Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 30 greatest players in franchise history

The top-two picks for this ranking were tough, but at the end of the day, one had to come in at second. That man happens to be Lee Roy Selmon, who could have easily been No. 1 on this list. Nonetheless, Selmon was an incredible player, and had his career not been cut short, likely would be sitting at No. 1.

In college, Selmon won two championships at Oklahoma, and was the first overall pick in the 1976 NFL Draft. Being the first overall pick is a huge honor, but how about being a franchise’s first draft selection? Selmon was the first-ever player selected by the new franchise in Tampa Bay, and he showed why in the nine seasons he spent there.

In those nine seasons, Selmon recorded a total 78.5 sacks, and added in 28.5 forced fumbles (although sacks were not an official stat until 1982). That kind of production is very rare, and usually, results in numerous awards and honors. In 121 games, including 117 starts, Selmon established himself as one of the league’s premier pass-rushers, arguably the best.

A member of both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame, Selmon is an all-time legend in the sport of football. Selmon is also a member of the Buccaneer Ring of Honor, inducted in 2009.

A back injury cut Selmon’s career short, which is a real shame considering he surely would have continued to play at a high level for several years. Unfortunately, Selmon passed away due to a stroke in 2011. May he rest in peace.