Tampa Bay Buccaneers/ Atlanta Falcons Game Notes and Connections

DIRECT CONNECTIONS

• Falcons President Rich McKay and his family were associated with the Buccaneers for nearly three decades. McKay was general manager of the Buccaneers from November 1994 through December of 2003, when he was named President and General Manager with the Falcons. His father, the late John McKay, served as the first head coach of the Buccaneers from 1976-84, and was inducted into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor on December 5, 2010.
• Falcons K Matt Bryant played for the Buccaneers from 2005-08 and holds the Buccaneers all-time record for longest field goal made (62 yards).
• Atlanta Falcons Head Coach Mike Smith is a native of Daytona Beach, Florida.
• Falcons Offensive Coordinator Mike Mularkey served as Tampa Bay’s quality control coach in 1994 and tight ends coach in 1995. Born in Miami, The University of Florida graduate was also the tight end coach for the Miami Dolphins in 2007.
• Falcons Defensive Line Coach Ray Hamilton served as the Buccaneers defensive line coach in 1991, then served as the Jaguars defensive line coach from 2003-07.
• Falcons Defensive Coordinator Brian Van Gorder served as the assistant head coach/defensive coordinator for the University of Central Florida in 1997 and the linebackers/special teams coordinator from 1995-96.
• Falcons Special Teams Coordinator Keith Armstrong served as the defensive backs and special teams coach for the University of Miami (FL).
• Buccaneers College Scout Brian Hudspeth was with the Falcons in their player personnel department from 2001-04. He was a scouting intern in 2001, scouting assistant in 2002 and player personnel/football systems analyst from 2003-04.
• Falcons Director of Athletic Performance Jeff Fish was the strength and conditioning intern for the Buccaneers in 1997.
• Falcons VP of Football Communications Reggie Roberts served as Tampa Bay’s Director of Communications from 1997-2001.
• Buccaneers Assistant Athletic Trainer Pat Jernigan is a native of Atlanta, Georgia.

ALSO…..

• Buccaneers S Sean Jones is a native of Atlanta, and played collegiately at the University of Georgia from 1999-2003.

• Buccaneers LS Andrew Economos is from Atlanta and played collegiately at Georgia Tech.

• Falcons LB Stephen Nicholas is a native of Jacksonville, Florida, and played at the University of South Florida from 2003-06.

• Falcons LB Spencer Adkins is a native of Naples, Florida, and played collegiately at the University of Miami (FL) from 2005-08.

• Falcons LB Mike Peterson is a native of Gainesville, Florida, and played collegiately at the University of Florida from 1995-98.

• Falcons RB Antone Smith is a native of Pahokee, Florida, and played collegiately at Florida State University from 2005-08.

• Falcons WR Eric Weems is a native of Daytona Beach, Florida, and played collegiately at Bethune-Cookman from 2003-06.

• Falcons P Matt Bosher is from Jupiter, Florida, and played collegiately at the University of Miami.