January 27, 2002: New England Patriots 24, Pittsburgh Steelers 17
This was Drew Bledsoe’s last stand with the Patriots after losing his job to a second-year quarterback from Michigan as the result of an early-season injury. That other quarterback — Tom Brady, who you may have heard of — left the game in the first half with a leg injury, and Bledsoe led his Patriots for the last time to a close win at Heinz Field over a Steelers team favored by 10 points. Bledsoe, who had signed a 10-year, $103 million contract in the previous offseason, was all set to be New England’s all-time quarterback until a brutal hit from Jets linebacker Mo Lewis changed everything in Week 2. He still had a decent amount in the tank, throwing a touchdown pass in Brady’s stead as the Patriots benefited from three Kordell Stewart interceptions to head to the franchise’s third Super Bowl, this time against the St. Louis Rams. It was the first Super Bowl the Patriots won, very much not the last, and the start of the NFL’s most enduring dynasty. Bledsoe was gone after the season, traded to the Bills for a 2003 first-round pick.