Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady wins his NFL-record 7th Super Bowl
BY WILL PEMBROKE, multimedia show manager
Tom Brady won his NFL-record seventh Super Bowl on Sunday as the veteran quarterback threw three
touchdown passes in the win. The Buccaneers defense was the star as they shut down Patrick Mahomes.
Whether you ended up watching the Super Bowl for the halftime show, the commercials or the actual game, there was no denying that it was quite the spectacle this year.
It was a welcoming sight to see 25,000 socially distanced fans produce some sort of a crowd at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Fla.
Among that crowd were 7,500 vaccinated Tampa Bay-area health care workers, invited by the NFL to attend as a “thank you” for their commitment to helping people amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year’s Super Bowl was unique for non-pandemic reasons as well. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the first team to play the Super Bowl in their home stadium. On top of that, they won it all.
As for the game itself, it was a lopsided affair. Quarterback Tom Brady and the Buccaneers dominated quarterback Patrick Mahomes and KC both offensively and defensively, winning with a final score of 31-9.
Brady and the Bucs’ offense struggled out of the gate, punting on their first two possessions. However, the Bucs’ offense picked up the slack, scoring through the air and on the ground.
Running back Leonard Fournette, a.k.a “Playoff Lenny,” carried the ball 16 times for a total of 89 yards and a touchdown.
Veteran tight end Rob Gronkowski also showed out with six catches for 67 yards and two touchdowns.
Brady’s stat line was similarly impressive, finishing the contest with just over 200 yards and three touchdowns to capture his all-time leading seventh Super Bowl title.
Despite these offensive performances, the story of the game conversely was the Buccaneers defense.
Led by linebackers Devin White and Lavonte David, the Bucs’ defense locked down a red-hot Chiefs’ offense. KC wide receiver Tyreek Hill torched the Bucs for three touchdowns and over 200 receiving yards in a regular season matchup between the two teams.
The Super Bowl was a different story, with Hill being held in check for most of the game. Patrick Mahomes, young superstar and 2020 Super Bowl MVP, struggled mightily to get the Chiefs’ offense going.
Mahomes was pressured on 29 of his 56 drop backs, an astounding number compared to the mere four pressures Brady received all game.
The story of the game for KC was their terrible offensive line play. The team featured only one offensive lineman who began the season as a starter, missing star tackles Eric Fischer and Mitchell Schwartz to injury.
From a legacy standpoint, Tom Brady’s seventh Super Bowl victory not only tops the list for players all-time, but it also gives him the edge in Super Bowls for individual teams, surpassing the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers who have won six times apiece.
Now that the NFL season has come to a close, stay tuned for NFL offseason coverage.
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