John McKay (football coach)
Encyclopedia
John Harvey McKay was an American football
player and coach. He was served as the head coach at the University of Southern California
from 1960 to 1975 and of the NFL
's Tampa Bay Buccaneers
from 1976 to 1984. In 16 seasons with the USC Trojans, McKay compiled a record of 127–40–8 and won nine AAWU/Pacific-8 Conference titles. His teams made eight appearances in the Rose Bowl
, winning five times. Four of his squads captured national titles (1962, 1967, 1972, 1974).
McKay moved to the NFL in 1976 to become the first head coach of the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 1976 and 1977, Tampa Bay lost the first 26 games they played. McKay's team improved by the end of the 1970s, making the playoffs three times including an appearance in the NFC Championship Game
in 1979. McKay was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
as a coach in 1988.
. He was the third of five children born to Scots-Irish parents John and Gertrude McKay. John was the son of a coal mine superintendent who died when John was only 13 years old. He grew up in Shinnston, West Virginia
, and after graduating from Shinnston High School in 1941, he was offered a football scholarship by Wake Forest. He was there enrolling when his mother became ill. He returned home and worked as a coal mine electrician's assistant for a year before he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force
, in 1942. McKay served as a tailgunner aboard B-29's and saw action in the Pacific Theatre during World War II
. After the war he entered college at the age of 23, and attended Purdue University
but then transferred to University of Oregon
in 1947. He played football at both schools. At Oregon, he was a running back behind quarterback Norm Van Brocklin
. When Van Brocklin graduated, McKay took over running the offense and called the audibles from his two-point stance as a running back.
in 1959, being hired as the USC Trojans' head coach the following year.
In his first two seasons, McKay's teams enjoyed little success, going 4–6 in 1960, and 4–5–1 in 1961. The Trojans had been on probation and thus could not recruit very well. McKay stated that these two teams were the slowest he had ever been around and had very little team speed. Heading into the 1962 season, McKay felt he might be fired by University President Norman Topping
. Alumni were pressuring Topping to fire McKay, but Topping resisted. He decided to give McKay one more year so he could field a team with players he had recruited. Topping believed that McKay had recruited well and that the team would be successful. Topping proved to be correct. In 1962, McKay guided USC to an 11–0 record including a Rose Bowl
victory over #2-ranked Wisconsin
, 42–37, and a national championship. USC won four national championships (1962, 1967, 1972 and 1974) during McKay's tenure as head coach. His 1972 squad is regarded as one of the best teams in college football history. That team went 12–0, defeated five teams ranked 18th or higher by an average of 22 points. They never trailed in the second half of any game and their closest game was a nine-point win over Stanford. Players from that team included Mike Rae
, Pat Haden
, Sam Cunningham
, Anthony Davis, Lynn Swann
, Charle Young
, Gary Jeter
, Richard Wood and Charles Phillips. Two of his players, Mike Garrett
(1965) and O. J. Simpson
(1968), won the Heisman Trophy
. McKay popularized the I formation
, and emphasized a power running game with such plays as Student Body Left and Student Body Right. He is still the winningest coach in school history.
On November 26, 1966, Notre Dame crushed USC 51-0 for the worst defeat in the program's history. Reportedly, after the game McKay vowed to never lose a game to the Fighting Irish again. He denied saying it, however, and in an interview shortly before his death, he clarified that he actually said, "they'll never beat us 51-0 again." After that loss, McKay was 6–1–2 vs. Notre Dame, losing only during the Irish' national championship season of 1973.
, New England Patriots
and Los Angeles Rams
, in 1976 McKay was lured to Tampa Bay to become the Buccaneers' first head coach. Motivating his decision was the combined fivefold salary increase (totaling $2 million per year) and the prospect of building a franchise from the ground up. The Buccaneers lost all 14 games in 1976 and the first 12 games of 1977
before finally winning a game (against the New Orleans Saints
). They would also win the last game of the 1977 season.
