153-823: Super Bowl XXXIX was an American football game played between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Philadelphia Eagles to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2004 season . The Patriots defeated the Eagles by the score of 24–21. The game was played on February 6, 2005, at Alltel Stadium (now EverBank Stadium) in Jacksonville, Florida , currently
306-422: A gridiron in appearance. Other major rule changes included a reduction of the field size to 110 by 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (100.6 m × 48.8 m) and the adoption of a scoring system that awarded four points for a touchdown, two for a safety and a goal following a touchdown , and five for a goal from the field . Additionally, tackling below the waist was legalized, and a static line of scrimmage
459-403: A halftime period, and the first and third quarters are followed by a short break. Before the game starts, the referee and each team's captain meet at midfield for a coin toss . The visiting team can call either "heads" or "tails"; the winner of the toss chooses whether to receive or kick off the ball or which goal they wish to defend. They can defer their choice until the second half. Unless
612-401: A 10-yard-long chain between them, are used to measure for a first down. The chain crew stays on the sidelines during the game, but if requested by the officials they will briefly bring the chains on to the field to measure. A typical chain crew will have at least three people—two members of the chain crew will hold either of the two sticks, while a third will hold the down marker. The down marker,
765-610: A 13–3 regular season record. Thirteen years later, the two teams would meet again in Super Bowl LII with the Eagles defeating the favored Patriots. The game was close throughout, with the teams battling to a 14–14 tie by the end of the third quarter. The Patriots then scored 10 points in the 4th quarter with Corey Dillon 's 2-yard touchdown run and Adam Vinatieri 's 22-yard field goal. The Eagles then cut their deficit to 24–21, with quarterback Donovan McNabb 's 30-yard touchdown pass to receiver Greg Lewis , with 1:48 remaining in
918-525: A PAT attempt or successful field goal, the scoring team must kick the ball off to the other team. A safety is scored when the ball carrier is tackled in the carrier's own end zone. Safeties are worth two points, which are awarded to the defense. In addition, the team that conceded the safety must kick the ball to the scoring team via a free kick . Football games are played on a rectangular field that measures 120 yards (110 m) long and 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (48.8 m) wide. Lines marked along
1071-528: A common draft that would take place each year, and it instituted an annual World Championship game to be played between the champions of each league. This championship game began play at the end of the 1966 season. Once the merger was completed, it was no longer a championship game between two leagues and reverted to the NFL championship game, which came to be known as the Super Bowl . College football maintained
1224-598: A feat the Professional Football Researchers Association compared to "selling refrigerators to Eskimos ". Princeton, Harvard, Yale, and Columbia then agreed to intercollegiate play using a form of rugby union rules with a modified scoring system. These schools formed the Intercollegiate Football Association , although Yale did not join until 1879. Yale player Walter Camp , now regarded as
1377-453: A field goal instead. A group of officials, the chain crew, keeps track of both the downs and the distance measurements. On television, a yellow line is electronically superimposed on the field to show the first down line to the viewing audience. There are two categories of kicks in football: scrimmage kicks, which can be executed by the offensive team on any down from behind or on the line of scrimmage, and free kicks. The free kicks are
1530-541: A field goal. The Eagles responded with a 36-yard completion from McNabb to Owens to reach the New England 36-yard line, but on the next play, McNabb fired a pass over the head of running back Dorsey Levens , where Bruschi was waiting to intercept it at his 24-yard line. At this point, there was only 7:20 to play in the game, with the Patriots still up by 10 points. Philadelphia did force New England to punt, and got
1683-428: A game between Yale and Princeton, both teams used this strategy to maintain their undefeated records. Each team held the ball, gaining no ground, for an entire half, resulting in a 0–0 tie. This "block game" proved extremely unpopular with both teams' spectators and fans. A rule change was necessary to prevent this strategy from taking hold, and a reversion to the scrum was considered. However, Camp successfully proposed
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#17327800774381836-598: A game for the Allegheny Athletic Association against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club . This is the first recorded instance of a player being paid to participate in a game of American football , although many athletic clubs in the 1880s offered indirect benefits, such as helping players attain employment, giving out trophies or watches that players could pawn for money, or paying double in expense money. Despite these extra benefits,
1989-656: A half sacks, one interception), and Mike Vrabel (71 tackles and five and a half sacks), along with Ted Johnson . Vrabel also frequently played at the tight end position during offensive plays near the opponent's goal line, recording two touchdown receptions. The Eagles earned the NFC Super Bowl berth after three consecutive defeats in the NFC Championship Game. The Eagles hired Andy Reid as their head coach in 1999 following two straight losing seasons. That same year, they used their first-round pick in
2142-623: A junior in 1994, he averaged 3.6 catches, good for sixth in the Southern Conference . In 1995, his senior season, Patten recorded 59 catches for 881 yards and was named to the All-Southern Conference team. Patten went undrafted in the 1996 NFL draft but began his professional football career by playing for the Arena Football League 's Albany Firebirds in the summer of 1996. He signed late in
2295-533: A large stick with a dial on it, is flipped after each play to indicate the current down and is typically moved to the approximate spot of the ball. The chain crew system has been used for over 100 years and is considered an accurate measure of distance, rarely subject to criticism from either side. Football is a full-contact sport, and injuries are relatively common. Most injuries occur during training sessions, particularly ones that involve contact between players. To try to prevent injuries, players are required to wear
2448-564: A league-suggested numbering scheme. Although the sport is played almost exclusively by men, women are eligible to play in high school, college, and professional football. No woman has ever played in the NFL, but women have played in high school and college football games. In 2018, 1,100 of the 225,000 players in Pop Warner Little Scholars youth football were girls, and around 11% of the 5.5 million Americans who report playing tackle football are female according to
2601-408: A long circumference of 28 to 28 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (71 to 72 cm), and a short circumference of 21 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (53 to 54 cm). In college and high school play the ball has a long axis of 10 + 7 ⁄ 8 to 11 + 7 ⁄ 16 inches (27.6 to 29.1 cm), a long circumference of 27 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 28 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (70 to 72 cm), and
2754-420: A minimum of 10 feet (3.0 m) on high school fields. Goal posts are padded at the base, and orange ribbons are normally placed at the tip of each upright as indicators of wind strength and direction. The football itself is a prolate spheroid leather ball, similar to the balls used in rugby or Australian rules football . To contain the compressed air within it, a pig's bladder was commonly used before
2907-704: A national champion of college football. The first was the Bowl Coalition , in place from 1992 to 1994. This was replaced in 1995 by the Bowl Alliance , which gave way to the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in 1997. The BCS arrangement proved to be controversial , and was replaced in 2014 by the College Football Playoff (CFP). A football game is played between two teams of 11 players each. Playing with more on
