later, from players including Warren Sapp—was that the defense was expected to shoulder too much of the responsibility for winning games. Beyond fullback Mike Alstott and running back Warrick Dunn—who served as a one-two punch ground attack—and wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson, the team was otherwise underwhelming on offense. Despite the ongoing criticism, Dungy remained staunchly loyal to his coaching staff, but at the conclusion of the 1999 season, general manager Rich McKay forced Dungy to fire offensive coordinator Mike Shula. He was replaced by former Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Les Steckel in 2000, and the result was the Bucs' highest-scoring season ever, another 10–6 record, and another trip to the playoffs as a wild card. despite his transformation of the team's offense, Steckel's drill sergeant approach to coaching (he was a colonel in the Marines) was a poor fit for the franchise. He was fired at the end of the season, after the Bucs lost 21–3 to the Philadelphia Eagles. Rather than choose from the pool of strong offensive coordinators available at the end of the 2000 campaign (including former Redskins coach Norv Turner), Dungy decided to elevate his receivers coach Clyde Christensen to the position. It can be argued that this controversial decision was the final nail in the coffin for Dungy's tenure. Although the team achieved a 9–7 winning record in 2001, they barely made it into the playoffs as the lowest-seeded wild card. To add insult to injury, the Bucs were once again blown out by the Eagles—this time, 31–9. Frustrated with the team's inability to reach the Super Bowl despite a league-dominating defense, Malcolm Glazer fired Dungy the following day—a decision that created more controversy among devoted players and fans. Despite whatever weaknesses that may have been ascribed to him, Dungy was highly respected around the league as a man of solid character and a coach to whom players were fiercely loyal. Dungy went on to coach the Colts to the Super Bowl XLI championship against the Chicago Bears, in the process becoming the first African-American head coach to win the Super Bowl. Jon Gruden, the Super Bowl, and beyond (2002–2008) Dungy was soon hired as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, while the Bucs mounted a prolonged and much-maligned search for his replacement. Several potential candidates were offered the job, including University of Florida head coach Steve Spurrier, Bill Parcells and