The New England Patriots are in the Super Bowl for the ninth time in the last 31 years, chasing their fifth championship next weekend in Houston.
No coach or player in the current NFL could have a more palpable been-here-before feeling than Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. The Patriots have won four Super Bowls in seven appearances since the 2001 season.
Then there's the Atlanta Falcons, still seeking their first Vince Lombardi Trophy after 51 seasons.
Though this pairing of teams with such disparate title-game histories is striking, it's not exactly uncommon.