3060-428: A pass hits the ground without a player having caught it. A forward pass can be legally attempted only if the passer is behind the line of scrimmage; only one forward pass can be attempted per down. As in rugby, players can also pass the ball backwards at any point during a play. In the NFL, a down also ends immediately if the runner's helmet comes off. The offense is given a series of four plays, known as downs . If
3213-460: A pass that deflected off of the outstretched fingertips of Smith and into the arms of Harrison for an interception with nine seconds left. Brady took a knee to run out the clock, clinching the third Super Bowl title in four years for the Patriots, and in the eyes of many establishing themselves as a dynasty. at Alltel Stadium , Jacksonville, Florida McNabb completed 30 out of 51 passes for 357 yards and 3 touchdowns, but threw 3 interceptions and
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#17327800774383366-472: A pregame analyst). This was the last game that Collinsworth broadcast as a member of Fox, as he chose to return to NBC in the following off-season. Pam Oliver ( Patriots sideline ) and Chris Myers ( Eagles sideline ) served as sideline reporters. James Brown hosted all the events with help from his fellow Fox NFL Sunday cast members Terry Bradshaw , Howie Long , and Jimmy Johnson . Jillian Barberie served as weather and entertainment reporter. This
3519-427: A quarter ends, play continues until the down is completed. If certain fouls are committed during play while time has expired, the quarter may be extended through an untimed down . Games last longer than their defined length due to play stoppages—the average NFL game lasts slightly over three hours. Time in a football game is measured by the game clock. An operator is responsible for starting, stopping and operating
3672-414: A round ball that could not be picked up or carried. It could, however, be kicked or batted with the feet, hands, head, or sides, with the objective being to advance it into the opponent's goal. Rutgers won the game 6–4. Collegiate play continued for several years with games played using the rules of the host school. Representatives of Yale, Columbia , Princeton and Rutgers met on October 19, 1873, to create
3825-422: A rule in 1882 that limited each team to three downs , or tackles, to advance the ball 5 yards (4.6 m). Failure to advance the ball the required distance within those three downs would result in control of the ball being forfeited to the other team. This change effectively made American football a separate sport from rugby, and the resulting five-yard lines added to the field to measure distances made it resemble
3978-697: A sack and a forced fumble against the Vikings, followed by an interception and a forced fumble against the Falcons in the NFC Championship Game . Meanwhile, the Patriots defeated the Indianapolis Colts , 20–3, holding the league's highest scoring team with 522 total points to just one field goal. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning was limited to 238 passing yards with an interception and no touchdowns. The Patriots also held possession of
4131-436: A secondary signal. Women can serve as officials; Sarah Thomas became the NFL's first female official in 2015. The seven officials (of a standard seven-man crew; lower levels of play up to the college level use fewer officials) on the field are each tasked with a different set of responsibilities: Another set of officials, the chain crew , are responsible for moving the chains. The chains, consisting of two large sticks with
4284-565: A set of equipment. At a minimum players must wear a football helmet and a set of shoulder pads , but individual leagues may require additional padding such as thigh pads and guards, knee pads, chest protectors, and mouthguards . Most injuries occur in the lower extremities, particularly in the knee, but a significant number also affect the upper extremities. The most common types of injuries are strains , sprains , bruises , fractures , dislocations , and concussions . David Patten David Patten (August 19, 1974 – September 2, 2021)
4437-410: A short circumference of 20 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (53 to 54 cm). Football games last for a total of 60 minutes in professional and college play and are divided into two halves of 30 minutes and four quarters of 15 minutes. High school football games are 48 minutes in length with two halves of 24 minutes and four quarters of 12 minutes. The two halves are separated by
4590-443: A spectacular 19-yard catch, taking the ball out of the hands of cornerback Sheldon Brown . A roughing-the-passer penalty on defensive tackle Corey Simon on the same play set up kicker Adam Vinatieri 's 22-yard field goal with 8:43 left in the game to increase the Patriots' lead to 24–14. In all three Patriots' Super Bowl wins in the decade, they held a double digit lead in the fourth quarter, but all of their victories were decided by
4743-456: A standard set of rules for use by all schools. Teams were set at 20 players each, and fields of 400 by 250 feet (122 m × 76 m) were specified. Harvard abstained from the conference, as they favored a rugby-style game that allowed running with the ball. After playing McGill University using both American (known as "the Boston game ") for the first game and Canadian (rugby) rules for
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4896-449: A tradition of postseason bowl games . Each bowl game was associated with a particular conference and earning a spot in a bowl game was the reward for winning a conference. This arrangement was profitable, but it tended to prevent the two top-ranked teams from meeting in a true national championship game, as they would normally be committed to the bowl games of their respective conferences. Several systems have been used since 1992 to determine
5049-674: A win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX . Following the 2004 season, Patten signed a five-year, $ 13 million contract with the Washington Redskins . Patten started seven of the first nine games of the season with the Redskins before being placed on injured reserve on November 18. He finished the season with 22 receptions for 217 yards. In 2006 , Patten played in the first four games of
5202-429: Is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense , the team with possession of the oval-shaped football , attempts to advance down the field by running with the ball or throwing it , while the defense , the team without possession of the ball, aims to stop the offense's advance and to take control of the ball for themselves. The offense must advance
5355-425: Is called on the offense. There are two main ways the offense can advance the ball: running and passing . In a typical play, the center passes the ball backwards and between their legs to the quarterback in a process known as the snap . The quarterback then either hands the ball off to a running back, throws the ball, or runs with it. The play ends when the player with the ball is tackled or goes out-of-bounds or
5508-437: Is caught or recovered behind the line of scrimmage. If it is touched or recovered by the kicking team beyond this line, it becomes dead at the spot where it was touched. The kicking team is prohibited from interfering with the receiver's opportunity to catch the ball. The receiving team has the option of signaling for a fair catch , which prohibits the defense from blocking into or tackling the receiver. The play ends as soon as
5661-403: Is known as a two-point conversion . In general, the extra point is almost always successful, while the two-point conversion is a much riskier play with a higher probability of failure; accordingly, extra point attempts are far more common than two-point conversion attempts. A field goal (FG), worth three points, is scored when the ball is place kicked or drop kicked through the uprights and over
5814-407: Is responsible for all kicking plays. The special teams unit of the team in control of the ball tries to execute field goal (FG) attempts, punts , and kickoffs , while the opposing team's unit will aim to block or return them. Three positions are specific to the field goal and PAT (point-after-touchdown) unit: the placekicker (K or PK), holder (H), and long snapper (LS). The long snapper's job
5967-421: Is to block members of the defensive line from tackling the ball carrier on running plays or sacking the quarterback on passing plays. The leader of the offensive line is the center, who is responsible for snapping the ball to the quarterback, blocking, and for making sure that the other linemen do their jobs during the play. On either side of the center are the guards (G), while tackles (T) line up outside
6120-437: Is to snap the football to the holder, who will catch and position it for the placekicker. There is not usually a holder on kickoffs, because the ball is kicked off a tee; however, a holder may be used in certain situations, such as if wind is preventing the ball from remaining upright on the tee. The player on the receiving team who catches the ball is known as the kickoff returner (KR). The positions specific to punt plays are
6273-607: The 1958 NFL Championship game between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants , still referred to as the "Greatest Game Ever Played". The game, a 23–17 overtime victory by the Colts, was seen by millions of television viewers and had a major influence on the popularity of the sport. This, along with the innovations introduced by the new American Football League (AFL) in the early 1960s, helped football to become
Super Bowl XXXIX - Misplaced Pages Continue
6426-570: The Browns agreed to a contract a couple of weeks after the Super Bowl). Due to injuries at the tight end spot, the Eagles were forced to sign Jeff Thomason , a former tight end who was working construction at the time, to a one-game contract for the Super Bowl. Thomason saw time during several plays, although never had a ball thrown his way. This was his third Super Bowl, playing in two with
6579-561: The Green Bay Packers during Andy Reid's days as a Packer assistant. With this appearance the Patriots became the eighth team to play in five Super Bowls They joined the Dallas Cowboys , Denver Broncos , Pittsburgh Steelers , San Francisco 49ers , Miami Dolphins , Washington Redskins , and Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders . They would later be joined by the Green Bay Packers in 2011 the New York Giants in 2012 and
6732-632: The Kansas City Chiefs in 2023 The Eagles were trying to win their first NFL title since 1960 and the first championship for the city of Philadelphia since Moses Malone 's "fo', fi', fo'" during the 76ers run to the 1983 NBA Championship. With President George W. Bush being inaugurated for a second time in January, the Eagles were also trying to end a losing streak—teams in the city of Philadelphia had lost six straight championships during presidential inauguration years, beginning with
6885-523: The NFL draft (the second overall) to select quarterback Donovan McNabb . Prior to the 2004 season, the Eagles traded for wide receiver Terrell Owens to be the impact player to help get them to the Super Bowl. Owens joined the team after eight seasons with the San Francisco 49ers . Owens became the Eagles' deep-ball threat, finishing the season with 1,200 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. McNabb had
7038-626: The St. Louis Rams in February 2002, earning his first Super Bowl ring . In 2002 , Patten again started 14 of 16 games, setting a career-high with 61 receptions, 824 yards, and five touchdowns while leading Patriots receivers with 13.5 yards per catch. Patten started five of the team's first six games in 2003 before being placed on injured reserve on November 7. Patten returned to start 11 of 16 games in 2004 , recording 44 catches for 800 yards and seven touchdowns and earning his third Super Bowl ring in
7191-411: The kickoff , which starts the first and third quarters and overtime and follows a try attempt or a successful field goal; the safety kick follows a safety. On a kickoff, the ball is placed at the 35-yard line of the kicking team in professional and college play and at the 40-yard line in high school play. The ball may be drop kicked or place kicked. If a place kick is chosen, the ball can be placed on
7344-407: The punter (P), long snapper, upback , and gunner . The long snapper snaps the football directly to the punter, who then drops and kicks it before it hits the ground. Gunners line up split outside the line and race down the field, aiming to tackle the punt returner (PR)—the player who catches the punt. Upbacks line up a short distance behind the line of scrimmage, providing additional protection to
7497-473: The snap , the line of scrimmage , eleven-player teams, and the concept of downs. Later rule changes legalized the forward pass , created the neutral zone , and specified the size and shape of the football. The sport is closely related to Canadian football , which evolved in parallel with and at the same time as the American game, although its rules were developed independently from those of Camp. Most of
7650-471: The "Father of American Football", secured rule changes in 1880 that reduced the size of each team from 15 to 11 players and instituted the snap to replace the chaotic and inconsistent scrum . While the game between Rutgers and Princeton is commonly considered the first American football game, several years prior in 1862, the Oneida Football Club formed as the oldest known football club in
7803-497: The 14th and 15th players to score a touchdown in consecutive Super Bowls. Vrabel is the most surprising person on this list because he is a linebacker and he scored his on offense. They also became just the 7th and 8th players to catch a touchdown in back-to-back Super Bowls. American football American football , referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football ,
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#17327800774387956-510: The 76ers loss in 1977 . The streak included the Eagles in Super Bowl XV in 1981. 1989 was not included in that streak, but 1977, 1981, 1985 (Flyers), 1993 (Phillies), 1997 (Flyers), and 2001 (76ers) were. As the designated home team in the annual rotation between AFC and NFC teams, the Eagles elected to wear their home midnight green uniforms with white pants, while the Patriots wore their away white uniforms with navy pants. The game
8109-542: The AFL New York Jets signed rookie Joe Namath to a then-record $ 437,000 contract (equivalent to $ 4.23 million in 2023). A five-year, $ 40 million NBC television contract followed, which helped to sustain the young league. The bidding war for players ended in 1966 when NFL owners approached the AFL regarding a merger, and the two leagues agreed on one that took full effect in 1970. This agreement provided for
8262-542: The AFL's season and played in their final regular season game on August 2, 1996, in a 54–49 win over the Milwaukee Mustangs . Patten caught two passes for 37 yards in the game. After spending the rest of the 1996 season out of football, Patten was signed by the New York Giants on March 24, 1997. He was waived by the Giants on August 24, 1997, and re-signed to their practice squad the next day. Two days later,
8415-536: The Beautiful ," paying tribute to Ray Charles , who died in June 2004. The combined choirs of the U.S. Military Academy , the U.S. Naval Academy , the U.S. Air Force Academy , and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (including members of The Idlers ) sang the national anthem accompanied by the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets. This was the first time in more than 30 years that all four service academies sang together—the last time
8568-529: The December 26, 2004, tsunami in southeast Asia through the USA Freedom Corps , an action which former President Bush described as "transcending politics." On the first drive of the game, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb appeared to narrowly avoid a sack by Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi , but fumble the ball while running into linebacker Willie McGinest , with the Patriots recovering it at
8721-439: The Eagles drove 81 yards in nine plays and scored on McNabb's 6-yard touchdown pass to Smith, taking a 7–0 lead with 9:55 left in the half. It was the first time New England trailed during the entire postseason. On their ensuing drive, the Patriots moved the ball to the Eagles' 4-yard line, mainly on plays by running back Corey Dillon , who caught two screen passes for 29 yards and rushed for 25. But quarterback Tom Brady fumbled
8874-428: The Eagles for not immediately going to a no-huddle offense at the start of the possession. Anecdotal reports later came out alleging that McNabb was suffering from dry-heaves, and teammates Jon Ritchie and Lito Sheppard have gone on record years later that McNabb was suffering from dry-heaves or vomiting, though no video evidence exists and the stories have not been confirmed. Center Hank Fraley said in an interview
