| 2017 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | The Glazer family |
| General manager | Jason Licht |
| Head coach | Dirk Koetter |
| Home field | Raymond James Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 5–11 |
| Division place | 4th NFC South |
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers | LB Kwon Alexander DT Gerald McCoy |
The 2017 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League, the 20th playing their home games at Raymond James Stadium and the second under head coach Dirk Koetter.
On March 9, 2017, the Buccaneers signed former Washington Redskins wide receiver DeSean Jackson, defensive tackle Chris Baker, former Dallas Cowboys safety J. J. Wilcox (traded to Pittsburgh Steelers), former New York Jets kicker Nick Folk, and veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.
The team's Week 1 game against the Miami Dolphins was rescheduled to November 19 due to Hurricane Irma. Week 11 was originally the two teams' bye week. Week 1 would become the bye week for both teams and they would not play until Week 2. This was first time since the Arizona Cardinals in 2001 in which a team had a bye week in Week 1.
The Buccaneers were hampered with poor performance and an early kicking situation, as they failed to improve or match their 9–7 record from the previous season. After a loss to the Detroit Lions on December 10, 2017, they were mathematically eliminated from the playoffs with a 4–9 record. The Bucs finished the season 5-11. This was their tenth consecutive season without a playoff appearance, with their last being in the 2007 season. Also, the Bucs finished last in the NFC South for the seventh time in nine seasons.
The preseason was documented on HBO's Hard Knocks .
| Position | Player | Age | 2016 Team | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR | DeSean Jackson | 30 | Washington Redskins | 3 years, $33.5 million |
| DE | Chris Baker | 29 | Washington Redskins | 3 years, $15.7 million |
| FS | J.J. Wilcox | 28 | Dallas Cowboys | 2 years, $6.2 million |
| C | Joe Hawley | 28 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2 years, $5.5 million |
| CB | Josh Robinson | 26 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2 years, $5 million |
| FS | Chris Conte | 28 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2 years, $5 million |
| RB | Jacquizz Rodgers | 27 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2 years, $3.3 million |
| K | Nick Folk | 32 | New York Jets | 1 year, $1.7 million |
| DT | Sealver Siliga | 28 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1 year, $1.1 million |
| LS | Garrison Sanborn | 31 | Buffalo Bills | 1 year, $950,000 |
| Position | Player | Age | 2017 Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| QB | Mike Glennon | 27 | Chicago Bears |
| WR | Russell Shepard | 26 | Carolina Panthers |
| DT | Akeem Spence | 25 | Detroit Lions |
| FS | Bradley McDougald | 26 | Seattle Seahawks |
| LB | Daryl Smith | 35 | Retired |
| CB | Alterraun Verner | 28 | Miami Dolphins |
| WR | Cecil Shorts | 29 | Retired |
| WR | Vincent Jackson | 34 | Retired |
| OT | Gosder Cherilus | 32 | Retired |
The first transactions of the year occurred shortly after the conclusion of the 2016 regular season on January 2, 2017, when the Buccaneers signed offensive lineman Josh Allen, safety Isaiah Johnson, offensive lineman Mike Liedtke, cornerback Cody Riggs, running back Blake Sims, and tight end Tevin Westbrook to reserve/futures contracts. [1]
On January 4, the Bucs signed tight end Kivon Cartwright and kicker John Lunsford to reserve/futures contracts. [2] On January 5, the Bucs signed Edmonton Eskimos wide receiver Derel Walker, Saskatchewan Roughriders Jeff Knox Jr and guard Jarvis Harrison. [3]
On September 3, the club signed T. J. Ward, previously with Denver, for a one-year deal worth $5 million. [4]
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19 | O.J. Howard | TE | Alabama |
| 2 | 50 | Justin Evans | S | Texas A&M |
| 3 | 84 | Chris Godwin | WR | Penn State |
| 107 | Kendell Beckwith | LB | LSU | |
| 5 | 162 | Jeremy McNichols | RB | Boise State |
| 7 | 223 | Stevie Tu'ikolovatu | DT | USC |
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
| Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
|
