Tom Brady won seven Super Bowls during his legendary career, including six with the New England Patriots. Ask most fans to guess which one means the most to him, and many would probably point to the historic 28-3 comeback over the Atlanta Falcons.
Instead, Brady picked another unforgettable championship.
Appearing on the latest episode of the “New Heights” podcast with Jason and Travis Kelce, the Patriots icon reflected on each of his Super Bowl victories before revealing that New England’s dramatic win over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX stands above the rest.
His answer wasn’t just about Malcolm Butler’s iconic interception. It was about everything the Patriots endured to get back to the top.
Brady admitted winning felt “normal” early in his career
When Jason Kelce asked Brady whether he had a favorite Super Bowl victory, the seven-time champion initially resisted choosing just one.
“I don’t wanna sound arrogant cause that’s not (it). I would say, they’re all different first of all, and they’re all different meaningful because they tell a different story.”
Brady then explained how different his perspective was during the first few years of his NFL career.
“I won three really early. And it was kinda like, ‘what’s so hard about the NFL?’”
@heightts.fan.new Brady’s Favorite Super Bowl_ The Comeback That Changed EVERYTHING!#nfl #newheights #jasonkelce #traviskelce #tombrady #chiefs #eagles #patriots #superbowl
As both Kelce brothers burst into laughter, Brady continued.
“No idea. I mean, it was like, I went to Michigan, we were good at Michigan. And I won two bowl games and then I got to the pros. My first year we won the Super Bowl. And then, you know, my next year we didn’t and then we won two back-to-back. So I was kinda like, ‘This is what you’re supposed to do. You’re supposed to start the season, work hard, you know, and then win. Okay, big deal.’”
Then reality hit.
The Patriots’ perfect 2007 season ended one win short against the New York Giants. Four years later, they lost to the Giants again in Super Bowl XLVI. After reaching the mountaintop so quickly, Brady suddenly found himself waiting a decade between championships.
Why the Seahawks Super Bowl became Brady’s favorite
That long wait is exactly why Super Bowl XLIX carries so much meaning.
Brady recalled facing Seattle’s famed “Legion of Boom” defense after 10 seasons without another championship.
“But then we lost in ’07 to the Giants, then we lost in 2011 to the Giants and then we played Seattle in the 2014, so we’d gone 10 years… And then I was like, ‘Man.’”
The Patriots trailed by 10 points before mounting one of the greatest fourth-quarter comebacks in Super Bowl history. Brady praised the defense just as much as his own offense, singling out two plays that changed everything.
First came linebacker Dont’a Hightower’s remarkable tackle of Marshawn Lynch near the goal line.
“Dante Hightower made one of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history, tackling Marshawn, getting blocked, had like one shoulder out, somehow got Marshawn on the ground. Which, like 10 guys can’t get Marshawn on the ground. Dante did it with like one shoulder.”
Then came Butler’s unforgettable interception, one of the defining moments in franchise history.
Brady admitted he has always felt Butler’s play deserved more recognition than Seattle’s decision not to hand the ball to Lynch.
“Malcom makes one of the greatest defensive plays in the history of football. And everyone after the game talked about not handing the ball to Marshawn. I was like, ‘How about that play by Malcolm Butler?’ … as a rookie.”
More than a decade later, Brady still doesn’t define Super Bowl XLIX by the Seahawks’ controversial play call. He remembers the resilience it took for the Patriots to end a 10-year championship drought, Hightower’s game-saving tackle and Butler’s legendary interception.
For the quarterback who won more Super Bowls than anyone in NFL history, that’s the championship that reminded him just how difficult they really are to earn.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Tom Brady Reveals Which Patriots Super Bowl Means the Most to Him appeared first on HEAVY.