For the first time in 18 years, the Buccaneers are returning to the Super Bowl.
For the first time in 18 years, the Buccaneers are returning to the Super Bowl.
Tampa Bay will face off against the defending champion Chiefs, but the Bucs have a proven Super Bowl weapon: Tom Brady. After winning six titles in New England, Brady is seeking to deliver Tampa Bay's second Super Bowl win in franchise history.
Brady and the Patriots' dynasty started when they won three Super Bowls from 2001-04. Who was the only other team to win a title during that stretch? The Buccaneers.
In 2002-03, Tampa Bay won its first championship when it trounced the Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII.
The Bucs' devastating playoff losses in previous years made it seem that they were under a postseason curse. They suffered a five-point loss to the eventual champion Rams in the 1999 NFC championship game. Tampa Bay followed that up with consecutive playoff losses to Andy Reid's Eagles in the wild-card rounds.
Despite his success in transforming the Buccaneers into a winning team, the club fired coach Tony Dungy after the 2001 season and acquired Jon Gruden by sending two first-round draft picks, two second-round picks and $8 million to the Raiders. Dungy had built one of the league's strongest defenses during his six seasons in Tampa Bay, but the offense struggled and worked under three different offensive coordinators in Dungy's last three years. Under Gruden, the Bucs' offense developed throughout the 2002 season as their defense continued to dominate.
After going 12–4 in the regular season, Tampa Bay beat the 49ers in the divisional round and routed the Eagles in the NFC championship. Facing his old team in the Super Bowl, Gruden and the Bucs won the franchise's first and only Vince Lombardi Trophy with a 48–21 victory.
Now, Tampa Bay becomes the first team in NFL history to play the Super Bowl in its home stadium. The Buccaneers will host the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium on Feb. 7.
Kickoff for the game is set for 6:30 p.m. ET.