Succop's Comeback Ends With Super Bowl Win

Kicker follows forgettable final season with the Tennessee Titans with a memorable year as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

As it turned out, not much would have been different if the Tennessee Titans had brought Ryan Succop back. The team had too many deficiencies on the defensive side to reach -- and win -- the franchise’s first Super Bowl.

There is a storyline here, nonetheless. The Titans cut Succop in March after the most frustrating season of his long career, which included an issue that sent him to injured reserve more than once. To replace him and fill a much-needed void at kicker, they signed another veteran, Stephen Gostkowski, who played in six Super Bowls and won three of them over 14 years with the New England Patriots.

Ultimately, though, Succop hoisted the trophy as red and white confetti flew at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker can now call himself a champion after a 31-9 triumph over the Kansas City Chiefs -- his first NFL team -- in Super Bowl LV.

“Anytime you try to come back from an injury and you don’t come back the way that you want to, it can be frustrating,” Succop said last week in advance of the contest. “Oftentimes in my life, or in football, when you go through some adversity, a lot of times you grow as a person. … It’s been amazing to see how the Lord has healed me and brought me to a great situation here in Tampa.”

The 34-year-old enjoyed about as sweet of a bounce-back year as any in the National Football League, with exception to Washington quarterback Alex Smith.

In his 12th season, he was among the most efficient kickers in the playoffs. In the Super Bowl, he made a 52-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to salt the game away. He also made all four of his point-after tries. In the three previous games to get there, Succop made all eight of his field goals and eight of his nine extra-point attempts. His 47-yard field goal in the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field extended Tampa Bay’s lead to 31-23 with just over four minutes to play.

His postseason performance reflected that of his regular season. In 16 games, Succop made 28 of his 31 field goals (90.3 percent), tied for ninth overall among all kickers. He converted on all 10 of his attempts from inside 30 yards, all nine from 30-39 yards, seven of nine from 40-49 yards and one of his two attempts from 50 yards or more. He went 52-of-57 on extra-point attempts.

“After 12 years, this (was) my first time to be able to play in the big game,” he said. “So, it’s something that I feel very blessed to be able to do.”

This season certainly was a far cry from last season for Succop, who led the Titans in career field goal percentage prior to 2019. A knee injury that required surgery resulted in Succop moving on and off the injured reserve list. When he did play, he never appeared to be right. He played in six games and made one of his six field goal tries.

The Titans, of course, moved on in the spring. Gostkowski missed a career-high eight field goals (he was 18 for 26) but most occurred in the first half of the season. He also made three consecutive game-winning kicks to start the season and stands alone as the only kicker in Oilers/Titans history to have made that many in a row.

In all, both kickers had respectable seasons in their own ways. Succop, though, got rid of any doubt those may have had about him before he signed a one-year deal with Tampa Bay in September.

“This has been an amazing situation,” Succop said. “It’s been awesome to come to work every day with so many great teammates and great coaches. And to see the success we’ve had on the field this year makes you really happy for everyone in the building. … There’s just a great group of people down here.”

The final chapter of his comeback season ended with a Lombardi Trophy -- something Gostkowski got used to doing in New England. Ironically, he was one of the first to greet his teammate and Gostkowski’s former teammate, legendary quarterback Tom Brady, who now has seven Lombardi Trophies to his credit (six with the Patriots, one with Tampa Bay).

“It’s a tremendous honor to play in the Super Bowl,” Succop said. “That’s something you dream about ever since you start playing football. Very, very thankful for that opportunity.”