Hotels for Cleveland Browns at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

An early-season NFL Sunday pits an AFC visitor against a division rival on its home turf. Kickoff at midday means tailgating starts hours earlier, with lots filling up as fans grill, drink and swap predictions before the gates open. Expect pirate-ship horn blasts after every home score and a crowd still sizing up how their team looks this year. September heat and humidity are part of the experience, so afternoon sun in the stands is something to plan around.

Tampa Bay joined the NFL as an expansion franchise in 1976, taking a pirate theme that echoes the city's long-running Gasparilla festival. The Buccaneers were the NFL's perennial losers through the late 1970s and '80s before turning into a dominant defensive team in the late 1990s and early 2000s, winning Super Bowl XXXVII after the 2002 season.

Tampa Bay added a second title after the 2020 season when Tom Brady, newly arrived from New England at age 43, led the team to a championship in its own stadium, becoming the first team to do so. The Buccaneers' creamsicle-orange throwback uniforms from their early years remain a cult favourite among collectors.

Home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Raymond James Stadium in the Carver City area of northwest Tampa is famous for its end-zone pirate ship and also stages major concerts. The surrounding district is residential and suburban, with Ybor City's nightlife and the Tampa Riverwalk a short drive away. Transit options are limited, so most fans arrive by car or rideshare. Booking a hotel near the waterfront or downtown keeps the city's dining and bars close on a game night.