Buccaneers: Top five players that only wore creamsicle uniform

Doug Williams – QB (1978 – 1982)

Until a little old ballplayer by the name of Tom Brady came to Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers’ history of quarterback play wasn’t exactly sparkling. Granted, they won a Super Bowl with Brad Johnson, but he isn’t exactly on anyone’s Hall of Fame ballots. Before Brady, the best quarterback in the history of the Bucs was Doug Williams. In fact, an argument can be made he still is.

In the infancy of the franchise, the Buccaneers, in their creamsicle uniforms, lost their first 26 games in 1976 and 1977. In 1978, they drafted Williams, and the franchise’s fortunes started looking up.

The Buccaneers improved to 5-11 in 1978 with a rookie Williams then 10-6 in 1979, winning the then NFC Central. In a game against the Chicago Bears that season, he and Vince Evans made history as being the quarterbacks in the first-ever NFL game having both teams starting a black quarterback. That year, the Buccaneers would advance to the NFC Championship with Williams at the helm, along with playoff appearances in 1981 and 1982. After a contract dispute with then-owner Hugh Culverhouse, a man known to squeeze a quarter so tight the eagle would cry, Williams walked and the franchise went down the tubes.

Perhaps the most noteworthy part of Williams’ legacy is being the first black quarterback to both start and win a Super Bowl when he was with Washington. However, his legacy in the creamsicle Bucs uniforms is being one of, if not the greatest to play the position for the Buccaneers.