Super Bowl XXXVI - "A Dynasty Born"
Super Bowl XXXVI - "A Dynasty Born"
2001 - Rams vs. Patriots

Super Bowl XXXVI - "A Dynasty Born"

"I definitely did not know that I was watching the GOAT." - Nelly
Nelly
Willie McGinest
by Nelly Willie McGinest

Heading into their NFL title game against the Rams at the Louisiana Superdome on February 3, 2002, the Patriots had never won a Super Bowl. Their 49-year-old coach, Bill Belichick, had overseen five losing teams in seven seasons with the Browns and Patriots, while their 24-year-old quarterback, Tom Brady, was in his first season as a starter. In Super Bowl XXXVI, The Patriots were 14-point underdogs against offensive juggernaut St. Louis, who at 14-2 had the NFL’s best record and Kurt Warner, the league MVP. But after a 47-yard interception return by Ty Law for a touchdown, a Brady TD pass, and an Adam Vinatieri field goal, the Patriots led 17-3 after three quarters. The Rams’ offense wouldn’t stay quiet for long. Warner ran for a touchdown with 9:31 left, then threw a TD pass to Ricky Proehl with under two minutes to go, tying the game at 17. Then came Brady’s big moment: from his own 17 yard line, he completed five passes on an 9-play, 53-yard drive that culminated in a 48-yard field goal by Vinatieri to win it on the final play of the game. The 20-17 upset win was the first of six Super Bowl victories for Brady’s Patriots over the next 18 seasons.

Most Popular

Browse All Moments
Nelly
Nelly
Nelly is a Grammy Award-winning rapper who grew up in the St. Louis area. A member of the hip-hop group, The St. Lunatics, Nelly released his first solo album, Country Grammar, in 2000 –and it has sold many millions of copies. That year was also special to Nelly because, as a big football fan, he witnessed his hometown Rams win the Super Bowl. In the music video for the single, Country Grammar, Nelly – who played wide receiver, cornerback, and punt and kick returner in high school – wears a jersey belonging to former Ram Orlando Pace. When the Rams still played in St. Louis, Nelly attended games whenever he was in town. “It’s gonna hurt if they move to L.A,” he said then. In 2005, Nelly starred in – and performed songs for – the football movie, “The Longest Yard.”
Profession:
musician
Place of Birth:
Austin, TX
Preferred Team:
Los Angeles Rams
Willie McGinest
Willie
McGinest
Willie McGinest is a two-time former Pro Bowl defensive end and linebacker who played for the Patriots for 12 seasons, helping them win three Super Bowls. He holds an NFL record for most sacks in a playoff game, with 4.5 against Jacksonville in 2006. McGinest’s 78 sacks as a Patriot rank second all-time for New England, and he is a member of the Patriots’ Hall of Fame. Drafted fourth overall by New England in 1994, McGinest finished his career with the Browns, for whom he played from 2006 to 2008. A Long Beach native, McGinest is currently a philanthropist, an entrepreneur, and an analyst with the NFL Network.
Profession:
reporter
Place of Birth:
Long Beach, CA
Preferred Team:
New England Patriots