Every Super Bowl, Ranked From Worst to First

The Super Bowl has grown from humble beginnings to the behemoth it is today.

The Super Bowl has grown from humble beginnings to the behemoth it is today. When the Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl I in 1967, a 30-second commercial spot cost around $40,000. In 2020, the number was $5.6 million.

All that growth increased exposure for the players and teams. Some deliver the goods and become legends with their performances in the Super Bowl. Others crumble under the pressure and fade to footnotes.

That’s why they play the big game. But not every Super Bowl is created equal. Here’s where every Super Bowl ranks, from worst to first.

57. Super Bowl LIII: The Worst of the Worst

Stephon Gilmore interception in Super Bowl LIII

Is there some special refund for watching all of Super Bowl LIII? Frank Franklin II / AP Photo

Date: Feb. 3, 2019

Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, Georgia)

Final score: New England Patriots 13, Los Angeles Rams 3

MVP: Wide receiver Julian Edelman, New England Patriots

Bottom line: Welcome to the worst Super Bowl in history.

This game featured a team that absolutely didn’t belong to be there — the Los Angeles Rams, who benefited from the worst blown call in NFL history.

Even in Super Bowls that were blowouts, at least we got to see teams make it into the end zone.

56. Super Bowl XXIV: Swan Song for Joe Cool

Jerry Rice is the greatest wide receiver of all time, and no one else is close. John Gapps III / AP Photo

Date: Jan. 28, 1990

Location: Louisiana Superdome (New Orleans, Louisiana)

Final score: San Francisco 49ers 55, Denver Broncos 10

MVP: Quarterback Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers

Bottom line: The absolute shellacking of the Denver Broncos was the last of Joe Montana’s four Super Bowl wins with the San Francisco 49ers. It also was the last time Denver’s John Elway lost in the big game before closing his career with back-to-back Super Bowl wins.

Montana was lights out against the Broncos, throwing for a Super Bowl-record five touchdowns and becoming just the third player to win NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP honors.

Denver might have had a chance with 12 defenders on the field. For every play. But even in that dream, they get crushed.

55. Super Bowl V: The Stupor Bowl

John Mackey was good. Super Bowl V? Not so much. Harold Valentine / AP Photo

Date: Jan. 17, 1971

Location: Miami Orange Bowl (Miami, Florida)

Final score: Baltimore Colts 16, Dallas Cowboys 13

MVP: Linebacker Chuck Howley, Dallas Cowboys

Bottom line: How bad was this Super Bowl?

It’s still the only time in NFL history where the Super Bowl MVP went to a player on the losing team. Dallas linebacker Chuck Howley got the honor.

The two teams combined for 11 turnovers, including seven from the Colts, and Dallas set a Super Bowl record with 10 penalties for 133 yards.

54. Super Bowl XXVII: Return of the Cowboys

Troy Aikman wasn’t a running quarterback, but this picture is awesome. Reed Saxon / AP Photo

Date: Jan. 31, 1993

Location: Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California)

Final score: Dallas Cowboys 52, Buffalo Bills 17

MVP: Quarterback Troy Aikman, Dallas Cowboys

Bottom line: The Cowboys won their first Super Bowl in 15 years — and first of three Super Bowls in a four-year stretch — with one of the greatest teams in NFL history.

The Cowboys featured six Hall of Famers: owner Jerry Jones, head coach Jimmy Johnson, defensive end Charles Haley, running back Emmitt Smith, wide receiver Michael Irvin and quarterback Troy Aikman, the Super Bowl MVP.

How about them Cowboys? The same could not be said for the Bills, who lost their third of four straight Super Bowls.

53. Super Bowl XXIX: Ho-Hum, 49ers Win Again

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young was shifty. Andrew Innerarity / AP Photo

Date: Jan. 29, 1995

Location: Joe Robbie Stadium (Miami, Florida)

Final score: San Francisco 49ers 49, San Diego Chargers 26

MVP: Quarterback Steve Young, San Francisco 49ers

Bottom line: No one thought the Chargers had a chance of beating the 49ers in the Super Bowl. And that was correct.

The 49ers were a juggernaut and favored by 18 ½ points behind All-Pro quarterback Steve Young. They covered and then some, trouncing the Chargers by 23 points to win their record fifth Super Bowl, breaking a tie with the Steelers at the time for most Super Bowl wins by a franchise.

The blowout loss is as close as the Chargers have ever been to winning the big one.

52. Super Bowl XXXVII: ‘Gruden Bowl’ Makes Our Eyes Bleed

This is proof “The Gruden Bowl” really happened. Lawrence Jackson / AP Photo

Date: Jan. 26, 2003

Location: Qualcomm Stadium (San Diego, California)

Final score: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48, Oakland Raiders 21

MVP: Safety Dexter Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bottom line: This was the last Super Bowl played in January, which is about the most interesting thing we can say about it.

There was nothing worse than watching Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden win a Super Bowl with a team assembled by Tony Dungy, and against his old team to boot. After the Buccaneers traded for Gruden.

Woof.

51. Super Bowl XLVIII: Nap Time With the Seahawks

This Gatorade shower actually woke Pete Carroll up from a midgame nap. Julio Cortez / AP Photo

Date: Feb. 2, 2014

Location: MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey)

Final score: Seattle Seahawks 43, Denver Broncos 8

MVP: Linebacker Malcolm Smith, Seattle Seahawks

Bottom line: This Super Bowl might be best known for generating the most naps in the history of the game.

