The 2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's 28th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 6th playing their home games at Raymond James Stadium, and the 2nd under head coach Jon Gruden. The season began with the Buccaneers attempting to defend their Super Bowl XXXVII title of the 2002 season along with becoming the first team to win back to back Super Bowls since the 1998 Denver Broncos and the first NFC team to win back to back Super Bowls since the 1993 Dallas Cowboys. Despite high expectations, several last-minute losses led to locker room tension and front-office struggles. The Buccaneers finished 7–9, and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1998 and finished with a losing record for the first time since 1996.
The season started out on a positive note, as the Buccaneers defeated their bitter rival from the three previous postseasons, the Philadelphia Eagles. It was the first game in Lincoln Financial Field, and with a 17–0 shutout victory, it appeared Tampa Bay had picked up right where they had left off the season before. Their home opener against the Carolina Panthers in week 2 was a disappointment, however, as special teams woes thwarted what would have been a game-winning touchdown as time expired. The go-ahead extra point was blocked, and Tampa Bay lost in overtime. The worst was yet to come, however. In week 5, the team blew a 35–14 lead in the final four minutes and lost to the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football, the night that former coach Tony Dungy returned to Tampa Bay. The team began to unravel, both on the field and off the field, with injuries piling up, and locker room tensions mounting.
Combined with the Oakland Raiders' dismal 4–12 performance, neither Super Bowl team reached the playoffs that year. This situation would not happen again until the 2016 season when both the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers, the two Super Bowl participants for the 2015 season, would miss the playoffs. This was the most recent season that a Super Bowl champion had a losing record following the Super Bowl until the injury plagued Los Angeles Rams in 2022.
Front office tension Soon after the team's victory in Super Bowl XXXVII over the Oakland Raiders, a growing number of press reports had indicated Gruden’s lack of patience with general manager Rich McKay. McKay was a major architect of the Buccaneers' rebuilding effort over the previous ten years, and he, like Gruden, had long-established ties to the Tampa Bay area. However, as the 2003 season wore on, the Gruden/McKay relationship deteriorated as the Buccaneers struggled on the field. In November, Keyshawn Johnson was deactivated by the team ten games into the season for his conduct, which included sideline arguments with coaches and players. Johnson was eventually traded to the Dallas Cowboys for wide receiver Joey Galloway.
Along with the Johnson de-activation, injuries sidelined several players during the season. The starting roster from Opening Day looked drastically different by November, particularly on offense. Opening day starters such as Mike Alstott, Brian Kelly, Greg Spires, and Kenyatta Walker, along with Joe Jurevicius, John Howell, Tim Wansley, Darian Barnes, and Ellis Wyms all ended up on injured reserve. By Thanksgiving, the starting running back became lesser-known Thomas Jones, with on-again, off-again third-string receiver Charles Lee elevated to starter. Though quarterback Brad Johnson started all 16 games – a feat he did not accomplish in the Buccaneers' Super Bowl season the previous year – he was benched while losing in the final week during a "meaningless" game against Tennessee.
In December, the Glazers allowed McKay to leave the Buccaneers organization before the end of the regular season. He promptly joined the Atlanta Falcons as president and general manager. Thus, McKay watched his first game as a Falcons executive sitting next to owner Arthur Blank in a Raymond James Stadium skybox in week 16, in which the Falcons defeated the Buccaneers 30–28, thus eliminating them from playoff contention.
Staff
Roster
Schedule Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 vs. New York Jets W 30–14 1–0 Tokyo Dome Recap 2 at Miami Dolphins W 20–19 2–0 Pro Player Stadium Recap 3 at St. Louis Rams L 16–26 2–1 Edward Jones Dome Recap 4 Jacksonville Jaguars W 10–6 3–1 Raymond James Stadium Recap 5 Houston Texans W 34–3 4–1 Raymond James Stadium Recap
Regular season
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 at Philadelphia Eagles W 17–0 1–0 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 2 September 14 Carolina Panthers L 9–12 1–1 Raymond James Stadium Recap 3 September 21 at Atlanta Falcons W 31–10 2–1 Georgia Dome Recap 4Bye 5 Indianapolis Colts L 35–38 2–2 Raymond James Stadium Recap 6 October 12 at Washington Redskins W 35–13 3–2 FedExField Recap 7 October 19 at San Francisco 49ers L 7–24 3–3 3Com Park Recap 8 October 26 Dallas Cowboys W 16–0 4–3 Raymond James Stadium Recap 9 November 2 New Orleans Saints L 14–17 4–4 Raymond James Stadium Recap 10 November 9 at Carolina Panthers L 24–27 4–5 Ericsson Stadium Recap 11 November 16 Green Bay Packers L 13–20 4–6 Raymond James Stadium Recap 12 New York Giants W 19–13 5–6 Raymond James Stadium Recap 13 November 30 at Jacksonville Jaguars L 10–17 5–7 Alltel Stadium Recap 14 December 7 at New Orleans Saints W 14–7 6–7 Louisiana Superdome Recap 15 December 14 Houston Texans W 16–3 7–7 Raymond James Stadium Recap 16 Atlanta Falcons L 28–30 7–8 Raymond James StadiumRecap 17 December 28 at Tennessee Titans L 13–33 7–9 The Coliseum Recap
Note: Division games in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: at Philadelphia Eagles
The Buccaneers appeared to start the 2003 regular season where they left off. The Buccaneers opened on Monday night, against the Eagles, at the new Lincoln Financial Field. It was a rematch of the previous season's NFC Championship. The Buccaneers impressively beat the Eagles 17–0. Joe Jurevicius led the team with two touchdown catches. His second came via a "circus catch" in which he tipped the ball up into the air, rebounding it to himself, and making the reception.
