Joe Thuney Was An Unsung Super Bowl Hero Facing Aaron Donald

Super Bowl LIII was the best way to put an end to the season, and the New England Patriots are champions. However, not everyone was given credit, especially when it comes to praising players who took part in the lone touchdown drive of the game. Where was Joe Thuney?

The first report suggested that tight end Rob Gronkowski caught two critical passes and praise his 29-yard reception that brought New England at the 2-yard line. Then, it was Sony Michel and his touchdown, and TB12 who completed all four of his passes for 67 yards on this particular drive. Here comes Joe Thuney.

You may need some time to recognize New England’s left guard, but you cannot ignore his contributions and all the things he did on the field. Thuney squared up with Aaron Donald twice with no double team. Let’s not forget that Donald is back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year. Thuney contained Donald and made a nice pocket for Brady.

“That last drive was on me,” Donald said. “I had two one-on-ones. I’ve got to win those.”

Joe Thuney was brilliant this year

This is Thuney’s third year in the NFL, and he was great on the field. The Patriots drafted him in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft, and almost instantly made him starting left tackle. In 2018, Thuney took part i every offensive snap in the Patriots’ Super Bowl run. He is actually the first Patriots player to take part in every snap in the regular season since the 2013 season. Brady and Ryan Wendell were that great in 2013.

Earlier this year, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick credited the player for being “one of our best plyers, one of our most consistent players.”

The offensive line was brilliant in the playoffs and TB12 was not sacked once. In the Super Bowl, the quarterback was taken down once, but the offensive line smashed the Rams.