The New England Patriots, the most successful franchise (along with the Pittsburgh Steelers), qualified for the SuperBowl for the first time since 2019 after their victory against Denver (10-7) on Sunday. They will find Seattle, which they beat in 2015.
New England returns to the Superbowl seven years after its last participation, thanks to its victory on Sunday against Denver (10-7), and will find Seattle, which the Patriots beat in 2015 in the NFL final. The Patriots have not tasted the Superbowl since the departure in 2019 of their former star Tom Brady, considered the greatest quarterback in history. New England won six SuperBowls with Tom Brady between 2001 and 2018, and none since.
The SuperBowl scheduled for February 8
New England has had a difficult rebuilding period, failing three seasons in a row to make the play-offs. But under the leadership of their new coach, Mike Vrabel, the Patriots’ rebirth is sparkling this season. “He has a great sense of need,” player Garrett Bradbury said recently of his coach, appointed at the start of the season. “He has played, obviously, and at a high level, so he understands the players’ point of view. But he is not just a ‘player-friendly coach’, because there has never been any doubt about who is in charge. I think his attitude throughout the year has prepared us all for this crucial moment, because we see his vision and his conviction, and we know he has our back.”
Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls with this franchise as a player, provided the keys to a rather unexpected resurgence after these struggling years. “Sometimes you have to believe in things before you can see them,” he said. “We have a great group of guys, who have always believed in what we do. They have forged an identity and strive to preserve it. Today is an example of that: in the face of changing circumstances [notamment avec la météo]we knew how to adapt. We did what was necessary to achieve victory in difficult conditions.”
Thanks to their victory against Denver, after a tough match in the snow, they will aim for a seventh title on February 8 in Santa Clara, California, against Seattle. Which would make it the most successful franchise in the league (it currently shares the title record with the Pittsburgh Steelers).
The Seahawks won against the Los Angeles Rams (31-27) to win their right to a revenge against New England. The Patriots, with Tom Brady at the time, had indeed beaten them in the Superbowl in 2015 28 to 24.
