TAMPA, Florida – Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrated their 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 covered with Buccaneers teams lined the river on a sunny day to cheer on stars like quarterback Tom Brady, closed-minded Rob Gronkowski and many more.
After throwing two touchdown passes to Gronkowski in the Super Bowl LV, Brady completed another pass Wednesday, tossing the Lombardi trophy from his boat to another boat in which the enclosure was on board.
The team arrived by bus and boarded at least four boats.
Mayor Jane Castor reiterated that people attending the parade must wear outdoor masks and observe the rules of social distancing.
It seemed that many complied with the order of the masks, but many others did not. There were also dozens of people in private boats, kayaks and other boats crowding the river to spot the equipment. They were instructed to stay at least 15 meters away from boats carrying players.
After Tampa Bay’s 31-9 win 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 orders requiring it.
Brian Ford, Buccaneers chief operating officer, said in a video that fans should abide by the rules as they celebrate the team’s victory.
“It’s essential that we do it the right way,” Ford said. “We want to do our part to ensure it is done safely and responsibly.”
Also Wednesday, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis attacked the media when he suggested there is bias in pandemic coverage, particularly the Tampa Super Bowl.
“You don’t care so much when it comes to a peaceful protest,” he said in an appearance in the city of Venice, south of Tampa. “You don’t care so much if you hold an election in Biden. You only care if they’re people you don’t like.”
DeSantis attended the Super Bowl and was sometimes photographed without a mask despite the requirement to do so.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.