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 11 | at Cincinnati Bengals | L 12–23 | 0–1 | Paul Brown Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | August 17 | at Jacksonville Jaguars | W 12–8 | 1–1 | EverBank Field | Recap |
| 3 | August 26 | Cleveland Browns | L 9–13 | 1–2 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | August 31 | Washington Redskins | L 10–13 | 1–3 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bye [upper-alpha 1] | |||||
| 2 | September 17 | Chicago Bears | W 29–7 | 1–0 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | September 24 | at Minnesota Vikings | L 17–34 | 1–1 | U.S. Bank Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | October 1 | New York Giants | W 25–23 | 2–1 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 5 | October 5 | New England Patriots | L 14–19 | 2–2 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 6 | October 15 | at Arizona Cardinals | L 33–38 | 2–3 | University of Phoenix Stadium | Recap |
| 7 | October 22 | at Buffalo Bills | L 27–30 | 2–4 | New Era Field | Recap |
| 8 | October 29 | Carolina Panthers | L 3–17 | 2–5 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 9 | November 5 | at New Orleans Saints | L 10–30 | 2–6 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 10 | November 12 | New York Jets | W 15–10 | 3–6 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 11 | November 19 [upper-alpha 1] | at Miami Dolphins | W 30–20 | 4–6 | Hard Rock Stadium | Recap |
| 12 | November 26 | at Atlanta Falcons | L 20–34 | 4–7 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Recap |
| 13 | December 3 | at Green Bay Packers | L 20–26 (OT) | 4–8 | Lambeau Field | Recap |
| 14 | December 10 | Detroit Lions | L 21–24 | 4–9 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 15 | December 18 | Atlanta Falcons | L 21–24 | 4–10 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 16 | December 24 | at Carolina Panthers | L 19–22 | 4–11 | Bank of America Stadium | Recap |
| 17 | December 31 | New Orleans Saints | W 31–24 | 5–11 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bears | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Buccaneers | 10 | 16 | 0 | 3 | 29 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
| Game information | ||
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After a bye in Week 1 due to Hurricane Irma, Tampa Bay began their season in Week 2 against Chicago. Jameis Winston threw for 204 yards and 1 touchdown pass to Mike Evans, as the Buccaneers routed the Bears 29–7. Bears quarterback (and former Buccaneer) Mike Glennon lost a fumble, and threw two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown.
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buccaneers | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 17 |
| Vikings | 7 | 14 | 10 | 3 | 34 |
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| Game information | ||
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Before the game, wide receivers Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson kneeled during the national anthem after comments made by president Donald Trump about national anthem protests two days prior. The Vikings jumped out to a 28–3 lead by the third quarter, while the Buccaneers defense could not contain Case Keenum, who threw for 369 yards and three touchdown passes. After quarterback Jameis Winston threw his second interception, a frustrated Evans was seen kicking over the ice tub on the sidelines. Minnesota held on to top Tampa Bay by the final score of 34–17.
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 0 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 23 |
| Buccaneers | 13 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 25 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
| Game information | ||
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Jameis Winston threw for 332 yards and three touchdown passes, but Tampa Bay found themselves trailing by a point late in the fourth quarter to the New York Giants. Tampa Bay jumped out to a 13–0 lead in the first quarter, but kicker Nick Folk missed an extra point and later missed two field goal attempts. The Giants took a 23–22 lead with 3:16 remaining in regulation after a 2-yard touchdown pass from Eli Manning to Rhett Ellison. In the final three minutes, Winston drove the Buccaneers to the Giants' 16-yard line. Folk kicked a 34-yard field goal just inside the left upright as time expired, and Tampa Bay won 25–23.
