New England Patriots return for first time since Tom Brady- Bill Belichick era
“The Pats are back, baby,” Maye said. “Now I need to win one.”
Playing in the middle of a snowstorm in the second half, Maye had only 86 yards receiving and 65 yards rushing. Stidham had 133 yards passing and a TD, an interception and a costly fumble.
The grounds crew was busy during the AFC Championship game.Credit: access point
Maye, 23, the NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year finalist, will be the second-youngest quarterback to start in the Super Bowl, behind Dan Marino. He became the fourth second-year QB in the last seven years to lead his team to the NFL championship game. Patrick Mahomes (2018) won while Joe Burrow (2021) and Brock Purdy (2023) lost.
Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a linebacker for the Patriots in the 2000s, turned the team around in his first season as coach. New England improved from 4-13 to 14-3 last year under Jerod Mayo.
Vrabel is trying to become the first person to win the Super Bowl as a head coach and player on the same team. Tom Flores, Mike Ditka, Tony Dungy and Doug Pederson won Super Bowls playing on one team and coaching on the other.
“I can’t tell you how proud I am to be with these guys and this organization,” said Vrabel, an NFL Coach of the Year finalist. “I will not win. The players will win the game, I promise you. It will not be me who wins, and I promise you that I will do everything I can to prepare them and our staff for the game.”
No team has played more in the Super Bowl than the Patriots, who are 6-5. They are tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for most wins.
More to come…
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