Julian Edelman's clutch, jaw-dropping catch was the real MVP of Super Bowl LI
Tom Brady was named Super Bowl MVP on Sunday night after racking up 466 passing yards while leading the New England Patriots to a historic comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons.
But let's take a moment to recognize the game's real MVP, a jaw-dropping catch by Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, one that blew up the internet and instantly goes down among the greatest in NFL history.
New England had the ball while down eight points in the fourth quarter — having already clawed back from deficits of 21-0 and 28-3 — when Brady made what can only be described as a bad throw. He tossed a weak ball into double coverage, committing a mistake that easily could have resulted in an Atlanta interception.
But then Edelman made a legendary play. As three Falcons defenders rushed in around him, the Pats receiver tracked the ball of a ricochet, then dove and snagged it between a defender's legs to keep the play alive before finally gripping the ball tight and securing possession just a hair's width above the turf.
Here's a close-up look at the decisive moment.
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And here's a longer look at the whole sequence.
New England went on to tie the game on the drive and force overtime. The Patriots then won the Super Bowl in overtime by a final score of 34-28.
Fans were quick to point out the similarity between Edelman's miracle grab Sunday and New York Giants receiver David Tyree's infamous "helmet catch" in the 2008 Super Bowl. Remember this?
Edelman's NFL peers did not hold back their approval after his miraculous grab against the Falcons on Sunday night.
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These excellent Associated Press photos show just how hairy the moment got.
So enjoy that MVP trophy, Tom. Just don't forget the Julian Edelman catch that saved the day.
Topics Super Bowl
Sam Laird is Mashable's Senior Sports Reporter. He covers the wide, weird world of sports from all angles -- as well as occasional other topics -- from Mashable's San Francisco bureau. Before joining Mashable in November 2011, his freelance work appeared in publications including the New York Times, New York Times Magazine, Slam, and East Bay Express. Sam is a graduate of UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz, and basketball and burritos take up most of his spare time. Follow him on Twitter @samcmlaird.