9027-582: The FCS and 85 scholarship players in the FBS, respectively. Individual players in a football game must be designated with a uniform number between 1 and 99, though some teams may "retire" certain numbers , making them unavailable to players. NFL teams are required to number their players by a league-approved numbering system, and any exceptions must be approved by the commissioner . NCAA and NFHS teams are "strongly advised" to number their offensive players according to
9180-418: The Giants signed Patten to their 53-man roster. He played in 16 games for the Giants in 1997 , catching 13 passes for 226 yards and returning eight kickoffs for 123 yards. In 1998, Patten played in 12 games for the Giants, returning 43 kickoffs for 928 yards and one touchdown, while also catching 11 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown. In 1999, his final season with the Giants, Patten played in 16 games, leading
9333-696: The NFL and competed for 12 seasons through 2008. He played college football for the Western Carolina Catamounts . Patten was also a member of the New York Giants , Washington Redskins , New Orleans Saints , Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots . He won three Super Bowls with the Patriots. Patten played football at Lower Richland High School in Hopkins, South Carolina , where he caught passes from future Major League Baseball player Pokey Reese . After graduating from high school, Patten attended Western Carolina University . As
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#17327800774389486-416: The New England 45-yard line. But three plays later, Harrison held up tight end L. J. Smith , enabling cornerback Randall Gay to punch the ball loose, with safety Eugene Wilson making the recovery at the 38. The Philadelphia defense once again forced New England to punt and got the ball back at their own 19-yard line. Aided by a pair of completions from McNabb to wide receiver Todd Pinkston for 57 yards,
9639-475: The Patriots in 2001 , setting a then-career-high with 51 catches for 749 yards. Against the Indianapolis Colts on October 21, 2001, Patten became the eighth player in NFL history (and just the second since the merger ) to run, catch, and throw for a touchdown in a 38–17 win; he was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance. He scored on a 29-yard end around on the Patriots' first offensive play. In
9792-407: The Patriots ranked 17th in passing yards allowed (3,400), However, they did rank seventh in interceptions (20) and 10th in fewest passing touchdowns allowed (18). Most importantly, New England continued to win despite the injuries. Converted wide receiver Troy Brown turned out to be very effective playing as a defensive back, ranking second on the team with three interceptions. Safety Rodney Harrison
9945-562: The Patriots' offensive backfield was running back Kevin Faulk , who rushed for 255 yards, had 248 receiving yards, and scored three total touchdowns. Fullback Patrick Pass also emerged as a big contributor, rushing for 141 yards and catching 28 passes for 215 yards. Pro Bowl quarterback Tom Brady remained at the helm of the Patriots offense, with 3,692 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. Although wide receiver Deion Branch , New England's major deep threat, missed most of
10098-700: The Patriots. On July 31, 2010, Patten announced his retirement. When asked why he was retiring he responded, "I just felt like it was time. It just hit me yesterday. Camp was going really well. I was still able to go out and be competitive and operate at a high level, but I believe once you get to the point in your career where it's multiple years—it would be my 13th year—and you're thinking about it mentally and you're not 100 percent into it mentally wise, it's tough to play this game. I always felt like when I got to that that point, it would be in my best interests to walk away." David Patten had returned to Western Carolina University to complete his degree in social work and, at
10251-495: The Philadelphia 34-yard line. Eagles coach Andy Reid 's instant replay challenge overruled the fumble; officials ruled that McNabb's knee hit the ground while he was being hit by Bruschi before he lost the ball. Later in the quarter after each team had punted twice, McNabb completed a 30-yard pass to wide receiver Terrell Owens , with an unnecessary roughness penalty against linebacker Rosevelt Colvin adding 9 yards, moving
10404-815: The Seattle Seahawks: Ross in 1985, Rice in 2004 and Branch in 2006. Branch's combined 21 catches in Super Bowls XXXVIII and XXXIX are the most in back-to-back Super Bowls. Branch also became the third offensive player ever to win Super Bowl MVP honors without scoring a touchdown or throwing a touchdown pass. The other two players were Joe Namath in Super Bowl III and Fred Biletnikoff in Super Bowl XI . Branch and Terrell Owens each had 100 yards receiving, marking
10557-456: The Sports and Fitness Industry Association. The role of the offensive unit is to advance the football down the field with the ultimate goal of scoring a touchdown . The offensive team must line up in a legal formation before they can snap the ball. An offensive formation is considered illegal if there are more than four players in the backfield or fewer than five players numbered 50–79 on
10710-586: The United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia. American football evolved from the sports of rugby and soccer . Rugby, like American football, is a sport in which two competing teams vie for control of a ball, which can be kicked through a set of goalposts or run into the opponent's goal area to score points. What is considered to be the first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 , between Rutgers and Princeton , two college teams. They consisted of 25 players per team and used
10863-455: The United States. The team consisted of graduates of Boston's elite preparatory schools and played from 1862 to 1865. The introduction of the snap resulted in an unexpected consequence. Before the snap, the strategy had been to punt if a scrum resulted in bad field position. However, a group of Princeton players realized that, as the snap was uncontested, they could now hold the ball indefinitely to prevent their opponent from scoring. In 1881, in
11016-554: The United States: official time was kept on a scoreboard clock rather than on a watch in the referee's pocket, as the NFL did; optional two-point conversions by pass or run after touchdowns; names on the jerseys of players; and several others, including expansion of the role of minority players, actively recruited by the league in contrast to the NFL. The AFL also signed several star college players who had also been drafted by NFL teams. Competition for players heated up in 1965, when
11169-460: The advent of artificial rubber inside the leather outer shell to sustain crushing forces . At all levels of play, the football is inflated to 12 + 1 ⁄ 2 to 13 + 1 ⁄ 2 psi (86 to 93 kPa), or just under one atmosphere, and weighs 14 to 15 ounces (400 to 430 g); beyond that, the exact dimensions vary slightly. In professional play the ball has a long axis of 11 to 11 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (28 to 29 cm),
11322-410: The ball at least ten yards in four downs or plays; if they fail, they turn over the football to the defense, but if they succeed, they are given a new set of four downs to continue the drive . Points are scored primarily by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone for a touchdown or kicking the ball through the opponent's goalposts for a field goal . The team with the most points at
11475-428: The ball back at their own 21-yard line, but with 5:40 left in the game. The Eagles then drove 79 yards in 13 plays, scoring on McNabb's 30-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Greg Lewis (the first touchdown catch of his career) and cutting their deficit to 24–21. However, the drive consumed 3:52 of the clock, and only 1:48 remained in the game by the time Lewis scored. Because of this, many sportswriters later criticized
11628-432: The ball back inside the 20 and giving the Eagles a first down. However, Philadelphia turned the ball over for real on the next play when McNabb threw an interception to safety Rodney Harrison . This was McNabb's first red zone interception of the season. The Eagles' defense then forced the Patriots to a three-and-out on their ensuing possession, and Philadelphia got great field position by receiving Josh Miller 's punt at