The Seahawks won their first Super Bowl with the “Legion of Boom” defense and a young Russell Wilson in just his second season as a starter.

They made it back the next year with much different results.

50. Super Bowl XII: Two MVPs Are Better Than One

Few uniforms could rival the “Orange Crush” Denver Broncos uniforms. AP Photo

Date: Jan. 15, 1978

Location: Louisiana Superdome (New Orleans, Louisiana)

Final score: Dallas Cowboys 27, Denver Broncos 10

Co-MVP: Defensive end Harvey Martin and defensive tackle Randy White, Dallas Cowboys

Bottom line: For the first and only time in NFL history, two players shared the Super Bowl MVP award — Dallas Cowboys defensive end Harvey Martin and defensive tackle Randy White.

The Broncos switched quarterbacks in the second half and got within striking distance in the third quarter, but the Cowboys responded by calling a trick play, with fullback Robert Newhouse throwing a touchdown pass to Golden Richards.

No rings for you, Denver. At least not yet.

49. Super Bowl XL: Steelers Return to the Mountaintop

Bill Cowher really did win a Super Bowl with the Steelers. Carlos Osorio / AP Photo

Date: Feb. 5, 2006

Location: Ford Field (Detroit, Michigan)

Final score: Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Seattle Seahawks 10

MVP: Wide receiver Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers

Bottom line: The Steelers were back in the Super Bowl for the first time in a decade and won their first Super Bowl since 1979, tying the 49ers and the Cowboys with five Super Bowls each.

In what should have been a nice twist but became a story pounded into oblivion by the media, Pittsburgh running back Jerome Bettis played in his final game in his hometown.

A few years later, Bettis was in Canton.

48. Super Bowl VI: Dolphins Don’t Like the Cold

Tom Landry called a trick play in the Super Bowl, which wasn’t exactly on brand. AP Photo

Date: Jan. 16, 1972

Location: Tulane Stadium (New Orleans, Louisiana)

Final score: Dallas Cowboys 24, Miami Dolphins 3

MVP: Quarterback Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys

Bottom line: This was the first of five Super Bowl wins for the Cowboys and came after a loss to the Colts in the previous year’s Super Bowl.

This was the coldest Super Bowl ever played. The temperature at kickoff was 39 degrees in New Orleans, which put the Miami Dolphins at a huge disadvantage.

Now that’s some football weather.

47. Super Bowl XXXV: Trent Dilfer’s Shining Moment

Trent Dilfer didn’t need to do much to help the Ravens win the Super Bowl. Rick Bowmer / AP Photo

Date: Jan. 28, 2001

Location: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)

Final score: Baltimore Ravens 34, New York Giants 7

MVP: Linebacker Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens

Bottom line: Exactly one year to the day before he was named Super Bowl MVP, Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis was facing double murder charges after a fight left two men dead following a Super Bowl party in Atlanta.

Because of his legal troubles, Lewis was the first Super Bowl MVP purposely not given the chance to yell “I’m going to Disney World!” into the camera after the game.

That honor went to Baltimore quarterback Trent Dilfer.

46. Super Bowl XXVI: Bills Crack Under Pressure

Mark Rypien and Gary Clark in Super Bowl XXVI

The Washington Football Team used to win Super Bowls. Jim Mone / AP Photo

Date: Jan. 26, 1992

Location: Metrodome (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Final score: Washington Football Team 37, Buffalo Bills 24

MVP: Quarterback Mark Rypien, Washington Football Team

Bottom line: All of the pressure was on the Buffalo Bills headed into the Super Bowl, even though Washington was favored by a touchdown, but Washington jumped out to a 17-0 lead, and the Bills never recovered.

This was also the game that changed how halftime shows were performed. Fox’s “In Living Color” successfully stole the halftime audience with a live show that drew viewers away from the game.

The NFL responded by booking Michael Jackson for next year’s halftime show.

45. Super Bowl XI: Fourth Time Is Not the Charm

Jack Tatum hits Sammy White in Super Bowl XI

Jack Tatum’s hit on Sammy White still hurts. Richard Drew / AP Photo

Date: Jan. 9, 1977

Location: Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California)

Final score: Oakland Raiders 32, Minnesota Vikings 14

MVP: Wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff, Oakland Raiders

Bottom line: This was the fourth and final Super Bowl appearance for the Minnesota Vikings in a seven-year stretch, with all ending in losses.

The Raiders racked up a record 429 yards on offense, and wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff was named Super Bowl MVP.

To this day, he’s the only wide receiver named MVP without 100 receiving yards.

44. Super Bowl XXVIII: Buffalo’s Date With Infamy

The Buffalo Bills lost four consecutive Super Bowls in the 1990s. John Gaps / AP Photo

Date: Jan. 30, 1994

Location: Georgia Dome (Atlanta, Georgia)

Final score: Dallas Cowboys 30, Buffalo Bills 13

MVP: Running back Emmitt Smith, Dallas Cowboys

Bottom line: This Super Bowl was notable just as much for the Buffalo Bills losing their fourth consecutive year as it was for the Dallas Cowboys winning back-to-back Super Bowls.

