Richard Wood ( American football ) Richard Marlon Wood ( born May 31 , 1953 ) is a former American football All - American linebacker who played for Thomas Jefferson High School in Elizabeth , New Jersey , the Univ . of Southern California Trojans , and the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League ( NFL ) . He was the team captain and leading tackler of the Buccaneers ' early teams , coached by John McKay . College career . Wood attended the University of Southern California as a student and football player . There he was a three - time All - American for the U . S . C . football team during the 1972 - 74 seasons . The Trojans football team won two National Championships during Wood ' s years there . He was a modest - sized player for a NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision ( formerly NCAA Division I - A ) linebacker , but made up for his lack of size with lightning speed , stamina , and hard - hitting tackles . His trademark Batman " band of black " painted across his nose and around both eyes , as those eyes peered out from his helmet , was celebrated by his teammates , the sports press , and Trojan football fans , and they were a gesture to intimidate opponent ' s linemen and running backs . Wood came to the varsity as a sophomore in 1972 , and he not only led the undefeated Trojans in tackles , but also he surpassed the total of his closest teammate by 30 tackles . He was given the responsibility of calling his team ' s defensive signals . Wood had five interception s , returning one for a touchdown and he deflected four other passes . For his efforts he gained first - team All - American honors . In his junior year he once again led U . S . C . to a conference title and another trip to the Rose Bowl Game . He was a consensus All - American in 1973 . In 1974 , Wood was part of his second victorious Rose Bowl team and national championship team . He repeated as a consensus All - American honoree . While at U . S . C . the Trojans had a 31 - 3 - 2 won - loss - tied record . In 2007 , Wood was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame . Professional career . Wood was selected by the New York Jets in the third round of the 1975 NFL Draft , but experienced a difficult rookie season . Charges of having received stolen airline tickets damaged his public reputation , even after he was exonerated . He also had trouble fitting into a Jets locker room atmosphere that he considered to be cold and unfriendly . A preseason trade to the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers reunited him with his former U . S . C . coach , John McKay , and placed him in a more favorable situation . With the Buccaneers , he became a key player on one of the league ' s best defensive units . After moving into the starting lineup during the 1976 season , he started 88 consecutive games before being replaced by Scot Brantley in 1982 . He averaged 136 tackles per season as a starter , and his single - game high of 18 tackles remains tied as the team record . As of 2012 , he ranks sixth all - time among Buccaneer defenders with 855 career tackles . His two defensive touchdowns in 1977 , one of which occurred during the franchise ' s first victory , established a franchise record that stood until 1990 . With Ronde Barber and Derrick Brooks , he is one of three Buccaneers to have scored on both a fumble and an interception return in the same season . Wood was captain of the 1979 squad that advanced to the . When the new head coach Leeman Bennett declined to renew his contract in 1985 , Wood joined the news USFL Jacksonville Bulls team , where he was considered one of the league ' s most important signings . He returned to the Buccaneers in 1991 as an assistant defensive coach under head coach s Richard Williamson and Sam Wyche . Wood was fired by Wyche after the 1993 season , but he returned to serve as an honorary captain for the coin toss of the that resulted in their appearance in Super Bowl XXXVII . He served as the head coach with the FLE Amsterdam Crusaders ( 1994 ) and the head coach of the GFL Munich Cowboys ( 1997 ) before taking the head coaching position at Tampa ' s Wharton High School in 1998 . He coached that team to the state final game in the sixth year of its existence . In 2003 , Wood accepted a position as the defensive line coach with the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europe , where he coached in two world bowl games and coached several players who went on to play in the NFL . As of 2012 , he is an assistant coach at Tampa Catholic High School . Personal . Has a brother , Jake Wood , who played Major League Baseball from 1961 to 1967 with the Detroit Tigers and the Cincinnati Reds , and also two older brothers who were career military airmen , Melvin and Walter Wood U . S . Air Force ( Walter also retired as pilot for UPS ) and a son , Marlon Wood , who played wide receiver for the University of Washington . Currently serving in the U . S . Army Holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do . A drummer , Wood occasionally performed in The Fifth Quarter , a band composed of Buccaneer teammates . Wood and Brantley have both been assisted by Gay Culverhouse , in her efforts to get recognition for the problem of football - related dementia . He suffers from [ headaches ] occasionally also , and has been involved in litigation with the NFL disability board , who have denied medical benefits despite his having required surgery to insert a metal rod into his spine . Wood ' s post - football life has been characterized by financial hardship , as part of his NFL earnings were lost to corrupt advisors . Like most professional athletes . Yet has stayed steadfast in his commitment to his family and community well being .