Chiefs

Live updates: Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeat Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV

The Kansas City Chiefs will go for their second straight championship when Super Bowl LV kicks off at 5:30 p.m. Central time Sunday at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. CBS has the television broadcast.

Here are live updates from the game vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

It’s over: Buccaneers beat Chiefs

The quest to repeat will fall one win short.

The Buccaneers man-handled the Chiefs, delivering Patrick Mahomes the first blowout of his career, a 31-9 margin in Super Bowl LV.

In a game billed as perhaps the greatest quarterback matchup in Super Bowl history, Tom Brady threw three touchdowns, and Mahomes had none.

Buccaneers pulling away

The lead is three possessions.

Leonard Fournette rushed for a 27-yard touchdown, and Ryan Succop added a 52-yard field goal. The Buccaneers lead the Chiefs 31-9 late in the third quarter.

The time is running thin on the defending champions.

Chiefs settle for field goal ... again

The Chiefs need touchdowns.

They’re settling for field goals.

For the third time, Harrison Butker split the uprights, this one from 52 yards to open the second half. But consider that a win for the Buccaneers, who maintained a two-possession lead.

Score: Buccaneers 21, Chiefs 9

Halftime: Buccaneers lead Chiefs 21-6

Well, Harrison Butker has scored twice.

He’s the only Chief.

He’s split the uprights twice, but the Buccaneers are finding the end zone. That’s the difference.

The Buccaneers added one more touchdown with 6 seconds left in the half, extending their lead to 21-6. The Chiefs called timeout twice on the drive, hoping to get the ball back, but the Buccaneers got a first down, then drove 71 yards for a touchdown.

Score: Buccaneers 21, Chiefs 6.

Buccaneers pounce on penalties, extend lead

Oh, boy, what could have been.

Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu thought he had an interception, but a defensive holding negated the pick.

Buccaneers kicker Ryan Succop, a former Chief, kicked a 40-yard field goal, but the Chiefs were lined up offside, again prolonging the drive.

The result? A touchdown.

Tom Brady found Rob Gronkowski for the second time tonight, a 17-yard score.

Score: Buccaneers 14, Chiefs 3

Chiefs make goal line stand

It remains 7-3.

By inches.

The Chiefs stopped running back Ronald Jones a foot shy of the goal line on a fourth-down call, keeping the Buccaneers’ lead at just 7-3 early in the second quarter.

Brady to Gronk, Buccaneers grab lead

The Chiefs’ lead was short-lived.

In the final minute of the opening quarter, the Buccaneers answered the Chiefs’ field goal with a touchdown pass from Tom Brady to tight end Rob Gronkowski — the most scoring efficient connection in postseason history.

In his 10th Super Bowl, that’s Brady’s first ever first-quarter touchdown pass.

Score: Buccaneers 7, Chiefs 3

Chiefs strike first with field goal

The Chiefs have the first lead.

Harrison Butker drilled a 49-yard field goal on the Chiefs’ second drive, the first points of Super Bowl LV.

It’s been a grind for the Chiefs’ passing game, with quarterback Patrick Mahomes just 1 of 6 for three yards on the first two drives.

Score: Chiefs 3, Buccaneers 0

Buccaneers, Chiefs trade punts

The high-powered offenses?

Not yet.

The Buccaneers went three-and-out on their opening drive. The Chiefs got one first down — a Patrick Mahomes scramble — but had to punt from near midfield. Mahomes missed an open Mecole Hardman on third down.

Watkins active

Wide receiver Sammy Watkins is among the Chiefs active for the game. He will see his first action since suffering the calf injury in Week 16.

This story was originally published February 7, 2021 at 5:15 PM.

Sam McDowell
The Kansas City Star
Sam McDowell is a columnist for The Star who has covered Kansas City sports for more than a decade. He has won national awards for columns, features and enterprise work. The Headliner Awards named him the 2024 national sports columnist of the year.
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