Josh McDaniels is in his third stint as a member of the New England Patriots coaching staff, and he has six Super Bowl rings to show for his hard work.

That means he has been part of some truly memorable games and moments. Is there a particular one that stands out above the rest?

McDaniels was asked that question on the latest episode of The Quick Snap Podcast with co-hosts David Andrews and Brian Hoyer, and his response was not much of a surprise.

“My favorite game was (Super Bowl XLIX vs. Seattle) in 2014 because I had such a deep respect for the team we were playing,” McDaniels explained.

“I don’t want to comment on their entire team, but I knew the team we were playing was really going to be difficult to beat. And just knowing that the two weeks of preparation for their defense, and everybody knows the Legion of Boom with Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas, and then Bobby Wagner and the seven guys in the front that rotated in there that were a pain in the back. Michael Bennett, we didn’t know where he was going to be, and wherever he was, he was a problem.

“Just the way I thought that game was competed on both sides and fighting back and forth and getting ahead and then losing the lead and then coming back and grinding away. It was one of the more respectful games being played as I was part of it just because you could see the two teams and how much appreciation they had for one another. They knew they were playing a good team. We knew we were playing a good team, and then the game actually lived up to the hype. The way it ended, I mean, hallelujah.”

Super Bowl XLIX was an instant classic between two of the best teams of that era. The Patriots were loaded with talent, headlined by the greatest quarterback ever in Tom Brady. The Seahawks were the defending champions and had one of the greatest defenses in league history.

Every yard in that game had to be earned. Nothing came easy. And, of course, Malcolm Butler’s heroic interception at the end will go down as one of the most amazing plays in Super Bowl history.

Winning that game was a relief for so many people in New England.

The Patriots went a decade without winning a Super Bowl after beating the Philadelphia Eagles in 2004. It felt like an eternity for Patriots fans, especially when there were two painful Super Bowl defeats to the New York Giants during that span.

Finally getting back to the top of the mountain made the accomplishment that much sweeter for McDaniels and the rest of the team.

“The other thing too is (there were) 10 years yeah between 2004 and 2014, and there’s a lot of heartbreak in the middle of that, and guys that got close and didn’t get one — the Logan Mankins and Randy Moss and Wes Welker, and that’s just on our side,” McDaniels said.

“But there’s a lot of people who went through a long period of time getting close and just couldn’t quite get over the hump on it. And so it makes you appreciate how incredible that achievement really is. Our players, our team that year were just a special group, and to be able to compete like that and win against that group was probably my most memorable game.”

Also in this episode:

Josh McDaniels on the joy and evolution he’s had returning to coaching after a year away

How Mike Vrabel has created a strong culture among the players and coaches this season

McDaniels discusses Drake Maye’s growth this season

What’s led to the improvement in the wide receiver group this year?

McDaniels shares how the offense is working to improve coming off the bye

The guys preview a huge matchup at home against the Bills

Reacting to the latest in the NFL playoff race