After winning five games in 1978
, the Buccaneers doubled that the following year, posting their first winning season. They clinched the 1979
NFC Central title in the final week by beating the Kansas City Chiefs
, 3–0, in a driving Tampa rainstorm. They then defeated the Philadelphia Eagles
, 24–17, in a divisional playoff game to advance to the NFC Championship
where, in a defensive battle, they lost to the Los Angeles Rams
, 9–0. The Buccaneers made two more playoff appearances in 1981
and 1982
.
After the 1982 season, McKay strongly supported star quarterback Doug Williams' bid for a better contract; at the time he was making less than 12 backups. However, owner Hugh Culverhouse
was unwilling to budge from his initial offer. Williams bolted to the USFL
for the 1983 season. Without Williams, McKay's offense appeared to be completely rudderless. The Buccaneers suffered through a two-win season in 1983
, and although they rebounded to win six in 1984
, it would be McKay's last. Thoroughly disillusioned, he stepped down as head coach. In the end, despite the Bucs' brief success in the early 1980s, McKay forever regretted his decision to leave the Trojans. His son noted that he knew "within the first week he got to Tampa that he'd made a mistake." McKay later said that, despite the team's rapid ascendance to the playoffs, the Bay Area
fans never forgave him for the franchise's 0–26 start. On December 5, 2010, McKay was inducted into Tampa Bay's "Ring of Honor".
, the current president of the Atlanta Falcons
. Another son, John K. McKay
, played wide receiver under him twice: first for the Trojans from 1972–75 and then later in the NFL for the Buccaneers from 1976–1979. McKay and his wife, Corky, had two daughters, Michele McKay Breese and Terri McKay Florio.
McKay died at St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa, Florida from complications due to diabetes on June 10, 2001. His ashes were spread on the field of the Los Angeles Coliseum.
called him "Dial-a-Quote". His notable quips:
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and coach. He was served as the head coach at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
from 1960 to 1975 and of the NFL
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...
's 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...
from 1976 to 1984. In 16 seasons with the USC Trojans, McKay compiled a record of 127–40–8 and won nine AAWU/Pacific-8 Conference titles. His teams made eight appearances in the Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
, winning five times. Four of his squads captured national titles (1962, 1967, 1972, 1974).
McKay moved to the NFL in 1976 to become the first head coach of the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 1976 and 1977, Tampa Bay lost the first 26 games they played. McKay's team improved by the end of the 1970s, making the playoffs three times including an appearance in the NFC Championship Game
NFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
in 1979. McKay was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
as a coach in 1988.
Early life, military service, and playing career
McKay was born in the now-defunct town of Everettville in Monongalia County, West VirginiaMonongalia County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 81,866 people, 33,446 households, and 18,495 families residing in the county. The population density was 227 people per square mile . There were 36,695 housing units at an average density of 102 per square mile...
. He was the third of five children born to Scots-Irish parents John and Gertrude McKay. John was the son of a coal mine superintendent who died when John was only 13 years old. He grew up in Shinnston, West Virginia
Shinnston, West Virginia
Shinnston is a city in Harrison County, West Virginia, United States, along the West Fork River. The population was 2,295 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Shinnston is located at ....
, and after graduating from Shinnston High School in 1941, he was offered a football scholarship by Wake Forest. He was there enrolling when his mother became ill. He returned home and worked as a coal mine electrician's assistant for a year before he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
, in 1942. McKay served as a tailgunner aboard B-29's and saw action in the Pacific Theatre during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After the war he entered college at the age of 23, and attended Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
but then transferred to University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
in 1947. He played football at both schools. At Oregon, he was a running back behind quarterback Norm Van Brocklin
Norm Van Brocklin
Norman Mack "Norm" Van Brocklin , nicknamed "The Dutchman", was an American football player and coach. He was also a first rate punter in college and in the NFL...
. When Van Brocklin graduated, McKay took over running the offense and called the audibles from his two-point stance as a running back.
USC Trojans
After college, McKay decided to become a coach. He was an assistant coach at Oregon for nine years before moving to the University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
in 1959, being hired as the USC Trojans' head coach the following year.
