The New England Patriots have won their fifth Super Bowl championship.
In what is the most exciting fourth-quarter rally in Super Bowl history, the Patriots showed their remarkable talents by doing something no other team has ever done before by coming back from a 28-3 deficit. The greatest Super Bowl comeback had previously been 10 points.
Quarterback Tom Brady decided he didn’t want to settle for legendary. Like all the greats, he reached for iconic.
Brady took center stage as he won his record fifth Super Bowl in a game he dedicated to his mother, Galynn, who has been battling an undisclosed illness. Brandy has since been called the Michael Jordan of football and the goat, the king of the petting zoo.
The Atlanta Falcons came out with a big lead early, up 21-3 going into halftime. The Patriots made a late push in the second half, finally scoring a touchdown in the third quarter. However, a missed extra point and a botched onside kick didn’t help their chances. Atlanta’s defense excelled. QB Matt Ryan, the recently named MVP of the league, also turned in a stellar performance and got his team the lead early on, but Brady was not to be stopped in the second half.
With less than a minute left in the game, the Patriots managed to tie the game at 28 points apiece, the first time the Falcons had given up the lead since they first scored. This forced the game into overtime for the first time in Super Bowl history.
In overtime, the Patriots drove the length of the field and got a pass-interference call on the 2-yard line. That set up the winning, walk-off touchdown from James White, and the comeback was complete.
“We all brought each other back,” Brady said on the Fox telecast after the game. “We never felt out of it. It was a tough battle. They have a great team. I give them a lot of credit. We just made a few more plays than them.”
Emotions continued to peak as the confetti fell at NRG Stadium on Sunday night. Brady took the stage and raised the Lombardi Trophy and yelled, “Let’s go! Let’s go!”
“It’s going to be a great celebration tonight,” Brady said from the stage. “Thank-you to all of our fans. Everyone back in Boston, New England, we love you. You’ve been with us all year. We’re bringing this sucker home!”
While it is no doubt Brady took the show, the famous Super Bowl halftime show and commercials also did not disappoint.
Lady Gaga gave a powerful performance at Super Bowl LI halftime. Gaga didn’t have any overt political statements that some people had been expecting, but instead opted for a message about inclusion. She sang a melody of her greatest hits including “Just Dance,” “Poker Face,” “Bad Romance,” and “Born This Way.”
In contrast, the commercials did not shy far away from having distinct political undertones. It’s a 10 Haircare left audience’s laughing at their theme of “America, we’re in for at least four year of awful hair,” while company 84 Lumber featured a more serious commercial about illegal immigration. The auto manufacture Adli elected to speak out about gender equality in the work place, doing so with just the right firmness. Airbnb had a similar message, focusing on acceptance of all races, genders and nationality.