Answer: 1976
The Tampa franchise was an expansion team in the American Football Conference of the National Football League in 1976. In 1977, they were moved to the National Football Conference in a switch with the Seattle Seahawks, the other expansion team in 1976.
From Quiz: All About the Buccaneers
Answer: Lee Roy Selmon
Steve Young and Doug Williams are both Hall of Famers and did play for the Bucs, but their careers didn't take off until they left.
From Quiz: Buccaneers
Answer: Oklahoma
Selmon had 78 1/2 sacks and was a Pro Bowl player 6 times. The 1979 Defensive Player of the Year was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1995.
From Quiz: Tampa Bay: First Round Picks
Answer: 4
Owner Hugh Culverhouse once referred to Ray Perkins as "my Vince Lombardi". His career coaching record was 42-75 and he was never given another head coaching job after being fired by the Buccaneers.
From Quiz: Classic Buccaneers
Answer: The cigars
A member of the College Football Hall of Fame, McKay won four national titles at USC, and coached Heisman winners Mike Garrett and OJ Simpson, plus Heisman contenders Anthony Davis and Ricky Bell. But the allure of the NFL, plus his lifelong love of cigars, drew him to Tampa Bay in 1976. "The big reason I took the job was to get the cigars", he said upon joining the team.
From Quiz: Wit and Wisdom: John McKay
Answer: 3
McKay led the Bucs to the playoffs in 1979, 1981, and 1982, winning the NFC Central division twice, and qualifying as the 7th of 8 NFC teams to make it in the strike shortened 1982 season.
From Quiz: No More "Bad News Bucs"
Answer: 5-11 in the basement of NFC Central
The Buccaneers took a long time to get back into contention after an early run of success culminating in a 9-0 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the 1979-80 season in Tampa Stadium (NFC Championship game). The Buccaneers sat in the basement of their division, the NFC Central, for many years.
From Quiz: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Answer: Lee Roy Selmon
The six time Pro-Bowler's jersey was retired on September 6th, 1986.
From Quiz: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Answer: Eric Rhett
Eric Rhett, also known as Errict Rhett, was a running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who rushed for 1207 yards in the 1995 season. He played for the Buccaneers from 1994-1997 and was known for his powerful running style. Rhett was also a standout player in college, playing for the University of Florida where he set numerous records and was named a first-team All-American. After his NFL career, Rhett went on to become a successful businessman and philanthropist, founding the Errict Rhett Foundation which provides educational and athletic opportunities for underprivileged youth.
From Quiz: Bucs
Answer: Name-the-team contest
The name-the-team contest chose the name in honor of an annual festival in Tampa. The festival is called the Gasparilla Pirate Festival and was first held in 1904. It is a celebration of Jose Gaspar, a southwest Florida pirate.
From Quiz: All About the Buccaneers
Answer: Donnie Abraham
In 2007, Ronde tied Donnie Abraham with 31 career interceptions.
From Quiz: Buccaneers
Answer: Ricky Bell
Ricky Bell was the #1 overall pick in 1977. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
From Quiz: Tampa Bay: First Round Picks
Answer: Lars Tate
Drafted in the second round out of Georgia in '88, Tate only played three seasons in the NFL. He joined the Bears for the 1990 campaign. Tate later made headlines after being shot in 1997.
From Quiz: Classic Buccaneers
Answer: They were gentlemanly
"Namath is still Namath, but I must say that our guys were nice to him. I noticed when they knocked him down, they helped him to his feet. That was gentlemanly. I thought one stood around long enough to get his autograph." The loss to the Jets was the team's fourth shutout of their opening season, bringing their record to 0-10.
From Quiz: Wit and Wisdom: John McKay
Answer: Green Bay Packers
This happened on October 12, 1980. Packers kicker Tom Birney missed a 36 yard field goal attempt as time expired, ending the game in a 14-14 tie. The two teams finished the 1980 season tied for last place in the NFC Central at 5-10-1.
From Quiz: No More "Bad News Bucs"
Answer: 35
This blew away the record at the time. Vinny cited "color blindness" in a few post game interviews and stated that the Buccaneers orange uniforms were too close to the white uniforms of the opposing teams. There was a billboard erected in Tampa, at the time, with a background in orange that stated, "Vinny thinks this is blue". Vinny Testaverde went on to have a long and illustrious career in the NFL.
From Quiz: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Answer: Tom McCloskey
On October 30th, 1974, Tom McCloskey was awarded the franchise but declined ownership. On December 5th, 1974 Hugh Culverhouse was awarded ownership.
From Quiz: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Answer: 978
Warrick Dunn had an impressive rookie season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, rushing for a total of 978 yards. Dunn was drafted by the Buccaneers in the first round of the 1997 NFL Draft and quickly made an impact on the field. He went on to have a successful career, rushing for over 10,000 yards and earning three Pro Bowl selections. Dunn was also known for his philanthropic work, including his Homes for the Holidays program which provides homes for single-parent families.
From Quiz: Bucs
Answer: John McKay
A college Football Hall of Fame member, John McKay was known for his long-time successful tenure with USC. He coached for Tampa 1976-1984 but was not as successful, finishing 44-88 in regular season play.
