Super Bowl LV: Breaking Records and Making History

Photo courtesy of Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be making history this Sunday, Feb. 7, as they become the first team in the National Football League (NFL) to play in a Super Bowl on their home field. 

Bruce Arians, head coach for the Bucs, told the NFL, "So many teams don't get a chance 'cause they don't get to host the Super Bowl in their stadium...it was obviously the goal of ours to start this season, but getting to the Super Bowl wasn't what our goal is. Our goal is to win it.” 

Tampa Bay will be taking on the Kansas City Chiefs in the Raymond James Stadium located in Tampa, Florida for the 55th Super Bowl where 25,000 fans are expected to flood arena seats according to NFL Network host Tom Pelissero. 

In addition to the Buccaneers being the first to play on their home turf, their latest asset to the team, Tom Brady will be playing in his 10th Super Bowl, another NFL record. 

Brady joined the Bucs as their quarterback last year after leaving his team of 20 years, the New England Patriots.

On top of his 10th Super Bowl appearance, he will also be the oldest quarterback to participate in a Super Bowl at age 43. Prior to this, he was already the oldest quarterback to play and win a NFL championship at age 41 when he led the Patriots to victory in Super Bowl LIII in 2019. 

If Brady defeats the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV, his triumph will land him his seventh Super Bowl ring. This would set yet another record, making him the NFL quarterback with the most Super Bowl wins.

Brady, already eager for next season, told the NFL in a Zoom call on Wednesday that he would be in a better mindset by then. "As long as I'm playing, I want to improve and get better. I feel like next year is going to be a lot better than this year..."I feel like I'll be in a much better place mentally. I'm going to train a lot better this year, physically, next year I'll be in a better place. As soon as this game ends we're on to next season,” Brady said. 

Johannes Braetz, a junior in business management at The King’s College gave his input about Brady saying, “Tom Brady is the GOAT. I think there is not much to add. Especially, I want to point out his leadership skills and his winning mentality. Still being hungry after winning the league for the 6th time says it all.” 

Topping off all the history-making that Sunday has cooking in the pot, Brady and the Bucs will not be the only ones breaking barriers. Sarah Thomas will be setting a record for women as the first female to referee a Super Bowl. 

“I have a precious little girl who is watching her mom—not just on the football field, but daily at home—and I want her to know, seeing it, believing it, you can do it.” Thomas said to NFL Network. “Being selected for this year’s Super Bowl in Tampa, and being the first female that has been selected ... it means a lot to me.”

Thomas officiated her first NFL game in 2019 and has been refereeing for the league ever since. 

King’s Security Supervisor, Thomas Allen, says he has his money set on the Chiefs to overthrow the Bucs. “I think the Chiefs….who’s gonna stop the cheetah? You know who the cheetah is? Tyreek Hill, the fastest man in the NFL.Tampa Bay doesn't have the weaponry that Patrick Mahomes has. He has too many fast guys…”

Jumping on the bandwagon is Blake Ashley, a humanities major and senior at King’s. “Mahomes is gonna cut em’ up like a hot knife in butter,” Ashley said. 

Only time will tell how the historic battle between Kansas City and the Buccaneers will unfold in the Ray Jay Stadium.