| 1991 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Hugh Culverhouse |
| General manager | Phil Krueger |
| Head coach | Richard Williamson |
| Home field | Tampa Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 3–13 |
| Division place | 5th NFC Central |
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
| Team MVP | LB Broderick Thomas |
The 1991 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's 16th season in the National Football League.
In Richard Williamson's first full season as coach the Buccaneers started by losing their first five games, on the way to another last place 3–13 season. Among the major disappointments was quarterback Vinny Testaverde, who was replaced by Chris Chandler at quarterback early in the season, who passed for 1,994 yards and eight touchdown passes to 15 interceptions. Following the season Coach Williamson would be fired and replaced by Sam Wyche.
Tax records would later show that the Buccaneers were one of the most profitable teams during this time, even though owner Hugh Culverhouse announced the Bucs were losing money and needed to play games in Orlando, Florida to get income. Such records revealed Culverhouse ran the Bucs as a profit first business, often releasing better players who would deserve big contracts.
| 1991 Tampa Bay Buccaneers draft | |||||
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | Charles McRae | OT | Tennessee | |
| 3 | 66 | Lawrence Dawsey | WR | Florida State | |
| 3 | 80 | Robert Wilson | RB | Texas A&M | |
| 4 | 93 | Tony Covington | DB | Virginia | |
| 5 | 120 | Terry Bagsby | LB | East Texas State | |
| 5 | 136 | Tim Ryan | OG | Notre Dame | |
| 6 | 147 | Rhett Hall | DT | California | |
| 7 | 174 | Calvin Tiggle | LB | Georgia Tech | |
| 8 | 207 | Marty Carter | DB | Middle Tennessee St | |
| 9 | 233 | Treamelle Taylor | WR | Nevada | |
| 10 | 260 | Pat O'Hara | QB | USC | |
| 10 | 265 | Hyland Hickson | RB | Michigan State | |
| 11 | 287 | Mike Sunvold | DT | Minnesota | |
| 12 | 314 | Al Chamblee | LB | Virginia Tech | |
| Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career | |||||
| 1991 Tampa Bay Buccaneers staff | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
| Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
| |||||
| Quarterbacks Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
| Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
| Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
| Reserve lists
| ||||||
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 5 | at Cleveland Browns | W 23–10 | 1–0 | Cleveland Municipal Stadium | 64,753 |
| 2 | August 10 | Miami Dolphins | L 13–29 | 1–1 | Tampa Stadium | 51,387 |
| 3 | August 17 | at Atlanta Falcons | W 12–7 | 2–1 | Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium | 41,983 |
| 4 | August 23 | Kansas City Chiefs | W 20–7 | 3–1 | Tampa Stadium | 33,996 |
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 1 | at New York Jets | L 13–16 | 0–1 | Giants Stadium | 61,204 | |
| 2 | September 8 | Chicago Bears | L 20–21 | 0–2 | Tampa Stadium | 65,625 | |
| 3 | September 15 | at Green Bay Packers | L 13–15 | 0–3 | Lambeau Field | 58,114 | |
| 4 | September 22 | Buffalo Bills | L 10–17 | 0–4 | Tampa Stadium | 57,323 | |
| 5 | September 29 | at Detroit Lions | L 3–31 | 0–5 | Pontiac Silverdome | 44,479 | |
| 6 | October 6 | Philadelphia Eagles | W 14–13 | 1–5 | Tampa Stadium | 41,219 | |
| 7 | Bye | ||||||
| 8 | October 20 | at New Orleans Saints | L 7–23 | 1–6 | Louisiana Superdome | 68,591 | |
| 9 | October 27 | Green Bay Packers | L 0–27 | 1–7 | Tampa Stadium | 40,275 | |
| 10 | November 3 | at Minnesota Vikings | L 13–28 | 1–8 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 35,737 | |
| 11 | November 10 | Detroit Lions | W 30–21 | 2–8 | Tampa Stadium | 37,742 | |
| 12 | November 17 | at Atlanta Falcons | L 7–43 | 2–9 | Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium | 41,274 | |
| 13 | November 24 | New York Giants | L 14–21 | 2–10 | Tampa Stadium | 63,698 | |
| 14 | December 1 | at Miami Dolphins | L 14–33 | 2–11 | Joe Robbie Stadium | 51,036 | |
| 15 | December 8 | Minnesota Vikings | L 24–26 | 2–12 | Tampa Stadium | 41,091 | |
| 16 | December 14 | at Chicago Bears | L 0–27 | 2–13 | Soldier Field | 54,719 | |
| 17 | December 22 | Indianapolis Colts | W 17–3 | 3–13 | Tampa Stadium | 28,043 | |
| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. | |||||||