It does beg the question. What do NFL fans remember more? The four straight Super Bowl losses by the Bills or the back-to-back Super Bowl wins by the Cowboys?

How about them Bills?

43. Super Bowl XVII: First We Strike, Then We Super Bowl

Charlie Brown touchdown in Super Bowl XVII

NFL teams only played nine regular-season games in 1982. AP Photo

Date: Jan. 30, 1983

Location: Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California)

Final score: Washington Football Team 27, Miami Dolphins 17

MVP: Running back John Riggins, Washington Football Team

Bottom line: This Super Bowl capped one of the weirdest (before 2020) seasons in NFL history.

Following the worst labor dispute in NFL history, the league only played nine regular-season games, then had a 16-team playoff tournament that ignored divisions.

Washington running back John Riggins won MVP honors by setting a Super Bowl record with 166 rushing yards and adding a 15-yard reception — single-handedly outgaining the Dolphins’ entire offense.

42. Super Bowl XV: Jim Plunkett to the Rescue, Part I

Jim Plunkett went from backup quarterback to starter for the Raiders twice in his career. AP Photo

Date: Jan. 25, 1981

Location: Louisiana Superdome (New Orleans, Louisiana)

Final score: Oakland Raiders 27, Philadelphia Eagles 10

MVP: Quarterback Jim Plunkett, Oakland Raiders

Bottom line: This was the first of two times Jim Plunkett started the season as a backup quarterback for the Raiders and led them to a Super Bowl victory — this time becoming the second Heisman Trophy winner to earn Super Bowl MVP honors.

On the flip side, the Eagles were doomed thanks to the absolute implosion of quarterback Ron Jaworski, who was intercepted three times, all by Oakland linebacker Rod Martin.

It was a magnificent day for Al Davis and his organization, which became the first wild-card team to win a Super Bowl.

41. Super Bowl XIX: So There’s Never Been a Super Bowl Home Team?

The San Francisco 49ers didn’t have to go far to play in Super Bowl XIX. AP Photo

Date: Jan. 20, 1985

Location: Stanford Stadium (Stanford, California)

Final score: San Francisco 49ers 38, Miami Dolphins 16

MVP: Quarterback Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers

Bottom line: Everyone is getting caught up in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers becoming the first team to play a Super Bowl in its home stadium in Super Bowl LV, but we think the Dolphins might take some umbrage with that.

That’s because they had to face the San Francisco 49ers in Stanford Stadium following the 1984 season. It’s a whopping 31 miles from Candlestick Park.

The home-field advantage didn’t hurt, but the 49ers could have put a whooping on Dan Marino and company in Timbuktu.

40. Super Bowl XIV: No One Will Ever Top Four Super Bowls, Right?

Lynn Swann was a baller. AP Photo

Date: Jan. 20, 1980

Location: Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California)

Final score: Pittsburgh Steelers 31, Los Angeles Rams 19

MVP: Quarterback Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers

Bottom line: The greatest NFL dynasty of its time was cemented when the Pittsburgh Steelers won their fourth Super Bowl in 1980, but it wasn’t as easy as the score indicated.

The Rams led 19-17 heading into the fourth quarter before Pittsburgh reeled off 14 unanswered points, starting off with a 73-yard touchdown pass from Terry Bradshaw to John Stallworth.

Nine players from this Steelers team are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

39. Super Bowl XXI: World, Meet the Gatorade Shower

Phil Simms had a brief stint as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Amy Sancetta / AP Photo

Date: Jan. 25, 1987

Location: Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California)

Final score: New York Giants 39, Denver Broncos 20

MVP: Quarterback Phil Simms, New York Giants

Bottom line: While this wasn’t a very good game, it was a memorable win because it was the first Super Bowl for the Giants and their first NFL championship since 1956.

What’s remarkable is the Giants trailed at halftime, 10-9, before reeling off 30 unanswered points.

Also cool? It was the game that the “Gatorade Shower” was introduced to America when the Giants soaked head coach Bill Parcells.

38. Super Bowl VIII: Larry Csonka Had a Weird Helmet

Can you imagine what it would have been like to try and tackle Larry Csonka? AP Photo

Date: Jan. 13, 1974

Location: Rice Stadium (Houston, Texas)

Final score: Miami Dolphins 24, Minnesota Vikings 7

MVP: Running back Larry Csonka, Miami Dolphins

Bottom line: The Dolphins won their second consecutive Super Bowl, but it also had a couple of firsts.

It was the first game played in a stadium that wasn’t the home of an NFL team, and Larry Csonka became the first running back to win MVP honors.

The Dolphins jumped out to a 24-0 lead in the first three quarters, and the Vikings suffered the second of four Super Bowl losses in a seven-year stretch.

37. Super Bowl XXXIII: Eugene Robinson Did What?

John Elway retired after winning back-to-back Super Bowls. Doug Mills / AP Photo

Date: Jan. 31, 1999

Location: Pro Player Stadium (Miami, Florida)

Final score: Denver Broncos 34, Atlanta Falcons 19

MVP: Running back Terrell Davis, Denver Broncos

Bottom line: The biggest story of this game occurred in the 24 hours leading up to the Super Bowl when NFL Man of the Year and Pro Bowl safety Eugene Robinson was arrested for trying to hire a prostitute.

