The fundamentals of Super Bowl history are preserved here. The basics are listed—the where, what and who. That’s followed by a concise summary of the key moments of each game. This page is the building block for a deeper understanding of America’s Super Bowl heritage. Enjoy the ride through Super Bowl history. Bookmark the page for handy reference. Check out our board on Pinterest for a pictorial tour through the era, up through 2019.
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1966: Super Bowl 1
Site: Los Angeles
Result: Green Bay Packers 35 Kansas City Chiefs 10
MVP: Bart Starr (QB, Green Bay)
Summary: Max McGee, a backup receiver, who spent Saturday night out on the town, was summoned into duty when Boyd Dowler was injured.McGee played through his hangover to catch seven passes for 138 yards. Those catches included the first-ever touchdown in Super Bowl history. The heavily favored Packers only led 14-10 at the half, but opened up in the second half to pull away. Bart Starr’s efficiency, as he went 16/23 for 250 yards, was the difference.
1967: Super Bowl 2
Site: Miami
Result: Green Bay Packers 33 Oakland Raiders 14
MVP: Bart Starr (QB, Green Bay)
Summary: Starr’s mistake-free brand of football was the story again. The Green Bay quarterback was 13/24 for 202 yards, and his team won the turnover battle 3-zip. The Packers again let the heavy underdog from the AFL hang around. The score was only 16-7 at half, as Green Bay bogged down near the end zone. But another explosive second half led to a Super Bowl rout in Vince Lombardi’s final game on the Packer sideline.
1968: Super Bowl 3
Site: Miami
Result: New York Jets 16 Baltimore Colts 7
MVP: Joe Namath (QB, NY Jets)
Summary: The Jets, an 18-point underdog, delivered the most famous upset in the history of sports after the flamboyant Namath publicly guaranteed as much in the buildup before kickoff. Namath’s greatest contribution on the field was his brain—calling a conservative game, he handed off to Matt Snell 30 times for 121 yards and steered clear of mistakes. Meanwhile, Baltimore’s Earl Morrall was intercepted three times, bringing an MVP year to a devastating conclusion.
1969: Super Bowl 4
Site: New Orleans (Tulane Stadium)
Result: Kansas City Chiefs 23 Minnesota Vikings 7
MVP: Len Dawson (QB, Kansas City)
Summary: For the fourth straight year, the AFL representative was a double-digit underdog. And for the second straight year, the underdog came through. The Chiefs were dominant, outrushing the Vikings 151-67 and forcing five turnovers. Len Dawson played it close to the vest on an overcast day and went 12/17 for 142 yards, more than half of it going to Otis Taylor. In the final year before the AFL-NFL merger, the AFL had established they belonged.
1970: Super Bowl 5
Site: Miami
Result: Baltimore Colts 16 Dallas Cowboys 13
MVP: Chuck Howley (LB, Dallas)
Summary: It was an ugly game, with eleven total turnovers, seven by the Colts. They made up for it with big plays. Johnny Unitas hit John Mackey with a 75-yard touchdown pass. When Unitas left the game with a bad arm, Morrall came in and went 7/15 for 147 yards. Baltimore won it on Jim O’Brien’s 32-yard field goal as time expired. Chuck Howley, with his two interceptions remains the only player from the losing team to win game MVP honors.
1971: Super Bowl 6
Site: New Orleans (Tulane Stadium)
Result: Dallas Cowboys 24 Miami Dolphins 3
MVP: Roger Staubach (QB, Dallas)
Summary: The Cowboys dominated the young Miami Dolphins on the ground, to the tune of a 252-80 rush advantage. Duane Thomas and Walt Garrison shared the load in a balanced attack, neither one getting 100 yards, thus enabling Staubach’s mistake-free game to get him the MVP award. The game was a competitive 10-3 at the half, but the Miami offense never had anything going and Dallas pulled away after intermission.
1972: Super Bowl 7
Site: Los Angeles
Result: Miami Dolphins 14 Washington Redskins 7
MVP: Jake Scott (S, Miami)
Summary: Miami completed the only undefeated season in the Super Bowl era with a win nowhere near as close as the score makes it sound. The Dolphins were physically dominant in the trenches, with Larry Csonka’s 112 rush yards leading the way. They were more efficient, as Bob Griese only had to attempt eleven passes and completed eight. The Redskins were held back by Billy Kilmer’s three interceptions and their only points came on a fluke special teams play late in the game.
