Ranking the Top 5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Running Backs of All Time

The 21st century has provided the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with redemption. A franchise once plagued by incompetence and instability has been immortalized as champion multiple times, drastically altering the team’s perception, at least at times.

It’s common knowledge that football is a game of multiple position groups, with games being won by units and overall performance rather than an individual player.

This pertains to the Buccaneers’ running game, which has deployed multiple backs across playoff runs, focusing on situational play rather than pure talent. Still, the organization’s running back performance isn’t as highly correlated with winning as one might think.

The mediocrity that was a staple of Buccaneers football for decades hasn’t completely vanished from the organization’s recent history and has spoiled great seasons from various running backs.

Furthermore, Tampa Bay is one of a few NFL teams deprived of a transcendently great rusher. Instead of enjoying long, illustrious careers, its best running back play has mostly come in short sports, putting pressure on the front office to replace these players with comparable talent.

While certainly not the greatest list you’ll ever see, here are the five best running backs in Buccaneers history.

Related

5 Players You Forgot Suited Up for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Hall of Fame wideout Tim Brown caught passes for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Yes, it happened in 2004.

1

James Wilder

Wilder is the Buccaneers’ all-time rushing leader

During his run with the Buccaneers in the 1980s, James Wilder became the most productive back in franchise history. Much of this was due to his extended stay with the team, as Wilder spent nine seasons with Tampa Bay.

Even so, he was a powerful back with outstanding receiving ability and was a full-time starter for almost the entirety of his playing tenure.

Taken by Tampa Bay in the second round of the 1981 NFL Draft, the Missouri alum made the only Pro Bowl of his career in 1984 when he rushed for 1,544 yards and 13 touchdowns.

These running numbers, while impressive, were really just the tip of the iceberg. Wilder received a league-high 407 carries to go with 85 receptions, adding up to a whopping 492 touches. This jarring usage rate, paired with 2,229 yards from scrimmage, made him a highly valuable and productive player.

Wilder ran for 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns in 1985, but saw a diminishing role in the offense in the 1986 and 1987 seasons. As the franchise’s all-time leading rusher with 5,957 yards, Wilder secures the top spot on this list.

2

Mike Alstott

Alstott received the most acclaim of any Tampa Bay back

Mike Alstott stands out as the most decorated back in Buccaneers history, having made six Pro Bowls and four All-Pro teams across his 11-year career. Alstott was the prototypical fullback and gave Tampa Bay power running and blocking during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

He was a linchpin for Tampa’s Super Bowl-winning run in the 2002 season and rushed for four touchdowns in the playoffs. Alstott is graded on a bit of a curve since he was a fullback during his career, making his per-carry and per-season rushing totals less consequential.

He played his entire career with the Buccaneers, running for 5,088 yards and 58 touchdowns, ranking second and first, respectively, in franchise history. The six consecutive Pro Bowls from 1997 to 2002 speak volumes to Alstott’s dominance and earn him a spot in the top two.

3

Warrick Dunn

Dunn was an electric runner

The Buccaneers selected Warrick Dunn 12th overall in the 1997 draft and immediately installed him in the offense.

Dunn’s first three seasons were a massive success. The Florida State alum made the Pro Bowl in his first year and earned Offensive Rookie of the Year. He then cracked the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in 1998, logging 1,026 rushing yards.

He returned to the Pro Bowl in 2000 after recording new career-highs of 1,133 rushing yards and 1,555 yards from scrimmage. Dunn’s game was defined by speed and shiftiness. He stood just 5-foot-9 and weighed 180 pounds, shockingly small even by early 2000s standards. But he could shift weight and change speeds as well as anyone, making him a weapon in space.

After a successful five-year run with the Buccaneers, Dunn left for the Atlanta Falcons, where he registered three straight 1,000 rushing-yard seasons from 2004 to 2006, the second of which resulted in a third Pro Bowl appearance.

Dunn returned to Tampa Bay for the final season of his career and retired following the 2008 season, having run for 4,986 yards and 19 touchdowns with the team.

From a career standpoint, Dunn could be argued as the best running back on this list. He embodied true tailback values and amassed nearly 11,000 career rushing yards and over 15,000 yards from scrimmage. But too much of his time came away from the Buccaneers to have him any higher.

4

Doug Martin

Martin had the talent to be one of the best backs of his time

Running back has become a position known for its volatility, but Doug Martin’s career was especially extreme. As a rookie in 2012, he was excellent and ran for 1,454 yards and 11 touchdowns on 4.6 yards per attempt, earning a trip to the Pro Bowl. Despite his smaller frame, Martin was difficult to bring down and bounced off defenders.

This surprising strength and high-energy running style earned Martin the nickname “Muscle Hamster.” The following years, however, tested the Buccaneers’ patience. Martin appeared in a total of 17 games in 2013 and 2014 and wasn’t nearly as effective as a runner.

The Boise State product solidified his place in Tampa Bay history in 2015, returning to the Pro Bowl and being named a First-Team All-Pro after rushing for 1,402 yards. But Martin failed to eclipse 500 rushing yards in both 2016 and 2017, adding to the growing frustration among fans and Tampa Bay’s front office.

The debate surrounding Martin’s all-time status is a classic case of prime versus longevity and consistency. There have certainly been more stable performers, but Martin’s best years are some of the greatest in franchise history.

Without a true Hall of Fame-caliber talent, there aren’t many players that can justifiably go ahead of Martin. His 4,633 rushing yards and 26 rushing touchdowns with the team earn him a top-five spot.

5

Michael Pittman

Pittman aided the Buccaneers in their first Super Bowl victory

The father of Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., the original Michael Pittman was a running back who spent 11 years in the NFL, six with Tampa Bay. With the Buccaneers, Pittman was an adequate starter and eclipsed 1,000 yards from scrimmage in each of his first three seasons with the team.

The most important part of Pittman’s Buccaneers legacy comes from the 2002 season. He started 15 regular-season games and all three of the team’s playoff games.

While Pittman wouldn’t be considered the leader of Tampa Bay’s offense, he made contributions to a Super Bowl-winning team and recorded a total of 3,362 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns with the Buccaneers.

All stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless stated otherwise.

Related

Ranking the Top 5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Quarterbacks of All Time

Playing just three years in Tampa Bay, is Tom Brady the best QB in Buccaneers history?