TAMPA, Fla. — What makes for a marquee matchup in the NFL also makes for a tradition reignited for two friends in Blue Springs, Missouri.
David Ceule and Mike Hutchinson are in Tampa, Florida, for the Chiefs-Buccaneers just like they were in Foxboro, Massachusetts, in 2018 for the Chiefs-Patriots game.
The connection and the catch? While Ceule is a huge Chiefs fan, Hutchinson's Kansas City loyalty gets trumped when KC plays his favorite player, Tom Brady.
"They are very annoyed," joked Hutchinson, referring to his friends who are Chiefs fans. "When I go to parties and wear my [Brady] jersey, they don't like it very much. But it's all in fun."
Ceule, who happens to be Hutchinson's neighbor across the street, doesn't seem to mind.
"Mike's my go-to guy when Tom Brady's involved," he said.
So, the two traveled to New England four years ago to watch the first Patrick Mahomes-Tom Brady matchup. Now they're in Tampa for the latest version of the rivalry.
"This might be the last time that Brady and Mahomes play unless they're in the Super Bowl or something like that," Hutchinson said.
The pair couldn't make Super Bowl LV in Tampa following the 2020 season, but Ceule is a seasoned pro when it comes to road games. He has made a Chiefs road trip every season since 2010.
"I put a priority on places I haven't been to already," Ceule said.
Ceule documents every NFL and MLB stadium he's ever visited. With this trip marking his first time in Tampa, he can now scratch off Raymond James Stadium from a poster he has framed on his wall at home in Blue Springs.
"I really hadn't traveled a whole lot outside the Kansas City area a ton until I started doing this," he said. "And this just gives me a reason to visit every corner of the country."
For him, it's more than the game. He makes sure to enjoy the flair of the city.
KSHB 41 ran into Ceule and Hutchinson in 2018 at the famous Cheers restaurant in Boston. This time in Tampa, KSHB 41 caught up with the pair at the original Hooter's restaurant location in Clearwater, Florida.
"I just look for things that are unique to that area," Ceule said.
After Tampa, Ceule says there will be a new schedule and a new city.
"I'd like to see Pittsburgh work out in the near future," he said.
But for Hutchinson, it will be a new team if Brady ever retires for good.
"I'm going to have to retire my #12 jersey and put the #15 jersey on and root for the Chiefs to win all those Super Bowls," Hutchinson said.
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