The Pewter Plank
FanSided

5 players the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should have never let walk

By Cory Kinnan

1988: Doug Williams #17 of the Washington Redskins calls an adible at the line of scrimmage during the 1988 NFL season game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Stadium in Chicago, Illinois. The Redskins defeated the Bears 34-14. (Photo by: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
1988: Doug Williams #17 of the Washington Redskins calls an adible at the line of scrimmage during the 1988 NFL season game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Stadium in Chicago, Illinois. The Redskins defeated the Bears 34-14. (Photo by: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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Steve Young #8, Quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers feeds the ball to Running Back #32 James Wilder during the American Football Conference West game against the Los Angeles Rams on 5 October 1986 at the Anaheim Stadium, Los Angeles, California, United States. The Rams won the game 26 – 20. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Allsport/Getty Images)
Steve Young #8, Quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers feeds the ball to Running Back #32 James Wilder during the American Football Conference West game against the Los Angeles Rams on 5 October 1986 at the Anaheim Stadium, Los Angeles, California, United States. The Rams won the game 26 – 20. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Allsport/Getty Images) /

1. QB Steve Young

The biggest player the Buccaneers should have never have parted with went on to be a Hall of Famer, a seven-time Pro Bowler, three-time Super Bowl champion, two-time Most Valuable Player award winner, and was named to three All-Pros. In 1987, the Buccaneers traded quarterback Steve Young to the San Francisco 49ers for a second and a fourth round pick.

Young did not have success with the Buccaneers, with just a 3-16 record over the first two years of his career. He threw for just over 3,200 yards with 11 touchdowns and 21 interceptions during his time wearing the creamsicles in Tampa Bay. This seems to have been a classic case of throwing a rookie into the fire too quickly, then cutting the cord on his career before giving him a chance to develop.

The Brigham Young product then spent four seasons backing up Joe Montana in San Francisco before taking over the reigns as the 49ers’ starting quarterback at the age of 30. He went on to complete 65 percent of his passes in his career, throwing for almost 30,000 yards with 221 touchdowns and just 86 interceptions.

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The Buccaneers had a Hall of Famer on their roster and willingly traded him away for two draft picks. Of all of the players the Buccaneers should not have let out of Tampa Bay, Steve Young is the one that hurts the most.

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