11781-413: The ball cleanly and sliding down to seal possession for New England. The Patriots then played it safe by running the ball three times and forcing the Eagles to use up their remaining timeouts. Miller then pinned the Eagles back at their own 4-yard line with just 46 seconds left in the game. Philadelphia then tried one last desperate drive to win or tie the game. But on first down from his own end zone, McNabb
11934-523: The ball for 37:43, including 21:26 in the second half, and recorded three long scoring drives that each took over seven minutes off the clock. One reason New England was able to hold the ball so long was because of Dillon's rushing. He finished the game with 23 carries for 144 yards and 5 receptions for 17 yards. The Patriots then defeated the first seeded Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game , 41–27. Although Pittsburgh finished
12087-424: The ball inside the New England 10-yard line. However, linebacker Mike Vrabel sacked McNabb for a 16-yard loss on the next play. On the following play, the Eagles once again appeared to turn the ball over; McNabb's pass was intercepted in the end zone by cornerback Asante Samuel , who returned it to his own 30-yard line, but the play was nullified by an illegal contact penalty against linebacker Roman Phifer , moving
12240-435: The ball is caught, and the ball may not be advanced. Officials are responsible for enforcing game rules and monitoring the clock. All officials carry a whistle and wear black-and-white striped shirts and black hats except for the referee, whose hat is white. Each carries a weighted yellow flag that is thrown to the ground to signal that a foul has been called. An official who spots multiple fouls will throw their hat as
12393-478: The ball off, throws it, or runs with it. The primary role of the halfback, also known as the running back or tailback, is to carry the ball on running plays. Halfbacks may also serve as receivers. Fullbacks tend to be larger than halfbacks and function primarily as blockers, but they are sometimes used as runners in short-yardage or goal-line situations. They are seldom used as receivers. The offensive line (OL) consists of several players whose primary function
12546-495: The ball on a fake hand-off play-action pass and Eagles defensive tackle Darwin Walker recovered it. However, Philadelphia could not take advantage of the turnover and had to punt after three plays. Dirk Johnson 's punt went just 29 yards, giving the Patriots the ball at the Philadelphia 37-yard line. The Patriots then drove 37 yards in seven plays to score on Brady's 4-yard pass to wide receiver David Givens with 1:10 remaining in
12699-453: The best season of his career in 2004, passing for 3,875 yards, 31 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, making him the first quarterback to ever throw for more than 30 touchdowns and fewer than 10 interceptions in a season. He also rushed for 220 yards and 3 touchdowns. Wide receiver Todd Pinkston was also a reliable target, recording 36 catches for 676 yards. Philadelphia's running game was not as strong as their passing attack, ranking 24th in
12852-410: The best season of his career, leading the NFL in field goals made (31), field goal percentage (93.9) and scoring (141 points) On defense, the Patriots were plagued by injuries, especially in their secondary. Cornerbacks Tyrone Poole and Ty Law suffered season ending injuries, while safety Eugene Wilson , who led the team with four interceptions, missed several games. With their patchwork secondary,
13005-413: The crossbars of the defense's goalposts. In practice, almost all field goal attempts are done via place kick. While drop kicks were common in the early days of the sport, the shape of modern footballs makes it difficult to reliably drop kick the ball. The last successful scoring play by drop kick in the NFL was accomplished in 2006; prior to that, the last successful drop kick had been made in 1941. After
13158-414: The day after the game that McNabb was "almost puking" due to two large hits from Bruschi and defensive end Jarvis Green on back-to-back plays. McNabb himself denies that he was vomiting or dry-heaving during the final drive, and Brian Westbrook later claimed that McNabb was merely "coughing." The Eagles failed to recover their ensuing onside kick attempt, with Patriots tight end Christian Fauria catching
13311-399: The defense is to prevent the offense from scoring by tackling the ball carrier or by forcing turnovers . Turnovers include interceptions (a defender catching a forward pass intended for the offense) and forced fumbles (taking possession of the ball from the ball-carrier). The defensive line (DL) consists of defensive ends (DE) and defensive tackles (DT). Defensive ends line up on
13464-430: The defensive backfield. They are divided into two types: middle linebackers (MLB) and outside linebackers (OLB). Linebackers tend to serve as the defensive leaders and call the defensive plays, given their vantage point of the offensive backfield. Their roles include defending the run, pressuring the quarterback, and tackling backs, wide receivers, and tight ends in the passing game. The defensive backfield , often called
13617-500: The defensive secondary were named to the Pro Bowl: Cornerback Lito Sheppard (one sack, five interceptions, and two touchdowns), safety Michael Lewis (88 tackles, one sack, and one interception) and safety Brian Dawkins (three sacks and 4 interceptions), while their fourth starter, cornerback Sheldon Brown , also enjoyed a solid year (89 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions). Their defensive line
13770-419: The end of the game wins. American football evolved in the United States, originating from the sports of soccer and rugby . The first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 , between two college teams, Rutgers and Princeton , using rules based on the rules of soccer at the time. A set of rule changes drawn up from 1880 onward by Walter Camp , the "Father of American Football", established
13923-522: The end of the season, and how it might affect the team in 2005. On December 12, 2004, about a month and a half before the game, New England offensive coordinator Charlie Weis signed a contract to become the head coach of Notre Dame starting in the 2005 season. Rumors were also circulating that defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel would also leave the team to become the head coach of the Cleveland Browns (which ended up being true as Crennel and
14076-472: The ends and sides of the field are known as the end lines and sidelines . Goal lines are marked 10 yards (9.1 m) inward from each end line. Weighted pylons are placed the sidelines on the inside corner of the intersections with the goal lines and end lines. White markings on the field identify the distance from the end zone. Inbound lines, or hash marks , are short parallel lines that mark off 1-yard (0.91 m) increments. Yard lines , which can run
14229-404: The ends of the line, while defensive tackles line up inside, between the defensive ends. The primary responsibilities of defensive ends and defensive tackles are to stop running plays on the outside and inside, respectively, to pressure the quarterback on passing plays, and to occupy the line so that the linebackers can break through. Linebackers line up behind the defensive line but in front of
14382-561: The features that distinguish American football from rugby and soccer are also present in Canadian football. The two sports are considered the primary variants of gridiron football . American football is the most popular sport in the United States in terms of broadcast viewership audience. The most popular forms of the game are professional and college football , with the other major levels being high-school and youth football. As of 2022 , nearly 1.04 million high-school athletes play
14535-500: The field en masse, following a tradition the Patriots had started in Super Bowl XXXVI . In prerecorded video segments, Andover, Massachusetts native Michael Chiklis introduced the Patriots, and Philadelphia -born Will Smith introduced the Eagles. Paul McCartney performed during the halftime show; his selection by the NFL, the show's producers, Don Mischer Productions , and the show's sponsor, Ameriquest Mortgage ,
