History of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers This article details the history of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers American Football Club . John McKay and early frustration ( 1976 – 78 ) . The Buccaneers joined the NFL as members of the AFC West in 1976 . The following year , they were moved to the NFC Central , while the other 1976 expansion team , the Seattle Seahawks , switched conferences with Tampa Bay and joined the AFC West . This realignment was dictated by the league as part of the 1976 expansion plan , so that both teams could play each other twice and every other NFL franchise once during their first two seasons . The Tampa Bay expansion franchise was originally awarded to Tom McCloskey , a construction company owner from Philadelphia . McCloskey quickly became dissatisfied with the financial arrangement with the NFL , and backed out of the deal a month later . The NFL found a replacement in Hugh Culverhouse , a wealthy tax attorney from Jacksonville well - known in NFL circles for brokering an unprecedented franchise swap between the Baltimore Colts and Los Angeles Rams . A name - the - team contest resulted in the nickname " Buccaneers , " a reference to the pirates who frequented Florida ' s Gulf coast during the 17th century . The team ' s first home was Tampa Stadium , which had recently been expanded to seat just over 72 , 000 fans . Longtime USC coach John McKay was recruited as the team ' s first head coach . McKay had never been a fan of the NFL and turned down three previous offers for a coaching position , but was finally convinced after being offered a $ 3 million contract and the challenge of building a new team from scratch . He stressed a five - year plan that relied on veteran players , quality draft picks , and patience . However , the expansion draft prior to the entrance of the Bucs and Seahawks into the league was not as generous as it would become for later NFL expansion teams , so the Buccaneers were saddled with aging veterans and castoffs from other teams . Despite McKay ' s coaching , the Bucs often appeared incompetent , with missed tackles , fumbled snaps , and a frustrating inability to score , and the patience of fans and local media soon wore thin . McKay was also criticized for relying too much on the USC playbook — for example , the " student body right " rushing play — not to mention choosing running back Ricky Bell over future NFL Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett in the 1977 NFL Draft . This frustration , and even anger , that Buccaneer fans targeted at McKay — which prompted the brief popularity of bumper stickers that proclaimed " Throw McKay in the Bay " - - stemmed from the team ' s notorious 26 - game regular season losing streak , including their then - record 0 - 14 season ( a record since broken by the 2008 Detroit Lions , who went 0 - 16 ) . The 1976 Bucs are widely considered one of the worst NFL teams of all time . They were shut out four times and scored only 125 points the entire season , an average of 15 per game , while giving up 412 . The Buccaneers suffered so many injuries that they were forced to hire players off the street and from the CFL . The team became the butt of many jokes , especially from Johnny Carson on " The Tonight Show " , but also from the fans themselves , who late into the 1977 season , wore bags on their heads and encouraged the team to " go for 0 , " as in zero wins . After a particularly dismal effort during the streak , coach McKay gave perhaps the quintessential comment on the team ' s plight . In a post - game press conference , " Tampa Tribune " sports editor Tom McEwen asked McKay about the execution of his team ' s offensive line . McKay responded , " I ' m in favor of it . " Another choice quotation that summed up his frustration at the time : " We can ' t win at home , we can ' t win on the road , so we were going to petition the league for a neutral site . " The 1977 season started even worse as the Buccaneers were shut out six times . Finally , in Week 13 the Bucs did finally manage to win their first regular - season game ( the Bucs had beaten the Atlanta Falcons 17 - 3 in a 1976 pre - season game before their first regular season ) — on the road , defeating the New Orleans Saints , 33 - 14 . The win was highlighted by three interception s returned for touchdowns , an NFL record at the time . Saints QB Archie Manning had said that it would be a disgrace to lose to Tampa Bay , and after the game was over the Buccaneers players taunted him by chanting " It ' s disgraceful ! " . ( The team would later equal this feat 25 years later when they defeated the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII . ) Manning to this day disputes the charge that he said this . Others have noted that the clever coach McKay may have made the statement up to motivate the team . After being greeted by 8 , 000 cheering fans when the team arrived back in Tampa late that evening after the game , the Bucs followed up the victory with a win at home over the St . Louis Cardinals during the final week of the season . Afterwards , a mob of fans ran onto the field and tore down the goalposts . The 1978 season was another losing campaign , but it was highlighted by the presence of rookie quarterback Doug Williams . Despite a season - ending injury in which his mouth had to be wired shut , he showed enough potential to give Bucs fans hope