With 2:11 remaining in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game, New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez intercepted Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who was starting in place of an injured Bo Nix. It was New England’s second takeaway of the game, and this one ultimately sealed the Patriots’ 10-7 win that propelled them to their 12th Super Bowl berth in franchise history.
First-year head coach Mike Vrabel and the Patriots will play the winner of the NFC Championship Game, the Seattle Seahawks, in Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, Calif.
“Went up, saw the ball in the air, and at that point … you know, went and got it,” Gonzalez told FOX’s Kristina Pink. “We’re resilient. You know, we just come out — we’ve got our identity no matter where [we’re] at [and no matter] the weather.”
Christian Gonzalez reflects on CLUTCH game-sealing INT 🙌
It was sunny at kickoff with a temperature of 26 degrees, but the snowflakes began falling after halftime. The grounds crew had to use snowblowers to mark the hash marks and yard lines and it was 16 degrees in the fourth quarter.
And the Patriots had the most fun of all.
“What an atmosphere out here,” said 23-year-old Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who’s the second-youngest starting quarterback to reach the Super Bowl, behind only Miami’s Dan Marino. “Battle of the elements. Love this team. How about the defense? I love each and every one of them.”
The Patriots have allowed 26 points across three playoff games. The only team to allow fewer points over three playoff games before a Super Bowl appearance was the 2000 Baltimore Ravens, who allowed just 16 points.
“I’m just proud of this team,” added Maye, in his second NFL season. “Don’t have many words. Just thankful for this team. Love each and every one of them. It took everybody.”
New England, which went 4-13 last year under former head coach Jerod Mayo, is the third team in the Super Bowl era to win a conference championship title with 10 points or fewer. The Patriots’ victory was also their 40th in the playoffs, breaking a tie with the San Francisco 49ers for the most in NFL history.
Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a play-making linebacker for the Patriots, could become the first person in NFL history to also win as a head coach for the same franchise.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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