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Dunn Thankful For Chance To Play For Bucs

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By ANWAR S. RICHARDSON

arichardson@tampatrib.com

Published: February 26, 2009

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TAMPA - Former Bucs coach Jon Gruden waited six years for Warrick Dunn to rejoin the team that drafted him.

It took newly hired Bucs coach Raheem Morris and General Manager Mark Dominik only a few weeks to sever those ties.

After one season back with Tampa Bay, Dunn was among five veterans cut by the Bucs on Wednesday. The surprising move occurred despite Dunn's productivity at running back last season.

"A lot of people give him credit for what he's done off the football field," Dominik said. "What he's done on the football field is simply, truly amazing for his career."

Tampa Bay might have told Dunn his career in Tampa Bay is over, but it appears he will still play.

"If the right opportunity presents itself, he would definitely want to play," Jim Steiner, Dunn's agent, said in an e-mail to The Tampa Tribune. Free agency begins Friday at 12:01 a.m.

Dunn was drafted by Tampa Bay in 1997 and played with the team until signing with Atlanta before the 2002 season. He re-signed with Tampa Bay before last season and commented about his current situation in a news release prepared by Brock Communications.

"I am thankful for my Tampa Bay Buccaneer experience - in its entirety," Dunn said. "It all started here and, now, in my second term, I know I have been blessed to be a Tampa Bay Buccaneer in the NFL.

"I am thankful for the ownership, coaching, every teammate and especially the fans who have been with me through the highs and lows. It all adds up to an experience I often call 'living the dream.' From here I don't know what the future holds, but wherever it goes I go with a full and grateful heart."

Dunn is among the Bucs' most popular players, revered for his charitable work. Dunn created the Homes for the Holidays program, helping single parents buy houses and donating furniture, food and accessories for the home. He was named the 2004 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year for his outstanding community service and on-field performance.

Although Dunn is 34, he was productive last season, leading the team with 186 carries for 786 yards and two touchdowns and adding 47 receptions for 330 yards. Dunn has played in 181 games and accumulated 10,967 rushing yards and had 510 receptions for 4,339 yards. He also has 64 touchdowns (49 rushing and 15 receiving) in his career.

ESPN NFL analyst Merril Hoge believes Dunn still has a future running the ball.

"Probably the only guy I really think has some value of the players released is Warrick Dunn," Hoge said. "When you look at the Buccaneers' position of running back, they're not strong there. They got a lot of guys coming back off of injuries Earnest Graham, Cadillac Williams, B.J. Askew and Byron Storer.

"I still thought he was playing at a very high level. He can't go 16 games, 25 touches a game, but he was productive in the role he was asked to do. He made a lot of pretty significant plays, but if you're staying on that theme of trying to get yourself into position to start with the youth, I can completely understand that from a business standpoint and a philosophy standpoint."

The philosophy makes sense, but replacing Dunn's persona will be difficult.

"He quietly goes about his business, whether he's overused, underused or used just about right. That's the mark of a true professional," Bucs cornerback Ronde Barber said. "This guy has over 10,000 yards and that's something special, especially for a guy his size.

"His career speaks for itself, and I've never been around a better person."

Reporter Anwar S. Richardson can be reached at (813) 259-8425

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