Even on the water, it seems that the connection between seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady and his receivers cannot be denied.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers held a boat parade Wednesday to celebrate their first NFL title in 18 years on a sun-drenched day with thousands of fans along the Hillsborough River near downtown Tampa.
At one point, Brady was captured on video as he tossed the NFL’s Lombardi Trophy from his boat across the water to Cameron Brate in another boat. That resulted in wild cheers from fans and players.
Brady threw two of his three touchdown passes in the team’s 31-9 Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs to Rob Gronkowski, who, along with Brate, formed one of the best tight-end tandems in the NFL this season.
Brady was later helped off the boat, which he blamed for the parties. “Nothing to see her … just a little piece of avoCado tequila,” he tweeted.
As the parade drew to a close, coach Bruce Arians said the Bucs could easily repeat themselves as champions if the team remains intact. Brady has already said he will be back, and Arians is determined to hold on to several other key players as well.
“We have the best coaching staff in the NFL. And we have the damn best players in the NFL, ”said Arians. “We’re going to keep the band together.”
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor had insisted that people attending the parade should wear masks outdoors and obey the rules of social distance.
It seemed that many adhered to the mask order, but many others did not. There were also dozens of people on private boats, kayaks, and other watercraft thronging the river to get a glimpse of the team. They were told to stay at least 15 meters from the boats with players.
After Tampa Bay’s victory in Sunday’s title game, crowds gathered in the city’s entertainment districts. Many were seen maskless despite orders demanding them.
For Tampa Bay players and the team’s fans, celebrating their first Super Bowl win since the 2002 season was the main attraction on Wednesday.
Brian Ford, the Buccaneers’ chief operating officer, said in a video announcement that fans must obey the rules as they celebrate the team’s victory.
“It’s essential that we do it the right way,” said Ford. “We want to do our part to ensure that this is done in a safe and responsible manner.”
However, during Wednesday’s parade, many Tampa players, including Brady, did not wear masks.
Elsewhere on Wednesday, Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis lashed out at the media when he suggested bias in coverage of the pandemic, particularly during the Super Bowl in Tampa.
“You don’t really care if it’s a peaceful protest,” he said during a performance in the city of Venice, south of Tampa. ‘You don’t really care if you celebrate a Biden election. You only care if they are people you don’t like. “
DeSantis attended the Super Bowl and was sometimes photographed without wearing a mask, despite the requirement to do so.