PewterReport.com has periodically published its’ Top 25 All-Time Greatest Bucs list, updating the rankings due to recent inductions into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Buccaneers Ring of Honor, in addition to the emergence of star players on Tampa Bay’s current roster. The last time we published this list was the summer of 2014. Now, it’s time the PewterReport.com staff re-examined the careers of the most elite Tampa Bay players once again. We’ve re-ranked the list and expanded it to the Top 30 All-Time Greatest Bucs.

In this 10-part series, PewterReport.com’s Scott Reynolds analyzes each Bucs legend and offers up commentary on some of the best players in Tampa Bay history. Some of the rankings – and omissions – will likely cause some controversy among the Bucs fan base.

Let us know what you think. Bucs fans and PewterReport.com readers are encouraged to leave their opinions in the article comments section, on the Pewter Report message boards and on Pewter Report’s Twitter page, or Pewter Report’s Facebook page.

In Sunday’s installment, PewterReport.com introduces the All-Time Greatest Bucs ranked 22-24. Monday’s installment will feature the Bucs ranked 19-21. PewterReport.com’s series concludes on Sunday, July, 11 with the Top 3 All-Time Greatest Bucs.

• All-Time Greatest Bucs: No. 28-30
• All-Time Greatest Bucs: No. 25-27

24. Buccaneers RG Davin Joseph – 2005-2013
Previous No. 24: RG Davin Joseph

Despite the recency bias that comes with Ali Marpet, the current Bucs starter at left guard, I still regard Joseph as the best guard in Tampa Bay history – but not by much. Joseph is the only guard in Bucs history to make two Pro Bowls, and he’s tied with left tackle Donald Penn (two Pro Bowls) and one behind center Tony Mayberry, who was the most decorated offensive lineman in Tampa Bay history with three Pro Bowl honors. Joseph, a first-round draft pick in 2006, made the Pro Bowl in 2008 and 2011.

Like Marpet, a second-round pick in 2015, Joseph became an instant starter during his rookie season. He was immediately considered one of the NFL’s most dominant run blockers when he was healthy. Also like Marpet, Joseph earned the distinction of being a team captain over multiple years and made the Pro Bowl in 2011. That led to a lucrative, seven-year, $53 million contract with a $19 million signing bonus that made him one of the NFL’s highest-paid guards. Marpet received a five-year, $54.125 million contract extension with nearly $10.4 million in guaranteed money in 2018.

Bucs G Davin Joseph – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

During his time with Tampa Bay, Joseph was one of the most charitable Bucs players and a great ambassador for the team in the community. Joseph was an eight-year starter and finished his Bucs career with the most starts by a guard in Bucs history (112). Only a devastating knee injury in the 2012 preseason kept him from extending his legendary play. Joseph missed the entire 2012 campaign after suffering a torn meniscus and ACL. Joseph returned a year later, starting all 16 games, but he was never the same. The Bucs released Joseph, who was 31 at the time, during the 2014 offseason. He played one more year in St. Louis before retiring.

Reynolds’ Take: “Joseph was a tremendous interview over the years and I was fortunate to get to know him outside of the locker room. His dominance in the trenches has been quickly forgotten over time, but had he stayed healthy in 2012 he likely would have made the Pro Bowl again. Had that happened, Joseph would have been tied with Mayberry for three Pro Bowls and might have gone down as the best Bucs offensive lineman in team history.

Marpet is entering his seventh season in Tampa Bay and has 85 starts in 85 games played. Despite being snubbed for the Pro Bowl during his career, Marpet helped the Bucs win Super Bowl LV in 2020. If he plays two more years at a high level as expected, he’ll surpass Joseph in the number of games started at guard. And he’ll pass Joseph on this list of the 25 Greatest Bucs.”

23. Buccaneers K Martin Gramatica – 1999-2004
Previous No. 23: LB Lavonte David

Ryan Succop had the greatest season of any kicker in Bucs history. Not only did he help the team win its’ second Super Bowl, he also connected on 90.3 percent of his field goals and scored the most points in Tampa Bay history in a single season with 136.

But the Bucs’ all-time leading scoring is still Gramatica, the Bucs’ kicker for a key six-year stretch. Gramatica, who was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, totaled 592 points on field goals and extra points. At the age of 9, his family moved to the United States, specifically, LaBelle, Florida. He grew up playing soccer, but during his senior year of high school, the football coach convinced him to be the team’s kicker. That decision worked well for Gramatica in the long run. He only missed two field goals during his high school career, and even hit a 52-yard kick in-game.

Gramatica was recruited to Kansas State by defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt, who had ties to Florida. He became a Wildcat legend from 1994 to 1998, setting a single-season school record with 135 points, and the longest field goal kick – 65 yards – in NCAA history. He was inducted into Kansas State’s Ring of Honor, and it was there that the nickname, “Automatica,” was born.

Bucs K Martin Gramatica – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Buccaneers selected Gramatica in the third round of the 1999 NFL draft. He was Tampa Bay’s kicker for six years and was a Pro Bowl starter in one, and a Super Bowl Champion in another. In their Super Bowl win in 2002, Gramatica scored 12 points, and became the first Argentine-American in history to score points in the Super Bowl.

Reynolds’ Take: “Despite the increase in scoring, the NFL is still a field goal league. That means that several games come down to a field goal or less, and kickers are still very important. In 2002, the Bucs were 2-1 in those games en route to a 12-4 record.

That’s where Gramatica showed up. He accounted for all 12 points in a 12-9 win at Carolina and all 15 points with a career-high five field goals in a 15-0 win at Chicago. If the Bucs finished 10-6 that year the team would not have had home-field advantage and might not have made it to the Super Bowl. Gramatica was small in stature but he had a big leg – and a great nickname. The next closest scorer in Bucs history was former kicker Michael Husted (1993-98) with 502 points. Gramatica’s team record has stood since 2004, and might stand for decades.”

22. Buccaneers WR Kevin House – 1980-1986
Previous No. 22: K Martin Gramatica

In the early years, Tampa Bay wasn’t known for its’ offensive prowess. The Bucs were built on the defensive side of the ball, but there were a couple of offensive stars that emerged in the late 1970s and early ‘80s. Quarterback Doug Williams and running back Ricky Bell quickly come to mind, but House was quite the weapon, too.

House was a second-round pick by Tampa Bay in 1980 and quickly became one of the NFL’s best deep threats. As a rookie, House caught only 24 passes, but for 554 yards – an average of 22.1 yards per reception thanks to his blazing speed. In his second year with the Bucs, House had a career year with 56 catches for 1,176 yards, and nine touchdowns.

Bucs WR Kevin House – Photo courtesy of the Buccaneers

House went on to play seven seasons in Tampa Bay, finishing his career in Tampa Bay ranking sixth in team history with 286 receptions in addition to ranking third with 4,928 receiving yards (17.2 yard avg.) and 31 touchdown catches. House had 14 100-yard receiving games, which is third in team history behind Mark Carrier (15) and Mike Evans (29).

Reynolds’ Take: “I never watched House play for Tampa Bay as I started following the team in the early 1990s and began covering the Bucs in 1995. But I do have an appreciation for his accomplishments in orange and white. House was Joey Galloway before Joey Galloway.

In an era in which the Bucs and the NFL ran the ball a lot more and offenses were more conservative, House’s production stands out even more. Williams was a strong-armed quarterback back in the day, and House had the jets to go get the deep ball. Most of those bombs he caught resulted in touchdowns, including his 84-yard TD in the regular season finale in 1981 at Detroit. That last-minute touchdown helped the Bucs claim their second playoff berth in three seasons.”