for the future . His leadership and often electrifying play would transform the team much sooner than anyone expected . Injuries led to a 5 - 11 record , but for the first time the Buccaneers began to resemble a real team . A brief period of success ( 1979 - 1982 ) . The Bucs ' situation improved rapidly in 1979 . With the maturation of quarterback Doug Williams , the first 1 , 000 - yard rushing season from running back Ricky Bell , and a smothering , league - leading defense led by future NFL Hall of Famer Lee Roy Selmon , the Bucs kicked off the season with five consecutive victories , a stunning performance that landed them on the cover of " Sports Illustrated . " With four games left in the season , the Bucs only needed to win one of them to make the playoffs , and did so in their final contest at home against the Kansas City Chiefs , which was played in the worst downpour in Bucs history . Finishing with a 10 - 6 record , the Bucs had their first winning season in franchise history , and also won the Central Division in a tiebreaker over the Chicago Bears . In an upset , the Bucs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 24 - 17 in the divisional round of the playoffs . Because the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Dallas Cowboys in the other NFC playoff game , the Bucs hosted the NFC Championship Game the following week in Tampa . The Bucs lost to the Rams 9 - 0 , thanks to great defense by the Rams . In only their fourth season , the Bucs seemed on the verge of fulfilling McKay ' s five - year plan . Injuries plagued the team again in 1980 , and they were limited to five wins , ten losses , and one tie ( against the also injury - plagued Packers ) . The Bucs made the playoffs again despite mediocre performance in the 1981 season , winning a weak division and entering the first round during the strike - shortened 1982 season . The 1981 season came down to a thrilling final game at Detroit . The winner would take the Central Division crown and the loser would miss the playoffs . The Lions had not lost at home all season . Although the Bucs trailed early , an 84 - yard touchdown bomb from QB Williams to WR Kevin House and a fumble recovery for a touchdown by David Logan sealed the shocking win for the Bucs . The Dallas Cowboys rewarded the Bucs ' efforts with a 38 - 0 blowout in the divisional round of the playoffs . The 1982 season started just as poorly for the Bucs , as they went 0 - 3 before a player ' s strike shut down the NFL for seven weeks . When the league resumed play , the Bucs were nicknamed the " Cardiac Kids " for winning five of their next six games all in the final moments to go 5 - 4 and qualify for the expanded playoff slate . In the first round , the Bucs once again faced the Cowboys at home in Dallas , but the Bucs put up a much better fight , actually leading the game at the half but lost 30 - 17 . The Bucs did not return to the playoffs , nor did they have another winning season under Culverhouse ' s ownership . The worst team in the league ( 1983 – 1996 ) . Doug Williams was the lowest - paid starting quarterback in the NFL during the 1982 season , and his salary of $ 120 , 000 was less than several backups . At the end of the season , Williams asked for a raise to $ 600 , 000 per season — a reasonable sum at that time , given Williams ' past performance and his market value . However , Culverhouse would not offer more than $ 400 , 000 despite McKay ' s protests . Feeling that Culverhouse was unwilling to pay him a salary befitting his status as an NFL starter , Williams bolted to the USFL , where he played two seasons for the Oklahoma Outlaws . Without Williams , the Bucs appeared to be a rudderless team . The Bucs started the next season by losing their first nine games , knocking them out of playoff contention . They finished with a 2 - 14 record , the first of an NFL - record 13 straight seasons with 10 or more losses . Many Bucs fans blamed Williams ' departure for this seemingly endless streak of futility , and the fact that Williams later returned to the NFL and led the Washington Redskins to victory in Super Bowl XXII only deepened the frustration among Bucs fans . It can be argued that the team ' s lengthy woes were primarily due to how Culverhouse ran the organization . Culverhouse kept the team ' s payroll among the lowest in the league , which prompted few quality players to sign with the team . The ones who did rarely stayed long . Selmon , the Bucs ' first draft pick in 1976 and the only Hall of Famer to have earned his credentials primarily in Tampa Bay , was the only real star who had a long tenure with the team . The Bucs also made several missteps in the NFL Draft , the most notorious of which was the team ' s selection of Bo Jackson as the # 1 overall pick when he openly stated he would never play for them . The Bucs also frequently traded or gave up on quality players who went on to greater success on other teams . The most notable examples are all quarterbacks : Williams ; Steve Young , who was traded to the San Francisco 49ers after the Bucs drafted Vinny Testaverde first overall in the 1987 draft , only to become a Super Bowl MVP and Hall of Famer with San Francisco ; and Testaverde , whom the Bucs let walk to the Cleveland Browns via free agency in 1992 . They also traded away draft picks that turned into eventual Hall of Famers Irving Fryar and Dan Hampton . The front - office woes affected the