Buccaneers flashback: WD-40 Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott
By JD Stenger
Buccaneers select Warrick Dunn 12th overall in 1997 Draft
Warrick Dunn wasted no time after his arrival in Tampa, just like he shined in his Freshman year at FSU. In his first year with the Buccaneers, he rushed for 22 yards shy of a thousand (978), earning a Pro Bowl invite and bringing home NFC Offensive Rookie Of The Year honors. In 2000 he again earned a spot in the Pro Bowl.
In 1997 Dunn started his Homes For The Holidays program in his second year with the Buccaneers. His charity organization that he still runs to this day has helped hundreds of families realize their dream of owning their own home.
Alstott as well has his own charity foundation, The Mike Alstott Family Foundation, helping countless families in the Bay Area. As I said earlier, these two players were as good of human beings as they were players, showing the same selflessness they did on the field.
Playing the greased lightning role to Alstott’s rolling thunder, the two were a match made in heaven; the near perfect complement to each other’s running styles. In addition to the near thousand yard rushing Dunn put up in his rookie season, Warrick added two more thousand yard seasons before bolting to the Falcons in 2002. It’s a shame they couldn’t have played their entire careers together. At least we had them both for a time, and were able to witness their tandem greatness.
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During the five years that WD-40 plied their trade together in Tampa, they amassed almost ten thousand all purpose yards combined. Since, the Bucs will go and have gone through many combinations of running backs in the future. Surely there will never be another one, two punch such as they provided their loyal fanbase. Supremacy on and off the field is their legacy, and it’s one for them, and for us to be extremely proud of.