MONTPELIER — As football fans wait to find out this Sunday if the Patriots will bring the Super Bowl trophy back to New England, some Vermonters will rest assured that they have already gazed upon the storied Lombardi Trophy.
After the Pats beat the Atlanta Falcons in the 2017 Super Bowl — 34-28 in overtime — the Patriots organization brought the Super Bowl LI Lombardi Trophy to the Vermont Statehouse and put it on display for the public to see.
Gov. Phil Scott issued a proclamation celebrating the New England Patriots’ 2016-2017 Super Bowl season, noting that “for decades Patriots football games have been occasions for Vermont fans to come together on the weekends during the fall and winter seasons; and many New England Patriots players have long served as heroes and role models for countless Vermont children, aspiring athletes and fans alike.” In the proclamation he singled out quarterback Tom Brady as “one of the greatest to ever play the game.”
Saying that the Patriots “demonstrated resilience and tenacity in the face of adversity,” the governor brought the proclamation home by declaring that “this Super Bowl capped off a season that serves as an inspiration to Vermonters and reflects Vermont’s values of hard work, determination, and unrelenting team spirit.”