Hugh Culverhouse and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers: How a Skinflint Genius with a Losing Team Made the Modern NFL

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(as of Jan 31, 2026 00:10:10 UTC – Details)

From 1976 until 1994, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost far more games than they won. The Bucs’ status as a sporting punch line belied the fact that they were led by arguably the most important owner of that era. Known as the “Vice-Commissioner,” Hugh F. Culverhouse, Sr., wielded his financial acumen as a weapon, keeping other NFL owners in line through the economic downturn of the 1980s, two work stoppages, and a multimillion dollar lawsuit from a rival league. Culverhouse’s near-Dickensian frugality also led, directly and indirectly, to the Steve Young-Joe Montana quarterback controversy; Doug Williams’ triumph in Super Bowl XXII; and the largest fourth-quarter collapse in NFL history. Over two dozen interviews with Culverhouse’s allies and adversaries inform this thorough and balanced chronicle of the man and his team.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ McFarland & Company
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 14, 2011
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 261 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0786465166
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0786465163
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.53 x 9 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #2,486,548 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #2,202 in Sports History (Books) #3,992 in Football (Books) #35,572 in U.S. State & Local History
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