The 37-year-old, sacked and twice intercepted, refused to give in as the Patriotsat one point down by 10fought their way to a 28-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Glendale, Arizona.
They were helped by one of the less likely calls in football history, as Seattle threw a second consecutive Super Bowl title into the hands of Malcolm Butler.
Patriots rookie Butler made a game-saving interception when the Seahawks, with the ball on the one-yard line and seconds to play, mysteriously chose to pass after an improbable, juggling miracle-catch by Jermaine Kearse.
That moment gave Brady and coach Bill Belichick a fourth Super Bowl victory, a feat matched by only two other quarterbacks: Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw.
“I just had a vision that I was going to make a big play and it came true,” said Butler, 24.
MVP Brady said: “This has been a long journey. I’ve been at it for 15 years. This one came down to the end and this time, we made the plays.
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Following that staggering climax, the game’s dying moments descended into a mass brawl which led to the ejection of the Seahawks’ Bruce Irvin.
By that point, the fight simply delayed an inevitable New England victory.
“I can’t even tell you, I can’t even feel it,” said Seahawks coach Pete Carroll of the decision to throw the ball.
“For it to come down to a play like that, I hate that we have to live with that.”
New England’s Edelman said: “We made more plays, we executed when we had to, we have a mentally tough team that works their tails off.
“We are the epitome of what Boston is all about.”