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patriots | 3 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 19 |
| Buccaneers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
| Game information | ||
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The Tampa Bay defense played significantly better, picking off Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (his first interception of the season) and getting a sack fumble. Running back Doug Martin returned from his suspension, and had a productive showing, rushing for 74 yards on 14 carries and scoring a touchdown. However, the Tampa Bay offense mostly struggled through the first three-quarters. Meanwhile, Buccaneers kicker Nick Folk struggled mightily, missing on all three of his field goal attempts. Late in the fourth quarter, Jameis Winston threw a touchdown pass to tight end Cameron Brate, making the score 16–14 with just over two minutes left in regulation. After a failed onside kicked, the Patriots scored a field goal putting themselves up by five. The Buccaneers got the ball back with 1:10 remaining, and zero timeouts left. Winston drove the Buccaneers to the New England 18-yard line with 3 seconds to go. Winston's pass to O. J. Howard in the endzone as time expired fell incomplete, ending the team's six-game home winning streak. After missing six kicks since the Giants game (five field goals and one extra point), kicker Nick Folk was placed on injured reserve.
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buccaneers | 0 | 0 | 6 | 27 | 33 |
| Cardinals | 14 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 38 |
at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
| Game information | ||
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The Buccaneers started off horribly, both offensively and defensively as the Cardinals scored early. Five days earlier, veteran running back Adrian Peterson had been traded to Arizona from the Saints. Peterson started his first game for the Cardinals, scoring on the opening drive. Down 24–0 in the second quarter, Jameis Winston was sidelined with a shoulder injury and was replaced by backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Winston would not return. After Fitzpatrick threw an interception early in the third quarter, the Cardinals scored again taking a 31–0 lead. The Buccaneers mounted a comeback, outscoring the Cardinals 33-7 for the remainder of the game, but came up short 38-33 after failing to recover an onside kick with just 2:02 remaining in regulation.
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buccaneers | 6 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 27 |
| Bills | 3 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 30 |
at New Era Field, Orchard Park, New York
| Game information | ||
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The Buccaneers played a more consistent game, but still came up short in Buffalo. After scoring early in the third quarter, Buffalo took a 17–6 lead. After another Bills field goal, and two touchdown passes from Jameis Winston to rookie tight-end O. J. Howard, the game was tied, 20-20. With just over 3 minutes remaining in regulation, another touchdown pass by Winston, this time a diving catch just inbounds by Mike Evans gave the Buccaneers a 27–20 lead. On the next drive, the Bills drove down the field in three plays to tie the game, aided by an ill-timed 15-yard Unnecessary Roughness penalty by Robert McClain. With 2:20 left in the fourth, a pass from Winston to Adam Humphries was fumbled and recovered by the Bills at Tampa Bay 32-yard line. After running down the clock, the Bills kicked a field goal to win the game. With this loss, the Buccaneers now have lost three straight games, all by less than one score, and sit at 2–4 at the bottom of the NFC South.
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panthers | 7 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| Buccaneers | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
| Game information | ||
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The Buccaneers drop their fourth straight game in a disappointing loss. The defense improved, while the offense only put up 3 points. With this loss, the Bucs move to 2-5 and are still at the bottom of the NFC South.
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buccaneers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| Saints | 9 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 30 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
| Game information | ||
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The offense once again struggled as the Bucs lost their fifth straight game and their second straight against a division opponent. Jameis Winston sat out of the second half due to an injury and was replaced by Ryan Fitzpatrick. This game was also marred by a brawl on Tampa Bay's sideline in the 3rd quarter when Winston, who was already considered out with the aforementioned injury, went over and pushed Marshon Lattimore in his ear, and Mike Evans suddenly shoved Lattimore from behind to spark the fight; however, there were no ejections.
With this loss, the Bucs move to 2–6. This is the Bucs' longest losing streak since the 2014 season.
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jets | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| Buccaneers | 3 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 15 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
| Game information | ||
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The Bucs end their five-game losing streak with a win at home against the Jets. With Jameis Winston out with an injury and Mike Evans out due to a one-game suspension earned in the previous game against the Saints, Ryan Fitzpatrick and rookie Chris Godwin got the starts for the Bucs. The only scores came from field goals until the fourth quarter where both teams scored late touchdowns. The Bucs scored first taking a 15–3 lead, then the Jets scored with 38 seconds left, cutting the lead to five points. A failed Jets onside kick sealed a Bucs win.
