NFL+ Sport Replays: Prime six historic playoff video games with rematches on 2026 schedule

Everyone remembers this Super Bowl for its surprising conclusion, however it was the epitome of championship soccer from begin to end. New England and Seattle had been the highest seeds from their respective conferences. Led by the Legion of Boom, the Seahawks had been the reigning Super Bowl champions, and whereas Tom Brady and Co. had been red-hot getting into then-University of Phoenix Stadium, New England’s dynasty had been stymied for a full decade. Both sides traded blows all through, with working again Marshawn Lynch and the ‘Hawks protection battering the Pats and Brady going full G.O.A.T. mode with 50 move makes an attempt, together with 4 touchdowns.

And the fourth quarter was cinema. The Seahawks led by 10 getting into the ultimate body earlier than Brady orchestrated two heroic drives, with landing tosses to Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman, to take a 28-24 lead. Then got here arguably probably the most memorable drive in Super Bowl historical past. Russell Wilson discovered Marshawn Lynch for a 31-yard catch-and-run down the sideline to cross midfield on the two-minute warning, then accomplished a miraculous, back-breaking, bouncing-ball deep shot to Jermaine Kearse that Cris Collinsworth labeled “unbelievable,” Al Michaels described as “crazy” and each in comparison with the “Helmet Catch” from seven years earlier. Collinsworth noticed with grave finality, “Now you have to stop Marshawn Lynch.” Instead, from the 1-yard line, Pete Carroll made probably the most notorious play name in NFL historical past and the ensuing move was intercepted by undrafted rookie nook Malcolm Butler. In a single play, Seattle’s back-to-back bid was denied and New England kicked off the second half of their dynasty.