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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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GLENDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 01: Malcolm Butler #21 of the New England Patriots intercepts a pass by Russell Wilson #3 of the Seattle Seahawks intended for Ricardo Lockette #83 late in the fourth quarter during Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium on February 1, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 01: Malcolm Butler #21 of the New England Patriots intercepts a pass by Russell Wilson #3 of the Seattle Seahawks intended for Ricardo Lockette #83 late in the fourth quarter during Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium on February 1, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

2. Super Bowl XLIX vs Seattle Seahawks

This game had it all.

Two No. 1 seeds in their respective conferences meeting with a championship on the line. The prospect of the NFL’s last dynasty (New England) giving way to its newest (Seattle) with a Seahawks win. Pete Carroll, ex-coach of the Patriots, against his old pal Bill Belichick, current coach of the Patriots. The league’s most efficient offense against arguably the greatest defense statistically in NFL history.

Unfortunately, this Super Bowl is remembered primarily for two reasons; both of which are valid, but neither one of which tell the full story of just how exciting and compelling the action was that day in Phoenix, Arizona.

The first thing people remember about this Super Bowl is Malcolm Butler’s game-winning interception of Russell Wilson in the end zone after a perfectly-executed pick play. The second thing people remember is directly related to the first: namely, why in the world did Carroll call for a pass play from the 1-yard line when he had Marshawn Lynch as a runner in the backfield?

Football fans, analysts, and “experts” will no doubt debate and scrutinize Carroll’s decision for the rest of human history on this earth – or at least as long as football is still an organized sport, and still popular. Four years later, there are still conflicting opinions on whether or not the ball should have just been handed off to Lynch.

What’s not up for debate, though, is how this Super Bowl ending may have been the most dramatic in all of NFL history. Furthermore, it’s worth mentioning that everything leading up to that final drive and final play was pretty darn sensational as well. Whether it was Jermaine Kearse making a miraculous circus catch on the sideline, Rob Gronkowski beating Kam Chancellor to the end zone, Dont’a Hightower’s shoestring tackle on Lynch, or any one of a number of other memorable plays, this game gave even the most apathetic observer something to cheer about for 60 minutes.

If it weren’t for the Super Bowl that followed two years later, Super Bowl 49 surely would have reigned supreme atop this list.

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