Super finish: Brady leads Patriots to exhilarating Super Bowl win

The final 125 seconds included a perfect possession by Tom Brady for the go-ahead points, a juggling catch that could have been the play of the year, and a victory-clinching, end-zone interception on a pass - not run - from the 1. A Super Bowl that got off to a slow start wound up with a ”Whoa!” finish, a lot like the New England Patriots’ entire season. Brady threw two of his four touchdown passes in the final quarter to erase a double-digit deficit, rookie Malcolm Butler picked off Russell Wilson’s short throw while Marshawn Lynch watched, and the Patriots ended a decade drought without an NFL title by beating the defending champion Seattle Seahawks 28-24 in a taut classic Sunday night.

Every team has a journey, and a lot of people lost faith in us early. But we held strong. We held together.

Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady

With the retractable roof open on a cloudless evening, the Patriots (15-4) won the fourth Lombardi Trophy of the Brady-Belichick partnership, adding to those from the Super Bowls played in 2002, ‘04 and ‘05. They lost their last two trips to the big game, though, in 2008 and 2012, both times against the New York Giants. This time, though, Brady and New England pulled it out - and in the process, prevented Seattle (14-5) from the ninth set of back-to-back Super Bowl championships. At age 37, Brady went 37 for 50 for 328 yards and matched his childhood idol, Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Montana, for most Super Bowl MVP awards. Brady also broke Montana’s Super Bowl record for most career touchdown passes, getting to 13.

He’s the best. He gets everybody to play at a higher level. He’s our leader emotionally.

New England Patriots’ Danny Amendola

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