For an area that had wanted a pro football team for a long time, Tampa Bay really did know what they were getting into when the Buccaneers started to first play in 1976.

John McKay, the first coach for the team, didn’t know either.

After twenty six losses in a row, the fan base had become irate with McKay who felt they had gotten a lot less than they had bargained for. Among other things, fan inside Tampa Stadium would shout, “throw McKay into the bay.”

The Bucs announcement on Wednesday that they planned on enshrining the late John McKay into the organization’s Ring of Honor, for these reasons, was quite satisfying for the organization and McKay family. As history shows, the same man who led the team during some of their darkest days, also later led them to some of their highest achievements.

Rich McKay, John’s son, who is also a former general manager of the Bucs and current Falcons president said, I think the thing he would have been proud of the most is that in this community where during the first few years it was such a struggle and to a certain degree where he was vilified, that he was able to turn things around.

It was the first appearance for Rich McKay in a Bucs facility since 2004 when he had an unceremonious exit. He attended a news conference that featured Lee Roy Selmon, Hall of Famer for the Bucs, and Wayne Fontes, former assistant under McKay, among others. Terri Flori, John McKay’s daughter, was also in attendance. During a game on December 5 versus the Falcons, the Buccaneers will be honoring John McKay, which will allow Rich McKay to be part of the ceremony. That day the Bucs will be wearing their throwback orange uniforms.

Rich McKay said, he had plenty of opportunities where he might have walked away, saying this was harder than I was thinking it would be. He took pride I think in the fact he finished the job.

From 1979 to 1982, John McKay led the Buccaneers to the playoffs four times, including a 1979 appearance in the NFC Championship Game. However on Wednesday the people who knew him remember him for more than just the wins and losses he had.

He was remembered for his stubbornness by some, and for others for his deadpan, witty comments.

Selmon said I remember him saying, I will build with young players. I will build using a 3-4 defense. The old school NFL people said it couldn’t happen. That a 3-4 defense couldn’t be used in the NFL. He didn’t change his mind and stuck with it. Our team built the 3-4 defense. We played it pretty well, then in the next year lots of other teams started to run it too.

Rich McKay has never forgotten that his father was such an intense competitor, despite his public persona as a happy go lucky man. Just the idea of losing a game was quite nerve racking for him, which for Rich and siblings was very clear when their father was coaching the very successful University of Southern California team before he joined Tampa Bay.

Rich McKay said, I remember sitting in Los Angeles Coliseum many times. He looked very calm. However, he was very nervous. He would look at us. We would be scared to death. He would then go out, putting a persona out that it wasn’t a big deal. He could control his emotions. I could see it though. Definitely he was nervous. He was a very fierce competitor.

Florio said, I didn’t remember that he has been gone for nine years. My father had a very powerful personality. It feels like he is right next to me here.

Her father, once he is enshrined in Tampa Bay’s ring, won’t ever be forgotten.

Bryan Glazer, Bucs co-chairman said, Tampa Bay will feel the legacy of John’s forever. He led our franchise from the very start. John and Lee Roy Selmon were the men who set the standard of what it means being a Buccaneer.