NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS OWNER ROBERT KRAFT

(on what he has to say to his fans after a turbulent season) "Two years ago, we won our fourth Super Bowl down in Arizona and I told our fans that was the sweetest one of all. But, a lot has transpired during the last two years, and I don't think that needs any explanation. But I want to say to our fans, our brilliant coaching staff, our amazing players, who are so spectacular, this is unequivocally the sweetest. And I'm proud to say, for the fifth time, we are all Patriots and tonight. For the fifth time, the Patriots are world champions."

HEAD COACH BILL BELICHICK 

(opening statement) "What a game. Can't say enough about our team. We got some really good coaches. I thought that our coordinators, (defensive coordinator) Matt (Patricia), (offensive coordinator) Josh (McDaniels) and (special teams coordinator) Joe (Judge) did a tremendous job in handling the game. There was a lot of great situational football, adjustments and they just kept coaching. We just kept trying to find a little crack in the armor and keep plugging away. Our team showed great mental toughness throughout the game, never really flinched even though the score was - I guess for so long that we just kept plugging along, just kept fighting, just kept trying to make plays and, fortunately, we were able to make enough at the end there to get it back to a two-score game at 16 points and then the touchdowns and the two-point conversions. I thought (Dont'a) Hightower's sack was a huge play for us. We really needed that even after our two turnovers offensively in the first half. It is hard to beat Atlanta who is a very opportunistic and good turnover team. We turned the ball over like that so to be able to get one back was big. In the end we had plays from a lot of different guys. Our backs. Our tight ends. Our receivers. Our defense. Our offensive line did a tremendous job against their pass rush. They hit us, but we were able to gain quite a few yards in the passing game. Special teams, Steve (Gostkowski) gave us a couple great kicks that put the Falcons in poor field position and we covered well, so that was important too. A couple extra points in the game that were two-point conversions so that added a little intrigue to the score and the way the scoring went. In the end, I can't say enough about our players and how hard they competed and what a good job our coaching staff did battling all the way. Have to give Atlanta credit. That is a really good football team. (Falcons Head Coach) Dan (Quinn) has done a great job with that team. He certainly had them ready to play. They have a lot of great players. Playing in overtime for the championship, doesn't get any closer than that.

(on what he said to the team at halftime) "What did I tell the guys at halftime? Same thing we told them in the first quarter and the second quarter. Just kept coaching and just kept trying to get better. Find ways to do things that were a little bit more productive."

(on if this game is QB Tom Brady's finest hour) "Tom has had a lot of great ones. Tonight was one of them. I am sure he would like to have the interceptions back. He made a lot of great throws. (WR Julian) Edelman's catch was an unbelievable play, as was Julio Jones' catch on the sideline. That was a tremendous play. There were a lot of great players playing out there tonight and they played great. Fortunately, we were able to make a couple more plays than our opponent. It was a great football game. A lot of great players on the field."
(on RB James White's performance) "James did a good job for us like he always does. He is a clutch receiver and very good with the ball in his hands. He got the ball in a couple of those angle routes in zone coverage and he was able to make some good yardage there. Caught a couple big third down conversions for us. (WR Danny) Amendola - kind of the same thing. (Atlanta) switched back and played some zone at the end of the game and James was able to hit that. Danny hit it for the touchdown. Obviously against a lot of man coverage early in the game we didn't do very well with it. Later on we got more productive and then when they started mixing in some zone we were able to hit that too."

(on James White in short yardage situations) "We didn't substitute at that point and then when (RB) Dion (Lewis) went out there right at the end of the game he got cramped up a little bit. James is a good runner. He has good vision. He does a good job of finding the openings and he is not a guy that is going to run over a lot of defensive linemen, but he is quick and has good balance and he has good vision. He is able to find his way through there - on the two-point play, some of the run after catch plays, couple screens and things like that. He is a good football player. Two years ago he was inactive. He has had two great years for us at that sub-back position."

(on Patriots DL Trey Flowers' sack and the holding penalty on Atlanta on the following play) "Huge, that pushes it back to a two-score game. That was a huge defensive stop. We started off with the kickoff and got them down there at about the 10-yard line. They hit (Falcons RB Devonta) Freeman out in the flat to midfield and then Jones made a tremendous catch. Shades of some of the other ones we have seen before in previous games like this, then we got the sack. We got the holding penalty and we were able to push them back out of field goal range, so that was a huge defensive series for us."

(on his mindset entering the red zone after Edelman's catch)"The consideration was just to score. We were down by eight. The most important thing was to score. We wanted to try to run good plays and the way it turned out, had we not made the two-point conversion we wouldn't have had too much time to and we were going to kick off and we had two timeouts, so there wouldn't have been too much time there. That two-point conversion, the way it timed out, we probably had to have it. If we had scored a little bit sooner then we might have been able to possibly get the ball back had we not gotten the two-point conversion. Fortunately, we were able to execute that and that was big for us. The most important thing for us was to get the ball in the end zone. That was number one and rather than try to rush and get a bad play, we tried to get good plays to score and count on our two-point conversions. We worked on those two-point plays all week. I don't know - just Josh and I had a sense that we may need a couple of them. They were well executed. I'm glad we did. We certainly needed them."

(on the tale of two halves) "It wasn't like we didn't move the ball. We moved the ball in the first half. We gave up a touchdown on third and 10. We gave up a touchdown on an interception return. Without those two plays it is a 10-3 game. Those plays counted so it was 21-3. We had to do a better job in the red area of finishing drives and taking care of the ball. You turn the ball over against these guys and it is hard to win. That is why we fell behind."

(on if this Super Bowl win is sweeter because Brady missed four games to begin the season) "No, this team worked hard. They deserved to be where they were tonight because of their 14-game regular season wins and two wins we had against Houston and Pittsburgh, two great football teams, so we were here to compete in this game because were here. That is the only reason why. Tonight we earned the championship. These guys played like champions when it counted the most in the fourth quarter and overtime. It is about this team and what this team accomplished. It isn't about anything else. They deserve it. They earned it and they got it."

(on Edelman's catch) "I thought it was a close play. I wasn't sure if he had it or not. Then when we saw the replay he was clearly under it. Julian has great concentration. He is a tremendous competitor. As good of a competitor as anyone that I have coached. This guy has played slot defensive back for us, returns kicks, covers kicks, blocks, catches tough passes, runs the ball for us on sweeps and stuff like that. He does whatever it takes. He made a tremendous play. It is not the first one he has made, but that was obviously a big one."

(on the fake kneel down) "We thought we might be able to make a play on it. Atlanta - give them credit. They were alert on it. We got a few yards, but they were alert to the play. We thought maybe at the end we might be able to get outside and get down the sideline on it. They saw it quickly. We thought it was worth a shot in that situation. Three seconds to go. It is too far to take a field goal. We could have had a free kick on that, but it was just too far. It would have been 75 yards. Throw a 75-yard hail mary."

(on where this team ranks in NFL history) "No I don't get into that. Rank them wherever."

(on passing former NFL Head Coach Chuck Knoll for most Super Bowl wins as a head coach in NFL history) "The most important thing tonight is the team win. I am happy for our team, our players and our organization. Everybody worked so hard for this. The only reason I am here is because of what our players did, what our assistant coaches and coordinators did, but Chuck Knoll is a tremendous coach. A tremendous legacy. I coached against Chuck in his final game. I always admired Chuck and his style. The way his teams played. It is an honor to even be mentioned in the same sentence with Chuck Knoll. Tonight is really about our team. It is not about some record or something like that. It is about what our team accomplished. They deserve to be champions. They earned it tonight."

(on whether he is considering retirement and leaving the game on top) "Right now, I am thinking about enjoying tonight and this game that we won."

(on being considered the best head coach of all-time) "Thanks Terry (Bradshaw), but it's all about these players. We've got great players. They're tough, and they compete. We thought they competed for sixty minutes, but it took more tonight. These guys competed down 28-3 and they never looked back."

(on coming back from a 25-point deficit in the second half) "They just keep competing. We've got great players and they just compete for sixty minutes - or longer."

QUARTERBACK TOM BRADY

(on what turned the game around coming out of halftime) "Well, there were a lot of plays that you know, Coach (Bill Belichick) talks about. You never know which play it's going to be in the Super Bowl and there were probably thirty of them tonight where if any one of those would have been different, the outcome could have been different. I'm so proud of our guys, our coaches, the team - that was unbelievable, what these guys have accomplished all season. I'm just proud to be a part of this great group."

(on dedicating this game to his mother, Galynn) "Yeah, they're all happy. It's nice to have everybody here and it's going to be a great celebration tonight. Thank you to all of our fans. Everyone back in Boston and New England: we love you. You've been with us all year. We're bringing this sucker home!"

(on the game) "...It was a hell of a football game."

(on the feeling of this Super Bowl victory) "Yeah, they're all sweet. They're all different and this was just an incredible team and I'm just happy to be a part of it. It's just a great group of coaches and teammates and we overcame a lot of different things and it's all worth it."

(on what went into this victory) "Well, there was a lot at stake tonight. You know, we played our tails off all season to get to this point and it's hard to win a game in the NFL. And to beat this team and to get down 28-3, it was just a lot of mental toughness by our team and we're all going to remember this for the rest of our lives."

(on overcoming adversity this year) "We've done pretty good over the last few years, you know? We were in the AFC Championship last year and won the Super Bowl two years ago, so I don't think anyone's feeling bad for the Patriots. I don't think anyone feels bad for the Patriots."

(on tying the game with time left on the lock) "We were just trying to get it in. I mean, I don't think it was - I mean you're playing with fire if you're trying to manage the clock when you're down eight points. So just get it in however you can and James (White) ran it in. What'd he have, three touchdowns tonight? It was unbelievable. What a hell of a game he played. It was awesome."

(on his feelings trailing big) "I wasn't thinking much, you know? I was thinking that we just got to score and then we scored the touchdown and it was nine (points) and then we got the turnover. There was a lot of shit that happened tonight. And I got hit pretty hard, so yeah. It's 28-12 and then we got 28-20 and then 28-28 and then 34-28. Another play coming down to the end. How about that."

