RB Bo Jackson, 1986 First Round, Auburn

The year 1986 was a banner draft year for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Not only did they draft Rod "Toast" Jones with their second first-round pick, they used the No. 1 overall choice on Auburn legendary running back Bo Jackson.

The only problem is Bo Jackson told the Buccaneers before the draft that he would never play for the team and would rather go play baseball.

Yet the Bucs decided to draft Jackson anyway. Bo stayed true to his word and went to the major leagues with the Kansas City Royals.

Tampa Bay owner Hugh Culverhouse refused to accept defeat and continued to try to sign Jackson all the way to the 1987 draft, when the team's rights to Jackson expired.

The Bucs never traded away his rights and ended up getting nothing for the first overall pick.

Bo would eventually join the league, playing four years for the Raiders.

"over my dead body" ~ dreams come true in Tampa Bo... dreams come true... Welcome to the dreamcicles!

DE Ron Holmes, 1985 First Round, Washington

He was supposed to be the next Lee Roy Selmon but instead became Tampa Bay's latest bust.

Ron Holmes played four years with the Buccaneers, managing just 19 sacks in 50 games. He never registered more than eight sacks in a season and eventually went to Denver, where he played another four seasons.

Michael Joseph Alstott (born December 21, 1973, Joliet, Illinois), nicknamed "A-Train", is a former American football fullback in the National Football League. He spent his entire 12-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Purdue. During his career, Alstott was selected to six Pro Bowls and was the starting fullback with the Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII.

Career stats
Rushing yards 5,088
Average 3.7
Touchdowns 71
Stats at NFL.com
Career highlights and awards
6× Pro Bowl selection (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002)
3× First-Team All-Pro selection (1997, 1998, 1999)
Second-Team All-Pro selection (1996)
Super Bowl champion (XXXVII)
3× Boilermakers MVP (1993-1995)
Consensus All-Big Ten (1995)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers #40 retired

Alstott was regarded as one of the league's best power runners during his career, known for running over defenders and breaking tackles. In his time, the six-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro was one of the few fullbacks who still carried the ball on a regular basis. Alstott is the leading scorer among non-kickers of the Buccaneers and he leads his team in touchdowns as well. Alstott holds the Buccaneers team record for touchdowns scored with 76 and was well-known as a team player.

He was a member of the Buccaneers team that won Super Bowl XXXVII (2003), played at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA. Alstott had an impressive performance in the game, rushing for 15 yards and a touchdown, the first one in that game, and the first Super Bowl touchdown in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history. He also caught five passes for 43 yards.

Alstott was not always a star player in the NFL. In fact, he played his first two NFL games with the name on the back of his jersey reading "Alsott" due to an oversight by team management.

Alstott signed a one-year contract to stay in Tampa Bay for the 2005 season, and signed a similar contract at the conclusion of the 2006 season after contemplating retirement. However, he spent all of the 2007 season on injured reserve because of neck problems, leading to his retirement on January 24, 2008.

In the summer of 2007, shortly before he suffered his season-ending and ultimately career-ending neck injury, Alstott appeared in a television commercial for ESPN Fantasy Football along with then former Falcon Warrick Dunn, who was later signed by the Buccaneers.

He was ranked #10 on the NFL Network's "Top Ten Power Backs".

Connor Thomas Barth (born April 11, 1986 in Arlington, Virginia) is an American football placekicker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at North Carolina.

Barth was signed by the Buccaneers on November 3, 2009 after the Bucs released Shane Andrus. Barth tied an NFL record held by three other kickers when he made three field goals of 50 yards or more against the Miami Dolphins on November 15, 2009; the kicks were from 51, 50 and 54 yards. The record is shared with Morten Andersen, Neil Rackers and Kris Brown. On November 22, 2009 he became the first place kicker to serve as his own holder during an NFL game.

On December 27, 2009 Barth kicked a 47 yard overtime field goal to give the Bucs the win over New Orleans, 20-17.

Jeremy Kwazi Zuttah (born June 1, 1986 in Edison, New Jersey) is an American football offensive lineman for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buccaneers in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Rutgers.

