The 50 Most Notable Players In Bucs History (Nos. 6-10)
August 4th, 2025
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BY IRA KAUFMAN
With the Buccaneers on the brink of their 50th season, I’m counting down the 50 most notable players in franchise history. We’ve reached the Top 10!
No. 50 – Mark Cotney
No. 49 – Mike Washington
No. 48 – Richard “Batman” Wood
No. 47 – Aqib Talib
No. 46 – Ricky Reynolds
No. 45 – Keyshawn Johnson
No. 44 – Ricky Bell
No. 43 – Vincent Jackson
No. 42 – Mark Carrier
No. 41 – Donnie Abraham
No. 40 – Cadillac Williams
No. 39 – Joey Galloway
No. 38 – Kevin House
No. 37 – Davin Joseph
No. 36 – Shelton Quarles
No. 35 – Michael Pittman
No. 34 – Leonard Fournette
No. 33 – Donovan Smith
No. 32 – Rob Gronkowski
No. 31 – Doug Martin
No. 30 – Baker Mayfield
No. 29 – Ndamukong Suh
No. 28 – Hugh Green
No. 27 – Jason Pierre-Paul
No. 26 – Shaq Barrett
Six-time Pro Bowler Gerald McCoy checked in at No. 23.
No. 25 – Donald Penn
No. 24 – Brad Johnson
No. 23 – Gerald McCoy
No. 22 – Ali Marpet
No. 21 – Vita Vea
No. 20 – Tony Mayberry
No. 19 – Antoine Winfield Jr.
No. 18 – Warrick Dunn
No. 17 – Chris Godwin
No. 16 – James Wilder
No. 15 – Jimmie Giles
No. 14 – Hardy Nickerson
No. 13 – Mike Alstott
No. 12 – Paul Gruber
No. 11 – Doug Williams
10. Simeon Rice
The newest member of the Bucs Ring of Honor averaged 13.5 sacks in his first five seasons in Tampa. Signed as a free agent from Arizona in 2001, Rice was an integral component of a 2002 defense that has few peers. “Now I’m in a situation where I can really blossom and get into the genius of my game,” he said upon joining the Bucs “I think it’s going to take this defense to heavenly heights.” Rice also posted seven sacks and four forced fumbles in five playoff games with Tampa Bay. He dropped league MVP Rich Gannon twice and forced a fumble in the Super Bowl.
9. Tristan Wirfs
By the time his career is finished, Wirfs could be Top 5 on this list. He’s an athletic freak who has starred at both right tackle and left tackle. In the past four seasons, he made the Pro Bowl each year and was named to the All-Pro team three times. “He’s just one of those guys that’s not supposed to be moving the way he’s moving,” says Eagles stud tackle Lane Johnson. As a pass blocker, Wirfs is a master of technique. When he gives up a sack, Buc fans can’t believe their eyes. It doesn’t happen often.
8. Tom Brady
Who else could come to One Buc Place and immediately show the way for a franchise reeling from a 12-year playoff drought? Brady’s championship pedigree proved to be a game-changer, raising accountability and installing confidence among teammates. In Brady’s first season in Tampa, the Bucs closed with an 8-game winning streak and secured their second Vince Lombardi Trophy. Brady went 32-18 in his three Buc seasons and never missed a game while averaging 36 TD passes. Despite his short stint in Tampa, he ranks third among Buc players in career passing yards, third in pass attempts, second in completions and second in TD passes. He also owns three of the top four franchise marks for passing yards in a season.
7. John Lynch
Before Tony Dungy was hired in 1996, Lynch started only 10 games in his first three pro seasons. Once he was established as a smart, hard-hitting safety, Lynch earned five Pro Bowl berths and four All-Pro honors as a Buccaneer. He ranks sixth in career interceptions, eighth in starts and sixth in tackles for Tampa Bay. With the Bucs trailing 13-0, it was Lynch’s interception against Washington that sparked the 1999 Bucs to a playoff victory.
6. Lavonte David
A franchise cornerstone since 2012, David ranks behind only Ronde Barber and Derrick Brooks in games played and only Brooks has registered more tackles. A 3-time All-Pro, David has made the NFL Top 100 list seven times in voting by his peers. He stands No. 8 on the league’s career tackle list, No. 9 in tackles for loss and tied for 27th with 31 forced fumbles as he approaches his 14th season as a Buccaneer.
August 4th, 2025 at 10:32 am
Time to speculate on the top 5. It should include Sapp, Brooks, Barber and Evans. Who have I omitted?
August 4th, 2025 at 10:33 am
GO BUCS
August 4th, 2025 at 10:33 am
All deserving and Wirfs is climbing fast. One more Super Bowl for he and Lavonte for a boost, hopefully. “Notable” seems tough to define. Doug Williams seems like he should be up there a little higher, unless it’s just “best.” If it is best, he should be a lot lower!
August 4th, 2025 at 10:33 am
“him” probably!
August 4th, 2025 at 10:39 am
So for Top 5 it must be (in no particular order):
Derek Brooks
Ronde Barber
Warren Sapp
Lee Roy Selmon
Mike Evans
August 4th, 2025 at 10:49 am
Well let’s see..
That leaves Derrick, Ronde, and Lee Roy and ME13
Who’s the last?
August 4th, 2025 at 11:06 am
If Lee Roy is not #1 then your list is wrong.
August 4th, 2025 at 11:07 am
1 Brooks 2 Sapp 3 Selmon 4 Barber 5 Evans would be my choice but you can definitely make the case that any of the top 3 could be #1
August 4th, 2025 at 11:15 am
Much as I appreciate Brady and all that he did for the ball club, he came to an ultra-talented team that was ready to win. I would not give him top ten status, had we won two with the GOAT, then maybe top 10, just my opinion, between 14 – 18
August 4th, 2025 at 11:38 am
Duh. Sapp.