(on Julian Edelman's catch) "Yeah, I couldn't believe it. It was one of the greatest catches. We've been on the other end of a few of those catches and tonight, you know, we came up with it. It was a pretty spectacular catch. He had a hell of a game."

(on the play of James White) "James White? He's just everything you want in a teammate and a football player and (he's) dependable, consistent, durable. The best attitude, brings it every day and we just kept going to him. So I think that speaks for itself."

(on whether he got a chance to talk to his mother after the game) "You know, it's kind of madness after the game, so I didn't get too much quality time. But we'll get it this week and I was happy everybody was here. I had my wife, my kids, my parents, my sisters, my brothers-in-law and one of my sisters-in-law. A lot of friends and it was a full contingent of support."

(on if he got a chance to find his mother in the stands pregame) "I was trying, but I couldn't. It was all Patriots fans and everyone was waving at me, so I couldn't really make anybody out."

(on what he thought about WR Julian Edelman's bobbling catch) "It was one of the greatest catches I've ever seen. I don't know how the hell he caught it. I mean, I don't think anybody - I don't think he does, but that's the way it goes."

(on if this Super Bowl victory was more meaningful or sweeter than the previous ones)"They're all special. Two years ago it came down to Malcolm (Butler) making the play and this year down 25 points, I mean it's hard to imagine us winning. It took a lot of great plays and that's why you play to the end. It's a 60-minute game. At halftime, I would say we weren't down at all. We were disappointed in the way we played and we knew that we could go out and do a lot better in the second half. The one positive was we had the ball for 20 minutes and that was a great part in the first half. As the game goes on, that gets tough on the defense. In the Super Bowl, everyone is expending a lot of energy and when we got it rolling there in the second half it was tough to slow us down."

(on having better execution) "Yeah, our execution was better I thought. It's just, you know, we had moved the ball and I think that was kind of what the Falcons, they were 28th in defense basically in yards, but they were a tough defense. They give up yards, but they don't let you score many points and they turn the ball over. They got two turnovers in the first half and we needed to make some plays. The strip-sack was huge, that got us right back in it. Thank you guys, have a great night."

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR JOSH McDANIELS

(on Edelman catch) "It was just great concentration.  I think to win a game like this, you're probably going to need a few plays like that and that was one of them. To convert two two-point conversions, another fourth down to (WR Danny) Amendola on another scoring drive. You have to make all of those plays right when you fall behind by 25 points. Our guys deserve all of the credit because they're the ones who executed under pressure."

(on sticking with their plan even after they fell behind)"In football, you have a choice to make. You can decide to say that the game is out of reach and start scrambling and going into a two-minute mode earlier than you really want to. At halftime, we definitely weren't going to do that. We knew we wanted to stick with at least a little bit of a threat of the run. What we needed to do was to create some positive plays and execute some things and get a drive finished into the end zone. That's what we didn't do very well in the first half and then eventually we got one score there in the third quarter. From there, we knew we were a couple of scores away. We just wanted to get it to a one-score game and put some pressure on them and make them have to make some plays so that there was some pressure in the stadium. They were playing the whole game without that and that was our fault. We didn't do a very good job of taking care of the ball and we put ourselves in a hole. But the guys grinded it out. I always had confidence."

(on how it felt to have a "wild" catch go the Patriots way)"It was kind of a flip of the script there, you know what I mean.  I think we had another one too where Marty (TE Martellus Bennett) ended up catching it early in the first half.  Again, I think in some of these types of games, you need plays like that to go your way in order to come out victorious.  That was a big play for us in the game." 

(on early struggles by WR Julian Edelman) "They played a lot of man coverage.  (Robert) Alford deserves some credit.  He did a good job of trying to disrupt us early at the line of scrimmage.  They were dropping a lot of guys out underneath and trying to bump him and essentially double him.  They gave him a lot of attention and he's deserving of it.  As you saw, we've got some other guys who made plays.  All of our guys when they needed to stepped up and made some key plays in critical situations."

(on RB James White) "What can you say about James?  He' so dependable, he always comes up big in critical situations.  We count on him so much in so many aspects of our offense. But when it ends up being a big James White game, there's a lot of pass protections, a lot of route nuances that we're asking him to do and he came through huge for us.  He gets in the two-point conversion there to make it 28-20 and then scores on a great run to win one of the greatest games."

(on QB Tom Brady and his performance in the fourth quarter) "He's the best ever.  I promise we don't try to do this but he deserves so much credit because he knew at halftime that were some a lot of eyes on him.  There was no flinch in Tom and really, that goes for our whole team."

(on fourth quarter comeback after trailing by 25 points) "We all said, 'Let's just go play a good fourth quarter and see what the score is.'  We didn't play very good in the first half and a big part of that was the Falcons playing well and executing their game plan.  They got us out of what we were doing and got ahead of us.  But our guys had great confidence in what they were doing and knew that if we could just put together a few drives that maybe we would put some pressure on them and that they'd have to make some critical plays in this game too."

(on the play call on the great catch by WR Julian Edelman) "It was a normal play call.  We had actually run the play a couple of times in the game and they gave us a certain coverage.  They played a little bit of split safety in the game and that happened to be one of those snaps. Julian ran down the middle and he beat (Robert) Alford.  The ball, I don't know if it was behind him, but somebody got a finger on it. When it went up in the air, the first thing I did was hold my breath that it doesn't end up getting picked off. 'Jules' stayed with it, had his eyes on the ball the whole way and kept his hands underneath.  It was a great concentration play."

(on RB James White in short-yardage situations) "James will do whatever you ask him to do. James did some chipping on their defensive ends in protection.  He caught the ball well out of the backfield. He ran the ball in some critical situations for us. He's a guy that I would say epitomizes the do-whatever-is-asked-of-you role. We didn't practice some of those plays with James White in the game, but that's the way the game went. So James stayed in there and he knew what to do. James always knows what to do. And then he made the plays in the critical situations to help us win."

(on if the Falcons did anything different defensively in the second half) "They didn't really do anything differently in the second half, we just executed a little bit better. I don't know how many plays we ran. You guys (media) might know, but I think it was in the 80s for the game. At halftime we had already went over 40 and we had 20 minutes in time of possession. We had talked about it, these Super Bowls have a way of kind of having a first half and a second half. Whatever you did in the first half sometimes doesn't mean a whole lot in the second half of this game because you have such a long halftime. You make adjustments.  Who knows, one team or the other may end up getting really tired and gassed in the second half. I don't know if that happens, but I know that we were trying to do some of the same things that we were doing in the first half but I think we were just doing them a little better."

(on Falcons' defensive scheme) "They were playing a little bit more man-to-man in the first half, that's for sure. We adjusted as the game went on, but again, our players deserve the credit. They're the ones who executed under pressure and made the plays."

(on what he told his offense at halftime) "That (performance) wasn't our best. You've just got to tell them, 'Here's what happened in the first half, here's the kind of game it is, but we weren't panicked like we had to go out and score every time we had the ball in the second half. I mean it was 21-3 (at halftime) so you're down by 18 points. We know we have an offense that's capable of moving the ball and scoring a lot of points. We know our defense is one of the best defenses in the league. Look, we had to stop them a few times and we had to score a few times. Our players knew that. We had to go and executive some things and get it done, but there was definitely a lot of confidence and this group would never quit on anything.  Never."

(on what he will say in the future when he is asked what it was like to coach the greatest quarterback in history) "That it was a great honor and a privilege. He's (Tom Brady) one of my best friends, too.  I've been with him for a long time. When we first started, neither one of us was married. Now we're both married with kids. We talk about things like being a dad and all the rest of it. I couldn't be happier for an individual. To come through this year the way that he did, never complain about anything-he's a special person. He's a great player but he's a better human being. Good things seem to happen to good people.  And it will be an honor to say that I did that with him."

(on what this win will do for Tom Brady's legacy)"We know he's one of the best guys to ever put on a football uniform...we all know that. He doesn't care (about his legacy).  It doesn't really matter. It's not really a big conversation about who's this and who's that. There's a lot of great players who've played football in this league and we're just privileged that we have him on our team and that he's able to do the things that he did today to help us win another Super Bowl."

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR MATT PATRICIA

(on what changed in the second half for the defense) "With this group of guys, I don't think you could be prouder of just a mentally tough unit. I think just going into halftime and the attitude at halftime, they knew it was going to be two different games - it was going to be a first-half game and a second-half game. They just stayed the course. Just kind of one play at a time, grind it out. In the end, you've got to make some plays in order to kind of turn some things certain ways - both sides of the ball. Just so proud of these guys for doing that. They stepped up, they understood the situations, they executed at a high level and just kind of stayed the course. Obviously, the defense, those guys played their hearts out, I love those guys. The offense, you've got 12 (QB Tom Brady), you've got that group over there. I mean we're always in it."

(on the Atlanta decision to pass the ball while in field goal range towards the end of the game, which resulted in a sack) "This is a great offense now. They have a lot of weapons. They can get the ball to a lot of different people. For us, we were ready for them to come at us with everything they had. They had a lot of success early doing it. We're kind of along those lines thinking that's what they were going to do."

(on New England's defense making huge plays in their past two Super Bowl appearances) "I mean, I love our defense. I love those guys. I love our team. You don't understand, this is a family, offense, defense, special teams, the coaching staff - everybody that helps us. That out there, in both games that you're talking about, that is a full-team effort. That is 100 percent everybody just doing their jobs and going out and executing at a high level. That's the only way you can get that done, so give all the credit to the team."

(on LB Dont'a Hightower's sack and forced fumble) "We were good to go with that play probably a couple of days ago. We thought, you know, when the situation came up, that's what we would do. Look, it was all execution. I think 'High' did a great job of just getting out and disguising it a little bit and coming a little bit late. He's got great speed for a big guy. You kind of underestimate how fast he can get there and he's long, so he did a great job. But understand this - there's a lot of coverage that's being played in order for him to get there and there's some rush inside and it's a full complementary play. So give the credit to everybody on the defense in that particular case in executing."

