What could have been? Hall of Fame Player Errict Rhett!

With the 34th overall pick in the 1994 NFL draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers choose Errict Rhett out of the University of Florida.

After a 5-11 season in his second year as Buccaneer’s head coach in 1993, Sam Wyche set out to rebuild the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Having already spent the team's top pick in the draft in the previous year's draft on Eric Curry, Wyche picked up a cornerstone of Buccaneer teams for the next dozen years when he traded up to the No. 34th selection.

With that pick, Wyche selected Errict Rhett.

All Rhett would do for the next 12 years in Tampa was lead the Buccaneers to three Super Bowl championships, lead the NFL in rushing four times, become the league's MVP in 1997, the MVP of Super Bowl XXXI and make eight Pro Bowls.
And, of course, become the NFL's all-time rusher . In 12 seasons with Tampa, Rhett set the NFL mark with 17,162 yards and also set an NFL record with 153 rushing touchdowns.

Okay, I know Errict Rhett will never be in the Hall of Fame. However, he was drafted with the 34th overall draft pick by the Buccaneers. I also now that the above mentioned statistics are not real, well they are real, but not for Errict Rhett and Sam Wyche or even the Buccaneers for that matter. The above stats I created from real stats, from none other then (SEE HOW WELL YOUR KNOW YOU FOOTBALL KNOWLEDGE?) (Changes I made are 5-11 should be 1-15, 1993 to 1989, Eric Curry to Steve Walsh, 34th to 17th, MVP in 1997 should be MVP in 1993 and MVP of Superbowl XXXI should be XXVII.) Give Up? Okay here it is change Sam Wyche to Jimmy Johnson and yes, change ERRICT RHETT to the great EMMITT SMITH. The real stat paragraph is located on Emmitt Smith’s web site: www.emmittzone.com

This is what could and maybe even should have happened for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I have always been a huge fan of Errict Rhett. If you asked me why? I would have to say he was great coming from college including his first two seasons with the Buccaneers. He was exciting to watch and he was the only man getting the job done behind a horrible offensive line. So allow me this post about him and let me explain a few things that I think you might find interesting.


Errict Rhett played for the Florida Gators in college. He completed his college career in 1993 with 4,163 yards, the top rushing total in UF history (Still is to this date) and the fourth best in SEC history. His 153 catches ranked as the best in UF history for a Running Back and the third best total overall. Rhett became the first player in NCAA Div. 1A history to rush for over 4,100 yards AND catch 150 passes. First-team All-America choice in 1993 and a first-team All-SEC choice in 1991 and 1993 after leading the league in rushing both seasons. Errict Rhett is the only former Gator who broke most of Emmitt Smith's record while playing for Steve Spurrier at the University of Florida.

Here is Errict Rhett’s college career stats: 1st place over all at UF.

Florida Gators records Total Yards/Total Rushing Touchdowns gained in a career:
1.Errict Rhett: 1990-1993, Total Yards: 5393 yards (4163 rushing, 1230 rec) 34 td
2. Emmitt Smith: 1987-1989, Total Yards: 4391 yards (3928 rush, 463 rec) 36 td
3. Fred Taylor: 1994-1997, Total Yards: 3792 yards (3075 rush, 717 rec)
7. Earnest Graham:1998-2002, Total Yards: 3468 yards (3065 rush, 403 rec)

Rhett's Florida Gators college numbers is top to some pretty big names. Earnest Graham is on here, because he currently is the 3rd running back with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Errict Rhett, 5’11” 212 lbs, was a second-round selection (34th overall) of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1994 NFL Draft. He became a starter early in his rookie year, and was named NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1994. Rhett recorded the first of two straight 1,000-yard seasons including a 192-yard game against the Redskins, the third-best in team history.

Rhett was no different then a lot of young players, who are playing today. He had desire to be the best running back in the NFL and wanted more money. Rhett’s agent was none other then (sorry ass) Drew Rosenhaus, who currently represents over 90 NFL players, many of them NFL superstars, including Willis McGahee, Santana Moss, Terrell Ownes, Warren Sapp, Sean Taylor, Zach Thomas, Billy Volek, Javon Walker and others. If you recall this year Rosenhaus was responsible for Terrell Ownes and Javon Walker’s hold out. However, both of these players were smart enough to return to their teams and honor their contracts.

It has been said that Rhett was not blessed with the greatest of intelligence, he was known as "Dr Rhett" by the Tampa Bay writers for his lack of intelligence. So, listening to his agent, Rhett started down the path of the DARK SIDE and ruined his career by holding out for the first month of the 1996 season, and never got out of Tony Dungy's doghouse in the process and also never was the same player again.

Errict Rhett before the start of the 1996 training camp was the Bucs' leading rusher for the last two years and a Pro Bowler, has rushed for consecutive 1,000-yard seasons but was currently under contract for $336,000, which was only $130,000 more than the lowest-paid NFL starting tailback. Good reason to hold out? Not really here is where Rhett messed up.

Buccaneer general manager Rich McKay tried to reach an agreement with Rhett and his agent Drew Rosenhaus. Rhett reportedly turned down a six-year deal worth $2.3 million dollars a year. He was asking for $3 million a year and a $5 million signing bonus. (THANKS TO HIS AGENT)

Errict Rhett ended a 93-day holdout, rejoining the Buccaneers despite not getting the contract extension he insisted was necessary before he would play again. Agent Drew Rosenhaus, who had requested Tampa Bay deal Rhett to another team before the NFL's Oct. 8 1996 trading deadline, said his client ended the holdout after receiving assurances that club officials were committed to working to keep him in a Tampa Bay uniform for years to come. (I guess that never happened, here is what did happen.)

