Top Five Super Bowl Performances In Patriots History: Brady, Edelman, Vinatieri & More

The Patriots are undoubtedly the greatest NFL dynasty of the 21st century. The franchise is tied atop the all-time Super Bowl wins list with the Steelers, who have also won six Lombardi Trophies.

One of the biggest reasons for New England’s dominance? Tom Brady, of course. He won four Super Bowl MVP awards and six championships as a member of the Patriots, but he couldn’t have been so successful without a strong coaching staff led by Bill Belichick and a group of talented teammates.

MORE: The Complete History of New England Patriots Championships

As current quarterback Drake Maye attempts to bring another ring to New England, NESN is looking back at the team’s previous Super Bowl victories.

Here’s a list of the top five Super Bowl performances in Patriots history.

Top Five Super Bowl Performances In Patriots History

1) Tom Brady — Super Bowl LI vs. Falcons

This game appeared to be over when the Falcons held a 28-3 lead over the Patriots in the third quarter. Then, Brady became, well, Brady.

Brady led five straight scoring drives in the second half and overtime, erasing a 25-point deficit and completing one of the greatest comebacks in sports history. After throwing for 466 yards on 62 pass attempts with two touchdowns and one interception, Brady earned his fourth Super Bowl MVP award.

2) James White — Super Bowl LI vs. Falcons

In that same game, White had 14 catches on 16 targets for 110 yards and carried the ball six times for 29 yards. He scored 20 total points (two rushing touchdowns, one receiving touchdown and one two-point conversion), breaking the record for a single player in a Super Bowl.

Brady even went so far as to say White “deserved” to be named Super Bowl MVP.

“White is like my oldest son,” Brady said (via NFL.com). “He just does everything right, and you can never get mad at him because even if he doesn’t make the play, he feels worse about it than you do. He’s just the best teammate.

“He’s an incredible player. He’s been that way since he really assumed that big role when Dion [Lewis] got hurt last year. I’m so proud of him and everything he’s accomplished. I’ve seen him grow from a rookie to working his tail off to become a big factor in all of these games.”

3) Malcolm Butler — Super Bowl XLIX vs. Seahawks

There is no defensive play in NFL history that holds as much weight as Butler’s interception against the Seahawks to secure a Super Bowl XLIX win for the Patriots.

Seattle was in position to take the lead late in the fourth quarter after Russell Wilson connected with Jermaine Kearse for a 33-yard gain. A Marshawn Lynch run brought the ball to the one-yard line, and most fans expected to see Lynch carry the ball at least one more time.

Instead, Wilson fired a pass toward Ricardo Lockette, and Butler made the biggest catch of his life. He had three tackles and the game-saving interception in New England’s 28-24 victory.

“They could have collided. The ball could have dropped, or bounced up. Anything could have happened,” Kearse said (via Sports Illustrated). “But he made the play. Nothing but respect for him.”

4) Julian Edelman — Super Bowl LIII vs. Rams

It was all about defense in the first three quarters of the lowest-scoring game in Super Bowl history. The Patriots and Rams struggled to move the ball down the field, but fortunately for New England, Edelman consistently found a way to get open.

While Edelman didn’t reach the end zone, he played a key role in multiple scoring drives, allowing the Pats to put just enough points on the board for a 13-3 win. He finished with 10 catches on 12 targets for 141 yards, winning the Super Bowl MVP award.

5) Adam Vinatieri — Super Bowl XXXVI vs. Rams

Vinatieri drilled multiple clutch kicks throughout his career, but his performance in this game launched a dynasty.

The Patriots jumped out to a 14-3 lead in the first half against the heavily favored Rams, and Vinatieri widened the gap in the third quarter with a 37-yard field goal. The Rams fought back, though, tying the game late in the fourth quarter.

New England ran the two-minute drill and drove into Vinatieri’s range. He stepped onto the field for a 48-yard attempt, and he booted the ball through the uprights as time expired, giving the Pats their first Lombardi Trophy.