1973: Super Bowl 8
Site: Houston (Rice Stadium)
Result: Miami Dolphins 24 Minnesota Vikings 7
MVP: Larry Csonka (RB, Miami)
Summary: It was more of the same for the Dolphins in this year’s Super Bowl. Another display of ground control with Csonka, who muscled his way for 145 yards. Another low-risk passing game, with Griese completing 6/7 throws. More defensive dominance, as again the opponent did not score until the game had been decided in the fourth quarter. Miami led 14-0 in the first quarter and cruised to a repeat title.
1974: Super Bowl 9
Site: New Orleans (Tulane Stadium)
Result: Pittsburgh Steelers 16 Minnesota Vikings 6
MVP: Franco Harris (RB, Pittsburgh)
Summary: For the Vikings, it was the same story as the previous year, just against a different opponent. Franco Harris ran for 158 yards while Minnesota averaged less than a yard per carry on the ground. Pittsburgh played low-risk with their passing game, while Fran Tarkenton threw three interceptions. A defensive game played in 17mph winds, the score was an ugly 2-0 at halftime. The Steelers assumed control in the second half and the only Viking points came off a blocked punt recovery in the end zone.
1975: Super Bowl 10
Site: Miami
Result: Pittsburgh Steelers 21 Dallas Cowboys 17
MVP: Lynn Swann (WR, Pittsburgh)
Summary: The underdog Cowboys carried a 10-7 lead into the third quarter before the Steelers took over. First they blocked a punt out of the end zone. Then came two good drives for field goals and the lead. Finally, Terry Bradshaw hits Swann on a 64-yard touchdown pass, with Swann making a spectacular catch and Bradshaw knocked unconscious by a blitz just after he threw the ball. That play was the difference as the Steel Curtain defense intercepted Staubach three times and won a repeat trophy.
1976: Super Bowl 11
Site: Pasadena
Result: Oakland Raiders 32 Minnesota Vikings 14
MVP: Fred Biletnikoff (WR, Oakland)
Summary: The Raiders turned back an early opportunity after the Vikings had blocked a punt near the goal line. Oakland forced a fumble and then took the game over with 16 points in the second quarter. While Biletnikoff’s four catches for 79 yards got him game MVP honors, the real key was an overwhelming running game. Clarence Davis rushed for 137 yards, Minnesota had no effective answer and consequently lost their third Super Bowl in four years. Oakland coach John Madden had a breakthrough ring.
1977: Super Bowl 12
Site: New Orleans (Superdome)
Result: Dallas Cowboys 27 Denver Broncos 10
MVP: Harvey Martin & Randy White (DL, Dallas)
Summary: There was a juicy storyline at quarterback—Dallas had let Craig Morton go to make room for Roger Staubach, and now Morton was back as leader of the Broncos. If he was looking for a revenge statement, then this game couldn’t have gone much worse. Morton was forced into 4/15 for 39 yards, threw four picks and was eventually pulled. Staubach went 17/25 for 183 yards and no mistakes. Denver also lost four fumbles, their eight total turnovers setting a new record in a game that was never competitive.
1978: Super Bowl 13
Site: Miami
Result: Pittsburgh Steelers 35 Dallas Cowboys 31
MVP: Terry Bradshaw (QB, Pittsburgh)
Summary: The best Super Bowl played to date is remembered by Steelers’ fans for Bradshaw’s big-play passing. While he and Staubach both completed 17/30 throws, Bradshaw’s generated 318 yards compared to 228 for Staubach. Cowboy fans remember it for a mistake and a debated call. Trailing 21-14 in the third quarter, tight end Jackie Smith dropped a perfect third down pass in the end zone and Dallas had to take a field goal. Pittsburgh then got help from a hotly disputed interference call on Benny Barnes to get in position for the touchdown that gave them some breathing room. Read about the 1978 NFL season.