In his first two seasons, McKay's teams enjoyed little success, going 4–6 in 1960, and 4–5–1 in 1961. The Trojans had been on probation and thus could not recruit very well. McKay stated that these two teams were the slowest he had ever been around and had very little team speed. Heading into the 1962 season, McKay felt he might be fired by University President Norman Topping
Norman Topping
Norman Topping was the President of the University of Southern California between 1958 and 1970. He succeeded Fred D. Fagg, Jr., and was succeeded by John R. Hubbard. He was chancellor between 1971 and 1980. He became emeritus chancellor in 1980.Dr. Topping was an BA and MD alumnus of USC and...
. Alumni were pressuring Topping to fire McKay, but Topping resisted. He decided to give McKay one more year so he could field a team with players he had recruited. Topping believed that McKay had recruited well and that the team would be successful. Topping proved to be correct. In 1962, McKay guided USC to an 11–0 record including a Rose Bowl
1963 Rose Bowl
The 1963 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1963 at the end of the 1962 college football season. It was the 49th Rose Bowl Game. The USC Trojans defeated the Wisconsin Badgers, 42–37...
victory over #2-ranked Wisconsin
1962 Wisconsin Badgers football team
The 1962 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin in the 1962 college football season, and in the 1963 Rose Bowl as the champions of the Big Ten Conference.-Season:...
, 42–37, and a national championship. USC won four national championships (1962, 1967, 1972 and 1974) during McKay's tenure as head coach. His 1972 squad is regarded as one of the best teams in college football history. That team went 12–0, defeated five teams ranked 18th or higher by an average of 22 points. They never trailed in the second half of any game and their closest game was a nine-point win over Stanford. Players from that team included Mike Rae
Mike Rae
Michael John Rae is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League.-Early life:Rae attended and played high school football at Lakewood High School.-College career:...
, Pat Haden
Pat Haden
Patrick Capper "Pat" Haden is the athletic director at the University of Southern California. He played quarterback for the USC Trojans before playing professionally in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams from 1976 to 1981...
, Sam Cunningham
Sam Cunningham
Samuel Lewis "Sam" Cunningham, Jr is a retired American football fullback. The media referred to him as Sam "Bam" Cunningham.-College career:...
, Anthony Davis, Lynn Swann
Lynn Swann
-Collegiate:Swann attended the University of Southern California, where he was an All-American on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the 1972 undefeated and national championship season. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He...
, Charle Young
Charle Young
Charle Edward Young is a former American football tight end who played for 13 seasons in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1973–1976, the Los Angeles Rams from 1977–1979, the San Francisco 49ers from 1980–1982, and the Seattle Seahawks from...
, Gary Jeter
Gary Jeter
Gary Michael Jeter is a former professional American football defensive end in the National Football League...
, Richard Wood and Charles Phillips. Two of his players, Mike Garrett
Mike Garrett
Michael Lockett Garrett is a former American collegiate and professional football player who won the 1965 Heisman Trophy as a tailback for the University of Southern California Trojans. Garrett also played professional football for eight seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and San Diego Chargers...
(1965) and O. J. Simpson
O. J. Simpson
Orenthal James "O. J." Simpson , nicknamed "The Juice", is a retired American collegiate and professional football player, football broadcaster, and actor...
(1968), won the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
. McKay popularized the I formation
I formation
The I formation is one of the most common offensive formations in American football. The I formation draws its name from the vertical alignment of quarterback, fullback, and running back, particularly when contrasted with the same players' alignments in the T formation.The formation begins with...
, and emphasized a power running game with such plays as Student Body Left and Student Body Right. He is still the winningest coach in school history.
