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Deflategate ends with another Patriots championship
01:04 - Source: CNN
Story highlights
Win gives Tom Brady the most Super Bowl titles by a quarterback
This was just Atlanta's second appearance in its 51-season history
Houston CNN —
For the first time, a Super Bowl needed overtime, and for the fifth time, the New England Patriots are Super Bowl champions.
This time, it took the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history to do it, rallying from a 25-point deficit and defeating the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 at NRG Stadium in Houston in Super Bowl LI.
Tom Brady became the first quarterback to win five Super Bowl titles. He was named Super Bowl MVP for the fourth time, the most all time.
“It was a hell of a football game,” Brady said.
New England quarterback Tom Brady raises the Vince Lombardi Trophy after leading the Patriots to a 34-28 victory in Super Bowl LI on Sunday, February 5. Brady threw for a Super Bowl-record 466 yards as New England completed the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history. The Patriots trailed Atlanta 28-3 in the third quarter but rallied to win in overtime.
Brady celebrates with Patriots owner Robert Kraft after the game. Brady was named the game's Most Valuable Player. He has won five Super Bowls in his career -- one more than any other starting quarterback in history -- and he's also won the MVP award a record four times. Photos: Super Bowl MVPs
New England running back James White is mobbed by his teammates after scoring the game-winning touchdown in overtime. White ran it in from two yards away after a pass interference penalty on Atlanta.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, left, talks to running back LeGarrette Blount as Brady looks on. Belichick has now won more Super Bowls (five) than any other head coach in NFL history. He also won two rings as an assistant coach with the New York Giants. See more Super Bowl records
White scores the winning touchdown in overtime. It was the first time that the Super Bowl went to overtime.
White also scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter. A successful two-point conversion tied the game at 28 after Atlanta led 28-9 at the end of the third quarter.
Brady raises his arms after a touchdown late in the second half.
New England wide receiver Julian Edelman makes a spectacular catch on the Patriots' late drive in the fourth quarter.
Atlanta wide receiver Julio Jones stretches for a sideline catch in the fourth quarter. It put the Falcons in field-goal position with a chance to maybe put the game out of reach. But a sack and a holding penalty pushed them back toward midfield and they had to punt.
Atlanta wide receiver Mohamed Sanu tussles with New England's Logan Ryan during the second half.
Danny Amendola catches a 6-yard touchdown pass for New England in the fourth quarter. After a two-point conversion, the Patriots cut the Falcons' lead to 28-20 with just under six minutes remaining.
Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan fumbles as he's sacked by Dont'a Hightower in the fourth quarter.
White is tackled by Atlanta's Jalen Collins, bottom, and De'Vondre Campbell in the second half.
Brady prepares to pass in the second half.
Brady is sacked by Grady Jarrett in the fourth quarter. Jarrett had three sacks in the game.
White crosses the goal line for a third-quarter touchdown. This one was on a short catch.
Amendola tries to run past Campbell.
After scoring on a 6-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, Falcons running back Tevin Coleman celebrates by making an A for Atlanta.
Atlanta's Matt Bryant kicks the extra point after Coleman's touchdown. The Falcons led 28-3.
Brady reacts to an incomplete pass in the second half.
Taylor Gabriel makes a third-quarter catch for Atlanta.
Pop star Lady Gaga performs at halftime. See more photos from her halftime show
Brady tries to tackle Atlanta's Robert Alford, who intercepted Brady and ran it back for an 82-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Alford's score gave the Falcons a 20-0 lead. They led 21-3 at the half.
Atlanta tight end Austin Hooper catches a 19-yard touchdown pass from Ryan in the second quarter.
Ryan throws a pass during the first half.
Atlanta running back Devonta Freeman scores the game's first touchdown on a 5-yard run.
Alford recovers a second-quarter fumble by Blount. The turnover led to Freeman's touchdown.
Brady is helped up by one of his linemen, Joe Thuney.
Blount carries the ball past Atlanta's Jonathan Babineaux.
Jones makes a catch in the second quarter.
Ryan, the league's MVP this season, is hit after a throw early in the game. The game was scoreless at the end of the first quarter.
Brady is pressured by Jarrett, who got one of Atlanta's two first-half sacks.
Freeman breaks a big run in the first quarter.
Edelman is upended by Atlanta's Philip Wheeler in the first quarter.
The game was played at NRG Stadium, home of the NFL's Houston Texans.
Former President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara, wave as they arrive for the pregame coin toss. They were both recently hospitalized.
Country singer Luke Bryan sings the national anthem.
Brady points to the crowd before the start of the game.
The Falcons take the field before the game.
Rapper 2 Chainz, left, and R&B singer Usher pose for a photo before the game.
Seattle defensive end Michael Bennett takes a selfie with actor Mark Wahlberg before the game. Bennett's brother Martellus plays for the Patriots. Wahlberg is a Patriots fan.
A Patriots fan wears a hat that looks like a giant Super Bowl ring. See all of the Super Bowl rings
Atlanta owner Arthur Blank, left, greets New England owner Robert Kraft before the game.