14688-468: The field is punishable by a penalty. Teams may substitute any number of their players between downs; this "platoon" system replaced the original system, which featured limited substitution rules, and has resulted in teams utilizing specialized offensive, defensive and special teams units. The number of players allowed on an active roster varies by league; the NFL has a 53-man roster, while NCAA Division I allows teams to have 63 scholarship players in
14841-454: The field was shortened to 100 yards (91 m) long, two 10-yard-long (9.1 m) end zones were created, and teams were given four downs instead of three to advance the ball 10 yards (9.1 m). The roughing the passer penalty was implemented in 1914, and eligible players were first allowed to catch the ball anywhere on the field in 1918. On November 12, 1892, Pudge Heffelfinger was paid $ 500 (equivalent to $ 16,956 in 2023) to play
14994-465: The first four games for the Saints in 2008 , but played in only one game after that due to injuries. He finished the season with 11 catches for 162 yards and one touchdown and was released by the Saints following the season. Patten signed with the Cleveland Browns for the second time on March 23, 2009, as a free-agent. He was released on September 5, 2009. On February 24, 2010, Patten was signed by
15147-629: The formation of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States, later renamed the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The legal forward pass was introduced in 1906, although its effect was initially minimal due to the restrictions placed on its use. The idea of a 40-yard-wider field was opposed by Harvard due to the size of the new Harvard Stadium . Other rule changes introduced that year included
15300-540: The game but could not sustain the comeback. Overall, New England forced four turnovers, while Patriots wide receiver Deion Branch was named Super Bowl MVP for recording 133 receiving yards and tied the Super Bowl record with 11 catches. To avoid the possibility of an incident similar to the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show the previous year, the league selected Paul McCartney as a "safe" choice to perform during Super Bowl XXXIX's halftime. The broadcast of
15453-419: The game clock based on the direction of the appropriate official . A separate play clock is used to show the amount of time within which the offense must initiate a play. The play clock is set to 25 seconds after certain administrative stoppages in play and to 40 seconds when play is proceeding without such stoppages. If the offense fails to start a play before the play clock reads "00", a delay of game foul
15606-409: The game had a strict sense of amateurism at the time, and direct payment to players was frowned upon, if not prohibited outright. Over time, professional play became increasingly common, and with it came rising salaries and unpredictable player movement, as well as the illegal payment of college players who were still in school. The National Football League (NFL), a group of professional teams that
15759-547: The game on Fox was watched by an estimated 86 million viewers. NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl XXXIX to Jacksonville during their November 1, 2000, meeting held in Atlanta. New England finished the regular season with a record of 14–2, bested only by the Pittsburgh Steelers ' 15–1 mark, and ranking seventh in yards gained (5,773) and fourth in points scored (437). The Patriots' major acquisition prior to
15912-548: The game on radio, with Marv Albert calling the play-by-play, Boomer Esiason providing color commentary, and John Dockery and Bonnie Bernstein reporting from the sidelines. Jim Gray hosted the broadcast along with Dave Sims . Before the game, performances came from the Black Eyed Peas , Earth Wind & Fire , Charlie Daniels , John Fogerty , Kelly Clarkson , and Gretchen Wilson . Shortly before kickoff, Will Smith introduced Alicia Keys who sang " America
16065-408: The game was tied going into the fourth quarter. The Patriots immediately broke the tie again with a nine-play, 66-yard scoring drive that was keyed by three plays from running back Kevin Faulk , who caught two passes for 27 combined yards and rushed once for 12. Dillon capped off the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run to give New England a 21–14 lead. Then after forcing another Eagles punt, Branch made
16218-443: The ground or a tee; a holder may be used in either case. On a safety kick, the kicking team kicks the ball from their own 20-yard line. They can punt, drop kick or place kick the ball, but a tee may not be used in professional play. Any member of the receiving team may catch or advance the ball. The ball may be recovered by the kicking team once it has gone at least ten yards and has touched the ground or has been touched by any member of
16371-434: The guards. The principal receivers are the wide receivers (WR) and the tight ends (TE). Wide receivers line up on or near the line of scrimmage, split outside the line. The main goal of the wide receiver is to catch passes thrown by the quarterback, but they may also function as decoys or as blockers during running plays. Tight ends line up outside the tackles and function both as receivers and as blockers. The role of
16524-433: The league in rushing yards (1,639). Running back Brian Westbrook led the team with 812 rushing yards and three touchdowns, however he also led all NFL running backs in receiving with 706 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Veteran running back Dorsey Levens added 410 rushing yards. The Eagles' offensive line was led by Pro Bowl tackles Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan and center Hank Fraley . Three of their four starters in
16677-506: The most popular sport in the United States by the mid-1960s. The rival AFL arose in 1960 and challenged the NFL's dominance. The AFL began in relative obscurity but eventually thrived, with an initial television contract with the ABC television network. The AFL's existence forced the conservative NFL to expand to Dallas and Minnesota in an attempt to destroy the new league. Meanwhile, the AFL introduced many new features to professional football in
16830-429: The offense advances ten or more yards in the four downs, they are awarded a new set of four downs. If they fail to advance ten yards, possession of the football is turned over to the defense. In most situations, if the offense reaches their fourth down they will punt the ball to the other team, which forces them to begin their drive from farther down the field; if they are in field goal range , they might attempt to score
16983-429: The offensive line. Players can line up temporarily in a position whose eligibility is different from what their number permits as long as they report the change immediately to the referee, who then informs the defensive team of the change. Neither team's players, except the center (C), are allowed to line up in or cross the neutral zone until the ball is snapped. Interior offensive linemen are not allowed to move until
17136-494: The only Super Bowl hosted in the city. The Patriots, who entered the Super Bowl after compiling a 14–2 regular season record, became the then-most recent team to win consecutive Super Bowls (until the Kansas City Chiefs did in 2023 ). New England also became the second team after the Dallas Cowboys to win three Super Bowls in four seasons, cementing their status as the NFL dynasty of the 2000s . The Eagles were making their second Super Bowl appearance since 1981 after posting
17289-533: The period, tying the game 7–7 by halftime. It was only the second halftime tie in Super Bowl history ( Super Bowl XXIII between the 49ers and the Bengals was the other; the score at the half was 3–3) and the first time both of the game's first two quarters ended tied. On the opening drive of the second half, Patriots wide receiver Deion Branch caught four passes from Brady for 71 yards on a drive that ended with Brady's 2-yard touchdown pass to Vrabel, who lined up at
17442-445: The plane of the two end lines. The crossbar of these posts is 10 feet (3.0 m) above the ground, with vertical uprights at the end of the crossbar 18 feet 6 inches (5.64 m) apart for professional and collegiate play, and 23 feet 4 inches (7.11 m) apart for high school play. The uprights extend vertically 35 feet (11 m) on professional fields, a minimum of 10 yards (9.1 m) on college fields, and
