Tampa Bay Bandits
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Tampa Bay Bandits
The Tampa Bay Bandits were a franchise in the United States Football League and competed in all three of the seasons of that league's existence, 1983, 1984, and 1985. They played their home games at Tampa Stadium. They were coached by former Heisman Trophy winner and National Football League punter and quarterback, Steve Spurrier.
They were owned in part by Hollywood mainstay Burt Reynolds, at that time one of the most popular motion picture actors in the world; the team's majority owner was Canadian businessman John Bassett. On the field, they were far more successful than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the NFL team that Spurrier had once quarterbacked, and with whom they shared their stadium. In addition, their memorabilia outsold that of the Buccaneers in the Tampa Bay area during the time of the team's existence. Interestingly, the 1987 Buccaneers featured no fewer than seventeen former Bandits on their roster.
The Bandits seemed to be one of the USFL teams that would have had a realistic chance for long-term success if the league overall had been more soundly and realistically managed.
Prominent Tampa Bay Bandits
Single Season Leaders
Rushing Yards: 1206 (1985), Gary Anderson (running back)
Receiving Yards: 1146 (1983), Danny Buggs
Passing Yards: 4183 (1985), John Reaves
External links
- "USFL Site" Tampa Bay Bandits page (http://www.oursportscentral.com/usfl/bandits.htm)
- http://www.remembertheusfl.8m.com/teams/tampa.html