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.
The Orange Tornadoes and Newark Tornadoes were two manifestations of a long-lived professional American football franchise that existed in some form from 1887 to 1941 and from 1958 to 1970, having played in the American Amateur Football Union from 1888 to 1895, the National Football League from 1929 to 1930, the American Association from 1936 to 1941, the Atlantic Coast Football League from 1963 to 1964 and 1970, and the Continental Football League from 1965 to 1969. The team was based for most of its history in Orange, New Jersey, with many of its later years in Newark. Its last five seasons of existence were as the Orlando Panthers, when the team was based in Orlando, Florida. The NFL franchise was sold back to the league in October 1930. The team had four head coaches in its two years in the NFL – Jack Depler in Orange, and Jack Fish, Al McGall and Andy Salata in Newark.
Tampa Stadium was a large open-air stadium located in Tampa, Florida, which opened in 1967 and was significantly expanded in 1974–75. The facility is most closely associated with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League, who played there from their establishment in 1976 until 1997. It also hosted two Super Bowls, in 1984 and 1991, as well as the 1984 USFL Championship Game. To meet the revenue demands of the Buccaneers' new owners, Raymond James Stadium was built nearby in 1998, and Tampa Stadium was demolished in early 1999.
Joseph Michael Jurevicius is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1998 NFL draft. He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Isaac Jason Hilliard is an American football coach and former wide receiver who is the wide receivers coach for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played primarily with the New York Giants.
Lucas George Petitgout is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the New York Giants 19th overall in the 1999 NFL draft. Petitgout played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. He also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Petitgout played a total of nine seasons in the NFL.
John Terrence Lynch Jr. is an American football executive and former safety who is the general manager of the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Stanford and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1993 NFL draft, later winning Super Bowl XXXVII with them. Lynch also spent four seasons with the Denver Broncos before retiring in 2008 and working as a color commentator for NFL on Fox games until being named general manager of the 49ers in 2017. He made nine Pro Bowls during his career and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021.
Gerald Louis Carter is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the ninth round of the 1980 NFL draft. A 6'1", 190-lb. wide receiver from Texas A&M, Carter played in 8 NFL seasons from 1980 to 1987. Carter's peak performance in his career came during the 1984 season for the Buccaneers when he caught 60 receptions for 816 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Sean Ward Farrell is an American former professional football player who was a guard for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, and Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). Farrell attended Westhampton Beach High School in Westhampton Beach, New York, where he was a football and track star. He then played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, earning All-American honors in 1980 and 1981.
This article details the history of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers American football franchise.
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 an equal league-worst 2–14 record 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.
Robert Kenneth Willis II is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and New York Giants. He played college football at the University of Kentucky.
Talma W. "Tut" Imlay was an American football player who played two seasons in the National Football League (NFL) in 1926 and in 1927. During those two years, Tut played for the Los Angeles Buccaneers and the New York Giants. In 1927, Tut won an NFL Championship with the Giants. In 1926, Imlay earned 1st Team All-NFL honors by the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
Deone Ariel Bucannon is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. He played college football for the Washington State Cougars. Originally drafted as a safety, Bucannon transitioned to play a hybrid safety-linebacker role in the Cardinals's 3–4 defense.
Alexander "Ali" Marpet is an American former professional football guard who played seven seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL).
Brian Burns is an American football linebacker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida State and was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft.
The International Player Pathway Program (IPPP) is a program run by the National Football League (NFL) to increase the number of players from outside the United States or Canada in the NFL. The program was formed as part of the NFL's strategy to grow globally as it provides athletes with the opportunity to play in the league. Its aim is to increase the pool of talent and ultimately drive global fan growth.
Kyle Jacob Trask is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida and was selected by the Buccaneers in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Carter Coughlin is an American football linebacker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Minnesota, and was selected by the Giants in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL draft.