(on what he did during overtime) "As far as us, we're kind of in (a) mode. I've got my head down. I'm going through the calls with those guys. I was sitting with the DBs (defensive backs) and making sure we had everything ready to go in case we had to go back out."

(on when he looked up to see New England had won)"I didn't until everything was all over. I didn't see any of the overtime."

(on how he feels for QB Tom Brady to win this game) "Just in general, I feel great for everybody. I feel great for all of the players that work so hard. I feel great for their families, all the sacrifices they make, in particular, my wife Raina and our kids. The sacrifices she has to make to take care of our house and make sure that everything is in order so that I can do what I do, it is a family and I'm just so happy for everyone's extended families. That's really the case for all of them. I love Tom, love him to death. I've been together with him now almost 14 years. I love him, love his family. They're wonderful people. We've just got great people, all of them. Everybody's families are wonderful. That's what makes it so special."

(on the halftime message) "I think just in general, our message was just stay the course. We were going to make sure that we had to execute at a better level than we did in the first half. Just go out and just keep playing one play at a time."

(on changing coverages in the second half) "We made some adjustments. Those guys do a good job of coming back and giving us feedback. I think those guys understand the game to a level that I don't think anybody really comprehends. They'll come back and say 'Hey, we see this, we think we can do this, maybe let's make this adjustment,' and that's what they did. By the way the game was going, there were some certain things in the game that we had to go out and play some different coverages and there were going to be some situations where those guys were by themselves and they did a great job, they really did."

KICKER STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI 

(on what it felt like to win)"It was unbelievable. Great feeling."

(on what was going through his mind after the missed extra point) "It's just kind of frustrating. It's kind of been that way all year with a couple of good kicks then a couple of arrant kicks. Sometimes that happens in life and I'm proud of the way I battled back and proud to be a part of this team."

(on playing with Tom Brady) "He's the man. Can't say enough nice things about the guy. As good of a player that he is, he's a better perso, and I think that speaks a lot more about him than throwing a couple of touchdown passes."

(on what it was like being on the field with his family postgame) "It was awesome, seeing my family out there. Both of my sons wanted to see the trophy so bad. They got to take a picture with it. It was the highlight of last Super Bowl and it was definitely the highlight of this one. To see them and to have that kind of support from your family, win, lose, or draw, it's awesome. My seven year-old is really into it and now he doesn't have to go back to school and cry. He can tell all his friends that he won the Super Bowl and got to touch the trophy."
(on whether this win was different) "It's insane any way it happens. It's special to be a part of such a great team, and for it to end like that, the first Super Bowl in overtime, it was just the craziest. Insane game with all the ups and downs."

(on his reaction to the late-game Julian Edelman catch) "It was insane. It was kind of reminiscent of the Tyreek (Hill) catch and the guy (Jermaine Kearse) from Seattle's catch. It just finally bounced our way this time. Julian is the man. He's an insane athlete. The toughest competitor I've ever met."

(on whether the Edelman catch was a turning point) "I don't know. There were a lot of turning points in the game. Just glad we came out on the winning side of this."

LINEBACKER DONT'A HIGHTOWER

(on how he puts winning Super Bowl LI into words) "Man, I don't. A lot of people didn't believe in this defense. We knew what we had. Obviously they have a great offense, obviously came down to the last play. We were able to get corrected out on the sideline and that really helped us. The rest, we just knew we needed a big play. That happened and everything kind of swung with momentum."

(on if his strip sack of Falcons QB Matt Ryan sparked the Patriots comeback) "I don't know if it sparked it, if it did or if it didn't. All I know is coming out of halftime, we just knew that we had to get a three-and-out or a turnover or something to get moving. We knew that it was really on us to kind of get things moving in our favor and that's kind of what happened. I love those boys out there and I go to battle with them each and every day. A lot of guys didn't give us credit but we weren't worried about that."

(on his perspective on the strip sack) "Honestly, not a complicated blitz, blitzing outside. I think they had actually run that play maybe once or twice the previous series. (Devonta) Freeman, I guess, Freeman didn't see me outside and I guess he went to chip or check and just lost sight of me. I'd seen Matt Ryan with the ball in his hands and I wanted it, so I hit him and took it from him."

(on the adjustments made at halftime) "Obviously, I can't put it in concepts or whatever, just different. We just used different calls and different concepts to attack those guys. It definitely helped us and led to the strip sack. That's just us getting off the field and actually having a defensive line."

(on his reaction to WR Julian Edelman's reviewed catch) "That is the best catch that I've ever seen in person, hands down. I thought, I couldn't even tell, 'Did he catch that?' Incredible man, really incredible. Big call. I'm glad and I'm so, so blessed that catch was made."

(on if he felt the defense would find a way to slow Ryan down)"Honestly, we really wanted to not let those guys get off to a fast start. I think like, the previous eight or nine games they scored on the first drive. We wanted to get those guys off track and make it hard for those guys to earn yards. There were a few times where we did and there was a few times where they caught us. Certain scheming took advantage of it and that's part of going against a good offense, good quarterback and a good offensive coordinator. We were able to battle through that. We have a real smart defense, obviously we were able to make those sideline adjustments that led us to win."

(on if the city of Houston will hold a special place in his heart) "I won a Super Bowl, man. I won a Super Bowl, I'm not worried about none of that. We're the Super Bowl champs."

(on what it said about DL Trey Flowers wanting to make a game-changing play)"I honestly don't think it mattered if Trey wanted it or not, because we were going to give it to him. Trey is honestly one of the best players on defense, he does a hell of a job each and every day. Works hard, he's great at his craft. There's been plenty of times throughout the year, where he's had double-team, triple-team guys and he's gotten sacks. To be honest we expected it and I'm glad to have him as my teammate as good as Trey is."

LINEBACKER ROB NINKOVICH

(on the Edelman catch) "Wow, that was an amazing catch. Just the concentration, everything about it. He did a great job to get his hands underneath it and it was an amazing play. One of many that just that got us to where we are at right now."

(on if Edelman catch was the turning point) "I think (Dont'a) Hightower's sack fumble was the turning point."

(on what was his thoughts at halftime) "Obviously, we came in and said, 'Hey that is not good enough guys. If we play like that in the second half, we are going to lose.' This team, the mental toughness, the heart, the determination, the things that we were able to overcome not just in this game, but throughout the year. We came together, we looked at the adjustments, we saw the things we needed to do better. We went out there and we executed. It started the first series. We wanted to say, 'Hey, let's get out of here, three and out.' And we went out there and executed. Offense did amazing and again I think (Dont'a) Hightower, Trey Flowers, just Alan Branch coming up with the fumble recovery. Amazing, just an amazing game. So happy to be a part of it."

(on feeling out when the score was 28-3) "I think just that mindset is always constantly focused on one play at a time. Coming together and working. We knew that in the second half we were going to have limited opportunities as far as keep continuing giving our offense chances to score. So it was just the sense of urgency every time we were on the field to have a three and out, fumble, big play. That when they scored on that last touchdown, they did a great job of executing a play down in the red zone. I would like to have that play back because I had to cover the back (Tevin Coleman) on that one. That guy is fast, crossing my face and then I bunch look to my side. Just something, that is just one play I wish I could have back."

(on the Julio Jones catch) "That was an amazing catch. That was. On the sideline there I didn't know if his feet where in. Just because of how far it looked like he was out of bounds, but it just the length he (is)."

(on knocking them out of field goal range) "We just came up. Trey (Flowers) had a huge sack to knock them back. Then Chris Long had a holding call on the third down. Just amazing, amazing plays from my brothers. They did great job. I am just so happy and blessed to have been a part of this team."
(on if he felt the game was over when the Patriots received the kickoff to start overtime) "I mean no because that is a good football team we just played. So getting the football, we knew that our offense was playing at a high level at the end of the game there. You know they just did a great job of executing. (Danny) Amendola, huge catches, Chris (Hogan) huge catches. I mean everybody just came through huge. Marty (Martellus Bennett) huge catches, and James (White). James (White) had a heck of a game. So really happy, really proud of my teammates. Just the feeling we had in the locker room and the feeling we have right now. We knew we could have it. We just had to go out there and play hard each play and not think about the score. Just go out there and work, work, work, and that is what we have been doing all year."

(on what it took to win) "I think this game just is a great example of the team that we have and the way that we are built. You know a bunch of guys that just refuse to stay down and refuse to just take no for an answer. We got a lot of guys whose stories are unbelievable and the things they are able to overcome and where we are at right now. I think the offseason minicamp, training camp, the regular season, the heart and mental toughness this team has. This game was very -- the true definition of mental toughness and heart.

RUNNING BACK DION LEWIS

(on Patriots QB Tom Brady) "He played great. He led us great. Everybody kept fighting. We kept believing, we never gave up. I am so proud of these guys, man. I wouldn't want do this win with another group of guys."

(on halftime in the locker room) "We knew that we were beating ourselves. Offensively we were moving the ball. We just gave them the ball a couple times. We weren't finishing in the red zone. We knew we just had to stop turning the ball over. We knew that they were going to get tired. We had the ball a lot in the first half. Our defense made some plays for us in the second half. Man, it is great - greatest feeling."

(on Patriots RB James White's game) "My man was balling today. 14 catches, three touchdowns, man he came through big for us. That is the thing about this team, we always got. It is always somebody different. He works so hard. I am happy for him. He deserves it, man. A fellow running back, he deserves it."

(on the Edelman catch) "Oh, man I seen it and it looked like he caught it, but I can't really see that good, but the ref, actually the ref further away saw it. I am like, 'how (he) see it from all the way over there.?' But then we saw the replay, it was a catch, everybody was hyping. It was a turning point for us."

(on the offense scoring in the second half) "It felt good. We just had to execute a little bit better and stay positive. The guys stay positive. Nobody thought we weren't going to win this game and that is the biggest thing I can say about this team."

(on the defensive stops in the second half) "Oh man, timely sacks, plays at the right time. High (Dont'a Hightower) had a great play for us that gave us the momentum, sack fumbles. Those guys played, they kept playing, they kept fighting. That is a great offense that they forced to make some mistakes."

(on Tom Brady in the huddle in the fourth quarter) "Calm and cool just like he always is. Ready to go, fired up. When we had that last drive he knew what time it was."
(on Tom Brady after the pick six) "Stay positive. We always stay positive. One bad play, we just move. Play by play, don't dwell on the play before. Even if it was a good play, or bad play just keep going play by play and staying focused on the next play."

(on his injury) "It is my hamstring. I am good. It is not my knee, I am okay. I am going to be good in about two weeks."

RUNNING BACK LEGARRETTE BLOUNT

(on his emotions) "It's an amazing feeling. Obviously we went out there and didn't play our best game in the first half. We had to regroup after halftime and come out here and play our best half of football to put ourselves in position to possibly win this game, and we did that."

(on what the feeling was going into the halftime) "We knew we had to go out there, get a stop and score a couple times quick. Our defense got us the ball back quick and they made a lot of plays. They got a sack-fumble, they recovered (a fumble), they did a lot of things that definitely contributed to our win. They played great. They played amazing. Our special teams getting the stops on the 10-yard line, inside the 15, and things like that. All of those things play a factor in this huge game."

(on his immediate feeling when running back James White scored the game-winning touchdown)"I already knew he was going to get in. That wasn't even a question, I was just ready to run on the field."

(on the Falcons effort) "They're a great team. Obviously they came out and did what they felt like they had to do and they put themselves in position to win the game. It's a 60-minute game, we made a couple of plays that gave us a little momentum and we just made sure that we held onto it throughout the rest of the game."
(on the Falcons defensive play) "They were really good and they did everything that we thought they were going to do. They stripped the ball off of us, they got an interception, they did the things that they needed to do to win this game but unfortunately for them we came out and we did everything that we needed to do to conceal the 'W.'"

(on what he thought of WR Julian Edelman's catch) "I've never seen anything like that. That was probably something that'll be one of the top ten plays in Super Bowl history. That was an amazing catch. He played lights out all game. He played an amazing game. I think James played a great game, the best game of his career and he saved it until this game right here when we needed it the most. If I had to vote, I would say James is the MVP.

(on what he can say about White's consistency because of his limited playing time) "It's not up to him, when and how much he plays but I know that when he is in there, and when he has a chance to make a play he always does it for us. As you can see tonight, on the biggest stage you can be on, in the biggest type of game in the sport, he made all the plays that we needed him to make. I think he scored three touchdowns so he did everything that we needed and wanted him to do."

(on how he would describe White's preparation even though he doesn't play a lot) "He handles it really well. He's a team player. Nobody on this team is selfish. He's a really good team player. It's like a family man, we're a family out here and its really family oriented and we have each other's backs through thick and thin. No matter who is going to get the rock (football), who's playing the most, it's always going to be our group that supports each other."

(inaudible question) "It was crazy. You'll probably never see another catch like that again, at least not in this game."

(inaudible question) "For sure, definitely. Ju (Edelman) has always come through and made a play whenever we needed it, he never fails. When we needed him to step up and make a play, no matter if it was intentional or unintentional, he's always going to make that play for us."

(on why QB Tom Brady is the greatest of all-time)"He has five Super Bowl wins and he's done it against multiple teams, some of the best defenses that you'll see in the league. We were down 28-3 and he orchestrated possibly the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history and I was here to watch it. I've been here with him for a couple years now and I've seen how he goes about his business. What he does to make sure he's prepared for the game is amazing."

(inaudible question) "I mean win, lose, or draw that's going to be one of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history. I don't know how close it actually was to hitting the ground, because I wasn't there to look at it but I saw the play, I saw him catch it, I knew he caught it and it was all history from there. We went on to do what we did."

(on if he knew Edelman caught the pass immediately) "Oh yeah, I knew immediately."

(on if he knew immediately because he saw the catch) "No, I knew immediately. I didn't see how close it was to the ground, I wasn't out there to see how close it was to the ground but I knew it didn't hit the ground for sure. I know it didn't it the ground."

(inaudible question) "Yeah, they've been doing that all season. They're the number one scoring defense in the NFL and they're going to do what they have to do and put us in the best position to win games. They're going to continue to do everything that (Head Coach) Bill (Belichick) and (Defensive Coordinator Matt Patricia) Matty P tells them to do to put them in the best position to make the plays that they made tonight."

SAFETY DURON HARMON 

(on coming back from a 25-point deficit at halftime) "I'm trying to tell you man. What are we talking about, adding time? All we [were] saying was, 'one play at a time, and we can literally make this' - like you said - 'the greatest comeback ever in Super Bowl history.' It was guys, literally, just believing in each other, knowing that if we play our brand of football, it's going to be hard to beat us for sixty minutes."

(on where the team was, emotionally, during the 25-point deficit) "Oh, we were never down. I'm trying to tell you, that's the great thing about having so many leaders in the locker room. You don't have to say much. All it was, was everybody saying 'come on. It's one play. All we need is one play. All we need is one play to spark this whole team.' And that's what happened, man. We just had each other's back. At no point did anybody blame anybody or anybody's head was down. It was just, literally, everybody fighting and grinding, saying 'somebody is going to come back and hit you,' and that's what it was."

(on watching Tom Brady at the end of the game)"It was great, man. I'm trying to tell you, that overtime - I'm sitting on the sideline like, 'I ain't going in.' He's the [greatest of all time], man. He's going to get it done. This is the [Michael Jordan] of football, the greatest player ever. He's going to get it done for us. He continues to do it. Think about it: the last Super Bowl we played in, Super Bowl XLIV, we got multiple scores in the fourth quarter. What does he do? Comes back and gets the win. What does he do today? Comes back and gets the win. It's easy to say: the greatest football player of all-time is Tom Brady."

(on what was happening on the sidelines during Julian Edelman's fourth-quarter incredible catch) "Oh man, we were going crazy. It was great to get a crazy catch to go our way, you know? We're usually on the other end of that - some type of miraculous catch. I mean, that catch Julio Jones made was amazing. I mean, to get that type of catch, it just showed man. That's the type of team we've got. A lot of people would've gave up on that ball but he concentrated so much - to be able to see the ball, juggle, bounce it off people and be able to get both hands under that, that's a big-time player making a big-time play in a big-time moment."

(on whether or not the players on the sideline thought WR Julian Edelman caught it or not) "Oh, we knew. I mean, you can just tell. It was stuck, but for him to get his hands under the ball, yeah, we knew, man. For him to get his hands under that ball, it was amazing. I'm trying to tell you, it was just a real moment. We just literally went crazy on the sideline because we knew what it was going to be. We were coming back to win the game."

(on comparing the feeling of winning his second Super Bowl win to his first Super Bowl win) "It feels better. Just think about it - you wouldn't think you'd get a crazier finish than the first one, but for this one to go the way it went, it's just a testament to the team. How hard we worked, the mental toughness we had to continue to fight for sixty minutes. That's a championship football team right there. Being able to be down like that, not let it take the whole mood of the team and just continue to fight until we can break through and just start making plays and play the way we want to play."

(on DE Chris Long saying at halftime that Harmon predicted this outcome) "Oh, yeah. I'm trying to tell you - I knew, man. You've got Tom Brady, the Michael Jordan of football, and you've got the greatest defense this year, man. The team that - we gave up fifteen points. It's a tale of two halves, man. But I'm trying to tell you, when this defense needed to lock in and get the ball back to the offense, we did it, and that's a championship defense."

(on winning the coin toss in overtime and not seeing the field again) "Yeah, we sat back and, literally, Matt [Patricia] is going over defense and we're just like, 'Matty P, we're not going out there. There's no way we're going out there. Tom Brady is in a groove, he's doing everything that we need him to do to win this game.' And that's what happens, man. He led that team down there that whole fourth quarter man. That's Tom Brady's quarter. Tom Brady Quarter - that's what we're going to call it from now on."

SAFETY PATRICK CHUNG

(on what it feels like to be a Super Bowl champion)"It feels good, man. Everybody doubted us, but it is all good. We came here to win."

(on what changed after halftime) "We didn't change anything. They just told us to play better. We are a better team than that, offense, defense, special teams and we had to buck up, man. We had to man up and play consistent football, play the game that we know how to play and we did that. Fought to the end and it is all gravy.

(on Hightower's run stuff to start the third quarter being a momentum changer) "Yeah, that showed that we are always going to be there until the end of the game. Win or lose we are going to play to the end of the game and that is how we are coached and it is beaten into our head. Just never give up and we didn't give up.
(on when he felt the game turned) "Yeah, when we started playing better. I can't really pick a play. There were a lot of good plays and it just felt better and better and better and we just got it going. I don't know how to explain it. We just got it going and we started playing like a family because we are a family. We started playing like brothers and it worked out for us.

(on if he was surprised that Atlanta threw the ball so much late in the game)"It doesn't matter to us. We have to cover if it is a run or a pass, man. We have to do our job."

(on if he thinks Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback of all-time) "You just saw that for yourself. He brought us down and he brought us another Super Bowl, so whoever says that he is not the greatest, you guys are stupid."

(on his reaction to Edelman's catch) "It was great. It took the air out of me a little bit, but it was a great catch. It is a big time play from a big time player. I love Jules (Julian), man. I came in with him and that is my dude so I am happy for him."

(on what change in the second halfd) "We just played better. We weren't doing our job and we just starting doing our job and we started playing Patriot football. We tried to play as consistent as possible and just do your job and trust in the person next to you. That is what we have done for 21 games now. It worked out for us and it is party time."

(on a comeback like that being a new situation for the Patriots)"Just keep playing. People doubted us, saying that their offense was going to run all over us and throw all over us, but it is what it is. People can keep talking and now they are just sitting on the couch mad."

(on what it was like watching Tom Brady orchestrate that comeback)"It just told us that we didn't have to get off the bench anymore because we have Tom Brady. He just proved to you guys that he is the greatest, period. So all of you haters need to shut up and just own up to it that he is the greatest. We all saw that today."
(on what the tattoo on his arm symbolizes) "The Chung family."

TACKLE NATE SOLDER

(on his feelings following the first half) "I felt like I played like total poop. I played terrible. I knew I played terrible and I needed to play better for our team to be successful at all."

(on what Head Coach Bill Belichick told him at halftime) "You know what? Belichick didn't tell me anything. My position coach, (Dante) Scarnecchia helped me with some technique stuff. He helped me get right."

(on Tom Brady's performance) "Tom Brady just started making plays. It was an honor to be out there with him. We were just trying to do our job, block the guy in front of us."

(on sharing his Super Bowl victory with his son) "It's very special. It's very special indeed. To have him down on the field, he may not remember it, he probably won't, but to see some pictures and know all the things we've been through this year, it's been a special year."

(on how he plans on celebrating the victory) "How we're going to celebrate? I don't know yet. I think we're going to have some nice family time together. We're going to get together and spend some time together, finally."

(on James White's game-winning touchdown) "I was confused. Honestly, I was confused. I didn't know if it was in or not. I hesitated. I didn't know whether to celebrate. I kind of missed the climax of the whole deal. I was so excited when I found out."

(on fighting back from a large deficit) "We kept just taking shots. We kept playing the way we play. We made some plays. How do you predict what's going to happen like that? You just keep playing and keep working. We've been in a lot of games where that didn't happen, but here we are."

(on Julian Edelman's circus catch late in the fourth quarter) "If we didn't have it, we wouldn't be where we are. That was a crazy catch by Edelman. In real time you couldn't even tell what happened, but when you saw the replay, it was unbelievable. It kind of rolled our way today."

(on whether he believes in destiny) "We don't believe in accidents. Here we are. Look at us sitting here."

(on his message to fans back in Colorado) "I love those guys. God bless all of them. It's crazy that we're here again. It's so special that I have people who love me and support me back home."

(on his thoughts on the first half deficit) "What did I think? I better start playing a lot better than I was before. That's what I was focused on, improving my play."

(on Head Coach Bill Belichick's message to the team in the second half) "He cast a wizard spell over us that changed everything. He said that we have to keep doing what we're doing, play like we know how to play and not think about what happened. They have to score a lot more points to keep us down. We knew we could score enough points to win."

(on winning the coin toss heading into overtime) "I was hoping so because I know how powerful their offense was. I didn't want to give them a chance. I said, 'We have to score. Right now.'"

(on the team's fourth-quarter comeback) "They were under tremendous pressure. We knew we just had to put pressure on them. We'd been doing it all year where we're conditioned and stronger than the other team in the fourth quarter. We did it again tonight."

(on Atlanta's performance) "Those guys played great. Those guys are a great team. I give them all the credit in the world."

TIGHT END MARTELLUS BENNETT 

(on halftime mood and Bill Belichick's speech) "It was nothing crazy. There was no great speech. There were no guys arguing, throwing helmets or anything. We came in and made adjustments. Everyone was focused on doing what we had to do and that was it. We just made adjustments and changed up our game plan and how we were going to attack and that is what we went with."

(on being a Super Bowl champion) "Being a Super Bowl winner anywhere is good. It is amazing. The biggest thing is my daughter was here to see it. There was nothing really more special than my family being here. Overall, it was really special. It is like waking up and eating cake for breakfast. It is just one of those feelings. It is super cool and super fun. It is unique to be back where I am from. Overall it was really cool because this was where I grew up running sprints, jumping, working out with my brothers, working out with my friends, my parents dropping me off at practice, things like that."

(on whether he will make the trip to the White House) "I haven't thought about it. I am not going to go."

(on largest Super Bowl comeback ever) "There was really no doubt. We felt like they didn't believe. We have a team full of believers and this game was no different."

(on Tom Brady in the huddle at the end of the game) "Nobody said anything really. Tom (Brady) called a play and everyone was really laser-focused. Everybody just wanted a chance to go make the play."
(on his decision to not go to the White House) "I can elaborate later on in life, right now I am just trying to enjoy this. I haven't really thought about it. Like I said, it is what it is. People know how I feel about it, just follow me on Twitter."
(on WR Julian Edelman's catch in the fourth quarter) "I thought it was fantastic. Throughout the game, Edelman has always been a guy to make big plays. He made a big catch and a fantastic one right there. You saw Julio Jones tiptoe on the sideline. You saw Julian Edelman catch a ball between seven guys' legs. There was a lot of awesome stuff happening on the football field. There were just a bunch of guys that really wanted to win."

(on the Patriots' mental toughness) "We were running a hill last week, and I was like, 'Who runs the hill in week 23?' Guys were tired, but guys got out there and they ran full speed up the hill. We have just been a team that works, a team full of workers. There are a lot of guys on this team that other teams didn't want. Everybody on this team has an edge. Everybody wants to be great. They know and understand that people are chasing them to take their spot and there are a lot of people that say we couldn't do what we do as individuals that are put together on this team. Overall, the guys just brought it every single day. There was never a practice where we weren't working hard."

(on if politics disrupts team chemistry) "Just don't bring that to work. We are coworkers and we have to coexist for the same job, the same cause. The only thing that matters is getting this championship. Everybody comes from a different walk of life, everybody is going to be from different places and everybody has different beliefs, whether it is religion or anything. It could be about school. Some people don't want their kids to get shots. Every single thing is different, and we all have our beliefs. The thing is that we accept people for who they are, and that is the biggest thing that this country is about. I don't care what you believe. It is not going to separate me from accepting you for who you are. I am not mad at you. For me, it is just about accepting people for who they are."

(on potentially upsetting his owner if he does not attend the team's White House visit)"I don't know. I am not really worried about that. I am not worried about it at all. I think they believe in whatever I want to do. They believe in that so I am not really worried about that."

(on not catching the potential game-winning touchdown pass) "I wanted to get it because I knew I was going to be open when he called the play. I had him by a couple steps."

WIDE RECEIVER CHRIS HOGAN

(on New England Patriots WR Julian Edelman's fourth-quarter catch) "That's going to go down in history as one of the greatest catches. Jules makes plays for us. He's a playmaker on our offense and he's a go-to guy. He found a way to catch that ball. It was incredible."

(on what he thought when he saw the replay of Edelman's catch) "When I watched it, I thought he caught it. There was not a doubt in my mind that he made a catch on that ball."

(on if he thought Edelman caught the ball when he watched it live) "When I watched it live, I thought he caught it, which he did."

(on if there was a moment when the Patriots knew they were going to win the game) "At halftime, we knew it was going to be-we had to tell ourselves this is a different game-60 minutes. We just have to find a way to grind out, get a win. Our defense made some stops. We made some plays and we got it down to a two-score game. We knew we just had to find a way to win and we did."
(on what halftime was like) "We just kind of told ourselves that we have to make some plays. This was going to be one heck of a story-a Super Bowl story making this comeback. We're just going to do our job and just make some plays and find a way to win, which we did."
(on the conversation in the locker room at halftime) "We have to tell ourselves to do our job, make some plays. This was going to be a story that they're going to talk about for the rest of history. We just had to go out there and make some plays. Defense played well and made some stops. We found a way to win."

(on what Tom Brady said at halftime) "Just had to just do our job. We just had to keep going. We knew that it was going to be a 60-minute game. We never quit though. That's what's special about this team. There wasn't a moment in that game where I felt like anyone had quit. We were going to grind that out. We were going to play to the end."

(on what New England Quarterback Tom Brady was doing at halftime) "We just had to make some plays. We were up and down. We weren't really moving the ball. We got the ball in the red zone a couple times and we weren't able to convert it. But, we knew this was going to be a different half. It was a good ending game for us. We treated it as 0-0. Going out there and just chipping away. We found a way to win."

(on what this season means after disappointing seasons in Buffalo) "It's amazing. I'm just so happy to be a part of this team. Just so happy to be here - part of this organization, playing with these guys. They care so much. It's really special."

(on Tom Brady's focus) "Tom is laser-focused. He's our go-to guy. He's our leader. That guy made some plays for us today, which was awesome. He's laser-focused and the entire time there wasn't a time where we looked at Tom like he knew this thing was over. We looked to him when we needed to get us going and he did and made some plays we just had to keep chipping away. There wasn't a doubt in my mind. We have one of the best quarterbacks that ever played the game. We were going to find a way to make this thing close at the end."

(on whether his old teammates contacted him) "Yeah. They have. They just wished me luck and they're just happy that I was here. I worked hard to get here and they were happy for me."

(on the Atlanta Falcons coverage)"It was good. They were playing man-to-man coverage. We just had to find a way to win and separate at the top of our routes, which I thought we were doing all night. All the receivers did a good job today. We were open the entire day."

(on what Tom Brady said in the huddle)"Just keep making plays. Do our job. Keep making plays and we were going to put ourselves in a position at the end of the game and we did. Everyone made some big plays. Danny (Amendola), Jules (Julian Edelman), Marty (Martellus Bennett), I mean everyone made plays at the end of the game. It was truly incredible. It was pretty awesome to be part of this team."

(on if the feeling of winning the Super Bowl matched his expectations) "It's my first Super Bowl. To find a way to win and come back like that, I mean, it's truly amazing."
(on what QB Tom Brady was able to do in the game)"Tom - he's the greatest. He's surrounded by a lot of guys that play hard for him. That's what we did. We came out in the second half. Everyone played hard. Offense, defense, we fed off one another. Defense made some stops. We made some big plays. We just kept grinding out. We found a way to win."

(on what it was like to be on the field for the winning play) "I had a down block. I knew what I had to do. Took care of my job. I saw James (White) make a cut. It was a little bit of craziness going on because no one knew if he actually got in or not, but the second he got in, I mean, I don't even know. There was a lot of emotions."

(on the feeling of winning the Super Bowl) "Nothing better for this team. All year, we found ways to win. We never quit on each other and that's what's special about these guys."

(on how he feels personally after winning) "I worked hard to get here. This feels amazing."

(on if he ever thought he would win a Super Bowl back when he was at Penn State) "Football wasn't really an option for me when I was at Penn State. No, I didn't really think I was going to be playing in one of the best Super Bowls."

(on what it is like to play in and win a Super Bowl with Brady) "I can't wait to tell my kids about this. I can't wait to tell my friends about this. He's the greatest. He has all the confidence in the world and that's what makes it awesome."

(on WR Julian Edelman's late-game catch) "I was outside running an under route. I saw Tom (Brady) throw it up. Jules made an amazing play. I mean, I thought he caught it watching it live. That was incredible."

WIDE RECEIVER DANNY AMENDOLA

(On coming back to win and scoring the two-point in regulation) "We have a resilient bunch of guys. We were able to get it to overtime, they gave us a chance, and we are a resilient bunch."

(On having to come from behind like this in a Super Bowl being uncharacteristic of the Patriots) "We were just worrying about beating them by one point. We knew we had to come out in the second half and play no matter what. They were coming at us with a lot of things. We just wanted to be resilient, we wanted to be tough mentally, and we got it done."

(On Tom Brady in that overtime drive) "He was the same as he always is, cool, calm and collected. He's the leader, the general, the best ever and that is the end of the story."

(On winning in his hometown) "It's the best man, it's why we play. It's great to have the family out. My mom came out; it was awesome to have the family in the stands."

(On the comeback win) "We just wanted to focus on our job; one play at a time, one drive at a time. Interrupt the scoreboard, just try to get the ball in the end zone and make plays. We've got a tough crew so, it was fun."

(On connecting with Brady when the game was on the line after a few dropped balls early in the game)"No question. When it comes down to game time, he's the best. He's our leader, he's so competitive, we rally behind him. He's the best, Tom Brady."

(On whether Brady gives them confidence) "We knew we had a shot. Defense played well. It was a tough game; it was a crazy game. We're happy."

(His thoughts on wide receiver Julian Edelman's catch)"Unbelievable, it was an awesome catch. I don't know how he did it. Catch of the night!"

(On whether Edelman's catch was the turning point in the game) "No question, it sparked the whole team. He's a champ."

(On his immediate feelings about the overtime win) "It was a great play call. I'm just so happy for our guys, so happy for--we worked really hard this offseason, worked hard during the season, camp, OTA's, year round. So, it's the best."

(On the hometown win) "It's unbelievable. It hasn't really sunk in yet. Just going to enjoy it with my family, with my friends tonight and celebrate.

(On his two-point conversion reception)"It was a good play call. We had a good look on the play and we got it in."

(On whether this Super Bowl win was more special than his first given the health concerns of Tom Brady's mother)"He gets us all going and we love playing for him."

(On his father's reaction) "I haven't seen him yet. He'll be around. I'll see him."

(On the Patriots confidence throughout the game)"We never felt like we were out of the game. We wanted to keep fighting, keep going, keep believing and that's what we did."

WIDE RECEIVER JULIAN EDELMAN 

(on the catch in the fourth quarter)"It was third and five. We made a decent play. Thankfully we finished. I was just trying to track it. It was a bang-bang play. You have to tip your hat to Atlanta. They're a really good team. Thankfully we were able to make big plays at the end."

(on the certainty of securing the catch)"I knew I got it. I felt like I had it."

(on doubt of the catch being dropped) "I knew I had a good feel on it. I didn't know if a piece of the ball was touching. I don't know what the dang rule is. No one knows what the rule is. I am pretty sure I caught it."

(on thinking about the catch)"I was onto the next play. We had to do what we had to do. We had to get a touchdown and two points to tie the game. (wide receiver Chris) Hogan made a great play coming up next. Sweet Feet made a couple of great plays. It was a great complimentary game from all our guys. It was unbelievable."

(on feeling good to be on the right side of a great catch) "It does. It feels good, I'll tell you that right now. It still hasn't hit me."

(on the attitude of the team halftime) "It was focused. The formula to beat a team like that is that you have to do well on third down, you can't turn the ball over because they don't turn it over that much. They're a bend, (don't) break defense. We knew we were going to be able get some yards, but they're really good at stripping the ball. It's from that whole Seattle program. They know things about the ball. If you don't turn the ball over, you're going to have a better chance of to have opportunities to win the game. That's what we were thinking. Hey, let's play one play at a time. We did that and it just tells you how mentally tough this team is. We were down 25 points. It's a microcosm of this season. We go through some adversity and we stick together. We were mentally tough, keep on pulling and keep on moving. We were able to finish on top at the end."

(on being down 25 points) "I never thought it was over. Unfortunately, when I was in college, I played in a lot of those types of games. We just had to keep fighting. There's something we say around here, You got to believe. That's what we kept on saying."

(on being resilient when not used to being behind)"I think we trailed against the Jets and Arizona. We were down so we had a couple of those. It's tough to play a team like that. We played them the absolute wrong way. It just shows how mentally tough we are. It was unbelievable."    

(on quarterback Tom Brady calling the catch the greatest he's seen)"I think that's just because we have our bromance.

(on if it was his best catch ever)"I don't know. It was only good if we won the game. Thankfully we did."

(on playing in the first OT in Super Bowl history)"That just tells you, when you have a group of guys that believe in each other, that stick together. "Supposedly we weren't good on defense, we didn't have any playmakers on offense. I'll tell you right now, we had a bunch of guys make plays and our defense made stops when they had to. The mind is a powerful thing. When you believe in each other, you have that type of mental toughness."

(on winning the coin toss to start OT) "I was just thinking one play at a time. I knew we were hot. I didn't want to say anything and jinx it. I knocked on a couple of woods. I saw some guys' eyes in the huddle. It was unbelievable. I saw that o-line focused. I saw (wide receiver) Malcolm Mitchell making plays to help us get down there, (wide receiver) Danny Amendola, (wide receiver) Chris Hogan, Sweet Feet, you saw a bunch of guys focused. I've played in some games, not quite at this height, but it was unbelievable."

(on hanging in there late in the game)"We have these stupid hills in Foxbourogh that we have to run, literally until we can't. We all bitch and complain about it. Sorry I said that but hey, we do it. We put in the work and the conditioning. We were able to do that."
(on overcoming early dropped passes) "There's going to be some plays where they don't go your way. Unfortunately, I didn't come through for my team on that play. I wish I had that play back. Thankfully, I had other guys that had my back. I was just more focused on doing what I had to do."

(on this Super Bowl meaning more because of what QB Tom Brady has gone through) "They're all like kids. You love them all the same. Definitely there is some adversity that we had to overcome. I can't speak for Tom. I'm so proud of him, just the way he handles everything. It's just something think to look up to. What he had to deal with this season and what he's dealing with personally, he's just a class act. A lot of people hate on him, but that's just because he's at the top always. If you really get to know him, he's a family man and loves his job. He loves football and putting in the work. I'm blessed to get to get to play with a guy like that and learn from a guy like that."

WIDE RECEIVER MALCOLM MITCHELL 

(on how he got to this point in his career) "I don't know, I've always believed - my mom instilled in me to work hard. Everything that I do, I always try to do my best. If opportunities come up, I try to take advantage of them."

(on what it is like to be a part of one of the defining moments of QB Tom Brady's career) "I'm happy, I'm blessed to have that opportunity."

(on how they believed that they would come back) "One play at a time. That was the motto on the sideline, one play at a time."

(on the mood at halftime)"We just rallied together. Nobody was down, we knew the mountain that we had to climb."

(on what Head Coach Bill Belichick said at halftime and throughout the second half) "He just told us, 'It's time to do - We know what we have to do.' And it's just that simple. It wasn't a long speech, it was simple and straight to the point."

(on how he felt after the third quarter)"It's never over until it's over."

(on if today's game is an example of that) "It's a great example of that."

(on his feeling after RB James White scored the game-winning touchdown) "I looked over, the ref had up the touchdown sign. I threw my helmet off and ran around the field."

(on if he has had a feeling like this before) "No. Never."

(on QB Tom Brady's performance)"He deserves it. He's a great person, a phenomenal athlete. Obviously the best quarterback to play the game."

(on if the team was playing for Brady after his suspension at the beginning of the season) "We were playing for each other, as a team. Tom never makes it about himself, nobody makes it about themselves. We all just try to pull together and accomplish this goal."

WIDE RECEIVER MATTHEW SLATER 

(on how important kick coverage was for the team late in the game) "It was huge. We practice so many situations that we have not had come up over the course of the season, and they came up tonight. I think our execution was really good. We did not get the onside kick there, but we kept trusting the process. We put in a lot of work, and it paid off for us tonight."

(on whether the directional kickoffs were designed) "Definitely. That is something that we have done all year long. They gave us the look that we wanted. We went out there and executed. We have so much speed on the field - it is hard for teams to match up with us. We came out there, and we executed at a high level."

(on how long New England can keep the continued success)"Who knows? We are not thinking about that right now. We are World Champs, and that is all we are concerned with right now."

(On what the Patriots locker room was like at halftime) "No panic. Everybody just continued to trust the process. We paid a serious price to get to this point. We put in a lot of work. We are practicing in pads on Super Bowl week. We are squatting 80 percent of our maxes on Super Bowl week. We worked for this. Our bodies were ready and our minds were ready, and we just kept believing in one another."

(on the feeling of winning the Super Bowl)"It is the best feeling in sports when you go out there and you win a World Title against a worthy opponent like we did tonight. We are just so thankful for this whole experience."

(on what coming back from 25 points down says a lot about the makeup of the Patriots) "There was no panic.  Nobody doubted. We looked in each other's eyes, and we knew we just had to keep playing for 60 minutes. Hey, maybe it was not going to work out, but we were not going to quit. We just kept competing, kept believing and here we are."