The news absolutely discombobulated the Falcons and Robinson, who was somehow still allowed to play and got burned deep for several long passes.

John Elway didn’t let it ruin his party and rode off into retirement a two-time NFL champion.

36. Super Bowl XXII: All Hail Doug Williams

Doug Williams was the first Black quarterback to start in the Super Bowl. AP Photo

Date: Jan. 31, 1988

Location: San Diego-Jack Murphy Stadium (San Diego, California)

Final score: Washington Football Team 42, Denver Broncos 10

MVP: Quarterback Doug Williams, Washington Football Team

Bottom line: This was a blowout win because Washington quarterback Doug Williams torched the Broncos on his way to Super Bowl MVP honors.

Williams threw for a Super Bowl-record 340 yards and four touchdowns and more importantly became the first Black starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl.

That is something today’s generation of fans wouldn’t think twice about, but it was a significant achievement in NFL history.

35. Super Bowl II: NFL Keeps Foot on AFL’s Neck

Donny Anderson scores touchdown in Super Bowl II

This is a great metaphor for how the NFL treated the AFL in the first two Super Bowls. AP Photo

Date: Jan. 14, 1968

Location: Miami Orange Bowl (Miami, Florida)

Final score: Green Bay Packers 33, Oakland Raiders 14

MVP: Quarterback Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers

Bottom line: Green Bay won its second consecutive Super Bowl with a blowout win over the Raiders.

Packers quarterback Bart Starr cemented his place in NFL history by winning his second consecutive Super Bowl MVP, and Green Bay’s dominating performance cemented the football world’s belief that the AFL was an inferior league to the NFL.

Of course, it wouldn’t take long to shake that idea.

34. Super Bowl IX: Steel Curtain Drawn Tight

There’s a life-sized Starting Lineup action figure of Franco Harris that greets visitors at the Pittsburgh airport. AP Photo

Date: Jan. 12, 1975

Location: Tulane Stadium (New Orleans, Louisiana)

Final score: Pittsburgh Steelers 16, Minnesota Vikings 6

MVP: Running back Franco Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers

Bottom line: The score doesn’t quite indicate that this game featured two Hall of Fame quarterbacks, Pittsburgh’s Terry Bradshaw and Minnesota’s Fran Tarkenton, and the Steelers only led 2-0 at halftime.

While Steelers running back Franco Harris was named MVP, it was Pittsburgh’s defense that won the game by holding Minnesota to 117 yards of total offense, 17 rushing yards and no offensive touchdowns.

If it weren’t for the Steelers (and Chiefs, Dolphins and Raiders), the Vikings might have won a Super Bowl in the 1970s.

33. Super Bowl XXX: Neil O’Donnell’s Epic Meltdown

This was the Super Bowl where a guy named Larry Brown won MVP. Amy Sancetta / AP Photo

Date: Jan. 28, 1996

Location: Sun Devil Stadium (Tempe, Arizona)

Final score: Dallas Cowboys 27, Pittsburgh Steelers 17

MVP: Cornerback Larry Brown, Dallas Cowboys

Bottom line: It’s been 25 years since the Dallas Cowboys beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl, and we’re all still wondering — what in the world happened to Neil O’Donnell?

The Pittsburgh quarterback threw two baffling interceptions directly into the hands of Super Bowl MVP Larry Brown that defy any sort of rational explanation.

32. Super Bowl 50: Peyton’s Final Stand

Denver lost the Super Bowl by almost 40 points one year before the Broncos won it all. Ben Margot / AP Photo

Date: Feb. 7, 2016

Location: Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, California)

Final score: Denver Broncos 24, Carolina Panthers 10

MVP: Linebacker Von Miller, Denver Broncos

Bottom line: The Denver Broncos won their third Super Bowl in Peyton Manning’s final game, even though he was barely able to throw the ball more than 30 yards downfield. He can thank a dominant Broncos defense.

Leading the way for that defense was outside linebacker/defensive end Von Miller, one of the few defensive players to bring home Super Bowl MVP honors.

Also notable? NFL MVP Cam Newton’s postgame news conference temper tantrum.

31. Super Bowl IV: How Many Turnovers?

Otis Taylor and Mike Garrett in Super Bowl IV

The Chiefs went exactly 50 years between Super Bowl wins. AP Photo

Date: Jan. 11, 1970

Location: Tulane Stadium (New Orleans, Louisiana)

Final score: Kansas City Chiefs 23, Minnesota Vikings 7

MVP: Quarterback Len Dawson, Kansas City Chiefs

Bottom line: It would be 50 years before the Kansas City Chiefs played in a Super Bowl again, and on this day, it was a stifling defense that saved the day for Kansas City and gave the AFL back-to-back Super Bowl wins.

Minnesota was held to just 67 rushing yards and Kansas City’s defense forced five turnovers — three interceptions and two fumbles.

As Hank Stram showed us, good things happen when you keep matriculating the ball down the field.

30. Super Bowl XLVII: Who Turned Out the Lights?

Jacoby Jones ran this kick back for a touchdown, then the lights went out at the Super Bowl. Mark Humphrey / AP Photo

Date: Feb. 3, 2013

Location: Mercedes-Benz Superdome (New Orleans, Louisiana)

Final score: Baltimore Ravens 34, San Francisco 49ers 31

MVP: Quarterback Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens

Bottom line: It’s hard to focus on anything about this Super Bowl other than the bizarre blackout that occurred at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome after the Ravens returned the opening kick of the second half for a touchdown and a 28-6 lead.

