February 7th, 2020- This year is unlike any other especially in the sports world.

This year the NFL made it so that teams could play but they had to social distance and had specific water bottles for everyone and a limited amount of team personnel on the sidelines and everyone had to wear a mask unless they were on the field playing. The season began on September 10th-2020 and everyone’s eyes were on the new moves of players around the league, and most importantly the reigning Super Bowl champs the Kansas City Chiefs. The number one overall pick in the draft Joe Burrow started week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers and lost by a score of 16-13, Joe Burrow’s season ended on November 22nd with a knee injury that took him out of the game.

One of the biggest stories of the 2020 season was Tom Brady leaving the team he had been on for 20 years to move to Florida and be the quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There was a lot that needed to happen for the Buccaneers to be successful and win games. Not only did they get a hot start, but they lost the first game to Drew Brees and the Saints and lost to the Chicago Bears on Thursday Night football. They then lost again to the Saints, then Rams and the Chiefs in back-to-back weeks. The Buccaneers finished the season at 11-5 and were in the playoffs and needed to come together as a team to win  and make it to the Super Bowl. They would eventually do this by beating the Washington Football team 31-23, The Saints 30-20, and Green Bay 31-26. Then finally crushing the Chiefs in the Super Bowl 31-9.

The Super Bowl had an exciting halftime show featuring The Weeknd, an artist from Toronto who has grown to fame since his debut album House of Balloons. But his album Beauty behind the madness is where he blew up with the song The Hills which has 5.2 million streams and is a very popular song. The Weeknd started his setlist with the song Call out my name, followed by Starboy, The Hills, Can’t feel my face, I feel it coming (ft. Daft Punk), Save Your Tears, Earned It, House of Balloons, and finished the show with his most popular song and dance trend from quarantine, Blinding Lights.

Students had their own ways of watching the Super Bowl this year. When asked if they would be celebrating and watching with friends and family many students shared how they were going to watch the game.

“This year, I went to a Super Bowl party with close friends and we hung out and ate food,” said senior Gavin McMillion.

“I am watching the Super Bowl with all of my family. I wish there could be more people but we still have to social distance,” said junior Emma Trussell.

“I am having a party. My family is big on football and our friends are, too. We are inviting a few family friends to watch with us,” said freshman Sabrina Calderon.

The Buccaneers took control of the game but the Chiefs are the masters at comebacks including last year’s Super Bowl when they were down by 10 in the fourth quarter and came back to win it. Nonetheless, it was the Buccaneers game in front of their home crowd. The game was held at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, home to the Buccaneers.

Contributors to the story: Mayah Rogers, Ryland Rychener, Emma Storey