The New England Patriots are back in the Super Bowl, but looking back on what this franchise has accomplished leading up to this, it's truly been astounding.
The dynasty has produced countless iconic moments, but while names like Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, Malcom Butler, and Tedy Bruschi dominate the conversation, there are unsung heroes whose contributions were just as vital to championship success. These players made game-changing plays in the biggest moments, yet their names are often forgotten in the celebration.
Here are seven Patriots Super Bowl heroes who deserve far more credit than they receive.
7. Chris Hogan - The "7/11" Who Was Always Open
Chris Hogan earned his nickname "7/11" because, like the convenience store, he was always open. But what truly defines his legacy is one throw that might have saved the Patriots' greatest comeback.
Down 28-3 to the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI, facing 3rd and 10 from their own 9-yard line with the season on the line, Brady delivered one of the greatest throws of his career, an absolute beauty of a laser to Hogan on the right sideline. What made this play remarkable wasn't just the precision under pressure, but Brady's trust. He threw the ball while Hogan's back was still turned during his route, knowing his receiver would be exactly where he needed to be. One of my core memories as a Patriots fan is a play in which Hogan caught a15-yard pass, which isn't likely to stick out in the big scheme of things, but it kept the game-tying drive alive.
We may have punted here if this play had not been converted, and the comeback may have been an 'almost' instead of 'was'. Without that conversion, there's no Edelman circus catch, no overtime, no greatest comeback in Super Bowl history.
That catch is permanently burned into my memory, a special moment that third down that real Patriots fans will never forget. It didn't have the flash of Malcolm Butler's interception or the circus-catch drama of Edelman's grab, but it was every bit as important. A year later, in Super Bowl LII, despite the heartbreaking loss to Philadelphia, Hogan still delivered with six catches for 128 yards and a touchdown, proving his Super Bowl excellence wasn't a fluke. Playing alongside Brady, Edelman, Gronkowski, and Brandin Cooks, Hogan's stats never had a reason to stand out. However, when the confetti was falling and championships were being decided, he was always exactly where Brady needed him to be. He deserves to be remembered as one of the clutchest Super Bowl performers with one of the clutchest catches in Patriots history.
6. Shane Vereen - Record-Setting Performance Against Seattle
Shane Vereen saved his best performance for the biggest stage. In Super Bowl XLIX against the Seattle Seahawks, Vereen caught 11 passes, a Super Bowl record for a running back at the time, as the Patriots rallied from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to win 28-24.
The Patriots have featured exceptional pass-catching running backs throughout their dynasty, including James White, Kevin Faulk, Danny Woodhead, and Dion Lewis. Vereen belongs in that conversation. In 2014, he totaled the fourth-most receptions (52) and fourth-most receiving yards (447) on the team while adding the second-most rushing yards (391). He was a versatile weapon who kept Seattle's defense off-balance all game.
While Malcolm Butler's goal-line interception rightfully dominates Super Bowl XLIX discussions, Vereen's performance created the opportunity for that moment. His 11 receptions moved the chains repeatedly, keeping drives alive and wearing down Seattle's vaunted "Legion of Boom" defense. Vereen created mismatches in coverage, forcing Seattle into uncomfortable defensive alignments throughout the game.
Despite this, Vereen is rarely mentioned when this Super Bowl is discussed. Butler gets immortalized, Brady gets praised for his fourth-quarter excellence, and Edelman's clutch catches are replayed endlessly. But without Vereen's record-setting receiving performance, none of those other moments would have happened. He deserves far more recognition for his role in championship number four.
5. Troy Brown - Mr. Patriot's Forgotten Greatness
Troy Brown retired as the Patriots' all-time leader in receptions, remains their top punt returner, and even played defensive back when needed. Yet, somehow, he made just one Pro Bowl during his 15-year career. The disrespect to "Mr. Patriot" is staggering.
Brown's most legendary moment came at the end of Super Bowl XXXVI. With the game tied 17-17 and 1:21 remaining, the Patriots started their final drive from their own 17-yard line. On the crucial third play of the drive, facing pressure and needing to keep the clock moving, Brady found Brown on a 23-yard crossing route. Brown somehow cleared the linebacker in coverage, and Brady delivered a perfect strike.
Recounting the play, offensive coordinator Charlie Weis explained: "We called a play where they expected us to throw to the outside, and we had a play called to the inside. We wanted to attack their Cover-2, figuring they wouldn't blitz twice, and they went back to their bread and butter."
Brady's perspective provided a glimpse into his viewpoint of the play: "I saw the coverage and we were running three in-cuts. The first in-cut, Troy, was covered initially. I looked to the second one and I saw some commotion, then I felt the whole left side of the pocket open up so I kind of slid to the left side of the pocket and I pick up Troy again, who was my first read. So I went first, second and back to my first."
Troy Brown's 23-yard reception changed the course of Patriots history by taking him out of bounds to stop the clock. Adam Vinatieri hits the field goal, the 14-point underdog Patriots win the Super Bowl, and the rest is history. Without Brown's veteran savvy and clutch catch, there's no game-winning field goal, no dynasty launch, no Patriots as we know them. Brown was indispensable to three Super Bowl winners and deserves far more acclaim.
4. Roman Phifer - The Everything Man
When Bill Belichick signed 33-year-old linebacker Roman Phifer in the summer of 2001, he told him he'd be a role player. The two later joked that the role turned out to be "pretty much everything."
The 2001 Patriots were the ultimate underdog story. While Brady's clutch performance gets lionized, Belichick's defense was the engine behind this upset. And Phifer doesn't receive enough credit for being a stalwart of that unit. He had five solo tackles in the Super Bowl, along with one pass defended.
Phifer started all 16 regular-season games and all three playoff games in 2001. Only Lawyer Milloy, a four-time Pro Bowler, totaled more tackles than Phifer that season. According to historical Patriots coverage, Phifer was an unheralded veteran linebacker upon arriving in New England, but became a three-time Super Bowl champion by the time he left Foxboro. In the consecutive Super Bowl wins, he had five and three tackles, respectively.
What made Phifer special wasn't just his production; it was his versatility and football IQ. He could rush the passer, drop into coverage, stuff the run, and set the edge. As a 33-year-old in the NFL, he played with the energy of someone half his age while bringing the wisdom of a veteran who had seen everything. He was the defensive equivalent of what Troy Brown provided offensively: steady, reliable, always in the right place.
Phifer remained a key contributor through 2004, winning two more championships. His three rings and consistent excellence deserve far more recognition in Patriots lore.
3. Alan Branch - The Forgotten Fumble Recovery
Everyone remembers Dont'a Hightower's strip sack of Matt Ryan in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LI. It's one of the most important defensive plays in Patriots history, turning momentum in the greatest comeback ever. But few remember who recovered the fumble: Alan Branch.
Branch jumped on the loose ball at the Falcons' 25-yard line, giving the Patriots the short field they needed to complete the comeback. Three plays later, Brady hit Danny Amendola for a touchdown, pulling New England within eight points and setting up the furious rally.
Branch's contribution extended far beyond one fumble recovery, though. According to Pro Football Focus, Branch recorded the 11th-highest grade among 54 defensive linemen with at least 500 snaps in 2016. He ranked fifth against the run, providing interior defensive line dominance that allowed the Patriots' linebackers to make plays. This was clearly showcased at the end of the Super Bowl against Atlanta.
Branch was a steady, reliable presence who did the dirty work in the trenches. He occupied blockers, stuffed running lanes, and made life easier for the stars around him. His fumble recovery was the culmination of a season's worth of consistent excellence, yet he's rarely mentioned when Super Bowl LI is discussed. Branch deserves credit for being exactly where he needed to be when the championship hung in the balance.
2. Cordarrelle Patterson - The Swiss Army Knife
Cordarrelle Patterson's one season in New England (2018) produced one of the most versatile performances in Patriots history, yet he's rarely remembered as part of that championship team.
Patterson set career highs in rushing numbers with 42 carries for 228 yards and a touchdown while adding 21 receptions for 247 yards and three touchdowns. But his most important contributions came on special teams and in his flexibility to play multiple positions.
In Super Bowl LIII's defensive slugfest against the Rams, Patterson had two receptions for 14 yards, a 38-yard kick return, and seven rushing yards as the Patriots won 13-3. While those stats seem modest, his ability to contribute in multiple ways kept the Rams' defense guessing, ultimately providing crucial field position.
Bill Belichick's genius was on full display with Patterson, using him as a running back despite his time as a wide receiver. Patterson earned Second-Team All-Pro honors for his performance, validating Belichick's vision. He later embraced the running back role with Atlanta, proving Belichick was ahead of the curve.
Patterson brought explosiveness and versatility, which made the 2018 Patriots offense unpredictable. In a championship season defined by defensive dominance, having a Swiss Army knife like Patterson, who could impact the game in several ways, was invaluable. He deserves recognition for his contributions to ring number six.
1. Jason McCourty - The Championship-Saving Pass Breakup
Jason McCourty, twin brother of longtime Patriots favorite Devin McCourty, made perhaps the single most important defensive play in Super Bowl LIII that almost nobody talks about. Late in the fourth quarter, with the game tied 3-3, Rams quarterback Jared Goff finally found Brandin Cooks streaking up the field for what appeared to be a sure touchdown.
McCourty, signed as a veteran free agent that season to provide cornerback depth, was nowhere near the play initially. But he used elite closing speed to race across the field and break up the pass at the last possible moment, saving a touchdown that would have likely decided the championship.
Jared Goff really made this play happen. The throw was super late. Had Goff gotten rid of the ball when Cooks first threw up his hand, it's a TD and an epic blown coverage. Goff's delayed throw helped, but McCourty still had to make an incredible play to prevent the score.
The Patriots went on to score the game's only touchdown on the ensuing drive, winning 13-3. Without McCourty's desperate pass breakup, the Rams likely would have taken the lead, and the Patriots' dynasty might have ended at five championships instead of six. McCourty's play, however, is largely overshadowed by the game's overall low-scoring affair.
McCourty exemplified everything the Patriots valued: veteran leadership, positional versatility, and making plays when they mattered most. His championship-saving pass breakup deserves to be remembered alongside the dynasty's greatest defensive moments.
The Thread That Connected Six Championships
The Patriots' dynasty wasn't built solely on the backs of Hall of Famers and household names; it was constructed through the collective excellence of players like these seven, who delivered when the stakes were highest.
From Phifer's versatility in 2001 to McCourty's desperation play in 2018, each championship featured unsung heroes making championship-defining contributions that history has largely forgotten. What united them all was an understanding of their role, an ability to rise to the moment, and the kind of clutch gene that can't be taught. Brady may have been the face of the dynasty, Belichick the mastermind architect, and Gronkowski an all-world talent and force. Championships are won by complete teams, though, and these seven players were every bit as essential to those six Lombardi Trophies as any superstar.
As we head into this upcoming Super Bowl against the Seahawks, these players deserve to be celebrated by Pats Nation as championship heroes whose names should be spoken with the same reverence as the legends they played alongside. Without Chris Hogan's catch, Shane Vereen's receptions, Troy Brown's veteran savvy, and the countless other clutch moments detailed above, the Patriots' dynasty looks drastically different; perhaps it doesn't exist at all. The road forward is built on the backs of those who came before, and as we celebrate these legends now, we do so with faith that new ones are coming soon.