Patriots Arrive For Super Bowl LX on Malcolm Butler’s Anniversary

With Super Bowl LX set to kick off in less than one week, the New England Patriots have reached their destination.

The Pats, aboard their team plane colloquially dubbed ‘AirKraft,’ landed at California’s San José Mineta International Airport at approximately 3:51 p.m. PT on Feb.1 — 11 years to the day of their victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX in 2015. Needless to say, they are hoping for a similar result in this weekend’s showdown with the Seahawks.

Arrival. Super Bowl LX. pic.twitter.com/HsuagAvESo
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) February 1, 2026

New England’s arrival in the Bay Area marks the team’s first appearance back on the NFL’s grandest stage since Super Bowl LIII. Making their 12th Super Bowl appearance, a victory in Super Bowl LX will give the Patriots their seventh NFL title and the most Super Bowl wins in NFL history. The team is currently tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers with six Super Bowl wins.

Earlier in the day, legions of Patriots fans braved the wind and unbearably cold temperatures at the team’s Super Bowl Send Off rally at Gillette Stadium. Shortly thereafter, the Pats made their way south on I-95 via team buses to Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport in Warwick, from which they would depart for the West Coast.

11 Years Ago, “Malcolm, Go”

Feb 1, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; New England Patriots strong safety Malcolm Butler (21) intercepts a pass intended for Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Ricardo Lockette (83) in the fourth quarter in Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Of course, Patriots Nation could not help but feel a sense of nostalgia while watching the Pats make their way to the West Coast. After all, the franchise achieved victory over Seattle exactly 11 years earlier, in what some believe to be the greatest NFL championship game of all time.

The Patriots' title win was their fourth overall and first since 2004. The game itself was kept within a one-possession margin until Seattle took a 10-point lead in the third quarter. New England responded by scoring 14 consecutive points during the fourth to take a 28–24 lead with just over two minutes remaining.

Still, the game will forever live in the annals of NFL folklore thanks to the heroics of former Patriots’ cornerback Malcolm Butler. With 20 seconds remaining in Super Bowl XLIX, the Seahawks were in position to score on the Patriots' one-yard line. Poised to erase a four-point New England lead, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson attempted to find wide receiver Ricardo Lockette on a ‘slat’ route at the goal line. Butler got the quick jump on Lockette and intercepted Wilson’s pass, returning possession to the Patriots and preserving a 28-24 victory. New England held on to capture their fifth Super Bowl championship.

While almost everyone expected Seattle to hand the ball to running back Marshawn Lynch, Butler showed both the prowess and instinct that would earn him a Pro Bowl selection in 2015 and a second-team All-Pro nod in 2016. The Pats corner recognized Wilson’s intentions, having read the Seahawks’ two-receiver stack formation. Eyeing Lockette as a potential target, Butler made the pick and sealed the win for New England.

"From the preparation I got from Coach [Matt] Patricia (then-Patriots defensive coordinator) in practice, I remembered the formation they were in,” Butler told Patriots On SI in retrospect during a 2023 interview. “Coach said ’Malcolm, Go’ …I went in and just beat him to the route and made the play."

The interception was the first of Butler's NFL career — a breakout moment for the undrafted rookie who was listed fifth on the Patriots depth chart heading into the season.

Despite being bypassed for Super Bowl MVP — a decision which did not sit well with many (including the chosen MVP, quarterback Tom Brady), a star had been born on the field in Glendale, Arizona on that fateful night in February.

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