Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Former linebacker passes away at 60

We here at the Pewter Plank and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers family as a whole are saddened to learn of the passing of former Buccaneers linebacker Eugene Marve at the age of 60.

Marve passed on Monday, May 24th, 2021 after a short hospital stay. According to a release by Marve’s alma mater, Saginaw Valley State, he was hospitalized for an undisclosed medical issue. Not much else is known at this time.

Marve was born on August 14th, 1960 in Flint, Michigan, and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 1982 NFL Draft. He spent six seasons with the Bills before joining the Buccaneers in 1988, where he would stay until 1991. Unfortunately, Marve’s time in Tampa was knee-deep during the Bucs “Yucks” era, playing during the Ray Perkins and Richard Williamson regimes. Marve, number 99, would start in all 16 games save for his final season with the Buccaneers in 1991, starting four.

Marve would have two interceptions with the Bucs, with three fumble recoveries, with one each year between 1989 and 1991. Marve would also record 3.5 sacks whilst in Tampa. Marve would play one season with the Chargers in 1992 before calling it a career. Upon retirement, Marve would return to Saginaw Valley State, and earned his bachelor’s degree in 1995, majoring in criminal justice.

Marve was inducted into the inaugural class of Saginaw Valley State Cardinal Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010 and into the 27th class of the Flint Afro-American Hall of Fame in 2011. Marve is survived by his wife Stacey, daughter Rebecca, and son Robert who was Florida’s Mr. Football 2007 and started for the University of Miami before transferring to Purdue. Rober also played two seasons for the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Please keep the friends and those close to Eugene as well as the Marve family in your thoughts, prayers, and good wishes in this difficult time. Rest in peace.