As the general manager of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1993-2003, Rich Mckay directed the Buccaneers to the NFC Playoffs, two NFC Championships, and a Super Bowl Title. After the firing of Sam Wyche at the end of the 1995 season, McKay hired Tony Dungy, who would become a fan favorite forever, and just a few years later in 1999 the Tampa Bay Buccaneers played in their first NFC Championship, under Rich McKay against the ‘Greatest Show on Turf’ St. Louis Rams.
During McKay’s tenure in Tampa, he drafted many of Tampa’s favorite players, John Lynch, Mike Alstott, Ronde Barber, Warren Sapp, Mr. Derrick Brooks, and Warrick Dunn. Rich McKay constructed the 2002 Buccaneers roster that produced a Tampa Bay record seven Pro Bowlers and an NFL record 41 Pro Bowl nominees from 1997-2002.
Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks were selected by Rich McKay in the first round of the 1995 Draft, and both of them are now in the NFL’s Pro Football Hall of Fame. Sapp was inducted into the Hall of Fame in August of 2013 and Derrick Brooks was inducted in 2014. According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Rich McKay is the only general manager in the history of the NFL to have his first two draft picks inducted into the Hall of Fame. I’m sure as time goes on there will be more to added to that list of Buccaneers players drafted by Rich McKay, that will be inducted into the Hall.
