Patriots Set NFL Record With Ninth Super Bowl Berth
By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- From the time of the AFL-NFL merger to the turn of the new century, the Patriots franchise had made it to the Super Bowl just twice in 33 years. But the hiring of Bill Belichick and the drafting of Tom Brady has brought about a long run of sustained success, one that led to history being made on Sunday.
By beating the Steelers in the AFC Championship Game, the Patriots earned a berth in their ninth Super Bowl overall. That is an NFL record -- more than the Dallas Cowboys, more than the Pittsburgh Steelers, more than the Denver Broncos, more than the San Francisco 49ers, more than the Green Bay Packers. More than everybody.
ALL-TIME SUPER BOWL BERTHS (information courtesy of Patriots):
New England, 9
Dallas, 8
Pittsburgh, 8
Denver, 8
San Francisco, 6
Green Bay, 5
New York Giants, 5
Washington, 5
Oakland, 5
Miami, 5
For Brady and Belichick as a tandem, this will be their seventh Super Bowl. Brady will set the record for most Super Bowls played in by any player, breaking a tie with former Buffalo and Denver defensive lineman Mike Lodish. Belichick will break a tie with Don Shula for most Super Bowls for a head coach, and he will be coaching in his 10th Super Bowl overall (seven as head coach, three as assistant coach). That, too, is a record.
Brady and Belichick's seventh Super Bowl appearance adds to their record as QB-coach tandem. Chuck Noll and Bradshaw, Jim Kelly and Marv Levy, and Tom Landry and Roger Staubach are all tied for second with four.
Brady is currently tied with Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw for most Super Bowl victories by a quarterback with four, and he can tie Charles Haley for most Super Bowl wins by any player. Haley won two Super Bowls with the 49ers and three with the Cowboys.
Brady, Belichick and the Patriots will take on the Atlanta Falcons on Feb. 5 in Houston.