Hotels for Los Angeles Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Early January football carries different stakes than a fixture in September, with playoff seeding and momentum often on the line rather than just standings. Pewter and red will fill the concourses hours before kickoff, and the closer, holiday-adjacent date tends to draw a mix of travelling fans and locals looking for one last big outing before the season turns serious.

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.