1996 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season

Prior to the season the Buccaneers were still unsure if the team would remain in Tampa Bay or if it would be moved by new ownership family led by Malcolm Glazer and sons, either to Cleveland,[1][2] Los Angeles,[3][4] or the nearby city of Orlando.

With the new ownership, tax disclosures showed the old Culverhouse regime was running a "for-profit" business in which players who were getting good were released before their contracts could get big, all the while claiming poor and trying to get some home games played in Orlando.

The morning of the game, Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks were in their hotel room watching ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown.

Chris Berman referred to the game as the "Superchargers" versus the "Yucs"[6][7] – a derogatory nickname that had stemmed from the Bucs' many years of futility.

The offense struggled all season, and was not helped by an ill-advised holdout by running back Errict Rhett, who would have far fewer carries the following year.