Buccaneers: Five best running backs of all time
4. Michael Pittman
Our number four selection is not an original Buc, but he made his mark in Tampa while he was here.
Michael Pittman was actually a fourth round selection of the Arizona Cardinals back in 1998. After four years in the desert, he moved to Florida to join the Bucs, and it was a good thing he did because he was a big asset. He started out as the lead back when he arrived in 2002, rushing the ball 204 times for 718 yards and one score. As a versatile, three-down back, he added 59 receptions out of the backfield as well.
His shining moment of the year came in the Super Bowl against the Raiders. That glorious night, Pittman carried the ball 29 times for a game-high 124 yards, helping the Bucs to the 48-21 victory.
After a 751 yard performance in 2003, he put in the best performance of his career. In 2004, Pittman ran the ball 219 times for 926 yards and seven touchdowns, career highs in both yards and touchdowns. That season he added 41 receptions after a career best 75 the year before. He went over the 100 yard rushing mark four times in 2004, the best being a 131 yard performance in a loss to the New Orleans Saints.
Pittman took on more of the role of a fullback in the ensuing years, but when he did carry the ball, he never averaged less than 4.2 yards per carry, taking advantage of every opportunity he got. His 284 receptions rank him seventh in team history, and his 3,362 yards rushing rank him sixth in team history in that category.