Tampa Bay Bandits The Tampa Bay Bandits were a professional American football team based in Tampa , Florida . They were members of the United States Football League ( USFL ) . They were a charter member of the USFL and folded along with the league after the 1985 season . History . Preparing to play . The Tampa Bay Bandits ' majority owner were Canadian businessman John Bassett ( who was still in litigation against the NFL over his previous Memphis Southmen franchise from the World Football League in the mid - 1970s ) and Miami attorney Steve Arky , and minority owners included Hollywood mainstay Burt Reynolds , at that time one of the most popular motion picture actor s in the world . The team was named the Bandits due to Reynolds ' then - recent appearance in the hit " Smokey and the Bandit " movies , and his connection helped build local interest . Also building interest was the hiring of former Florida Gator and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Steve Spurrier to be the team coach . Spurrier had been serving as the offensive coordinator at Duke University before coming to Tampa to take his first head coach ing job . At 37 , he was the youngest head coach in professional football at the time Bandit Ball . The Bandits began play in 1983 in Tampa Stadium , and were immediately more successful than the area ' s NFL franchise , the Tampa Bay Buccaneers , with whom they shared a home field ( though the Bucs played in the fall and early winter while the Bandits played in the spring and early summer ) . The Bandits narrowly missed the playoffs in their first season and made the postseason the next two years . While their offense under Spurrier was usually one of the best in the league , an average defense kept them from serious championship contention . The Bandits were also successful off the field . They drew the highest average attendance over the three - year history of the USFL , coming in 2nd in attendance in 1983 and leading the league in that category in 1984 and 1985 with over 40 , 000 fans per game Also , their memorabilia outsold that of the Buccaneers in the Tampa Bay area during the time of the team ' s existence . A fan - friendly atmosphere ( including a theme song , " Bandit Ball " , penned and sung by Reynolds ' friend Jerry Reed ) was one factor , and the Bucs ' futility during the period ( they went 10 - 38 from 1983 to 1985 ) also helped the Bandits ' success . Due to broad local support , the Bandits were one of a very few USFL teams with a stable home and steady finances - they were the only USFL franchise to have the same coach , owner , and home city throughout the league ' s three year existence . Due to these factors , the Bandits are considered one of the few USFL teams that had the potential to be a viable venture had the USFL been better run . The Philadelphia Stars played Tampa Bay at Wembley Stadium in an exhibition game on July 21 , 1984 . The end of the USFL . Bassett was a strong proponent of the spring football concept . When the USFL decided to switch to fall play for the 1986 season , he declared his intention to organize a new spring football league that would include the Bandits . However , failing health forced Bassett to cancel his plans and sell the team . He died from cancer in May 1986 , and neither the Bandits nor the USFL would take the field again . Single season leaders . Rushing Yards : 1206 ( 1985 ) , Gary Anderson ( running back ) Receiving Yards : 1146 ( 1983 ) , Danny Buggs Passing Yards : 4183 ( 1985 ) , John Reaves Byron Eggers Radio Host made it thru training camp 1984 Season - by - season . ! Totals | | 35 | | 21 | | 0 1983 Tampa Bay Bandits Results . ( 11 - 7 - 0 ) , 3rd in Central Division