The lights were out at the Super Bowl for 34 minutes after that and the Ravens held on for the win.

Not that anyone cared.

29. Super Bowl XLI: One Rainy Day in South Beach

It rained really hard when the Colts played the Bears in the Super Bowl. Chris Carlson / AP Photo

Date: Feb. 4, 2007

Location: Dolphin Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)

Final score: Indianapolis Colts 29 Chicago Bears 17

MVP: Quarterback Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts

Bottom line: Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning got his long-awaited Super Bowl win on a rainy day in Miami that started with Chicago Bears rookie Devin Hester returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown.

Unfortunately for the Bears, they had Rex Grossman at quarterback.

Maybe they should’ve put Hester back there for a bit?

28. Super Bowl XXXIX: Eagles Turn On Each Other

The Patriots beat the Eagles for back-to-back Super Bowl victories. Amy Sancetta / AP Photo

Date: Feb. 6, 2005

Location: Alltel Stadium (Jacksonville, Florida)

Final score: New England Patriots 24, Philadelphia Eagles 21

MVP: Wide receiver Deion Branch, New England Patriots

Bottom line: This Super Bowl became much more well known for the fallout of the losing team than for the New England Patriots winning back-to-back championships.

That’s because Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb puked on the field with the game on the line and was promptly thrown under the bus by Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens for being out of shape.

With teammates like that, who needs opponents?

27. Super Bowl XLV: Rodgers Gets His Ring

Aaron Rodgers used to get along with his teammates. David J. Phillip / AP Photo

Date: Feb. 6, 2011

Location: Cowboys Stadium (Arlington, Texas)

Final score: Green Bay Packers 31, Pittsburgh Steelers 25

MVP: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Bottom line: This was an old-school Super Bowl matching up two of the most storied franchises in NFL history — the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers.

The game served as sort of a coronation for Aaron Rodgers, who threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns and was named Super Bowl MVP in front of a crowd of just over 103,000 at Cowboys Stadium.

That seems like a long time ago now.

26. Super Bowl XLIV: This One’s For New Orleans

No Super Bowl meant more to a city than when the New Orleans Saints won. Chuck Burton / AP Photo

Date: Feb. 7, 2010

Location: Sun Life Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)

Final score: New Orleans Saints 31, Indianapolis Colts 17

MVP: Quarterback Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

Bottom line: The score doesn’t indicate a very good game, but please believe that this meant as much as almost any Super Bowl win in NFL history.

That’s because it went to the New Orleans Saints, who had spent most of their history as the laughingstock of the NFL.

They found new life with free-agent quarterback Drew Brees, who put the team and the city on his back after the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

25. Super Bowl XVIII: Watch Marcus Run

Spoiler alert: They weren’t able to catch Marcus Allen. AP Photo

Date: Jan. 22, 1984

Location: Tampa Stadium (Tampa, Florida)

Final score: Los Angeles Raiders 38, Washington Football Team 9

MVP: Running back Marcus Allen, Los Angeles Raiders

Bottom line: This game might seem a little high on the list for a blowout win, but it was remarkable for several reasons.

First, because of Los Angeles running back Marcus Allen, who turned in one of the greatest performances in Super Bowl history with 191 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries along with two catches for 19 yards.

It was also the last time the AFC won a Super Bowl for 13 years.

24. Super Bowl XXXVIII: ‘Wardrobe Malfunction’ Overshadows Game

Tom Brady and Bill Belichick in Super Bowl XXXVIII

The Bill Belichick-Tom Brady combo was dominant. David J. Phillip / AP Photo

Date: Feb. 1, 2004

Location: Reliant Stadium (Houston, Texas)

Final score: New England Patriots 32, Carolina Panthers 29

MVP: Quarterback Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Bottom line: A few times in Super Bowl history, an incident outside of the game itself overshadows the game. That happened this year.

At halftime of the second Super Bowl win by the Patriots in three years, Janet Jackson performed with Justin Timberlake and her “wardrobe malfunction” became an international controversy.

That’s too bad because it was a great game — Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri nailed a 41-yard field goal with four seconds left for the win.

23. Super Bowl LV: Tom Brady, Bucs Silence the Haters

Super Bowl LV stars Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski and quarterback Tom Brady celebrate after winning Super Bowl LV in Tampa, Florida. Ashley Landis / AP Photo

Date: Feb. 7, 2021

Location: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)

Final score: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31, Kansas City Chiefs 9

MVP: Quarterback Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bottom line: Tom Brady shocked the world by leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl win in his first season with the team. At 43 years old, Brady was named Super Bowl MVP for the fifth time and won his record seventh Super Bowl.

With the Buccaneers playing at home for the first time in NFL history for a Super Bowl, Brady got a big lift from his longtime running mate, connecting with tight end Rob Gronkowski for two touchdowns.

The real star of the game was the Tampa Bay defense, which kept the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and star quarterback Patrick Mahomes out of the end zone.

