It was a fun time at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Poker Night in the West Club area of Raymond James Stadium. Not only did luxury suite holders enjoy in the fun of casino gaming from craps tables to roulette tables to the poker tournament that the team put on, but dozens of Bucs players were also on hand to play at each table during the tourney.

New Bucs head coach Bruce Arians was also in attendance, and although he didn’t play a hand of poker during the night, he grabbed the microphone and thanked all of the hundreds of Tampa Bay fans who showed up for their support of the team. Arians, who came out of retirement this offseason after winning two NFL Head Coach of the Year awards for his work in Indianapolis and Arizona, will be doing most of his poker playing on the sidelines of Raymond James Stadium on Sundays.

Bucs QB Jameis Winston and head coach Bruce Arians – Photo by: Mary Holt/PR

That’s where he and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich will have a full deck of weapons at their disposal for quarterback Jameis Winston, who enters a critical fifth-year in Tampa Bay and is seeking a long-term contract extension. Arians is known as the “quarterback whisperer” for his work with Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Andrew Luck and Carson Palmer throughout the years, and he along with Leftwich, who played quarterback in the NFL from 2003-12, should be able to help Winston reduce his number of turnovers and win more games.

Speaking of winning, several Bucs at the poker tournament did well with their hands, including center Ryan Jensen. Many of the Bucs fans and players in attendance did not know the rules of poker or how to play, but there was a 30-minute training session before the real action began where the dealers educated everyone on the rules and strategies.

One of those players who took part in the training session was new outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett. He signed a one-year deal with the team this offseason after playing five seasons in Denver as a situational pass rusher, playing opposite Pro Bowler Von Miller. When the Broncos drafted outside linebacker Bradley Chubb in the first round last year, Barrett became expendable and was pursued by Tampa Bay. With last year’s leading sacker Jason Pierre-Paul sidelined for at least half the season due to a neck injury from a car crash, the Bucs will be counting on Barrett to fill his void and lead the team in sacks during his absence.

The Bucs poker tournament lasted a couple of hours and the top prize of the night was a pair of Super Bowl tickets that went to the tournament winner. Of course the Bucs players themselves would like to join in the Super Bowl festivities in Miami next February as participants. The last time Tampa Bay went to the Super Bowl it emerged victorious as Jon Gruden guided the Bucs to a win over his former team, the Oakland Raiders, 48-21, during the 2002 season.

That Super Bowl win marked Tampa Bay’s last postseason victory, as the Bucs lost home playoff games during the 2005 and 2007 seasons. It hasn’t been quite as long since the Bucs actually made the playoffs, but it’s been over a decade, and the hope in Tampa Bay is that Arians, who is the fifth head coach since Gruden was fired following the 2008 campaign, can be the one who turns the Bucs’ ship around this season.

The Bucs will need some luck during the upcoming 2019 campaign, just like some of the players and fans had during the team’s Poker Tournament, which was a fun night for all who showed up.