From the years 2000-2003, no player was more synonymous with the Buccaneers than Wide Receiver Keyshawn Johnson. The wide-out from California was often the first-option when it came to receiving plays, as he complied two seasons of 1000+ receiving yards, and put up 17 touchdowns in four seasons.
Known as a fiery and intense character, Johnson would find his time in Tampa Bay coming to a close, as he and head coach Jon Gruden would suffer a falling out during the 2003 season. Although they had won a Super Bowl the prior year, the two just couldn’t seem to get along, which pushed Johnson out the door.
With tension building, the Bucs front office felt it was time for the aging wide-receive to be dealt…for a fellow wide receiver. That’s right! Keyshawn Johnson would end up being traded to the Dallas Cowboys for their struggling wide receiver Joey Galloway.
During his tenure with the Cowboys, Galloway seemed to struggle, never eclipsing more than 900 receiving yards in a season, and only posting 12 touchdowns in 4 seasons with “Americas Team”. Fans at the time were a bit flabbergasted that this trade would actually go through. I mean we had Keyshawn Johnson, a perennial all-star, and we were sending him to Dallas for a struggling wide receiver.
Still, the trade would go through, and the Bucs would be left with a wide receiver with a lot to prove… and he did. During his five seasons in Tampa Bay, Galloway would become a key player on the team, registering 3 seasons of 1000+ receiving yards, and even adding a season of 10 receiving touchdowns.
Overall, his tenure with the Buccaneers was better by leaps and bounds when compared to his Cowboys stint. The trade would end up working out for the Buccaneers who received more than 1000+ receiving yards seasons from one of their wide-outs.
The trade would end up working out for both teams, and it still considered one of the best in Buccaneers history. What do you think about this trade? Let me know in the comments below!