Virginia Tech football: Former Hokies help lead Tampa Bay to Super Bowl LV win
Virginia Tech football was well-represented in the NFL’s season finale, as Bruce Arians, Nick Rapone, and Cody Grimm helped to lead Tampa Bay to a Super Bowl LV victory.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9 to win Super Bowl LV, and the Virginia Tech football program shined in the victory.
Tampa Bay came into the game with a 14-5 record, 11-5 in the regular season. One of their regular-season losses came at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs came away with a 27-24 win at Raymond James Stadium in November, that game was the last time the Buccaneers lost this season.
Tampa Bay won eight straight games since that game against Kansas City, including their revenge over the Chiefs in the biggest game of them all.
The championship is the second for Tampa Bay, the first being Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003.
With the win, the Buccaneers also became the first team to win or play in the Super Bowl on their home field.
Virginia Tech football alum, Bruce Arians
Bruce Arians was a quarterback for Virginia Tech from 1972-74, he was the starting quarterback during the 1974 season. He rushed for eleven touchdowns, a record that would stand in the Virginia Tech history books until 2016 when Jerod Evans broke it.
After his playing career was over, Arians turned to coaching and was a graduate assistant as well as a running backs coach at Virginia Tech from 1975-1977.
Arians would then go on to spend many years as an assistant coach in the NFL until he earned the head coaching job with the Arizona Cardinals. He stepped away from football until 2019 when he became the head coach of the Buccaneers.
During his time as an NFL assistant, Arians won two previous Super Bowls (XL, XLIII). This is his first Super Bowl ring as a head coach.
Virginia Tech football alum, Nick Rapone
Nick Rapone and Arians have a connection that dates back to their college days, Rapone was a freshman at Virginia Tech when Arians was a senior.
From 1983-88, Rapone was the secondary coach and from 1985-88 he also served as the defensive coordinator under Arians.
Rapone reunited with Arians again in Arizona as the defensive backs coach under Arians. He’s currently in his second season as the safeties coach with Tampa Bay.
This Super Bowl win is the first in his career.
Virginia Tech football alum, Cody Grimm
Cody Grimm was a linebacker at Virginia Tech in 2006-09. During his senior year, he was a first-team All-ACC selection and a third-team AP All-American. He was also a huge part in Tech winning two ACC Championships during his playing career.
He was drafted in 2010 by the Buccaneers, where he played safety for three seasons.
After his playing career was over, he returned to Virginia Tech as a member of the defensive coaching staff from 2014-17.
He is now in his second season with the Buccaneers as a defensive/special teams assistant.
The Super Bowl LV win is also the first in Grimm’s career.
Arians and the Buccaneers will look to go for back to back championships next season.