Bucs Nation
We continue shouting out our quarter century team with the rest of the skill players.
We continue the breakdown of our all-quarter-century team on offense, this time diving into the receivers and tight ends of the last 25 years.
Let’s keep it rolling!
The two best receivers in Buccaneers history are your undisputed first-teamers, what a shocker.
Standing tall as one of the best receiver tandems in all of football for nearly the last decade, Evans and Godwin have served massively important roles in bringing the franchise back to glory, and their suffering in the 2010s finally got paid back in kind with a Super Bowl win and a previously unseen streak of success.
No. 13 hardly needs much fluff here. With respect to Mike Alstott, Evans is the most prolific offensive player in team annals as he continues to solidify his case for a gold jacket and a bust in Canton, OH. Evans’s 12,684 receiving yards aren’t just easily best in Bucs history but are currently top 25 in NFL history, and his 105 receiving touchdowns are top 10 all-time.
For 11 years, we’ve been treated to dozens of highlight-reel grabs, big-time touchdowns and, of course, the vaunted 1,000-yard streak that continues to this day. We’re closer to the end than the beginning, but it sure seems like Evans still has some good tread left on the tires (just gotta keep those hamstrings healthy).
While Godwin might not be a Hall of Famer, he has consistently served as 1b to Evans’s 1a and has done so despite multiple severe injuries. One of the best slot receivers of his generation, Godwin has racked up impressive numbers to the tune of 579 receptions (18th among active players), 7,266 yards (23rd active), and 39 touchdowns (29th active) – all second place behind Evans in team history.
With the 29-year-old recently signing an extension with Tampa, he should continue to cement his legacy as long as he recovers from his broken ankle as expected.
While neither came on par with Evans or Godwin, both Galloway and Jackson garnered some fondness among Bucs faithful for their contributions to generally not-so-great teams.
Coming in a 1-for-1 swap with the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a discouraged Keyshawn Johnson, Galloway injected some needed speed into the Bucs’ offense during the mid-aughts. Despite being in his mid-30s during his tenure, Galloway rebounded from a first-year groin injury to post three straight 1,000-yard seasons and 22 total touchdowns. He’s currently seventh all-time in receiving yards for Tampa (3,912; sixth among receivers) and 6th all-time for receiving touchdowns (28; fourth among receivers).
Jackson came over from the Chargers in 2012 and holds the distinction of being one of Tampa’s best free agent signings to that point. With so many high-profile busts at the receiver position (from Michael Clayton to Alvin Harper), Jackson provided a steady hand for the better part...
