Editing Tampa Bay Buccaneers (section)

====Lovie Smith====
[[File:Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleading squad.jpg|thumb|Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleading squad, 2014.]]
On January 1, 2014, Lovie Smith was hired as the new head coach of the Buccaneers, replacing Greg Schiano.<ref name="ESPN.au">{{Cite web |last1=Schefter |first1=Adam |last2=Clayton |first2=John |last3=Yasinskas |first3=Pat |last4=Goessling |first4=Ben |date=January 2, 2014 |title=Sources: Bucs to hire Lovie Smith |url=https://www.espn.com.au/nfl/story/_/id/10229285 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181207145911/http://www.espn.com.au/nfl/story/_/id/10229285 |archive-date=December 7, 2018 |access-date=February 4, 2019 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref> Smith had previously spent 5 seasons with the Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001 coaching the linebackers under Tony Dungy.<ref name="ESPN.au" /> During his first news conference with the Bucs, Smith talked about restoring the quality of the team from the late 1990s and early 2000s: "There was a certain brand of football you expected from us," Smith said. "You know we would be relentless. There was a brand of football that you got from us each week at Raymond James Stadium. It was hard for opponents to come in and win. We have gotten away from that a little bit, and it's time ... for us to become a relevant team again."<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 6, 2014 |title=Lovie Smith expects to transform Buccaneers into winners |url=http://www.foxsports.com/florida/story/lovie-smith-expects-to-transform-buccaneers-into-winners-010614 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329025332/https://www.foxsports.com/florida/story/lovie-smith-expects-to-transform-buccaneers-into-winners-010614 |archive-date=March 29, 2019 |access-date=February 4, 2019 |website=FOX Sports}}</ref>

On January 21, 2014, [[Jason Licht]] was hired as the new general manager, replacing Mark Dominik.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Breech |first=John |date=January 21, 2014 |title=Buccaneers hire Arizona's Jason Licht as new general manager |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/buccaneers-hire-arizonas-jason-licht-as-new-general-manager/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422074929/https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/buccaneers-hire-arizonas-jason-licht-as-new-general-manager/ |archive-date=April 22, 2019 |access-date=February 4, 2019 |website=CBSSports.com}}</ref> He was officially introduced at One Buc Place on January 23, 2014. In his first news conference, Licht talked about his philosophy: "Our philosophy is going to be to build through the draft. That's where we find our stars. That's where we find the next generation. But also in the short term and long term we're going to supplement our roster through free agency but we're going to look for value. We're going to spend wisely."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Brown|first1=Rick|title=Licht: Building Through the Draft and Free Agency|url=http://bucsscene.blogs.theledger.com/14780/licht-building-through-the-draft-and-free-agency/|website=TheLedger.com|access-date=June 23, 2014|date=January 23, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910021320/http://bucsscene.blogs.theledger.com/14780/licht-building-through-the-draft-and-free-agency/|archive-date=September 10, 2015}}</ref>