1979: Super Bowl 14
Site: Pasadena
Result: Pittsburgh Steelers 31 Los Angeles Rams 19
MVP: Terry Bradshaw (QB, Pittsburgh)
Summary: At 9-7, the Rams were the weakest Super Bowl entrant yet, but they didn’t play like it. Los Angeles shut down the Pittsburgh running game. Vince Ferragamo went 15/25 for 212 yards. The Rams led 19-17 going into the fourth quarter. John Stallworth came up big, catching a 73-yard touchdown pass from Bradshaw, reaching over his wrong shoulder to make the catch. Jack Lambert intercepted a pass to quell a Rams’ answer and the Steelers put it away with a late touchdown that helped them deceptively cover a (-10) pointspread. Read about the 1979 NFL season.
1980: Super Bowl 15
Site: New Orleans
Result: Oakland Raiders 27 Philadelphia Eagles 10
MVP: Jim Plunkett (QB, Oakland)
Summary: Three years earlier, the playoffs had expanded to make the wild-card teams play an extra game. The Raiders overcame it to become the first team to win four games en route to a title. Oakland jumped on the favored Eagles early. Jim Plunkett threw two first-quarter touchdown passes, including an 80-yard strike down the sidelines to running back Kenny King. Philly counterpart Ron Jaworski was awful, going 18/38 for 291 yards and throwing three interceptions. The game was never competitive. Read about the 1980 NFL season.
1981: Super Bowl 16
Site: Detroit
Result: San Francisco 49ers 26 Cincinnati Bengals 21
MVP: Joe Montana (QB, San Francisco)
Summary: Cincinnati’s early mistakes, including a lost fumble by wide receiver Cris Collingsworth were too much to overcome. San Francisco built up a 20-0 lead by halftime. The Bengals made a game of it, as MVP quarterback Ken Anderson went 25/34 for 300 yards, but the 49ers delivered a dramatic goal-line stand that stopped Cincy’s momentum. The era of Bill Walsh and Joe Montana started with an efficient win marked more by defensive heroics, including five sacks, then offensive artistry. Read about the 1981 NFL season.
1982: Super Bowl 17
Site: Pasadena
Result: Washington Redskins 27 Miami Dolphins 17
MVP: John Riggins (RB, Washington)
Summary: Miami made only two big plays the entire game—a 76-yard touchdown pass and a 98-yard kickoff return, but early in the fourth quarter it looked like that might stand up. The Dolphins led 17-13 and the Redskins faced 4th-and-1 on the Miami 43-yard line. John Riggins took the ball off left tackle, broke through and went the distance. It was the signature play of a 166-yard performance and a subsequent Washington drive sealed the win and the first championship for second-year head coach Joe Gibbs. Read about the 1982 NFL season.
1983: Super Bowl 18
Site: Tampa Bay
Result: Los Angeles Raiders 38 Washington Redskins 9
MVP: Marcus Allen (RB, Los Angeles)
Summary: The Redskin repeat bid was an utter disaster. The Raiders scored first off a blocked punt. They scored late in the first half on a Pick-6 off a simple swing. And Marcus Allen simply ran wild. Allen gained a Super Bowl-record 191 yards, including a spectacular 74-yard run in the third quarter where he reversed direction and covered sideline to sideline. Also covering all over the field where two lockdown corners in Lester Hayes and Mike Haynes, who bottled up an explosive Washington offense. Read about the 1983 NFL season.
1984: Super Bowl 19
Site: Palo Alto (Stanford Stadium)
Result: San Francisco 49ers 38 Miami Dolphins 16
MVP: Joe Montana (QB, San Francisco)
Summary: A matchup between Montana and second-year MVP quarterback Dan Marino drove the media juice, but San Francisco was the more talented team up and down the lineup. They outrushed Miami 211-25 with no one back going over 65 yards. The 49ers sacked Marino four times, including two by Dwaine Board. Montana was impeccable, going 24/35 for 331 yards. Marino wasn’t bad—29/50 for 318 yards and the Dolphins led 10-7 in the second quarter. But a flurry of three quick 49er touchdowns delivered a knockout punch by halftime. Read about the 1984 NFL season.
1985: Super Bowl 20
Site: New Orleans
Result: Chicago Bears 46 New England Patriots 10
MVP: Richard Dent (DL, Chicago)
Summary: The Bear defense was one of the greatest of all-time and they were spectacular in this game. The Patriots, having run their way to a surprise AFC title, only gained seven yards on the ground. Tony Eason became the only starting quarterback in Super Bowl history to not complete a pass, getting yanked early. Chicago collected six turnovers. New England only scored early, after recovering a fumble and then a meaningless touchdown late. A strong game from Jim McMahon, 12/20 for 256 yards, was icing on the cake in an easy win. Read about the 1985 NFL season.