22. Super Bowl XXXI: Return of the Pack

This was a fun day for the Packers and a long day at the office for the Patriots. Lanny Ignelzi / AP Photo

Date: Jan. 26, 1997

Location: Louisiana Superdome (New Orleans, Louisiana)

Final score: Green Bay Packers 35, New England Patriots 21

MVP: Kick returner/punt returner Desmond Howard, Green Bay Packers

Bottom line: Memories of this Super Bowl all tie directly back to Brett Favre taking his helmet off on the field after throwing a touchdown and running like a madman in the first half. Yes, kids, there was a time you could take your helmet off on the field and not get flagged.

It was Green Bay return specialist Desmond Howard who ended up with MVP honors, becoming the only special teams player to win the award as he racked up 244 return yards and had a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the second half.

Good times for Packers fans.

21. Super Bowl LIV: Crowning the New King

Patrick Mahomes went to the bank and Disneyland after this win. Wilfredo Lee / AP Photo

Date: Feb. 2, 2020

Location: Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)

Final score: Kansas City Chiefs 31, San Francisco 49ers 20

MVP: Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

Bottom line: The first Super Bowl win in 50 years for the Kansas City Chiefs came thanks to a comeback led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who was in just his second season as a starter.

The Chiefs rewarded him like a king in the offseason, granting him a 10-year contract worth just over $500 million.

Not bad for your first three seasons in the league.

20. Super Bowl I: Where It All Began

This is how it all started. AP Photo

Date: Jan. 15, 1967

Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (Los Angeles, California)

Final score: Green Bay Packers 35, Kansas City Chiefs 10

MVP: Quarterback Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers

Bottom line: The game was remarkable for being the first Super Bowl and for the sheer hatred that existed between the AFL and NFL headed into the game.

In a weird twist, the game also was broadcast on both NBC and CBS simultaneously. The game was competitive until halftime, when the Packers pulled away and outscored the Chiefs 21-0.

But the die was cast, and the NFL’s fortunes would never be the same.

19. Super Bowl LVI: I Love L.A.

Andrew Whitworth and Cooper Kupp at Super Bowl LVI

Los Angeles Rams teammates Andrew Whitworth and Cooper Kupp celebrate after winning Super Bowl LVI. Steve Luciano / AP Photo

Date: Feb. 13, 2022

Location: SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California)

Final score: Los Angeles Rams 23, Cincinnati Bengals 20

MVP: Wide receiver Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams

Bottom line: After several years of declining ratings, Super Bowl LVI was a massive hit, bringing in an estimated 112.3 million viewers to make the Los Angeles Rams’ 23-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals the second-most-watched Super Bowl in history.

On the field, the Rams needed a come-from-behind win to take down the Bengals, capped by a 1-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp for the game-winning score with 1:25 left to play.

Kupp winning the MVP was the only quibble on the game itself. It should have been Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald, who dominated from start to finish and came up with the pressure that ended the game on 4th-and-1 for the Bengals.

18. Super Bowl VII: Don’t Forget the Champagne

Can you feel the super-ness? AP Photo

Date: Jan. 14, 1973

Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (Los Angeles, California)

Final score: Miami Dolphins 14, Washington Football Team 7

MVP: Safety Jake Scott, Miami Dolphins

Bottom line: The Miami Dolphins capped the only unbeaten season in NFL history with a ho-hum win over Washington in which they didn’t even score in the second half.

Miami safety Jake Scott had two interceptions to win MVP honors, and to this day, members of the team still have a champagne toast when the final unbeaten NFL team loses.

Why not? They remain one of the most iconic teams in sports history.

17. Super Bowl XX: We’re Just Here to Do the Super Bowl Shuffle

Mike Ditka. Da Bears. Da champions. Phil Sandlin / AP Photo

Date: Jan. 26, 1986

Location: Louisiana Superdome (New Orleans, Louisiana)

Final score: Chicago Bears 46, New England Patriots 10

MVP: Defensive end Richard Dent, Chicago Bears

Bottom line: We are putting this blowout so high up the list based solely on the massive amount of swag the Chicago Bears carried themselves with — perhaps the most charismatic assembly of NFL talent and personalities of all time.

In fitting fashion for what’s thought of as the greatest defense of all time, Chicago defensive end Richard Dent was named Super Bowl MVP with 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a blocked pass.

Few NFL teams have a legitimate claim to being the greatest of all time, but the 1985 Chicago Bears are in that conversation.

16. Super Bowl XVI: Gateway to a Dynasty

Let the glory begin. Ray Stubblebine / AP Photo

Date: Jan. 24, 1982

Location: Pontiac Silverdome (Pontiac, Michigan)

Final score: San Francisco 49ers 26, Cincinnati Bengals 21

MVP: Quarterback Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers

Bottom line: The first Super Bowl played in a cold-weather state was played in a dome and was one of the most-watched television events in American history, with an estimated 85 million households tuning in.

What those fans got to see was the start of the San Francisco 49ers’ dynasty, with Joe Montana winning MVP honors, even though he only threw for 157 yards and one touchdown.

It was a case of quality of quantity. It’s not always how many yards you throw for, but when you for them.

15. Super Bowl LII: Dial Up The Philly Special

Nick Foles and his daughter Lily after Super Bowl LII

Hi, Mom. Matt Slocum / AP Photo

Date: Feb. 4, 2018

Location: U.S Bank Stadium (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Final score: Philadelphia Eagles 41, New England Patriots 33

MVP: Quarterback Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles

Bottom line: The Philadelphia Eagles weren’t the first team to win a Super Bowl with a backup quarterback. They were just the first to have that quarterback catch a touchdown pass, which Nick Foles did on the way to Super Bowl MVP honors.

