JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (L) holds the Vince Lombardi trophy with Jerome Bettis (R) after Super Bowl XL.
As the home team in Super Bowl LV, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had the choice of whether to wear white or dark jerseys for next Sunday’s game. On Saturday the Buccaneers chose to wear white, despite the fact that the franchise has traditionally worn its dark-colored jerseys at home.
According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Bucs went that way “because quarterback Tom Brady has a 4-1 record in Super Bowls while wearing white,” with the lone loss coming three years ago, when the Patriots lost Super Bowl LII to the Philadelphia Eagles.
It’s relatively uncommon for the Super Bowl “home team” to choose white. In fact, it’s only happened a total of seven times in Super Bowl history, twice involving the Dallas Cowboys, who traditionally wear white for home games.
The Steelers Chose to Wear White Jerseys for Super Bowl XL
In fact, the first time a team went counter to its home jersey color came in Super Bowl XL when the Steelers elected to wear white against the Seattle Seahawks at Ford Field in Detroit.
Much like the Buccaneers this year, the Steelers won three consecutive road playoff games wearing white jerseys and chose to roll with the underdog mentality. That year the Steelers became the first No. 6 seed to win a Super Bowl, knocking of the No. 3 seeded Bengals, No. 1 seeded Colts and No. 2 seeded Denver Broncos, in that order.
Then-Steelers head coach Bill Cowher explained his rationale at a press conference, saying, “We’re not playing at Heinz Field so, in my mind, it’s an away game.”
Of course, things turned out well for the Steelers in Super Bowl XL, as Pittsburgh came away with a 21-10 victory on the strength of a 75-yard touchdown run by ‘Fast’ Willie Parker and a 43-yard touchdown pass from wide receiver Antwaan Randle El to fellow receiver Hines Ward. It turned out to be the last game in Jerome Bettis’ 13-year Hall of Fame career, which fittingly came to an end in his own hometown.
2021: First Time a Super Bowl Participant Will Play in its Home Stadium
Speaking of hometowns, Super Bowl LV will mark the first time that a Super Bowl team will have the opportunity to play in its home stadium, as the game will be held at Raymond James Stadium, where Tampa Bay plays its home games.
It will also mark the first time a team has hosted the league’s championship game since 1966, when the Green Bay Packers defeated the Cleveland Browns in the 1965 NFL Championship at Lambeau Field. (The Super Bowl era got underway the next year.)
The Bucs are also just the fourth wild-card team since 1990 to reach the Super Bowl, taking their place alongside the 2005 Steelers, 2007 New York Giants and 2010 Green Bay Packers, all of whom won the Super Bowl.
As for the Chiefs wearing red next Sunday, they probably don’t have a problem with it. Kansas City is 2-0 in the Super Bowl while wearing its red jerseys and 0-1 while wearing white.
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