What I REID Into It

February 6, 2021

During the 2020 season the NFL, its coaches and players have all gone through a lot to reach this point in what is hoped to be a thrilling conclusion in Super Bowl 55. Despite the obstacles the league had to face and overcome in the end fans have a championship game that should be a real treat to cap a very memorable year.

The match up finds the NFC champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers being the first team ever to appear in a Super Bowl played in its home stadium against the defending Super Bowl Champions Kansas City Chiefs. From there this pairing, as if it’s needed, gets more and more interesting. This game will be the first Super Bowl between the starting quarterbacks who won the last two Super Bowls, Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl 54, Bucs QB Tom Brady in Super Bowl 53. Both Mahomes and Brady will be a part of history on another level as the two are set to have the largest age differential between opposing QB’s in Super Bowl history. Brady is 43 years old, while Mahomes is just 25.

History buffs will love Super Bowl 55 and should start taking notes at kickoff. Should the Chiefs win they will be the first back to back Super Bowl champion since the Tom Brady led New England Patriots back in 2003-04. Should the Bucs win it will mean Brady has won his seventh Super Bowl and Tampa Bay would be the seventh wild card team to win the big game.

For the current Chiefs and Bucs this is a very familiar feeling as the two teams met on Sunday, Nov. 29 at Raymond James Stadium with the Chiefs opening up a 17-0 first quarter lead en route to a 27-24 win. This game kicked off at 3:25 CT on CBS and Super Bowl 55 has a 5:30 CT kick off time on CBS. Even the announcers are the same as Jim Nantz and Tony Romo will be the broadcast crew providing coverage. The Chiefs who finished the season with an 8-0 road record would love to see a repeat of this November 2020 afternoon.

Unlike Super Bowl 54 the Chiefs have several connections across the field on this Super Bowl Sunday. The Bucs have former Chiefs Todd McNair and Kevin Ross on the coaching staff. The Bucs have PK Ryan Succop and RB LeSean McCoy on the team’s roster. Just another note to add to what already is the most watched game of the year.

The first meeting between the Chiefs and Bucs saw the visiting Chiefs roar out to a 17-0 lead thanks to WR Tyreek Hill’s 200+ yard first quarter. The Bucs ended the game on a 14-0 fourth quarter run but it wasn’t enough for a win. This meeting being watched around the world will see a close game from start to finish. When the clock strikes all zeros the Chiefs who waited 50 years to win a second Super Bowl will have waited exactly one year and five days to win a third one. The Kansas City Chiefs remain perfect on the road and repeat as Super Bowl Champions. That’s What I REID Into It for this week.