Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA — Some fans believe new Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston will help to pack Raymond James Stadium. Thursday night, Winston confirmed he can indeed draw a crowd.
A crowd team officials estimated at more than 20,000 attended the team’s draft party.
It looked like a Sunday afternoon game crowd. There were traffic snarls along Dale Mabry Highway. Season-ticket holders crammed into the West Club, while other fans spilled onto the field. There were intermittent cheers of “Tampa! Bay! … Tampa! Bay!’’ along with the Florida State University’s tomahawk chop.
“This is only the beginning of the excitement Jameis will bring to our team,’’ said Tampa’s Alan Williams, part of the largely cheering multitude.