Former Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach Sam Wyche, considered an innovator and sharp offensive mind, replaced Richard Williamson as head coach and the team also brought back quarterback Steve DeBerg to compete with Vinny Testaverde, who would be in his final season with the team. Running back Reggie Cobb built on his strong sophomore campaign with a 1,171-yard season, scoring nine touchdowns, and the Bucs burst out of the gates with a 3-1 record. That included lopsided wins over the Cardinals and Packers, but was immediately followed by two five-game losing streaks separated by a lone win as the Bucs slumped to a 5-11 finish. The most painful loss in that stretch was a 31-27 decision to the Rams, who rallied from a 27-3 halftime deficit with 28 unanswered points. Defensive tackle Santana Dotson, a fifth-round draft pick, set a franchise rookie record with 10.0 sacks, including five in the first three weeks of the season. Testaverde ended up starting 14 games but would toss just 14 touchdown passes against 16 interceptions.
