Super Bowl XLIX: Malcolm Butler interception inspires New England Patriots to win over Seattle Seahawks

New England Patriots defied the deflate-gate controversy as the record-breaking Tom Brady inspired his team to victory at the 49th Super Bowl in Phoenix.

Malcolm Butler made a decisive final minute interception from Russell Wilson to secure the AFC Championship winners a dramatic win, after Julian Edelman had scored a late touchdown.

Marshawn Lynch, Chris Matthews and Doug Baldwin looked set to hand Seattle a second Vince Lombardi trophy in as many years, with Jermaine Kearse catching miraculously just 10 meters from the endzone.

But after Danny Amendola and Edelman put New England ahead, rookie Butler made the match-winning contribution to secure Brady a fourth Super Bowl winners ring.

The build-up to the 49<sup>th edition of the climax to the NFL season had been overshadowed by the deflate-gate scandal, which had marred the Patriots' AFC Championship win thrashing of Indianapolis Colts.

Brady and coach Bill Belichick had both become entwined in the controversy, casting a shadow over their attempts to prevent the Seahawks becoming the first team since 2005 to win the NFL Championship in successive years.

Seattle had overwhelmed the Denver Broncos 12 months ago but early on in Phoenix were forced onto the back foot during a pointless opening quarter in Arizona.

The underdogs New England were into the lead six minutes into the second quarter as Brady found Brendon LaFell to help the Patriots into a 7-0 lead.

After their well-regarded defense was penetrated, Seattle set about restoring parity and a 70-yard drive in eight plays ended with Lynch – the player with the most touchdowns in the regular season – storming through Darrelle Revis to score.

However, the defending champions look likely to go into half time behind as Brady threw the ball into the endzone where Rob Gronkowski escaped K.J. Wright.

But the Seahawks landed a huge psychological blow in the twilight of the second quarter after running from within field goal range with six seconds left and 10 meters out, as Russell Wilson picked out Chris Matthews to cap a stunning play.

Within two minutes of the restart the Seahakws took the lead for the first time with a field goal via the boot of Steven Hauschka and that advantage was critically extended when after Richard Wagner's interception from Brady's pass, Doug Baldwin was left all alone on the endzone to take the lead to 10.

Into the final quarter, New England cut the deficit as Amendola handed Brady the record of the most Super Bowl touchdown passes of 51, to draw the underdogs to within three points with eight minutes remaining.

Edleman thrust New England into a four-point lead to once again penetrate the Seahawks' much-heralded defence with just two minutes remaining.

That lead appeared almost certain to be eclipsed in the final minute after Kearse made a superb catch on the floor but the decision for Wilson to throw from one metre out allowed Butler to make the match-winning interception which delivered a fifth Super Bowl for New England.