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The Gruden Era: A Look Back

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 17, 2009

MEMORABLE MOMENTS

Five things to remember from Jon Gruden's tenure:

•Coaching Clinic - Gruden owned the 2002 postseason. His clinical game plan in the NFC Championship Game stunned the Eagles and closed down Veterans Stadium. And the Raiders still don't know what hit them in Super Bowl XXXVII.

•Full Monte - He left Monte Kiffin alone to handle the defense. The Bucs ranked No. 1 in 2002 and 2005 (then it all came apart when Kiffin's University of Tennessee departure became public).

•Pro Bowl Brad - Brad Johnson wasn't supposed to fit Gruden's offensive scheme. Within six months, Johnson won Super Bowl XXXVII and made the Pro Bowl.

•Shifting Gears - First-round rookie RB Cadillac Williams rushed for 434 yards in his first three games. Gruden allowed him to heal from injuries at midseason before shifting him back into a primary role in 2005.

•Getting His Groove Back - Capping one of the most exciting games in franchise history, Gruden went for a 2-point conversion with 58 seconds remaining against Washington in 2005, sending Mike Alstott over the top for a 36-35 victory.

FORGETTABLE MOMENTS

Five things to forget from Jon Gruden's tenure:

•Saying Goodbye - Maybe it was inevitable that Gruden and GM Rich McKay, two of the NFL's brightest young minds, simply couldn't work together. The bad ending wasn't good for either man's professional reputation. More farewells? Keyshawn Johnson's deactivation/departure was bizarre. John Lynch left with bitterness. Keenan McCardell still believes he was deceived.

•Rebuilding Project - The plan for 2004 - retooling with aging veterans such as Charlie Garner, Derrick Deese, Todd Steussie and Tim Brown - simply didn't work.

•2006: A Buc Odyssey - In a windswept Giants Stadium, Gruden abandoned the running game and called 50 pass plays (in 63 snaps) with rookie QB Bruce Gradkowski in a 17-3 defeat against the New York Giants. On a frigid afternoon in Pittsburgh, Gruden ordered a final-play 20-yard field goal in a 20-3 loss. A shutout was avoided. There are your storylines for a 4-12 season.

•Playoff Failures - The Bucs failed to capitalize on home playoff games against the Redskins (17-10 loss after the 2005 season) and Giants (24-14 loss after the 2007 season). On each occasion, the offense was practically punchless.

•The Collapse - In 2008, the Bucs went from 9-3 and contention for the NFC's No. 1 playoff seed to 9-7, a four-game losing streak and a dismissal from the playoff race. The bitter end was a 31-24 home loss to the Oakland Raiders.

PLUS 5

The five best personnel decisions of the Gruden era:

•WR Antonio Bryant - His 2008 season (83 catches for 1,248 yards) was one of the best by a receiver in franchise history.

•PK Matt Bryant - The free agent, acquired in 2005, was generally a clutch performer. He even beat the Eagles with a 62-yard field goal in 2006.

•QB Jeff Garcia - Added stability to the position in 2007, and his play essentially removed Gruden from the hot seat.

•WR Keenan McCardell - Terrific free-agent signing. In two seasons, he had 145 receptions and 14 touchdowns. Also scored twice in Super Bowl XXXVII.

•LB Barrett Ruud - Second-rounder in 2005 looks like he'll be a defensive fixture for the next decade.

MINUS 5

The five worst personnel decisions of the Gruden era:

•WR Michael Clayton - After great rookie season (80 catches), the 15th overall pick in 2004 went steadily downhill (only two TD catches in last four seasons).

•WR Dexter Jackson - The jury is still out, but the second-round pick from Appalachian State was a flop at kickoff returner. His replacement, Clifton Smith, made the Pro Bowl.

•RB Thomas Jones - Maybe he had no interest in returning, but he has rushed for 5,924 yards and 36 TDs in five seasons since leaving Tampa Bay.

•SS John Lynch - Bucs thought he was done. Lynch made four Pro Bowls with Denver. Bad miscalculation - and a public-relations nightmare to boot.

•DT Warren Sapp - Seven-time Pro Bowler was on downslide after 2003, but his inside pressure was severely missed.

GRUDEN'S BEST GAMES

•Bucs 48, Raiders 21 (Jan. 26, 2003) - No-brainer. The franchise's ultimate night.

•Bucs 27, Eagles 10 (Jan. 19, 2003) - Maybe bigger than Super Bowl XXXVII (if that's possible) because Tampa Bay finally beat its nemesis.

•Bucs 20, Panthers 10 (Dec. 11, 2005) - From start to finish, among the most complete performances in franchise history.

•Bucs 27, Falcons 24, OT (Dec. 24, 2005) - Setting up Gruden's second NFC playoff berth in Tampa Bay.

•Bucs 17, Eagles 0 (Sept. 8, 2003) - Complete dismantling of an Eagles team that would reach NFC title game.

GRUDEN'S WORST GAMES

•Colts 38, Bucs 35, OT (Oct. 6, 2003) - Collapse for the ages, but at least most of the East Coast already had gone to sleep.

•Raiders 31, Bucs 24 (Dec. 28, 2008) - Needing to win for an NFC playoff berth, Bucs put dismal capper on four-game losing streak to end the season.

•Ravens 27, Bucs 0 (Sept. 10, 2006) - Ravens' opening TD possession (80 yards, 14 plays in nine minutes, 16 seconds) sets the tone for a dreadful season.

•Giants 24, Bucs 14 (Jan. 6, 2008) - Bucs fall at home in NFC wild-card game, abandoning a successful running game and letting Giants steal the momentum.

•Cowboys 13, Bucs 9 (Oct. 26, 2008) - Bucs were 5-2, but played too conservatively and allowed Cowboys to win with 172 total yards.

THE QUARTERBACKS

Gruden used nine starting quarterbacks during his seven seasons in Tampa Bay. Here's the lineup:

Jon Gruden remains the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl:

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