17595-665: The playoffs. Despite the loss of Owens, the Eagles beat the Minnesota Vikings , 27–14, and the Atlanta Falcons , 27–10, in the playoffs with relative ease. McNabb recorded 21 out of 33 completions for 286 yards and two touchdowns, while receiver Freddie Mitchell scored two touchdowns in the victory over the Vikings. Although Minnesota quarterback Daunte Culpepper threw for 316 yards, the Eagles defense recorded two interceptions and two sacks. McNabb then completed 17 out of 26 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns in
17748-451: The point(s)-after-touchdown (PAT) or conversion, which is a single scoring opportunity. This is generally attempted from the two- or three-yard line, depending on the level of play. If the PAT is scored by a place kick or drop kick through the goal posts, it is worth one point, typically called the extra point. If the PAT is scored by what would normally be a touchdown, it is worth two points; this
17901-422: The punter. In football, the winner is the team that has scored more points at the end of the game. There are multiple ways to score in a football game. The touchdown (TD), worth six points, is the most valuable scoring play in American football. A touchdown is scored when a live ball is advanced into, caught, or recovered in the opposing team's end zone. The scoring team then attempts a try, more commonly known as
18054-401: The receiving team. The three types of scrimmage kicks are place kicks, drop kicks, and punts. Only place kicks and drop kicks can score points. The place kick is the standard method used to score points, because the pointy shape of the football makes it difficult to reliably drop kick. Once the ball has been kicked from a scrimmage kick, it can be advanced by the kicking team only if it
18207-439: The reduction of playing time from 70 to 60 minutes and an increase of the distance required for a first down from 5 to 10 yards (4.6 to 9.1 m). To reduce infighting and dirty play between teams, the neutral zone was created along the width of the football before the snap. Scoring was also adjusted: points awarded for field goals were reduced to three in 1909 and points for touchdowns were raised to six in 1912. Also in 1912,
18360-542: The rulebook for the 1876 college football season , when the sport first shifted from soccer-style rules to rugby-style rules. Although it could easily have been called "rugby" at this point, Harvard, one of the primary proponents of the rugby-style game, compromised and did not request the name of the sport be changed to "rugby". The terms " gridiron " or "American football" are favored in English-speaking countries where other types of football are popular, such as
18513-402: The season because of injuries, he recorded 454 yards and four touchdowns. Wide receiver David Givens was the team's leading receiver with 874 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver David Patten also contributed 800 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, and tight end Daniel Graham had 364 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. On special teams, pro bowl kicker Adam Vinatieri had
18666-531: The season was veteran running back Corey Dillon , who joined the team after playing seven seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals . acquired in exchange for a second-round draft pick. Dillon became a significant offensive weapon for the 2004 Patriots, recording a franchise record 1,635 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, and was named to the Pro Bowl for the fourth time in his career. Another weapon in
18819-454: The season with a 13–3 record. Their only other two losses were in their final two games of the season, when they decided to rest all of their starters because they had already clinched the NFC #1 seed. However, during a December 19 win over the Dallas Cowboys , Owens was seriously injured on a "horse-collar tackle" by Cowboys defensive back Roy Williams and missed the rest of the regular season and
18972-483: The season with the best record in the NFL at 15–1 and had beaten New England during the regular season and led the league in fewest total yards allowed, they could not stop the Patriots. Brady threw for 207 yards and two touchdowns; Dillon rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown; and Branch, who was coming off of his injuries, recorded 4 receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown, along with 37 rushing yards and another touchdown on 2 carries. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
19125-524: The season, recording one reception for 25 yards, his only catch of the season. He was inactive for the remainder of the season except Week 17. He was released by the Redskins on March 22, 2007. A few weeks after his release from Washington, Patten signed a one-year deal with the New Orleans Saints . He went on to have the second-best season of his career statistically, catching 54 passes for 792 yards and three touchdowns. Patten started three of
19278-457: The second one, the Harvard players preferred the Canadian style of having only 11 men on the field, running the ball without having to be chased by an opponent, the forward pass, tackling, and using an oblong instead of a round ball. An 1875 Harvard–Yale game played under rugby-style rules was observed by two Princeton athletes who were impressed by it. They introduced the sport to Princeton,
19431-407: The second quarter, he caught a 91-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady . and then caught a lateral from Brady before throwing a 60-yard pass to Troy Brown . It was the first such game since Walter Payton did it in 1979. Patten caught a touchdown pass from Drew Bledsoe in the AFC Championship Game at Pittsburgh and then caught a score from Tom Brady in the Patriots' Super Bowl XXXVI win over
19584-503: The secondary, consists of cornerbacks (CB) and safeties (S). Safeties are themselves divided into free safeties (FS) and strong safeties (SS). Cornerbacks line up outside the defensive formation, typically opposite a receiver to be able to cover them. Safeties line up between the cornerbacks but farther back in the secondary. Safeties tend to be viewed as "the last line of defense" and are responsible for stopping deep passing plays as well as breakout running plays. The special teams unit
19737-590: The seven bridges that crosses over the St. Johns River in the host city, and according to the League, symbolized the bridging of a nation under the NFL football umbrella. The theme was also used by Jacksonville-area nonprofit Fresh Ministries in a major event entitled "Bridges of Peace," featuring city officials asking the people to unite for the Super Bowl and heal the wounds of segregation . Former Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton appeared in support of their bipartisan effort to raise money for relief of
19890-411: The snap of the ball. The main backfield positions are the quarterback (QB), halfback/tailback (HB/TB), and fullback (FB). The quarterback is the leader of the offense. Either the quarterback or a coach calls the plays. Quarterbacks typically inform the rest of the offense of the play in the huddle before the team lines up. The quarterback lines up behind the center to take the snap and then hands
20043-531: The sport in the U.S., with another 81,000 college athletes in the NCAA and the NAIA . The National Football League (NFL) has the highest average attendance of any professional sports league in the world . Its championship game, the Super Bowl , ranks among the most-watched club sporting events globally. In 2022, the league had an annual revenue of around $ 18.6 billion, making it the most valuable sports league in
20196-492: The team with 33 kickoff returns for 673 yards as well as recording nine receptions for 115 yards. Following the 1999 season, Patten signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Cleveland Browns . He spent one season with the team, starting 10 of 14 games and recording 38 receptions for 546 yards. In 2001, Patten signed as a free agent with the New England Patriots . He started 14 games at wide receiver for
20349-589: The third time in Super Bowl history, one player from each team had over 100 yards in a Super Bowl. Michael Irvin and Andre Reed were the first in Super Bowl XXVII , and Branch and Muhsin Muhammad the second a year earlier in Super Bowl XXXVIII . Branch also became the fourth player to have at least 100 yards receiving in back-to-back Super Bowls, joining John Stallworth , Jerry Rice and Antonio Freeman . Also, Mike Vrabel and David Givens became just
20502-404: The tight end spot, mirroring Brady's touchdown pass to Vrabel in the previous Super Bowl . The score gave the Patriots their first lead of the game, 14–7. After the teams traded punts, the Eagles tied the game with 3:39 left in the third period with a 74-yard, 10-play drive that was capped by McNabb's 10-yard touchdown pass to running back Brian Westbrook . For the first time in Super Bowl history,
