HOUSTON (AFP) – Tom Brady and the New England Patriots will be chasing history as they attempt to stop the Atlanta Falcons from claiming their first Super Bowl crown here Sunday.
More than 100 million homes across the United States and millions more worldwide will tune in for the American football showpiece in Houston, which sees Brady aiming to become the most decorated quarterback of all time.
The 39-year-old superstar will become the first quarterback to win five Super Bowl crowns if he manages to guide the Patriots to victory over the Falcons before a crowd of around 72,000 spectators at the NRG Stadium.
Blanket security will be in place for the game, which takes place at a time of roiling political tensions across the United States following President Donald Trump’s controversial immigration order.
Pop diva Lady Gaga, an outspoken critic of Trump, will have the eyes of the nation – including US Vice President Mike Pence inside the stadium – on her during the halftime show.
A win on Sunday would come 15 years after Brady and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick’s first Super Bowl triumph in 2002.
It would also represent a satisfying last laugh for Brady following his long-running battle with National Football League commissioner Roger Goodell.
Brady was forced to miss the first four games of the season after losing a legal battle against the NFL over the 2015 Deflategate scandal, which saw the Patriots superstar accused of cheating by attempting to alter the pressure of balls to his advantage during a key championship game.
