In addition to having one of the more unique stadiums in the NFL, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can now boast having one of the best. Raymond James Stadium was voted the fifth-best NFL stadium by USA Today readers, highlighting its layout and, of course, its one-of-a-kind pirate ship.
Raymond James Stadium opened in 1998, just a few years after the team was acquired by Malcolm Glazer. The stadium was representative of a monumental shift for the franchise, which was exiting a decade of futility with one of the NFL’s best defenses.
Despite Raymond James being one of the older stadiums in the NFL, there are few experiences in the NFL that compare to the cannons firing after a Bucs score, either for fans or for rookie offensive linemen. 2023 second-round pick Cody Mauch (along with a handful of Bucs veterans) found himself a bit surprised when first experiencing Raymond James’ cannon fire this preseason.
