October 7, 2026
October 7, 2026
The very beginnings of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers franchise in the National Football League were humble, to put it kindly. The Buccaneers were easily the worst team in the league, and the quality of play was so poor that they went winless in their first 26 games, spanning two seasons. From 1976 to 1978, the Buccaneers were little more than an afterthought in the NFL, but the 1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season would finally change all of that.
In 1979, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers went 10-6, finishing in a tie with the Chicago Bears for first place in the NFC Central Division. By way of tiebreaker, the Buccaneers became NFC Central Division champions for the first time in franchise history. Tampa Bay went 6-2 in divisional play and 8-6 in conference play, and the team finished 5-3 both at home in Tampa Stadium and on the road.
Quarterback Doug Williams got his start with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after being drafted with the 17th overall pick in the first round of the 1978 NFL Draft. Only Buccaneers offensive coordinator Joe Gibbs bothered to visit Williams at Grambling University to watch him work out. While his 1978 rookie season was cut short by injuries, Williams made the most of his second season. He completed 166 of 397 pass attempts for 2,448 yards and 18 touchdowns while throwing 24 interceptions, and he added 35 rushing attempts for 119 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Fullback Ricky Bell was voted team Most Valuable Player for his strong production on the field. Bell carried the ball 283 times for 1,263 yards and 7 touchdowns while adding 25 receptions for 248 yards and 2 touchdowns. Running back Jerry Eckwood had 194 rushing attempts for 690 yards and 2 touchdowns, along with 22 receptions for 268 yards. Running back Johnny Davis added 59 rushing attempts for 221 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Wide receiver Isaac Hagins caught 39 passes for 692 yards and 3 touchdowns. Tight end Jimmy Giles hauled in 40 receptions for 579 yards and 7 touchdowns. Wide receiver Morris Owens had 20 receptions for 377 yards, and wide receiver Larry Mucker caught 14 passes for 268 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Special teams production also helped keep Tampa Bay in plenty of games. Running back and wide receiver George Ragsdale returned 34 kicks for 675 yards, while defensive back Danny Reece returned 70 punts for 431 yards.
Defense was the key to the 1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ remarkable turnaround, as the team found ways to take the ball away from opposing offenses. Free safety Cedric Brown had 3 interceptions for 79 yards and 1 fumble recovery. Left cornerback Jeris White had 3 interceptions and 1 fumble recovery, and right cornerback Mike Washington had 3 interceptions for 64 yards and 1 touchdown.
Right outside linebacker Cecil Johnson and nose tackle Bill Kollar each recovered 4 fumbles. Strong safety Mike Cotney had 1 interception, and linebacker Dewey Selmon was named to the Associated Press Second Team All-NFL.
Left outside linebacker Dave Lewis had 2 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries for 39 yards and 1 touchdown, and right inside linebacker Richard Wood had 2 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries. Lewis was named a First Team All-NFC selection by United Press International and a Second Team All-NFL selection.
Right defensive end Lee Roy Selmon became the standout performer on Tampa Bay’s defense, recording 2 fumble recoveries for 29 yards and 1 touchdown. Selmon received numerous honors for his outstanding play in 1979, winning both the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award and the NFL Defensive Lineman of the Year Award. He was also named to the Pro Bowl and earned All-Pro First Team honors from the Associated Press, Pro Football Weekly, Newspaper Enterprise Association, and Pro Football Writers Association.
Catching the rest of the NFL completely off guard, the 1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers jumped out to a perfect 5-0 start in the regular season. The 5-game winning streak began in Week 1 on September 1 with a 31-16 win over the Detroit Lions and ended in Week 5 on September 30 with a close 17-13 win over the Chicago Bears.
The closest victory the Buccaneers had all season came by a margin of just 2 points, as they beat the Minnesota Vikings 12-10 at Metropolitan Stadium in Week 9 on October 28. Doug Williams completed 12 of 25 passes for 267 yards. In the first quarter, Buccaneers kicker Neil O’Donoghue booted a 22-yard field goal. In the second quarter, Minnesota kicker Rick Danmeier answered with a 28-yard field goal, and the Vikings followed with a 2-yard touchdown reception by tight end Stu Voigt to take a 10-3 lead. In the third quarter, O’Donoghue kicked a 44-yard field goal to make it 10-6, and in the fourth quarter, Ricky Bell punched in a 2-yard touchdown to seal the win.
The most convincing victory of the regular season came in Week 12 on November 18, when the Buccaneers crushed the New York Giants 31-3. Doug Williams completed 12 of 24 passes for 176 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Ricky Bell carried the ball 22 times for 152 yards. In the second quarter, Larry Mucker caught a 10-yard touchdown pass, and Dave Lewis returned a fumble recovery 39 yards for a touchdown. The Giants’ only score came in the third quarter on a 21-yard field goal by kicker Joe Danelo. From there, the Buccaneers pulled away as Mucker added a 42-yard touchdown reception, O’Donoghue kicked a 40-yard field goal, and Johnny Davis capped the scoring with a 4-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
The Buccaneers clinched a playoff spot in the most unusual way imaginable, winning in Week 16 on December 16. Tampa Stadium was drenched with steady rainfall so heavy that the game became known as the “Rain Bowl.” The Buccaneers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 3-0, needing just a 19-yard field goal from O’Donoghue to send Tampa Bay to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
The Divisional Round proved to be a good first step in legitimizing the Buccaneers, as they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 24-17 on December 29. Ricky Bell had a great game on the ground, carrying the ball 38 times for 142 yards and 2 touchdowns. Bell opened the scoring with a 4-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, and O’Donoghue added a 40-yard field goal in the second quarter before Bell punched in a 1-yard touchdown run. Philadelphia answered with an 11-yard touchdown reception by wide receiver Charlie Smith, and Eagles kicker Tony Franklin booted a 42-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, Jimmy Giles caught a 9-yard touchdown pass, and wide receiver and tight end Harold Carmichael added a 37-yard touchdown reception for the Eagles, but Philadelphia fell one touchdown short.
The NFC Championship Game was the last stop for the Buccaneers, who were shut out 9-0 by the Los Angeles Rams. Despite that result, the Buccaneers had exceeded the expectations of even the harshest football critics. Head coach John McKay was recognized for turning the team around, earning Football News Coach of the Year honors. The Buccaneers also led the NFL in fewest sacks allowed with just 12, and the entire offensive line was honored by the NFL Players Association as a symbol of unity and strength. The next few years saw the Buccaneers go up and down like a roller coaster, swinging from a losing team to a competitive one.
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