More than half of the New England Patriots’ 53-man roster already had experienced the joy of winning a Super Bowl before stepping onto the field Sunday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
But for 24 current Patriots — some in their first pro season, others with close to a decade of NFL experience — New England’s 13-3 triumph over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII represented their first Super Bowl championship.
Some notable veterans on that list included All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore, 10th-year corner Jason McCourty, left tackle Trent Brown and backup quarterback Brian Hoyer.
The victory had to have been especially sweet for Hoyer, who is in his second stint with New England. The 33-year-old left town before the Patriots won Super Bowl XLIX and returned the year after they won Super Bowl LI.
McCourty and defensive tackle Danny Shelton, meanwhile, became the first players in NFL history to win a Super Bowl one year after finishing 0-16, which both did last season with the Cleveland Browns.
Here’s the full list of first-time Super Bowl winners, not including those, like running back Jeremy Hill and wide receiver Josh Gordon, who did not finish the season on the 53-man roster:
Trent Brown
Sony Michel
Deatrich Wise
Lawrence Guy
Stephon Gilmore
Jason McCourty
Phillip Dorsett
JC Jackson
Rex Burkhead
Keion Crossen
Ramon Humber
John Simon
Adam Butler
Danny Shelton
Dwayne Allen
Cordarrelle Patterson
Adrian Clayborn
Brian Hoyer
Obi Melifonwu
Duke Dawson
Keionta Davis
Stephen Anderson
Derek Rivers
Ufomba Kamalu
