New England quarterback Tom Brady has cemented his Super Bowl legacy, but is looking forward not backwards after leading New England to a thrilling 28-24 triumph over Seattle.
"I've got a lot of football left," said the 37-year-old, whose fourth Vince Lombardi trophy comes 13 years after his first.
Making a record sixth Super Bowl start at quarterback, Brady earned Most Valuable Player honours for the third time, matching the record of boyhood idol Joe Montana.
He also joined Montana and Terry Bradshaw as the only quarterbacks to win four Super Bowls and broke Montana's record for most career touchdown passes in the NFL's championship game, his four on Sunday taking his total to 13.
"Tom's the best ever," said receiver Julian Edelman, who caught Brady's three-yard touchdown pass for a 28-24 lead with 2:02 remaining.
"I'm a big Joe Montana fan. I thought he was the best and everything," Edelman said, but added that Brady's record, in an era when the salary cap makes it hard to keep top teams together, is even more impressive, despite two Super Bowl defeats.
"Tom Brady, he came out here, he has been to six Super Bowls. He has won four with the salary cap. It's hard to argue against that," Edelman said.
Those defeats - in 2007 and 2011 - make Brady cherish Sunday's win all the more.
"It has been a long journey," Brady said. "I've been at it for 15 years and we've had a couple of tough losses in this game. This one came down to the end and this time we made the plays."
Brady was also the MVP of New England's first two Super Bowl triumphs, when they were the upset winners against St Louis in 2001 and when they beat Carolina two seasons later.
As this Super Bowl approached, Brady admitted he hadn't realised just how hard it is to get to the top and stay there.
But the dynasty appeared to be on shaky ground early this season, after an ugly 41-14 loss at Kansas City sparked suggestions that Brady was in decline.
He admitted he was pleased to have proved the doubters wrong, but he's not ready to contemplate his place in the NFL pantheon.
"I never put myself in those discussions," he said. "That's not how I think. There are so many great players that have been on so many great teams, and we've had some great teams that haven't won it.
"I think you've got to just enjoy the moment."
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