Leftwich wins No. 1 quarterback job with Bucs

[lamberts-lost-tooth]

Leftwich wins No. 1 quarterback job with Bucs
by Jay Glazer
August 29, 2009


Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Raheem Morris informed his team this morning that Byron Leftwich beat out Luke McCown for the starting quarterback job, FOXSports.com has learned.

The move does not come as a surprise as Leftwich had been the odds-on favorite.

However after early performances by Leftwich, 29, and fellow veteran Luke McCown, Morris decided to wait one more preseason game for one of the quarterbacks to clearly take the job or clearly stumble.

Leftwich was 9-for-17 for 100 yards Thursday during a 10-6 preseason loss to the Miami Dolphins. McCown was 5-for-11 with 38 yards. Neither QB threw an interception.

Leftwich, beginning his seventh pro season, appeared in five games with the Pittsburgh Steelers last year with two TD passes and no interceptions in limited playing time. His career totals since being selected No. 7 overall by Jacksonville in 2003 include 54 TD throws and 38 interceptions in 46 pro starts.

The Bucs also selected Josh Freeman in April's NFL Draft. Freeman has greatly impressed coaches and his teammates, though the Bucs are holding him back in the early going after a stellar career at Kansas State.

Freeman was 6-for-16 for 50 yards in action against the Dolphins.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/1...-job-with-Bucs

[stillers4me]

Congrats, Byron!

[Psyychoward86]

Best of luck (except against us). Here's his chance at redemption...

[7SteelGal43]

Way to go Byron

[DoubleSh0t]

Best of luck to him!

[AllD]

He got what he wanted, I wonder if it will taste alright by week 10. Would you rather be a starter on one of the worst teams in the league or a backup on one of the best? No more rings for BL.

[RoethlisBURGHer]

I am glad he won the starters job, but I don't think it's going to be everything he wanted.

If he doesn't do well and just leads the Buccs to field goals, the fans are going to start itching for Freeman.

With the success Ben had...followed by Flacco and Ryan, if Lefty isn't leading the Buccaneers to wins or at least making it to where you cannot blame the offense...I think we will see Freeman in before long.

In the end, he may end up the backup on a really bad team rather than the backup on a Super Bowl contender.

[mesaSteeler]

Former Steelers QB Leftwich named Tampa Bay's starter
August 29, 3:39 PMPittsburgh Steelers Examiner
http://www.examiner.com/x-14024-Pitt...a-Bays-starter
Daniel Flickinger

It looks like Byron Leftwich will get his wish to be a starter again.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Rasheem Morris announced today that the former Steelers quarterback will be the starter for his team this year, after a training camp battle between Leftwich and Luke McCown.

“Leftwich had the early lead coming into camp”, Morris said during a press conference Saturday.

“Throughout OTA days, he kind of came here and was impactful. He’s been able to execute the offense that we want to get executed.”

In three games this preseason, Leftwich has gone 21-43, 224 yards and one touchdown.

After starting only two games in 2007 for Atlanta, Leftwich was signed by the Steelers during the preseason last year because Charlie Batch was lost for the season with a broken collarbone. He responded as a very solid back up by throwing for 303 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions while appearing in five games.

His best game in 2008 came against the Washington Redskins in Week 9 when he came in for an injured Ben Roethlisberger in the second half, and went 7-12 for 101 yards and a touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes. The Steelers went onto win 23-6.

This past off-season, Leftwich turned down a two year deal from the Steelers and instead signed a two- year contract with the Bucs worth 7.5 million, for an opportunity to start. He’ll fondly remember his days in Pittsburgh.

“It's different”, Leftwich said about playing in Pittsburgh. “All of the teams that I've played for, none have been the caliber of the Steelers. When you're getting ready to play, you see the Franco Harris’ etc.”

“ It's a special place.”

[Bluedust]

Happy for him.

[Shoes]

Wishing Byron the best!