Some Super Bowl-winning teams spend the whole season on top, and others simply get hot at the right time and make a run in the playoffs. Could this 2024 Bucs team turn into the latter?

Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl XXXVII-winning team under former head coach Jon Gruden was more of the former. It had a dominant defense and went 12-4, earned a first-round bye and went on to win the franchise’s first Lombardi Trophy.

Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Then, 18 years later, the Super Bowl LV-winning squad was the latter. That team was once 7-5 before going on a run, winning eight straight games to claim the second Lombardi Trophy in team history.

So, back to present day. The Bucs are suddenly becoming a hot pick nationally to be a sneaky team in the NFC that could go on a run and end up playing for a championship in New Orleans come February.

The top contenders all season have been the Lions, Eagles, Vikings and maybe the Packers. But could Tampa Bay make a run and beat out those teams to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl?

Jon Gruden: The Bucs “Are A Dangerous Football Team”

Former Bucs head coach Jon Gruden and owner Malcom Glazer – Photo by: USA Today

Super Bowl-winning head coach Jon Gruden was a guest on Friday’s episode of Barstool Sports’ Pardon My Take, and he was asked about Tampa Bay’s prospects of making a run to the Super Bowl.

PMT co-host Dan “Big Cat” Katz introduced the idea of the Bucs as a potential Super Bowl team with the way they’ve been playing down the stretch.

“Obviously there’s teams that are more talented than them overall. But I think the way Baker [Mayfield] is playing, they’re unafraid,” Katz said. “They can go anywhere. Listen, they’ve beaten the Lions, they’ve beaten the Eagles.

“That’s a team to me that — I’m not gonna say they’re the favorite or anything to get to the Super Bowl — but it wouldn’t shock me if we’re sitting in New Orleans and the Bucs have made a crazy run and they’ve had a couple upsets and they’re sitting there playing in February.”

Gruden, who led Tampa Bay to its first Super Bowl victory in franchise history, didn’t disagree. He had plenty to say about how formidable the team can be in pursuit of a third championship, starting with the quarterback.

“I’ve been saying this for a long time, not bullshitting either: Baker Mayfield is a real quarterback,” Gruden said. “He’s playing great.”

Bucs RB Bucky Irving Photo by: USA Today

The longtime head coach-turned-content machine went on to praise Bucs rookie running back Bucky Irving and the turnaround of Tampa Bay’s run game.

“And the emergence of this Bucky Irving. Have you seen this kid play? I mean, he’s a combination of Warrick Dunn, Napoleon Kaufman, Charlie Garner,” Gruden said. “He is a badass, man. This guy is a hell of a back. Tampa Bay was 32nd in rushing offense the last two years. They couldn’t run out of a stadium. Now, they’re a Top 10 rushing team. They’re balanced.”

Gruden then went on to praise the likes of Mike Evans, Todd Bowles and even Chase McLaughlin.

“Mike Evans is a complete stud. And Todd Bowles, no one gives Bowles any credit, man. This guy is a hell of a defensive coach,” Gruden said. “They just went to the Chargers and kicked their ass. They are a dangerous football team because of their balance on offense and experienced, defensive head coach. And [Chase] McLaughlin makes big field goals. So, I do like Tampa.”

The team still has work to do, as they first need to hold off Michael Penix Jr. and the Falcons to win a fourth straight NFC South title. But Tampa Bay controls its own destiny, and if it wins its final three games and finishes 11-6, it’ll lock up the No. 3 seed in the playoffs and the home game that comes with it.

From there?

Yeah, the Bucs could be dangerous.