Obama calls Patriots coach Belichick after Super Bowl win

WASHINGTON (AP) President Barack Obama is congratulating New England Patriots' head coach Bill Belichick on his team's victory in the Super Bowl.

Obama called Belichick on Thursday. The White House says Obama pointed out the contributions of many of the players toward the game's exciting finish - in particular, quarterback Tom Brady and rookie Malcolm Butler.

Obama also invited the team to visit the White House to celebrate the victory. Typically, the president attends a ceremony at the White House congratulating championship teams.

A fourth-quarter rally helped the Patriots defeat the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 on Sunday night at the Super Bowl in Phoenix. An estimated 114.4 million people watched the game.