Bledsoe happy to get Super Bowl ring

Drew Bledsoe, shown here with son Stuart, will likely not be with the Patriots next season. AP

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Drew Bledsoe is the backup quarterback on the Super Bowl champions, and that's just fine with him.

The three-time Pro Bowl selection and former first overall pick in the NFL draft had to settle for cheering his New England Patriots on as they earned a 20-17 victory over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday.

"It feels great," he said on the Superdome field after the game, as a few Patriots fans in No. 11 jerseys chanted his name. "I don't think you can really appreciate what this feels like until you've played a long time in this league, until you've been in this game and lost it."

Bledsoe was drafted by the Patriots in 1993 and started for them ever since. He led them to the Super Bowl -- also in New Orleans -- in 1997, but they lost 35-21 to the Green Bay Packers.

After signing a 10-year, $103 million contract last summer that's the richest in NFL history, Bledsoe was injured in Week 2 and out for seven games. Tom Brady took over and led New England from 0-2 to an 11-5 regular-season record, winning the starting job in the process.

Brady helped the Patriots beat Oakland in the playoffs. But he sprained his ankle in the AFC championship game last week, and Bledsoe came on to bring New England back to New Orleans.

But, when the ankle healed, coach Bill Belichick went back to Brady.

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"The credit goes to Tom. He's worked hard," said Bledsoe, who himself was credited by his teammates for not making the quarterback controversy a distraction.

"I'll follow what he does for the rest of his career. He's had a great year, and he's made it even better by what has happened" in the Super Bowl.

Brady had passable numbers -- 16-for-27 for 145 yards and a touchdown -- but he guided the Patriots to the Rams' 30 to set up Adam Vinatieri's field goal with no time left.

"He said, 'Go win the game. Just drop back and sling it,'" Brady said of his conversation with Bledsoe before the winning drive. "That was nice, coming from him because Drew is as cool as they come."

Bledsoe was among the first to congratulate Brady, the game's MVP, on the sideline.

"He sets the example for me, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for Drew," Brady said. "He's a huge reason why we are where we are right now."

The Patriots are expected to trade Bledsoe in the offseason rather than keep him as a backup. Belichick said he has not made any decisions about next season.

"I look forward to my future," Bledsoe said. "I still want to play, and I feel like I can play this game at a very high level."

 

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