Last stop for the A-Train

The Bucs honored fullback Mike Alstott, one of the most popular players in team history, during a news conference today announcing his retirement after a historic 12-year career.

A visibly emotional Alstott said he had dreamed of becoming a professional football player since childhood. "It's hard to stand in front of you today and say that dream is over,'' he said.

Alstott, a second-round draft pick out of Purdue in 1996, was known for his love of the game and punishing running style. He leaves the game as the Bucs' all-time leader in touchdowns (71) and rushing touchdowns (65). He made six Pro Bowls.

"This is a tribute to a great football player, but a better person,'' general manager Bruce Allen said.

Alstott was joined on the dais in the team meeting room at One Buc Place by Allen, coach Jon Gruden, executive vice president Bryan Glazer and Alstott's wife, Nicole. Alstott's No. 40 was draped dramatically over the podium.

"All I can do is celebrate a great career, an unbelieveable career, as a player and a teammate,'' Gruden said.

Alstott indicated the second neck injury that he suffered in training camp would prevent him from playing football again. He spent this season on injured reserve but still traveled with the team and was on the sidelines during games.

He said discussions are ongoing that will allow him to remain part of the Bucs' organization.

Many of Alstott's teammates attended the announcement, including Ronde Barber, Michael Pittman, Anthony Becht and Chris Hovan. Bryan Glazer presented Nicole Alstott with 40 red roses.

Glazer said since 1990, only 17 of the 7,325 players in the NFL during that span played more than 11 years with the same team.

"It's an amazing figure for an amazing man,'' Glazer said.

Alstott fought to hold back tears and his voice broke three times during an emotional farewell speech in which he thanked his coaches, teammates and numerous members of the organization - past and present - who helped him during his celebrated career.

Among the coaches he thanked was Tony Dungy, who along with former general manager Rich McKay drafted Alstott in the second round out of Purdue in 1996.

“It all started with Coach Dungy, who brought me into this organization as a young player,'' Alstott said.
"I was honored to be able to be coached by a man who not only gave us football wisdom but also taught us great life lessons, someone who gave us guidance, someone who took us under his wing. We were able to look up to him as a father figure and I continue to look up to him this day.''

With a core of players like Derrick Brooks, Barber, Warren Sapp, John Lynch, Hardy Nickerson and Warrick Dunn, Alstott helped turn around the fortunes of a franchise that had 12 double-digit losing seasons into a perennial playoff contender that reached the NFC Championship game in 1999 with Dungy and won Super Bowl XXXVII in Jon Gruden's first season.

"Together, we put the Buccaneers on the map,'' Alstott said. "The relationships with these guys is something that can never be taken away from me.

"Even though I will not be able to be in the locker room or on that gridiron,'' he said, fighting back tears, ""with these guys again, our families will remain close, our relationships will remain strong.''

Known for his battering ram running style, Alstott always has been a fan favorite for his blue collar work ethic and the crowd erupted whenever they heard the horn calling for the A-Train.

“To the city of Tampa and all the Buccaneers fans, thank you,'' Alstott said. "My appreciation for you is truly can’t be expressed. Your love and support over the past 12 years has been second to none. When we went on that field on Sundays, we weren’t just playing for ourselves, we were playing for you.

"And although I will never experience the feeling of running out of the tunnel and hearing the roar of the crowd,'' he said with his voice breaking, "and the train horn, the memories you’ve given me will be forever. Thank you again for allowing me to call Tampa Bay my home.''

Alstott thanked his wife for supporting his career, calling her,  ''my best friend.''

He also got emotional when speaking to his three children and was grateful they were able to share in his career.

"I feel so fortunate to be a father and have my kids experience my career,'' Alstott said. ""They see me as daddy. (Crying). Not a professional football player. Biting lip. They’ve kept me grounded my whole career. At the end of the day, nothing is better than getting home to them and having their hugs and kisses allow me to forget all the day’s stresses associated with football.''

Comments

[Angela]

Hopefully they'll retire his number as they should. Good luck Mike, we'll miss you!

[Rena Bilella]

Good Luck to you Mike you are a class act, off and on the field. Hope the Bucs keep you in their organization. You have been a pleasure to watch.

[Carol]

Mike, you have been an inspiration to all of your fans and the epitome of what Pewter Power means. We'll miss the A-Train!

[M]

thanks for a great career mike and many great sunday's watching you pound the rock. you will be missed on the field.
Glazers, please retire #40!

[Mer]

Mike, you have been a roll model for our community on and off the field. I can not begin to thank you for all you have done for the community and the enjoyment I had watching you play. I hope the Bucs do the right thing and retire number 40. We love you A Train!

