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          Tom Brady's three TD passes, Leonard Fournette score have Tampa Bay Buccaneers rolling in Super Bowl 2021

          • Jenna Laine, ESPN Staff WriterFeb 7, 2021, 11:22 PM
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              Jenna Laine covers the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for ESPN. She started covering the Bucs for ESPN in 2016, but she has covered the team since 2009. Follow Jenna on Twitter: @JennaLaineESPN.
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          TAMPA, Fla. -- The three players Tom Brady personally recruited to join him with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- tight end Rob Gronkowski, wide receiver Antonio Brown and running back Leonard Fournette -- have all scored touchdowns in the first three quarters of Super Bowl LV against the Kansas City Chiefs.

          With left guard Ali Marpet lining up at fullback and Joe Haeg in as an extra offensive tackle on the right side -- along with Gronkowski and Cameron Brate -- Fournette raced to the outside and corner of the end zone for a 27-yard touchdown run to make it 28-9 midway through the third quarter.

          Gronkowski caught two early touchdown passes and Brown a third to give the Bucs a 21-6 lead at halftime. Brown's 1-yard touchdown came on an angle route working against defensive back Tyrann Mathieu with 10 seconds to go in the half.

          In the first quarter, Brady hooked up with Gronk for their 13th postseason touchdown on an 8-yard pass, topping Joe Montana and Jerry Rice for the most postseason TDs by a QB-receiver combo in NFL history. It also was the first time in Brady's 10 Super Bowls that he scored an opening-quarter touchdown.

          On the play, which gave the Bucs a 7-3 lead, Gronkowski ran across the back of the formation and into the flat. It was Gronkowski's fourth career receiving touchdown in the Super Bowl, breaking a five-way tie for second most in Super Bowl history.

          He now trails only Rice, who has eight, as Brady and Gronk would replicate that magic in the second quarter.

          The Bucs lined up for a 40-yard field goal after stalling deep in Kansas City territory, but the Chiefs' Antonio Hamilton jumped offside, giving the Bucs a first down.

          On the next play, Brady found Gronkowski for a 17-yard touchdown pass -- with Gronk faking like he was running to the corner of the end zone, before turning inside and losing L'Jarius Sneed -- to extend the Bucs' lead to 14-3.