NFL 100

2004

New England Patriots

"We already had success. We already had the blueprint." - Willie McGinest

by Tony Dungy Willie McGinest

The 2004 New England Patriots won the franchise’s second straight Super Bowl and third title in four years with a team that went 14-2 in the regular season and beat the Eagles, 24-21 in Super Bowl XXXIX. Coach Bill Belichick’s team, which averaged 27.3 points per game and allowed 16.3 in the regular season, held Peyton Manning's Colts to 3 points in an AFC Divisional win, then beat the Steelers, 41-27 in the AFC Championship. Leading the offense were QB Tom Brady, who threw for 3,692 yards and 28 TDs, and running back Corey Dillon, who rushed for 1,635 yards and 12 touchdowns. Defensively, Richard Seymour had an all-Pro season and linebacker Tedy Bruschi was named to the Pro Bowl. Troy Brown caught 17 passes, but also returned punts and tied for 2nd on the Patriots with three interceptions. Wide receiver Deion Branch was named Super Bowl MVP after catching 11 passes for 133 yards.

by Mina Kimes

"The entire team was so perfect and had such a strong identity." - Mina Kimes

reporter Seahawks

by Peter King

"I'm not entirely sure they had any weakness. Most teams have one or two strengths." - Tony Romo

reporter Patriots

by Matt Walsh Men in Blazers

"The '85 Bears were a breath of fresh air to Chicago." - Kevin Cronin

actor celebrity Bears

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Tony

Dungy

Tony Dungy, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, won over two-thirds of his regular season games as the head coach of Tampa Bay and Indianapolis from 1996 through 2008. In February 2007, Dungy – whose teams won 10 or more games in 10 of his 13 seasons – became the first African-American coach to win a Super Bowl after his Colts defeated the Bears in Super Bowl XLI. A former NFL defensive back and defensive assistant with the Steelers, Chiefs, and Vikings, Dungy has been an analyst for NBC’s “Football Night in America” since 2009.

Profession:

reporter

Preferred Team:

Indianapolis Colts

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

New England Patriots

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