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

[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 and his number needs to be retired the first home game in 08 because there is no one who can wear that number 40 again

Look, he's a better man than any of us will ever be. That's a given and we all accept that. But that does not make one a Hall of Famer. That honor is reserved for the great players, not great men. He is a great man, but not a great player.

[Another Joe]

A solid player and a solid career. I hope he makes the hall of fame because im biased but im not sure if he will. It really doesnt matter.

[Tim]

To the post at 1:44.. Stats do not lie..
You want to say Mike was overrated ??
I will take his "overrated" stats any day... 71 TDs.. over 5,000 yds. and all that being accomplished despite the fact he was seldom used the last 3 years of his career... overrated.. yeah right..

[Steve]

Chooo Chooooo! What a great guy, on and off the field. You will be missed!!

[bigmac]

should of done it 2 years ago.

All this effusive praise makes me want to puke.

[JB]

Tuned in to hear a tribute and there was Duemig again telling everyone how jealous they are of him because they all wish they had a BUDDY who is a pro football player like he has in mike Alstott. No duemig, most of us dont grow up to be a groupie like you. Why you must tarnish his day by pointing your finger at yourself and then insult his fans.

what a tiny little man you are..
Hey everyone look at me, I am the big dog and my bestest friend is Mike Alstott..

The word LOSER comes to mind

[Darren]

Michael Alstott ran this many yards, scored that many points, etc., etc. but those commendable achievements aren't the best of the A-Train. Michael Alstott will be anointed with fame because of his love of football and drive to win.

He suffered an injury which threatened to paralyze him. Nevertheless, Alstott's love of football and drive to win pushed him to have a cadaver's vertebra fused into his spine. Then he pushed himself to return to the Bucs.

At the time I thought he was nuts! The A-Train had too much to lose, but he came back and came back fighting!! His love and drive pushed him to risk it all to play for us. I am in awe at his greatness.

Those people who are trying to rain on the A-Train's parade are nothing. Michael Alstott will be a great addition to the Hall of Fame.

[Leroy]

Pigs will fly before Alstott gets voted into the Hall of Fame. A Ring of Honor? Perhaps he belongs, perhaps not. Gruden gave him a wonderful tribute today and Mike acknowledged him, thus putting to rest any semblance of tension between the two.

[yoyo]

For those who commented negatively on this matter you are probably very bitter with your pathetic & miserable life. Today is a retirement day for one of great Bucs players and all you have is negative comments. I feel sorry for those people.

On other hand, let celebrate a good human being and football player. GO A-TRAIN!

John, DP, Ted, TJ, Laurie do you need help to bring positive in your life?

[JB]

I agree darren, that is why it is so unbelievable that Duemig always must rain on mike`s parade.
Hey LOOK AT ME... I am the big daaawg and mikey is my buddy. Na NA Na Na

[YoYo]

Leroy,

Pigs will fly one day. Maybe not in your life time.

[Sam]

I'm just happy he finally retired. This hackneyed is he retiring stuff was getting ridiculous year after year. It's not politically correct, but he needed to be dragged from the spotlight. And he made a lot of money last year to sit on the sidelines all year. I love the guy like the rest, but thank God this is over.

[Al]

Nope, I'm not a radio host. Tremendous bias towards Alstott? No more than the average Bucs fan has. Did I mention that he got one TD and at least three key receptions during the Super Bowl? The only Super Bowl the Bucs have been to? Did I mention his six trips to the Pro Bowl? Did I mention that he is the Bucs' top-ranked scorer of TD's, rushing and career? But don't let me confuse you with facts.

[Yo]

Sorry Mike is not your FRIEND. And JB you are a nobody. More like JB = LOSER.

[UNDERRATED]

Mike was underrated and I'll never forgive Gruden for ignoring him all these years.

[YoYO]

JB,
If you don't like the radio show so much, WHY DID YOU LISTEN, DUMB @SS?

it's being reported that mike alstott will be the running back coach...that is great news...mike stays in pewter baby!!!

