He previously served as an assistant coach for the Arizona Cardinals, Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers.
[1] Buckner played college football at Clemson University, and was a first-team All-ACC selection in his senior year.
The following season, he was a regular starter for the Steelers, and was an integral part of the defense that led them to Super Bowl XXX against the Dallas Cowboys.
In 2001, Buckner signed with the Carolina Panthers, pairing up with Julius Peppers, Mike Rucker and Kris Jenkins to form what many experts called the most dominating front four defensive line in football.
After retirement, Buckner hosted a midday show on WFNZ in Charlotte, with former NFL Offensive lineman Frank Garcia.
On February 19, 2018, Buckner was hired by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as their defensive line coach.