The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have etched their name into NFL history with one of the rarest starts imaginable. Despite trailing in both of their opening games with less than a minute left in the fourth quarter, they’ve still managed to begin the season 2-0.
The only other team to ever pull off this improbable feat was the 1979 Cleveland Browns. That connection places the Buccaneers in an exclusive club, showing just how unusual and dramatic their early-season run has been.
The information was revealed by Greg Harvey, who works for Stats Perform and OptaSTATS. He also revealed that Emeka Egbuka became just the second player in the Super Bowl era—alongside Louis Lipps in 1984—to record 3+ touchdown catches and 8+ receptions through his first three halves.
The Kardiac Kids of 1979
Browns earned the nickname “Kardiac Kids” for the 1979-1980 season because of their heart-stopping finishes. Week after week, the team seemed to thrive on drama, pulling off last-minute comebacks or losing in gut-wrenching fashion. Fans never knew what to expect, except that the outcome would keep their hearts racing until the final whistle.
Between 1979 and 1982, the Buccaneers weren’t doing so badly, making the playoffs three times. Despite being a younger franchise than the Browns, they offered something better to their fans during those years. However, for most of the ’80s and nearly all of the ’90s, they failed to return to the playoffs.
It’s probable that with Mayfield, the Buccaneers will be able to continue breaking and matching records like that throughout the season. He’s a quarterback with enough experience to handle the tightest games, but it also depends on how good the opposing team’s defense is.