National Football League

This Date In History: Buccaneers' Sapp Inducted Into Hall Of Fame

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 1:28 p.m. ET

Fansided, Bailey Adams/FanSided via The Pewter Plank

Throughout the spring and summer, we’ll go back in time and look at some moments in Buccaneers franchise history. Today is Feb. 2. On this date in 2013, Warren Sapp was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Some unfortunate circumstances may have led to Warren Sapp falling to the Buccaneers in the 1995 NFL draft, but he made the best of it over the course of his career. He was taken 12th overall by Tampa Bay, the franchise that would eventually help him become a Hall of Famer.

On Feb. 2, 2013, he was voted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. No one can argue that it wasn’t well-deserved.

Aug 3, 2013; Canton, OH, USA; Warren Sapp poses with his bust at the 2013 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement at Fawcett Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

In his 13-year career, Sapp racked up 569 tackles (434 solo), 96.5 sacks, 19 forced fumbles, 12 recoveries and four interceptions. He spent nine seasons with the Bucs, totaling 398 tackles (306 solo), 77 sacks, 15 forced fumbles, nine recoveries and three interceptions. The 1999 AP Defensive Player of the Year was a major part of Tampa Bay’s glory years, leading the team’s dominant defense alongside Derrick Brooks, Simeon Rice, John Lynch and Ronde Barber. In Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl season, No. 99 had 47 tackles (40 solo), seven and a half sacks and a career-high two interceptions.

Over the course of his career, he made seven Pro Bowls. He was on six All-Pro teams (four first-team, two second-team). Of course, the same year that he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, his famous No. 99 was retired by the Bucs. His name will be on display forever in the team’s ring of honor at Raymond James Stadium.

Warren Sapp was certainly a big character, but also one of the best players in franchise history. Today, we remember the day that he got the nod for Canton. Cheers, 99.