(on where his call for heads in overtime came from)"I always call heads. When my dad was a captain, he called heads his whole career. I always call heads, and there is a little bit of luck. There is a little bit of a family faith story there. But we go heads, the Slater's call heads."

(on if the coin toss decision is up to him) "Yes. Heads or tails is up to me. I have called heads for the last six years."

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN TREY FLOWERS

(on his initial feeling after the game) "It's crazy. I still can't believe it. It's going to be amazing waking up tomorrow because this is like a dream. It feels like a dream."

(on his sack in the fourth quarter)"It was a good play call. I just went inside on the guard and just kept getting vertical. We knew he always likes to attack the spot and (Matt Ryan) likes to step up in the pocket, so anytime you get some inside penetration, he was right there to get the sack. I was just blessed I had the opportunity to make the play when the time came."
(on how surprised Atlanta threw the ball late in the game) "They knew the situation and we knew they were going to try to get a lot of guys the ball with Matt Ryan and things like that. That's the main component of their offense, so they were going to put the ball in his hands. When it came down to it, we just kept rushing and kept on penetrating. We knew that they were going to be able to run, so when it came down to stop the run, we stopped it already in that drive and then we got after the quarterback."
(on developing into a more consistent player this season)"All the glory to God, just being able to be in this position. Like you said, last year I didn't play a lot, but I saw the other side of it. Being able to sit out and just the opportunity seeming to fade away, it could have. But I just kept playing and whenever my opportunity came, I made the best of my opportunity and I just made sure I was prepared."

(on what it was like giving quarterback Tom Brady and the offense so much time for the eventual game-tying drive in the fourth quarter) "I knew we've got the greatest quarterback and you've got that, it was just unbelievable just to see him walk down the field like that. Calm, cool, collective and just make plays, that's what he's been doing all his career, he's unbelievable."

(on players in the locker room at halftime saying this will be the greatest comeback of all time)"In that locker room, you've got a lot of guys that just kept believing and that's what it's about. Just continue to believe. We just had one play away, one play at a time, we kept on with it. A lot of guys made some big plays down the stretch. (Linebacker Dont'a) Hightower made the strip-sack and we got the ball right there in the red zone, so we just kept believing."

(on if he thought the defense would ever have to go on the field in overtime) "I was prepared, but we've got Tom Brady on our side. So, I was prepared even if we had to go and stop them for a field goal or whatever. We were always prepared to be in the position, but fortunately Tom finished the job for us. It's unbelievable."

(on what he thought about the offense's drive in overtime)"I think I had a feeling when (wide receiver) Julian (Edelman) caught that ball. That unbelievable catch, right before the overtime and I just knew if we go into overtime, we're going to win, we're the champs. So, once we got the ball and once they put the ball into Tom's hands, it was game over."

(on what the chatter was on the sideline going into the defensive's last drive of regulation) "Prior to that drive, we were down 16 points and we knew then, it was 16 points with like nine minutes left, we knew then it was just two plays away, two possessions away. I was telling all the guys then, 'It's two possessions away.' And we went out there, got the strip-sack and then got the touchdown and the two-point conversion. We knew then it was just one play away. Now we just need one stop, one big-time play and we were able to get it, we were able to get the stop and put our offense out there with a lot of time left and they marched the ball down the field and got the two-point conversion."

(on what Head Coach Bill Belichick said to the team at halftime to keep them motivated) "Nobody ever wavered. Everybody was all positive and we knew that coming into this game, it was going to be two different games. That's what Belichick kind of told us. He's been in this game a lot over the years, so him just preparing us to play two different games, two different halves, we knew going into the half we just had to make some plays. We dug ourselves in a hole, but we just had to make some plays when the time counted and we made some big plays."

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN ALAN BRANCH 

(on what changed in the game for the Patriots) "Honestly, we just started to finally execute. We were on the field. We knew what we had to do, but we didn't get it done at first in the first half. When we came into halftime, we talked to each other. We weren't down. We didn't give up. We weren't talking about rolling over anything. We just started talking about being on our job, being more positive, and having fun out there. We went into the second half with a little bit more energy. We were just making a lot more plays than we did before."

(on if Tom Brady made a halftime speech) "Offense and defense are two different worlds, so I didn't hear anything that the offense was saying. Defensive guys were talking to us. I don't know what was going on over there."

(on changing the team's mindset at halftime) "I think once everybody looked around in our locker room and realized we weren't giving up, that kind of changed the whole mind set of everybody. We went out there firing off on all cylinders on all three teams: special teams, offense and defense. We all started playing well and executing. I think the biggest thing was execution. We were definitely doing that in the second half."

(on if Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback of all time)"I always thought it. I might feel a certain type of way since I'm a fellow Michigan guy, so I mean I always put him up on the top. I mean, this definitely gives him a chance to be in the top for sure."

(on Patriots DL Trey Flowers' critical sack after Atlanta Falcons WR Julio Jones' reception to put the Falcons in field goal range)"We got the play called. We had a stunt on that. Someone was supposed to stunt on that play. Trey stepped up. He was like, 'Look, let me do the stunt.' He went in there. I just went in there and covered him and let him do work. Trey Flowers is one of the better players in the League. He's definitely going to have a lot of people paying attention to him next year because that guy's a monster. I think he's one of the better pass rushers and one of the better all-around defensive linemen in the League. I give him all of the credit in the world. To me, he's one of the best."

(on the Patriots scoring 31 unanswered points to go on to win the Super Bowl in the first overtime win in the Super Bowl era) "It definitely didn't shake us. We kind of expected that, too, knowing that people were going to write us off. Going into the game, there were a couple like that anyway. We knew we were playing for each other, for our families, and for our friends. We went out there and played as hard as we could."

(on what Patriots Head Coach Coach Bill Belichick told the team at halftime) "He just told us to stick to the game plan. He didn't go crazy or anything. He just told us to go out there and we were definitely able to come back from that scoring deficit. He said if everybody did their job we have a great chance of coming back and winning that game."

(on if he thought Julian Edelman caught the ball late in the fourth quarter) "Honestly, I didn't think he caught it. I hate to say it. Not being back there knowing that he got it, and I didn't think he got it. Once that call was made that he actually caught it, I started going crazy. It was one of the better catches I've seen. The concentration that he had to be able to pack it down and put his hand up under it. He's an elite receiver in the League for a reason."

DEFENSIVE END CHRIS LONG

(on winning the Super Bowl at this point in his career)"We have a lot of guys that took different routes. Mine certainly took a while and had its ups and downs. It just shows you, if you keep getting back up, you never know when the last time, you get back up one more time it might be the time you could be on top of the world."

(on what changed in the game in his eyes) "I think the biggest play of the game was (LB Dont'a) Hightower stripping the football. Protection breakdown and we just stayed after him. It wasn't always sacks, it was hits, it was (DL) Trey (Flowers) with two and a half sacks. Defensively, we stayed after everybody. Then, Tom (Brady) just took over. Our receivers were awesome; our o-line was awesome. It was a team victory."

(on how he was feeling when the team was down at halftime) "Down. I think most of us believed, some of us had some doubts. It's natural to have some doubts, we're only human. But we had enough guys that pulled us along. I kept telling people (DB) Duron Harmon walked in and said, 'This is going to be the best comeback of all time.' And we completely believed it. We had enough guys like that that were pulling guys like me along who were down. There were some guys that were like, 'Man, how'd we get in this hole? We're going to keep fighting, but it's hard to believe.' We just kept at it."

(on his feelings on the field after the game) "I think it's one of those feelings, it feels amazing right now but it's going to feel better as a memory all time. That memory is never going to leave me. You feel like you're kind of immortal. You can't kill that memory. The biggest comeback in Super Bowl history, right? It was."

(on what his father, Howie Long, said to him after the game)"We talked, he had me up on the set. I talked to my whole family, it wasn't just about my pops. It was about my wife, my son, Waylon, my brothers were here, my in-laws, I've got friends here, my mother is here. They've all been with me and stuck by me through a lot of lows and I love them all for it."

(on if this is why he signed with New England) "Absolutely. I didn't sign to get paid, I didn't really sign to resurrect my career, I just wanted to win. When I was coming off the last year, I just hoped I could sneak on to a team, I didn't know where my body was going to be. Well, I turned out to feel pretty good and I feel like I played a roll. So I'm very happy to be here."

(on if he feels the Falcons choked the game away) "They're a great football team. (Head) Coach (Dan) Quinn is a hell of a football coach. That team, they attacked us. In the end, we just had too much belief. We have guys like Rob Ninkovich, world champs! I don't think it was like that, I think it was more we took it."

(on if there was any doubt in the outcome when the game went in to overtime)"We just said to each other on defense, 'We're not going to back out there.' Tom, he's an assassin, man and he tears people's hearts out. He just did it tonight."

(on if he can put into words what happened tonight)"It's a blur. It's a blur. You go from thinking this is how it ends, maybe. Everybody put so much work into it, we didn't play our best game and they were just beating us - to we just made history. We absolutely, positively made history."

(on how down he was, emotionally, when they were down)"We were down, but nobody stopped working. It was like we went out there because our instincts are no matter what, the guys on this team, our instincts are to keep fighting and that's not everybody's instincts. Even if you're down, you can be down and have doubts. You don't know any other way but to keep grinding it out. And that's what we did as a team."

(on winning a Super Bowl after having unsuccessful teams early in his career) "Listen, all of those years, good and bad, it makes this even more special. And another thing is, nobody deserves this more or less than anybody else. There are a ton of guys who played a long time in this league and never got a chance to spiff this - I wasn't the only one who played eight years (and didn't win). One of my heroes, one of the guys I looked up to when I was with the Rams, James Hall. He played with Detroit and St. Louis his whole career, a hell of a player. A lot of people don't know who he is. A guy like that, he never sniffed it, he deserved it way more than me. You just have to think you're lucky, man. You're lucky to be here and things have to go right. It's not just hard work or you deserve it, you're part of a great team."

