1976 NFL expansion draft

The 1976 National Football League (NFL) expansion draft was held March 30–31, 1976. The expansion teams, the Seattle Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, each selected 39 players from the other 26 NFL teams. Before the draft, each of the existing NFL teams was allowed to protect 29 players from selection by the expansion teams. When one player was chosen from an existing team, that team was then permitted to protect two additional players. The expansion teams continued until three players had been picked from each of the existing teams.

The expansion draft was originally scheduled for January 23–24, but was postponed when the owners of the Seahawks and Buccaneers filed a lawsuit against the players' union with worries that the organization would try to prevent the draft. The court case delayed both the expansion draft and the annual college draft.

Seattle selections Player Position College Original NFL teamWayne BakerDTBYUSan Francisco 49ersCarl BarisichDTPrincetonCleveland BrownsNick BeboutOTWyomingAtlanta FalconsLyle BlackwoodDBTCUCincinnati BengalsEd BradleyLBWake ForestPittsburgh SteelersDave BrownDBMichiganPittsburgh SteelersDon CluneWRPennsylvaniaNew York GiantsRondy ColbertDBLamarNew York GiantsDwayne CrumpDBFresno StateSt. Louis CardinalsMike CurtisLBDukeBaltimore ColtsJerry DavisDBMorris BrownNew York JetsJohn DemarieOGLSUCleveland BrownsNorm EvansOTTCUMiami DolphinsKen GeddesLBNebraskaLos Angeles RamsNeil GraffQBWisconsinNew England PatriotsDon HansenLBIllinoisAtlanta FalconsGary HaymanRBPenn StateBuffalo BillsFred HoaglinCPittsburghHouston OilersRon HowardTESeattleDallas CowboysKen HutchersonLBLivingston StateGreen Bay PackersGordon JolleyOTUtahDetroit LionsGary KeithleyQBTexas-El PasoSt. Louis CardinalsArt KuehnCUCLAWashington RedskinsKerry MarburyRBWest VirginiaNew England PatriotsAl MatthewsDBTexas A&IGreen Bay PackersSam McCullumWRMontana StateMinnesota VikingsJohn McMakinTEClemsonDetroit LionsEddie McMillanDBFlorida StateLos Angeles RamsBill OldsRBNebraskaBaltimore ColtsJesse O'NealDEGrambling StateHouston OilersJoe OwensDEAlcorn StateNew Orleans SaintsBob PenchionOGAlcorn StateSan Francisco 49ersBob PicardWREastern Washington StatePhiladelphia EaglesRocky RasleyOGOregon StateKansas City ChiefsSteve TaylorDBGeorgiaDenver BroncosDave TiptonDEStanfordSan Diego ChargersCharles WaddellTENorth CarolinaSan Diego ChargersLarry WoodsDTTennessee StateNew York JetsRolly WoolseyDBBoise StateDallas Cowboys

Tampa Bay selections Player Position College Original NFL teamLarry BallLBLouisvilleDetroit LionsJoe BlahakDBNebraskaMinnesota VikingsBubba BridgesDTColoradoDenver BroncosBubba BroussardLBHoustonChicago BearsLouis CarterRBMarylandOakland RaidersSteve ColavitoLBWake ForestPhiladelphia EaglesMark CotneyDBCameron StateHouston OilersMike CurrentOTOhio StateDenver BroncosAnthony DavisRBUSCNew York JetsRicky DavisDBAlabamaCincinnati BengalsEarl DouthittDBIowaChicago BearsBruce EliaLBOhio StateMiami DolphinsLarry ElyLBIowaChicago BearsHoward FestOGTexasCincinnati BengalsIra GordonOGKansas StateSan Diego ChargersJimmy GunnLBUSCNew York GiantsHarold HartRBTexas SouthernOakland RaidersDurwood KeetonDBOklahomaNew England PatriotsJim KearneyDBPrairie ViewKansas City ChiefsVince KendrickRBFloridaAtlanta FalconsMorris LaGrandRBTampaNew Orleans SaintsWillie McGeeWRAlcorn StateLos Angeles RamsJohn (J.K.) McKayWRUSCCleveland BrownsBob MooreTEStanfordOakland RaidersManfred MooreRBUSCSan Francisco 49ersFrank OliverDBKentucky StateBuffalo BillsDave PearDTWashingtonBaltimore ColtsCal PetersonLBUCLADallas CowboysDave ReavisOTArkansasPittsburgh SteelersCouncil RudolphDEKentucky StateSt. Louis CardinalsDan RyczekCVirginiaWashington RedskinsBarry SmithWRFlorida StateGreen Bay PackersKen StoneDBVanderbiltWashington RedskinsDoug SwiftLBAmherstMiami DolphinsDave ThompsonOT-CClemsonNew Orleans SaintsPat ToomayDEVanderbiltBuffalo BillsJohn WardC-OGOklahoma StateMinnesota VikingsLawrence WilliamsWRTexas TechKansas City ChiefsDan YochumOTSyracusePhiladelphia Eagles

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