Zuttah was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round (83rd overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft. He signed a multi-year contract with the team on July 22.

Antonio Bryant (born March 9, 1981 in Miami, Florida)

On March 10, 2008, Bryant signed a deal for the veteran minimum with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He had a career game on Monday Night Football against the Carolina Panthers. He had 9 receptions for 200 yards, including a one-handed touchdown catch dubbed "catch of the year". Despite his performance, the Buccaneers lost 38-23. Bryant finished the 2008 season with 83 catches for 1,248 yards and 7 touchdowns while averaging 15 yards per catch. He was the Buccaneers' leading receiver. On February 18, 2009, Bryant was given the franchise tag by the Buccaneers[3], which he accepted on February 26, 2009. On February 25, 2010, after a somewhat disappointing and injury-plagued season, Antonio Bryant was released by the Buccaneers.

Joseph Keyshawn Johnson (born on July 22, 1972 in Los Angeles, California) is a former American football wide receiver, interior designer, business executive,author and current television broadcaster for sports channel ESPN. He retired from football on May 23, 2007 after an eleven-year career in the National Football League. He played for the New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers. His college career was at the University of Southern California.

Johnson was traded on April 12, 2000 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for two first round draft choices (12th - Shaun Ellis - and 27th - Anthony Becht - overall) in the 2000 NFL Draft.[1] Soon after Johnson arrived in Tampa Bay, they signed him to a 8-year, $56 million contract extension with the Buccaneers that made him the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL.[2] At that time, he was joining a team that fell one game short of the Super Bowl the previous season. However, in 2002 Johnson went on to win a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers after the arrival of new head coach Jon Gruden, who had succeeded Tony Dungy. However, his bitter relationship with Gruden led to his de-activation of the final 7 games of the 2003 season. It led to his eventual trade to the Dallas Cowboys the following off-season where he would be reunited with Bill Parcells, his coach while he was with the New York Jets.

On May 23, 2007, Johnson announced he was retiring from the NFL, reportedly turning down offers by several teams, including the Tennessee Titans. Titans' Head Coach Jeff Fisher, who became friends with Johnson while he played at USC, said he thought Johnson's numbers and production spoke for themselves: "He still played at a high-level last year. He takes very good care of himself," Fisher said. "He hasn't had any injuries per se. Anytime you get a chance to bring an experienced veteran in to add to your roster then it's a good thing." On the same day, Johnson announced he would be forming and playing for the TransylBaynians.

Corey Terrell Ivy (born March 29, 1977 in St. Louis, Missouri)

Ivy was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on June 4 2001. He made his NFL debut at the Detroit Lions on November 11 and recorded six tackles. In 2002 he played in all 16 regular season games and three postseason games and was a member of the victorious Super Bowl XXXVII team. The following season he again played in all 16 contests and finished the season with 17 tackles. In 2004 he played in all 16 games for the third season running posting 17 special teams tackles.

WR Dexter Jackson, 2008 Second Round, App State

Desperate to find speed at the wide receiver position, the Buccaneers reached on Dexter Jackson after an early second-round run on wide receivers saw some top names come off the board.

Jackson never caught a pass for Tampa Bay and was relegated to punt and kickoff return duties. He would eventually be replaced in that capacity by free agent Clifton Smith.

Jackson lasted one season with the Bucs, being cut during the 2009 training camp.

DE Keith McCants, 1990 First Round, Alabama

Drafted fourth overall in 1990, Keith McCants joined a long line of Buccaneer defensive end busts.

McCants was nicknamed "Mc Can't" because he couldn't seem to do the one job he was assigned: Get to the opposing QB.

In three years in Tampa Bay, McCants had a total of 12 sacks.

DE Booker Reese, 1982 Second Round, Bethune-Cookman

The Buccaneers could say they busted three times on Booker Reese.

First, they attempted to draft him in the first round with the 17th overall selection, but miscommunication on the draft floor had the Bucs pick guard Sean Farrell.

So convinced were the Bucs of Booker's talent that they traded their first-round pick in 1983 to the Chicago Bears for Chicago's second-round pick, 32nd overall.

