Steve DeBerg

Baker Mayfield's got the Bucs humming now, but Steve DeBerg owns that franchise QB throne from the '80s—3,554 yards and 19 TDs in '84 alone, dragging a 6-10 team to relevance while Baker chases rings in a pass-happy era. DeBerg's 34,241 career yards across 17 seasons scream journeyman grit; Mayfield's flashier, but DeBerg's the original Buc signal-caller who set the bar.

Nah, Steve DeBerg's not in Canton—no bust for the guy who slung it for six teams over 17 years, racking 34,241 yards and 196 TDs despite more picks than trophies. He's the ultimate backup-turned-starter, like that reliable rental car that gets you cross-country but never wins Car of the Year.

Steve DeBerg's long retired from the gridiron, keeping a low profile in California these days—no splashy broadcasting gigs or charity headlines popping up. The 71-year-old's likely golfing or mentoring quietly, true to his nomadic QB life that bounced from Frisco to Tampa without the spotlight chasing.

DeBerg's gunslinger arm—3,652 yards leading the league in attempts one year—would feast under today's no-roughing rules and quick releases. Imagine his 60% completion clipping defenses with RPOs; he'd post 4,000-yard seasons easy, turning '84 Bucs' eighth-ranked passing attack into a top-five juggernaut.

DeBerg edged Doug Williams as Tampa's go-to early on, posting an 11.99 rating to Doug's 38.71 across Buc stints, but both owned the franchise tag—Steve's 3,554 yards in '84 topped Doug's Super Bowl heroics later. DeBerg the steady vet, Williams the big-game bolt; together, they defined Buc QB chaos before the creamsicle uniforms faded.