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5 Most Important Players in New England Patriots’ Super Bowl XLIX Victory

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By @Brandon__Raper

5 Most Important Players In Patriots' Super Bowl XLIX Win

New England Patriots Super Bowl XLIX
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What a game. Hopefully you've caught your breath after the New England Patriots triumphed over the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 in Super Bowl XLIX.

As they say, football is the ultimate team game, and never had that been on display more than in this championship tilt. The Patriots got contributions all over the field, and these five players led the charge. Let's take a look.

5. Rob Gronkowski

Rob Gronkowski Super Bowl XLIX
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5. Rob Gronkowski

Rob Gronkowski Super Bowl XLIX

Gronk was handled better in this game than he is in most, but he still found a way to go off for 68 yards and a first-half touchdown. Even when he wasn't getting every look from Tom Brady, he took a great deal of the Seattle defense's focus, drawing Kam Chancellor out of the middle of the field and opening up other opportunities. Gronk still smashed.

4. Shane Vereen

Shane Vereen Super Bowl XLIX
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4. Shane Vereen

Shane Vereen Super Bowl XLIX

Being a running back for the New England Patriots can't be an easy job, as you never know who "the guy" is going to be in a given week. This time around, as the Patriots focused on the pass, that was Shane Vereen, who only rushed four times for 14 yards, but caught an amazing 11 passes for 64 yards. He was the safety valve when Brady needed it, and that kept the Patriots going in a tough second half.

3. Malcolm Butler

Malcolm Butler Super Bowl XLIX
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3. Malcolm Butler

Malcolm Butler Super Bowl XLIX

Malcolm Butler's biggest two plays in the Super Bowl were the last two that mattered. He was one of the defensive backs who was on the ground when Jermaine Kearse caught that ridiculous bouncer to get to the 5-yard line. Then, a few short moments later, he undercut a poorly-called Russell Wilson pass and made the interception that won the Lombardi Trophy. That was a play that will go down in history.

2. Julian Edelman

Julian Edelman Super Bowl XLIX
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2. Julian Edelman

Julian Edelman Super Bowl XLIX

Julian Edelman caught nine passes for 109 yards and a touchdown, but even more impressive is that he may have done much of that damage - including that game-winning score - halfway unconscious, taking a hellacious hit in the second half and just keeping on going. Edelman caught nearly everything that came his way, and found every hole the Seattle defense was giving him.

1. Tom Brady

Tom Brady Super Bowl XLIX MVP
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1. Tom Brady

Tom Brady Super Bowl XLIX MVP

Who else could be No. 1 on this list, but No. 12? He wasn't invincible, throwing two picks, but when you go 37-for-50 for 328 yards and four touchdowns. Brady looked to be reeling at times when the Patriots fell behind in the second half, but as he almost always has, he had ice water in his veins leading a fourth-quarter comeback that will go down in the ages. Brady was the best player on the field tonight, and he earned this.

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