All Eyes Will Be On Bucs In NFL Season Opener Against Dallas

TAMPA, FL — The day Bucs fans have waited seven months for is finally here.

The 2021 football season will kick off with a home game between the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Dallas Cowboys Thursday night.

The Bucs will defend their Super Bowl LV title by bringing all 22 of its 2020 starters back this season.

During a news conference, quarterback Tom Brady said he's looking forward to this first game of the 2021 season.

"I like that sooner game because it means we did something good," he said, referring to the fact that the Super Bowl champs always get the first kick-off of the NFL season.

It's the only NFL game on television and it comes with a spectacle, especially as the NFL welcomes fans back in a full capacity this year.

This is the seventh time Brady has received the honor of the season's first kick-off.

The game will be broadcast nationally with NBC's Sunday Night Football crew. There will also be a daylong celebration around Tampa in honor of the NFL Kickoff. Coverage of the festivities will be carried on NFL Network as well as NBC prior to the game.

If you're coming to the game, be sure to get there early. There will be on-field presentations starting promptly at 8 p.m., including the raising of the Super Bowl LV Champion banner.

Those without tickets can watch the game on NBC. Kickoff is at 8:20 p.m. at Raymond James Stadium.

Fans can also stream the game through Yahoo Sports, the Bucs Official App and online at Buccaneers.com.

Heading into Thursday's season opener, Brady will face off against a team he has never lost to in the Dallas Cowboys. The 22-year veteran is a perfect 5-0 when facing the Cowboys, averaging 270.8 yards per game with 10 touchdowns and a collective 95.6 passer rating in that span.

He'll be backed up by an offensive powerhouse in a fully recovered Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown and Mike Evans.

Evans said on Sunday that this is the best he's ever felt heading into a season.

"We're miles ahead of what we were last year," Evans said during a news conference. "Not just me and [Brady's] connection, but the whole team – the whole offense. It's really exciting and, hopefully we can do something really special this year."

The Cowboys will head into the game with a major point against them. Starting right guard Zach Martin will miss the game after being benched with the coronavirus.

The Bucs will be led by the same six team captains as last year.

The team voted to keep their championship team captains in place for the 2021 season, including quarterback Tom Brady and wide receiver Mike Evans on offense; linebackers Lavonte David and Devin White on defense; and punter Bradley Pinion and linebacker Kevin Minter on special teams.

The Bucs held their first practice of Week One on Sunday at the AdventHealth Training Center.

Safety Jordan Whitehead, who has missed several weeks with a hamstring injury, was the only player who did not practice on Sunday.

Bucs Coach Bruce Arians said he is "super comfortable" going into Thursday's game with Mike Edwards, Ross Cockrell and Antoine Winfield Jr. at safety.

"Ross has had a hell of a camp and obviously made the transition easily for us," said Arians. "Mike is a ballhawk. So, I'm very, very comfortable with where we're at there."

After spending a season looking up into the stadium and seeing empty seats due to the need for social distancing, cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting said he's looking forward to a full house at Raymond James Stadium.

"I think it's going to be incredible with having the fans back," Murphy-Bunting said. "They bring all the energy, bring all of the excitement. I know bringing winning football back to Tampa Bay is a big thing for us and a big thing for them. Just having them be able to be a part of it in the stadium is a good deal."

In the meantime, on Friday the Bucs released their full uniform schedule for the 2021 season for those who care to know what the Bucs will be wearing.

The team will kick off the NFL season Thursday in their white jerseys and pewter pants.

That's the most common combination this season, with the Bucs wearing them 10 times, including three times on national television.

The team will also wear all white (white jerseys, white pants, white socks) twice this season at home, the first being Week Two against the division-rival Atlanta Falcons.

An all-pewter combination will be worn twice as well this season. The Bucs will wear it once on the road in Los Angeles when they take on the Rams in Week Three and then once at home when the New York Giants come to town in Week 11.

The red/white combo seen in preseason will make its return against the Saints at home on Sunday Night Football in Week 15.

Tampa Bay will wear their red and pewter combination against the Saints in New Orleans during Week Eight and at home against the Bills in Week 14.

The Buccaneers unveiled their new old-look uniforms prior to last season. The uniforms were inspired by their previous Super Bowl era. They're hoping the new, old look will bring them their second championship season in the franchise's history.