FAB 5. SR’s Buc Shots

• THE FANS’ PERSPECTIVE OF SPURLOCK’S RECORD-SETTING RETURN: The news that NFL stadiums won’t be near capacity – or perhaps have any fans at all in attendance – due to COVID-19 pandemic concerns is sad, especially in Tampa Bay where sellouts have been hard to come by over the last decade. But the signing of future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady in March and the subsequent trade for future Hall of Fame tight end Rob Gronkowski in April sparked a surge in Bucs ticket sales this offseason.

The entire Bucs’ home slate of games during the 2020 season would have likely sold out Raymond James Stadium, which holds 65,890 fans, with Brady under center. Alas, that won’t be the case. So while I have talked about Micheal Spurlock’s record-setting, 90-yard kick return for a touchdown against Atlanta in 2007, I wanted to show you this cool video of what his TD looked like from the fans’ perspective during a sold out game in Ray-Jay in the Jon Gruden era.

Enjoy – and relive Bucs history!

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• HUMPHRIES HAD ONE OF THE BEST KICK RETURNS IN TAMPA BAY HISTORY: While we’re on the subject of Bucs kick returns, I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about one of the greatest kick returns in Tampa Bay. Unfortunately for Adam Humphries, his 109-yard kick return against Detroit didn’t count in the record books because it happened during the preseason.

When the Bucs saw that Lions kicker Matt Prater was going to attempt a 62-yard field goal to end the first half, head coach Dirk Koetter called a timeout and inserted Humphries back to field the kick in case it fell short of the goal posts. It did just that and Humphries took off from deep, deep, deep in his own end zone and weaved from left to right following teammates like Jason Pierre-Paul and Lavonte David, who ran interference, all the way into the end zone for an incredible score.

Even though it didn’t count, that 109-yard kickoff return was a thing of beauty and became the longest play in Tampa Bay history – in either the preseason or the regular season. While it may not have the significance of Micheal Spurlock’s 90-yard kick return TD in 2007 to end the Bucs’ kickoff curse, it was still an absolutely incredible kick return by Humphries.

• KIFFIN IN BUCS RING OF HONOR STILL A GO FOR 2020? Tampa Bay was expected to induct defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin into the Bucs Ring of Honor this year. The team made the announcement earlier in the offseason at Kiffin’s 80th birthday private celebration that the Bucs threw at Raymond James Stadium. The distinction is well deserved as Kiffin has won more games (111) than any other coach in Tampa Bay history because he was the Bucs defensive coordinator under both Tony Dungy (53 wins from 1996-2001) and Jon Gruden (57 wins from 2002-08).

Former Bucs DC Monte Kiffin – Photo by: Getty Images

But with the prospects of only 25 percent stadium capacity this year due to COVID-19, will the Bucs elect to push Kiffin’s induction back a year so a packed Raymond James Stadium can see the ceremony? In Indianapolis, the Colts have postponed the induction of the team’s legendary pass rusher Robert Mathis into their Ring of Honor until 2021 for that reason.

Yet Kiffin just turned 80 and tomorrow isn’t guaranteed for anyone. On the other hand, with COVID-19 affecting the elderly population more than any other age group, will it be safe for Kiffin to attend such a public event like his halftime induction ceremony – even with a fraction of the fans in the stands? That’s something the Bucs organization will have to determine before the start of the 2020 season.

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• BRADY’S INCREDIBLE RECORD IN COLD WEATHER GAMES: Bucs quarterback Tom Brady has played in his share of cold weather games thanks to spending his first 20 years in the NFL in New England. In 20 years with the Patriots he’s compiled an unreal record in cold weather games. Take a look at the tweet below.

Tom Brady went 25-4 in temperatures below 30 degrees during his 20 years with the Patriots.

“My mind doesn’t slow down in the cold, but their bodies do”

(via @pfref, @jayfeely) pic.twitter.com/FmxJt4Jb3Z

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) July 19, 2020

Brady won’t have any chance to improve on that record while playing for the warm-weather Buccaneers in Tampa this year. With games at Denver in September and at Chicago in October, the only chance for Brady and the Bucs to play in truly cold weather will be on Monday Night Football in New York against the Giants on November 8.

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