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Tampa really has this celebration thing down, don’t they? The Tampa Bay Lightning had an epic boat parade just a few short months back, highlighted by Nikita Kucherov and a shirtless Pat Maroon. The players rode boats, drove jet skis, and capped it all off with speeches at Raymond James Stadium.
This time around, it was the Buccaneers that took to the Hillsborough River to celebrate the franchise’s second World Championship. Bruce Arians and Jason Licht were in the lead boat, followed by Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady in his $2-million dollar ride. The party boat to end all party boats was occupied by Rob Gronkowski, Cameron Brate, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Scotty Miller - who dropped Godwin’s phone into the river, never to be seen again.
The parade converged at a private dock for speeches and more celebrations, though Tom Brady and Gronk had, let’s say, a tad too much of libations to take part in any speaking roles. The live television coverage was cut short thanks to some choice words said to kick things off by Arians and Licht. From there, it was a parade of players taking to the stage - including Godwin, Lavonte David, Ndamukong Suh, and Shaq Barrett who all had the microphone taken from them by Arians to tell them “they weren’t going anywhere” in regards to their pending free agent status.
Here are some of the highlights from the day.
Warning: Some of the following videos contain adult language
How it started vs How it's going pic.twitter.com/KPQsyKasDB
— Bucs Nation (@Bucs_Nation) February 10, 2021
Not sure who took the over on this one but 34 minutes in and Gronk’s shirt is gone #GoBucs pic.twitter.com/hUTAXZjD2U
— Grace Remington (@GraceRemiWTSP) February 10, 2021
Mike Evans throws a football to another boat aaaaand it's GOOD! #GoBucs LIVE COVERAGE: https://t.co/i18xO1VCVq pic.twitter.com/VFWbBRQeII
— FOX 13 Tampa Bay (@FOX13News) February 10, 2021
The Bucs are rocking shirts with Tom Brady’s draft photo at the parade pic.twitter.com/0YYUq7Rx4c
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) February 10, 2021
Tom Brady has arrived in his new $2-million Super Bowl boat pic.twitter.com/DcEfflesru
— Kevin ODonnell Fox13 (@ODonnellFox13) February 10, 2021
Got hit in the head with a bud light .. did it hurt, yeah.. am I okay... hopefully LETS GO!!!!
— Sean Murphy-Bunting (@MrSeanyB1) February 10, 2021
Gronk doing Gronk things pic.twitter.com/j4XagLeaM9
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) February 10, 2021
It’s pretty clear which boat is bringing the party @MikeEvans13_ @RobGronkowski pic.twitter.com/hDZx5pXhQR
— Kellie Cowan (@KellieCowan) February 10, 2021
Deuces ✌️ pic.twitter.com/iWITpXpoJA
— Scott Smith (@ScottSmithFOX13) February 10, 2021
— DJ (@Kingme_Two) February 10, 2021
On Mike Evans’ IG Live, Chris Godwin begs Verizon for a new phone. He says Scotty Miller dropped his phone in the Hillsborough River #GoBucs pic.twitter.com/FaqRS4oK30
— Grace Remington (@GraceRemiWTSP) February 10, 2021
LOMBARDI TROPHY TOSS! Bucs QB Tom Brady threw yet another perfect pass -- but this time, it was the Lombardi Trophy that he tossed to teammates in another boat in the middle of the parade! #GoBucs pic.twitter.com/l2ESy1y2dt
— FOX 13 Tampa Bay (@FOX13News) February 10, 2021
We now have every angle of “The Toss” pic.twitter.com/UAS4YrZDgs
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) February 10, 2021
I guess his sea legs aren’t what they used to be... pic.twitter.com/44K42bWPMe
— Joey Knight (@TBTimes_Bulls) February 10, 2021
Noting to see her...just litTle avoCado tequila https://t.co/vew2otBw5T
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) February 10, 2021
So Tom Brady was Sh-t Faced when he threw the Lombardi? Who would’ve thunk it. Annndd he’s still throwing darts #BradyBombed pic.twitter.com/hL8FZsQ4j9
— Chris Fischer (@ChrisFischer07) February 10, 2021
Here is (most of) Bruce Arians' speech.
— Taylor Jenkins (@TJenkinsTampa) February 10, 2021
(H/t @10TampaBay) pic.twitter.com/dniaMZ2kzN
In the middle of Lavonte David talking about how he wants to return to the Bucs next season, Bruce Arians grabs the mic out of his hand and says, “your ass ain’t going no where."
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) February 10, 2021
BA grabbed the mic from Suh and said "you ain't goin nowhere either"
— Bucs Nation (@Bucs_Nation) February 10, 2021
Chris Godwin and Mike Evans take the stage, Bruce Arians once again says that Chris Godwin isn’t going anywhere either. #Bucs #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/ODxVn3e4xb
— PewterReport (@PewterReport) February 10, 2021
Shaq Barrett says he’s coming back and Bruce Arians said the same thing. Speech from JPP as well. #Bucs #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/iaWkW0AQxE
— PewterReport (@PewterReport) February 10, 2021
Jason Licht ready to do it again. pic.twitter.com/8ViwSg7Lfk
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) February 10, 2021
I’ve covered the Super Bowl parade each of the last 5 years. GM Jason Licht just did something I’ve never heard before. He gave a huge shout out the Bucs scouts. Praising them. Stating to the players that they wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them. Never heard that before. Bravo
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) February 10, 2021
So, I guess there’s nothing left to do but do it all again in 2022 - and hopefully things will be back to normal and the fans can be more involved in the celebration. Though, they better not get rid of the boat aspect of the parade. And finally - who in the world would have thought that Tom Brady would end up being the Kucherov of this celebration?
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