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| NFC Central | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| (2) Detroit Lions | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 6–2 | 8–4 | 339 | 295 | W6 |
| (4) Chicago Bears | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 7–1 | 9–3 | 299 | 269 | L1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 3–5 | 8–6 | 301 | 306 | L1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 3–5 | 3–9 | 273 | 313 | W1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 | 1–7 | 2–10 | 199 | 365 | W1 |
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The club joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team, along with the Seattle Seahawks, and played its first season in the American Football Conference (AFC) West division. Prior to the 1977 season, Tampa Bay switched conferences and divisions with Seattle, becoming a member of the NFC Central division. As a result of the league's realignment prior to the 2002 season, the Buccaneers joined three former NFC West teams to form the NFC South. The club is owned by the Glazer family and plays its home games at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
Hugh Franklin Culverhouse, Sr. was an American businessman, attorney, and sports franchise owner. Culverhouse is best known for having been the longtime owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He was a successful tax lawyer, and his real estate investments made him wealthy. His work brought him into contact with National Football League team owners, and his failed purchase of the Los Angeles Rams placed him in line to become the owner of the fledgling Buccaneer franchise. He owned the team from its inception until his death.
Jon David Gruden is an American professional football coach who is a consultant for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He held his first head coaching position with the Raiders franchise during their Oakland tenure from 1998 to 2001, where he won two consecutive division titles and made an AFC Championship Game appearance. Gruden was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002, which he led to their first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XXXVII the same season. At age 39, he was the then-youngest head coach to win the Super Bowl. He served as Tampa Bay's head coach through 2008, setting the franchise record for wins, but made only two further playoff runs. After his firing from the Buccaneers, Gruden was featured as an analyst for ESPN's Monday Night Football broadcasts from the 2009 to the 2017 seasons.
John Harvey McKay was an American football coach. He was the head coach at the University of Southern California (USC) from 1960 to 1975 and of the National Football League's Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1976 to 1984. In sixteen seasons at USC, McKay compiled a record of 127–40–8 (.749) and won nine AAWU/Pac-8 conference titles. His teams made eight appearances in the Rose Bowl, with five wins. Four of his squads captured national titles.
John Terrence Lynch Jr. is an American professional football executive and former player who is the general manager of the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played in the NFL as a safety for 15 seasons, primarily with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A nine-time Pro Bowl selection, Lynch earned a Super Bowl ring with the Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021.
This article details the history of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers American football franchise.
The 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's first season in the National Football League (NFL). The Buccaneers' played their home games at Tampa Stadium and their inaugural head coach was John McKay. The Buccaneers gained infamy as the first team to play an entire 14-game season without winning or tying a single game. It remains one of only four winless seasons since the merger. The Buccaneers did not score until their third game and did not score a touchdown until their fourth. They lost by more than a touchdown eleven times. Colorful, maverick former USC coach McKay, whose wisecracking remarks occasionally agitated fans and the league, led the team. The only bright spot was future Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Lee Roy Selmon, who made his rookie debut in an injury-plagued season.
