Bucco Bruce is back.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will wear their classic Creamsicle uniforms in a Week 6 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Raymond James Stadium. Tampa Bay unveiled the uniforms on July 12, but fans of throw-back uniforms are already familiar.
Orange jerseys. Red stripes. White helmet. Bucco Bruce. If a NFL uniform could scream "K-Billy’s Super Sounds of the 70s," then this is the one.
Our legacy continues. pic.twitter.com/HbkrvoAJDZ
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) July 12, 2023
Sporting News looks at the history of the Creamsicle jerseys, their popularity and whether it’s a good thing to wear them against the Lions on Sunday.
When did the Buccaneers stop wearing Creamsicles?
Tampa Bay wore the uniforms from 1976-96 before switching to the current color scheme of Buccaneer red, pewter and black. According to UniWatch, the original Creamsicle uniforms were supposed to have green in the uniform, too.
Why are Buccaneers' Creamsicle uniforms so popular?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers vintage look is popular because of that unique. Seriously, how many college or NFL uniforms have such a unique color combination? Look back at 1970s fashion – with Disco shirts and bell-bottoms. At some point, wearing orange, red and white was cool.
The Bucco Bruce logo tops it off. The pirate with the dagger in his mouth was part of the Buccaneers’ helmet in that era.
It also is a nod to the old NFC Central, which featured the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings. The Buccaneers played in that division until moving to the NFL South with the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints in 2002.
The Creamsicle jerseys Tampa Bay is wearing this season are a throwback to the team’s first season in 1976.
Why did Buccaneers stop wearing Creamsicle jerseys?
Whether the franchise admits it or not, the history in those uniforms was not good. Tampa Bay had just three winning seasons in the Creamsicle jerseys from 1976-96, before switching to the Buccaneer red and pewter jerseys. Tampa Bay won Super Bowl XXXVII and LV in the modern uniforms.
It’s kind of the same situation with the New England Patriots. The throwback look might be more fashionable, but the current uniform is more synonymous with franchise success.
Still, the old-school jerseys will conjure up memories of former defensive tackle Lee Roy Selmon, who was the franchise’s first Pro Football Hall of Fame selection.
When is the last time Buccaneers wore Creamsicle jerseys?
Tampa Bay brought back the Creamsicle jerseys once a year from 2009-12. The Buccaneers beat Green Bay 38-28 on Nov. 8, 2009, in a memorable game where Josh Freeman rallied Tampa Bay from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
The other Creamsicle games did not go well. Atlanta beat Tampa Bay 28-24 on Dec. 5, 2010 the following season. The Panthers beat Tampa Bay 38-19 on Dec. 4, 2011. The Buccaneers tried one more time on Oct. 21, 2012, but lost to the Saints 35-28.
This will be the first time Tampa Bay wears the Creamsicle jerseys since 2012.
Will these uniforms work against the Lions? Detroit had a 26-24 record against Tampa Bay when they played in the same division, and the Lions have a 31-29 record in the series.
Who is Bucco Bruce?
The Bucco Bruce logo tops it off. The pirate with the dagger in his mouth was part of the Buccaneers’ helmet in that era. Bucco Bears is wearing a red plumed hat and is winking.
According to WUSF, former Bucs owner Hugh Culverhouse, "Did not want a snaggletooth pirate. Instead, he sought more of a swashbuckling character, like dashing 1930s film star Errol Flynn."
The result was one of the most-memorable logo in NFL history, one that will be honored against Detroit on Sunday.