If not for a last-second stop by the Eagles, the Patriots probably win three consecutive Super Bowls.

That’s why football is a game of inches.

14. Super Bowl XLVI: Rematch of the Century

Don’t let the “aw shucks” act fool you. David J. Phillip / AP Photo

Date: Feb. 5, 2012

Location: Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis, Indiana)

Final score: New York Giants 21, New England Patriots 17

MVP: Quarterback Eli Manning, New York Giants

Bottom line: Four years after the Giants produced one of the greatest upsets in sports history against the Patriots, we got the rematch. And the two teams delivered once again.

With an estimated 166 million people tuning in to the broadcast, Eli Manning once again seemed to pull a Super Bowl out of thin air — the Giants had only gone 9-7 during the regular season and barely snuck into the playoffs.

Eli Manning 2, Tom Brady 0. In Super Bowls. But Manning doesn’t claim any bragging rights over Brady.

13. Super Bowl XLIII: Rumble, Big Man, Rumble

Add another Lombardi Trophy for the Steelers. Eric Gay / AP Photo

Date: Feb. 1, 2009

Location: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)

Final score: Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Arizona Cardinals 23

MVP: Wide receiver Santonio Holmes, Pittsburgh Steelers

Bottom line: We will always love this game because it featured one of the greatest defensive plays in NFL history when Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison — all 270 pounds of him — returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown as time ran out in the first half.

Anybody else think it’s strange that Ben Roethlisberger won two Super Bowls and wasn’t MVP in either of them?

But, hey, he’s got two rings and isn’t complaining.

12. Super Bowl XIII: That’s How You Spell M-V-P

Here’s the quarterback who got the Steelers started. Harry Cabluck / AP Photo

Date: Jan. 21, 1979

Location: Miami Orange Bowl (Miami, Florida)

Final score: Pittsburgh Steelers 35, Dallas Cowboys 31

MVP: Quarterback Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers

Bottom line: This game was known most for a beef between two players. Dallas linebacker Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson said Pittsburgh quarterback Terry Bradshaw was so dumb he couldn’t spell “cat” before the game.

After Bradshaw set Super Bowl records with 318 passing yards and four touchdowns he told reporters to ask Henderson if he could spell “M-V-P.”

Advantage, Bradshaw.

11. Super Bowl XLIX: What Were They Thinking?

That would be four championships for the Patriots. Michael Conroy / AP Photo

Date: Feb. 1, 2015

Location: University of Phoenix Stadium (Glendale, Arizona)

Final score: New England Patriots 28, Seattle Seahawks 24

MVP: QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Bottom line: Will we ever know the true story behind Seattle’s disastrous goal-line call to throw the ball with the game on the line? Probably not, and it won’t matter because the resulting Malcolm Butler interception helped the Patriots pull victory from the jaws of defeat.

Made even worse? The Seahawks had All-Pro running back Marshawn Lynch and three shots from the 1-yard line.

Oof to infinity.

10. Super Bowl XXV: Wide Right! Wide Right!

Before Wide Right. Bill Haber / AP Photo

Date: Jan. 27, 1991

Location: Tampa Stadium (Tampa, Florida)

Final score: New York Giants 20, Buffalo Bills 19

MVP: Running back Ottis Anderson, New York Giants

Bottom line: The first of four consecutive trips to the Super Bowl for the Buffalo Bills was the closest they would ever come to winning as kicker Scott Norwood missed a potential game-winning, 47-yard field goal with just seconds remaining.

Over the years, this game also has become known for something else entirely — the soul-stirring rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner” by the late Whitney Houston.

Not that anything can ever make Bills fans forget this loss.

9. Super Bowl XXXVI: Brady Jumpstarts Patriots’ Dynasty

New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI

This is what happiness looks like. Doug Mills / AP Photo

Date: Feb. 3, 2002

Location: Louisiana Superdome (New Orleans, Louisiana)

Final score: New England Patriots 20, St. Louis Rams 17

MVP: Quarterback Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Bottom line: The first of a staggering 10 Super Bowl appearances for New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady represented one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history.

Brady, who only became the starter after an injury to starter Drew Bledsoe, guided the Patriots on a last-minute drive to set up a game-winning field goal by Adam Vinatieri.

Can Bill Belichick find his next Brady and get back to a Super Bowl?

8. Super Bowl XXXIV: One Yard From Greatness

London Fletcher and Frank Wycheck in Super Bowl XXXIV

Joy and pain. Sunshine and rain. Susan Walsh / AP Photo

Date: Jan. 30, 2000

Location: Georgia Dome (Atlanta, Georgia)

Final score: St. Louis Rams 23, Tennessee Titans 16

MVP: Quarterback Kurt Warner, St. Louis Rams

Bottom line: This game is known for “The Tackle” — St. Louis linebacker Mike Jones pulled Tennessee wide receiver Kevin Dyson down at the 1-yard line as time expired to save the victory.

St. Louis quarterback Kurt Warner went from undrafted to NFL MVP. He’d been bagging groceries just a few years before the game. And ended up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Not a bad story.