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buccaneers | 3 | 17 | 0 | 10 | 30 |
| Dolphins | 7 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 20 |
at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
| Game information | ||
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After originally being slated to play in Week 1, the Bucs and the Dolphins finally met on what should have been each other's bye week. The Bucs win consecutive games for the first time this year with a 30–20 win. The defense created 4 turnovers in the first half, 3 interceptions and one fumble. Ryan Fitzpatrick started once again, finishing with over 270 passing yards and 2 touchdowns. With this win, the Bucs move to 4–6.
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buccaneers | 3 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 20 |
| Falcons | 3 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 34 |
at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
| Game information | ||
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The Bucs go 0–3 in the division with a loss at the Falcons. After going down 27–6 in the third quarter, the Bucs fought back to cut the lead to 27–20. After a turn over on downs, the Falcons scored again to end the game. With this loss, the Bucs fall to 4–7, equaling their loss total from last season.
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buccaneers | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 20 |
| Packers | 3 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 26 |
at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
| Game information | ||
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With the loss, the Bucs exceeded their loss total from the previous season.
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lions | 7 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 24 |
| Buccaneers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
| Game information | ||
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After going down 21–7 in the third, the Bucs fought back to tie the game 21-21. With 20 seconds left, the Lions scored a field goal to secure the win. With this loss, the Bucs were officially mathematically out of the playoffs. This marked the 10th straight season without a playoff appearance.
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falcons | 7 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
| Buccaneers | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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The Bucs lost their fourth straight game. This marked the first time since 2014 where the Bucs didn't win at least one of the two games against the Falcons. Jameis Winston played, arguably, his best game of the season finishing 27/35 on passes, throwing three touchdowns with no interceptions. A late fourth quarter pass to Adam Humphries brought the Bucs within three points, but kicker Pat Murray missed a 54-yard field goal with 0 seconds remaining to seal the loss. The Bucs move to 4–10 on the season, with the last two games being against division rivals New Orleans and Carolina.
During halftime, former Bucs coach Jon Gruden was inducted into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor. He is best known for leading the Bucs to their first Super Bowl win.
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buccaneers | 3 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 19 |
| Panthers | 3 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 22 |
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
| Game information | ||
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The Bucs drop their fifth straight for the second time this season. With this loss, the Bucs have had 7 of their 11 losses come by 7 points or less.
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saints | 14 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
| Buccaneers | 7 | 6 | 0 | 18 | 31 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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The Bucs finish the season with a win against a division rival. A late 4th quarter touchdown pass from Jameis Winston to rookie wide receiver Chris Godwin with 9 seconds remaining gave the Bucs their first win against a division opponent this year. With this win, the Bucs finish the season 5-11, their sixth losing season in eight years. They went 4–4 in home games and 1–7 in road games. They will pick 7th in the 2018 NFL Draft.
| NFC South | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| (4) New Orleans Saints | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 4–2 | 8–4 | 448 | 326 | L1 |
| (5) Carolina Panthers | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 3–3 | 7–5 | 363 | 327 | L1 |
| (6) Atlanta Falcons | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 4–2 | 9–3 | 353 | 315 | W1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 3–9 | 335 | 382 | W1 |
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division leaders | |||||||||||
| 1 [lower-alpha 1] | Philadelphia Eagles | East | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 5–1 | 10–2 | .461 | .433 | L1 |
| 2 [lower-alpha 1] | Minnesota Vikings | North | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 5–1 | 10–2 | .492 | .447 | W3 |
| 3 [lower-alpha 2] | Los Angeles Rams | West | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .504 | .460 | L1 |
| 4 [lower-alpha 2] [lower-alpha 3] | New Orleans Saints | South | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 4–2 | 8–4 | .535 | .483 | L1 |
| Wild Cards | |||||||||||
| 5 [lower-alpha 3] | Carolina Panthers | South | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .539 | .500 | L1 |
| 6 | Atlanta Falcons | South | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 4–2 | 9–3 | .543 | .475 | W1 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason | |||||||||||
| 7 [lower-alpha 4] | Detroit Lions | North | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 5–1 | 8–4 | .496 | .368 | W1 |
| 8 [lower-alpha 4] | Seattle Seahawks | West | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .492 | .444 | L1 |
| 9 [lower-alpha 4] | Dallas Cowboys | East | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 5–1 | 7–5 | .496 | .438 | W1 |
| 10 | Arizona Cardinals | West | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .488 | .406 | W2 |
| 11 [lower-alpha 5] | Green Bay Packers | North | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 2–4 | 5–7 | .539 | .357 | L3 |
| 12 [lower-alpha 5] | Washington Redskins | East | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 1–5 | 5–7 | .539 | .429 | L1 |
| 13 | San Francisco 49ers | West | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .512 | .438 | W5 |
| 14 [lower-alpha 6] | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | South | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .555 | .375 | W1 |
| 15 [lower-alpha 6] | Chicago Bears | North | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 0–6 | 1–11 | .559 | .500 | L1 |
| 16 | New York Giants | East | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 | 1–5 | 1–11 | .531 | .458 | W1 |
| Tiebreakers [lower-alpha 7] | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
The 2011 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's 36th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the third and final under head coach Raheem Morris. The team competed in the NFC South. Both of their preseason home games, and seven of their regular season home games were played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. One regular season home game was played at Wembley Stadium in London as part of the NFL International Series.
