The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) celebrated Hall of Fame Buccaneers’ player Lee Roy Selmon on what would have been his 71st birthday on October 20.
The Lee Roy Selmon Expressway was named after the Tampa icon in 1999. According to its website, the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) is an independent state agency that owns, maintains and operates four facilities within Hillsborough County: the Selmon Expressway, the Brandon Parkway, Meridian Avenue and the Selmon Greenway.
Selmon, a former Oklahoma football standout, was the first-ever draft pick for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers expansion team in 1976. During his nine-season NFL career, he earned six consecutive Pro Bowl selections, recorded 78.5 career sacks and helped lead the Bucs to their first NFC Central Division championship in 1979. In 1995, Selmon became the first Buccaneer inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Selmon’s commitment to Tampa Bay continued long after his playing career. He served as associate athletic director and later athletic director at the University of South Florida, helping establish the university’s football program.
“When I first moved to Tampa Bay, I knew Lee Roy Selmon as a hall of fame football player. What I came to learn was that his impact on this community went far beyond football,” said THEA CEO and Executive Director Greg Slater.
THEA commissioned an 8-foot, 800-pound, hollowed bronze Lee Roy Selmon statue along the Selmon Greenway. It depicts him forming the University of South Florida (USF) Bulls gesture with his left hand. It also offers a STEM internship program in his name.
“He was someone who genuinely cared about people and wanted to make a difference in their lives. That is why his legacy means so much to THEA and why we are proud that the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway carries his name. From the statue along the Selmon Greenway to our USF STEM internship program, we are committed to honoring not just his accomplishments but what mattered most to him: creating opportunities for others, especially young people,” said Slater.
Although Selmon died in 2011, his legacy lives on today through the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway. According to its website, THEA carrying Selmon’s name is about honoring more than a football legend. It is about celebrating a leader who embodied perseverance, service and a commitment to making his community stronger.
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