After signing veteran free agent [[Josh McCown]] and many more free agents,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Patra |first=Kevin |date=March 12, 2014 |title=Josh McCown, Tampa Bay Buccaneers strike contract |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/josh-mccown-tampa-bay-buccaneers-strike-contract-0ap2000000333369 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122143114/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000333369/article/josh-mccown-tampa-bay-buccaneers-strike-contract |archive-date=November 22, 2018 |access-date=February 4, 2019 |website=NFL.com}}</ref> many analysts predicted that the Buccaneers could be the surprise team of the year and possibly make a playoff run. Those predictions soon went away after the Bucs began the season 0–3, including a 56–14 blowout against the Falcons on ''[[Thursday Night Football]]''. McCown was injured in that game,<ref name="ReferenceB">{{Cite web |last=McManamon |first=Pat  |date=May 29, 2015 |title=Josh McCown's 2014 numbers, throwing with a damaged thumb |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/cleveland-browns/post/_/id/13961 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190204122455/http://www.espn.com/blog/cleveland-browns/post/_/id/13961 |archive-date=February 4, 2019 |access-date=February 4, 2019 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref> and second-year quarterback Mike Glennon was named the starter. His first start of the 2014 season ended with the Bucs earning their first victory of the season in Pittsburgh against the Steelers 27–24. The Bucs lost the next 4 games, including two overtime losses against the Saints and the Vikings, one blowout against the Ravens, and a 5-point loss against the [[Cleveland Browns]]. Going into week 10 at 1–8, McCown returned as the starter. Mathematically, the Bucs were still in playoff contention only being 3 games out of first place in the division. McCown's first game back ended with a 27–17 loss to the Falcons but won the following week in a 27–7 blowout against struggling Washington.<ref name="ReferenceB" /> The Bucs would lose the next three games and were officially knocked out of playoff contention in week 14. The Bucs finished 2–14, winning 2 fewer games than the previous season and secured the first-overall draft pick for the [[2015 NFL draft]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/draft/2015/04/30/jameis-winston-tampa-bay-buccaneers-nfl-draft/26644925/|title=Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Jameis Winston with top pick of NFL draft|website=USA TODAY|access-date=February 4, 2019|archive-date=April 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422095238/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/draft/2015/04/30/jameis-winston-tampa-bay-buccaneers-nfl-draft/26644925/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Despite the team's record, first-round draft pick wide receiver [[Mike Evans (wide receiver)|Mike Evans]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/22704970|title=Sources: Bucs' Mike Evans gets $55M guaranteed in new 5-year, $82.5 million deal|date=March 9, 2018|website=ESPN.com|access-date=February 4, 2019|archive-date=February 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190204122422/http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/22704970|url-status=live}}</ref> had more than 1,000 receiving yards,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/player/mikeevans/2543468/careerstats|title=Mike Evans: Career Stats at NFL.com|website=[[NFL.com]]|access-date=February 4, 2019|archive-date=February 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190219142001/http://www.nfl.com/player/mikeevans/2543468/careerstats|url-status=live}}</ref> and he became the youngest NFL player to record more than 200 receiving yards in a single game.<ref name="eu.usatoday.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2014/11/24/rookie-wide-receivers-odell-beckham-mike-evans-sammy-watkins/70060428/|title=Odell Beckham, Mike Evans lead eye-popping class of NFL rookie WRs|website=USA TODAY|access-date=February 4, 2019|archive-date=April 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422200354/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2014/11/24/rookie-wide-receivers-odell-beckham-mike-evans-sammy-watkins/70060428/|url-status=live}}</ref> Vincent Jackson also had more than 1,000 yards receiving,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/player/vincentjackson/2506400/careerstats|title=Vincent Jackson: Career Stats at NFL.com|website=[[NFL.com]]|access-date=February 4, 2019|archive-date=February 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190219142031/http://www.nfl.com/player/vincentjackson/2506400/careerstats|url-status=live}}</ref> which represented Tampa Bay's first pair of 1,000 yard receivers in a season.<ref name="eu.usatoday.com"/> Second-year CB Johnthan Banks led the team with 4 interceptions and has 50 tackles.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BankJo00.htm|title=Johnthan Banks Stats|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=February 4, 2019|archive-date=December 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181224032448/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BankJo00.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Danny Lansanah flourished in the Tampa 2 system with 81 tackles, 1.5 QB sacks, and 3 interceptions, with 2 of those interceptions returned for touchdowns for the 2014 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LansDa00.htm|title=Danny Lansanah Stats|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=February 4, 2019|archive-date=November 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113182824/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LansDa00.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Jacquies Smith, who was signed from Buffalo after waiving rookie DE Scott Solomon a month into the season, had 17 combined tackles, 13 solo tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 1 forced fumble in only 8 starts for 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jacquies Smith Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SmitJa01.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113182832/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SmitJa01.htm |archive-date=November 13, 2018 |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

In December 2014, a report surfaced that the Buccaneers used homeless people to sell beer and did not pay them.<ref>{{cite news|last=Burke|first=Timothy|title=Buccaneers Will Stop Using Unpaid Homeless People to Sell Beer|url=http://deadspin.com/buccaneers-will-stop-using-unpaid-homeless-people-to-se-1668457240|publisher=Deadspin|date=December 8, 2014|access-date=September 18, 2016|archive-date=September 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160918161617/http://deadspin.com/buccaneers-will-stop-using-unpaid-homeless-people-to-se-1668457240|url-status=live}}</ref>

After the conclusion of the 2014 season, Tampa Bay hired [[Ben Steele]] to become the team's new offensive quality control coach as well as former Falcons offensive coordinator [[Dirk Koetter]] to be their new offensive coordinator after parting ways with QB coach and interim offensive coordinator [[Marcus Arroyo]]. Having a 2–14 record, tied for the worst record in the NFL in 2014, Tampa Bay gained the first-overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft. They also made some headlines when they released quarterback Josh McCown on February 11, 2015, to save $5.25&nbsp;million in cap space.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sessler |first=Marc |date=February 11, 2015 |title=Buccaneers release quarterback Josh McCown |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/buccaneers-release-quarterback-josh-mccown-0ap3000000470106 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190216112946/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000470106/article/buccaneers-release-quarterback-josh-mccown |archive-date=February 16, 2019 |access-date=February 4, 2019 |website=NFL.com}}</ref> With the first overall pick in the NFL draft, the Buccaneers selected [[Jameis Winston]] from Florida State.<ref name="ReferenceC">{{Cite web |last=Graziano |first=Dan |date=July 13, 2018 |title=Given another chance, would Bucs draft Jameis Winston again? |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24087961 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181207145635/http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24087961 |archive-date=December 7, 2018 |access-date=February 4, 2019 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref> Throughout the off-season, there was much debate whether the Buccaneers should pick Winston or Oregon quarterback [[Marcus Mariota]].<ref name="ReferenceC" />

On January 6, 2016, Smith was fired by the Buccaneers after posting a record of 8–24 in his two seasons, including a 6–10 record in the 2015 season.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/07/sports/football/lovie-smith-tampa-bay-buccaneers-fire-coach.html|title=Buccaneers, in a Surprise, Fire Coach Lovie Smith|newspaper=The New York Times|agency=Associated Press|date=January 6, 2016|access-date=February 4, 2019|archive-date=November 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113025525/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/07/sports/football/lovie-smith-tampa-bay-buccaneers-fire-coach.html|url-status=live}}</ref>