The only team to win three straight road playoff games to reach the Super Bowl
In short: In 2020, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defied historical odds by navigating a grueling postseason. They became one of just five franchises in NFL history to win three consecutive road games to advance to the championship, ultimately securing their first title since Super Bowl XXXVII.
The Buccaneers' path to Super Bowl LV was defined by significant statistical anomalies and historical milestones. After a 13-game regular season where they finished 11–5, the team entered the playoffs as a wild card. They became the seventh such team in league history to win the championship. Notably, they were the first squad since the 2007 Giants to reach the title game with only one Pro Bowler on the roster. Their journey also included a milestone for diversity: assistant coaches Lori Locust and Maral Javadifar became the first women to ever coach a Super Bowl-winning team.
The season was marked by extreme highs and lows, including a record-breaking 38–3 loss to the New Orleans Saints—the worst defeat ever by a Super Bowl champion. Despite this setback, the team showed resilience, overcoming a 17-point deficit against the Chargers in Week 4 and securing a victory over the top-seeded Packers in the NFC Championship. This run allowed head coach Bruce Arians to become the oldest person to lead an NFL team to a Super Bowl victory.
The offense was spearheaded by Tom Brady, who set a franchise record with 40 touchdown passes and achieved a season passer rating of 102.2. While Brady later revealed he played through a torn MCL, his leadership helped the team overcome three different Super Bowl MVP quarterbacks—Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, and Patrick Mahomes—to win their second title. The victory was also historic for its location; Tampa Bay became the first team to play in and win a Super Bowl at their own home stadium, Raymond James Stadium.
Defensively, the 2020 season saw a massive turnaround from previous years of struggle. The unit improved from ranking last in total points allowed in 2017 to finishing 8th in 2020. They also managed to flip their turnover margin from -13 in 2019 to +8 in the championship year, providing the stability needed to support a high-powered offense that scored a club-record 492 points.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/history-2020-tampa-bay-buccaneers-season.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Born on this day · More in History · Latest · A–Z · All topics
