TAMPA, Florida – Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl champion celebrated his victory Wednesday with a boat parade amid continued concern over the coronavirus pandemic.
The parade began around 1 p.m. on the Hillsborough River near downtown Tampa. Thousands of fans dressed in Buccaneers equipment lined the river on a bright sunny day to cheer up stars such as defender Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and many others.
After throwing two touchdown passes to Gronkowski in the Super Bowl LV, Brady completed another pass on Wednesday, throwing the Lombardi trophy from his boat onto another boat on which the board was tight.
The team arrived by bus and boarded at least four boats.
Mayor Jane Castor reiterated that people participating in the parade must wear masks outdoors and follow the rules of social distance.
It seems that many followed the order of disguise, but many others did not. There were also dozens of people on private boats, kayaks and other boats crowding the river to take a look at the team. They were instructed to stand at least 50 meters (15 meters) from the boats carrying players.
After Tampa Bay’s 31-9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday’s game, crowds gathered in the city’s entertainment districts. Many were seen without a mask, despite the orders they imposed.
Brian Ford, Buccaneers’ chief operating officer, said in a video ad that fans should follow the rules as they celebrate the team’s victory.
“It’s essential to do it right,” Ford said. “We want to do our part to make sure it’s done in a safe and responsible way.”
Also Wednesday, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis attacked the media when he suggested there was bias in covering the pandemic, especially the Tampa Super Bowl.
“You don’t care as much when it’s a peaceful protest,” he said at a rally in Venice, south of Tampa. “You don’t care as much if you celebrate elections in Biden. You only care if there are people you don’t like.”
DeSantis participated in the Super Bowl and was sometimes photographed not wearing a mask, despite the requirement to do so.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.