The Bucs fell short of the ultimate goal this year, getting dumped out of the playoffs in the NFC Divisional Round and missing out on a chance to play for the right to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. But now that Championship Sunday has come and gone and the Super Bowl LVIII matchup between the 49ers and Chiefs is set, quite a few former Bucs will have a chance to earn rings in Las Vegas.

Two 49ers Have Bucs Ties — Both Looking For Another Title

Former Bucs SS John Lynch – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Of course, the big Bucs connection with the 49ers is in the front office. Super Bowl XXXVII champion and Bucs Ring of Honor member John Lynch was hired as San Francisco’s general manager in 2017 and held that title through 2022 before earning the title of president of football operations and general manager this year.

Lynch did hoist the Lombardi Trophy as a player with Tampa Bay, but he has yet to do so as a general manager. His 49ers lost to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV four years ago and are making their first appearance since.

The lone former Bucs player on the 49ers’ roster is safety Logan Ryan, who spent the 2022 season in Tampa Bay. He signed with San Francisco in December and has played in four games since.

After winning two Super Bowls with the Patriots, Ryan will be looking to earn his third ring two days after his 33rd birthday.

While there are plenty of former #Bucs on the Chiefs playing in the Super Bowl, there is also one on the 49ers in Logan Ryan.

Ryan signed with San Francisco late in the season and is on the quest for his third Super Bowl ring. https://t.co/sQnxkDFaf2

— Adam Slivon (@AdamLivsOn) January 29, 2024

Chiefs’ Roster Has Four Members Of Bucs’ Super Bowl LV Team

Bucs Safety Mike Edwards. – Photo by: USA Today

Kansas City’s roster has more former Bucs, as there are four players who spent time with Tampa Bay. And all four were on the 2020 Bucs team that beat the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.

The longest-tenured member of the Chiefs is wide receiver Justin Watson, a fifth-round pick by Tampa Bay in the 2018 Draft. Watson had just seven catches for 94 yards during the Bucs’ Super Bowl-winning season in 2020, though he was a big special teams contributor. He finished that year with seven tackles and a sack, becoming the first wide receiver to record a sack since sacks became an official stat in 1982. This year, Watson caught 27 passes for 460 yards and three touchdowns. He has three catches for 36 yards this postseason.

Watson was a Super Bowl champion with the Bucs in 2020 and then got his second ring with the Chiefs last year, so he’s searching for his third ring in a couple of weeks.

The other three Bucs-turned-Chiefs are all in their first year with Kansas City. Safety Mike Edwards, who had seven interceptions over four years with Tampa Bay, had an interception in the regular season and another in the AFC Wild Card Round against Miami. He also had a 97-yard fumble return for a touchdown to go with his 51 tackles (32 solo), one sack and five passes defensed.

Donovan Smith, who spent eight years as the Bucs’ starting left tackle, is now the left tackle in Kansas City. He graded out decently well in his first season as a Chief and allowed a career-low two sacks, per Pro Football Focus, though he did miss time late in the season with an injury.

There’s also Blaine Gabbert, who spent the 2023 season as Patrick Mahomes’ backup. After getting a Super Bowl ring as Tom Brady’s backup in Tampa, Gabbert will be looking to get another as the No. 2 behind Mahomes.

And finally, Chiefs defensive line coach Joe Cullen is also a former Buc, having coached defensive line for Tampa Bay in 2014 and 2015 under head coach Lovie Smith.

One way or another, a former Buc will be a Super Bowl champion once again — whether it’s Ryan and Lynch with the 49ers or Watson, Edwards, Smith, Gabbert and Cullen with the Chiefs. Super Bowl LVIII is set for a 6:30 p.m. ET kickoff on Sunday, Feb. 11.