Over the past 20 years, the New England Patriots have won six Super Bowls and many AFC Championships. However, in order to have so much success, there were some players who had made clutch plays to win the game.
No. 3: Malcolm Butler
It was Super Bowl XLIX and the New England Patriots were playing the Seattle Seahawks. The game started off slow as the first quarter concluded with zeros on the scoreboards. In the second quarter, both teams scored 14 points each. The game was moving fast and still gaining intensity. In the third quarter, the Seahawks out-performed the Patriots and tallied 10 points while the Patriots added none.
Entering the fourth quarter, the Patriots were trailing by a score of 24-14. The Patriots needed a comeback to win the game, and so they accomplished just that.
The Patriots scored 14 points on the Seahawks and were up 28-24 late in the fourth quarter. Seattle drove down the field and eventually ended up on the one yard-line. After a lot of practice and preparing for this moment, undrafted rookie Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson on the one yard-line and saved the game for the Patriots. If not for Butler’s clutch interception, the Seahawks would have won that game.
No. 2: Adam Vinatieri
Adam Vinatieri has made many clutch kicks, including a couple to win Super Bowls.
In Super Bowl XXXVI, the Patriots played the St. Louis Rams. The Patriots were huge underdogs and the Rams were projected to easily win the game. The Patriots and Rams were tied 17-17 late in the fourth quarter and Vinatieri was set up for a game-winning field goal. He made the 48-yard kick and won the first of six Super Bowls for the Patriots.
In Super Bowl XXXVIII, the Patriots played the Carolina Panthers. With the game tied 29-29 late in the fourth quarter, Vinatieri prepared for another game-winning field goal. He made the 41-yard kick and won the game.
In both Super Bowls, Vinatieri made clutch kicks to win.
No. 1: Tom Brady
There have been countless games in which Brady has made comebacks, but his six Super Bowl titles stand out.
Tom Brady has four Super Bowl MVPs from XXXVI, XXXVIII, XLIX, and LI. He usually finds a way to come back with amazing offensive drives late in the game.
In the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XXXVIII, Brady led the Patriots to score 18 points and gave Vinatieri the chance to make the game-winning field goal. In the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLIX, he led the team to scoring 14 points and, after Butler’s interception, received another ring. In Super Bowl LI, the Patriots were famously down by 25 points against the Atlanta Falcons. Brady threw for 466 yards and two touchdowns in the game, leading the Patriots to one of the greatest comebacks ever in the NFL. They won in overtime by a score of 34-28.
