TAMPA, Florida – Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrated his victory on Wednesday with a parade of boats amid continued concern about the coronavirus pandemic.
The parade started around 1 pm on the Hillsborough River, near downtown Tampa. Thousands of fans dressed in Buccaneers’ uniforms were on the river on a sunny day to cheer for stars like quarterback Tom Brady, tight end 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 to another boat on which the tight end was on board.
The team arrived by bus and boarded at least four boats.
Mayor Jane Castor again emphasized that people who attend the parade must wear masks outdoors and observe the rules of social distance.
It seemed that many were obeying the order of the masks, but many others were not. There were also dozens of people in private boats, kayaks and other boats crowding the river to take a look at the team. They were told to stay at least 50 feet (15 meters) from the boats carrying the players.
After Tampa Bay’s 31-9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday’s title game, crowds gathered in the city’s entertainment districts. Many were seen without a mask despite the orders that demanded them.
Brian Ford, director of operations for Buccaneers, said in a video ad that fans must follow the rules while celebrating the team’s victory.
“It is essential that we do it right,” said Ford. “We want to do our part to ensure that it is done safely and responsibly.”
Also on Wednesday, Republican Governor Ron DeSantis attacked the media when he suggested that there was a bias in the coverage of the pandemic, especially the Super Bowl in Tampa.
“You don’t care so much when it’s a peaceful protest,” he said in an appearance in the city of Venice, south of Tampa. “You don’t care so much if you’re celebrating a Biden election. You only care if it’s people you don’t like.”
DeSantis attended the Super Bowl and was sometimes photographed without a mask, although it is mandatory.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.