1986: Super Bowl 21
Site: Pasadena
Result: New York Giants 39 Denver Broncos 20
MVP: Phil Simms (QB, New York)
Summary: Denver had momentum in the first half and actually led 10-9 at intermission. John Elway played pretty well, going 22/37 for 304 yards. But the complete inability of the Broncos to run the ball cost them near the goal line when a Giants’ stand kept the score tight. Phil Simms opened up after halftime, with a near-flawless performance of 22/25 for 268 yards and three touchdowns. New York ripped off 24 unanswered points out of halftime and coasted to the first championship for Bill Parcells. Read about the 1986 NFL season.
1987: Super Bowl 22
Site: San Diego
Result: Washington Redskins 42 Denver Broncos 10
MVP: Doug Williams (QB, Washington)
Summary: The Redskins had already made history coming into the game, with Williams being the first-ever African-American quarterback to start a Super Bowl. They made more history on the field. After spotting Denver a 10-0 lead, Washington delivered the most explosive quarter in Super Bowl history, with 35 points to blow the game open. Williams threw for a record 340 yards. Timmy Smith ran for a record 204 yards. Ricky Sanders finished with a record 193 receiving yards. Elway, off an MVP season, struggled to a 14/38 for 257 yards performance. Read about the 1987 NFL season.
1988: Super Bowl 23
Site: Miami
Result: San Francisco 49ers 20 Cincinnati Bengals 16
MVP: Jerry Rice (WR, San Francisco)
Summary: Joe Montana found John Taylor on a TD pass with 34 seconds left to win another title for the 49ers. It brought an end to a defensive battle, with nine combined sacks and where a kickoff return for a touchdown by the Bengals looked like it might be the difference. For the second straight year, the regular season MVP—in this case Boomer Esiason—had a poor game. Rice caught 11 passes for 215 yards in a record-setting performance that included clutch plays on the winning drive. Read about the 1988 NFL season.
1989: Super Bowl 24
Site: New Orleans
Result: San Francisco 49ers 55 Denver Broncos 10
MVP: Joe Montana (QB, San Francisco)
Summary: Another championship for the 49ers and another blowout loss for the Broncos was an appropriate way to end the 1980s. Montana played his best Super Bowl, going 24/32 for 317 yards and five touchdown passes. Three of those TD passes came to Rice. Denver couldn’t run the ball and Elway struggled to a 10/26 for 108 yards. As bad as the final score appears, the blowout still looked worse watching it unfold. The 49ers completed a postseason run of outscoring the opposition 126-26.
1990: Super Bowl 25
Site: Tampa Bay
Result: New York Giants 20 Buffalo Bills 19
MVP: Ottis Anderson (RB, New York)
Summary: Buffalo’s Scott Norwood missed a 47-yard field goal on the final play to end one of the great Super Bowls of all-time and certainly the best one played to this point. New York used a steady ground game, keyed by Anderson’s 102 yards on 21 carries, to keep a potent Buffalo offense off the field. The Giants held the ball for over 40 minutes, a Super Bowl record. Buffalo’s Thurman Thomas ran for 135 yards, scored a go-ahead TD in the fourth quarter and made quite a case for game MVP, even in defeat.
1991: Super Bowl 26
Site: Minneapolis
Result: Washington Redskins 37 Buffalo Bills 24
MVP: Mark Rypien (QB, Washington)
Summary: Joe Gibbs became the only coach to win three Super Bowls with three different starting quarterbacks. This time it was Rypien, who went 18/33 for 292 yards. The game started on a shaky note for the Bills when Thomas couldn’t find his helmet. It went downhill from there. The Redskins led 17-0 by half and the lead grew to 24-0 and then 37-10 in the second half. Jim Kelly was sacked five times and intercepted four more.
1992: Super Bowl 27
Site: Pasadena
Result: Dallas Cowboys 52 Buffalo Bills 17
MVP: Troy Aikman (QB, Dallas)
Summary: A third straight Super Bowl loss for Buffalo, who saw their defeats get progressively worse. Dallas forced a record nine turnovers. The Bills got the first touchdown, set up by a Steve Tasker punt block, and they still only trailed 14-10 into the second quarter. Then Aikman hit Michael Irvin on consecutive touchdown passes and the rout was on by halftime. Aikman went 22/30 for 273 yards and another Dallas Dynasty Era had begun.
