Feb. 7, 2021 will be a historic day for the National Football League.
Of course, it will go down in the history books as the 55th championship game in NFL history, but there are a few other details that make this year’s Super Bowl stand out.
The NFL’s situation this year is unique in that, unlike most other professional sports leagues, the schedule was business as usual for the most part.
There were no major delays in starting the season on time and relatively few games were postponed or canceled.
Some of this could be because of good timing in relation to the current state of the pandemic. However, the NFL started planning safety protocols as early as March of last year in order to stay on schedule for the season to start in September, said Dr. Allen Sills, the league’s Chief Medical Officer.
What’s even more impressive than the steady game schedule is the low number of COVID-19 outbreaks despite the fact that the players were allowed to return to their families each week which posed a higher risk of infection than hosting teams in a bubble.
What really led to the success of this year’s season as far as keeping the spread of the virus low was personal responsibility by players, coaches and staff.
Sure, there were a few hiccups along the way, but the players wanted to play this year and thus they made smart decisions to keep everyone safe.
The 55th Super Bowl symbolizes the success of an intricate yet uncertain plan. This season is a prime example of teamwork, commitment and personal responsibility.
On top of the incredible success of playing an entire football season during a pandemic, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will make history in a different way at this year’s Super Bowl.
The Bucs will become the first team to ever play in the championship game with home-field advantage.
When Tampa Bay acquired the six-time champion quarterback Tom Brady last offseason, many football fans and media personalities thought it was a possibility this could happen.
Without any in-person training camps or preseason games this season, the team struggled at first, losing the season opener to their division rivals the New Orleans Saints followed by later losses to the Bears, Saints (again), Rams and Chiefs.
After two losses to the Saints during the regular season, Tampa Bay rallied and beat the Saints in their third meeting to advance to the NFC championship game.
Despite a young and very talented roster, many people doubted the Bucs throughout the season. There were rumors of disagreements between the coaching staff and their 43-year-old star quarterback.
Despite all of the challenges, the fact is that Tampa Bay will make history this year. If they win, Tom Brady may be solidified as the greatest professional quarterback of all time.
The NFL has always been a pioneer in bringing new technology to sports and addressing social issues. Commissioner Roger Goodell and his leadership team deserve to be commended for finding a way to have teams play safely and allowing fans to watch the teams and players they love.