Getty New England Patriots WR Julian Edelman
Although the 2019 Super Bowl didn’t provide the offensive fireworks many had hoped for, the New England Patriots walked away victorious yet again. Their 13-3 win wasn’t always pretty on the offensive side of the ball, but there were a few bright spots. The Los Angeles Rams defense played well in this game, resulting in the lowest-scoring Super Bowl in history.
Two of the bright spots offensively included Patriots wideout Julian Edelman and tight end Rob Gronkowski, who both stepped up to make a handful of big plays. Edelman was named Super Bowl MVP after catching 10-of-12 targets for 141 yards while Gronkowski posted an efficient 87 yards while hauling in 6-of-7 targets. The duo wound up as two of the three leading pass-catchers in the game, with Rams wideout Brandin Cooks (eight catches, 120 yards) between them.
But beyond the box score, both players also etched their name in the Super Bowl record book for a stat you won’t find listed in most places.
Julian Edelman & Rob Gronkowski Break Super Bowl Record
Edelman and Gronkowski pushed aside former Patriots wideout Deion Branch to become two of the best in Super Bowl history at moving the chains. As Pro Football Reference’s Stathead revealed, Edelman picked up eight first downs while Gronkowski added three. Their career totals for Super Bowl first downs gained both sit at 17, jumping Branch (16) and Danny Amendola (15).
Here’s a look at the full list:
| Player | Super Bowl First Downs |
| Julian Edelman | 17 |
| Rob Gronkowski | 17 |
| Deion Branch | 16 |
| Danny Amendola | 15 |
| Jerry Rice | 12 |
| Wes Welker | 12 |
| Lynn Swann | 11 |
| Hines Ward | 11 |
In a game which featured just one touchdown (a two-yard run by Sony Michel), impressive offensive performances were hard to come by. Edelman and Gronkowski, along with Michel’s 94 rushing yards and one score, led the way on the Patriots side.
The ability of both Edelman and Gronkowski to move the chains at a consistent rate was key to the outcome of a game which featured two offenses unable to break through. But the duo stepped up in a way that Patriots fans have become accustomed to seeing in recent years, as it was Gronkowski’s diving grab in the fourth quarter which set up the go-ahead touchdown.
It wasn’t always pretty, but the long-time Patriots stars added another Super Bowl ring to their collection and both landed a record which could be tough to break moving forward.
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