Tom Brady wins Super Bowl MVP, surpasses Joe Montana as greatest-ever
Tom Brady was named Super Bowl MVP for the fourth time in his career Sunday after powering the New England Patriots to an improbable 34-28 overtime victory against the Atlanta Falcons at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. Brady surpassed legendary quarterback Joe Montana, who finished his career with four Super Bowl rings and three Super Bowl MVP awards.
While the Tom Brady vs Joe Montana debate is a never-ending one, many analysts feel the New England Patriots star solidified his position as the greatest-ever after Sunday's performance. Brady and the Patriots rallied from a 21-0 halftime deficit and became the first team to win the Super Bowl after trailing by more than 10 points.
With five Super Bowl championships and four Super Bowl MVP honours, Brady is now officially the most successful quarterback in NFL history. "There were a lot of plays that Coach (Bill Belichick) talks about, you never know which play it's going to be in the Super Bowl. There were probably 30 of them tonight that if any one of those would have been different, the outcome could have been different," Brady told reporters after his history-making performance, via ESPN.
Super Bowl 2017: Tom Brady makes history, surpasses Joe Montana
Brady finished with the most attempts in Super Bowl history (43 for 62) while rushing 466 yards for two touchdowns. The 39-year-old started off slowly and even had one of his interceptions converted into a touchdown when Falcons CB Robert Alford snatched one of his passes and returned it 82 yards for the score during the second quarter. Despite the early setbacks, Brady turned up the volume when it mattered the most and guided his team to an unprecedented fifth Super Bowl title.
"I'm so proud of our guys, our coaches, the team. It was unbelievable what these guys have accomplished all season. I'm just proud to be a part of this great group," added Brady, who said he expects to play another few seasons despite turning 40 later this year. "You know, we all brought each other back, we never felt out of it. It was a tough battle. They have a great team. I give them a lot of credit. We just made a few more plays than them."
Tom Brady is now 5-2 in his seven Super Bowl appearances. The two defeats to the New York Giants are the only blemishes in his otherwise flawless Super Bowl career. According to Las Vegas odds makers, the Patriots are already the odds-on favourites to repeat as champions during next year's Super Bowl 52.
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