Bleacher Report Reveals Buccaneers Mt. Rushmore since 2000

The Buccaneers opened the 21st century with 3 straight playoff appearances, culminating in their first Super Bowl victory over the then-Oakland Raiders in 2002. That season, their dominant defense became the first to lead the league in total defense (4,044 yards), points allowed (196) and interceptions (31) since the legendary 1985 Chicago Bears.

But, from 2009 up until the arrival of Bruce Arians in 2019, Tampa Bay reached 10 wins just once. They did not make a single playoff appearance. Thanks to another guy you might’ve heard of named Tom Brady, the Buccaneers returned to the playoffs in 2020. This time, they boasted a much more well-rounded team, scoring 30 or 31 points in each playoff game en route to a 31-9 rout of Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 55.

All 4 members of the Buccaneers Mt. Rushmore since 2000 have won a Super Bowl, with 3 of them playing on the 2002 championship team and 1 playing on the 2020 championship squad.

Last month, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox compiled a list of each team’s Mt. Rushmore since 2000. For each list, Knox considered several factors, including the following:

• Overall production
• Postseason success
• Contributions to team success
• Individual accolades
• Memorable moments
• Any other relevant team- or player-specific factors

With those factors in mind, let’s dive right in. The Buccaneers Mt. Rushmore since 2000 included the following players:

• CB Ronde Barber
• LB Derrick Brooks
• WR Mike Evans
• DT Warren Sapp

Bucs Boast 3 Hall of Fame Defenders on Mt. Rushmore since 2000

The Buccaneers gained a reputation for their defense under head coach Tony Dungy throughout the late 1990s. The three defenders on the list all played at least 3 seasons for the Buccaneers in the 1990s, establishing one of the league’s best defenses to finish out the decade.

Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks both earned All-Pro First-Team nods in 1999. Sapp took home the DPOY and Brooks finished 5th in voting for the award. Barber played his first season as a full-time starter in 1999, as well.

But, in back-to-back years, the Buccaneers ran into trouble against the Eagles in the Wild Card round. They lost each game by double-digits (21-3 in 2000 and 31-9 in 2001), ultimately deciding to make a change at head coach. The Buccaneers brought in Jon Gruden from Oakland, who had just lost in consecutive years to the eventual Super Bowl champions (2000 Ravens, 2001 Patriots).

Thanks to a defense constructed by his predecessor Tony Dungy and long-time defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, known as the “Father of the Tampa 2” defense, the Buccaneers excelled in 2002. Their defense allowed less than 200 points on the season, good for the 5th-best mark in the Super Bowl era.

While Barber, Brooks and Sapp all began their Buccaneers careers in the 1990s, they played key roles during the team’s 2002 Super Bowl run. Ronde Barber’s signature moment as a Buccaneer came during the 2002 NFC Championship, as he sealed the game with a 92-yard pick-six to extend their lead to 27-10.

Bucs QB Brad Johnson threw an interception on the first drive of the Super Bowl, leading to a 3-0 deficit. But, he and the Buccaneers never looked back after that, scoring 34 unanswered points in the next 38 minutes.

By the end of the game, Tampa Bay had intercepted Raiders QB Rich Gannon 5 times, taking 3 of them back for touchdowns. They remain the only team with more than 1 interception returned for a touchdown during a Super Bowl.

With 5 interceptions and 5 sacks, the Buccaneers defense suffocated the league’s No. 1 offense. They held the Raiders to 269 total yards, and only 19 of those came on the ground.

While Sapp only played 4 seasons in Tampa Bay following the turn of the century, he earned 4 Pro Bowl nods and 3 First-Team All-Pro nods with the Buccaneers. Sapp was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013, one year before his teammate, Derrick Brooks.

Brooks played his whole career in Tampa Bay, making 8 Pro Bowls in his 9 seasons after 2o00. He also earned 4 First-Team All-Pro nods and a DPOY in 2002. He earned his bust in Canton the year after his teammate, Warren Sapp.

Barber was another Buccaneer for life, playing all 16 seasons in Tampa Bay, including 13 seasons after 2000. Between 2001 and 2008, Barber earned 5 Pro Bowl nods and 5 All-Pro teams (3 First-Team, 2 Second-Team).

Tom Brady Nearly Made the Buccaneers Mt. Rushmore, despite Playing Just 3 Seasons in Tampa Bay

After years of futility, Bruce Arians provided the spark they needed in 2019. Jameis Winston played one of most unbelievable quarterback seasons in league history, becoming the first player to throw 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in the same season.

There have been over 150 different 30-touchdown seasons and 12 30-interception seasons. But, Jameis was the first to achieve both in the same season. There have been some gunslingers in the NFL, but even a trailblazer like Brett Favre never threw 30 interceptions.

Luckily for the Buccaneers, the GOAT decided to leave the New England Patriots and head to Tampa Bay. In his first season, Brady brought them their second Super Bowl in franchise history. That kicked off their streak of 5 straight playoff appearances, which is still active.

“It was tempting to include Tom Brady here since he played a critical role in delivering the second Lombardi Trophy in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history,” Knox wrote. “However, three seasons, 14,643 passing yards and one Pro Bowl made for too small of a resume.”

Mike Evans the Only Active Buccaneer Included

Mike Evans endured a miserable 2-14 season during his rookie year with the Buccaneers. But, even with 35-year-old Josh McCown and Mike Glennon as his quarterbacks, he still managed to haul in 68 catches for 1,051 yards and 12 touchdowns.

That kicked off his streak of 11 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. That’s a record to start a career, and the 2nd-most all-time. Only the GOAT, Jerry Rice, has more 1,000-yard seasons with 14.