Week 2: Carolina Panthers
The Buccaneers home opener against division foe Carolina turned into an embarrassment. A defensive-oriented game saw young Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme held to only 9-for-23, 96 yards and two interceptions. Meanwhile, Brad Johnson threw for 339 yards. Unfortunately, special teams breakdowns cost the team dearly. Contributing to the frustrating day, the Buccaneers committed 17 penalties for 168 yards.
After two earlier botched field goal attempts, the Buccaneers trailed 9–3 late in the fourth quarter. On the last play of regulation, Brad Johnson connected to Keenan McCardell for a dramatic game-tying touchdown pass in the back of the endzone time expired. The extra point would have given Tampa Bay the win. Martin Gramatica's extra point attempt, however, was blocked. The game went to overtime tied 9–9.
Both teams traded possessions, and with just over 6 minutes left in the overtime period, Tampa Bay punted to Carolina. Steve Smith returned the punt 52 yards to the Tampa Bay 40-yard line. Five plays later, Carolina won 12–9 after a 47-yard field goal.
Week 3: at Atlanta Falcons
Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was sidelined due to an injury in the preseason. Doug Johnson took over, and the Buccaneers dominated. They held Doug Johnson to only 95 passing yards, and three interceptions. His fourth quarter replacement, Kurt Kittner did not fare any better.
The Tampa Bay offense rebounded with Warren Sapp playing tight end and scoring his first career offensive touchdown catch. Mike Alstott put the game well out of reach with two third-quarter touchdown runs.
Week 5: Indianapolis Colts
On October 6, the Buccaneers hosted the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football. It marked former coach Tony Dungy’s return to Tampa Bay, and he was well received by fans. During pre-game warm-ups, Warren Sapp stirred up controversy when he skipped through the Colts players, who were spread out over the field stretching. It was Sapp's second such “skipping” incident (the first in 2002 against the Steelers), and he drew considerable criticism.
Most of the game was one-sided, with the Buccaneers dominating the first half. On the first play of their second drive, Brad Johnson connected with Keenan McCardell for a 74-yard touchdown, and a 7–0 lead. On the next drive, at their own 33-yard line, Johnson was intercepted by Mike Doss at the Colts 41-yard line. Doss, however, was tackled by John Wade, who punched the ball out and forced a fumble. The ball bounced into the hands of Keenan McCardell, and McCardell ran 57 yards for an improbable fumble recovery touchdown and a 14–0 score. Tampa Bay entered halftime leading 21–0.
With 5:09 remaining in the fourth quarter, Ronde Barber intercepted Peyton Manning and returned the ball 29 yards for a touchdown, and put the Buccaneers up 35–14.
With most of the fans beginning to head for the exits, Indianapolis started an improbable rally. Tampa Bay kicked off, and the ball was returned 90 yards to the 11-yard line. Four plays later, with 3:37 remaining, Indianapolis scored a touchdown on a fourth-down play, to narrow the lead to 35–21. Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt then attempted an onside kick, which sailed airborne and was caught by Colts safety Idrees Bashir at their own 42-yard line. It was later determined by NFL officials that the onside kick was recovered illegally, since it never touched the ground, nor was touched by a Tampa Bay player. The critical error by the officiating crew led by referee Johnny Grier was overlooked, and the game continued.
The Colts scored another touchdown, and narrowed the margin 35–28. Another onside kick attempt was made, but this time it was recovered by Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay attempted to run the clock down to the two-minute warning, but a personal foul by Kenyatta Walker stopped the clock at 2:04 remaining. The Buccaneers were forced to punt with 1:48 to go. Manning then led the Colts on an 87-yard touchdown drive to tie the score 35–35 with 0:35 remaining. In overtime, kicker Mike Vanderjagt missed a 40-yard field goal, but umpire Ed Coukart called a penalty on Simeon Rice for leaping, a rarely seen unsportsmanlike conduct infraction for running and jumping to block a kick and landing on other players. Vanderjagt's subsequent kick was partially blocked and hit the upright, but went through, winning the game for the Colts.
It was the largest comeback in NFL history (21 points) in that little amount of time (under 4 minutes to go). With the game-winning field goal, Vanderjagt went on to become the first kicker in NFL history not to miss a kick attempt in a complete season, including the playoffs. The game was named #3 on NFL Top 10's Top Ten Comebacks.
Week 6: at Washington Redskins
The devastating loss to the Colts seemed to start a downward trend for the team. Injuries sidelined several players, including Mike Alstott and Brian Kelly. Before the game, Warren Sapp was involved in his second "skipping" incident in two weeks, and third overall, as he bumped into an NFL referee. The incident drew a $50,000 fine.
Despite the growing trouble, the Buccaneers managed to beat Steve Spurrier’s slumping Redskins. Brad Johnson threw four touchdown passes, and Derrick Brooks iced the game with a 44-yard interception return touchdown.
Week 7: at San Francisco 49ers
Brad Johnson threw three interceptions, and the Buccaneer defense gave up 212 yards rushing, falling to the San Francisco 49ers. Tampa Bay's only highlight, and only score, was a 75-yard touchdown pass to Keenan McCardell in the first quarter.
Week 8: Dallas Cowboys