NFL Films' 'The Timeline' Tells Story of the 0-26 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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​'0-26 Bucs' Premieres Wednesday, November 23 at 8:00 PM ET on NFL Network

"What I learned in those two years is that you have to stay to the plan." – Rich McKay

The second season of NFL Network's Emmy-nominated documentary series The Timeline from NFL Films continues Wednesday, November 23 at 8:00 PM ET with 0-26 Bucs, telling the story of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 0-and-26 start as an NFL franchise. This one-hour show represents the midseason return of The Timeline – NFL Network's series which examines seminal moments etched onto the NFL's historical timeline – kicking off five new episodes airing throughout the months of November and December.



In 1976, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers became an NFL franchise. With a first-time owner in Hugh Culverhouse, a first-time Vice President of Operations in Ron Wolf, and a first-time NFL head coach in John McKay, the Buccaneers embarked on what would become the longest losing streak in NFL history. After a winless inaugural season and 12 straight losses in their second season, the Buccaneers finally broke through with a win over the New Orleans Saints.

0-26 Bucs tells the story of the hapless Buccaneers and their attempts to build an NFL franchise from the ground up 40 years ago, chronicling the moment an NFL team set the mark for futility, losing a record 26 consecutive games. 0-26 Bucs features interviews with former Buccaneers players such as Steve Spurrier, J.K. McKay, Dewey Selmon and Pat Toomay, former Buccaneers executives Ron Wolf and Rich McKay, and others.

To view a trailer for 0-26 Bucs, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO87IyCJFvA&feature=youtu.be.

Among the topics discussed in 0-26 Bucs are:

The Buccaneers' hiring of John McKay from USC where he won four national titles and paying him the most money a coach had ever been paid

from USC where he won four national titles and paying him the most money a coach had ever been paid How Steve Spurrier's release from the Buccaneers in 1977 led him to become a football coach

release from the Buccaneers in 1977 led him to become a football coach The loss to the Denver Broncos in 1976 and leaving owner Hugh Culverhouse at the stadium

at the stadium Becoming the subject of jokes by Johnny Carson

Defeating the New Orleans Saints for their first win in franchise history

0-26 Bucs includes interviews with the following people and more:

Ron Wolf – Buccaneers Vice President of Operations

Steve Spurrier – Buccaneers quarterback

J.K. McKay – Buccaneers wide receiver & John McKay's son

Rich McKay – John McKay's son

Pat Toomay – Buccaneers defensive end

Dewey Selmon – Buccaneers linebacker

Richard Wood – Buccaneers linebacker

Mark Cotney – Buccaneers safety

Dave Green – Buccaneers kicker

Gary Huff – Buccaneers quarterback

Parnell Dickinson – Buccaneers quarterback

Frank Oliver – Buccaneers cornerback

Dave Lewis – Buccaneers linebacker

Ken Herock – Buccaneers director of player personnel

Dick Crippen – Broadcaster

Jack Harris – Buccaneers pregame and postgame host

Ron Martz – Reporter

Gayle Sierens Martin – Reporter

Bob South – Reporter

Provided below are some select quotes from 0-26 Bucs:

- "What I learned in those two years is that you have to stay to the plan." – Rich McKay

- "If I'm not released by Tampa Bay, I probably would have never been a football coach." – Steve Spurrier

- "It even hurts today when people say that was the worst sports team in the history of sports." – Dave Green

- "The head coach, the owner and myself, we were all first-time people. First-time owner, first-time head coach, first-time general manager. That is a recipe for disaster." – Ron Wolf

- "All you had to do was look at who the roster was, where these guys came from – nobody wanted any of us." – J.K. McKay

- "It was a college offense. It was an I-formation, pitch on first down most of the time. The pros, they react to that so quickly." – Gary Huff

- "Anytime you needed something synonymous with losers, it was the Buccaneers. We were a national joke basically." – Jack Harris

- "I felt like if we could play with Walter Payton, you could play with anybody." – Dave Lewis

- "It just rubbed us the wrong way and maybe that's what we needed. Let them talk because come game day, it's a whole different story." – Richard Wood on New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning's comments

- "If you're still competing, if you're still trying, if you don't give up, pretty soon things are going to go your way." – Mark Cotney

- "I feel so bad for some of the veteran players, what they went through but I hope they take away from it some sense of pride. What they built was way bigger than a football team." – Rich McKay

Each episode of The Timeline – as well as all NFL Network programming – is streamed live on the NFL Mobile from Verizon app (NFL.com/mobile) and via Watch NFL Network on tablet (NFL Mobile and Watch NFL Network apps), PC (NFL.com/watch), Xbox One and Xbox 360(NFL on Xbox app) and other connected TV devices (NFL app on Apple TV and Playstation 4). To watch full episodes of The Timeline and for additional content, visit NFL.com/TheTimeline.

Provided below is a broadcast schedule for the remaining episodes of The Timeline:

There's Only One America's Team (Wednesday, November 30 at 8:00 PM ET) – In 1978, NFL Films dubbed the Dallas Cowboys as "America's Team." Ever since, no team has become more loved, and possibly more hated

1984 Comeback (Wednesday, December 7 at 8:00 PM ET) – An exploration of what 1980's "cool" really was and how a team – the Miami Dolphins – came to define the style and substance of the league for years to come

Lombardi's Redskins (Wednesday, December 14 at 8:00 PM ET) – The story of Vince Lombardi's one year of coaching in the nation's capital



– The story of one year of coaching in the nation's capital The Fog Bowl (Wednesday, December 21 at 8:00 PM ET) – Exploring the 1988 NFC Divisional Round Game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears

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