In 1995, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made NFL history by selecting two future Hall of Famers in the same round of the NFL draft. General Manager Rich McKay swung multiple trades to maneuver the Buccaneers around the board, eventually landing Warren Sapp at pick 12 and Derrick Brooks at pick 28, providing the foundation for what would become one of the greatest defenses of all time.
Just how did all of that go down? And what emotions did it stir inside the Buccaneers draft room, inside the minds of a watchful group of incoming owners, and within the worlds of the players seeing their NFL fates unfold in real time? The best way to answers those questions is to go back to 1995 and go into that room, to see and hear how history was made and how it affected the lives of everyone involved. How it made them feel.
That's what Raise the Flags, a new 10-part docuseries chronicling the entire history of the NFL's 27th franchise, does for that incredible afternoon in April of 1995, as well as countless other unforgettable moments in team history. And now Buccaneers fans are going to have a chance to experience it all when Raise the Flags debuts exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on Thursday, December 11.
This incredibly rich and wide-ranging docuseries, presented by Skydance Sports and Prime Video Sports, was commissioned and produced by Buccaneers Co-Owner Ed Glazer and directed by eight-time Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Trent Cooper, and the result is the most complete account of Buccaneers history ever conceived and realized. Cooper and his production team conducted over 100 interviews with current and former players, coaches, executives, staff, media personalities and more and supported it with archival footage and historical recordings.
"Raise The Flags is a celebration of the people, the perseverance, and the passion that built this franchise over the past 50 seasons," said Glazer. "We wanted to create an honest and comprehensive look at our journey – from the earliest challenges to the unforgettable championship moments – and to honor everyone who has shaped the Buccaneers franchise into what it is today. This series celebrates that rich history in a way that has never been done before."
The 1995 draft saga is a perfect example of how thoroughly Raise the Flags unpacked the moments that shaped the franchise, from its 0-26 start to its two Super Bowl championships. Viewers will hear from Rich McKay, former personnel executive Jerry Angelo, Co-Owner Joel Glazer, Sapp and Brooks while watching from inside the draft room as the events unfold.
The same treatment goes to such developments as the arrival of Doug Williams, one of the first black quarterbacks in league history, the Bo Jackson draft saga, the groundbreaking hiring of Tony Dungy, the rise of that incredible Buccaneers' defense, the path to both Lombardi Trophies, Tom Brady's history-making move to Tampa and so much more. As much time is spent on the difficult moments that helped shape the franchise as the moments of glory, and it's all told by the men and women who experienced both.
"I grew up in the Tampa Bay area and have loved the Bucs my entire life, but storytelling is my job, and this story has it all: grit, heartbreak, community, unforgettable characters and more," said Cooper. "The best part of this project for me has been going deep into the rise of this franchise and uncovering stories even lifelong fans never knew."
Not every story in the 10-part series is focused on the biggest moments that are stored in every Bucs' fans databanks. There are humorous stories previously untold, such as one particularly difficult audible sequence by quarterback Steve DeBerg that still delights him and fellow quarterback Steve Young to this day. Viewers will also hear Young's behind-the-scenes tale of how he tried to convince Buccaneers brass that Jackson was deadly serious about his unwillingness to play in Tampa.
"I told them, 'He's not coming,'" Young relates. "He looked me in the eye and said he's not coming. But no one would believe me, so…"
How did Richard "Batman" Wood feel about being traded to the Buccaneers in 1976 for a measly seventh-round pick? What was it like for franchise great Paul Gruber to finish his most successful season as a Buccaneer, only to suffer a broken leg that kept him out of the 1999 playoffs? Who yelled at Tom Brady in a panic to stop when he was about to toss the Lombardi Trophy over open water in the Super Bowl boat parade in 2021? They will tell those tales themselves.
Fans will be treated to inside stories usually only told from player to player, coach to coach or owner to owner. Why did Hardy Nickerson and Keyshawn Johnson nearly come to blows on a plane flight in January of 2002? How exactly did team ownership pull off the Jon Gruden trade under a total veil of secrecy? What did turkey sandwiches have to do with the birth of current Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Sean McVay's career?
As an added treat, each episode ends with one or more prominent figures in team history being confronted with a very difficult question: Who is the greatest player in Buccaneers franchise history? The answers vary, and some are surprising. Who does Jon Gruden think is the all-time greatest Buc? That's revealed in the fifth episode.
With its premiere on December 11, Raise The Flags becomes the latest addition to Prime Video's expanding portfolio of sports programming, joining titles such as Kelce, Bye Bye Barry, and Coach Prime. The series will be available to stream exclusively on Prime Video.
