Super Bowl LI is more than just the Julio Joneses and the Tom Bradys making it to the championship. From commissioners to kickers, here are the 63 names you need to know before the 2016-2017 NFL season wraps up in Houston.
The NFL commissioner is expected to present the Lombardi Trophy to the winner of Super Bowl LI. Patriots fans have a long-standing hatred of Goodell between the Spygate and Deflategate controversies penalizing their team.
The owner of the Patriots, Kraft purchased the team in 1994. Since that time the team has had great success, going to its seventh Super Bowl during his tenure.
The co-founder of The Home Depot, Blank purchased the Falcons in 2002. The team is going to its first Super Bowl under his watch.
Belichick is in his 17th season as the Patriots' head coach and headed to his seventh Super Bowl. Considered by many to be the best NFL head coach of all time, Belichick hopes to win his fifth Super Bowl.
Quinn is in his second season as the Falcons' head coach. He's very familiar with facing the Patriots in the Super Bowl, as he was Seattle's defensive coordinator when the Seahawks faced New England two years ago.
McDaniels is New England's offensive coordinator, a title he has held over two different stints beginning in 2006. He was the head coach of the Denver Broncos for two seasons in 2009-10.
Shanahan is the offensive coordinator of the Falcons and considered the favorite to be named the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. He is the son of Super Bowl-winning head coach Mike Shanahan.
Patricia has been New England's defensive coordinator since 2012. His unit was the top-scoring defense in the NFL in 2016.
Smith is the defensive coordinator for the Falcons. He started his NFL coaching career in 1988 and has been with Atlanta since Dan Quinn was hired last season.
Arguably the greatest quarterback in NFL history, Brady is going for his fifth Super Bowl win in his seventh Super Bowl appearance at age 39. He's a top MVP candidate after throwing 28/2 TD/INT in 12 regular-season games. Brady was suspended for the first four games of the season due to the Deflategate scandal.
The favorite to win the NFL MVP, Ryan had his best season in his ninth year as Atlanta's quarterback. He threw for 4,944 yards and 38/7 TD/INT during the regular season.
Blount has been a scoring machine for the Patriots this season. He had a league-leading 18 rushing touchdowns during the regular season, along with 1,161 rushing yards for the Patriots.
The third-year running back of the Falcons had his second straight spectacular season, with 1,541 yards from scrimmage and 13 scores.
Lewis returned from a knee injury to play seven games during the regular season for the Pats. The versatile running back had 377 yards from scrimmage. He notably had three touchdowns in the Divisional Round against Houston, one each as a rusher, receiver and kick returner. The Patriots have never lost in the 16 games he's played since joining the organization last season.
A second-year running back for the Falcons, Coleman gets plenty of work behind Devonta Freeman. He had 941 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns during the regular season.
White is a versatile running back for the Patriots who had 60 receptions during the regulars season, adding five receiving touchdowns.
A star wideout for the Falcons, Jones made his fourth Pro Bowl in six NFL seasons this year. He finished the season with 83 receptions for 1,409 yards and six touchdowns in 14 games.
Now in his eighth year with the Patriots, Edelman had 98 receptions for 1,106 yards and three touchdowns during the regular season. He also occasionally contributes on punt returns.
Signed as a free agent from Cincinnati during the offseason, Sanu had a strong year for Atlanta with 59 receptions for 653 yards and four scores.
Coming off a huge AFC Championship Game in which he had nine receptions for 180 yards and two touchdowns, Hogan has meshed well in his first year with New England. He was a great deep threat during the regular season, leading the NFL with 17.9 yards per reception. He had 38 catches for 680 yards and four scores during the regular season.
The speedy Gabriel had 35 receptions for 579 yards and six scores in 13 games during the regular season for the Falcons.
A fourth-round pick by the Patriots this year, Mitchell had 32 receptions for 401 yards and four scores during the regular season.
A second-year wide receiver for the Falcons, Hardy had 21 receptions for 203 yards and four touchdowns in the regular season.
New England's 31-year-old wide receiver now plays sporadically but had 23 receptions for 243 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games during the season. He also contributes as a punt and kick returner.
A journeyman wide receiver for Atlanta, Robinson had 20 receptions for 323 yards and two touchdowns during the year.
A former first-round pick by the Cardinals, Floyd was released by Arizona earlier this season after being arrested for DUI. He contributed late in the year for the Patriots but was declared inactive for the AFC Conference Championship.
A third-round pick by the Falcons this year, Hooper had 19 receptions for 271 yards and three touchdowns during the regular season. The tight end had two receptions in the NFC Conference Championship.
Bennett has had a strong first year with New England and has filled in as the team's top tight end since Rob Gronkowski was injured. He had 55 receptions for 701 yards and seven touchdowns during the regular season, adding five receptions in the AFC Conference Championship.
