Dewey Selmon in position in the Buccaneers' second-ever game.
Vital statistics
Position
LDT/LDE/MLB
Height
6'1"
Weight
246 lbs.
Games/Pass Defense
Games Started-Played
66-83
Interceptions-Yds-TD
3-30-0
Lng. Int Ret.
20
Passes Defended
14
Fumbles
Forced Fumbles
3
Fumble Recoveries-Yards-TD
3-4-0
Sacks & Tackles
Tackles
602
QB Sacks
17.5
Dewey Selmon is an former American football defensive end for the Buccaneers for 5 seasons (1976-81) and Lee Roy's elder brother and a team-mate for the first five seasons in franchise history. Selmon moved from defensive end/tackle to linebacker and started there during the 1979 NFC Championship Game against the Rams, he was also named the team's MVP in 1978, the first at the linebacker position. He started in the defensive backfield for three seasons for the Bucs (he was also known infamously for changing the defensive plays/signals/suggestions by coach at the last minutebefore every down, more specifically in 1976 and 1979-80). Once described by coach Tom Bass as not being quite as nice as his brother - "If Lee Roy tackled you, he'd help you up. Dewey would probably have trodden on you instead". Dewey Selmon left the Buccaneers to play for the San Diego Chargers, then he retired from football. He originally wore the No. 61 jersey from 1976-78, then switched to the No. 58 jersey from 1979-80. Selmon is one of the few expansion/early Bucs to play into the 1980s.
Dewey Selmon was drafted in the second round (60th overall) in the 1976 NFL Draft. He made the 1976 team out of training camp. In the preseason, Dewey Selmon collected 6 tackles and 1.0 sack as a bench warmer defensive tackle in 6 games. Dewey Selmon would bring that skill into the regular season, except, he started.
In the regular season, he proved to be a start-worthy defensive tackle, collecting 43 tackles and 3.0 sacks, but he was moved to middle linebacker in 1977 because he was too small to play defensive lineman (he was also actually too short and weighed 16 pounds too much for the middle linebacker position either, but stayed there anyway).
1977[]
In 1977, Dewey Selmon led the team in tackles with 167. He also collected 6.5 sacks, as an example of his poor pass rushing skills. He also intercepted two passes for 29 yards. Even though he had a good season, it was clear that he was superior in tackles, run stopping, and QB pressuring instead of actually sacking the quarterback, he had terrible pass-rushing skills and pass coverage skills. Even though the Bucs made the playoffs for the first time, Selmon didn't really do much, but he did start in the 1977 season and from there, he recorded 4 tackles and 0.5 sacks.
1978[]
1979[]
1980[]
Gallery[]
Dec. 29, 1979: Dewey Selmon and his brother Lee Roy run down Wilbert Montgomery in the 1979 NFC Championship Game.
Nov. 4, 1979: Dewey Selmon on the field against the Atlanta Falcons in a 1979 regular season game. (Note white hands.)
Same date: Dewey Selmon on the field against the Atlanta Falcons in a 1979 game.
Same date: Dewey Selmon on the field against the Atlanta Falcons.
Oct. 21, 1979: Dewey Selmon against the Green Bay Packers.
Dec. 3, 1978: Dewey Selmon against the Green Bay Packers.
Same date: Dewey Selmon against the Packers.
Same date: Dewey Selmon against the Packers.
Sept. 26, 1976: Dewey Selmon sheds the block of the Buffalo Bills' Reggie McKenzie.
(From left to right): Lee Roy, Dewey Selmon, Council Rudolph, and Mike Washington line up against the Buffalo Bills.
Sept. 19, 1976: Dewey Selmon on the field against the San Diego Chargers.
Same date: Dewey Selmon and his brother (Lee Roy) are blocked by the Chargers' Charles Aiu, Don Macek, Russ Washington, and Pat Curran.
c. 1976: Dewey Selmon changing plays (this is also seen in the other photos too).
Dewey Selmon (No. 61) tackles John Cappelleti (No. 22) of the Los Angeles Rams with Dave Pear (No. 76).
Dewey Selmon (No. 61) before a play.
Dewey Selmon (No. 58) without his helmet.
Dewey Selmon (No. 58) celebrates a touchdown with Cedric Brown (No. 34) in 1978.
Dewey Selmon (No. 61) with a referee in the background.
Dewey Selmon (No. 58) and Aaron Brown (No. 55) talking to each other in the locker room on 1978.
Dewey Selmon (No. 61) beside JK McKay in a 1977 game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Dewey Selmon (No. 61) sheds a block in order to tackle Barty Smith (No. 33) in a 1978 game against the Green Bay Packers.
Dewey Selmon (No. 61) and Ken Stabler (No. 12) line up before a play in a Buccaneers-Oilers (now Titans) game.
Dewey Selmon (No. 58) on Sports Illustrated Magazine, tackling Lawrence McCutcheon (No. 30) in 1979 NFC Championship Game.
Dewey Selmon (No. 58) on the ground against the Los Angeles Rams in a 1979 preseaon game.
Dewey Selmon (No. 58) before a play against the Minnesota Vikings, beside Tommy Kramer (No. 9).
Dewey Selmon (No. 61) sheds the block of John Hill (No. 62), with Chuck Muncie (No. 42) ready to block, Don Morrison (No. 76) and Emmanuel Zanders (No. 79) blocking.
Dewey Selmon (No. 61) tackles Mike Thomas (No. 30) in a game against the Washington Redskins in 1978.
From left to right: Cecil Johnson (No. 56), Richard Wood (No. 54), Dewey Selmon (No. 61), and David Lewis (No. 57), the starting linebackers of 1978.
Dewey Selmon (No. 58), Elvis Peacock (No. 34), and Jackie Slater (No. 78) against the Los Angeles Rams in 1979.
Dewey Selmon (No. 61) on the field against the MInnesota Vikings in 1977.
Dewey Selmon (No. 61) is about to be blocked by Walt Dowining (No. 62) alongside teammate Dave Pear (No. 76) whose being blocked by Randy Cross (No. 51).
Trivia[]
Dewey Selmon's "white" hands, inside the black shapes.
Dewey Selmon and Lee Roy Selmon played together in college for 4 years, and a year in college without his bro, so he played 5 seasons total in college. They also had a brother named Lucious who did not play on the NFL at all, but was drafted in the 16th round of the 1974 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots, and played two years for the Memphis Southmen (1974-75) at defensive tackle.
During Dewey Selmon's playing days at Oklahoma and Tampa Bay, many believed Selmon was a white man, had vitiligo, or bleached his skin because his hands were white/pale, especially since vitiligo has never caused a complete overhaul of once person's skin tone. However, Selmon has verified that he burnt his hands during 1975.
Dewey is literally his real name.
As a result of Dewey and Lee Roy Selmon were so dominant in college, they were double teamed by the opposing offensive lines when they played proffesionally in the NFL. This sometimes led the way for defensive end Council Rudolph, who was often underestimated by the opposing team, and eventually was doubled as well.
