Bruce Arians began the 2021 season with the phrase, "No being hunted. We are here to [expletive] hunt." The stage was set. The Buccaneers set out to achieve what no team has accomplished since the 2003-2004 New England Patriots, led by Tom Brady: a repeat Super Bowl title. With the 44-year-old reverse-aging quarterback at the helm and the return of all 22 starters, the Bucs worked towards immortality. Every highlight-worthy moment of the 2021 season was captured in the Buccaneers' behind-the-scenes 'In the Current' series.
The episodes were gradually released during the summer with anticipation building every week for the next. Now, all the episodes have been compiled in one place for your pleasure. Grab the popcorn, get comfortable and relive every exclusive rollercoaster moment of the Buccaneers' 2021 ride.
Episode 1: The Encore
Covering the first four games of the 2021 slate, Episode 1 sees the Buccaneers begin their quest for another title by jumping out to a 2-0 start, beating the Dallas Cowboys in Week One and divisional rival Atlanta Falcons in Week Two – the first of those two victories sealed by a monstrous Mike Edwards' outing featuring two pick-sixes. The Bucs take a loss in Week Three at SoFi Stadium against the Los Angeles Rams and injuries began to pile up for the defending champs, leading to the signing of Richard Sherman to boost the secondary. A marquee matchup transpired in Week 4 as Tom Brady made his return to Foxboro, ushering in the highly-anticipated chess match between Brady and his former coach of two decades, Bill Belichick.
Episode 2: Heating Up
In Weeks 5-8, Heating Up features the Bucs' dismantling of the Miami Dolphins in Week 5, a victory over the Eagles in Week 6, Tom Brady hitting the 600th touchdown pass milestone versus the Chicago Bears and a gut-wrenching loss to nemesis New Orleans Saints on Halloween night.
Episode 3: Power Bounce Back
In this episode, the Buccaneers find their footing. After a heartbreaking road loss to the Commanders in Week 10 signifying a two-game losing streak, Tampa Bay clawed its way back in a Monday Night Football win against the New York Giants. Remaining atop the NFC South, in Week 12 the Buccaneers threw the Colts' calling card in their face: running the football and creating takeaways. Leonard Fournette sparked the team to victory with an impassioned halftime speech and a four-touchdown game. During the clash with the Atlanta Falcons, Chris Godwin reached new heights with a career-high and franchise-record 15 receptions.
Episode 4: Run the South
This edition of 'In the Current' includes the Buccaneers exhilarating overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills, a disheartening loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 15 as an exorbitant number of injuries ensued, clinching the NFC South with a win over the Carolina Panthers and a tumultuous Week 17 "twilight zone" clash against the New York Jets.
Episode 5: The Hard Stop
The final episode features the Buccaneers victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Wild Card Round, the team's furious comeback and heart-rending loss in the Divisional Round to the Los Angeles Rams, the apparent retirement of Tom Brady, his subsequent return to football and Bruce Arians' transition to a front office advisory role.
