From inside the Tampa Bay Buccaneers organization, team staff writer Carmen Vitali joined the Locked On Bucs Podcast for Thursday’s episode to discuss everything from the Super Bowl to now, as we prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft.
Going back to the week leading up to the franchise’s second Super Bowl win, Vitali recalled how prepared and confident the team was that they could not only compete with the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs but were, in fact, going to beat them.
“These guys really never entertained the idea that they were going to lose. And I think that was wholly due to the preparation that they had. I mean, these guys really gave Todd Bowles two weeks to formulate a game plan against them. And apparently the very first meeting that they had preparing for the Chiefs, Bowles came in with like a 150 play cut-up and was like, ‘Alright, they do this, we do this they do this, we do this,’ and just went through the entire thing multiple times and from then on each player that I talked to said like, ‘There's no way we lose.’”
As impressive as the Super Bowl win was for the Buccaneers, the fact team executives Jason Licht, Mike Greenberg, and Jacqueline Davidson are successfully returning all 22 starters from the game is something we haven’t seen in the free-agency era.
About this amazing feat, Vitali said, “You can’t say enough about Mike Greenberg, Jackie Davidson, Jason Licht keeping everybody together and allowing continuity for this team when that was a huge storyline from last year was, there was no continuity. Now, the tables have turned and the Bucs have the most continuity I think of anyone at this point.”
Of course, the continuity is even more important given the recent advice from the NFLPA to NFL players they shouldn’t be participating in voluntary portions of the in-person offseason program.
Two years ago, quarterback was a big question mark. One year ago, continuity was the hurdle. Now, both problems have been converted into strengths, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are defending champions getting ready to add even more talent in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Vitali has been on hand to see it all, and will continue to be one of the main storytellers for the franchise as they reload for a second run, and a third Lombardi Trophy for the city of Tampa.
For more on this story, and all things Tampa Bay Buccaneers, check out the Locked On Bucs Podcast.
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