TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made history with their home field Super Bowl LV win and made more history by becoming the first team in the salary cap era (since 1994) to return all 22 starters from a super bowl-winning team.
Head coach Bruce Arians is not surprised to see the band get back together.
“They’re all getting paid, so there ain’t nobody coming back cheap,” Arians said Tuesday. “It’s a great organization, we should have a team in the hunt again. But, I think the camaraderie of that football team, what they went through together with the pandemic, there is a bond that starts and it’s hard to break that bond. I think they all want to play for each other.”
With the starting line-up intact, Arians feels that his 2021 team can be better than the Super Bowl team and maybe become the first team to repeat as champions since 2004.
“Knock on wood, a little luck would help,” Arians said. “I think we can be better. Obviously throwing (tight end) O.J. (Howard) in the mix, having Vita (Vea) healthy. If we can keep all our guys healthy through the preseason I think we will be much better than week one last year. In week 20, we should be measurably better.”
That might mean Arians will have to save room for another tattoo commemorating a second Super Bowl victory.
“Yeah, I came through with mine,” he said. “I followed up on my bet and really happy with it, too.”
He tweeted out a photo with, “I’m a man of my word — 'When we win the Super Bowl, I will get a tattoo.' Well I got mine and I love it!! #SBLV"
I’m a man of my word- “when we win the Super Bowl, I will get a tattoo” well I got mine and I love it!! #SBLV #superbowlLVchamps pic.twitter.com/SCmpFXEJ1T
— Bruce Arians (@BruceArians) March 30, 2021