team regardless of who was brought in to coach . After McKay stepped down at the end of the 1984 season , Leeman Bennett , who had coached the Atlanta Falcons to their first - ever playoff win , was hired . After two disastrous 2 – 14 seasons , he was replaced by former New York Giants and University of Alabama head coach Ray Perkins . Perkins brought back much - needed discipline and " three - a - day " practices , but it proved too much of a good thing . The team was so physically drained by game day that the losses continued to pile up , and Perkins was fired before the end of the 1990 season . Offensive coordinator Richard Williamson was elevated to head coach , and after his brief success in the final remaining games , he retained his head coaching position for the following year . The momentum didn ' t last , however , and was fired after the 1991 season . It wasn ' t until the hiring of Sam Wyche that Bucs fans had reason for optimism . Wyche had coached the Cincinnati Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance , one which the team could have won if not for a fourth quarter comeback engineered by 49ers QB Joe Montana . Wyche did not have immediate success in Tampa , and even his bold " five - dash - two " ( indicating five wins and two losses ) declaration in his final season with the Bucs proved premature . However , Wyche deserves credit for drafting three key players who would later prove to be the core of the team ' s renewed success on defense - - Warren Sapp , Derrick Brooks and John Lynch . Things only really began to change , however , after Culverhouse died of lung cancer in 1994 . New ownership , Tony Dungy , and a return to contention ( 1996 – 2001 ) . Despite the profitability of the Buccaneers in the 1980s , Culverhouse ' s death revealed a team close to bankruptcy , which surprised many observers . His son , Miami attorney Hugh Culverhouse , Jr . , practically forced the trustees of his father ' s estate to sell the team , which cast doubt on the future of the franchise in Tampa . Interested parties included New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos , the latter of whom publicly declared he would move the team to Baltimore , as the city did not have an NFL franchise at that time . However , in a last - minute surprise , Malcolm Glazer outbid both of them for $ 192 million , the highest sale price for a professional sports franchise up to that point . Glazer immediately placed his sons Bryan , Edward , and Joel in charge of the team ' s financial affairs , and the family ' s deep pockets and serious commitment to fielding a winning team — in Tampa — allowed the Bucs to finally become competitive . The team ' s performance dramatically improved when the Glazers hired Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Tony Dungy as head coach , jettisoned the old " creamsicle " uniforms , and convinced Hillsborough County voters to raise sales taxes to partially fund the construction of Raymond James Stadium . 1996 season : Dungy ' s first year . During Dungy ' s first season in 1996 , the team continued to struggle , starting the season 1 – 8 . But in the second half of the season they finished 5 – 2 , primarily due to the performance of a defense ranked seventh in the NFL led by Hardy Nickerson and the maturing of Wyche ' s draftees Brooks , Lynch and Sapp . Dungy , widely renowned for his somber , even - tempered personality , quickly brought balance and morale to the team . Defensive coordinator , Monte Kiffin , developed and refined their trademark Tampa 2 defensive scheme , which became the foundation for Tampa Bay ' s future success , not to mention a blueprint copied by other teams in the NFL , including the Chicago Bears and the St . Louis Rams . The 1997 season : Back to the playoffs . Everything finally came together in 1997 . The team started the season 5 – 0 , picking up where they left off the previous year , and this quick start once again landed them on the cover of " Sports Illustrated " - - not once , but twice . The Bucs went 10 – 6 for their first winning season and playoff appearance since 1982 , as a wild - card team . In the Bucs ' final home game at Houlihan ' s Stadium ( formerly Tampa Stadium ) , the team defeated the Detroit Lions 20 – 10 for only the second playoff win in franchise history . They lost at Lambeau Field to the eventual NFC Champion Green Bay Packers 21 – 7 . Still , there was reason for optimism , and the expectations were high for the following season . 1998 - 2001 : " The New Sombrero " . The 1998 season , the first to be played in the newly - constructed Raymond James Stadium , saw the Bucs lose several close games en route to a disappointing 8 – 8 record . The 1999 season saw much better fortunes . On the strength of the NFL ' s number one overall defense and a surprising performance by rookie QB Shaun King , the Bucs finished the season with an 11 – 5 record and won their third NFC Central Division Championship . They edged the Washington Redskins 14 – 13 in the Divisional round , before losing to the eventual Super Bowl Champion St . Louis Rams in an unusually low - scoring NFC Championship Game , 11 – 6 . The Bucs ' loss was controversial , highlighted by the unusual reversal of a pass from King to WR Bert Emanuel . Despite the fact that Emanuel clearly controlled the ball at every point during the catch , booth replay official Jerry Markbreit ordered a review of the call . Referee Bill Carollo determined that the nose of the ball had touched the ground as he brought it into his body . The resulting reversal all but ended the Bucs ' hopes of mounting a game - winning drive . In league meetings later that year , NFL later changed the rules regarding what constituted an incomplete pass , which was a backhanded admission that the reversal was incorrect . Offensive woes . In spite of Dungy ' s success at coaching Tampa Bay into a winner , one of the consistent criticisms from the media and from fans — and later , from players including Warren Sapp - - was that the defense was expected to shoulder too much of the responsibility for winning games . Beyond fullback Mike Alstott and running back Warrick Dunn - - who served as a one - two punch ground attack — and wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson , the team was otherwise underwhelming on offense . Despite the ongoing criticism , Dungy remained staunchly loyal to his coaching staff , but at the conclusion of the 1999 season , general manager Rich McKay forced Dungy to fire offensive coordinator Mike Shula . He was replaced by former Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Les Steckel in 2000 , and the result was the Bucs ' highest - scoring season ever , another 10 – 6 record , and another trip to the playoffs as a wild card . despite his transformation of the team ' s offense , Steckel ' s drill sergeant approach to coaching ( he was a colonel in the Marines ) was a poor fit for the franchise . He was fired at the end of the season , after the Bucs lost 21 – 3 to the Philadelphia Eagles . Rather than choose from the pool of strong offensive coordinators available at the end of the 2000 campaign ( including former Redskins coach Norv Turner ) , Dungy decided to elevate his receivers coach Clyde Christiensen to the position . It can be argued that this controversial decision was the final nail in the coffin for Dungy ' s tenure . Although the team achieved a 9 – 7 winning record in 2001 , they barely made it into the playoffs as the lowest - seeded wild card . To add insult to injury , the Bucs were once again blown out by the Eagles — this time , 31 – 9 . Frustrated with the team ' s inability to reach the Super Bowl despite a league - dominating defense , Malcolm Glazer fired Dungy the following day — a decision that created more controversy among devoted players and fans . Despite whatever weaknesses that may have been ascribed to him , Dungy was highly respected around the league as a man of solid character and a coach to whom players were fiercely loyal . Dungy went on to coach the Colts to the Super Bowl XLI championship against the Chicago Bears , in the process becoming the first African - American head coach to win the Super Bowl . Jon Gruden , the Super Bowl , and beyond ( 2002 – present ) . Dungy was soon hired as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts , while the Bucs mounted a prolonged and much - maligned search for his replacement . Several potential candidates were offered the job , including University of Florida head coach Steve Spurrier , Bill Parcells and Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis . Spurrier jumped to the Redskins when he was offered the most lucrative salary package ever offered to an NFL head coach , and Parcells eventually passed on the Bucs ' offer — the second time he had done so in the history of the franchise . Bucs general manager Rich McKay threw his support behind Lewis , and his hiring appeared so certain that the Ravens held a going - away party for him . The Glazer brothers were so displeased with the selection of a yet another defensive - minded coach that they overruled McKay and took control of the candidate search themselves . They made it clear that their top choice was Jon Gruden . The problem was that he was still under contract to the Oakland Raiders . While talks with the Raiders were secretly underway , the Glazers publicly pursued another respected offensive mind , San Francisco 49ers head coach Steve Mariucci . Just when initial reports indicated that Mariucci had agreed to become both the Bucs ' head coach and general manager , Raiders owner Al Davis agreed to release Jon Gruden to Tampa Bay . Observers suggested that the Glazers ' offer to Mariucci was merely a clever bargaining tactic : since Davis ' large ego is well documented , it was very likely he wouldn ' t allow such a blockbuster trade to take place so near his turf . If the tactic didn ' t work , then the Bucs would still get the type of head coach the Glazers desired . The Glazers ' shrewd move eventually paid off in acquiring Gruden , but it cost the team dearly . The team hired Gruden away from the Raiders on February 20 , 2002 , but the price was four draft picks , including the Bucs ' first and second round picks in 2002 , their first round pick in 2003 , and their second round selection in 2004 , along with $ 8 million in cash ; the league as a result prohibited any further trading of draft picks for coaches . Gruden , who was frustrated by the limitation of his coaching authority by Davis , was more than pleased to return to Tampa Bay , as his parents lived nearby , and he had spent part of his childhood in Tampa in the early 1980s when his father had worked as a Bucs running back coach and director of player personnel . The 2002 season : Super Bowl champions . Upon his arrival in Tampa , Gruden immediately went to