Brady Leads Bucs to Super Bowl LV Title, Claims Seventh Lombardi Trophy
2/7/2021 10:40:00 PM | Football
TAMPA BAY, Fla. -- Former University of Michigan quarterback Tom Brady led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 31-9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday evening (Feb. 7), further cementing his place as the greatest player in NFL history. Brady won his seventh Vince Lombardi Trophy in his 10th Super Bowl appearance and was named the game's MVP for the fifth time, all records that will be nearly impossible to equal.
Brady completed 21-of-29 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns against the Chiefs. He led five scoring drives (four touchdowns, one field goal) while the Buccaneers' defense held KC to three field goals in the contest. Brady completed the feat in his first season with Tampa Bay after spending the previous 20 years with the New England Patriots.
In addition to Brady, the Buccaneers staff and organization includes former Wolverine players Harold Goodwin (assistant head coach/run game coordinator), Larry Foote (outside linebackers coach) and John Spytek (director of player personnel).
On the opposite side of the field, Brady faced three former Wolverines who were active for the Chiefs: quarterback Chad Henne and edge rushers Frank Clark and Michael Danna. End Taco Charlton was not in uniform after being placed on injured reserve in late November, and offensive lineman Patrick Omameh has been a member of the practice squad during the playoffs after spending most of the regular season with the Las Vegas Raiders. Clark had four tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack against the Buccaneers while Danna added one stop.
After punts on its first two drives, Brady led Tampa Bay down the field for the game's first touchdown and a 7-3 lead late in the first quarter. He completed the eight-yard scoring pass to tight end Rob Gronkowski, and in the process the duo became the NFL's all-time postseason leader in touchdowns (13). The scoring play broke a tie with the San Francisco 49ers tandem of Joe Montana and Jerry Rice for the all-time playoff mark.
After Tampa Bay was stopped on a fourth-and-goal at the one-yard line on the next drive, the Buccaneers' defense held and got the ball back at the Chiefs' 38-yard line following a punt. Brady was aided by a pair of KC penalties that provided first downs. Following an offside penalty that took a field goal off the board, Brady connected with Gronkowski again for a 17-yard touchdown to push the lead to 14-3 midway through the second quarter.
Kansas City connected on its second field goal of the game to cut the deficit to 14-6 with 1:04 left in the half. Brady used that last minute to his team's advantage, moving Tampa Bay 71 yards in five plays and finishing with a one-yard touchdown pass to receiver Antonio Brown with six seconds remaining in the half. The Buccaneers led, 21-6, as Brady completed 16-of-20 passes for 140 yards and three touchdowns and in the process became the first quarterback to complete 80 percent of his passes and throw three touchdowns in a half in Super Bowl history.
After a Kansas City field goal to open the second half, Brady directed a Buccaneers touchdown and field goal drives to extend the lead to 31-9 with 2:46 left in the third quarter. The first drive ended with a 27-yard touchdown run by Leonard Fournette and the second scoring series with a 52-yard field goal by Brian Succop. The Tampa Bay defense stopped three scoring threats from the Chiefs in the fourth quarter to complete the hometown victory.
