Are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting to earn respect?
Earning respect takes time, patience, and a formula for success.
The Bruce Arians/Tom Brady Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn’t get much respect from our friends in the media. Most of the pundits on the sports shows picked the Andy Reid/Patrick Mahomes Kansas City Chiefs to win. Usually by only 3 points or so, but still, many of those surveyed chose the former champs each time.
That’s fine. I don’t care! I like it that way. I’ve always rooted for the underdog. Even the Super Bowl LV Big Game Preview Show predictions from the team at CBS Sports all chose Reid’s squad. Boomer, Phil, Nate, and James all thought the Bucs wouldn’t be able to hold off the offensive onslaught of Mahomes, Kelce and Hill. All, except ‘Coach’ Bill Cower.
The predictions weren’t earth shattering by any means, just tightly scored games nudging in KC’s favor for the most part. Was it a Rodney Dangerfield moment where the Bucs “don’t get no respect?” Sort of. But then again, not really. But with the way Tampa came on strong through the playoffs and took out both New Orleans and Green Bay, you would think the game predictions would’ve been more evenly split from those who do that sort of thing for a living.
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Bucs fans though, unfortunately, are used to this. One Super Bowl run could just be a fluke, and until the Bucs start making the playoffs more years than not, sadly they may be slighted again. Actions always speak, and I don’t foresee much of a dip in the next few years. Let’s hope it doesn’t repeat like it did after their first Super Bowl victory in ’02/’03.
Brady and Gronk both announced they are coming back for another year, at least, and it will be interesting to see who else of the core players will still be around next season. Jason Licht will need to be creative in potentially restructure contracts. Who knows? Maybe a few players not named Mike Evans will be willing to adjust theirs as well, which could bode well to help the Bucs keep the key pieces in place for next year and beyond.
Respect will come, and winning the Super Bowl in domineering fashion will go a long way with that too, but the odds makers are still giving KC the leg up to win it next year. That’s ok, there’s something entirely scintillating about proving the ‘experts’ wrong.
Tampa must continue this upward trend if they are to break through the media’s larger market biases. If the Bucs can’t consistently get back to the playoffs next year and beyond, it may be a struggle to garner any respect they may have earned from this year’s impressive run.
Next. Tampa Bay Buccaneers dominate the defending champs to win Super Bowl LV. dark
Not all in sports media wrote Tampa off. The Good Morning Football crew, on NFL Network, believed they had a real shot from the onset when Brady first signed with Tampa. There were those who are now making excuses as to why KC got bludgeoned by the Bucs, but, the fact will remain long after those excuses have faded away, that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won Super Bowl LV in decisive fashion over the Kansas City Chiefs! And that my friends, garners respect in my book.