Super Bowl LI will go down in history as the greatest super bowl of all time. No matter which team you were rooting for, I guarantee you were on the edge of your seat. From broken records to touching moments, here are 5 reasons Super Bowl LI was the best Super Bowl of all time.
1. President George H. W. Bush performed the coin toss.
The 41st president, George H. W. Bush, performed the coin toss after a brilliant performance by Luke Bryan. President Bush was wheeled out onto the field with his wife, Barbara Bush, by his side. This coin toss was a special moment, but the respect the players and audience had for our former President was especially moving. They demonstrated that although we may have different political beliefs, we can still show respect to one another.
2. The Patriots make biggest comeback in Super Bowl history.
The largest comeback in Super Bowl history was when the Washington Redskins came back from a 10-0 deficit and defeated the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXII. The Patriots came back from a 25-point deficit and won the Super Bowl in overtime, thus breaking that record. At the start of the third quarter, the Falcon's had 21 points and the Patriots had 3 points. Many fans thought the game was over, but the Patriots came back for one of the most iconic wins of all time.
3. Lady Gaga's great, unifying performance.
With rumors circling that Lady Gaga would be making a political statement during Super Bowl LI, specifically aimed toward President Trump, viewers watched Gaga's performance waiting for her to say or do something that would make headlines. However, the only headlines Lady Gaga has made so far have been about her amazing performance and vocals. Gaga began her performance with a gorgeous rendition of "God Bless America." She then jumped off the building, performed some of her most popular songs with amazing vocals and dance moves and finished with a mic drop in true Gaga fashion. Gaga's lack of a political statement brought the country together instead of dividing us even more. She demonstrated that whether we agree or disagree on a political issue, we are all "one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
4. Super Bowl goes into overtime for the first time ever.
There have been 50 Super Bowls in NFL history and not once has a Super Bowl game gone into overtime. Super Bowl LI would be the first Super Bowl in history to break that streak. The Patriots scored on the first and only drive during overtime to win Super Bowl LI.
5. Tom Brady breaks the record with 5 Super Bowl wins.
What makes Super Bowl LI the most iconic Super Bowl of all time is Tom Brady's record-breaking five Super Bowl wins. Brady is arguably one of the best quarterbacks of all time, and he proved that to be true during Super Bowl LI. Not only did he set a new record for the number of Super Bowl wins, but he was also voted Super Bowl LI MVP. This was his fourth time winning MVP of a Super Bowl, which breaks his tie with 49er's quarterback Joe Montana. Between Tom Brady's fifth Super Bowl win and fourth Super Bowl MVP award, it is hard to argue that Tom isn't the greatest quarterback of all time.
