<P> Owens was cleared to play in Super Bowl XXXIX, defying doctors orders by playing on his injured ankle containing 2 screws and a metal plate . </P> <P> The other major story was the Patriots' potential loss of both their offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator at the end of the season, and how it might affect the team in 2005 . On December 12, 2004, about a month and a half before the game, New England offensive coordinator Charlie Weis signed a contract to become the head coach of Notre Dame starting in the 2005 season . Rumors were also circulating that defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel would also leave the team to become the head coach of the Cleveland Browns (which ended up being true as Crennel and the Browns agreed to a contract a couple of weeks after the Super Bowl). </P> <P> Due to injuries at the tight end spot, the Eagles were forced to sign Jeff Thomason, a former tight end who was working construction at the time, to a one - game contract for the Super Bowl . Thomason saw time during several plays, although never had a ball thrown his way . This was his third Super Bowl, playing in two with the Green Bay Packers during Andy Reid's days as a Packer assistant . </P> <P> With this appearance the Patriots became the 8th team to make it to the Super Bowl for the 5th time . They joined the Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins, and Oakland / Los Angeles Raiders . They would be joined by the Green Bay Packers in 2011 and the New York Giants in 2012 . </P>

When was the last.time the eagles went to the superbowl