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Ranking the Patriots’ Super Bowl wins by excitement level

By Patrick Morgan

ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 03: New England Patriots players give head coach Bill Belichick a Gatorade shower after winning the Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 3, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. The New England Patriots defeat the Los Angeles Rams 13-3. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 03: New England Patriots players give head coach Bill Belichick a Gatorade shower after winning the Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 3, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. The New England Patriots defeat the Los Angeles Rams 13-3. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 06: Wide receiver Terrell Owens #81 of the Philadelphia Eagles catches a 10-yard pass against Asante Samuel #22 of the New England Patriots during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XXXIX at Alltel Stadium on February 6, 2005 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 06: Wide receiver Terrell Owens #81 of the Philadelphia Eagles catches a 10-yard pass against Asante Samuel #22 of the New England Patriots during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XXXIX at Alltel Stadium on February 6, 2005 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /

5. Super Bowl XXXIX vs Philadelphia Eagles

The Patriots and the Eagles have now tussled twice on the game’s greatest stage, with each team winning once. Philadelphia’s victory in Super Bowl LII was everything Super Bowl LIII was not – exciting, nail-bitingly close, thrilling to the finish… and ultimately heart-breaking for Beantown’s faithful.

13 years earlier, however, it was the City of Brotherly Love that was left with broken hearts and tearful eyes. Head coach Andy Reid, quarterback Donovan McNabb, and star wide receiver Terrell Owens had blazed a path through the rugged NFC all the way to Super Bowl 39 in Jacksonville, Florida, where they found Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, and Deion Branch waiting for them.

New England won a Super Bowl by three points for the third time in four years, establishing the framework for their current dynasty that continues on today. At the time, it was the first real NFL dynasty since the Cowboys of the 90s, the 49ers of the 80s, or the Steelers of the 70s. No one could have predicted then that Brady and Belichick would carry on their success for another 14 years after, reigning over the league as the NFL’s dominant power and gold standard.

Despite all the historical ramifications of the Patriots’ win over the Eagles, the game itself was not nearly as entertaining as the rematch in 2018.

Andy Reid’s curious clock management towards the end of the game stole most of the headlines, with the Eagles wasting valuable time huddling and moving without any real sense of urgency – despite it still being a one-score game. Thus was born Reid’s poor time management narrative, a knock that has followed him to Kansas City and throughout his professional coaching career.

Super Bowl XXXIX is also famous for McNabb throwing up on the sidelines, and for the reported beef between him and Owens that may or may not have boiled over and impacted the end result of the game. Neither player’s tenure in Philly lasted much longer.

All in all, it wasn’t a bad Super Bowl from an entertainment or excitement standpoint, but it still doesn’t favorably compare with the games ranked above it on this list.

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