work , acquiring former Jacksonville Jaguars WR Keenan McCardell , and RB Michael Pittman from the Arizona Cardinals . The Bucs needed to improve their sluggish offense , as the league ' s sweeping realignment sent the Bucs to the new NFC South Division , along with the Atlanta Falcons , Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints . The offensive retooling worked , and combined with the league ' s top defense , the 2002 campaign was the Buccaneers ' most successful season to date . They won the NFC South title with a 12 - 4 record — the team ' s best ever — then defeated the San Francisco 49ers in what became coach Steve Mariucci ' s last game with that franchise . In a surprising upset , the Bucs won their first NFC championship on the road against the Eagles in the last NFL game ever played at Veterans Stadium . Cornerback Ronde Barber capped off the win by intercepting a Donovan McNabb pass and returning it 92 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter . Philadelphia fans could only watch in stunned silence . The Bucs went on to rout Gruden ' s former team , the Oakland Raiders , by a score of 48 - 21 in Super Bowl XXXVII . Gruden ' s familiarity with the Raiders ' players and playbook paid off , as John Lynch and other Bucs players recognized some of Oakland ' s formations and plays at crucial points in the game . Also , the Raiders did not attempt to use one rushing play . This was the first game that had one team not attempting a pass or rushing play once in a single game . The Bucs became the first team to win the Super Bowl without any picks in the first two rounds of the previous spring ' s NFL Draft , having traded these picks to the Oakland Raiders for the rights to acquire Gruden . Gruden became the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl . 2003 - 04 : Front - office tensions . Soon after the Super Bowl victory , a growing number of press reports indicated Gruden ' s lack of patience with general manager McKay . McKay was a major architect of the Bucs rebuilding effort over the previous ten years , and he , like Gruden , had long - established ties to the Tampa Bay area . However , during the 2003 season , the Gruden - McKay relationship deteriorated as the Bucs struggled on the field . In November , Keyshawn Johnson was deactivated by the team ten games into the season for his conduct , which included sideline arguments with Bucs coaches and players . Johnson was eventually traded to the Dallas Cowboys for wide receiver Joey Galloway . Johnson ' s unusual deactivation was a definitive sign that Gruden had indeed gained control . In December , the Glazers allowed McKay to leave the Bucs before the end of the regular season , and he promptly joined the Falcons as president and general manager . Thus , McKay watched his first game as a Falcons executive sitting next to owner Arthur Blank in a Raymond James Stadium skybox . The Falcons defeated the Bucs 30 - 28 , another sign of how the season had spiraled downward . Despite opening the season with a Monday night win over the Eagles in Philadelphia ' s new stadium , Lincoln Financial Field , the Bucs finished the season 7 - 9 . Combined with the Raiders ' dismal 4 - 12 performance , neither Super Bowl team reached the playoffs that year . Before the 2004 training camp , personnel issues and the salary cap became primary concerns . Gruden successfully lobbied the Glazers to hire his former general manager from Oakland , Bruce Allen . After Allen ' s arrival in the Bucs ' front office , the team announced that it would not resign two of their best defensive players — John Lynch and Warren Sapp — before the regular season even started . Both of their contracts were expiring , and younger players could fill their positions . Lynch was released after medical exams indicated ongoing injury problems . Many Bucs fans were stunned by the move , as Lynch was a very popular player whose aggressive , intelligent play earned him several Pro Bowl appearances . He was also well - regarded for his philanthropic work in the Tampa Bay area . Lynch was quickly signed by the Denver Broncos , where he had consecutive injury - free Pro Bowl seasons . Sapp signed with the Oakland Raiders , where he played in a limited role in 2004 , and sat out much of the 2005 season with injuries . Since wide receiver Keenan McCardell refused to play until he was given a better contract or traded , he was sent to the San Diego Chargers for draft compensation . The distracted Bucs began the 2004 season with a 1 - 5 record , their worst start since Gruden arrived . The fading accuracy of kicker Martin Gramatica didn ' t help matters , as the team lost many close games en route to a 5 - 11 record , making the Bucs the first NFL team to follow up a Super Bowl championship with back - to - back losing seasons . The lone highlights of 2004 were the high - quality play of rookie wide receiver Michael Clayton and the return of Doug Williams , who joined the Bucs front office as a personnel executive . The 2005 season : Another division crown . In the 2005 season , the Bucs returned to their winning ways . The Buccaneers selected Carnell " Cadillac " Williams in the first round of the 2005 draft , and the rookie would provide a running game the Buccaneers hadn ' t possessed since the days of James Wilder in the 1980s . Williams set the NFL record for most yards rushing in his first three games with 474 , and was named as