The 12th-year pro broke his right leg during Sunday's regular-season finale against the Chicago Bears and had to listen to his teammates revel in the locker room while he was stretched out on a medical table in the trainer's room.

	Gruber

"That, I think, put a damper on it for everyone. Paul has been such a soldier here and played in so many games, and so many losing seasons," coach Tony Dungy said Monday.

"To go this long, and finally get into position to make a run and get hurt in the last game just seems unfair. But that's how football is sometimes. All we can do at this point is see if we can go as far as we can go and win (the Super Bowl). And he knows if we do, he was a big part of it."

The Bucs are in the playoffs for only the second time since selecting Gruber with the fourth pick in the 1988 draft. He's missed just nine games -- four because of injuries -- while starting a team-record 183 games during his career.

Although the closest he's ever come to playing in the Pro Bowl was two years ago when he was a NFC alternate, the 6-foot-5, 291-pound offensive tackle has long been considered a cornerstone of the franchise.

"I think he wanted this more than anyone. And that's why, not to sound negative, but you just sort of wish it could have been anyone but Paul Gruber," third-year guard Frank Middleton said. "That's one thing we didn't want to see. It just would have been so great if he could have been standing up straight at the end with us."

Gruber was injured while pass protecting late in the third quarter of the 20-6 victory over the Bears that clinched the division championship and gave Tampa Bay a first-round playoff bye.

The Bucs will host a divisional playoff game on Jan. 15, facing Washington if the Redskins win Saturday's NFC wild-card game against Detroit. If the Lions win, Tampa Bay would play the winner of Sunday's Dallas-Minnesota wild-card game.

In any event, seldom-used fifth-year pro Pete Pierson will replace Gruber in the lineup. The Bucs intend to work out some candidates to fill a vacant roster spot, although Dungy didn't sound like he expects to sign anybody the team could count on to play right away.

"Left tackle is such a crucial position," the coach said. "If most people really were ready to go, chances are they'd be on someone's team. So it's not a situation where you're going to bring in a Pro Bowl player and stick him in there. We understand that."

Gruber, who had his leg set by doctors on Monday, is in the final year of his contract and there had been speculation that he might retire after the season. Dungy said the prognosis for a full recovery by the 34-year-old tackle is good.

"He's going to be fine, in time," the coach said. "But he definitely won't be able to play in the playoffs."

Pierson is excited about the opportunity to start, yet isn't looking at it as an audition for the job on a long-term basis if Gruber does not return.

"This is what I'm paid for. I've just got to go in and hopefully give the team the same kind of production," Pierson said.

Dungy is confident he can.