On November 26, 1966, Notre Dame crushed USC 51-0 for the worst defeat in the program's history. Reportedly, after the game McKay vowed to never lose a game to the Fighting Irish again. He denied saying it, however, and in an interview shortly before his death, he clarified that he actually said, "they'll never beat us 51-0 again." After that loss, McKay was 6–1–2 vs. Notre Dame, losing only during the Irish' national championship season of 1973.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
After turning down several offers from NFL teams, including the Cleveland BrownsCleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
and Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
, in 1976 McKay was lured to Tampa Bay to become the Buccaneers' first head coach. Motivating his decision was the combined fivefold salary increase (totaling $2 million per year) and the prospect of building a franchise from the ground up. The Buccaneers lost all 14 games in 1976 and the first 12 games of 1977
1977 NFL season
The 1977 NFL season was the 58th regular season of the National Football League. The Seattle Seahawks were placed in the AFC West while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were slotted in the NFC Central....
before finally winning a game (against the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
). They would also win the last game of the 1977 season.
After winning five games in 1978
1978 NFL season
The 1978 NFL season was the 59th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded the regular season from a 14-game schedule to 16. Furthermore, the playoff format was expanded from 8 teams to 10 teams by adding another wild card from each conference...
, the Buccaneers doubled that the following year, posting their first winning season. They clinched the 1979
1979 NFL season
The 1979 NFL season was the 60th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XIV when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Los Angeles Rams...
NFC Central title in the final week by beating the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
, 3–0, in a driving Tampa rainstorm. They then defeated the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 24–17, in a divisional playoff game to advance to the NFC Championship
NFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
where, in a defensive battle, they lost to the Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
, 9–0. The Buccaneers made two more playoff appearances in 1981
1981 NFL season
The 1981 NFL season was the 62nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVI when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals.-Major rule changes:...
and 1982
1982 NFL season
The 1982 NFL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. A 57-day long players' strike reduced the 1982 season from a 16-game schedule per team to an abbreviated nine game schedule...
.
After the 1982 season, McKay strongly supported star quarterback Doug Williams' bid for a better contract; at the time he was making less than 12 backups. However, owner Hugh Culverhouse
Hugh Culverhouse
Hugh Franklin Culverhouse, Sr. was the longtime owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League . He was a successful tax lawyer, and his real estate investments made him one of the nation's wealthiest men...
was unwilling to budge from his initial offer. Williams bolted to the USFL
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
for the 1983 season. Without Williams, McKay's offense appeared to be completely rudderless. The Buccaneers suffered through a two-win season in 1983
1983 NFL season
The 1983 NFL season was the 64th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVIII when the Los Angeles Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins.-Major rule changes:...
, and although they rebounded to win six in 1984
1984 NFL season
The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana....
, it would be McKay's last. Thoroughly disillusioned, he stepped down as head coach. In the end, despite the Bucs' brief success in the early 1980s, McKay forever regretted his decision to leave the Trojans. His son noted that he knew "within the first week he got to Tampa that he'd made a mistake." McKay later said that, despite the team's rapid ascendance to the playoffs, the Bay Area
Tampa Bay Area
The Tampa Bay Area is the region of west central Florida adjacent to Tampa Bay. Definitions of the region vary. It is often considered equivalent to the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area defined by the United States Census Bureau. The Census Bureau currently...
fans never forgave him for the franchise's 0–26 start. On December 5, 2010, McKay was inducted into Tampa Bay's "Ring of Honor".
Family and death
McKay was the father of former Buccaneers general manager Rich McKayRich McKay
Rich McKay is the president, CEO, and former general manager of the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was the general manager of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when they won Super Bowl XXXVII.-Early years:...
, the current president of the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Another son, John K. McKay
John McKay, Jr.
John Kenneth "J.K." McKay is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the 16th round of the 1975 NFL Draft. He played college football at USC....
, played wide receiver under him twice: first for the Trojans from 1972–75 and then later in the NFL for the Buccaneers from 1976–1979. McKay and his wife, Corky, had two daughters, Michele McKay Breese and Terri McKay Florio.
