Today, the Bucs are the youngest team in the league. They reside in the very tough NFC Southern division, and games with their rivals like the Saints and Falcons have become instant classics as of late. They play excellent defense, and the offense is stacked with young stars destine to have excellent NFL careers. The Bucs are a very exciting team, they’re built on youth and speed, and they’re going to be serious contenders for a long time. As mentioned the games with the in division rivals always come down to the final gun.
There is nothing like watching a game in Raymond James Stadium and hearing that cannon go off every time the Bucs make a big play. If you consider yourself a true Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan and you haven’t heard the cannon go off live and in person… What are you waiting for? Get out to Raymond James Stadium and support your Bucs the next Sunday you can.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers History
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers officially joined the NFL in 1976. The team came in as an expansion team along with their North Western counter parts the Seattle Seahawks. The Bucs actually played their first season in the AFC, but changed to the NFC, in the following season.
For about 20 years, there isn’t much to report about the Bucs other than, they’re the only team to lose their first 26 games, and after a couple winning seasons in the late 70’s and early 80’s the Bucs and their fans endured 14 consecutive losing seasons which is an NFL record.
In 1996 the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hired Head Coach Tony Dungy. Dungy was a defensive coach that came highly recommended. Despite having the shiny new Head Coach, the 1996 season started just as too many seasons before it and the Bucs lost 8 of their first 9 games. During the second half of the 96 season the Bucs seemed like a new team, and finished out the last 7 games at 5-2. Still, another losing season, but going on a run late in 96, provided the team, and its fans with some optimism for 1997.
The Bucs started the highly anticipated 97 season 5-0, picking up right were they left off in the 96 season. They did hit somewhat of a rough patch during the season, but managed to finish 10-6 and earn a playoff spot, which marked their first winning season, and playoff birth since 1982. The Bucs lost in the 97 playoffs to Bret Favre and the eventual NFC Champion Green Bay Packers.
In 98 the Bucs finished a disappointing 8-8, in 99 the Bucs won the division Championship, but lost in the playoffs to the future Super Bowl Champion St. Louis Rams. In 2001 the Bucs were embarrassed in the Wild Card round of the playoffs by the Eagles. The final score was 31 to 9 and Head Coach Tony Dungy was fired following that game.
In 2002 the Bucs front office wanted an offensive minded coach, they loved a young Head Coach by the name of John Gruden, but Gruden was under contract with the Oakland Raiders. After weeks of secret negotiations, the Raiders owner Al Davis agreed to release Gruden to the Tampa Bay Bucs. Gruden was an instant hit in Tampa Bay, often referred to by fans as Chucky, the doll from the horror movies.
Despite the Bucs being adamant about hiring an offensive Head Coach, it was a dominate defense ironically that led the Bucs to the franchises first Super Bowl. Their Super Bowl opponent was the Oakland Raiders which gave Coach Gruden the ultimate opportunity for a revenge game. The game was no contest the Bucs crushed the Raiders by a score of 48-21 and won their first Lomabardi Trophy.
After the Super Bowl victory the Bucs struggled in the following years. 2003 to 2008 is a period in time Bucs fans would like to forget. In 2009 the Bucs fired coach Gruden and named another young man Raheem Morris the Head Coach. 2009 was another bad year, and rumors swirled that coach Morris wouldn’t last for a second year as the Bucs Head Coach. The rumors were just that, only rumors and in 2010 Coach Morris led the Bucs to a surprising 10-6 record. Despite the winning season, the team still missed the playoffs, but once again, Tampa Bay Bucs fans had reason to be excited about the coming NFL season.
