A lot had changed in sports since the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks last faced off in the Super Bowl on Feb. 1, 2015.
Outside the NFL, the San Francisco Giants had just claimed their third World Series title in five seasons (2010, 2012, 2014). Ohio State beat Marcus Mariota and Oregon to win the first College Football Playoff national championship. Duke — led by projected lottery picks Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow — captured the men’s college basketball title. And the Golden State Warriors, under new coach Steve Kerr, won the franchise’s first NBA championship in 40 years.
Focusing on the NFL, here’s a look at what was happening around the league the week Patriots rookie Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson at the goal line to secure New England’s fourth Super Bowl trophy.
AFC East
– New York Jets: After a 4-12 season, Rex Ryan was let go following six years as head coach. Michael Vick saw limited action, appearing in 10 games and starting three.
– Miami Dolphins: Running back Lamar Miller broke out in 2014, rushing for a career-high 1,099 yards with eight TDs and adding a useful chunk of receiving yardage.
– Buffalo Bills: Buffalo finished 9-7, ending a long playoff drought, and boasted the league’s most productive pass rush with 54 sacks. Mario Williams and Marcell Dareus earned All-Pro recognition, and Jerry Hughes also reached double-digit sacks.
– New England Patriots: New England was chasing its first Super Bowl win in a decade; the team’s dominant 45-7 AFC Championship victory over the Colts, however, sparked the “Deflategate” controversy over under-inflated footballs.
AFC North
– Cleveland Browns: A chaotic season that included rookie Johnny Manziel starting a couple of games and ultimately falling short of the playoffs.
– Pittsburgh Steelers: An explosive offense led by Ben Roethlisberger (nearly 5,000 passing yards), with Le’Veon Bell combining a big rushing season with plenty of receptions, and Antonio Brown finishing among the NFL’s leaders in catches and receiving yards.
– Baltimore Ravens: Veteran receiver Steve Smith Sr. joined Baltimore and produced a 1,000-yard season in his first year with the team.
– Cincinnati Bengals: Cincinnati continued its pattern of playoff frustration, losing in the wild-card round for the fourth straight season and remaining winless in the postseason under Marvin Lewis.
AFC South
– Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck paced the league with 40 passing TDs and helped the Colts reach the AFC Championship, including an upset of Peyton Manning’s Broncos in the divisional round.
– Houston Texans: J.J. Watt put together one of the most dominant defensive campaigns in recent memory, finishing with more than 20 sacks and earning Defensive Player of the Year honors.
– Jacksonville Jaguars: Rookie QB Blake Bortles (the No. 3 pick) finished his initial NFL season as the Jaguars went 3-13 in Year 2 under Gus Bradley.
– Tennessee Titans: The Titans struggled to 2-14, rotating through multiple starting quarterbacks; a few months later they used the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft on Marcus Mariota.
AFC West
– Kansas City Chiefs: In Andy Reid’s second season the Chiefs missed the playoffs; they would, however, soon become perennial postseason participants.
– Oakland Raiders: After an 0-4 start, Oakland dismissed Dennis Allen and installed Tony Sparano as interim coach. Rookie Derek Carr started every game, throwing for over 3,200 yards with 21 TDs and 12 INTs.
– Denver Broncos: Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders formed a potent duo, combining for well over 200 receptions, more than 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns.
– San Diego Chargers: Safety Eric Weddle earned All-Pro honors with a stat line that included a high tackle total, multiple forced fumbles and several passes defended.
NFC East
– New York Giants: Odell Beckham Jr. exploded onto the scene as a rookie, recording 91 catches for 1,305 yards and 12 TDs in only 12 regular-season games and delivering the infamous one-handed grab.
– Dallas Cowboys: Dallas fell to Green Bay in the divisional round in a game remembered for Dez Bryant’s controversial non-catch at the 1-yard line on fourth down.
– Washington: In Jay Gruden’s first season the team went 4-12 and used three different primary starters at quarterback: Robert Griffin III, Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy.
– Philadelphia Eagles: Jeremy Maclin posted a career year with over 1,300 receiving yards, and linebacker Connor Barwin enjoyed a breakout season with double-digit sacks and a Pro Bowl nod.
NFC North
– Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers won his second MVP award but the Packers suffered a bitter overtime loss to the Seahawks in the NFC Championship after relinquishing a fourth-quarter lead.
– Detroit Lions: A playoff loss to Dallas featured a pivotal officiating moment — a picked-up penalty late in the fourth quarter that ultimately swung momentum to the Cowboys.
– Minnesota Vikings: Rookie QB Teddy Bridgewater started most of the year, passing for nearly 3,000 yards and showing promise despite typical rookie ups and downs; he also contributed modest rushing production.
– Chicago Bears: The Bears dismissed coach Marc Trestman after two seasons and a 13-19 combined record.
NFC South
– Carolina Panthers: Carolina won the NFC South with a 7-8-1 record, advanced past the Cardinals in the wild-card round, and featured strong production from their pass catchers and tackling from linebacker Luke Kuechly.
– Atlanta Falcons: After firing Mike Smith following back-to-back losing stretches, Atlanta was preparing to hire Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as its new head coach.
– New Orleans Saints: Despite Drew Brees leading the NFL in passing yards, the Saints missed the playoffs — the first of a three-year postseason absence — and it marked Jimmy Graham’s final season in New Orleans.
– Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rookie receiver Mike Evans made an immediate impact with over 1,000 yards and double-digit touchdowns, the start of a long streak of 1,000-yard campaigns.
NFC West
– Seattle Seahawks: Seattle entered the Super Bowl as defending champions, powered offensively by Marshawn Lynch and a tough defense. Lynch was a focal point of the offense and remained outspoken during Super Bowl week.
– San Francisco 49ers: 2014 was Jim Harbaugh’s last season in San Francisco before he returned to coach at Michigan; his tenure in the Bay Area included a strong regular-season record and a Super Bowl appearance.
– Arizona Cardinals: In Bruce Arians’ second year as head coach, the Cardinals continued their improvement and reached the playoffs.
– St. Louis Rams: Defensive end Robert Quinn led the league in forced fumbles while also piling up double-digit sacks and making a strong impact on the Rams’ defense.
Fan Take: This snapshot of the league around Super Bowl XLIX highlights how that season blended established stars, breakout rookies and pivotal coaching changes—elements that reshaped many franchises in the years that followed. For NFL fans, revisiting 2014 reminds us how single moments (like Malcolm Butler’s goal-line pick) and seasons full of transition can alter careers, front-office decisions and the broader trajectory of the sport.
