Brady Bunch: QB has taken over 200 teammates to Super Bowl

Some are Hall of Famers who are among biggest names in sport. Ors are anymous role players whose contributions went mostly unticed by outsiders.

re are veterans who joined up for one final run at title, and wide-eyed rookies who were thrust into Super Bowl spotlight.

ir first names range from A to Z with eight guys named Brandon — a ninth named Brandin — and five guys named Kyle.

y all are part of Brady Bunch, 218 players who have appeared in a Super Bowl as Tom Brady’s teammate in his record nine previous trips to title game with New England. That list will grow by more than 40 names next Sunday when Brady plays in his 10th Super Bowl and first with his new team in Tampa.

Of those players who have been part of Brady’s supporting cast, 164 got a Super Bowl ring out of trip, accounting for nearly one-quarter of players who were on a winning team in Super Bowl since Brady became a starter in 2001.

Some went along for ride and barely made an impact on those six titles Brady won. Ors delivered key plays that decided those games, wher it was Malcolm Butler’s game-sealing interception at goal line against Seattle, or Adam Vinatieri’s inning kicks against St. Louis and Carolina.

Here’s a look at some of m:

MOST APPEARANCES

one has played in more Super Bowls with Brady than Stephen Gostkowski, who went with him six times during ir tenures in New England. Rob Gronkowski can join a group right behind Gostkowski this year with his fifth appearance, matching number for Matt Light, Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung and Matw Slater.

re are 26 players who have played in three Super Bowl wins as Brady’s teammates, with Gronkowski hoping to join that group this year. Gronkowski played in Super Bowl wins following 2014 and ’18 seasons but missed epic comeback against Atlanta following 2016 season with an injury.

HALL OF FAMERS

Three of Brady’s Super Bowl teammates have already been inducted into Hall of Fame with more likely to come down road. Ty Law, who played on first three title teams in New England, was inducted to Canton, Ohio shrine in 2019 and is only one of three to get re based mostly on ir careers with Brady.

Randy Moss and Junior Seau joined up with Brady late in ir careers and both made big impacts during perfect 16-0 regular season in 2007, but came up short in ir only trip to Super Bowl.

Richard Seymour is a Hall of Fame finalist this year and ors such as Gronkowski, Vinatieri and Darrelle Revis could follow in upcoming years.

LEADING MEN

Brady has completed passes to 37 players in his nine previous Super Bowl trips, with a few standing out as his favorite targets. Julian Edelman and Deion Branch, who both won Super Bowl MVPs with Brady, are tied for most catches with 24 apiece. Edelman’s 337 yards are 16 more than Branch for most of any of Brady’s targets.

Gronkowski could pass m this year as he comes into game with 23 catches for 297 yards. He already has most TD catches from Brady with three, one ahead of David Givens, Danny Amendola and linebacker Mike Vrabel.

Gostkowski has most points scored alongside Brady with 33, but two or players have more significant scores. James White scored 20 of his 26 career Super Bowl points in comeback win over Atlanta four years ago, including TD that helped force overtime and OT winner.

Vinatieri is next with 20, including field goals that won title in Brady’s first two trips.

PLAYING BOTH SIDES

Tampa Bay edge rusher Jason Pierre-Paul can join a much more exclusive list as one of players to beat Brady in a Super Bowl and win a title with him, having been part of Giants that beat New England after 2011 season. Pierre-Paul had two passes defensed and a quarterback hit in 21-17 victory that season.

only ors to do that are Chris Long and LeGarrette Blount. Both were part of 2016 champions with Patriots and n were with Philadelphia next season when Eagles spoiled a repeat attempt. Blount also won a title with Brady in 2014 season.

MISSING RINGS

Only two players went to Super Bowl with Brady more than once and never got a ring out of it. Guard Logan Mankins and receiver Wes Welker were both part of New England teams that lost to Giants following 2007 and ’11 seasons. Welker n went to title game one more time with Denver in 2013 season — and lost for a third time against Seattle.

COMMON NAMES

A few first names have stood out more than ors when it comes to Brady’s Super Bowl teammates, led by nine Brandons: Bolden, Browner, Deadrick, Gorin, King, LaFell, Meriwear, Mitchell and Spikes. That doesn’t even count Brandin Cooks, who played with Brady following 2017 season

Next on list is Chris with six: Akins, Hanson, Hogan, Jones, Long and White. re are also five players named James (Develin, Harrison, Ihedigbo, Sanders and White) and five more named Kyle (Arrington, Brady, Eckel, Love and Van y).

Im credits: AP