Super Bowl 2015: Score, MVP Speech and Patriots vs. Seahawks Highlights

Tom Brady won his third Super Bowl MVP award, per Reuters reporter Frank Pingue, after guiding the New England Patriots to a 28-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks.

It marks the fourth Lombardi Trophy the Pats have won since Brady took over under center in 2001. The win and the award have put Brady into some exalted company among the league's all-time great quarterbacks.

Specifically, Brady now stands alongside two of the most decorated passers in football history, per ESPN Stats & Info:

He's also sharing space atop the mountain in terms of MVP awards:

But enough of the historical context, how did Brady actually fare on the night? If he's honest, the former sixth-round pick would have to concede he endured some ugly moments.

In particular, Brady struggled to to deal with a relentless Seattle pass rush. Led by defensive end Michael Bennett, the Seahawks routinely crushed the pocket around Brady early on.

Seattle moved Bennett all over the line. He lined up at tackle and even played over center. The veteran rarely gave Brady time to set.

He was only sacked once, but hit often. The pressure led to more than a few errant throws you wouldn't normally associate with this model of ruthless efficiency, as Brady began to see Bennett everywhere he looked.

Those bad decisions included two picks and an unwanted piece of history:

But those giveaways were the only blot on an otherwise exemplary copy book that eventually read read 37 completions for 328 yards and four touchdowns. Those figures even broke down to more than one Super Bowl record as Brady picked apart Seattle's usually feared "Legion of Boom" secondary.

They included one mark that served as an ode to the way Brady has spread the ball around throughout his career:

While he may be standing alongside Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw in some categories, Brady now has one record all to himself:

This win will naturally start the debate about whether Brady is the greatest to ever buckle a chinstrap and take a snap from center. It's certainly tough to argue against a quartet of Super Bowl titles and a trio of big-game performances that out-shined every other player on the field.

For his part, Brady was magnanimous after another big-stage victory. He commended New England's team approach, per ESPN reporter Mike Reiss:

He was also quick to credit the strength of the opposition. Make no mistake, the Seahawks pushed Brady to deliver perhaps his best-ever Super Bowl performance, despite being in the winter of his career.

Brady credited the team ethic for beating what he called a "great" opponent:

Ultimately, this win will serve as another testament to perhaps the greatest coach-quarterback combination in NFL history. It's pointless asking whether Brady needs Bill Belichick to win or vice versa.

The reality is they are both parts of the same, consistently winning whole. Brady is the on-field embodiment of Belichick's pragmatic intelligence and calm authority.

Meanwhile, for all Belichick's brilliant scheming, most of his wins would never leave the chalkboard without Brady's ability to deliver big in the clutch.

B/R analyst Chris Simms is in no doubt as to where this illustrious pairing now ranks in the league annals:

Consistency is what Belichick, the Patriots and particularly Brady should ultimately be remembered for. Even in the era of salary caps and so-called parity, fans can count Brady and the Pats as annual Super Bowl contenders.

Don't expect it to change next season either. Brady has become an institution at the top of this game.

All statistics and highlights via NFL.com.