Jeffrey Lance Gooch is a linebacker

Linebacker

A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...

 who played for 10 seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...

 and Detroit Lions

Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...

 in the National Football League

National Football League

The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

.

Gooch played at John Overton High School

John Overton Comprehensive High School

John Overton Comprehensive High School is a public high school located in Nashville, Tennessee. It is named after prominent Judge John Overton , advisor to President Andrew Jackson. The school opened in September 1958 and was renovated and expanded in 1995...

 in Nashville, Tennessee and finished his career there with 215 tackles. Gooch went undrafted in the 1996 NFL Draft

1996 NFL Draft

The 1996 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 20–21, 1996...

 out of Austin Peay State University

Austin Peay State University

Austin Peay State University is a four-year public university located in Clarksville, Tennessee, and operated by the Tennessee Board of Regents. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools .-History:...

. He was later signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...

 as an undrafted free agent. His rookie year, he appeared in 15 games for the Buccaneers, mostly on special teams. In 1997, he played in all 16 games while starting 5 of them. In 1998, Gooch registered his first career sack in a 24-22 victory over the Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...

 as he started all 16 games and recorded 62 tackles. From 1999-2001, Gooch played in 44 out of 48 games, but he only recorded only 65 tackles in the three seasons combined. In 2002, he left the Buccaneers to sign with the Detroit Lions where he played in all 16 games in both years with the team (2002–2003), while watching the Buccaneers win a Super Bowl

Super Bowl XXXVII

Super Bowl XXXVII was an American football game played on January 26, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 2002 regular season...

before he returned to play his final season with the team.