Super Bowl XLIX

Lore & Background

The Patriots' victory was their fourth overall and first since 2004's Super Bowl XXXIX, ending a 10-year championship drought. They finished the regular season with a 12–4 record en route to their eighth Super Bowl appearance, tying the record held by the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers, and sixth under the leadership of head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. The Seahawks, led by their Legion of Boom defense, also obtained a 12–4 record and were making their third Super Bowl appearance, in addition to their second consecutive after winning Super Bowl XLVIII.

As the defending champions, the Seahawks were seeking to become the first to repeat since the Patriots in 2004. For the second consecutive season, both teams were the top seed from their respective conference. Super Bowl XLIX was kept within a one-possession margin until Seattle took a 10-point lead in the third quarter. New England responded by scoring 14 consecutive points during the fourth to take a 28–24 lead with just over two minutes remaining.

The game is most remembered for the Seahawks' last play, in which they threatened to score a winning touchdown from New England's 1-yard line, but were intercepted in the final seconds by Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler. Butler's interception is regarded as one of the greatest plays in NFL history, while Seattle's decision to pass instead of run the ball is considered one of the worst calls of all time. Brady, who set the Super Bowl record for completions at 37, was named Super Bowl MVP for the third time, tying the record held by Joe Montana. Two years later, Brady would surpass both records in Super Bowl LI.

Reader's Guide

After winning Super Bowl XLVIII the previous season, the Seahawks also struggled to begin the season, floundering near the season's midpoint with a 3–3 record. However, they went on from there to win nine of their final 10 regular season games, preventing their opponents from scoring any touchdowns in five of them. By the time they finished with a 12–4 record and entered the playoffs, they had earned the number one seed, and not allowed any touchdowns in the previous 10 quarters. Their defense ranked first in the NFL in fewest points allowed (254) and their offense was tied at first in rushing yards (2,762). The Seahawks defeated the Carolina Panthers 31–17 in the NFC Divisional playoffs, and later defeated the Green Bay Packers 28–22 in overtime in the NFC Championship.

Did You Know?

• NBC's broadcast set the record for most-watched program in American television history and remains the fourth-most watched American television broadcast of all time.
• The game was seen by an average of 114.4 million viewers, with it reaching 118.5 million during the halftime show featuring Katy Perry and peaking to 120.8 million during New England's fourth quarter comeback.
• Butler's game-winning interception was ranked fifth on NFL.com's 100 Greatest Plays, the highest defensive play.
• The two franchises would meet again in Super Bowl LX 11 years later, where the Seahawks would win 29–13.