(on how it feels to have his father be able to watch him win the Super Bowl) "I got to chance to hug my dad. For three years, he hasn't been able to be at all my games. He's been a hero of mine, he's been the best father you could ask for. I just hope I can do the same for my son, Waylon. Hopefully he doesn't play football, but I hope I can be his hero like my dad is my hero. He was out there today, too."
(on not wanting his son to play football) "I don't, I think there's better money in rocket science - whatever 'Matty P.' (Matt Patricia) was doing before he was in coaching."
(on what it meant to have his father in attendance) "It feels great, but it wasn't just about my dad. My whole family was here, my son, Waylon, my wife, my brothers, in-laws, friends, my mother - another one of my heroes. They all shared the downs with me, and now here we are on top of the world."

(on WR Julian Edelman's catch) "A funny thing, the first thing that popped in my head was (former Giants WR David) Tyree. As a fan of the game and watching as a football player, that magic kind of reversed. Julian is such a great player, that's where hard work and focus meets luck. We deserved that luck. I think we deserved it. We worked so hard and we've got great people in this locker room."

DEFENSIVE BACK DEVIN MCCOURTY

(on how LB Dont'a Hightower's strip sack in the fourth quarter changed the game) "It was huge. Just coming in here at halftime and (Head Coach) Bill (Belichick) challenged us 28 points wasn't going to beat us. We had to go out there and get stops. I think High started it with a TFL on the first play of the second half, and I mean he was relentless to go and back that play. I think that gave everybody momentum to know for sure that we were going to win this game."

(on if Duron Harmon said this would be the greatest comeback of all time at halftime) "Yeah, I heard about 10 to 12 people say it—Jules (WR Julian Edelman), (QB) Tom (Brady), Bill. This team is tough. We're resilient, all year. We started the season off that way, and I think if you can draw up a book and make a great ending to this season, this would be it. To go down at the end of the game when we had no shot to win, I'm sure. I'm sure a lot of TV sets turned off or turned to something else. We just kept fighting, and it's a great win. Second time to be a Super Bowl Champion is unbelievable."

(On if this Super Bowl is a better win than Super Bowl XLIX) "Yeah, I mean you might as well put it right up there with it. Two rings to look at. Two trophies to look at. Obviously, a great feeling."

(on where his brother watched the game) "My brother is back in Tennessee with his family. I'm sure he was going crazy."

(on how to put this game into words)"You can't. I'll probably put it into words once I rewatch the game. It's always fun watching when you win. Just to keep fighting. Guys didn't get too crazy or panicked. We just kept fighting together as a team, and this team's unbelievable. I wish we could take this team and come back next year and compete. That's something we talked about all week. No team will be the same. We wanted this season to end the right way. We wanted to end with a special moment on that field. We got it done today."

(on how this Super Bowl is different due to the circumstances surrounding the season) "I just think this team - obviously, with Tom's (Brady) situation at the beginning of the season, but everything this team is about. We don't have a bunch of stars running around on the field or a bunch of big names, all of that stuff. It's just a blue collar team that comes in and works every day. It's full pads when people say you shouldn't be in full pads at this part of the season. It's tough Wednesdays and Thursdays. It's Fridays that are fast Fridays. It's just a grind, and this team, we've been through it. We've loved it, and it was just a great ending."

(on Brady's leadership of the team)"The guy's the greatest of all time. This is what he deserves, to have a team that he can lead and that will follow him. We're behind him 100 percent. He's shown time and time again, when you follow his lead, he'll get us to the promised land."

(on WR Julian Edelman's fourth-quarter catch to keep the game alive) "It was about time we got one of those crazy catches for ourselves. He put that behind the catch that Julio (Jones) had on the sideline - two great catches. I said on the field to Logan (Ryan), 'Why aren't all these crazy catches happening to us?' And then once 'Jules' caught it, I turned around and said, 'Finally, we got one.' Just the momentum shift, our team, we felt it and we just kept pushing. We just kept going, offensively, defensively. The last kickoff was huge. Jonathan Jones just ran in there and made a play. All three phases kept up in the second half. It takes everything in these games. It's always down to the last minute."

(on the team's mentality on the sideline when they were losing 28-3) "We just kept saying one play at a time. Let's have fun, put it all out there. This is it. When we went in at halftime, I told the guys we've got one more half with this team and that's it. There was a lot of talk of guys motivating each other and we just kept fighting. That's what I love about this team."

(on DB Duron Harmon's halftime speech to the team) "Duron said it was going to be the greatest comeback, but Bill (Belichick) came in there and said that 21 points isn't going to beat us. It's up to us now. We got stops and the offense made plays. We put all that together. It was a great comeback."

(on Harmon's words indicating that the second half would be the greatest comeback of all time) "Yeah, I mean, the guy knows what he's talking about. He went to Rutgers. He definitely (said that) while he was riding the bike. It was like a movie."

(on when the defense kept the Falcons out of field goal range late in the fourth quarter) "That moment, all we just kept saying was, 'We can't give up three.' We have to find a way to not give up three points. We made it tough on ourselves the whole game. We couldn't make it any tougher at that point. The tackle for loss, the sack, I think it was a holding call that Chris (Long) drew. That's big. That's moments that we needed defensively and we were able to come up with the breaks."

(on the team's comeback) "We were down 28-3. I knew, when we came back and won, it was going to be the greatest comeback ever. I've watched a ton of Super Bowls, and it's not often you see a team go down 28-3 and really not make much up. I think they had 28 points on 30 plays. It was just like everything's going wrong right now. This team is resilient. We just kept fighting."

(on QB Tom Brady's performance) "We expected it. It's crazy to say, but we knew if we get stops, he's going to score. I don't care how much time is left. When I went to the coin toss, I said, 'If Slate (WR Matthew Slater) gets this coin toss, we're going to win the game.' You go against the guy every day in practice. You see his competitive level. You see what he does day in and day out. You don't doubt him in these games."

CORNERBACK MALCOLM BUTLER 

(on how he felt in overtime when the offense took the field) "I just knew we had to keep battling. We were hoping for a touchdown. We were wishing for a touchdown, and we got there. That just describes what type of player (Tom) Brady is. (I am) glad to have that quarterback on my side."

(on whether there was a moment of doubt) "Most definitely. I most definitely had some doubt about the game. We went in at halftime, and we got it back together. We said. 'This is a new game. We're going to come out here with more swagger, and we're about to make plays. We're going to give it all we got,' and we did and it turned out right."

(on whether the Falcons gave the game away) "You can only do one thing: win or lose."
(on the defense's mindset going into halftime)"A couple leaders stepped up and gave some motivational speeches and things like that. Actions are better than words, so we went out here in the second half and performed. It's the last game of the year. Why not give it all you got? We told the (team) we're not going to leave anything on the field, and it worked out fine."

(on which players motivated the team at halftime) "It was offense, defense, me, (Dont'a) Hightower, (Devin) McCourty, (Patrick) Chung, (Julian) Edelman, Tom (Brady), Bill (Belichick) - team effort."

(on what he said to teammates at halftime) "I said, 'This is the last one. Why not give it your all?'"

(on the differences between the first and second half) "Atlanta capitalized all year on your mistakes. We fumbled the ball. We threw a pick-six. We just stuck together and got it back right."

(on how this Super Bowl win compares to his first) "It just feels great. It just feels great. I'm just glad to be champs, (a) Super Bowl champ."

(on playing hard for QB Tom Brady all the time) "Not just for him. We don't just want to play hard for Tom. We want to play hard for everybody - the fans, our family and ourselves. That's exactly what we went out there and did. He's a great quarterback no matter what. Win or lose, he's a great quarterback."

CORNERBACK LOGAN RYAN 

(On how you put into words the way the game ended) "It's so fitting because this is what this was. We were counted out at the beginning of the season with the four-game [Tom Brady] suspension. Throughout the year we were playing Ok. The defense was tired out a lot. The offense was supposed to carry us. Then, we didn't play any good quarterbacks. Well, Matt Ryan was pretty good and he looked pretty good. Julio Jones made amazing catches, but we just kept making things hard. There was no halftime adjustment. There was no big speech. We just said, 'keep doing what you're doing.' And that's what we were able to do. We got to get a stop. We got to get a stop and score then get a two-point conversion. Then we had to keep doing it. The thing that makes a champion is it's not about shutting everybody out and making everything easy. It's about when you get knocked down, how to do you get back up and how do you respond. That's what this team did all year. We kept getting knocked down. We kept responding. We kept coming to work knowing in that locker room not one person lost faith in the play calling and how we were playing. We all knew we were going to win. We just didn't know it was going to go that way and nobody lost faith. We kept it going and it's a testament to all of the kids out there. If you just keep it going - it's not always going to be an easy road and it wasn't for me. It was a bumpy road at times, but if you keep going, have faith, believe in yourself and the people around you, and you surround yourself with like-minded people, you can be two-time world champ."

(On how he kept the faith despite being in a losing situation)"We were playing Denver [Broncos] a couple of years ago, freezing cold. We had Peyton Manning, Demaryius Thomas and all of them. Wasn't it 25 to something in the first quarter? [Reporter: I think 28 to nothing.] So, we've comeback from 28 before. It felt like that my rookie year. It felt like that. We've been there before. We've been down 28 before. I think it was the biggest comeback at that time. So, we've been there before and we've got a bunch of believers; a bunch of guys with chips on their shoulders, a bunch of guys who were unheralded and not wanted at one point from different teams. (head coach) Bill (Belichick) told us, 'you know you're brought here for a reason, for games like these.' And that's why we're champions."
(On DB Duron Harmon's comments on making a huge comeback) "He said that the whole time. You know what, no one laughed and no one blinked an eye. We said, 'OK, let's go.' No one planned to be down. If you asked me before the game, I had my jersey ready and I planned to win this game. No one planned to be down that much at halftime. You know, Atlanta played great. We played how we wanted, it just wasn't going well. Atlanta played amazing and they played pretty well, but we weren't afraid to lose this game. Atlanta might have been afraid to lose it at the end. They might have been holding on. We had nothing to lose.