Super Bowl LIII: Patriots beat Rams to win "SuperBore"

The New England Patriots have clinched a sixth Super Bowl with a 13-3 win over the Los Angeles Rams in Atlanta.

The match was the lowest-scoring NFL final ever, with the 16 points scored comfortably below the previous record of 21, set as Miami defeated Washington 14-7 in 1973.

The season-ending game was swiftly dubbed #SuperBore by critics on social media.

Since 2016, the NFL has been mired in controversy after high-profile San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem, a bid to draw attention to racial injustice.

US President Donald Trump insulted Kaepernic and players who followed suit, calling for anyone who "took a knee" to be fired.

Halftime 'Tune out'
The uproar saw the once-coveted Super Bowl halftime show transformed into the least wanted gig in the US music industry, with stars like Rihanna,  P!nk and Cardi B turning down the invitation.

That saw halftime duties fall to pop group Maroon 5, whose set alongside Travis Scott and Big Boi met with a lukewarm reception.

In an apparent bid to placate fans, organisers brought in the soul singer Gladys Knight for the pre-game anthem. The Motown legend and Atlanta native was slammed for accepting the gig and not standing in solidarity with Kaepernic in the fight for social justice.

On a night of history and records, Los Angeles Rams cheerleaders Quinton Peron and Napoleon Jinnies became the first male dancers to perform at a Super Bowl.