#BucsBracket Second Round: Vote For Your Favorite Tampa Bay Buccaneers Of All-Time (Brooks Division)
By Leo Howell
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports
Welcome to the second round of #BucsBracket, the unofficial competition held here at the Pewter Plank to determine the most popular and most beloved Buccaneers of all time. The first round is in the books, and our second round matchups will be a bit closer, and that means every vote is important.
Be sure to cast your vote in each matchup, because every vote counts! Sound off in the comments and let us know why you made the picks you made, because we will use comments on the blog as tiebreakers, in case of a tie.
There are four matchups today, so we’ll keep the descriptions short and to the point so you can make your choices and get all the information you need. The bracket can be found below. You can click on the image to load a bigger version of the bracket.
1 seed: Derrick Brooks, Linebacker, 1995-2008
Brooks easily advanced to the second round, leaving Ryan Nece behind. The 9-time All-Pro and former Walter PaytonMan of the Year, NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and Pro Bowl MVP was one of the key figures in the Buccaneers’ dominant defense in the early 2000′s and late 1990′s. Brooks was dominant at his position and was also very active in the community in his charitable efforts.
9 seed: Mike Washington, Cornerback, 1976-1984
Mike Washington bested Scot Brantley in a slight upset to earn his place in the second round. In seven seasons (from 1977-1983) Washington intercepted 28 passes, returning 3 for touchdowns. His career would be ended early due to a spinal injury, but he was certainly one of the better players in the Buccaneers’ earliest days.
So will it be an original Buccaneer, or a career Buccaneer with a Super Bowl ring? Make your pick below.
5 seed: Doug Williams, Quarterback, 1978-1982
Doug Williams advanced to the second round by defeating Jeff Garcia. Williams is well-known for his performances in Washington with the Redskins, but Williams also donned the orange and white in Tampa Bay for a few seasons, and led the team to an improbable appearance in the NFC Title Game in 1979 against the St. Louis Rams. His numbers were poor, but he led the team to wins before departing after the 1982 season.
4 seed: Jimmie Giles, Tight End, 1978-1986
Jimmie Giles advanced to the second round by moving past Keyshawn Johnson. GIles is a member of the Buccaneers’ Ring of Honor and a four-time Pro Bowl selection. He was a very prolific receiving tight end who once caught four touchdowns in one game, and finished his Buccaneers’ career with 34 touchdowns.
So which of these early Bucs that helped bring the team from worst to first is your pick to move on?
6 seed: Donald Penn, Tackle, 2006-Present
Donald Penn moves on to the second round after getting the best of Chris Hovan. The one-time Pro Bowl selection is a sturdy but never spectacular left tackle who the Bucs developed after signing him as an undrafted rookie out of Utah State. Penn is a big, strong tackle who lacks elite skill, but performs consistently and helped pave the way for Doug Martin‘s fantastic 2012 season.
3 seed: Warrick Dunn, Running Back, 1997-2001, 2008
Warrick Dunn made the second round by defeating Kevin House. Dunn was a hard-working, unique running back who rose to fame with the Buccaneers in the Tony Dungy era. The small but surprisingly tough runner made two Pro Bowl appearances as a Buccaneer, and was frequently recognized for his off-the-field efforts to help those less fortunate. Dunn finished with 28 touchdowns as a Buccaneer.
So which of these two popular figures in recent Bucs’ history moves on to the Sweet 16?
10 seed: Karl Williams, Wide Receiver/Returner, 1996-2003
Karl Williams advanced out of the opening round by upsetting Vinny Testaverde. “The Truth” was a dynamic punt returner who brought back 5 punts for scores during his NFL career, and also chipped in on offense as a wide receiver. He was a member of the 2002 Super Bowl winning team as well.
2 seed: Shelton Quarles, Linebacker, 1997-2006
Shelton Quarles moved on to the second round after defeating Trent Dilfer. A 2002 Pro Bowl Selection, Quarles was maybe the “best of the rest” on the Buccaneers dominant defense at the turn of the century. Not tabbed as one of the biggest stars, Quarles simply did the dirty work needed as a linebacker next to Derrick Brooks, and logged tackles, defended passes, and occasionally chipped in on the pass rush. The former CFL player caught on with the Bucs after going undrafted, and turned into a solid contributor to one of the best defenses ever.
Which of these Super Bowl era Buccaneers is your pick to move on to the next round?