So on May 30th, the Buccaneers have announced that Jon Gruden and Malcolm Glazer will be inducted into the Buccaneers Ring Of Honor. If you are a TRUE Buccaneers fan, you know Gruden took the Buccaneers to SuperBowl XXXVII in 2003. The Buccaneers defeated the Oakland Raiders 48-21.
Gruden was hired in 2002 after the Buccaneers fired Tony Dungy. In 1999, Tampa made it to the NFC championship but lost to ST. Louis Rams. In 2000 and 2001, the Buccaneers lost in the wild card round to Eagles both years. Then Gruden comes in and takes the Bucs from a 9-7 team to a 12-4 team and SuperBowl CHAMPS.
Let’s think about this for a minute, Tony built this team for 5 years and went to the playoffs every year but the first year. In Tony’s final three years, the Bucs had 3 different offensive coordinators. There was no consistency. People always said ” Oh well, that was Tony’s team. Tony built that team and Gruden just gets the credit of the SuperBowl. Honestly, that is completely false, 27 people on the Superbowl team wasn’t even on Tony’s team the previous year (5 was starters on offense).
Gruden took the Buccaneers to a 12 win season, which is still currently the best record in Tampa’s history. Gruden also did something no other Buccaneers coach has done, he coached the Buccaneers to 3 NFC South Championships, 2002, 2005, and 2007. Gruden had an overall record of 60 wins and 57 losses with Tampa and an overall coaching record of 100-85. GRUDEN ABSOLUTELY DESERVES TO BE IN THE BUCCANEERS RING OF HONOR! HOW DO U FEEL ABOUT IT?
