Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski became part of an elite club during Super Bowl 55, doing something only Jerry Rice has ever done.
With their opening touchdown in Super Bowl 55, Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski and quarterback Tom Brady set a new record for themselves, surpassing the San Francisco 49ers’ legendary tandem of quarterback Joe Montana and wide receiver Jerry Rice for the most touchdowns by any quarterback-wide receiver duo in Super Bowl history.
Montana and Rice previously held the record with 12. Brady and Gronk surpassed that in the first quarter of the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Of course, the first 12 came when both Brady and Gronkowski were members of the New England Patriots. Their first with the Buccaneers was surely special, but it wasn’t the end of records for Gronkowski.
Towards the end of the second quarter, Brady found Gronkowski again on a 17-yard touchdown pass to put Tampa Bay up 14-3:
1️⃣2️⃣ + 8️⃣7️⃣ again. #GoBucs #SuperBowl
— NFL (@NFL) February 8, 2021
📺: #SBLV on CBS
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app pic.twitter.com/jpYsKMBVQ0
With that score, Gronkowski’s fifth Super Bowl touchdown, the tight end joined Rice as one of only two players in NFL history with multiple receiving touchdowns in multiple Super Bowls.
Rob Gronkowski has joined Jerry Rice as the only players in history with multiple receiving touchdowns in multiple Super Bowls@RobGronkowski (5) & Rice (8) are the only players with 5+ career receiving TD in the Super Bowl#SuperBowlLV
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) February 8, 2021
Gronkowski had two touchdown grabs in the Patriots’ loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII, while Rice had three touchdowns in two NFL championship games, Super Bowls XXIV and XXIX.
So while Gronk might not quite catch Rice’s record in that category, it’s still awfully cool to be listed in a group that has just one other member, the greatest wide receiver of all time.
Brady and Gronkowski aren’t likely too concerned about the individual accolades, though, as they and the Buccaneers are far more concerned with winning the franchise’s second Super Bowl. Brady, of course, is looking for his seventh Super Bowl ring, while Gronk is in hot pursuit of his third Super Bowl ring, too.
If Gronkowski winds up with a third touchdown reception, there’s a good chance the bigger goals wind up coming true for this special Tampa Bay tandem.