When followers consider the Buccaneers, most, if not all, recall the Tremendous Bowl-winning groups of 2002 and 2020. Anytime earlier than that’s usually seen as a darkish period of Bucs soccer full of a variety of shedding seasons. Even with that caveat, loads of gamers shined with spectacular years and stints. Gamers which might be largely forgotten within the minds of followers, other than probably the most ardent and hardcore supporters.
For this collection, I needed to check out gamers who’re underrated or not talked about a lot when discussing the workforce’s historical past. The variety of gamers talked about in every entry will fluctuate primarily based on place.
The one guidelines are that they have been Bucs between 1976 to 1996 – becoming the prerequisite of rocking the unique “Bucco Bruce” uniforms – and are price remembering.
Quarterbacks
Overview:
The Eighties and Nineties have been full of among the greatest working backs in NFL historical past. Walter Payton. Barry Sanders. Emmitt Smith. Every carried the soccer – and their groups – to loads of success as they turned synonymous with their workforce’s id.
The Bucs had their probability to have their very own elite working again in 1986, deciding on Auburn’s Bo Jackson first total. He would by no means play for the workforce, nevertheless, after telling proprietor Hugh Culverhouse to not draft him. In one of many greatest what-ifs in NFL historical past, had he chosen to play in Tampa Bay and never suffered his career-ending hip harm with the Raiders, his identify may have been talked about alongside the best backs of all time.
Regardless, just a few working backs have been in a position to put collectively stints with the Bucs which might be price trying again on.
Forgotten Bucs At RB
1. Ricky Bell
The 1979 season was the closest the Buccaneers would attain the Tremendous Bowl till 1999, after they performed the St. Louis Rams and misplaced to the “Best Present on Turf.” Early within the franchise’s inception, just a few gamers have been key to the newfound success. That checklist included Corridor of Fame defensive finish Lee Roy Selmon, quarterback Doug Williams, tight finish Jimmie Giles, cornerback Cedric Brown, defensive sort out Dave Lewis, and defensive again Mike Washington.
However the late Ricky Bell, the workforce’s beginning working again that season, was simply as key as they have been in main the workforce to the playoffs. His profession yr got here on the proper time, as he had 1,263 yards on 283 carries (4.5 yards per try) with seven speeding touchdowns in 1979.
Former Bucs RB Ricky Bell – Photograph courtesy of the Buccaneers
It was virtually destiny that Bell would find yourself a Buccaneer. Head coach John McKay coached him at USC earlier within the Nineteen Seventies, the place Bell emerged as among the finest faculty gamers. He completed within the high three in Heisman voting twice (third in 1975, second in 1976) with eye-popping numbers.
In 1975, Bell had 1,957 speeding yards in 12 video games for the Trojans, adopted up with 1,433 yards on 105 fewer carries the subsequent season. It was no shock that after leaving USC, McKay took his former star again with the primary total decide within the 1977 NFL Draft.
Serving because the workforce’s fullback, Bell got here alongside slowly in his first two seasons earlier than starring in 1979. Within the first playoff sport, he ran 38 occasions for 142 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-17 win over the Eagles. His manufacturing tapered within the following playoff sport and within the two seasons that adopted.
Bell could be traded to the Chargers in 1982, however sadly his decline was health-related, as he started to endure excessive weight reduction linked with a uncommon pores and skin concern. Solely two years later, in 1984, he handed away from coronary heart failure at simply 29 years outdated.
It’s price remembering the occasions he did have on the sphere as a Buccaneer and recognizing what he completed. As John McKay put it on the time of his passing, “Ricky Bell was one of many best soccer gamers I’ve ever had the pleasure of teaching.”
2. James Wilder
Ricky Bell and James Wilder overlapped for one season, and Wilder helped carry the torch of manufacturing into the Eighties. Many followers know of Wilder and his influence on the mid-Eighties Buccaneers. So why does he make the checklist of being forgotten, you would possibly ask?
Former Bucs RB James Wilder – Photograph courtesy of the Buccaneers
Effectively, for being the best working again within the workforce’s historical past, his legacy has not been acknowledged absolutely. Throughout his profession, Tampa Bay had little on-field success with him because the starter – and regardless of having quite a few workforce speeding information, he has but to be inducted into the workforce’s Ring of Honor. He has the possibility to be the subsequent inductee, however it might be lengthy overdue.
Coming into the league as a second-round decide in 1981, James Wilder would spend a complete of 9 years in Tampa Bay. The 1984 and 1985 seasons have been his greatest by way of manufacturing as the focus of the offense. Between these two seasons, he amassed 772 carries and caught 138 passes. He was not solely the primary again, however usually the primary receiver as nicely.
He set the franchise file for many speeding yards in a season in 1984 with 1,544 with 685 yards receiving. Even in fashionable occasions, few gamers can accumulate the two,229 scrimmage yards he had that yr.
At 6-foot-3, 225 kilos, James Wilder was one robust participant to carry down. Don’t simply take my phrase for it. Each Corridor of Fame head coach Invoice Parcells and linebacker Lawrence Taylor mentioned him being one of many hardest gamers to play towards.
“Finest I performed towards,” Taylor mentioned again in 2013. “4 quarters of hitting that boy, aww gosh! He didn’t run very quick – he ran a couple of 4.6 – however by the point he acquired to the road, he was doing a 4.6. And guess what? Within the fourth quarter, he’s doing 4.6. He’s constructed like a brick … home. Once you hit him, I inform you, all the things hurts. He was a beast.”
Whereas he by no means performed a full season’s price of video games after 1985, he nonetheless completed his profession with 5,957 speeding yards, nonetheless rating first over 30 years later.
It’s price a visit down reminiscence lane watching this spotlight reel of him disregarding would-be tacklers and discovering the endzone.
3. Errict Rhett
After James Wilder’s “run” within the backfield and a few seasons from the late Reggie Cobb, Errict Rhett joined the workforce in 1994 as a second-round decide in the identical draft class as quarterback Trent Dilfer.
He was maybe destined to be a Florida soccer legend, as he spent 5 seasons with the Florida Gators – following Emmitt Smith, no much less – and had a school profession full of loads of manufacturing. He completed because the all-time main rusher for the Gators with 4,163 speeding yards.
Former Bucs RB Errict Rhett – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
In his first two seasons, Rhett was nicely on his approach to having a productive NFL profession as nicely. He ended his first season with 1,011 speeding yards and 7 touchdowns, ending second within the Offensive Rookie of the 12 months voting to Marshall Faulk. Rhett’s greatest sport was in Week 13 towards the Redskins that yr, as he had 40 carries for 192 yards and a landing.
He adopted that up with a fair higher 1995 season, setting profession highs throughout the board with 332 carries, 1,211 speeding yards, and 11 touchdowns.
So, why did he solely play two extra years with the Bucs and retire on the age of 30? His contract holdout in 1996 performed a giant half.
After holding out for the primary six video games in 1996, Rhett returned to the workforce however solely averaged 3.1 yards per carry. The next yr, he slid down the depth chart behind younger backs Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott, solely having 11 carries.
He then could be traded to the Ravens in 1998, taking part in three extra seasons earlier than being waived by the Browns earlier than the 2001 season. Gators followers could acknowledge his identify greater than Bucs followers, however there was a quick time when Errict Rhett was a workhorse in Tampa Bay.
