He did it.
Tom Brady is a Super Bowl champion for the seventh time in his illustrious career, only this time as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He and the defense helped lead the Buccaneers to a 31-9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium to win their second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs couldn't even score a touchdown against the stout Buccaneers defense, meaning they were unable to become the the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the New England Patriots did so in the 2003 and 2004 seasons.
Bleacher Report @BleacherReportSeven rings. What else can you say? 🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐 @brgridiron
Bleacher Report @BleacherReportTom Brady is Super Bowl LV MVP MORE HISTORY FOR THE 🐐@brgridiron
Notable Player Stats
- Tom Brady, QB, TB: 21-of-29 for 201 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs
- Leonard Fournette, RB, TB: 16 carries for 89 yards, 1 TD; 4 catches for 46 yards
- Rob Gronkowski, TE, TB: 6 catches for 67 yards, 2 TDs
- Patrick Mahomes, QB, KC: 26-of-49 for 270 yards, 0 TDs, 2 INTs
- Travis Kelce, TE, KC: 10 catches for 133 yards
- Tyreek Hill, WR, KC: 7 catches for 73 yards
Tom Brady Adds to Legacy with Blowout Win
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Brady may not be in New England anymore, but the all-time great throwing darts all over the field is business as usual for the Super Bowl. He threw three touchdowns in the first half alone with one going to Antonio Brown and two going to his former Patriots partner in crime, Rob Gronkowski.
His initial strike to Gronkowski moved the combination ahead of the Joe Montana and Jerry Rice tandem for the most touchdowns by a quarterback-receiver grouping in playoff history (13) and marked the first time he directed a first-quarter touchdown drive in his 10 Super Bowls.
Bleacher Report @BleacherReportBRADY TO GRONK 🚨 First TD of the Super Bowl (via @NFL)
Bleacher Report @BleacherReportBRADY AND GRONK HAVE 2 TDS 🤯 (via @NFL)
SportsCenter @SportsCenterBrady and Gronk pass Joe Montana and Jerry Rice for the most TDs by any QB-receiver combo in postseason history (13) 🙌
B/R Gridiron @brgridironRob Gronkowski and Jerry Rice are the only players in NFL history with multiple receiving TDs in multiple Super Bowls 🔥 (via @NFLResearch)
Bleacher Report @BleacherReportBRADY TO AB TD BEFORE THE END OF THE HALF 🤯 WOW. (via @NFLBrasil)
Bleacher Report @BleacherReportBrady and Mathieu exchange some words 🗣 (via @NFLUK)
Not even Kansas City's goal-line stand when it stuffed Ronald Jones II was enough for Brady and the Bucs to lose momentum for long, as No. 12 marched the offense down the field for touchdowns on his next two possessions.
Things didn't change much out of the halftime locker room, as Leonard Fournette exploded through the line for a long touchdown run and Ryan Succop drilled a 52-yard field goal. Not only did Tampa Bay expand the lead entering the fourth quarter, it controlled the clock while doing so and seized full control with Brady at the helm and the defense turning in a dominant performance.
Bleacher Report @BleacherReportSUPER BOWL LENNY TD 🚨 This is wild. (via @NFL)
Perhaps some football fans take Brady for granted because of all he has accomplished, but staring down your potential successor as the face of the league and a legend-in-the-making at 43 years old and winning the Super Bowl with ease on a brand new team is yet another testament to his individual brilliance.
He's now a seven-time champion, which is more than any team in the entire league can claim.
Mistakes, Offensive Line Woes Doom Chiefs
The Mahomes-led Chiefs look unbeatable almost every time they're on the field with the glaring exception of the start of Super Bowls.
They fell behind by double digits before a frantic fourth-quarter comeback in last season's game against the San Francisco 49ers and looked even worse out of the gates Sunday while falling behind 21-6 by halftime.
It didn't help that left tackle Eric Fisher was out with a ruptured Achilles for an offensive line that was already missing Kelechi Osemele and Mitchell Schwartz, which cleared the way for Shaquil Barrett, Jason Pierre-Paul and Devin White to consistently chase Mahomes out of the pocket as Tampa Bay's defense controlled the game.
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Bleacher Report @BleacherReportSO CLOSE.
NFL @NFLShaq Barrett already wreaking havoc. #GoBucs 📺: #SBLV on CBS 📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app:
ESPN Stats & Info @ESPNStatsInfoPatrick Mahomes was pressured more in this game than any QB in Super Bowl history (29), passing the record of 25 by Jim Kelly in SB XXVI. Tom Brady faced his fewest pressures (4) in any Super Bowl of his career
Kansas City also made a number of uncharacteristic mistakes that exacerbated its poor performance.
Tyreek Hill didn't haul in a potential touchdown, Travis Kelce dropped a third-down pass, Tyrann Mathieu's interception was wiped out by one of Kansas City's eight first-half penalties, an offside on a field goal kept a Tampa Bay drives alive that ended in a touchdown, and Andy Reid was too aggressive with a timeout and gave Brady more time, resulting in another touchdown at the end of the half.
NFL Research @NFLResearchThe Chiefs' 95 penalty yards in the 1st half of Super Bowl LV are the most penalty yards against any team in the 1st half of a game this season #SuperBowl
Dianna Russini @diannaESPNstory of the game: 8 penalties by the Chiefs IS THE most in 1st half in SB history
Bleacher Report @BleacherReportBucs are shutting down Mahomes 👀 @brgridiron
Bleacher Report @BleacherReportAntoine Winfield Jr. tip-drill INT on Mahomes 😳 (via @NFLBrasil)
Mahomes threw two interceptions in the second half and looked as vulnerable as he ever has during his NFL career, but he still mixed in some magic in defeat as the game slipped away down the stretch.
Despite facing constant pressure with an offensive line that was seemingly nonexistent for stretches, he ran around the backfield to keep plays alive and was essentially horizontal to the field when he launched a pass to the end zone on fourth down just to see it hit Darrel Williams and fall to the ground.
Mahomes was far from his typical self, but there was also only so much he could do. His side was completely outmatched by a Tampa Bay defense that was unbelievable on the biggest stage.
