For the third consecutive year, the Super Bowl set a record as the most-watched television show in U.S. history.
The Nielsen Co. said Monday that an estimated 111.3 million people watched the New York Giants beat the New England Patriots on Sunday night. That narrowly beat the 111 million who watched Green Bay's win over Pittsburgh last year.
NBC was blessed by a competitive game between two teams that played in one of the Super Bowl's most memorable contests four years ago, with one of them representing the country's largest media market.
The game wasn't over until Tom Brady's last-second heave into the end zone dropped onto the turf. That play itself had the biggest audience of any play in the game, according to the digital video recorder maker Tivo. Nielsen said 117.7 million people were watching during the last half hour of the game.
Pats ignore finger-pointing
The Patriots say there's no finger-pointing after their Super Bowl loss, even if supermodel Gisele Bundchen won't abide by that code.
The wife of New England quarterback Tom Brady was caught on camera complaining that dropped passes doomed the team to a 21-17 loss to the New York Giants.
Late in the game, receiver Wes Welker dropped a pass that went off his hands; Aaron Hernandez and Deion Branch also had trouble coming up with catches. Bundchen was caught on video by TheInsider.com responding to a pro-Giants heckler after the game by saying, "My husband cannot (expletive) throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time."
Brady was not available for comment Monday, when the team flew back from Indianapolis and arrived at Gillette Stadium on buses.
But defensive back James Ihedigbo said Welker was a big reason the Patriots made it to the Super Bowl, and he's not to blame for the loss. "You can't point fingers at anybody. Wes made amazing plays all season," Ihedigbo said. "You win it as a team; you win it and lose it as a team. And we lost to a good football team."
CHIEFS: Kansas City hired Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator.
RAIDERS: Oakland hired Stanford's Jason Tarver, who helped shape one of the Pac-12's top defenses while serving as co-defensive coordinator and overseeing the linebackers.
STEELERS: Former Kansas City Chiefs coach Todd Haley will be hired as Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator, ESPN reported. Haley will replace Bruce Arians, now with the Indianapolis Colts.
LEGAL: New England Patriots wide receiver Chad Ochocinco pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge in Cincinnati hours after playing in the Super Bowl.
A Hamilton County court bailiff said the former Cincinnati Bengal pleaded guilty to a charge of failure to display a driver's license during a July 21 traffic stop.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement