Getty The Tampa Bay Buccaneers ship at Raymond James Stadium fires its cannons during Bucs home games.
While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will become the first team ever to play a Super Bowl in its home stadium on Sunday, the NFL has the final say on game day experience — including the Buccaneer ship cannons.
The NFL will allow the cannons to fire from the northeast end zone pirate ship during the Bucs team introduction at Raymond James Stadium for the Super Bowl but not again that evening according to ESPN’s Jenna Laine.
The NFL tells me that cannons will NOT fire at Raymond James Stadium Sunday. Only when the team is introduced. Story to come.
The cannons firing during the Bucs’ introductions will be a recording, however, according to the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud. Because the Super Bowl is technically a neutral site game, the league decided to not use the cannons during the game according to The Athletic’s Greg Auman.
Cannon news — finally got answers about Super Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. NFL says that because it is a neutral site game, cannons will NOT fire as they traditionally do when Bucs score or enter red zone, but they will when the team is introduced, and definitely if they win.
Tampa ironically is the official home team for the Super Bowl because the NFC is the host conference this year, alternating with the AFC, according to CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan. The Bucs will use their own locker room, too. NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy told ESPN that the league wants “equitably incorporate elements unique to home games of both participating clubs” according to Laine.
“As a result, the cannons will not fire in the same fashion as at a traditional Buccaneers home game,” McCarthy told Laine. “Cannon fire will be heard when the Buccaneers are introduced, and should they win, the cannons will fire loud and long at Raymond James Stadium and throughout Tampa Bay.”
The Bucs shared in a news release that they will adhere to the NFL’s guidelines but still display some of the team’s home game traditions.
While the cannons may not fire in their typical fashion, we look forward to showcasing parts of our tradition while working within the league’s guidelines.
Discussion between the Bucs and the NFL regarding the cannons took several days per Fox Sports’ Peter Schrager.
The Bucs pirate ship traditionally fires off the cannons whenever the team gets into the red zone or scores. Bucs radio play-by-play announcer Gene Deckerhoff has become known for exclaiming “fire the cannons” per NFL.com.
A 30-member normally runs the Bucs pirate ship, and that crew may not board it during the Super Bowl according to Tampa Bay 10’s Jillian Olsen. “Captain Cleve” Johnson of the pirate crew said in January that he hopes the crew can go but it’s the NFL’s decision per Tampa Bay 10.
The Bucs face the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl on Sunday.
Winning Look
Tampa will go with a white jersey and pewter pants uniform combo for the Super Bowl instead of its traditional red jerseys and pewter pants for home games.
When someone leaks the uniform combo we’re wearing:
The Bucs wore that uniform combination at Green Bay for the NFC Championship game Jan. 24 and won at Lambeau Field 31-26. That made the Bucs 6-0 in that uniform combination this season.
Jerseys will feature a Super Bowl LV patch near the left shoulder for the game.
Tampa wearing white and the Chiefs wearing read switches things up from the last time the teams met in November, which may give the Bucs a psychological advantage, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones writes. Super Bowl LV ironically features a matchup of teams with the primary color of red for the second year in a row.
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Bucs Receive Final Decision on Firing the Cannons During the Super Bowl