The 2013 season was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 38th in the National Football League (NFL), and second and final under head coach Greg Schiano. It also marked the 19th and final season under the ownership of Malcolm Glazer, who died on May 28, 2014. The Buccaneers finished with a record of 4–12 and failed to improve their 7–9 record from last season, and were eliminated from postseason contention in Week 13. For the first time since 1996, longtime cornerback Ronde Barber was not on the roster, as he retired in May 2013.
The 2014 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's 39th season in the National Football League (NFL). It was also the first season under head coach Lovie Smith, replacing Greg Schiano, who was fired at the end of the 2013 season. It was also the first season under general manager Jason Licht, following the departure of Mark Dominik, after a disappointing 2013 season. It also marked the first season under new ownership since 1994, after longtime owner Malcolm Glazer died on May 28, 2014. Glazer's sons took over team operations.
The 2015 season was the St. Louis Rams' 78th in the National Football League (NFL), their fourth under head coach Jeff Fisher, and their 21st and final season in St. Louis, Missouri, their home since the 1995 season.
The 2015 Tennessee Titans season was the franchise's 46th season in the National Football League, the 56th overall and the 19th in the state of Tennessee. Second-year head coach Ken Whisenhunt was fired on November 3 following a 1–6 start, and was replaced by tight ends coach Mike Mularkey on an interim basis. Despite slightly improving from their 2–14 season from the previous year, finishing with a 3–13 record, they finished with a lower Strength of Schedule, thus earning the right to the top pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, later trading it to the Los Angeles Rams.
The 2015 season was the Carolina Panthers' 21st in the National Football League (NFL) and their fifth under head coach Ron Rivera. This season marked the first time in team history they played on Thanksgiving. The Panthers had their best single-season turnaround in team history, going from 7–8–1 to 15–1.
The 2015 season was the New Orleans Saints' 49th in the National Football League (NFL), their 40th playing home games at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and their ninth under head coach Sean Payton. On November 16, 2015, the Saints hired Dennis Allen to replace fired defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. However, the Saints still missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season. The Saints set a new league record for the most passing touchdowns allowed with 45.
The 2015 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's 40th season in the National Football League and the second under head coach Lovie Smith. The offseason was marked by the draft selection of All-American Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston first overall in the 2015 NFL Draft. The team wore a patch to commemorate the club's 40th season.
The 2016 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's 51st season in the National Football League (NFL) and the second under head coach Dan Quinn. It also marked the team's 25th and final season playing their home games at the Georgia Dome, as the Falcons moved into the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2017. The Falcons won the NFC South for the first time since 2012 and improved on their 8–8 record from 2015, going 11–5 and earning the second seed in the NFC playoffs. Quarterback Matt Ryan was named the 2016 NFL MVP. The Falcons scored 540 points, the most in the NFL for 2016 and 8th all-time. The team scored fewer than 23 points only once all season: a 24–15 loss to the Eagles.
