The No.73 shirt
Another number that has been shared between the offensive and
defensive lines during the years including one player, Charley Hannah,
who did both roles during his six years with the Buccaneers.
For those Brad Culpepper fans out there, he did his best work in the 77 jersey that
he switched into before the 1996 season when Mark Wheeler moved on, leaving the
best-ever No.73 to be the feisty and scrappy Ron Heller.
If only Ray Perkins had not been so stubborn and downright stupid during 1987,
Heller could have been holding up the right tackle position for a full decade in a
Buccaneer uniform, instead of him plying his trade around the NFL.
Tom McHale was a convert from defense to offense after his rookie season and switched to No.73 at that
time, whilst Regan Upshaw only wore the number during his rookie season of 1996. And as for Frank
Middleton, if trash talking had been a Pro Bowl category, then the Bucs' guard would have been an ever-
present in Hawaii.
Recent wearers of the jerseys have not been well recognised or notable for on-field performances including
the free agency busts that were Anthony Collins in 2014 and JR Sweezy in 2016 meaning Ron Heller could
keep this honour for some time to come.
BEST EVER TO WEAR No.73 FOR THE BUCCANEERS - RON HELLER
Click on the player's name for their profile
page, Buccaneer stats and picture galleries
Years
Player
Pos
1976
John Ward
G
1977-82
Charley Hannah
DE/T
1984-87
Ron Heller
T
1987
David Johnson
OL
1988-92
Tom McHale
G/DE
1993
Theo Adams
T
1994-95
Brad Culpepper
DT
1996
Regan Upshaw
DE
1997-2000
Frank Middleton
G
2005
Jon Bradley
DT
2007
Dennis Roland
T
2010-11
Derek Hardman
T
2012
Roger Allen
G
2014
Anthony Collins
T
2017
JR Sweezy
G
2020
Joe Haeg
G
2022-
Brandon Walton
T