Booker played two seasons in Tampa Bay, registering two career sacks. He would be traded in the middle of his second season to the LA Rams for a 12th-round pick. The Rams would have to send Reese to drug rehab.

Reese would never make it back into the NFL and was released in 2007 after serving time in the Okaloosa Correctional Facility for possession of cocaine.

The player the Bears drafted with the Bucs' 1983 No. 1 pick? Wide receiver Willie Gault.

Niko Stelios Koutouvides (born March 25, 1981 in Plainville, Connecticut) is an American football linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue.

Koutouvides has also played for the Denver Broncos.

Koutouvides signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on March 2, 2009

Derrick Dewan Brooks (born April 18, 1973 in Pensacola, Florida) is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buccaneers 28th overall in the 1995 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State.

An eleven-time Pro Bowl selection and nine-time All-Pro, Brooks was named AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2002. He earned a Super Bowl ring with the Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII.

Brooks was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round, 28th overall, of the 1995 NFL Draft.[4] Brooks played 14 years for the Buccaneers and is widely considered one of, it not the best player in the history of the franchise and one of the best linebackers in the history of the National Football League.[5][6] From 1995 to 2008 Brooks started 221 of 224 games, recording 1,698 tackles, 13.5 sacks, 25 interceptions, and six touchdowns. He was selected to the Pro Bowl 11 times, including 10 straight from 1997 to 2006, was an All-Pro nine times, was the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2002, and led the team to the franchise's first Super Bowl win in Super Bowl XXXVII.[7]

As a rookie in 1995 Brooks started 13 of 16 games. He finished the season with 78 tackles with a sack and earned first team all-rookie honors from Pro Football Weekly and Pro Football Writers Association. During his second season 1996, he started all 16 games and finished with a team leading 132 tackles and his first career interception. In 1997 Brooks earned his first trip to the Pro Bowl after recording 144 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two interceptions in 16 games. In 1998 Brooks had another Pro Bowl season after recording 156 tackles and an interception.

In 1999 Brooks made the Pro Bowl for the third time and was a first team All-Pro selection for the first time in his career. For the season he had 153 tackles, two sacks, and four interceptions. In 2000 Brooks earned his fourth consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl and his second consecutive first team All-Pro selection. He finished the season with 140 tackles, a sack, and had his first career touchdown on a 34 yard interception from Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper. Brooks was also, along with Jim Flanigan of the Chicago Bears, the winner of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, given to a National Football League player for his community service activities as well as his excellence on the field.[8] Brooks made his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl in 2001 after recording 112 tackles and three interceptions.

Brooks best season came in 2002. During that year he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press and helped the Buccaneers win the franchises first Super Bowl. He also made his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl and was a first team All-Pro selection for the third time. For the season he had 117 tackles, a sack, and returned a NFL record, for a linebacker, five touchdowns (two off fumbles and three off interceptions).[9] During the Buccaneers 48 to 21 victory over the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII, he returned an interception off of Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon 44 yards for a touchdown.[10]

In 2003 Brooks broke Lee Roy Selmon's team record for most consecutive Pro Bowl appearances with seven. He finished the season with 101 tackles, a sack, two interceptions, and returned an interception for a touchdown. In 2004 Brooks made his eighh consecutive Pro Bowl and fourth first team All-Pro selection after recording 137 tackles, three sacks, and an interception. In 2005 Brooks made his ninth consecutive Pro Bowl and earned his fourth first team All-Pro selection. He finished the season with 125 tackles, three sacks, and an interception.

In Brooks 10th consecutive Pro Bowl in 2006, he was named the MVP after returning a Trent Green interception 59 yards for a touchdown to secure the victory for the NFC.[11] During the regular season he had 121 tackles, three interceptions and a touchdown. In 2007 Brooks had 109 tackles and was not voted to the Pro Bowl for the first time since 1996. In Brooks last year with the Buccaneers in 2008 he recorded 73 tackles and an interception and was selected to his 11th Pro Bowl. The 11 Pro Bowls are tied for second most by a linebacker in NFL history.

On February 25, 2009 the Buccaneers released Brooks.[12]

After spending all of the 2009 season as a free agent, Brooks officially announced his retirement on On August 11, 2010