Super Bowl experience extra special for first time Patriots

FOXBORO – The Patriots defensive backs were in the middle of their AFC championship celebration when the notion hit Jason McCourty.

"I’m going to the Super Bowl and I’m not a guest of Dev," McCourty screamed in the locker room inside Arrowhead Stadium. "I’ve got my own ticket."

The scene was a reminder that even though it seems like the Patriots make a deep playoff run every year, this success is rare in the NFL. McCourty is the perfect example. [...]

FOXBORO – The Patriots defensive backs were in the middle of their AFC championship celebration when the notion hit Jason McCourty.

“I’m going to the Super Bowl and I’m not a guest of Dev,” McCourty screamed in the locker room inside Arrowhead Stadium. “I’ve got my own ticket.”

The scene was a reminder that even though it seems like the Patriots make a deep playoff run every year, this success is rare in the NFL. McCourty is the perfect example. The first-year Patriot made the playoffs for the first time in his 10-year career. Compare that to his twin brother Devin McCourty, who’s been to at least the AFC Championship for the last eight seasons.

The Patriots run to Super Bowl LIII is a special one for everyone involved. For the players who are here in Foxboro for the first time, this has been especially meaningful.

“It sunk in when those texts started coming through and everyone was asking for a ticket and they don’t think that you have to pay for them,” Jason McCourty said. “That’s when it really sunk it. It means a lot. It’s a blessing. I’m very grateful to have this opportunity to be able to still be playing football this late in January heading to February. For me, you realize how special this is and how hard it is to get there.”

For each new player, making it to the Super Bowl is special for different reasons. For Adrian Clayborn, it’s fitting that he’s headed to Super Bowl LIII with the Patriots. In 2016, Clayborn suffered a season-ending biceps injury in the divisional round with Atlanta. The defensive end had to watch from afar as the Falcons lost in Super Bowl LI to the Patriots.

The moment was so difficult that Clayborn thought about retiring. It's a good thing he didn't. Now, he’s healthy and heading to the Super Bowl for the first time.

“[I’m] just going to prepare like crazy. Extremely blessed, thankful for the opportunity, really,” added defensive end Adrian Clayborn. “It’s kind of rare. Not for these guys, but [for new] guys coming on the team to make it to the Super Bowl is pretty cool.”

Trent Brown knew he would have the opportunity to go to his first Super Bowl when the San Francisco 49ers traded him to the Patriots last offseason. The 25-year-old was better than anyone could’ve imagined. Brown started all 16 games at left tackle in 2018 and is in a golden spot as a free agent in March.

He said that this season with the Patriots was everything he thought it would be.

“Of course I knew you had a chance to win here. But the other thing that popped into my mind is all the bull-crap people say about this place,” Brown said. “I’ve always been a man who forms my own opinions and when I got here I quickly found out that it’s nothing like anyone says. It is fun here.”

This will also be the first Super Bowl experience for veterans Cordarrelle Patterson, Danny Shelton, John Simon, Obi Melifonwu, Ufomba Kamalu and Stephen Anderson.

After the Patriots beat the Chiefs, Anderson asked Rob Gronkowski what the Super Bowl was like and was shocked when the veteran said it was just another game. After being elevated to the 53-man roster in the playoffs, this 25-year-old is ecstatic to be headed to Atlanta.

“I’m excited to see how this process goes leading up to the game. It’s like a myth,” Anderson said. “The Super Bowl is like a myth. How is it? Is it magical? Hearing from Rob that it’s just another game tells me not too blow it up too much if I get the opportunity to play. It’s very exciting.”

For Melifonwu, this is literally a dream come true. Growing up in Framingham and then Grafton, Mass., as a Patriots fan, this is everything he always wanted.

“As a kid, you dream of going to the Super Bowl,” Melifonwu said. “I really did pray and dream about playing for this team and going to the Super bowl. And I get to do both being a part of this team, it’s definitely something special.”