For Bucs fans, there’s no denying that every home game day of the season is special. After all, you only get eight or nine of them in a regular season. And if you’re lucky enough, you may get an extra one or two in the postseason.

But as special as each game day is, there are some that stand apart. One of those is the day on which the organization inducts someone into its Bucs Ring of Honor inside Raymond James Stadium. It’s always a big occasion.

Think back to Lee Roy Selmon’s induction in 2009, when the entire stadium was decked out in creamsicle orange for a throwback game. There was also the replica John McKay hat giveaway on his induction day in 2010. Other inductions took place in prime time, whether on Sunday Night Football or Monday Night Football.

So, with all of that said, what should we expect for this fall’s induction ceremony? We know that former head coach Bruce Arians will be inducted. That announcement came back in late March after he stepped into a front office role and Todd Bowles was promoted to his position.

We can expect quite the speech from Arians. He’s always honest and thoughtful, and there’s no doubt that he has a unique sense of humor. It’s a safe bet that he’ll have some memorable words to say in front of a packed house.

But when will Arians’ induction take place? There is no shortage of interesting games on Tampa Bay’s 2022 schedule. Which one would be the most suitable for such a moment?

Despite Flurry Of Big Games, One Is The Clear Choice For Arians’ Special Day

Bucs QB Tom Brady and HC Bruce Arians – Photo by: USA Today

The Bucs’ 2022 home schedule features plenty of marquee matchups. They’ll see the Packers in Week 3. The Ravens come to town for Thursday Night Football in Week 8, then the defending Super Bowl champion Rams visit the following week. Joe Burrow and the Bengals will roll up to Ray Jay in Week 15.

But there’s a clear and obvious choice for the right game to honor Arians. And that game comes in Week 4, when the Kansas City Chiefs return to Tampa for the first time since Super Bowl LV.

It just feels right, doesn’t it? Arians’ crowning on-field achievement as a head coach came on Feb. 7, 2021. On that night, the Bucs beat the Chiefs, 31-9, to become the first team in NFL history to win the Super Bowl in its home stadium.

It also marked the third Super Bowl victory of Arians’ career, though it was his first as a head coach. So, wouldn’t Tampa Bay’s first time hosting Kansas City since that night be the perfect time to immortalize Arians’ name inside the stadium?

You can picture the scene. Super Bowl LV highlights on the screen. The Bucs in their pewter helmet, white jerseys and pewter pants – their Lombardi Trophy-winning uniform combination. Arians, with his signature Kangol hat on his head and a cigar in the pocket of his shirt, standing at a podium delivering his induction speech.

Oh, and it just so happens to be on Sunday Night Football. There’s no doubt that such a stage is fitting for such a big moment. The Chiefs game is the perfect choice for Arians’ ceremony, and it’s hard to imagine the Bucs passing on it in favor of any other game.