7. Super Bowl X: Best Super Bowl of the 70s?

Many teams got tired of seeing the black and yellow in January. AP Photo

Date: Jan. 18, 1976

Location: Miami Orange Bowl (Miami, Florida)

Final score: Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Dallas Cowboys 17

MVP: Wide receiver Lynn Swann, Pittsburgh Steelers

Bottom line: Truly one of the great Super Bowls of all time, this was also the first time two previous Super Bowl winners played each other in the Super Bowl.

Trailing 10-7 in the fourth quarter, Pittsburgh busted the game open on a 64-yard touchdown from Terry Bradshaw to Lynn Swann and Pittsburgh’s Glen Edwards intercepted a pass by Roger Staubach in the end zone on the game’s final play to seal the win.

It’s a thin line between glory and goat.

6. Super Bowl LVII: Mahomes Enters GOAT Conversation

Marcio J. Sanchez / AP Photo

Date: Feb. 12, 2023

Location: State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Arizona)

Final score: Kansas City Chiefs 38, Philadelphia Eagles 35

MVP: Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

Bottom line: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes entered Super Bowl LVII against the Philadelphia Eagles playing on essentially one leg. At halftime, the team was not only trailing by 10 points, but their star quarterback was also in a tremendous amount of pain after taking several big hits in the first half.

No matter. Mahomes rallied the Chiefs in the second half, and when he got the ball back with the score tied 35-35 and just 5:15 left in the fourth quarter, it seemed like everyone in the world knew what was about to happen. The Whitehouse, Texas, native drove his team into field-goal territory thanks to a limping, 26-yard run to the Eagles’ 17-yard line that set up the game-winning field goal by Harrison Butker. Mahomes was named Super Bowl MVP for the second time in his career.

It was the second career Super Bowl win for head coach Andy Reid and second Super Bowl win in four years as well as the third trip to the Super Bowl in the same time for the Chiefs.

5. Super Bowl XXIII: Is That John Candy?

The Bengals are tired of seeing the 49ers in the Super Bowl. Phil Sandlin / AP Photo

Date: Jan. 22, 1989

Location: Joe Robbie Stadium (Miami, Florida)

Final score: San Francisco 20, Cincinnati Bengals 16

MVP: Wide receiver Jerry Rice, San Francisco 49ers

Bottom line: Perhaps the greatest moment in Super Bowl history happened in the 49ers huddle before Joe Montana guided the team on a game-winning, 92-yard drive when he got the ball back with just 3:00 remaining in the game.

Before the first play of that drive, Montana brought the 49ers huddle together — the moment of truth for any quarterback — and pointed to the far end zone.

“Is that John Candy?” Montana asked. It was. And the 49ers marched into history.

4. Super Bowl XLII: Upset of the Century

Archie Manning was one proud pop after Eli became his second quarterback son to win a Super Bowl after Peyton. Julie Jacobson / AP Photo

Date: Feb. 3, 2008

Location: University of Phoenix Stadium (Glendale, Arizona)

Final score: New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14

MVP: Quarterback Eli Manning, New York Giants

Bottom line: “The Helmet Catch” became a proper noun when the New York Giants upset the previously unbeaten New England Patriots thanks to a miracle pass from Eli Manning to David Tyree in the fourth quarter.

Let’s not mince words. This was one of the greatest games and biggest upsets in the history of professional sports.

Period.

3. Super Bowl XXXII: ‘This One’s For John’

It’s tough to beat this feeling. Lenny Ignelzi / AP Photo

Date: Jan. 25, 1998

Location: Qualcomm Stadium (San Diego, California)

Final score: Denver Broncos 31, Green Bay Packers 24

MVP: Quarterback John Elway, Denver Broncos

Bottom line: There was an emotional wallop that came with Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway winning his first Super Bowl after three unsuccessful tries that ended in blowout losses.

It was also in this game that Elway made his most famous play, diving for a first down late in the game and getting getting “helicoptered” on the hit inside the 5-yard line.

2. Super Bowl III: The Guarantee

Only the Jets believed they could win. And they did. Harold Valentine / AP Photo

Date: Jan. 12, 1969

Location: Miami Orange Bowl (Miami, Florida)

Final score: New York Jets 16, Baltimore Colts 7

MVP: Quarterback Joe Namath, New York Jets

Bottom line: There are NFL legends, and there is New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath, who guaranteed a win over the Baltimore Colts three days before the Super Bowl despite being 18-point underdogs.

Namath delivered on his promise, staking the Jets to a 16-0 lead and holding on for the win as Baltimore quarterback Earl Morrall imploded, throwing three interceptions.

It’s amazing what confidence can do for a team.

1. Super Bowl LI: Simply the Best

Julian Edelman,Keanu Nealm Ricardo Allen

Patrick Semansky / AP Photo

Date: Feb. 5, 2017

Location: NRG Stadium (Houston, Texas)

Final score: New England Patriots 34, Atlanta Falcons 28 (Overtime)

MVP: Quarterback Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Bottom line: The greatest Super Bowl in history is also the only time the game has gone into overtime.

The New England Patriots trailed 28-3 in the second half before mounting the largest comeback in Super Bowl history.

The game helped cement Tom Brady’s status as the greatest quarterback of all time and sent Atlanta’s franchise into a death spiral.