The New England Patriots advanced to their 12th Super Bowl in franchise history, marking the 11th of Robert Kraft's 32-year ownership, the most in the NFL. There are still four teams that have never made it to a Super Bowl, while Kraft has done it with three different coach-quarterback combinations.
In that time, the Patriots have been to the playoffs 23 times and won 34 playoff games, putting the cap on 20 division titles, 11 AFC championships, and six Super Bowl Championships, which is currently tied for the most in NFL history. Kraft has 374 total wins since he bought the team in 1994, the most in the NFL, reinforcing the team's pure dominance during his tenure as owner.
As New England prepares for another Super Bowl, let’s look at the previous six victories and rank the MVPs of those games from worst to best.
6. Tom Brady, Super Bowl XXXVI, Patriots vs. Rams
They say you'll always remember your first, and that's how I feel about Super Bowl XXXVI. It was the game that vaulted the Patriots into a dynasty, as they took down the St. Louis Rams, 20-17, led by Kurt Warner, who was the league MVP.
Brady went 16-of-27 for 145 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions. Brady went to five more Super Bowls after this with New England where he made more of an impact than he did in this game, which is why I have it ranked after his other MVP performances.
5. Tom Brady, Super Bowl XXXVIII, Patriots vs. Panthers
This Super Bowl marked the second championship in three years for New England. Beyond that, it was a game that many referred to as the greatest Super Bowl of all time. It was the first time in Super Bowl history that fans saw two scoreless quarters and a combined total of 868 yards and 61 points.
Brady finished with 354 passing yards and had three touchdowns in a nailbiter of a game. I rank this one lower than Brady's previous games, considering it was won on a game-winning field goal from Adam Vinatieri. The team was also still part of the first dynasty run for New England, led by the defense.
4. Julian Edelman, Super Bowl LIII, Patriots vs. Rams
Julian Edelman was the engine of the offense in Super Bowl LIII with 10 receptions on 12 targets for 141 yards. In addition, he had eight rushing yards. Edelman had seven receptions in the first half, and eight of his 10 receptions were for first downs. Although he didn’t score a touchdown, he was the most deserving of winning MVP honors for this performance.
At this point in his career, Edelman had a big impact in every Super Bowl he’s been part of, and he arguably could have received MVP for his efforts in those games. I rank this under Branch only because he made one more catch than Edelman with the same amount of targets, and I feel Branch’s impact was more important for the team in that game than Edelman’s.
3. Deion Branch, Super Bowl XXXIX, Patriots vs. Eagles
Deion Branch’s performance in Super Bowl XXXIX is one of the greatest games ever by a wide receiver in a Super Bowl. Branch tied a then-Super Bowl record, one held by Jerry Rice since 1989. Branch reeled in 11 receptions for 133 yards, making him the first receiver to win the MVP since Rice in 1989.
Branch was unstoppable in this game. He had an innate ability to find the soft spots in zone coverage, and he was Brady’s first option because of the trust and chemistry they had together. Branch accounted for more than half of Brady’s statistics from this game, rightfully earning the MVP.
I rank this game third because it was the second time in a Super Bowl that Branch had a big game, and for what it’s worth, Branch held the two best Super Bowl performances for a wide receiver in team history until 2018, when Danny Amendola and Chris Hogan both had big games in Super Bowl LII.
2. Tom Brady, Super Bowl XLIX, Patriots vs. Seahawks
Brady led a 10-point comeback in the final stanza of play to defeat the Seattle Seahawks and the NFL's top defense that season. This was the first Super Bowl win in 10 years for the Patriots and Brady, who threw for 328 yards and four touchdowns. He picked apart the defense in the fourth quarter alone, completing drives of 68 yards and 64 yards.
In this game, Brady threw his 13th career touchdown pass in a Super Bowl, breaking Joe Montana's record set in 1990 (11). This Super Bowl win for Brady tied him with Montana with four Super Bowl titles and three MVPs. I ranked this second-best because it was another comeback victory in a game Brady put the Patriots in a position to win, and his fourth quarter drives showed that.
1. Tom Brady, Super Bowl LI, Patriots vs. Falcons
At 39 years old, Tom Brady orchestrated the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history, leading the Patriots to five consecutive scoring drives in the second half to eliminate the 25-point deficit they faced. This was the first overtime game in Super Bowl history and set 24 new Super Bowl records linked to Brady.
He finished the game with 466 passing yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. I ranked this first because the game was essentially lost at halftime, with New England being down 28-3, but the way Brady managed the second half to lead the Patriots to an overtime victory and securing his fourth MVP and fifth championship has to be at the top of the list.