[Stephen Doomig]

The best player in Bucs history. Mike, you will be missed!

[40 fan forever]

Best of Luck Brother!!

[wondering]

Mer-is a roll model someone who models for Pillsbury? :-)

[Alstott to the Hall of Fame]

This is such a sad day for Tampa, FL. In retrospect, I truly wish they had NOT given Gruden an extension and made Alstott the head coach.

[Cole]

Thank you for all the hard work and effort you gave to the Bucs, the fans and the entire Tampa Bay area. We'll miss you and we are so proud of everything you have done!

[Charles Wills]

Along with Waren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch, Tony Dungy and Monte Kiffin, Alstott spelled an end to losing in Tampa Bay. There may never be another group like this, and we have been blessed to watch this group of men. SO sad to see Mike retire.

[Tim]

The great thing is you have made Tampa your home.. You will continue to do great things off the football field.. We have been for years and will continue to be lucky to have you here..

What an impression you have made on the whole area !! Enjoy what life has to offer...

[Dawn]

We will miss you Alstott! When is the retirement party at Ray Jay? We all need to show our support for one of our favorite players. I VOTE WE RETIRE THE NUMBER 40!!!

[Senator]

I can't remember one time that never gave your all, Mike. You are, in my book, a perfect role model for all of our kids out there. I hope you still stay involved with football in some way. You will never be FORGOTTEN!

[Mike]

It's time to say goodbye to perhaps the most overrated player in Bucs history. Don't get me wrong, Mike is a great guy, a fantastic role model, and was a pretty decent power running back in his prime. But these talks of the hall of fame and how he was the best Bucs player ever are simply ridiculous. I'm glad for the time he spent here, but I'm also glad we can now close the book on his playing career.

[Buc Fan]

Mike we will wish watching you play and hearing the train when you score, however, this will enable you to be with your #1 fans, your wife and kids.

[steve]

Mike is not the greatest buc ever. I believe that would be Leroy Selmon and Warren Sapp. Mike is not a hall of famer. He has a passion for the game and work ethic that is unequaled. He will surely be one of the most popular of all time. I love and respect mike for what he brings to the table. He will be missed

[John]

Overrated player!!!

[John]

Overrated player!!!

[Phil J.]

They simply don't make football players like Mike Alstott anymore. Men who score touchdowns and give the ball back to the ref. No endzone dances, no trash talking, just pure smash-mouth football. I will miss Mike Alstott as a football player but I hope he stays with the Buccaneers in some way or fashion. The Glazers MUST retire #40 now. I can't see anyone else wearing number 40 or 47 or 99 as well. Besides Mike Alstott why don't we have a ring of honor? A wall of honor? An ANYTHING of honor?
Thanks for the many great memories Mike!!

[Gerry]

Tampa will never be the same. I'm sure we all cried like babies today when we heard the news. His retirement is a moment I will never forget. This goes down as a where were you moment. Where were you when Kennedy was assassinated? Where were you when Reagan was shot? Where were you on the morning of September 11? Where were you when Mike Alstott retired? Here's to you Mr. Alstott, the best player in the history of this franchise and a certain first ballot hall of famer. We love you Mr. Alstott!

[Jim]

He was an overrated player. Way too much drama here...

[Peter]

I agree wholeheartedly with Mike at 11:53. We get it, a nice guy, a serviceable power back in his prime, but the best player in Buccaneer history?? The Hall of Fame?? If Alstott goes to the Hall of Fame, then the standard of entry has been so diminished to the point that being "enshrined" is no longer an accomplishment of any note.

[Laurie]

Gerry,

Are you kidding? Comparing a football player to great presidents?? OMG. Priorities, Dude, priorities!

[Ted]

So does this mean that every woman in Tampa will stop talking about how they are going to marry him? God I hope so.

[TJ]

Hey Gerry at 12:25, I cried like a baby each of the last 4 years when he elected to come back. The most overrated player in league history.

[Al]

Overrated, my rear end. He didn't get the nickname "A-Train" for nothing. I think of him, I think of a human bulldozer. The Bucs should retire his number and name a street after him.

[Bobby]

I won't miss him. I thought he should have been traded for a 3rd or 4th round draft pick or cut several years ago. I won't miss his fumbles in key situations. I won't miss the most overrated player ever to don a Buccaneer uniform.

