Buccaneers’ Jersey Countdown: Number 90
As we continue our countdown, who is the best Buccaneers’ player ever to wear number 90?
Buccaneers’ history is an interesting timeline. It consists of 26 straight losses to open the franchise, one Super Bowl title, and far more losing seasons than winning ones. For the most part, Bucs’ fans have endured a lot of heartache and grief over the years.
But, the fans have been treated to many talented players over the years. Whether you remember players like Lee Roy Selmon and Doug Williams from their time in Tampa, right up to the current days of Doug Martin and Lavonte David, the Bucs have given their fans memorable players to watch.
But who are the best?
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Over the last days and weeks, we have been looking at the best Bucs’ players ever, one for each jersey number. We have arrived at number 90. I am going to be honest, this one was a tough choice. There are no Selmons or Warren Sapps among the group of Bucs to wear number 90. The group was rough to wade through, but I came up with one guy.
The name is Ron Holmes. I’ll bring you up to speed.
Holmes played his college career at the University of Washington, earning All-American honors in 1984. In the 1985 draft, the Bucs chose him with the eighth overall pick. That rookie year, Holmes started 14 games at right defensive end and posted 4.5 sacks (tackle numbers were not available at the time). He posted two sacks in a losing cause week six against the Los Angeles Rams.
The next year saw Holmes post 2.5 sacks in a season where he started 12 games.
The high watermark for his career in Tampa came in 1987. That year Holmes posted eight sacks, though they were compressed over four games. He dominated in two losing causes, posting 2.5 sacks in week six against the Bears, and three sacks in week 14 against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Holmes’ final year with the Bucs was in 1998, when he posted four sacks, before departing for the Denver Broncos at season’s end.
Next: Bucs' Fantasy Recap: Defense
For his Bucs’ career, Holmes played 50 games, starting 44 of them. He finished with 19 sacks and four fumble recoveries.
It was a tough choice, but Holmes edges out the others as the best to ever wear number 90 for the Bucs.