1993: Super Bowl 28
Site: Atlanta
Result: Dallas Cowboys 30 Buffalo Bills 13
MVP: Emmitt Smith (RB, Dallas)
Summary: Buffalo became the first team to win four straight conference championships and also became the first team to lose four straight Super Bowls. They acquitted themselves well in this one, where they led 13-6 at the half despite being a double-digit underdog. But this Cowboy team was too fast and too good. Smith ran for 132 yards and a defensive touchdown from James Washington tied the game in the third quarter. The real shock came soon after the game, when head coach Jimmy Johnson had a falling out with owner Jerry Jones and left the organization he had rebuilt.
1994: Super Bowl 29
Site: Miami
Result: San Francisco 49ers 49 San Diego Chargers 26
MVP: Steve Young (QB, San Francisco)
Summary: San Francisco was favored by a record (-19) and they spent the game showing why. Young threw touchdown passes of 44 yards and 51 yards in the first quarter and had his team ahead 28-10 by halftime. The Chargers, built on the running game, couldn’t get it going and were quickly forced out of their gameplan. Young went 24/36 for 325 yards and threw a record six touchdown passes. It was sweet redemption for the quarterback who fought for acceptance as Montana’s replacement.
1995: Super Bowl 30
Site: Tempe
Result: Dallas Cowboys 27 Pittsburgh Steelers 17
MVP: Larry Brown (CB, Dallas)
Summary: The Cowboys came into the game as a two-touchdown favorite and looked ready to validate that early on. But they had to settle for field goals on a couple early drives and when the Steelers scored right before the half, it was only 13-7. Pittsburgh cut the lead to 20-17 in the fourth quarter and had momentum. Brown was able to win the easiest MVP honors in Super Bowl history though—twice in the fourth quarter, miscommunications resulted in the ball being directly thrown to him and it killed Pittsburgh’s upset hopes.
1996: Super Bowl 31
Site: New Orleans
Result: Green Bay Packers 35 New England Patriots 21
MVP: Desmond Howard (KR, Green Bay)
Summary: Brett Favre threw a pair of long touchdown passes in the first half to help the Packers take a 27-14 lead into the locker room. The second half was a grind and the Patriots cut the lead to six points. Howard then sealed his MVP honors with a 99-yard kickoff return. Legendary defensive tackle Reggie White sealed the game itself with consecutive sacks of Drew Bledsoe. The difference in the game was mistakes—Bledsoe threw four interceptions, while Favre was a clean 14/27 for 246 yards and no interceptions.
1997: Super Bowl 32
Site: San Diego
Result: Denver Broncos 31 Green Bay Packers 24
MVP: Terrell Davis (RB, Denver)
Summary: It was supposed to be a repeat coronation for Green Bay, who came in a (-11) favorite. Instead, it turned out to be the night John Elway finally got a ring. The power running game of the Broncos was the difference, as Davis ran for 157 yards and two touchowns, one of which broke a 24-24 tie late in the game. Favre drove the Packers past midfield, but the drive ended on downs. Elway, who had carried subpar talent to previous Super Bowls, was able to let an improved supporting cast carry him to this one.
1998: Super Bowl 33
Site: Miami
Result: Denver Broncos 34 Atlanta Falcons 19
MVP: John Elway (QB, Denver)
Summary: Elway was brilliant in this one, going 18/29 for 336 yards. He threw an 80-yard touchdown pass to Rod Smith in the second quarter that built a 17-3 lead and the cushion grew as large as 31-6. It was an ironic moment—Denver’s second straight title had come over their former head coach, Dan Reeves, who had coached them in the 1980s and was now in Atlanta. It was also Elway’s final game, as he rode off into the sunset as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time. Davis added 102 rush yards to the effort .
1999: Super Bowl 34
Site: Atlanta
Result: St. Louis Rams 23 Tennessee Titans 16
MVP: Kurt Warner (QB, St. Louis)
Summary: The Rams led 16-0 in the third quarter, but were unable to run the ball and seal the win. The Titans, led by the arm of Steve McNair and the legs of Eddie George tied the game with just over two minutes to play. Warner answered with a 73-yard TD strike to Isaac Bruce. The throw made Warner the first quarterback to clear the 400-yard mark in a Super Bowl. A stirring drive by Tennessee ended when receiver Kevin Dyson was tackled at the one-yard line as time expired.
2000: Super Bowl 35
Site: Tampa Bay
Result: Baltimore Ravens 34 New York Giants 7
MVP: Ray Lewis (LB, Baltimore)
Summary: Baltimore’s defense completely swamped New York, with the Giants’ only score coming on a kickoff return. Lewis, as the middle linebacker and emotional leader, reaped the reward as MVP. Other heroes included Michael McCrary, who sacked Kerry Collins twice. The Ravens intercepted Collins four times, one a Pick-6 by Duane Starks when the game was still competitive at 10-0 early in the third quarter. Jamal Lewis added 102 rush yards as Baltimore completed a wild-card run to the championship.
2001: Super Bowl 36
Site: New Orleans Superdome
Result: New England Patriots 20 St. Louis Rams 17
MVP: Tom Brady (QB, New England)
Summary: A legend was born as Brady led a drive for a last-play field goal to win the first ring for himself and head coach Bill Belichick. Brady’s actual performance was pedestrian—16/27 for 145 yards. But he stayed within the game plan and allowed the defense to win it against the potent Rams offense that was a two-touchdown favorite. Ty Law was the big hero, with a Pick-6 that put the Patriots on the scoreboard and set the tone for the rest of the game.
2002: Super Bowl 37
Site: San Diego
Result: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48 Oakland Raiders 21
MVP: Dexter Jackson (DB, Tampa Bay)
Summary: For the second time in three years, a historically great defense was the story at the Super Bowl. The Bucs shut down the Raiders on the ground, holding them to 19 rush yards. Tampa then forced MVP quarterback Rich Gannon into five interceptions. Two of them came from Jackson. The other three were all returned for touchdowns in the second half when the rout was on. The Bucs led 34-3 in the third quarter and only some garbage-time points allowed Oakland’s offense to salvage any respectability.
2003: Super Bowl 38
Site: Houston
Result: New England Patriots 32 Carolina Panthers 29
MVP: Tom Brady (QB, New England)
Summary: Brady and counterpart Jake Delhome were both brilliant, going over the 300-yard mark for pass yardage. The scoring came in bursts, with all of it done in the second and fourth quarters. After tying the game 29-29 with 1:08 to play, the Panthers committed a fatal error—kicker John Kasay sent the kickoff out of bounds, giving Brady the ball at the 40-yard line. He moved the Patriots to the Carolina 24-yard line with relative ease and for the second time in three years, Adam Vinateri hit a walkoff field goal to win a Super Bowl.
2004: Super Bowl 39
Site: Jacksonville
Result: New England Patriots 24 Philadelphia Eagles 21
MVP: Deion Branch (WR, New England)
Summary: The game was tied 14-14 after three quarters, but the Eagles made the mistakes while the Patriots played clean. Philly quarterback Donovan McNabb threw three interceptions, helping negate a heroic effort from Terrell Owens, who caught nine passes for 122 yards on a badly injured leg. Brady was an efficient 23/36 for 236 yards. Eleven of those balls were caught by Branch, who racked up 133 yards receiving. New England scored ten straight points early in the fourth quarter and hung on.
2005: Super Bowl 40
Site: Detroit
Result: Pittsburgh Steelers 21 Seattle Seahawks 10
MVP: Hines Ward (WR, Pittsburgh)
Summary: Bill Cowher had been the Pittsburgh coach since 1992 and this was 10th trip to the playoffs. He was still searching for a ring. Jerome Bettis, the running back who was the team’s heart and soul, was coming to his hometown to play what everyone knew would be his final game. The game wasn’t well-played and Seattle fans remain bitter to this day over a series of close calls that all went against them. Ward caught five passes for 123 yards, including a 43-yard touchdown that all but sealed it in the fourth quarter.
2006: Super Bowl 41
Site: Miami
Result: Indianapolis Colts 29 Chicago Bears 17
MVP: Peyton Manning (QB, Indianapolis)
Summary: A downpour made this the only Super Bowl really impacted by negative weather. The early part of the game was impacted by Colts’ special teams’ fiascoes. It started when Chicago’s great return man, Devin Hester, took the opening kickoff to the house. It continued with a missed extra point after Peyton Manning tied with a 53-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne. Manning played admirably, having to play through both the weather and a great Bear defense. He went 25/38 for 247 yards and helped Indy gradually salt the game away.
2007: Super Bowl 42
Site: Phoenix
Result: New York Giants 17 New England Patriots 14
MVP: Eli Manning (QB, New York)
Summary: Simply going on the pointspread—New England by (-12.5)—this wasn’t the biggest upset in Super Bowl history. But it was surely the most consequential, as the Patriots were denied in their bid to complete a perfect 19-0 season. The Giants’ defensive front controlled the game. They stopped New England’s ground game and then constant pressure kept Brady from ever getting rhythm. Justin Tuck got two sacks to lead the way. It set the stage for David Tyree to make a miracle catch off a desperate throw from Manning that set up the winning touchdown.
2008: Super Bowl 43
Site: Tampa Bay
Result: Pittsburgh Steelers 27 Arizona Cardinals 23
MVP: Santonio Holmes (WR, Pittsburgh)
Summary: Pittsburgh was leading 10-7 late in the first half, but Arizona, led by Kurt Warner was driving. James Harrison intercepted a pass on the goal line and as time expired, he won a race to the opposite end zone for a Pick-6. The Cardinals still rallied to take a 23-20 lead with just under three minutes to go. For the second straight season, a last-minute drive won a championship. Holmes completed a 9-catch/131-yard game with an excellent catch in the corner of the end zone from Ben Roethlisberger to win it.
2009: Super Bowl 44
Site: Miami
Result: New Orleans Saints 31 Indianapolis Colts 17
MVP: Drew Brees (QB, New Orleans)
Summary: The favored Colts had a cautious game under reasonable control at half, with a 10-6 lead and they were slated to get the ball to start the second half. Saints’ coach Sean Payton ambushed them with a momentum-changing onside kick that his team recovered. New Orleans drove for the lead and with Brees going 32/39 for 288 yards, still had a 24-17 lead late in the game. Peyton Manning led Indianapolis on a potential tying drive when defensive back Tracy Porter intercepted a pass on the 26-yard line and raced to the end zone for a clinching score.
2010: Super Bowl 45
Site: Dallas
Result: Green Bay Packers 31 Pittsburgh Steelers 25
MVP: Aaron Rodgers (QB, Green Bay)
Summary: Green Bay jumped out to an early 21-3 lead, with Rodgers rifling darts all over Cowboys Stadium. He would finish the night 24/39 for 304 yards and three touchdowns. Jordy Nelson caught nine balls for 140 yards. But the Steelers had an answer, closing to 21-17 and then to 28-25. The Packers kept finding a way to make the one play that held off the charge. It was vindication for Rodgers, whose replacement of Favre two years earlier turned into a national sports soap opera.
2011: Super Bowl 46
Site: Indianapolis
Result: New York Giants 21 New England Patriots 17
MVP: Eli Manning (QB, New York)
Summary: Brady and Manning both played efficiently and neither team did anything special on the ground. The difference is that one team’s receivers made plays and the other did not. New England’s Wes Welker dropped a catchable pass that would have converted a third down deep in Giant territory as the Patriots were protecting a 17-15 lead in the fourth quarter. New England punted. On the ensuing possession, Mario Manningham made a spectacular sideline catch that jumpstarted a game-winning drive. Eli Manning, improbably had two rings, and gotten this one in the then-home stadium of brother Peyton.
2012: Super Bowl 47
Site: New Orleans
Result: Baltimore Ravens 34 San Francisco 49ers 31
MVP: Joe Flacco (QB, Baltimore)
Summary: The wildest game in Super Bowl history looked like a blowout early in the third quarter. Baltimore had a 21-6 lead at the half, keyed by Jacoby Jones catching a 56-yard touchdown pass on an underthrown ball. Jones opened the second half with a record-setting 108-yard kickoff return. Then the power went out—literally, for 34 minutes. When the lights came back on, so did San Francisco. They cut the lead to 34-29 and were inside the Raven 5-yard line late in the game. Baltimore held, voluntarily took a safety and won it.
2013: Super Bowl 48
Site: East Rutherford
Result: Seattle Seahawks 43 Denver Broncos 8
MVP: Malcolm Smith (LB, Seattle)
Summary: The feared “Legion of Boom” defense on Seattle did the ultimate number on Peyton Manning’s high-powered offense from Denver. The Seahawks got a safety on the first play of the game. With a 15-0 lead in the second quarter, Smith all but put the game away with a 69-yard Pick-6. The Seattle defense prevented Manning from getting the ball downfield and took away the running game, with strong safety Kam Chancellor an underrated hero in the dominant display.
2014: Super Bowl 49
Site: Phoenix
Result: New England Patriots 28 Seattle Seahawks 24
MVP: Tom Brady (QB, New England)
Summary: New England’s rally from a 24-14 deficit tied the record for biggest comeback by a Super Bowl winner. More impressive was that the Patriots did it in the fourth quarter against the Legion of Boom and without a running game. Tom Brady finished 37/50 for 328 yards and four touchdowns. But the game’s ultimate legacy came when the Seahawks were on the 1-yard line in the closing minute and opted to throw the ball, rather than give it to Marshawn Lynch, who already had 102 yards. Patriot defensive back Malcolm Butler intercepted the pass and preserved the win.
2015: Super Bowl 50
Site: Santa Clara
Result: Denver Broncos 24 Carolina Panthers 10
MVP: Von Miller (LB, Denver)
Summary: The MVP season of Carolina quarterback Cam Newton turned nightmarish under the ferocious pass rush of the Denver defense. The Broncos got six sacks, with Miller getting 2.5, including a forced fumble that set up an early touchdown and 10-0 lead. Peyton Manning, playing his last game and a shell of his former self, still managed the game well enough to keep a 17-10 lead into the fourth quarter. Denver forced one more Newton fumble late and scored the clinching touchdown.
2016: Super Bowl 51
Site: Houston
Result: New England Patriots 34 Atlanta Falcons 28 (OT)
MVP: Tom Brady (QB, New England)
Summary: The Patriot comeback two years earlier was just a prelude to the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history. Atlanta led 28-3 midway deep into the third quarter. Brady went to work. He finished 43/62 for 466 yards, with the primary target being running back James White, who caught 14 balls for 110 yards. Julian Edelman made a catch that was a mix of spectacular and fluke. The Patriots tied the game in the final minute and then drove for a touchdown on the opening possession of the Super Bowl’s first overtime period.
2017: Super Bowl 52
Site: Minneapolis
Result: Philadelphia Eagles 41 New England Patriots 33
MVP: Nick Foles (QB, Philadelphia)
Summary: Over fifty years of pent-up frustration came pouring out of the great football city of Philadelphia. Backup quarterback Nick Foles completed an exquisite postseason journey with 374 passing yards and even one receiving touchdown on a trick play. Tom Brady was as good as ever, even in defeat, throwing for a Super Bowl-record 505 yards. Both offenses were unstoppable and the decisive play came when Eagle defensive tackle Brandon Graham forced a Brady fumble in the final two minutes—the game’s only turnover.
2018: Super Bowl 53
Site: Atlanta
Result: New England Patriots 13 Los Angeles Rams 3
MVP: Julian Edelman (WR, New England)
Summary: To say it was a defensive battle is an understatement. The Rams’ offense, one of the best in the league all year long, didn’t run a single play inside the red zone. The Patriot offense didn’t get there until the fourth quarter.. What New England did get was some consistent movement, keyed by Edelman’s 10 catches for 141 yards. The longer possessions eventually wore down Los Angeles and set up two key fourth quarter drives that broke open a 3-3 game. It was the grizzled 66-year old defensive mastermind in Bill Belichick, outwitting the 33-year-old offensive whiz kid, Sean McVay.
2019: Super Bowl 54
Site: Miami
Result: Kansas City Chiefs 31 San Francisco 49ers 20
MVP: Patrick Mahomes (QB, Kansas City)
Summary: It was a study in contrasts, with the physical 49ers taking on explosive Mahomes. But Kansas City showed they could run the football. Damien Williams gained 104 yards. The first half saw the combatants cautiously test each other and it was tied 10-10. San Francisco’s ground game and defense seemed to be getting control when they took a 20-10 lead with under ten minutes to play. But the Chiefs drove the field twice for touchdowns and the lead. A 49er drive to midfield was stopped on downs and KC sealed the game with one final scoring jaunt from Williams.