Tampa Bay Buccaneers backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert hasn’t taken a snap under center this season, but he sure was involved in a key play on Thursday.
Gabbert and his brothers, Tyler and Brett, helped rescue a man, his parents and a pilot after the helicopter in which they were traveling made an emergency landing off the coast of Davis Islands near Tampa at 5 p.m. ET.
Hunter Hupp, a 28-year-old who was visiting from Philadelphia, said he heard a popping sound in the aircraft’s rotor, per the Tampa Bay Times. Tampa Police Department lieutenant Daniel College said the helicopter experienced an engine failure, and Hupp said the aircraft would not have been able to land at nearby Peter O. Knight Airport.
The helicopter landed approximately 200 yards off the shore of Davis Islands. The three other occupants were able to get to the surface without issue, while Hupp said he was caught in seatbelts and cords before freeing himself after approximately 45 seconds to a minute of being under water.
Gabbert, who has a home on Davis Islands, and his brothers approached on jet skis and assisted in the rescue effort. The father was placed on one personal watercraft, while Hupp and his mother were placed on another.
“I vaguely remember hearing a faint noise, so we turned around, left the (Davis Islands Yacht Club) and I just remember looking to the west and seeing … It almost looked like a crew boat in the water that had broken up into about four pieces,” Gabbert said. “I vaguely remember seeing like two yellow life jackets — so I was like all right, we have to go check this out.
“They looked like they were undressed. We raced over there. The youngest kid had just came up and said he had been pinned in there. I asked if anyone else was trapped, and then I called 911 and tried to remain as calm as possible.
“They were healthy, scared, nervous, but it was just a pretty crappy situation that turned good in the end.”
Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles was quick to applaud Gabbert on Friday.
“I think it’s outstanding,” Bowles said. “Any time you can find a guy who drops everything that can go help somebody else that he doesn’t even know without even thinking about it. And take their life into their own hands and help someone save their life. That says a lot about the guy, and Blaine did that.”
Hupp couldn’t have been more thankful for the efforts of Gabbert and his brothers.
“They slowly brought us back to the shore, a sandy beach near the yacht club, and hung out for a while, were really nice,” Hupp said, per FOX Sports. “We exchanged pleasantries upon reaching flat ground. They were really an asset to helping us out, because we were the only ones out there for a while. It was a handshake and a huge and ‘Thank you so much.’ They went out for a nice afternoon ride and just happened to come upon a stranded helicopter family.”
The Tampa Police Department said in a news release it “is currently coordinating with local and federal agencies regarding the investigation and eventual recovery of the helicopter.”
Gabbert, 33, has played with the Jacksonville Jaguars, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans and Buccaneers during his NFL career.
–Field Level Media
