During the month of June, the Last Word On Sports NFL department will construct a Mount Rushmore for each team. For this series, we will only consider players. Today, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the focus.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Mount Rushmore
Derrick Brooks
There have been two constants within the Tampa Bay Buccaneers franchise: defense and middle linebacker Derrick Brooks. Before his stellar professional career, he was a standout collegiate defender at Florida State. He had a great deal of success at the college level by winning ACC Defensive Player of the Year and a national championship. Coming to a historically-moribund franchise was a tremendous adjustment for the rookie linebacker. Upon Brooks’ NFL arrival, Tampa was coming off of 13 consecutive losing seasons. Fortunately for the Buccaneers, Brooks’ presence was instrumental in molding the team into a championship contender.
Brooks earned his first Pro Bowl bid in 1997 after leading the Bucs to the playoffs, which was their first postseason appearance since 1982. After Wild Card round eliminations from 1999-2001, Tampa Bay finally earned its first championship in 2002 after a dominant victory over the Oakland Raiders. Hoisting the Lombardi Trophy as one of his top accomplishments, Brooks would eventually garner 11 Pro Bowls (nine All-Pro selections), an NFL Defensive Player of the Year award and a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.
As great as he was on the gridiron, he was even greater off of it. In 2000, Brooks was given the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award, which is an honor given to the player who greatly contributes in volunteering, charity and works as a humanitarian. In an interview last year, Brooks said, “My role changed from player to leader. I wanted to exceed my talent with hard work.” Easily the franchise’s greatest player, his legacy resides in Canton, Ohio as one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history.
Warren Sapp
Defensive tackle Warren Sapp was another collegiate star from the state of Florida to play for the Bucs. Running the fastest 40-yard dash time for his position at 4.69 seconds, Sapp’s speed, explosiveness and power proved to be a rare and dominant combination during his career. In his first two seasons, he combined for 77 tackles and 12 sacks. He earned his first Pro Bowl selection in 1997 after recording 58 tackles and 10.5 sacks. His 41 tackles, 12.5 sacks and four forced fumbles in the 1999 season earned him NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Before joining the Raiders in 2004, Sapp concluded his nine-year run in Tampa with a Super Bowl championship and all seven of his Pro Bowl selections. His 96.5 sacks are second most all-time by an interior defensive lineman. At the time of his retirement in 2008, Sapp joined teammate Derrick Brooks as one of only six defensive players in NFL history to make the Pro Bowl, be named Defensive Player of the Year and win a league championship. Voted to both the 1990s and 2000s All-Decade teams, Sapp was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013.
Ronde Barber
Choosing a third member from the 2002 championship squad was a toss up between Ronde Barber and strong safety John Lynch, but Barber ultimately got the nod. Unlike Lynch, Barber played his entire pro career with the Bucs, lasting from 1997 until 2012. Of his five Pro Bowl campaigns, he enjoyed his best season in 2001 as he recorded 71 tackles along with career highs in both interceptions (ten) and passes defended (24). During his 16-year career, he tallied at least 59 tackles and two interceptions 14 times. He is the franchise’s all-time leader in interceptions (28), and he also holds league records for most sacks by a cornerback (28) and for most consecutive starts by a defensive back (215).
What made Barber stand out in the eyes of the Buccaneer front office was his consistency and commitment to the franchise. Despite the team’s demise after its title run, he remained a true professional on and off the field of play. In 2011, Barber was the recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award, which is given to the player who exemplifies inspiration, sportsmanship and courage. Football enthusiasts today rave about the press coverage cornerback, but Barber’s excellence in the team’s famed “Tampa 2” zone scheme has definitely earned him a spot in the Hall of Fame.
Lee Roy Selmon
After claiming the Lombardi Award during his days at Oklahoma, defensive end Lee Roy Selmon continued his on-field excellence in the pros. As an expansion team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made Selmon their first ever draft pick in 1976, selecting him first overall. In his rookie season, he was named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year. Three seasons later in 1979, Selmon made his first of six consecutive Pro Bowls, including being named an All-Pro player five times.
Piling up 742 tackles, 28 forced fumbles and an official 78.5 sacks during his career, Selmon was named to the 1980s All-Decade Team and was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995. Known as “The Gentle Giant,” he was respected among his peers for his love and service to people. Selmon passed away in 2011, but his legacy continues to live to this day.
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