WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama congratulated New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick on Thursday for his team's victory in the Super Bowl.
Obama called Belichick, and the White House says Obama pointed out the contributions of many of the players toward the game's exciting finish -- in particular, quarterback Tom Brady and rookie Malcolm Butler.
Obama also invited the team to visit the White House to celebrate the victory. Typically, the president attends a ceremony at the White House congratulating championship teams.
A fourth-quarter rally helped the Patriots defeat the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 on Sunday night at the Super Bowl in Phoenix. An estimated 114.4 million people watched the game.