the AP ' s 2005 Offensive Rookie of the Year . His shoes and gloves from the third game of the season are now on display in the Pro Football Hall of Fame . With their 2005 campaign marking the Buccaneers ' 30th Season in the NFL , the team won their first four games before entering a midseason slump hampered by a season - ending injury to starting QB Brian Griese during a win over the Miami Dolphins . Replacement starter Chris Simms struggled early as the Bucs lost games to the San Francisco 49ers and Carolina Panthers , but Simms came into his own when he led the team to a last - minute win over the Washington Redskins in a 36 - 35 thriller to break that slump . In a gutsy move , Gruden went for the win with a two - point conversion plunge by fullback Mike Alstott . A booth review of that play was inconclusive , and Redskins coach Joe Gibbs stated after the game his belief that Alstott had not scored . The Bucs followed up with important wins over their NFC South division rivals , sweeping both the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons , as well as defeating the Panthers in a rare victory at Carolina . Even with a tough loss against the Chicago Bears and a humiliating shutout against the New England Patriots , the Bucs finished 11 - 5 and won the NFC South by virtue of a tie - breaker over the Panthers . The Bucs ' 30th Anniversary season would end on a sour note , as they lost 17 - 10 at home to the Redskins in the wild - card round . A late Bucs touchdown could have tied the game , but the play was ruled incomplete when a booth review upheld the referee ' s decision . The Bucs sent three veteran players to the 2006 Pro Bowl , including cornerback Ronde Barber and punter Josh Bidwell . Outside linebacker Derrick Brooks was named the Pro Bowl MVP , with a 59 - yard interception return for a touchdown . 2006 . After winning the division in 2005 , the Bucs suffered through an abysmal 2006 season . The season was plagued by injuries , with starters such as G Dan Buenning , WR Michael Clayton , RB Carnell Williams , DE Simeon Rice , CB Brian Kelly , and QB Chris Simms all being placed on injured reserve at some point in the season . The season also saw a lot of rookies starting for the Bucs , such as QB Bruce Gradkowski , T Jeremy Trueblood , and G Davin Joseph . The league schedule was also unfriendly to the Bucs , scheduling them for 3 games ( two of them away games ) within 11 days of each other . There was more to the lost season than just injuries however , as most of the players put on injured reserve had been done so after the team ' s 0 - 3 start , and offensive shutouts in the first two games in which no touchdowns were scored by the Buccaneers . The departure of several key defensive coaches and assistants didn ' t bode well with players , who complained to some in the media of not being able to hear coaches in team meetings . Inconsistent and unorganized are how some players referred to one of the newcomers , who most players had a hard time making the transition from long - time favorites Rod Marinelli and others . Some believe the problems in 2006 were rooted in recent years mistakes , lack of salary cap room to bring in high impact free agents , lack of top 50 draft picks over the last 5 or 6 years due to trades , and maybe even a failure to properly assess talent resulting in a lack of contribution from second day draft picks in recent history . The Bucs started off the season 0 - 3 , with QB Chris Simms throwing only 1 touchdown to 7 interceptions . In the third game of the season , a last - minute loss to the Carolina Panthers , Simms ' s spleen was ruptured , and he was placed on injured reserve for the rest of the season . After their bye week , the Bucs elected to start rookie quarterback Bruce Gradkowski , a 6th round pick from Toledo . Gradkowski started off performing decently . People who in hindsight claim the Bucs should have started the more experienced Tim Rattay forget the Bucs nearly upset the New Orleans Saints , and then went on to win two narrow victories : one , against the Cincinnati Bengals , winning on an overturned call resulting in a touchdown ; and another against the Philadelphia Eagles , thanks to Matt Bryant ' s 62 - yard field goal . After these victories , though , Gradkowski ' s performance declined . After a 3 - 17 loss to the New York Giants in heavy winds , the Bucs proceeded to lose 5 of their next 6 games , leading them to a record of 3 - 10 ( 0 - 6 in their division ) . In the loss to the Atlanta Falcons , Gradkowski was replaced in the 4th quarter by Rattay . In the first half of the Bucs ' next game , against the Chicago Bears , Gradkowski was again replaced by Rattay , who led the team from a 24 - 3 deficit to a score of 31 - 31 , with three touchdowns in the fourth quarter . However , the Bucs then lost the game in overtime , 34 - 31 . Rattay was then named the new starting quarterback for the last two games for the season . The Bucs finished their season with a 4 - 12 record , tied for third worst in the NFL . The Bucs sent three players to the 2007 Pro Bowl , cornerback Ronde Barber , tight end / long snapper Dave Moore ( A " Need " player according to Saints coach Sean Payton ) , and late addition outside linebacker Derrick Brooks ( as an injury replacement ) . This would be Brooks ' 10th consecutive Pro Bowl and 10th Pro Bowl overall . 2007 : A return To grace . 