Saints vs. Buccaneers: Upcoming Game Info & Rivalry History

When Do the New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Play Next?

New Orleans Saints tickets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers tickets can be found on their respective team pages, along with schedule information.

Are the New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Rivals?

Yes, the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are rivals. Since 2002, these teams have been in the NFL’s NFC South Division, leading both teams to play each other twice a season in highly anticipated divisional games.

Who Are the New Orleans Saints’ Biggest Rivals?

Besides the Buccaneers, the New Orleans Saints’ biggest rivals are the Atlanta Falcons and the Carolina Panthers. The Saints also have a rivalry with the Minnesota Vikings after multiple playoff matchups.

Who are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Biggest Rivals?

Along with the Saints, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ biggest rivals are their other divisional opponents, the Carolina Panthers and the Atlanta Falcons. Tampa Bay also has a relatively new rivalry with the New England Patriots after legendary Patriots quarterback Tom Brady joined and led the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl in 2020.

New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Series History

The New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Bucs) rivalry started all the way back in 1977. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers joined the NFL as an expansion team in 1976 and proceeded to start their career in the league with a historically bad record of 0–26. This record was eventually broken after the Bucs defeated the New Orleans Saints in 1977. This was only the beginning for the Buccaneers vs. Saints rivalry, as the two teams would eventually be put in the NFL’s NFC South Division as part of the 2002 NFL divisional realignment.

Being in the same division means both teams play each other twice every season. These continuous matchups lead to tension, resentment and inevitably hatred for one another. The divisional play between these two teams couldn’t have started out with a more intense game, with Tampa Bay hosting New Orleans for the 2002 opening season game. The game was heated and, after a 4th quarter rally by the Buccaneers, the game ended up in overtime. During overtime, Buccaneers’ punter Tom Tupa attempted to punt from his own endzone, only to look up and see a rapidly approaching Fred McAfee of the Saints. In an attempt to avoid a safety (and lose the game), Tupa frantically tried to pass the ball to a nearby player. However, the pass ended up in the arms of New Orleans defender James Allen in the endzone for a game-ending defensive touchdown.

After a number of hard-fought and intense matchups in the 2000s, including a 2002 Super Bowl win by Tampa Bay, New Orleans’ Reggie Bush’s first NFL touchdown on a 65-yard punt return to take the lead and beat the Buccaneers in 2006, and a 2009 New Orleans Super Bowl win (among many other highlights), both teams’ skills shined leading the rivalry to be as strong as ever.

The rivalry continued into the 2010s and 2020s, with a brutal 41–0 Saints win over the Buccaneers in 2012; a 2013 and 2014 Saints sweep over the Buccaneers; and a 2017 sideline brawl when Mike Evans of the Buccaneers leveled Saints’ Marshon Lattimore in a cheap-shot and subsequent punch to head after the play was over, leading to a Mike Evans’ ejection and one-game suspension.

The Saints and Buccaneers have only faced each other once in the playoffs, in the 2020 season Divisional Round. Led by Tom Brady, the Buccaneers defeated Drew Brees and the Saints 30–20. That Buccaneers’ win paved the path for them to win the 2020 season Super Bowl.

Throughout their battles in the NFL, the New Orleans Saints have a 40-26 advantage over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Where Do the New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Play?

The New Orleans Saints play their home games at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Saints have played at the Superdome since it opened in 1975. The Superdome will also play host to Super Bowl LIX on February 9, 2025.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers play their home games at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers have called Raymond James Stadium their home since it opened in 1998.

Other NFL Rivalries