[JB]

Well well well, looks like old duemig has rabbit ears and hates to have his covers pulled. Just couldnt let mike have his day huh duemig. Had to include yourself and try to make yourself look like a big man.

How pathetic.. oh yeah
Yo yo daawg

[Lisa]

MIke, thanks for everything you have done for our community. We will miss you on game days, but are grateful that you are calling Tampa Bay your home. Take care of yourself and enjoy life with your family.

[YoYo]

JB,
Sorry to bust your bubble, I am no daawg. It's common sense. If you don't like something, don't do it. Oh, maybe you don't have common sense. My bad. Continue on with your nonsense.

[Henry]

What's all this talk about Duemig? Yes, we know he's a lackey for all these guys and pretends to be in the know. This is common knowledge. That said, this is about Mike Alstott, a very good Buccaneer.

[Yo]

Henry,

You're right. This is about A-TRAIN.

[Florida Native]

Mike was a good football player and from everything I hear a good man and team player. He's not Hall of Fame material, but he was a fan favorite for laying it all on the field. As a career-long Buc and a fan favorite, he deserves a place in the Buc Ring of Honor, which I would like to see soon. On another post, I proposed the following initial Ring of Honor, which contains the best two running backs in Buc history, both of whom were far better players than Mike:

Lee Roy Selmon
Ricky Bell
James Wilder
Paul Gruber
Mike Alstott

Future adds (IF they finish their careers in TB):
Derrick Brooks
Ronde Barber

No Sapp, Williams or Lynch...reserve the Ring of Honor for career Bucs.

[Patrick]

I can't believe you d*&ks who are posting negative comments about a great football player and person (one of the best bucs of all time) on his retirement day. What is wrong with you? Just can't keep your mouths shut!

[Mike]

I can honestly say that I will miss Mike Alstott. I believe it's easy for someone to call him an overrated player, because a fullback's job does not have a particular description. And Mike Alstott was NEVER used correctly. He had 65 receptions his rookie season, and then never had more than 35. He was listed as a fullback on the depth chart, yet every carry he had during Dungy's tenure here was from seven yards deep.

Was he a 30-carry a game running back? No. But four and five carries was not how he was intended to be used. He should have had more wear.

It was evident that John Gruden was not a Mike Alstott fan from the moment that he called him "Mark" during his initial press conference. And that's fine. I'm a Gruden fan. But Mike Alstott was a hard-working everyman during an era of change for this franchise. And the fact that he went to the same high school as "Rudy" didn't hurt. I don't think Gruden realized his importance in the public forum.

I'll miss you Mike Alstott, in a totally heterosexual kind of way.

[Heather]

"I'll miss you Mike Alstott, in a totally heterosexual kind of way."

So will I.

[JB]

I agree with you Patrick, that is why I just dont get Duemig starting his show by calling the FANS jealous and then to talk about himself and how he is mikes friend and you all wish you were buds with a pro football player.

He just couldnt let Mike have the day to himself.

[Kyle T.]

Alstott definitely should be a first ballot Hall of Famer. Anyone who has been a Bucs fan for at least the past 20 years can appreciate these stats:

Career TD's among TB RB's:
Alstott 72
Wilder 46
Dunn 26
Rhett 25
Cobb 22
R. Bell 19

Alstott was never the feature back, yet none of those other guys are even close. He redefined the FB position and was a "throwback" at the same time.

I'm sure going to miss watching him play.

[shane]

Good-bye Mike and i will miss seeing you run the gridiron every Sunday. Personally I cried when i watched his retirement. Glazers retire #40 please no one deserves to wear that number other than alstott

[Todd]

The Buc's should get the Storm, Rays and the Lightning to retire the number 40 as well. There should never be another #40 in Tampa Bay in any pro sport! Oh, and give mike a job with the organization!!!

[Carol]

Hey, Glazers and Gruden.....please retire #40. It will never be the same on anyone else.

[jason]

all you jerks who want to talk smack about the a train you tackle him then we will talk