Buc of the Day: LB Hardy Nickerson
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The rise of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense of the 90s did not begin with Tony Dungy, Derrick Brooks or even Warren Sapp. It began with linebacker Hardy Nickerson.
Nickerson began his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, drafted in the fifth round of the 1987 draft. After six years in balck and gold, Nickerson joined Sam Wyche’s Bucs as middle linebacker. Though a solid starter in Pittsburgh, he became a star in Tampa Bay.
In his first year with Tampa Bay, Nickerson was voted to the Pro Bowl and named All Pro, unofficially recording 214 tackles. He was an old school hammer of a linebacker, known for his aggressive play and big hits, but most of all, he was an outspoken and respected leader that made the defense his own.
Though Nickerson’s arrival did not immediately yield a dominant winning defense, his arrival did initiate the culture change that paved the way for Dungy, Brooks and Sapp. In fact, the year after Dungy took over in 1996, Nickerson went to four straight Pro Bowls and was voted All Pro a second time in 1997.
In his final year with Tampa Bay, Nickerson helped lead the Bucs to their first division title and NFC Championship game. He capped off his career in Tampa Bay by terrorizing the playoffs, recording a forced fumble in the divisional game and an interception against the Rams in the NFC title game.
Nickerson signed with Jacksonville in 2000 and called it a career two years later. Even in retirement, Nickerson’s connection to Tampa Bay persisted, joining the Buccaneers Radio Network before joining his former linebackers coach Lovie Smith in Chicago. He spent one year as Smith’s linebackers coach before resigning, but he would give NFL coaching another go when Smith became Tampa’s head coach.
Though Derrick Brooks and Warren Sapp are the names most frequently associated with the Bucs’ championship defense, Nickerson was the progenitor of what would become the best performing unit in franchise history. Without him, it’s questionable whether the Bucs defense would have been as successful as it ended up being.