Josh Freeman Quarterback

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Freeman was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft with the 17th overall pick. He entered the draft with one year of college eligibility left. On November 8, 2009, Freeman started his first professional game at home against the Green Bay Packers. The Buccaneers won by a score of 38–28, ending a 12-game losing streak. He completed 14 out of 31 passes for 205 yards, three passing touchdowns, and one interception, including a fourth down touchdown pass to rookie Sammie Stroughter to take the lead, 31–28 late in the game. On December 27, 2009, he led the Buccaneers to a 20–17 overtime win over the 13–1 New Orleans Saints, preventing them from clinching the top seed in the playoffs for one more week. The Buccaneers finished the 2009 season with a 3–13 record as Freeman finished with 1,855 passing yards, ten touchdowns, and 18 interceptions.

In Their Own Story

Freeman began the 2010 season as the Buccaneers' starting quarterback. He started all 16 games of the season, the first Buccaneer quarterback to do so since Brad Johnson in 2003. In Week 5, Freeman earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his game against the Cincinnati Bengals. On December 26, 2010, Freeman completed 21 of 26 pass attempts for 227 yards and five touchdowns against the Seattle Seahawks, matching a franchise record for touchdowns in a game. On January 1, 2011, Freeman completed 21 of 26 pass attempts for 255 yards and two touchdowns against the playoff-bound New Orleans Saints. Both performances won him the FedEx Air Player of the Week. He was awarded NFC Offensive Player of The Week for Week 17. He led the team to a winning record of 10–6, barely missing the playoffs. He was ranked 86th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2011.

Reader's Guide

Freeman participated in 15 out of the 16 games in the 2011 season. He passed for 3,592 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 22 interceptions. He finished with a 74.6 quarterback rating. The Bucs finished with a 4–12 record, losing the final 10 games of the season. After the 2011 season, head coach Raheem Morris was fired and replaced by former Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano. The Buccaneers also added new weapons for Freeman, signing former Indianapolis Colts tight end Dallas Clark, Pro Bowl wide receiver Vincent Jackson, and upgrading the offensive line with All-Pro left guard Carl Nicks. Freeman steadily improved in 2012, throwing 11 more touchdowns, five fewer interceptions, and 500 more passing yards compared to the 2011 season. The Buccaneers finished with a 7–9 record. The Buccaneers started the 2013 season with an 18–17 loss to the New York Jets after leading by a score of 14–5 at the half. Freeman completed 15 of 31 passes (48.4%) and threw for one touchdown and one interception. After a poor performance in a 23–3 Week 3 loss to the New England Patriots, Freeman was benched in favor of rookie quarterback Mike Glennon. The Buccaneers began the season with a disappointing 0–3 record, and Freeman was completing 46% of his passes with a near league bottom 59.3 rating (30th). Trouble was already brewing coming into this season amid rumours of a growing rift with Coach Schiano, Freeman missed the team photo and his teammates did not select him as a team captain for the first time since his rookie campaign. He was released by the team on October 3, 2013, after the team tried unsuccessfully to trade him.

Did You Know?

• In 2010, Freeman started all 16 games, the first Buccaneer quarterback to do so since Brad Johnson in 2003.
• Freeman matched a franchise record with five touchdown passes against the Seattle Seahawks on December 26, 2010.
• He was ranked 86th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012.
• Freeman was released by the Buccaneers on October 3, 2013, after the team tried unsuccessfully to trade him.