[Michael]

Mike COULD have been a Hall of Fame player if Tony Dungy had not sabatoged his career. Mike should have been a feature back but with Dungy and the Tampa Bay Media's love affair with Warrick Dunn, this could not happen. He was one of the most UNDER-utilized players ever and it was frustrating to watch his talent wasted as a blocker while Dunn consistently racked up one of the lowest yards per carry in the NFL. Gruden wasted his talents as well. He could have been another John Riggins or Jerome Bettis. Instead, he was a role player. It's frustrating to see him go out this way.

[Dale]

To "Mike" above who's comments at 11:53 should not have been posted...I can't stand people like you...I guess either your mother and father forgot to tell you...or you refused to listen more than likely...If you don't have anything nice to say...don't say anything at all! I'm sure most people who know you think your a jerk...but you had to go and open your mouth and remove all doubt...Sorry Mike Alstott for this guy...your tops in my book!

[Torrance]

In honor of Mike Alstott, I will be wearing my No. 40 jersey to my friend's wedding this weekend.

[Dale]

To "Mike" above who's comments at 11:53 should not have been posted...I can't stand people like you...I guess either your mother and father forgot to tell you...or you refused to listen more than likely...If you don't have anything nice to say...don't say anything at all! I'm sure most people who know you think your a jerk...but you had to go and open your mouth and remove all doubt...Sorry Mike Alstott for this guy...your tops in my book!

[Eric]

Big Mike, no other Buc player better not wear #40. You are the Jugger-stott!

[Henrietta]

Mike Alstott, THE GREATEST PLAYER IN BUCCANEER HISTORY! I really wish they had fired Gruden and brought him back as the head coach this year.

#40 better be retired immediately, or I'll never be a fan again.

[Calvin]

You never know, maybe he'll come back in mid-season next year. It's quite possible.

[DP]

The guy was fumble prone. Thank goodness he's gone so we can focus on important issues.

[john of clw]

Good luck Mike in the future. HOF?, maybe but who cares, you never came across like someone that cared about stats, only winning and you did. Thanks.
P.S. Some of these idiots that post need to get a GRIP.

[Sean]

I have seen mike twice at restaurants in the last few years. He has always been a class act. Always willing to chat with fans. Always approachable. We need more people like him in tampa.

[boltscanucksfan]

Alstott, thanks so much for your dedication to this organization and to the fans in Tampa Bay. Best Buc ever? I don't think so, but best offensive Buccaneer ever, definitely! Just a reliable staple of toughness that the offense really needed. You will be missed and thanks again for your hard work in Tampa, the same applies to Warren Sapp as well!!!

99, 40, 47, 63, 55, and 20 Ring of Honor!!!

[Ray]

Good luck and best wishes Mike. The play I remember the best is I think it was on a Monday night against Vikings. The ball was given to him on Vikes 1-yard line. He took it in while being tackled by several Vikes players. He actually was piggy-backing the Minnesota safety into the end zone. I remember Chris Bermen on ESPN called it the best 1-yard TD run ever. Good luck Mike.

Alstott for President 2012!

[Al]

Fumble prone? Let's look at the numbers: 11 seasons, 158 games, 32 fumbles, of which 7 were recovered. That's one every five games on average including the recoveries. This is the NFL, not sand-lot football, here. Meanwhile: 5,088 yards rushing and 58 TD's, plus 2,284 yards receiving and another 13 TD's receiving. The Bucs need more "overrated" players like Mike Alstott.

[Mullin]

A GREAT guy. In fact, a borderline SAINT. But an AVERAGE player. At best mediocre and certainly NOT worthy of the HALL OF FAME or a Buccaneer RING OF HONOR. Do NOT retire his number.

I think Al is a certain radio host with a tremendous bias toward Alstott...

[Fire Gruden!]

Gruden robbed Alstott of years of production. He was a sure thing Hall of Fame recipient unil Gruden came to town and defecated on his numbers. A shame, but blame it on Chucky. All the best Mike!

[TC]

Here is the link to the Viking TD
We're gonna miss you Mike !

http://youtube.com/watch?v=10AHmfP-qdU

[Alstott fan]

That Viking TD run alone puts him in the Hall of Fame. A first ballot selection as well!

{Tampa will never be the same. I'm sure we all cried like babies today when we heard the news. His retirement is a moment I will never forget. This goes down as a where were you moment. Where were you when Kennedy was assassinated? Where were you when Reagan was shot? Where were you on the morning of September 11? Where were you when Mike Alstott retired? Here's to you Mr. Alstott, the best player in the history of this franchise and a certain first ballot hall of famer. We love you Mr. Alstott!}

Are you serious?! I need what you're smoking.

[yo]

i just wanna say he was a great player and he represented what the bucs were all about during his career this is a sad day in buccaneer history what a great guy he was