Atlanta's left tackle was the sixth overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Texas A&M. His father is Hall of Fame offensive lineman Bruce Matthews.
Solder has had a strong year starting 15 games as New England's left tackle.
Considered one of the top centers in football, Mack made his fourth Pro Bowl this season. This is his first year with Atlanta after spending seven seasons in Cleveland.
Cannon is in his first season as New England's regular starter at right tackle. It's his sixth year with the organization.
Now a pass-rushing specialist at age 36, Freeney had three sacks for the Falcons during the regular season. He's a likely Hall of Famer with 122.5 career sacks and seven Pro Bowls, all coming with the Colts.
The son of former NFL defensive end and Fox NFL analyst Howie Long, Chris is in his first season with New England after playing eight years with the Rams. He had four sacks during the regular season.
Reed had two sacks during the regular season for the Falcons, his second year with the team.
Branch has been an excellent run stuffer for the Patriots this season. He had 49 tackles and 1.5 sacks during the regular season.
One of the veteran leaders of Atlanta's defense, Babineaux is in his 12th season with the organization. He had 22 tackles during the regular season at defensive tackle.
Sheard has been one of New England's best pass rushers over the last two years after he was added from Cleveland. He has 13 sacks over that time, including five sacks in 2016.
A fifth-round pick in the 2015 draft by Atlanta, Jarrett has been a key defensive contributor this season. He had 48 tackles and three sacks during the regular season.
New England's first-round pick in 2015, Brown had 50 tackles and three sacks at defensive tackle for the Pats during the regular season.
Beasley has been Atlanta's best defensive player this season. The eighth overall pick in 2015, the linebacker was named All-Pro with 15.5 sacks during the regular season.
A fourth-round pick in the 2015 draft, Flowers has been a breakout player for New England this year. He had 45 tackles and seven sacks in the regular season.
Jones has had quite a rookie season for Atlanta, leading the team with 106 tackles and adding three picks, two for touchdowns. The second-round pick played in college for LSU.
Added from the Bears in the offseason, McClellin had 39 tackles and one sack in the regular season for New England.
Campbell has been a big contributor for Atlanta's defense late in the year. The fourth-round linebacker had 48 tackles during the regular season in 11 games.
Hightower had 65 tackles and 2.5 sacks over 13 regular-season games for the Patriots. The linebacker had a big game in the Divisional Round against Houston with eight tackles.
Alford started all 16 games at cornerback for the Falcons during the regular season. He had 59 tackles, two interceptions and one touchdown.
A stalwart for the New England defense since 2009, Ninkovich had 32 tackles and four sacks in 12 games during the regular season.
Collins has been forced into the starting lineup at cornerback following Desmond Trufant's injury late this year. He had a forced fumble and recovery early in the NFC Conference Championship.
Butler had a strong year in his third NFL season with 63 tackles and four interceptions at cornerback. He's already a Super Bowl legend after picking off Russell Wilson at the goal line to help New England win Super Bowl XLIX.
The undersized Allen had 90 tackles for the Falcons during the regular season at safety. He's now in his third year in the league.
Ryan had a huge season at cornerback for the Patriots with 92 tackles and two interceptions. He's in his fourth season with the team.
Atlanta's first-round pick in 2016, Neal has had a good rookie season with 105 tackles and five forced fumbles at safety.
Chung started all 16 games of the regular season at safety for the Patriots, finishing with 87 tackles and one interception.
Poole started nine games during the regular season for Atlanta at safety, recording 58 tackles and one interception for the year.
McCourty made his second Pro Bowl in seven seasons with the Patriots this year. He had 78 tackles and one pick during the regular season at safety.
A return specialist for the Falcons, Weems averaged 11.4 yards per punt return and 23 yards per kick return during the regular season.
A longtime special teams specialist, Slater was named to his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl this year. He's the son of NFL Hall of Fame lineman Jackie Slater.
Bryant made his first Pro Bowl at age 41 this season. He made 34-of-37 field goal attempts and had a league-leading 56 extra points.
A second-round pick at cornerback for the Patriots this year, Jones has contributed almost exclusively as a return man. He hasn't appeared in the playoffs due to a knee injury but could be available for Super Bowl LI.
Bosher is in his sixth season as Atlanta's punter. He averaged 46.8 yards per punt during the regular season.
A four-time Pro Bowl kicker, Gostkowski is in his 11th season with the Patriots. He made 27-of-32 field goal attempts during the regular season and uncharacteristically missed three extra points.
Seth Trachtman is a sportswriter, digital marketer, and fantasy sports expert based in St. Louis, Missouri. He’s a two-time winner of the Tout Wars Fantasy Baseball Expert’s League, and his work has appeared in hundreds of fantasy baseball and fantasy football newsstand and online publications
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