2007 began well for the Buccaneers , as they made a splash in the off season signing veteran quarterback Jeff Garcia , linebackers Cato June and Patrick Chukwurah , and former New York Jets fullback B . J . Askew . However , they suffered heavy losses also , releasing 3 time pro bowl defensive end Simeon Rice and starting middle linebacker Shelton Quarles , both of whom spent the majority of their career in Tampa Bay . Further disappointment came in the form of a neck injury sustained by 6 time pro bowler and 12 year veteran fullback Mike Alstott in a preseason match against the New England Patriots . The injury placed him on injured reserve for the rest of the season , and ultimately led to his retirement in January 2008 . The regular season began with a crushing 20 - 6 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Qwest Field . But by week 6 the Bucs had turned their fortunes around and had a record of 4 - 2 , including home victories against division rivals the Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints . Running Back Carnell " Cadillac " Williams suffered a season - ending torn patellar tendon in a week 4 home victory over the Panthers , which contributed to a 33 - 14 blowout loss to former Bucs head coach Tony Dungy ' s Indianapolis Colts the next week . The Buccaneers ' misfortune against non - divisional teams was countered as the season progressed by their domination of the NFC South . In week 15 , Micheal Spurlock recorded the first ever kick return touchdown ever scored by a Tampa Bay Buccaneer in a home victory against the Atlanta Falcons . They won all but one of their divisional games and , at the peak of their success , had a record of 9 - 5 . Many factors contributed to this , such as the problems faced by Atlanta , whose star quarterback Michael Vick had been arrested on dog fighting charges in the preseason , and the season - ending ACL tear suffered by New Orleans running back Deuce McAllister . they finished off the season on a low point , however , but still won the NFC South division , and qualified for a playoff spot at 9 - 7 . Tampa Bay were set to host the New York Giants at Raymond James Stadium for their second home playoff game in 3 years . They began well opening up the scoreboard with the first touchdown of the game , which was a 1 - yard Earnest Graham run . However , the Giants outscored the Bucs 24 - 0 until the last 3 minutes of play , when Jeff Garcia completed a touchdown pass to Alex Smith to bring the Bucs back to just a ten point deficit . However , an interception by R . W . McQuarters with two minutes left , sealed the victory for Giants . In the end the Buccaneers had been held to 271 yards of total offense and 3 turnovers , and lost the game 24 - 14 . 2008 . On January 28 , the Buccaneers re - signed head coach Jon Gruden and GM Bruce Allen through the 2011 season . Also during the offseason , the Buccaneers expressed interest in acquiring QB Brett Favre from Green Bay , but he eventually signed with the New York Jets instead . The 2008 regular season began with a loss to New Orleans , followed by three wins , a loss to Denver , two more wins , a defeat in Dallas , and four wins over the Chiefs , Vikings , Lions , and Saints . At 9 - 3 , the Buccaneers were close to guaranteeing their place in the playoffs , with 4 games remaining in the season . However , they fell to Carolina on Monday Night Football , which ended their chances of successfully repeating as division champions . They next lost to Atlanta in overtime , followed by their first home loss of the season to San Diego . The final week of the season still held playoff hopes , although it would take a Buccaneers win over Oakland coupled with a Dallas loss . The Buccaneers couldn ' t hold their 4th quarter lead against the Raiders , and lost 31 - 24 . Adding insult to injury , Dallas lost their final game against Philadelphia , giving the Eagles the final wild card playoff spot over Dallas and the Bucs . Having finished 9 - 7 and missing the playoffs , Jon Gruden was fired January 16 , 2009 , almost one year to the date he received a contract - extension . GM Bruce Allen was fired on the same date as well . This would usher in a wholesale change of coaches and players leading up to the 2009 season , with Raheem Morris being elevated to head coach on January 17 . 2009 . Although the 2008 season was a disappointment , 2009 would prove a disaster for the Buccaneers . The team lost seven consecutive matches , including an international series game with New England in London . Finally , in Week 9 , the team donned its orange - and - white throwback uniforms and hosted the Packers . Green Bay was struggling with a weak O - line , and the Buccaneers swept to victory 38 - 28 after a pair of touchdown passes by rookie QB Josh Freeman . Afterwards , the losses resumed as Tampa Bay dropped four games in a row against Miami , New Orleans , Atlanta , Carolina , and New York before they brought down Seattle in Week 15 , followed by New Orleans . The team lost the season ender against Atlanta to finish 3 - 13 . 