Super Bowl LI: The best photos
Atlanta had a 28-3 lead midway through the third quarter. But a costly Atlanta fumble by quarterback Matt Ryan midway through the fourth quarter helped set up the Patriots to come all the way back to tie it at 28.
In overtime, Patriots running back James White rushed in from two yards for the game-winning touchdown. He finished with 139 total yards and three touchdowns. Brady threw for 466 yards – a Super Bowl record – and two touchdowns.
“I saw a crease,” White said on the final play of the game. “You have to find a way to make a play for your team at that point in the game – at the 3-yard line, 2-yard line, you just have to find a way in.”
All five of those Patriots’ titles have come with Brady and head coach Bill Belichick, but this one had some slightly different circ*mstances. Brady missed the first four games of the regular season, serving his Deflategate suspension that was imposed by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
Ultimately, Brady’s absence didn’t negatively impact the Patriots, who went on to a 14-2 record and the top spot in the AFC.
“We’ve done pretty good over the last few years, you know?” Brady said. “We were in the AFC Championship Game last year and won the Super Bowl two years ago, so I don’t think anyone’s feeling bad for the Patriots.”
When asked if there was any feeling of redemption: “This is all positive,” he said. “This is unbelievable.”
New England had returned to the Super Bowl for the ninth time, an NFL record, with Belichick and Brady leading seven of those appearances.
In addition to winning the most championships as a quarterback, Brady matched Charles Haley for the most Super Bowl titles by a player. Belichick now has the most Super Bowl wins by a head coach, surpassing Chuck Noll. Belichick and Brady also now have the most Super Bowl appearances as a head coach and as a player.
“Chuck Noll is a tremendous coach, with a tremendous legacy,” Belichick said. “I coached against Chuck in his final game. I always admired Chuck and his style and the way that his teams played. It’s an honor to be mentioned in the same sentence with Chuck Noll, but tonight’s really about our team. It’s not about some record. … It’s about what our team accomplished.”
This was just Atlanta’s second appearance in its 51-season history. The team first came in the 1998 season, when the Falcons lost Super Bowl XXXIII 34-19 to the Denver Broncos.
The comeback
Atlanta had dominated the first half, and it was the defense that struck first, with rookie linebacker Deion Jones stripping the football from Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount, forcing the fumble, and cornerback Robert Alford recovering.
Five plays later, Atlanta was on the scoreboard first with running back Devonta Freeman bouncing outside and rushing in from five yards for the touchdown.
Later, Falcons quarterback – and NFL MVP – Matt Ryan found tight end Austin Hooper for a 19-yard touchdown.
That made it 14-0 with 8:48 left in the second quarter, but Atlanta’s defense still wasn’t done.
New England wide receiver Julian Edelman, center, made a spectacular catch late in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LI, and it might become one of the game's most replayed highlights.
Tom Brady's pass over the middle was deflected by Atlanta cornerback Robert Alford, right. It hung in the air and appeared as though it could be intercepted, ending the Patriots' drive with 2:30 remaining in the game.
Edelman dove for the ball, as did Atlanta defenders Ricardo Allen, left, and Keanu Neal.
Alford also looked to make a play as he slid backward.
As he fell to the ground, Edelman appeared to cradle the ball near Alford's left leg.
All the players reach for the ball.
Edelman bobbled the ball before reining it in.
The 23-yard catch was confirmed after an official video review. The Patriots went on to score a touchdown and tie the game at 28, forcing overtime.
Edelman's amazing Super Bowl catch
On the next drive, in which the Patriots had been marching down the field, a Brady pass intended for Danny Amendola was picked off by Alford, returning it 82 yards for the touchdown. It was the first pick-six off Brady in any postseason game.
But the comeback was on for New England starting in the second half. When it was 28-12, it kicked into overdrive, when Ryan was sacked at Atlanta’s own 25 by Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower. Ryan lost the ball, and defensive tackle Alan Branch recovered.
It was the first time the Falcons had turned the ball over in this postseason.
“There’s nothing you can really say,” Ryan said. “That’s a tough loss. Obviously very disappointed, very close to getting done what we wanted to get done, but it’s hard to find words tonight.”
Following the Atlanta turnover, Brady found Amendola for a 6-yard touchdown pass with 5:56 left. The two-point conversion by White made it an eight-point game.
On the next drive, Atlanta was forced to punt, setting up the Patriots time for a final push to force overtime.
The drive included one of the best catches in Super Bowl history. It was 1st-and-10 from New England’s own 36, and Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, fighting off three Atlanta defenders – even going through the legs of one of them – somehow scooped up the ball before it hit the ground.
“I knew I got it,” Edelman, who had 87 yards receiving, said. “I felt like I had it.”
With 57 seconds left, White found the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion pass from Brady to Amendola tied it, setting up overtime.
“It’s hard tonight for the lessons,” Falcons head coach Dan Quinn said. “What I can tell you is you can’t truly be relentless until it’s right there, and you’ve got to take it away or you didn’t get it. A loss like tonight, although it’s difficult, I would like to think that this group, we’re putting our stamp and we’re just getting started to be what we can be.”