From Quiz: All About the Buccaneers
Answer: Leeman Bennett
All have been coaches for the Buccaneers. After McKay, it was Bennett in 1985.
From Quiz: Buccaneers
Answer: Doug Williams
Williams had a career QB rating of 69.4 and a TD to INT ratio of 136-131.
From Quiz: Tampa Bay: First Round Picks
Answer: 35
One of the highest interception totals in NFL history, Testeverde threw for a 47% completion percentage and a mere 13 TDs in 1988.
From Quiz: Classic Buccaneers
Answer: There were times I felt like leaving the stadium and hitch-hiking home
The 1976 Bucs' fifth shutout loss of the season dropped them to 0-13.
From Quiz: Wit and Wisdom: John McKay
Answer: James Wilder
Wilder played for the Bucs from 1981-1989, and rushed for a total of 5,957 yards for the team. He set a team record with 1,544 yards rushing in 1984, and on November 6, 1983, he rushed for a team record 219 yards in a 17-12 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
From Quiz: No More "Bad News Bucs"
Answer: Philadelphia Eagles
The Bucs do not have a long history in the NFL Playoffs but seem to have met the same teams again and again. After winning their division in 1979, they defeated the Eagles 24-17 in the NFC Divisional Playoff Game before losing at home to the Los Angeles Rams 9-0. They would meet the Eagles again 20 years later ... in three consecutive playoff years. They lost in the wildcard round in 2000 and 2001 before defeating the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game in 2002. They also lost a rematch to the St. Louis Rams in 1999, 11-6.
From Quiz: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Answer: John McKay
John McKay became the first head coach on October 31st, 1975 after leading University of Southern California to four national championships.
From Quiz: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Answer: Warrick Dunn
Warrick Dunn was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 1997 NFL draft. Dunn had a successful career with the Bucs, rushing for over 4,000 yards and making three Pro Bowl appearances during his time with the team. He also became known for his philanthropic work off the field, including founding the Warrick Dunn Charities to help single-parent families. Dunn's impact on and off the field make him a beloved figure in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history.
From Quiz: Bucs
Answer: Tampa Stadium
Tampa Stadium was home until renamed in 1996 to Houlihan's Stadium. The team moved to Raymond James Stadium in 1998. Tropicana Field was home to baseball's Rays.
From Quiz: All About the Buccaneers
Answer: Philadelphia Eagles
Over the years the Bucs have played all of these teams in the playoffs, but there first-ever playoff game and there first playoff victory came against the Eagles in 1979, 24-17.
From Quiz: Buccaneers
Answer: Hugh Green
Picked in 1981 out of Pittsburgh, Green was a Pro Bowl player in 1983 and 1984. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996.
From Quiz: Tampa Bay: First Round Picks
Answer: Maybe not this century
"I'll probably take a little time off and go hide somewhere. We will be back. Maybe not this century, but we will be back and we will be a better football team." These were McKay's comments to the press after his team became the first NFL team in history to complete an 0-14 season.
From Quiz: Wit and Wisdom: John McKay
Answer: New Orleans Saints
The Bucs beat the Saints 33-14 at New Orleans.
From Quiz: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Answer: Trent Dilfer
Trent Dilfer, the former quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, went on to win a Super Bowl in the 2000 season with the Baltimore Ravens. Dilfer was known for his strong arm and leadership skills, but also for his inconsistency and turnovers. Despite being released by the Bucs in 2000, Dilfer found success with the Ravens and helped lead them to a Super Bowl victory with his steady play and clutch performances. Dilfer's journey from being released by the Bucs to winning a Super Bowl is a testament to his resilience and determination.
From Quiz: Bucs
Answer: 0-14
The Bucs were winless their first season. They started their franchise with a 26-game losing streak.
From Quiz: All About the Buccaneers
Answer: Miami, FL
Vinny threw 35 picks in his first year with a 47.6% completion percentage as a rookie. He has played for 7 different teams.
From Quiz: Tampa Bay: First Round Picks
Answer: 12
Sam Wyche led the Buccaneers to that 7-9 record in 1995. The Bucs went 6-10 the next year.
From Quiz: Classic Buccaneers
Answer: We couldn't score against a strong wind
It was the team's 22nd consecutive loss, and the third time they'd been shutout in the 1977 season.
From Quiz: Wit and Wisdom: John McKay
Answer: Jimmie Giles
Tight end Jimmie Giles caught 4 TD passes on October 20, 1985, in a 41-38 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
From Quiz: No More "Bad News Bucs"
Answer: Los Angeles Rams
The Bucs lost to the Rams 9-0 at Tampa Stadium.
From Quiz: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Answer: Purdue
Mike Alstott, the answer to this question, attended Purdue University. Alstott was a standout fullback for the Purdue Boilermakers football team from 1992-1995. During his college career, he rushed for 3,635 yards and 39 touchdowns, earning him All-American honors in 1995. Alstott went on to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL, where he became a six-time Pro Bowler and helped lead the team to a Super Bowl victory in 2003.
From Quiz: Bucs