2010 . The poor 2009 record of Tampa Bay was in part due to a youthful , inexperienced team ( barring a few exceptions such as 35 - year old CB Ronde Barber , the last remaining member of the 2002 Super Bowl team ) , and it was hoped that they would improve with time . The Buccaneers got off to a 2 - 0 start in 2010 by beating Cleveland and Carolina , but both were weak opponents and they proved unable to handle Pittsburgh , a team that was only two years removed from its 2008 Super Bowl win , losing 38 - 13 . Following their bye week , they beat the Bengals in Cincinnati 24 - 21 . After the road victory in Cincinnati , the Bucs came home to face the defending Super Bowl champion Saints , who were struggling after a loss to the Arizona Cardinals in which the Cardinals did not score an offensive touchdown , but capitalized on New Orleans turnovers . A victory would have helped the Bucs towards first place in the NFC South ; however , they were blown out 31 - 6 . The next week saw another home deficit against the St . Louis Rams with the Bucs trailing 6 - 17 at halftime . Strong defense shut down the Rams offense in the second half , and with two field goals and a late touchdown pass to Carnell " Cadillac " Williams , the Bucs topped the Rams 18 - 17 . After the game with the team standing at 4 - 2 , head coach Raheem Morris would famously state , " We ' re the best team in the NFC . " The following week , the Bucs would make good on Morris ' s claim by defeating the Arizona Cardinals on the road in a game where they led 31 - 14 , fell behind late 35 - 31 , then retook the lead 38 - 35 and sealed the victory with an Aqib Talib interception of Cardinals quarterback Derek Anderson near the end zone . With the Bucs and the Atlanta Falcons tied for first place in the division at 5 - 2 , a matchup in Atlanta gave the Bucs a chance to take sole possession of first place . Trailing 27 - 14 in the second half , Bucs returner Micheal Spurlock returned a Falcons kickoff for a touchdown to put the Bucs within a touchdown of the lead . The game came down to fourth down attempt to score from the Falcons 1 yard - line . Rookie running back LeGarrette Blount was stopped up the middle and gave the Falcons the close victory . Following the tough loss , the Bucs came home and defeated the Carolina Panthers 31 - 16 before going on the road against the San Francisco 49ers and pitching a 21 - 0 shutout . The next week , the Bucs road game against the Baltimore Ravens , their fourth game away from Raymond James Stadium in five weeks , was moved to a late start , and the Bucs lost a hard - fought defensive struggle 17 - 10 . Finally returning home the next week , the team sported their throwback creamsicle uniforms and honored coach John McKay at halftime in a home contest against the Falcons on national television . With a great defensive performance and two interceptions of Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan , it seemed the Bucs would get revenge on the Falcons for their loss four weeks ago , leading 24 - 14 deep in the second half . But Falcons returner Eric Weems returned a kick for a touchdown and the Falcons scored offensively to take a 28 - 24 lead . Quarterback Josh Freeman attempted the late comeback as he had against the Browns , Bengals , Rams , and Cardinals , but was denied with a Brent Grimes interception . At 7 - 5 , the Bucs ' playoff hopes seemed less assured , and the team had yet to defeat an opponent with a winning record , while several key starters had been lost for the season . In a rainy outing at Washington , the Bucs prevailed 17 - 16 thanks to a botched extra - point attempt by the Redskins , but lost to the Detroit Lions at home in overtime to break the Lions ' historic road losing streak . Needing help to make the playoffs as a wild - card team , the Bucs routed the eventual NFC West champion Seattle Seahawks 38 - 15 in Tampa . With the last week of the regular season on the slate , the Bucs needed to defeat the New Orleans Saints in the Superdome , then hope for the defeats of the Green Bay Packers and the New York Giants by the Chicago Bears and Washington Redskins , respectively , as both teams held playoff tiebreakers over the Buccaneers . The Saints planned to fight the Bucs equally hard , as a victory and a Falcons loss to the Carolina Panthers would give them the # 1 seed in the NFC . The game was close and hard - fought throughout the first half , but two key turnovers by the Bucs defense , a Barrett Ruud forced fumble of Saints running back Julius Jones near the Bucs ' goal line and an interception of Saints quarterback Drew Brees near the end of the half , gave the Bucs the slight edge . A Saints field goal in the fourth quarter cut the Tampa Bay lead to 20 - 13 , but with the Falcons holding a large lead over the Panthers , Saints coach Sean Payton chose to sit Brees and put in backup Chase Daniel . The Bucs held on and won the game 23 - 13 , finishing the season with a 10 - 6 record , their best since 2005 . However , the Packers and Giants both won close games as well , thus sending the eventual Super Bowl champion Packers to the playoffs . For the second time in three years , the Bucs had finished with a winning record , yet missed the playoffs . The season marked a 7 - game improvement over the previous one , and was highlighted by the superb play of second - year quarterback Josh Freeman and a strong rookie class led by Gerald McCoy , Arrelious Benn , Mike Williams , Cody Grimm , and LeGarrette Blount . No Buccaneers were selected to the Pro Bowl , but left tackle Donald Penn did play in the game as a replacement for Green Bay ' s Chad Clifton , marking Penn ' s first appearance . Raheem Morris finished second in AP NFL Coach of the Year voting , and Mike Williams finished second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting .