AFC Championship 2001 vs Steelers

Lore & Background

The 2001 season served as a launching pad for the team. Over the next 18 seasons, they would win 16 more division titles, eight more AFC Championships in 12 appearances, five more Super Bowl titles in eight appearances, and achieve an undefeated regular season in 2007.

In Their Own Story

The wind howled off the Monongahela River, biting at exposed skin in the fourth quarter. In the huddle, Tom Brady wiped frost from his helmet visor, his breath visible in the freezing air. He looked down the line of offensive linemen, their pads steaming slightly under the stadium lights. A Steelers defender shouted a challenge across the white yard lines. Brady signaled the play, his voice calm despite the roaring crowd noise that vibrated through the turf. They snapped the ball. The pocket held for just enough time. He launched a spiral into the end zone, the leather spinning perfectly against the gray sky. As the receiver secured it, the sideline erupted in a mix of relief and disbelief. They were going to New Orleans.

Reader's Guide

The source article does not specify the number or yardage of Adam Vinatieri's field goals in the AFC Championship Game. It only states the final score was 24–17.

Did You Know?

• The Patriots became the first team in NFL history to win the Super Bowl after starting the season 1–3.
• The 2001 season was the first since 1986 that Bruce Armstrong was not on the opening-day roster.
• The Patriots' playoff win over the Raiders featured the now-infamous tuck rule overturning a Brady fumble into an incomplete pass.