| 1999 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Malcolm Glazer |
| General manager | Rich McKay |
| Head coach | Tony Dungy |
| Home field | Raymond James Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 11–5 |
| Division place | 1st NFC Central |
| Playoff finish | Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Redskins) 14–13 Lost NFC Championship (at Rams) 6–11 |
| Pro Bowlers | 6 |
| AP All-Pros | 5
|
| Team MVP | LB Derrick Brooks |
The 1999 season was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 24th in the National Football League (NFL). The season began with the team trying to improve on an 8–8 season and return to the postseason after narrowly missing the playoffs in 1998. Rookie Shaun King replaced the injured and inconsistent Trent Dilfer late in the season. King helped rebound the team to their first NFC Central title in 18 years. The team won 10 out of 12 games at one point in the season, including a then-franchise-record six-game winning streak. The defensive side dominated the team, nine times holding opponents to 10 or fewer points. However, offensive output, while adequate, was often unspectacular – case in point, a 6–3 win over Chicago in October. Tampa Bay finished the season 11–5 (their best record in the Tony Dungy era).
After earning a first-round bye in the playoffs, the Buccaneers won their first divisional round playoff game since 1979, also their first playoff game hosted at Raymond James Stadium. Tampa Bay rallied from a 13–0 deficit and defeated Washington, 14–13, to advance to the conference championship. Leading 6–5 late in the NFC Championship game against the Rams, the Buccaneers lost the lead after a late Ricky Proehl touchdown. With less than a minute remaining, a controversial instant replay reversal of a catch by Bert Emanuel foiled their hopes at an upset victory and a trip to Super Bowl XXXIV.