20655-499: The time was played at the collegiate level . The upstart NFL received a boost to its legitimacy in 1925, however, when an NFL team, the Pottsville Maroons , defeated a team of Notre Dame all-stars in an exhibition game . A greater emphasis on the passing game helped professional football to distinguish itself further from the college game during the late 1930s. Football, in general, became increasingly popular following
20808-411: The width of the field, are marked every 5 yards (4.6 m). A one-yard-wide line is placed at each end of the field; this line is marked at the center of the two-yard line in professional play and at the three-yard line in college play. Numerals that display the distance from the closest goal line in yards are placed on both sides of the field every ten yards. Goalposts are located at the center of
20961-405: The win over the Falcons.The Eagles defense held dual-threat quarterback Michael Vick to only 136 passing yards, 26 rushing yards, and no touchdowns, while also recording an interception and four sacks. McNabb had an average passer rating of 111.3 in the two games, with 466 passing yards, 35 rushing yards, four touchdowns, and no turnovers. Safety Brian Dawkins was also an important player, recording
21114-408: The winning team decides to defer, the losing team chooses the option the winning team did not select—to receive, kick, or select a goal to defend to begin the second half. Most teams choose to receive or defer, because choosing to kick the ball to start the game allows the other team to choose which goal to defend. Teams switch goals following the first and third quarters. If a down is in progress when
21267-402: The world. Other professional and amateur leagues exist worldwide, but the sport does not have the international popularity of other American sports like baseball or basketball ; the sport maintains a growing following in the rest of North America, Europe, Brazil, and Japan. In the United States, American football is referred to as "football". The term "football" was officially established in
21420-411: Was also an impact player, leading the team with 138 tackles while also recording three sacks and two interceptions. Up front, the Patriots' defensive line was anchored by Pro Bowler Richard Seymour , who recorded five sacks. New England also still had their trio of impact veteran linebackers: Pro Bowler Tedy Bruschi (122 tackles, three and a half sacks, three interceptions), Willie McGinest (nine and
21573-497: Was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He is best known for catching a touchdown pass late in the second quarter of Super Bowl XXXVI from quarterback Tom Brady as a member of the New England Patriots . Patten was signed by the Albany Firebirds of the Arena Football League (AFL) as a street free agent in 1996. Starting in 1997, he played in
21726-411: Was anchored by Pro Bowl defensive tackle Corey Simon (five and a half sacks) and defensive ends Jevon Kearse (seven and a half sacks) and Derrick Burgess . Pro Bowl middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter , who only started nine games, recorded 69 tackles and a sack. The Eagles started the 2004 regular season with seven straight wins before suffering a loss to the 15-1 Steelers. After that, they finished
21879-568: Was at the second inauguration of President Richard Nixon in 1973. The traditional military missing man formation flyby was this year performed by a pair of F/A-18 Super Hornets from VFA-106 at NAS Oceana and a pair of the Air Force 's newest fighters, the F-22 Raptor , flying from Tyndall AFB , the training base for the Raptor. The earlier military flyby during the veterans' salute
22032-408: Was conducted by 2 T-6 Texan trainers and a B-25 Mitchell bomber. The coin toss ceremony featured youth football players from Jacksonville: Tyler Callahan, Tyler Deal, Lawrence McCauley, and Jacob Santana; and New Orleans NFL Junior Player Development coach Tomaris Jackson. They were billed as the first non-celebrities to participate in the coin toss. For the third straight year, each team took
22185-482: Was considered to be a "safe" choice, as it avoided the possibility for an incident similar to that which sparked the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy the previous year. McCartney's set consisted of these songs: Taking the concept a step further, for the first time, a theme was tied to the event: Building Bridges , as symbolized by the theme logo, represented by the Main Street Bridge , one of
22338-520: Was instituted. Despite these new rules, football remained a violent sport. Dangerous mass-formations like the flying wedge resulted in serious injuries and deaths. A 1905 peak of 19 fatalities nationwide resulted in a threat by President Theodore Roosevelt to abolish the game unless major changes were made. In response, 62 colleges and universities met in New York City to discuss rule changes on December 28, 1905. These proceedings resulted in
22491-538: Was intercepted three times, including an 87-yard interception returned for a touchdown by Rodney Harrison , and running back Jerome Bettis , Pittsburgh's leading rusher, was held to just 64 yards. Owens was cleared to play in Super Bowl XXXIX, defying doctors' orders by playing on his injured ankle containing two screws and a metal plate. The other major story was the Patriots' potential loss of both their offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator at
22644-535: Was originally established in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, aimed to solve these problems. This new league's stated goals included an end to bidding wars over players, prevention of the use of college players, and abolition of the practice of paying players to leave another team. By 1922, the NFL had established itself as America's premier professional football league. The dominant form of football at
22797-451: Was pressured into making a rushed pass to Westbrook at the line of scrimmage. Instead of dropping the pass to stop the clock, Westbrook made the mistake of catching the ball and was immediately tackled for no gain by Phifer, keeping the clock running and forcing the Eagles to run back to the line of scrimmage for their next play with no huddle. On second down, McNabb threw an incomplete pass intended for Owens. Finally on third down, McNabb threw
22950-527: Was sacked four times. McNabb's 357 yards are tied with Joe Montana for the seventh most in Super Bowl history and third most of any quarterback, as Tom Brady holds both the top and number 2 spot, with 505 yards in Super Bowl LII and 468 yards in Super Bowl LI . Westbrook was the Eagles leading rusher with 44 yards, while also catching 6 passes for 70 yards and a touchdown and returning 3 punts for 19 yards. Pinkston caught 4 passes for 82 yards, while Owens
23103-509: Was televised in the United States by Fox , with play-by-play announcer Joe Buck and color commentators Troy Aikman and Cris Collinsworth . At age 35, Buck was the youngest announcer to call the play-by-play of a Super Bowl telecast. This also marked the first time since Super Bowl I that none of the network commentators had ever called a Super Bowl game before (although Collinsworth had worked three prior Super Bowl telecasts as
23256-695: Was the Eagles' top receiver with 9 catches for 122 yards, however neither of them scored a touchdown. Brady completed 23 out of 33 passes for 236 yards and 2 touchdowns. Dillon was the top rusher of the game with 75 yards and a touchdown, and had 3 catches for 31 yards. Running back Kevin Faulk contributed 38 rushing yards and 27 receiving yards. Branch's Super Bowl record 11 catches tied Cincinnati Bengals ' Dan Ross in Super Bowl XVI and San Francisco 49ers ' Jerry Rice in Super Bowl XXIII . Coincidentally, all three would later be traded to
23409-501: Was the final Super Bowl that Brown hosted for Fox, as he would return to CBS following the 2005 season. For its Super Bowl lead-out program , Fox aired a special episode of The Simpsons (" Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass ") and the series premiere of American Dad! (" Pilot "). Local stations WTXF in Philadelphia and WFXT in Boston instead immediately aired their own local postgame shows/newscasts, delayed Fox's programming in those markets by an hour. Westwood One broadcast
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