Five Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Headed to Super Bowl LVIII
Is there anything more painful to a fan base in the offseason than seeing former members of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers playing in the Super Bowl?
Certainly, there is, but the fact that five former Buccaneers will be playing in the big game this year could be taken a multitude of ways.
For starters, those who consider themselves supporters of the players and not just the logos may find themselves cheering for offensive tackle Donovan Smith, quarterback Blaine Gabbert, safety Mike Edwards, and receiver Justin Watson as they suit up for the AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs in a couple of weeks.
Safety Logan Ryan will be the lone former Buccaneer playing for San Francisco after joining the team in December.
It can also be looked at as a badge of honor that while Tampa Bay itself had to make tough decisions in the spirit of righting its salary cap situation following its own run to the Super Bowl, another contender saw the value of the talent available.
Kansas City Chiefs safety Mike Edwards (21) is introduced against the Miami Dolphins prior to a 2024 AFC wild card game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
That view doesn't necessarily lessen the sting of the premature offseason much but could serve as a beacon of confidence that the decision-makers are bringing in good talent, even if it has to sometimes leave and thrive elsewhere.
Of course, there's also the group of fans who will surely have a 'my brand or no brand' approach and have completely written off each of them as traitors - even the ones who didn't choose to leave the Buccaneers in the first place.
Those watching the Chiefs take on the NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers on February 11th will most likely see Smith and Edwards - assuming he's healthy enough after suffering an injury on Sunday - as the two lead former Tampa Bay players in snaps on each side of the ball.
Ryan will regularly see the field as a member of the defensive rotation for the 49ers. He recorded two tackles in the win over Detroit that helped the franchise advance to the Super Bowl.
You'll likely see Watson as well as he's played over 50 percent of the offensive snaps for Kansas City this season and had one catch for 16 yards in the win over Baltimore this past weekend.
Gabbert on the other hand is someone no Chiefs fan hopes to see on the field during the game as they look for quarterback Patrick Mahomes to win his third Super Bowl in seven years, six as a starter.
Stick with BucsGameday and the Locked On Bucs podcast for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2023 season.
