The Tampa Bay sports world took a shocking turn in July when longtime Tampa Bay Lightning star Steven Stamkos signed with the NHL’s Nashville Predators. Free agent. Stamkos spent 16 years with the Lightning, winning two Stanley Cups, reaching four Cup Finals, holding franchise records for goals and points and serving as team captain.
Needless to say, some Lightning fans (many of whom are also Buccaneers fans) were outraged by the news, with their anger directed primarily at the Lightning organization, as it was believed Stamkos was offered a lowball offer, leaving him with no choice but to seek a better deal from another team in free agency.
Lightning forward Steven Stamkos – Photo courtesy of USA Today
While Stamkos felt like a lifelong Bolt in Tampa Bay, it wasn’t always that way. Stamkos, a Tampa legend, is a reminder that nothing is guaranteed in sports, and it’s very rare for an athlete to stick with just one team for their entire career.
When you look at the greatest players of all time in top sports, such as Michael Jordan in the NBA, Wayne Gretzky in the NHL, Tom Brady in the NFL, and Barry Bonds in the MLB, none of these players stayed with one team for their entire careers. The Buccaneers happened to benefit when Brady left the Patriots, but when you look across the NFL, it’s rare for the best players to retire where they began their careers.
Take Jerry Rice, for example. Rice is considered the greatest wide receiver in NFL history with a league-record 22,895 yards receiving, arguably the most unbreakable record in football. Rice spent most of his career with the 49ers, but also played a big role with the Raiders before finishing his career with one final season with the Seahawks.
Emmitt Smith, the all-time leader in rushing yards with 18,355, finished his career with the Cardinals after a stint with the Cowboys. There was a time when it seemed impossible for Brady or Rob Gronkowski to play anywhere other than New England, but they both ended up in Tampa Bay. The same goes for defensive players. NFL legends Deion Sanders, Reggie White, Darrelle Revis and Ed Reed all played for at least multiple teams.
Buccaneers legends stay in Tampa
Legendary Bucks CB Ronde Barber – Photo: Cliff Welch/PR
The point is, it’s very hard to keep a player with an organization for an extended period of time. There are many reasons why a player might leave a team, either by personal choice or by club decision. While Lightning fans are upset over Stamkos’ departure, they can take solace in the fact that the Bucks have been able to keep some of their legends with the team throughout their careers.
In a business where stars come and go, the Buccaneers have been extremely fortunate to have many of their stars remain in Tampa Bay for their entire playing careers.
It all goes back to the legendary Lee Roy Selmon, who played from 1976-1984. He was the Buccaneers’ first star and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995. But times were different, and free agency and player transfers weren’t as common as they would be decades later. Selmon retired early because of a back injury, so the end of his career wasn’t one of his own choosing, or the Buccaneers’.
The original Buccaneers Super Bowl winning team is a great example of franchise stars staying with the team. You can’t keep everyone, which is why Warren Sapp went to the Raiders and John Lynch ended up with the Broncos. But on that Super Bowl XXXVII team, defensive back Ronde Barber, linebacker Derrick Brooks and fullback Mike Alstott all played for the Buccaneers their entire careers. All three are beloved by Buccaneers fans for different reasons.
Barber opted to retire at age 37 after 16 stellar seasons, while Brooks was released after 14 seasons prior to the 2009 season and did not sign with another team at age 35. Alstott played 11 years with Tampa Bay before a neck injury ended his career in 2006 at age 33.
Maybe two Bucks will be next.
It’s also very likely that the Bucks have at least two longtime stars. Super Bowl LV Winning Team The players who will play their entire careers in Tampa Bay are, of course, inside linebacker Lavonte David and wide receiver Mike Evans.
Buccaneers ILB Lavonte David – Photo: Cliff Welch/PR
Each of these players holds a special place in fans’ hearts because of the struggles they overcame to find success in 2020. David is second on the Buccaneers’ career tackles list with 1,480 tackles, behind Derrick Brooks’ 1,713. David has been named to the All-Pro 1st Team once and the All-Pro 2nd Team twice and has appeared in one Pro Bowl.
David has always been overlooked since he entered the league, despite being arguably the best inside linebacker. For the past two seasons, David has signed one-year contracts each season to remain with the Buccaneers. He is entering his 13th year and is still playing consistently at a very high level. As a long-time team captain, it would be a shocker if David were to play for another team in 2025.
Evans has received more national attention than David, but he is still underrated. The record became widely known to the public. He holds the NFL record for having 1,000 yards receiving in 10 consecutive seasons since the start of his career, and his 94 receiving touchdowns are the most in the NFL since Evans was drafted in 2014. Evans is the Buccaneers’ all-time leader in receiving yards (11,680) and touchdowns, and also holds the single-season touchdown record (14).
Buccaneers WR Mike Evans – Photo: Cliff Welch/PR
This offseason, Evans, who turns 31 in training camp, signed a two-year, $52 million deal to ensure he would remain in Tampa Bay before free agency began. He reiterated multiple times during the press conference announcing his new contract that he wanted to be a “Buccaneer for life.” As other examples show, this is no guarantee, but Evans is a weirdo who would rather not play football any more than play for any team other than the Buccaneers.
Other Tampa Bay players who weren’t tied to one team won’t be honored if their numbers are retired and they are inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame. Sapp and Lynch were honored when they were inducted into the Buccaneers’ Ring of Honor, and it won’t change if Stamkos has his number retired by the Lightning.
But when it comes to homegrown legends, it feels a little different. The Buccaneers have a special exclusivity when it comes to legends like Selmon, Barber, Brooks and Alstott. The franchise could add David and Evans in the near future.
