Buccaneers kicker Ryan Succop made history in Super Bowl LV
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Anything but irrelevant: Buccaneers kicker Ryan Succop made history
Throughout his 12-year career, Ryan Succop has long made a case for being the most relevant “Mr. Irrelevant” in NFL history.
As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrated their Super Bowl LV victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, Succop clinched the acclaim of being the greatest “Mr. Irrelevant” to have graced the gridiron as he became the first to win a Super Bowl.
The final selection of the 1994 NFL Draft, linebacker Marty Moore, played in Super Bowl XXXI with the New England Patriots in their loss to the Green Bay Packers, per NFL Research. Thus, Succop was the second “Mr. Irrelevant” to play in a Super Bowl, but the first to win one, according to NFL Research.
It wasn’t the only historical footnote on the night for Succop, as Tampa Bay became the first team in Super Bowl history to have all of its points scored by players — tight end Rob Gronkowski (two touchdowns), running back Leonard Fournette (TD), receiver Antonio Brown (TD) and Succop — who were not on the team the prior year, according to NFL Research.
Succop played a vital role, as well, tallying eight points in the game, making all four of his point-after attempts and booting a 52-yard field goal that stands as the final score of the 2020 NFL season.
The final pick taken in the 2009 NFL Draft, Succop came aboard the Buccaneers ship on Sept. 1, 2020 and ultimately kicked out former Bucs fifth-round pick Matt Gay. He went on to have one of the best seasons of his career, converting 28 of 31 field goal attempts (90.3%).
Succop was one extra point away from spotless this postseason. Just about as clutch as it gets, Succop was a sensational 13 for 13 on field goals and 21 for 22 on PATs in the playoffs.
He proved to be a pivotal part in the Bucs’ ascent to the Super Bowl, where they squared off with the team that drafted Succop all those years ago. Succop played five years with the Chiefs, then six with the Tennessee Titans and has now turned in one outstanding campaign with the Bucs.
