Patriots

vs.

Seahawks

Super Bowl 49 matchup

Super Bowl XLIX is a marquee matchup filled with intriguing players and coaches on the Seahawks and Patriots. A look at how the coaches, quarterbacks and star defensive backs compare.

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The Coaches

Bill Belichick and Pete Carroll, the coaches in Super Bowl XLIX, have accomplished plenty already in their careers. Carroll became only the third coach to win a national championship in college football and a Super Bowl when the Seahawks beat the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII, while Belichick won three Super Bowls in four seasons.

But a victory would put them in rare company. Belichick is attempting to become only the second coach to win four Super Bowls (he has come up short in two previous attempts at a fourth victory) while Carroll is attempting to become the seventh coach to win consecutive Super Bowls.

Each was also fired from their first NFL head-coaching jobs, but they have come a long way to achieve success. Read more from Larry Stone

Belichick
Carroll
62
63
36-44, four seasons with Cleveland Browns
33-31, one season with New York Jets and three seasons with the New England Patriots
175-65, 15 seasons
50-30, five seasons
Don Shula - 347
George Halas - 324
Tom Landry - 270
Bill Belichick - 232
Pete Carroll - 91
21-9, the 21 victories are the most in NFL history. Tom Landry won 20 playoff games with the Cowboys
8-4
20-8
7-2
2001
2003
2004
2007
2011
2014
2013
2014
2002
2004
2005
2014

Photos: Jim Rogash/Getty, Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

Cornerbacks

Playing cornerback can be high-risk, high-reward proposition and requires a short memory, especially after a bad play. Those who play the position well do so while brimming with confidence.

Richard Sherman and Darrelle Revis started their NFL careers at different points (Revis was a first-round draft pick, Sherman was taken in the fifth) but both arrived at the same destination: Best cornerback in the NFL. Read more from Bob Condotta

Revis
Sherman
29
26
6'0"
6'3"
205
195
8
4
111
64
23
24
124
70
8
7
2
2
7
8
As a member of the New York Jets, he returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown vs. the Dolphins in a “Monday Night Football” game in 2011.
Sherman’s tipped pass to Malcolm Smith at the end of the 2013 NFC Championship Game not only sent the Seahawks to the Super Bowl but also will go down as one of the biggest plays in the history of Seattle sports.
“Revis is probably one of the most patient defensive backs I have watched on tape. His technique is vastly different from what I have seen from other guys. It presents a challenge.”
“Sherman is one of those guys – he might not be the most patient but he has length to him and his competitiveness is unparalleled.”

Photos: John Centrino/EPA, Bettina Hansen/Seattle Times

Quarterbacks

One is attempting to become the third quarterback to win four Super Bowls and the other is attempting to become the eighth to win back-to-back Super Bowls. One has a long list of postseason quarterbacking records and the other has gotten off to a winning start in his playoff career.

For Tom Brady and Russell Wilson, there are plenty of stats that make for an impressive body of work. Here are a few to put the quarterbacks in perspective.

Brady
Wilson
37
26
15
3
6'4"
5'11"
225
206
160, third-most by a quarterback in NFL history. Trails only Brett Favre (186) and Peyton Manning (179).
36, the most by a quarterback in his first three seasons in the Super Bowl era (since 1966).
.714, the highest by a quarterback with at least 20 playoff starts. He is 20-8 overall.
.857, a 6-1 record built over three playoff appearances and consecutive Super Bowl berths.
Brett Favre - 71,838 yards
Peyton Manning - 69,691 yards
Dan Marino - 61,361 yards
Drew Brees - 56,033 yards
Tom Brady - 53,258 yards
Russell Wilson - 9,950 yards
7,017, the most in NFL history. Peyton Manning (6,800) is second.
1,575
Peyton Manning - 530
Brett Favre - 508
Dan Marino - 420
Drew Brees - 396
Tom Brady - 392
Russell Wilson - 72
49, the most in NFL history. Joe Montana (45) and Brett Favre (44) are next on the list.
10

Photos: Maddie Meyer/Getty, Elaine Thompson/Associated Press