The 2016 season was the Carolina Panthers' 22nd in the National Football League and their sixth under head coach Ron Rivera. It was also the team's 20th season at Bank of America Stadium. The previous year, the Panthers achieved their highest win total in franchise history with a 15–1 record, but lost to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50. They entered the 2016 season as the defending NFC champions and NFC South champions and hope to repeat as NFC champions.
The 2016 season was the New Orleans Saints' 50th in the National Football League (NFL), their 41st playing home games at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, and their 10th under head coach Sean Payton. The Saints matched their 7–9 record from 2014 and 2015, and missed the playoffs for the third year in a row. One highlight from the season includes quarterback Drew Brees' first return to San Diego for the first time since the Chargers released him at the end of the 2005 season, also where Brees played his first five seasons in. This came 10 years after the Chargers released Brees after the Saints' previous regular season meetings with the Chargers were home games for the Saints, and including a 2008 meeting at Wembley Stadium in London, a game which New Orleans was designated as the home team.
The 2016 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's 41st season in the National Football League and the first under head coach Dirk Koetter. In week 13, the club won their seventh game, eclipsing their win total from 2015.
The 2017 season was the Carolina Panthers' 23rd in the National Football League (NFL) and their seventh under head coach Ron Rivera. During the offseason, the team's notable free agent signings included Matt Kalil, Captain Munnerlyn and veteran Julius Peppers. Peppers previously spent his first eight seasons with the Panthers, appearing in Super Bowl XXXVIII with them. On July 17, 2017, the team announced Dave Gettleman had been relieved as general manager. His predecessor, Marty Hurney, was hired as interim general manager a day later. For the first time since 2011, the Panthers did not play the Seattle Seahawks during the regular season. The Panthers rebounded after a disappointing 2016 campaign, where they were the defending NFC champions but finished 6–10 and last in the NFC South. 2017 saw the Panthers qualify for the playoffs with an 11–5 record. However, they lost to the Saints 31–26 in the Wild Card round.
The 2018 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 59th in the National Football League (NFL), their 30th under the ownership of Jerry Jones, their 10th playing their home games at AT&T Stadium, and their eighth full season under head coach Jason Garrett. AT&T Stadium also became the first stadium venue to host the annual draft. For the first time since 2009, wide receiver Dez Bryant was not on the opening day roster, as he was released on April 13, 2018 and later signed with the New Orleans Saints on November 7, 2018. For the first time since 2002, tight end Jason Witten was not on the opening day roster, having announced his retirement on May 3, 2018. For the first time since 2010, kicker Dan Bailey was not on the opening day roster, as he was released on September 1, 2018.
The 2018 season was the Carolina Panthers' 24th in the National Football League (NFL) and their eighth under head coach Ron Rivera. It was the team's first season without former assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, who became head coach of the Arizona Cardinals in the offseason and former offensive coordinator Mike Shula, who became the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator of the New York Giants.
The 2018 season was the New Orleans Saints' 52nd in the National Football League (NFL), their 43rd at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and their 12th under head coach Sean Payton.
The 2018 season was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 43rd in the National Football League (NFL) and their third and final under head coach Dirk Koetter.
The 2019 season was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 44th in the National Football League (NFL), their 22nd playing their home games at Raymond James Stadium and their first under head coach Bruce Arians. Despite improving on their 5–11 record from 2018 with a Week 14 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, the Buccaneers missed the playoffs for the twelfth consecutive season, which meant the Buccaneers were one of two teams to not qualify for the postseason in the 2010s, with the other team being the Cleveland Browns.
The 2023 season was the New Orleans Saints' 57th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 48th to host games at the Caesars Superdome and the second under head coach Dennis Allen. The team improved on their 7–10 record from 2022, but missed the playoffs for a third consecutive season. The Saints finished tied with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the NFC South division title, as well as in a three-way tie with the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks for the last Wild Card spot; however, the Saints lost both tiebreakers.
The 2023 season was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 48th in the National Football League (NFL), their tenth under the leadership of general manager Jason Licht and their second under head coach Todd Bowles. Tampa Bay finished 9–8 and won their third consecutive NFC South division title. They also made the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, their longest such streak since 1999–2002.
