Tom Brady accepts MVP award

PHOENIX, Ariz. (MyFoxBoston{dot}com/AP) Tom Brady won his record-tying third Super Bowl MVP award and fourth Lombardi Trophy, leading the New England Patriots to a 28-24 comeback victory over the defending champion Seattle Seahawks.

Brady accepted the award Monday morning during a early morning press conference. 

A very humble quarterback was quick to tell reporters that he "made a few stupid throws to put our team in a hole" in the games 4th quarter.

"The guys never gave up. They fought to the end," Brady said. Brady talked about the highs and the lows of the season, saying the team found its focus after a 41-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He said after that the team focused on process. "The team had a lot of belief in each other," Brady said. "And here we are."  

"I am still kind of in the midst of my career," Brady, 37, said before being presented with his MVP trophy which ties him with his boyhood idol, Joe Montana. "I just love the game. I love playing. I love representing our team."  

Super Bowl XLIX was one for the ages. The Patriots trailed 24-14 in the fourth quarter before Brady connected with Danny Amendola for a 4-yard TD pass with about 8 minutes left, giving Brady 12 touchdown passes in Super Bowls, breaking Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Montana's mark. 

Brady completed 37 of 50 passes for 328 yards, with four touchdowns -- each to a different receiver. 

Then, with 2:02 to go, Brady hit Julian Edelman from 3 yards for the lead. Brady turned to New England's sideline, pointed, then raised his right fist. "Playing against the other best team, obviously, one play here, one play there, all things change, and we've been on the other end of that, too. So I'm just proud that we really got a chance to finish it out," Brady said.

His coach, Bill Belichick, recognizes the value of a likely first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback running his offense. When the Patriots were being dominated by the Seahawks in the third quarter Sunday, Belichick understood that if they could keep it close, they had the closer.

"He's a great player," Belichick said. "It's been a great privilege to coach Tom for the last 15 years, 14 years as starting quarterback. We have a great relationship. We meet on a regular basis weekly several times.

"I can't think of a more deserving player than Tom to be the recipient of the accolades that he has this week, and particularly last night and today here. He's our leader. He competes as well as any player I've ever coached. He's well-prepared. He has great poise and great presence. He may not always be perfect, as it is for any of us. We all have our moments, but Tom, like many other players on our team, is the guy that fights to the end and competes until the end.

"There's no player I respect more for that than Tom. That's been a great pillar of strength for our football team for the past decade and a half."

And, according to Brady, for a while into the future.

Cox Media Group