McKay died at St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa, Florida from complications due to diabetes on June 10, 2001. His ashes were spread on the field of the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Quips
McKay became famous for many of his humorous answers during press conferences, for which Philadelphia Eagles coach Dick VermeilDick Vermeil
Richard Albert "Dick" Vermeil is a former American head coach for the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles , St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs...
called him "Dial-a-Quote". His notable quips:
- Following the 51–0 loss to Notre Dame1966 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football teamThe 1966 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 1966 college football season. The Irish, coached by Ara Parseghian, ended the season undefeated with 9 wins and one tie, winning the national championship...
in 1966, "I told my team it doesn't matter. There are 750 million people in China who don't even know this game was played. The next day, a guy called me from China and asked, 'What happened, Coach?'" - Following a game in 1967 in which O. J. SimpsonO. J. SimpsonOrenthal James "O. J." Simpson , nicknamed "The Juice", is a retired American collegiate and professional football player, football broadcaster, and actor...
received over 30 hand offs, McKay was asked "Why are you giving the ball to Simpson so often?" He replied, "Why not? It's not heavy, and he doesn't belong to a union." - On recruiting his son, J.K.John McKay, Jr.John Kenneth "J.K." McKay is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the 16th round of the 1975 NFL Draft. He played college football at USC....
, to play football at USC: "I had a rather distinct advantage. I slept with his mother." - After a series of questionable calls helped Notre Dame tie top-ranked USC in 1968, McKay was asked about the officiating. He answered "I'm not surprised. The referee is a fine Catholic fellow by the name of Patrick Murphy."
- After the Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay BuccaneersThe 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...
' first unofficial game, he responded to a question, "Well, we didn't block, but we made up for it by not tackling." - When asked his opinion of the NFL, he said "I've seen what they do in the professional ranks and it's not anything different than what we do here." McKay also did not understand the huge amounts of drama the league built around games, stating "What's so different between losing in the NFL and losing in college? You win, you put a check mark next to the game on the schedule list, and when you lose, you put an X next to it."
- Following a Tampa Bay Buccaneer loss, McKay was asked, "What's it like in the professional ranks, coach? Anything special?" He replied, "No I was beat 51–0 in the college ranks. It's the same thing."
- Standing on the sidelines during a game, McKay said, "Can't stop a pass, or a run...otherwise we're in great shape."
- During a team meeting, McKay told his players that games are won and lost in "the trenches." He then spotted Howard FestHoward FestHoward Arthur Fest is a former American football offensive lineman who played in the American Football League and in the National Football League . He was an original member of the AFL Cincinnati Bengals, playing with them for 9 years. He began his career at tackle, but later moved to guard. He...
sleeping in the back. McKay yelled, "FEST FEST, where are games won and lost?" Fest replied, "Right here with the Buccaneers coach." - Following a Tampa Bay Buccaneers loss in their early seasons, McKay was asked what he thought of his team's "execution." He replied, "I'm all for it."
- "Capece is kaput," referring to Buccaneers kicker Bill CapeceBill CapeceWilliam George Capece is a former professional American football player who played placekicker for three seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
after he missed game-winning field goals in the final game of the 1983 season. - After the Buccaneers won their first regular season game against the New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans SaintsThe New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
during the 1977 season 33–14, McKay mused, "Three or four plane crashes and we're in the playoffs."