In 1996 with the 35th pick overall in the 2nd round, Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Mike Alstott, Full Back out of Purdue.
Tony Dungy loved Mike Alstott and so did the Tampa Bay Buccaneer Fans. It was said that Alstott was brought in to help block for Rhett. However in 1997 with the 12 overall pick in the 1st round Tampa Bay Drafted Warrick Dunn Running Back out of Florida State. This was an excellent pick. Dunn proved that he could be a feature back despite his small stature and also turned out to be one of the best receiving backs in the NFL. Dunn had five excellent seasons with the Bucs The addition of Dunn was the most intriguing move since the Buccaneers already have in the backfield former 1,000-yard rusher Errict Rhett, veteran Reggie Brooks and 1996 second-round pick Mike Alstott.
Though Dungy wouldn't admit it, it was likely the Buccaneers were going to get rid of Rhett, who in 1996 failed to honor his contract and sat out the begining of the season. Tony Dungy never gave Rhett another chance with the emergency of "Thunder and Lightning" (Alstott and Dunn). Rhett played for Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1994-97).

Here is his career stats as a Buccaneer:

rushing
1994: 208 carries for 1,011 yards and 7 td (what is so big is 16 games only started 8 games) The Bucs record was 6-10 (Rookie Year)

1995: 332 carries for 1,207 yards and 11 td (16 games started 16 games) The Bucs record was 7-9

1996: 176 carries for 539 yards and 3td (16 games started 7 games) The Bucs record 6-10

1997 31 carries for 96 yards and 3td (16 games started 0 games) The Bucs Record 10-6

Receiving
1994: 22 catches, 119 yards, 0 td
1995: 14 catches, 110 yards, 0 td
1996: 4 catches, 11 yards, 1 td

Buccaneers all time Records:

MOST TOUCHDOWNS SCORED (rushing/receiving)Season
1984: James Wilder = 13
2001: Mike Alstott = 11
1995: Errict Rhett = 11

MOST YARDS RUSHING Season
1,544, James Wilder, 1984
1,300, James Wilder, 1985
1,263, Ricky Bell, 1979
1,207, Errict Rhett, 1995

Game
219, James Wilder, at Minnesota, 11/6/83
210, Warrick Dunn, vs. Dallas, 12/3/00
192, Errict Rhett, vs. Washington, 12/4/94
172, James Wilder, vs. Green Bay, 9/30/84
167, Ricky Bell, vs. Green Bay, 10/21/79
166, James Wilder, at Chicago, 9/8/85
154, Ricky Bell, vs. N.Y. Giants, 11/18/79
146, James Wilder, vs. Minnesota, 11/4/84
144, Errict Rhett, vs. Detroit, 11/12/95
139, Reggie Cobb, vs. Detroit, 11/10/91

MOST TOUCHDOWNS RUSHING Season
13, James Wilder, 1984
11, Errict Rhett, 1995
10, Mike Alstott, 2001
10, James Wilder, 1985

Errict Rhett was traded to the Baltimore Ravens in 1998. Where he rushed for 180 yards and no touchdowns. Rhett would not take over as Baltimore's starting running back until 1999. The presence of veteran RB Errict Rhett upgraded an offense that averaged just 235 yards of total offense per game in 1998. Rhett rushed for 852 yards, and 5 touchdowns in 1999 with Baltimore. Rhett once again made a huge mistake when he turned down a three-year, $4.5 million offer from the ravens to test the free agent market.

In 2000, Rhett signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Browns after he rushed for 852 yards, and 5 touchdowns in 1999 with Baltimore. Cleveland, was desperately seeking to improve a ground game which ranked last in the NFL, the Cleveland Browns signed free agent running back Errict Rhett to a three-year contract. Rhett's agent, Eugene Mato (new agent), confirmed Rhett received $6 million.

Errict Rhett, 30, a veteran of seven NFL seasons who signed with the Browns in the 2000 offseason as a free agent from the Baltimore Ravens, started the first five games in 2000 before being lost with a torn foot ligament which caused him to miss the final 11 games. This injury would end Errict Rhett's career.

The Cleveland Browns waived veteran running back Errict Rhett in 2001 to free up playing time for younger players.

By releasing the popular Errict Rhett on just the second day of training camp in 2001, Coach Davis was sending a message to the Brown's other veterans that their jobs were on the line. Davis inherited a team that was 5-27 under Chris Palmer.

Things said about Rhett:
Rhett was known for his upbeat attitude and was looked upon as one of the leaders on his team.


http://www.collegefootballnews.com
23. Dallas CowboysShante Carver, DE Arizona State RB Errict Rhett (2nd), FloridaTampa Bay Buccaneers Ahhh the post-Jimmy era for Dallas. Carver is proof the Cowboy scouting department needed Johnson as a talent evaluator if nothing else. Not that Emmitt Smith needed much help, but he might have been even more effective had Rhett been there to take a few carries away from the fellow Gator.

Named as the 16th Greatest Buccaneer Player of all-time by BUCPOWER.COM in 2003.

Rhett was suppose to come out of college and once again give Emmitt Smith a run for his money. We saw this start to happen with the first 2 years with the Buccaneers. I know he never was anything in the NFL, but he has and always will hold a special meaning in my heart as a Buccaneer fan. During a really sorry time in Buc History, he was the one bright spot for at least two years. OH BROTHER, WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN.