50 DAYS TO SUPER BOWL 50
A DAY-BY-DAY, SUPER BOWL-BY-SUPER BOWL LOOK AT THE IMPACT OF BLACK COLLEGE PLAYERS ON SUPER BOWLS I THRU 49 AS WE COUNT DOWN THE 50 DAYS TO SUPER BOWL 50
DAY 36 - Monday, January 25
Super Bowl XXXVI New England 20, St. Louis 17 February 3, 2002 - Superdome, New Orleans
Three (3) Black College Players
St. Louis Rams (1) Aeneas Williams DB Southern
New England Patriots (2) Anthony Pleasant DE Tennessee State Torrance Small WR Alcorn State
ICONIC PHOTO: New England placekicker Adam Vinatieri (#4) celebrates his game- winning 48-yard field goal in Super Bowl XXXVI.
Storyline: St. Louis and New England battled down to the wire before placekicker Adam Vinatieri kicked thru a 48-yard game-winning field goal on the final play of the game to give the Patriots a 20-17 win in Super Bowl XXXVI. St. Louis outgained New Enland 427-267 in total yards but the Patriots forced three turnovers that resulted in 17 points while committing none.
St. Louis Aeneas Williams, LCB (Southern) Five (5) assisted tackles in loss to New England. - Teams with safety Adam Achuleta to stop wide receiver Troy Brown after 10-yard reception on New England’s first possession. - Assists defensive end Leonard Little on stop of tight end Jermaine Wiggins after 16-yard pass from Tom Brady late in second quarter. Three plays later Brady hits wide receiver Dave Patten on 8-yard touchdown pass (New England 14, St. Louis 3 - :31). - Assists with Kim Herring on tackle after 12-yard run by running back Antowain Smith in third quarter. - Teams with linebacker London Fletcher to stop A. Smith on run around right end for 6 yards in fourth quarter. - In final minute, assists linebacker Tommy Polley on tackle of running back J. R. Red- mond after gain of 8 yards. Seven plays later, placekicker Adam Vinatieri kicks thru 48- yard game-winning field goal (New England 20, St. Louis 17).
New England Anthony Pleasant, DE (Tennessee State) Three solo tackles, three assists in win over St. Louis. - Teams with safety Lawyer Milloy to stop running back Marshall Faulk after 11-yard reception in first possession of game. - Stops Faulk after 2-yard run off right guard late in first quarter. Six plays later in same drive, stops Warner on 5-yard run up the mid- dle. - Tackles Faulk after 12-yard run off right guard in third quarter. Three plays later teams with defensive end Bobby Hamilton to stop Faulk for no gain. Two plays later, Warner intercepted by corner- back Otis Smith.
MVP: Tom Brady, QB, New England - 16 of 27, 145 yards, 1 TD
KEY FACTS: There was one key black college defensive starter on each team. Defen- sive end Anthony Pleasant out of Tennessee State was a key member of New Eng- land’s defenisve line while defensive back and future Hall of Famer Aeneas Williams out of Southern was the mainstay of the secondary for St. Louis. Tom Brady was named MVP despite throwing for only 145 yards (16 of 27) and one touchdown. Kurt Warner was 28 of 44 for 365 yards and one touchdown but threw two interceptions and lost one key fumble. His interception was returned for a 47-yard touchdown by New England defensive back Ty Law in the second quarter.
NOT SO PLEASANT: In this Sports Illustrated photo, New England defensive end Anthony Pleas- ant (#98, Tennessee State) closes in to stop St. Louis quarterback Kurt Warner (#13) after a 5-yard run up the middle in first quarter action of Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans.
READY!: St. Louis cornerback Aeneas Williams (#35, SOUTHERN) squares up to cover New England wide receiver Troy Brown (#80) in Super Bowl XXXVI.
NOT SO PLEASANT II: New England defensive end Anthony Pleasant (#98, Tennessee State) draws a bead on St. Louis running back Marshall Faulk (#28) in Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans.