Patriots vs. Rams, 2019 Super Bowl: New England WR Julian Edelman named MVP

ATLANTA — Catching 10 passes for 141 yards, Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman was named Super Bowl LIII MVP.

“I’m getting to live out a dream, so it’s pretty surreal right now,” said Edelman, who was drafted in the seventh round after playing quarterback at Kent State.

Edelman, who had seven catches for 93 yards in the first half alone, is only the second of Tom Brady’s receivers to win the MVP — Deion Branch did 14 years ago.

Edelman’s season had a very different tone at the beginning, when he was suspended four games after being busted for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

He embraced Brady after the game.

“I was just trying to get open and catch the ball,” he said. “The hug was just two Bay Area Boys that love football, love to compete and are living our dreams.”

Gurley OK

Todd Gurley and coach Sean McVay swore the Rams running back’s knee was healthy. he ran 10 times for 35 yards after totaling only four carries in the NFC title game.

“I actually think it’s more of a result of the kinds of opportunities he had,” McVay said.

Gurley, who said he won’t need any surgery this offseason, said that the lack of touches was “cool.”

“There’s 11 people on the field,” he said. “Everyone can’t touch the ball.”

This and that

• The NFL’s two-minute commercial marking its 100^th season featured three former Bears linebackers. Mike Singletary took off his glasses and yells “fumble!” to start a scrum during the black-tie dinner in which the commercial was set. Later, cornerback Deion Sanders intercepts a pass and starts his trademark showboat dance — only to be tackled into a dining table by Brian Urlacher. When Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller tackles tight end Tony Gonzalez into a cake, the camera panned to Dick Butkus. “Not the cake!” Butkus screamed.
• When Brady’s pass was tipped by the Rams’ Nickell Roby-Coleman and intercepted by Cory Littleton, he became the first Super Bowl quarterback to throw a pick on his first drive since Peyton Manning in 2006.His opponent in that game: the Bears, whose safety, Chris Harris, intercepted a pass intended for Marvin Harrison at the Bears’ 29.
• Between Bears kicker Cody Parkey’s missed 43-yard field goal and Patrots kicker Stephen Gostkowski’s first-quarter miss, NFL kickers had made 17 of their last 20 field goals — and one of the misses was a Greg Zuerlein’s 63-yard try in the second round.
• Chicago television personalities Jarrett and Brittney Payton and Walter Payton Man of the Year Chris Long took part in a pregame ceremony on the field. Bears tight end Trey Burton was among the finalists on the field.