The 1977 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's 2nd season in the National Football League, the 2nd playing their home games at Tampa Stadium and the 2nd under head coach John McKay. After one lone season in the AFC, it was the franchise's first season in the NFC, competing in the Central division. It continued the losing streak that encompassed the entire 1976 season, and extended it to 26 games, second only to the Chicago Cardinals who lost a total of 29 games in a row from 1942 to 1945. Fear of becoming the Buccaneers’ first victim provided motivation to opposing teams. It took nearly two seasons for the Buccaneers to achieve their first franchise victory, a 33–14 win over the New Orleans Saints in the second-to-last game of the year. The next week, the Bucs earned their first home victory, over the St. Louis Cardinals.
The 1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's 4th season in the National Football League the 4th playing their home games at Tampa Stadium and the 4th under head coach John McKay. After having won just seven games in the previous three seasons combined, the 1979 Buccaneers won ten games, making this their first winning season. They finished as NFC Central division champions, and won the first playoff game in franchise history.
The 1983 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's 8th season in the National Football League the 8th playing their home games at Tampa Stadium and the 8th under head coach John McKay. They failed to improve on their 5-4 record from 1982 and finished with a league-worst 2–14 record caused as personnel changes and a rash of injuries and missed out the playoffs for the first time since 1980.
The 1984 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's 9th season in the National Football League the 9th playing their home games at Tampa Stadium and the 9th and final season under head coach John McKay. They improved on their 2–14 season and finished 6-10, but missing the playoffs for the second straight season.
The 1996 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the team's 21st in the National Football League (NFL). The Buccaneers failed to improve on their 7–9 season in 1995, finishing 6–10. It was the first season under head coach Tony Dungy. The 1996 season marked the final year that the Buccaneers wore their trademark orange, red, and white "creamsicle" uniforms. Until 2010, it was the last time that the Buccaneers failed to sell out any of its home games. Despite Tampa finishing with a losing record, Dungy had restored the competitive spirit in the organization. Five of the 10 losses was only by a touchdown or less.
The 1995 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's 20th season in the National Football League (NFL).
The 1985 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's ninth season in the National Football League, the ninth playing their home games at Tampa Stadium and the first season under head coach Leeman Bennett. The team failed to improve on a 6–10 season, once again finishing at 2–14, the same as in 1983.
The 1986 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's 11th season in the National Football League playing their home games at Tampa Stadium and their second under head coach Leeman Bennett. The team matched their 2–14 season from 1985, for one of the worst seasons in franchise history, and according to statistics site Football Outsiders, the sixth-worst team in the NFL since 1950. There is some sentiment that the 1986 team was even worse than the winless team of 1976, and the 473 points conceded was not beaten by any NFL team until the 2001 Indianapolis Colts gave up 486. The Buccaneers selected Bo Jackson with the top pick in the draft, but were unable to convince him to join the team. Three weeks after the draft, Jackson signed a three-year baseball contract with the Kansas City Royals. Despite holding four of the first forty selections in the draft, and the presence of a great influx of fresh talent from defunct USFL teams, the Buccaneers were unable to find any impact players in either the draft or free agency. They entered the season with a roster nearly identical to the previous season's 2–14 team.
The 1987 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's 12th season in the National Football League, the 12th playing their home games at Tampa Stadium, and the first under head coach Ray Perkins. It was a year of great change for the Buccaneers. Perkins had only needed three seasons (1979–1981) to build the New York Giants into a playoff team, and it was hoped that he would be able to repeat the feat with the Buccaneers. They improved over their 2–14 record from 1986 and finished 4–11.
The 1993 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's 18th season in the National Football League (NFL). The Buccaneers wore the initial Mr. C on the right side of the sleeve ends of the jerseys in honor of their owner Hugh Culverhouse who was battling cancer who then died after the 1993 season.
The 1990 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's 15th season in the National Football League.
Jerry Eckwood is a former NFL running back. He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1979–1981, and was a key member of the Buccaneers team that made the first playoff appearance in franchise history in 1979. Eckwood played collegiately for the Arkansas Razorbacks from 1975–78.
Joshua Tyler Freeman is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Kansas State University, and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Freeman became the starter for Tampa Bay in his rookie year and went on to break numerous franchise passing records. However, he was released partway through his fifth year with the team.
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