Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has it all. The reining National Football League Most Valuable Player is dating supermodel Gisele Bundchen, has dozens of product endorsements and three Super Bowl titles, winning the game?s MVP award twice.
But the 6-foot-4, 225-pounder is far from satisfied.
Sunday night at University of Phoenix Stadium at 6:17 p.m. in Glendale, Ariz., Brady can lead the Patriots (18-0) to the greatest season in league history and stake his claim as the greatest quarterback of all time with a win in Super Bowl XLII.
His only obstacle? A giant one.
The New York Giants (13-5), who the Patriots defeated, 38-35, during the final week of the regular season are vying for the first Super Bowl title since 1991.
“How do I feel about being the stud of the NFL? Is that the question? I don?t look at myself like that,” he said. “I just love playing football. And whatever comes along with that is good.”
Brady is having perhaps the best season in league history by a quarterback ? one better than Joe Montana, Johnny Unitas or John Elway ever produced. He?s completed 68.9 percent of his passes for 4,806 yards and 50 touchdowns with just eight interceptions. The offense he leads scored a league-record 589 points and 74 touchdowns.
“I think Tom?s one of the toughest players on our team both mentally and physically,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who has led the team to its fourth Super Bowl in seven seasons, said. “He works hard. He?s very calm. He?s a great competitor, but he?s very calm.”
But Brady struggled in the Patriots? 21-12 win over San Diego in the AFC Championship game two weeks ago, throwing two touchdowns against three interceptions.
And while many are quick to hand the Lombardi Trophy to the Patriots, who are 12.5-point favorites over the wild card Giants, upsets do happen. Just ask both teams. In Super Bowl XXV, the Giants were seven-point underdogs to the Buffalo Bills, who had defeated them in the regular season. But the Giants won the only meeting that mattered, 20-19, when Scott Norwood?s game-winning field goal sailed wide right. Eight years ago, the Patriots, 14-point underdogs to the defending Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams, shocked the world with a 20-17 victory.
“Early in the football game, we got him out of his rhythm,” Giants defensive lineman Justin Tuck said. “We have to be consistent and continually hit him. If we can continually get pressure up the middle, up in front of him, it gives us opportunity for the defense to be successful.”
But unlike the Rams and other favored teams who have lost, the Patriots have the chance to become the first team to finish the season 19-0.
“We?re going down there for one reason,” Brady said. “That?s to bring a title back to Foxborough.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