For some reason, I thought he was already on the list
August 4th, 2025 at 11:39 am
Brooks might be the best Buc ever but I agree with those who say Lee Roy Selmon is tops for “most notable.” A major highway, USF Athletics, first pick ever, etc., etc. Selmon was as good as Brooks probably, anyway, outside longevity.
August 4th, 2025 at 12:00 pm
Doug Williams – #11?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
Ya – OK.
August 4th, 2025 at 12:08 pm
I need a clickable list for the top 50
August 4th, 2025 at 12:10 pm
Can’t believe I omitted Lee Roy. Duhhhh!!!!
In order:
Selmon
Brooks
Evans
Barber
Sapp
August 4th, 2025 at 12:16 pm
Agree with Marine. Williams had a very low completion percentage.
August 4th, 2025 at 12:51 pm
Steven #55, you nailed it. I thought Selmon was already on the list, but looking back, I was wrong. A HOFer, he definitely is in the Top 5 along with Evans, Sapp, Brooks and Barber.
August 4th, 2025 at 1:13 pm
This list is out of order. Many players are not in the spot they are supposed to be in.
Too many to even start listing them
August 4th, 2025 at 1:38 pm
Sapp’s #1
August 4th, 2025 at 1:55 pm
I watched Doug Williams at the Old Sombrero, he was electric and had a cannon arm.
He got us to the NFC Championship game in our 4th season of existence.
Completion % be dam(n)ed.
August 4th, 2025 at 2:01 pm
Always loved when DWilliams would drop that right shoulder … he was gonna launch.
August 4th, 2025 at 2:18 pm
5. Evans
4. Barber
3. Selmon
2. Sapp
1. Brooks
Pretty easy to rank the final 5 if you ask me….
Glad to see LD54 so high on the list – he deserves every accolade he gets – and then some…..
August 4th, 2025 at 2:34 pm
If you stick to “most notable” it has to be Selmon.
Overall #1, First ever pick for the franchise. First in the HOF. Great Man and citizen of Tampa. Oh and great player too..
August 4th, 2025 at 3:44 pm
Thanks PSL Bob
August 4th, 2025 at 4:12 pm
@ Dooosh
I wish Doug Williams would have received the 2nd contract in Tampa he deserved and I am fine with him being listed in the top 50 or so – but #11?
Come on bro…
In my humble opinion – Winston > Williams.
August 4th, 2025 at 4:35 pm
C’mon ira. I thought this was joes list who wasn’t even a bucs fan all along. Hardy Dickerson not in the top ten makes the list no bueno. Toss it out start over.
August 4th, 2025 at 4:37 pm
You can tell the people who didn’t to to games by how they rank. Back then the games weren’t on tv unless it was a sellout. Which was rare. If you didnt go you didn’t know. It’s obvious some of you judge by what you heard.
August 4th, 2025 at 4:57 pm
I’m going to say something that’s going to be controversial. I’m surprised that Jameis Winston isn’t anywhere in the top 50 list. This is a top 50 notable list and you can’t tell the story of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers without talking about Jameis Winston. Yes, he was a bust and I’m glad he’s gone, but he was the talk of the town for better or worse over 5 years.
August 4th, 2025 at 5:48 pm
No Ryan Jensen in the top 50 seems to be the most notable omission to me.
August 4th, 2025 at 6:09 pm
Doosh – Williams was everything you say he is. I was a HUGE fan. Like Marine I wish he had received the 2nd contract, and I still believe to this date that sadly, race was a factor in his not getting it. If he had remained with the Bucs, no telling how high he could have reached up this list. His Superbowl performance with the Redskins was one for the ages.
When Williams was not re-signed, the franchise plunged into a lengthy tailspin until the Dungy era. That gave the appearance that he must have been carrying the team prior to his departure which may have factored into Ira’s generous ranking.
I would not have ranked him 11th, but I am glad that Ira chose to place him there.
August 4th, 2025 at 6:58 pm
Wonderful work Ira
And a Joy to see Rice and David ranked in Top 10
August 4th, 2025 at 7:42 pm
I never really care about the order of lists because it’s so subjective but I will say he has the top 10 correct.
Rice, Wirfs, Brady, Lynch, LVD,
Barber, Selmon, Sapp, Evans, Brooks
Godwin, Vea, Baker, Winfield Jr are the current ones that have a real shot at moving up in a big way over the next few years.
August 4th, 2025 at 8:34 pm
Really Doug Williams number 11????
Come on Ira, you were here in the early years weren’t you? Doug Williams should be top 3! I think you must have completely forgotten the owner of the Bucs at that time. He was a terrible NFL Owner and Bo Jackson knew who he was. Doug came out of Grambling and literally took this team and town and made us a NFL Franchise. You rank him 11?
I can’t wait to see who else you ranked above Doug, you already got one wrong with Rice. He was a great talent surrounded by great talent. That wasn’t the case for Doug.
You owe Doug Williams another apology.
August 4th, 2025 at 10:02 pm
Doug W. was the game changer for the franchise. There wasn’t much talent on the offensive side of the ball around him. And, he was tough as nails.
August 5th, 2025 at 9:27 am
Anyone thinking Leeroy is #1 is just out of their skull
Brooks & Sapp were first ballot Hall of Famers that won a title and multiple playoff games. Selmon was not, he’s in the top 5 for sure but doesn’t deserve to be number 1 at all
August 5th, 2025 at 9:36 am
My guess is:
#5 Sapp
#4 Evans
#3 Barber
#2 Brooks
#1 Selmon
But #3-5 could prob go in any order.