1985 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 1985 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's ninth season in the National Football League, the ninth playing their home games at Tampa Stadium and the first season under head coach Leeman Bennett. The team failed to improve on a 6–10 season, once again finishing at 2–14, the same as in 1983. In week 1, Tampa Bay held a 28–17 halftime lead over the eventual Super Bowl winning Chicago Bears. In fact, both games against the Bears provided Tampa Bay halftime leads. Steve Young won his first start against the Detroit Lions before the losses started to pile on, including playing in a foot of snow in Green Bay. The Buccaneers failed to improve on their 6–10 record, and finished 2–14, the worst in the NFL. The Bucs lost their first nine games before shutting out the Cardinals 16–0 in Tampa to finally get in the win column. One week later, the Buccaneers were humiliated, 62–28, in New York by the Jets. The 62 points allowed during the game were the most points allowed by any team during the 1980s and are the most allowed in franchise history. After a win in overtime against the Lions, the Buccaneers would then lose three consecutive games to finish the season. Offseason Hiring Leeman Bennett Former Atlanta Falcons coach Leeman Bennett was named by owner Hugh Culverhouse as the replacement for retired head coach John McKay. Other candidates interviewed included Buccaneer defensive coordinator Wayne Fontes, Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Tom Catlin, former Michigan Panthers head coach Jim Stanley, former New England Patriots head coach Ron Meyer, Washington Redskins quarterback coach Jerry Rhome, former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Bud Carson, and former Florida Gators coach Charley Pell. Bennett was an unexpected choice, as Fontes had long been considered to be the leading candidate and had the near-unanimous support of the players and existing staff. Culverhouse almost gave Fontes the job without conducting an interview process, before having second thoughts and soliciting recommendations from McKay, Tex Schramm, and Dan Rooney. Described as "heartbroken", Fontes learned while attending a scouting combine in Arizona that he had been passed over for the job. Bennett indicated that nobody who had been a candidate for the head coaching job would be hired as an assistant, ending speculation that he might retain Fontes or bring in his former assistant Jim Stanley. Fontes eventually accepted the defensive coordinator position with the Detroit Lions. Bennett had served as the Los Angeles Rams' offensive coordinator under Chuck Knox before taking the Falcons’ job, where he became the only coach to lead that franchise to the playoffs. He did so three times, and was fired after their third playoff appearance, when the owners felt that a change was necessary in order for the Falcons to advance further. The Falcons finished in last place in the NFC West in both of the years following Bennett's firing. Twice named NFC Coach of the Year, Bennett was well respected as a coach, with the only knock