The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with Tom Brady as quarterback, reached the Super Bowl on Sunday with victory over the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game.
At their own Raymond James Stadium, the Buccs play reigning Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs after the defeated they Buffalo Bills. Now 43, it will be Brady's 10th Super Bowl.
On the losing side of Sunday's big NFC game was another veteran quarterback: Aaron Rodgers.
The Packers were in contention late in the game. Trailing 31-23 with the ball inside the Buccs' 10-yard line, and the clock approaching the two-minute warning, Rodgers threw an incomplete pass to Devante Adams on third down.
To the amazement of many, head coach Matt LaFleur - rather than trying to score a touchdown on fourth down - decided to send out kicker Mason Crosby who knocked over a 26-yard field goal.
A touchdown at that stage, along with a two-point conversion, would have brought the Packers level. The kick brought the Packers to within five points, but they still required a touchdown to win.
The Buccaneers converted two third downs to run out the clock and secure victory.
"I couldn't believe it," Buccaneers' linebacker Shaq Barrett told The Athletic.
"I know if they could take that back, they probably wouldn't do that next time."
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Asked about the moment following the game, Rodgers wasn't exactly ringing in his endorsement of his head coach's choice of play.
"It wasn’t my decision," said Rodgers.
"But I understand the thinking - above two minutes with all of our timeouts. But yeah, it wasn’t my decision."
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