College
NFL
| Team | |Regular Season | TB 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers played their debut season in 1976, making league history as the first team to play an entire 14-game season without winning or tying a single game. They did not score until their third game and did not score a touchdown until their fourth. They lost by a touchdown or... |
1976 1976 NFL season The 1976 NFL season was the 57th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 28 teams with the addition of the Seattle Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers... |
0 | 14 | 0 | .000 | 5th in AFC West | - | - | - | - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TB 1977 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 1977 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season continued the losing streak that encompassed the entire 1976 season, and extended it to 26 games, which as of remains a record in the modern National Football League. Fear of becoming the Buccaneers' first victim provided motivation to opposing teams... |
1977 1977 NFL season The 1977 NFL season was the 58th regular season of the National Football League. The Seattle Seahawks were placed in the AFC West while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were slotted in the NFC Central.... |
2 | 12 | 0 | .143 | 5th in NFC Central | - | - | - | - | ||
| TB 1978 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 1978 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on a 2-12 season. Since their two 1977 victories came in the last two games of the season, they entered the 1978 season with the longest active winning streak in the NFC Central. The Buccaneers entered the season with new... |
1978 1978 NFL season The 1978 NFL season was the 59th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded the regular season from a 14-game schedule to 16. Furthermore, the playoff format was expanded from 8 teams to 10 teams by adding another wild card from each conference... |
5 | 11 | 0 | .312 | 5th in NFC Central | - | - | - | - | ||
| TB 1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season saw the team make a dramatic leap from being a winless expansion franchise, perceived as mistake-prone and ridiculed by the rest of the league, to becoming a serious contender for the National Football League championship... |
1979 1979 NFL season The 1979 NFL season was the 60th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XIV when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Los Angeles Rams... |
10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 1st in NFC Central | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to Los Angeles Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... in NFC Championship Game NFL playoffs, 1979-80 The NFL playoffs following the 1979 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XIV.Note: As per the rules of the NFL playoffs prior to the 1990 season , the Dallas Cowboys did not play the Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional playoff round because both teams were in the same division.-AFC: Houston Oilers 13,... . |
||
| TB 1980 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 1980 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with great optimism in the wake of their surprise NFC championship appearance of the previous season. After scoring a playoff win in only their fourth year, the Buccaneers were considered such a model franchise that the NBA expansion Dallas Mavericks... |
1980 1980 NFL season The 1980 NFL season was the 61st regular season of the National Football League.After the league declined to approve the proposed move by the Raiders from Oakland, California to Los Angeles, the team along with the Los Angeles Coliseum sued the NFL for violating antitrust laws... |
5 | 10 | 1 | .333 | 4th in NFC Central | - | - | - | - | ||
| TB 1981 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 1981 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on an 5-10-1 season. The team was considered to be superior to the 1979 team that finished the season one game shy of the Super Bowl. With the running game and special teams ineffective, the Buccaneers depended heavily on... |
1981 1981 NFL season The 1981 NFL season was the 62nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVI when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals.-Major rule changes:... |
9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 1st in NFC Central | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... in NFC Divisional Game NFL playoffs, 1981-82 The NFL playoffs following the 1981 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XVI. Both conference champions had losing records the previous season, the only time this has happened. All four of the AFC playoff games were between teams who had never faced each other in the postseason before... . |
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| TB 1982 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 1982 Tampa Bay Buccaneers were regarded for the first time as a regular playoff contender. They were considered by some to be the best Buccaneer team yet, despite a mediocre offensive line and the lack of a feature running back. The team played only two games before the players' union called a... |
1982 1982 NFL season The 1982 NFL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. A 57-day long players' strike reduced the 1982 season from a 16-game schedule per team to an abbreviated nine game schedule... |
5 | 4 | 0 | .556 | 2nd in NFC Central | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... in NFC 1st Round Game NFL playoffs, 1982-83 The NFL playoffs following the 1982 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XVII.A players' strike reduced the regular season to nine games. Thus, the league used a special 16-team playoff format , just for this year. Division standings were ignored... |
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| TB 1983 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 1983 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with high expectations, as it was considered by some to be the Buccaneers' best squad yet. They were predicted by some to be Super Bowl contenders,, but disappointment quickly set in as personnel changes and a rash of injuries contributed to a league-worst... |
1983 1983 NFL season The 1983 NFL season was the 64th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVIII when the Los Angeles Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins.-Major rule changes:... |
2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | 5th in NFC Central | - | - | - | - | ||
| TB 1984 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 1984 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team making efforts to address the problems faced in the disastrous 1983 season. For the first time, the team renegotiated the contracts of players in their option years, which kept discontent over salaries to a minimum. An assistant coach was... |
1984 1984 NFL season The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana.... |
6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 3rd in NFC Central | - | - | - | - | ||
| Total | 44 | 88 | 1 | .333 | 1 | 3 | .250 | |||||
See also
External links
- John McKay at Pro-Football-Reference.com