It was the greatest throw and catch in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history ever executed over open water.
The Buccaneers beat the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV, 31-9, on February 7, 2021, marking the second Lombardi Trophy the team had brought home to the Bay area. After the first one, following the 2002 season, the city organized a traditional parade through downtown Tampa, with hundreds of thousands of fans lining the streets. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic concerns in early 2021, that wasn't an option. Instead, the Bucs got creative and took their celebration to the water.
The Super Bowl LV boat parade on the Tampa Riverwalk section of the Hillsborough River was a massive party, and Buccaneer players got into the festive spirit. The Lombardi Trophy was on hand and, unsurprisingly, it found its way into the hands of Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady. Brady, who had thrown three touchdown passes in the blowout of the Chiefs, had one more highlight-reel pass left in him. Standing in the stern of one small boat, he swung the trophy back and forth by his side before letting go. It sailed end-over-end across a not-insignificant expanse of water to the stern of a very crowded nearby vessel. There, Buccaneers tight end Cam Brate made one of the best catches of his career, hauling the trophy in without incident and creating one of the most memorable moments in franchise history.
That's not hyperbole, either. Fans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have determined that the "Boat Parade Trophy Toss" is one of the eight best moments in team annals…so far. How far can this off-the-field gem go? We're about to find out.
Six days of fan voting in the Buccaneers "50 Seasons Best Moments Presented by Ticketmaster" tournament have pared the field down from 16 to eight, including the occasion described above. Among the other moments to make the Elite Eight, starting from an initial field of 64, are Rondé Barber's play that shut down the Vet and put the Bucs in their first Super Bowl and Mike Evans' dramatic catch on the final play of the 2024 to keep his 1,000-yard-season streak alive. Among the unforgettable events that didn't make it through to the round of eight were the Bucs' drafting two future Hall-of-Famers in one round in 1995 and the Bucs' first playoff win in 1979. The decisions are only getting tougher as we near the Final Four.
And that's what we all determine over the next six days. Which of the eight moments still alive will come out of each bracket? Voting in the fourth round of our tournament begins on Friday and runs through Wednesday, August 20. You can see each of the final pairings in the four brackets below. Come put your votes in now!
After the Final Four is determined during a voting period from August 15-20, the two moments that will battle it out for the championship will be selected in balloting from August 22-25. Finally, fans will get the opportunity to choose the greatest moment in Buccaneers history in a vote conducted from August 27-29. The winning moment will be revealed prior to the kickoff of the 2025 regular season. Fans who vote are eligible to win prizes thanks to Ticketmaster including a gameday getaway trip and gift cards.
Each moment is represented by a short title but there will also be a longer description of the event to help fans choose which are deserving of moving on to the next round. There is also a video of each moment that will help fans relive the experience. Don't wait, vote now!
Here are all the Elite Eight you'll find in the Best Moments bracket.
Red Bracket
Barber Shuts Down the Vet vs. Alstott Pinballs vs. CLE
Pewter Bracket
Brooks' Super Bowl Dagger vs. Selmon 1st Buc into Hall
Creamsicle Bracket
Bucs' Homefield History vs. Tom Brady Chooses Bucs
White Bracket
Boat Parade Trophy Toss vs. Evans: 1000 on Final Play
