Tampa Bay Buccaneers: What if Bo Jackson draft pick wasn’t botched?

The 1990s look a little brighter for the Buccaneers.

Going into the 1990s though, here’s where things can get interesting. Jackson’s real-life career-ending injury occurred in the playoffs during the 1990 season. In this alternate reality, he’s never in the L.A Collesseium to get injured. Jackson, and new backfield mate Gary Anderson, whose time in Tampa is extended, keep the Buccaneers rolling on.

Unfortunately, we do still have to pump the breaks slightly. As we said, the 1980s are still the property of the 49ers, and the 1990s are still ruled by the Dallas Cowboys as in reality. Only here, with the 49ers never able to trade for Young, the Cowboys actually get back to the Super Bowl in the 1994 season, and win four straight Super Bowls in the decade. Young spends the majority of his career in Tampa Bay as a very good, but not great quarterback without ever getting the proper guidance. However, the 1993 season does see Bo, Young, Anderson, and newcomers Hardy Nickerson and John Lynch on defense guide the Buccaneers to an improbable run to the NFC Championship where they fall to Dallas.

The Bucs reach the mountain in this reality earlier than in real life though. Tony Dungy does still eventually come to town, and with Jackson still able to run strong after ten seasons due to only playing half the games, they are able to win a couple of Super Bowls to close out the decade

thanks to their new all-time rushing leader in Jackson, and amazing defense. Jackson goes down as an all-time great in the NFL, and MLB as the undisputed greatest athlete to ever live. Of course, there was little reason to believe in the Buccaneers front office back in those days, but for this trip to the multiverse, let’s just imagine that Bo’s time in creamsicle uniforms ended positively since he never was injured. This is a scenario that fans of the Buccaneers, and sports in general, can get behind.

That does it for this trip to the multiverse, let us know a “what if” scenario in Buccaneers history you’d like us to explore next.