dynasty from 2001 to 2019, Brady announced that he would not be re-signing with the Patriots after 20 seasons(188) and joined the Buccaneers in 2020. (189)

Later in the offseason, tight end and Brady’s New England teammate Rob Gronkowski announced that he was coming out of retirement to return to the NFL. On the same day, the Patriots made an agreement to trade Gronkowski to the Buccaneers, along with a seventh-round pick in exchange for a compensatory fourth-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft. Gronkowski would finish the regular season with 45 receptions, 623 receiving yards, and 7 receiving touchdowns in 16 games. (190)

On September 6th, 2020, the Buccaneers signed running back Leonard Fournette, who had been waived the week prior by the Jacksonville Jaguars. (191)

On October 27th, 2020, free agent wide receiver Antonio Brown signed a one-year contract with the Buccaneers. The move reunited Brown with Arians, who was his first offensive coordinator on the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Brady, whom he played one game alongside for the Patriots. Brown made his first appearance with the Bucs in week 9 and would finish the regular season with 45 receptions, 483 receiving yards, and 4 receiving touchdowns in eight games. (192)

In week 15, the Buccaneers overcame a 17 – 0 deficit against the Atlanta Falcons, to win 31 – 27 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. (193)

In the 2020 season, Tampa Bay clinched their first playoff berth since 2007 after a 47 – 7 victory against the Lions in week 16(194). By the end of the 2020 regular season, Brady had set the Buccaneers record for passing touchdowns with 40(195). In the same game, receiver Mike Evans set the NFL record for consecutive 1,000-yard seasons to start a career with 7 straight 1,000-yard seasons. (196)

In the playoffs, the Buccaneers defeated the Washington Football Team 31 – 23 in the wild-card round, their first postseason victory since Super Bowl XXXVII in 2002. In the divisional round, they defeated the Saints 30 – 20 to advance to the NFC Championship Game for the fourth time in franchise history, and the first time since the 2002 season. They then defeated the Packers to advance to Super Bowl LV for the franchise’s second appearance in the league championship, facing the defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bucs defeated the Chiefs to win their second Super Bowl title by a score of 31 – 9. Coincidentally, Raymond James Stadium was named as the host stadium of Super Bowl LV in 2017 when it was determined that SoFi Stadium, which had been awarded the game the year before its construction had begun, would not be completed in time to be eligible under league requirements to host(197). Thus, the Buccaneers became the first team in NFL history to play in and win a Super Bowl that was held at its home stadium. (198)

In the 2021 offseason, the Buccaneers re-signed all 22 of their starters from the 2020 Super Bowl championship season, in addition to re-signing Fournette and former Bengals running back Giovani Bernard. The Buccaneers are the first team in the salary cap era (1994), and the fourth team all-time, to re-sign all 22 starters from their Super Bowl team, while every other team’s roster changed. (199)

After the 2021 regular season, in which they posted a 13 – 4 record and secured the #2 seed in the NFC playoffs(200). The team defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 31 – 15 in the Wild Card round(201). The Buccaneers’ title defense came to an end with a 30 – 27 last-second loss to the eventual Super Bowl LVI champion Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round. (202)

Todd Bowles years (2022 – present)

On February 1st, 2022, quarterback Tom Brady announced his retirement from the league(203)(204). Brady had one season remaining on his contract with the Buccaneers. However, on March 13th, after only forty days, he reversed his decision and announced he would return for the 2022 season(205). On March 30th, a couple of weeks after Brady’s announcement, head coach Bruce Arians announced his second retirement from coaching and shifted to Senior Football Consultant. Defensive coordinator and former Jets head coach Todd Bowles was immediately named his replacement. (206)(207)

Despite signing former All-Pro receiver Julio Jones, former Pro-Bowlers Akiem Hicks and Keanu Neal, and Brady’s former teammates Shaq Mason and Logan Ryan, the Buccaneers struggled under Bowles in his first season as head coach. They finished 8 – 9, but still won the NFC South division title, the fifth sub .500 team since the merger to make the playoffs. They lost at home to the Cowboys in the Wild Card round(208)(209). On February 1st, 2023, Brady announced his retirement, this time, “for good”.(210)

In 2023, Tampa Bay hired Seahawks quarterbacks coach Dave Canales to be their offensive coordinator and signed Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield to a one-year $8.5 million contract to be the team’s next starting quarterback(211)(212). The Buccaneers won the NFC South with a 9 – 8 record, their third consecutive division crown(213). They defeated Philadelphia in the Wild Card round 32 – 9(214). The Buccaneers saw their season end in the Divisional Round with a 31 – 23 loss to the Detroit Lions.(215)

During the 2024 offseason, Baker Mayfield signed a three-year contract extension with the Buccaneers to remain the starting quarterback(216). Dave Canales departed to take the head coaching job at Carolina and was replaced in the offensive coordinator position by Liam Coen. The Buccaneers finished the regular season at 10 – 7 and won the NFC South for a franchise-best fourth consecutive season. This also tied the record for most consecutive NFC South titles, and total NFC South titles, with seven; furthermore, this marked the fifth consecutive playoff appearance for the team, both a franchise and division record. Mayfield threw 41 touchdown passes, and the Tampa Bay offense ranked third in the league. Despite missing three games due to a hamstring injury, wide receiver Mike Evans finished the regular season with 1,004 receiving yards. Evans tied the NFL record held by Jerry Rice for the most consecutive seasons with 1,000+ receiving yards (11), as well as extend his own record for most such seasons consecutively from the start of a career. (217)

Part 3 of this article will be posted on March 11, 2025

and will be all the reference citations used in

Carrie Birdsongs research