Vrabel, Butler Ranked Among Best Super Bowl Players
Saturday marked the 21st anniversary of Super Bowl XXXIV, when the Tennessee Titans fell 23-16 in an epic battle with the St. Louis Rams.
The game, played in Atlanta, featured memorable performances by quarterback Steve McNair (214 passing yards, 64 rushing yards), running back Eddie George (95 yards, two touchdowns), defensive end Jevon Kearse, (five tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss), tight end Jackie Harris (seven receptions, 64 yards) and an offensive line that nearly beat the Rams into submission as famously evidenced by the fact that Rams defensive lineman Kevin Carter asked to come out of the game in the final minute before the Titans gave him a break with a timeout.
None of them, however, made USA Today’s list of the 55 Greatest Super Bowl Players in NFL History, which was revealed this weekend. The ranking takes into consideration the players’ Super Bowl career, which means the vast majority appeared in more than one.
That does not mean Tennessee was shut out altogether. Two members of the organization, cornerback Malcolm Butler and coach Mike Vrabel, were included for what they did while with the New England Patriots.
Butler checked in at No. 31, which was ninth among all defensive players. In four years with the Patriots, he was a part of three Super Bowl teams although he was famously benched in the last of those, a move that remains controversial to this day. In the two he did play (XLIX and LI), he was credited with five tackles and one unforgettable interception.
USA Today said:
He was an undrafted rookie no-name when he made arguably the clutchest of all Super Bowl plays by undercutting Seattle Seahawks WR Ricardo Lockette's route at the goal line to intercept Russell Wilson's pass and turn what seemed near certain defeat into the Patriots' fourth title. Butler will never be a no-name the rest of his life ... though he did garner unwanted attention for essentially being benched by Bill Belichick in Super Bowl 52, a decision that surely seemed to backfire.
Vrabel played in four Super Bowls as a New England linebacker was on the winning side in three of them. He was No. 44 in the ranking, seventh among current and former Patriots players.
USA Today said:
A consummate Patriot, he played in four Super Bowls and wound up with three rings. He also racked up 16 tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble ... and two TDs on two receptions while lining up as a tight end in goal-line packages. Not bad.
Tennessee is one of 12 franchises that has never won a Super Bowl and one of five that has been to the big game just once.
