NFL Superbowls
a…single, unit, ace, whole, entity, January (1st month), Monday, a (1st letter)
t…double, bi, bond, couple, connected, joint, pair, dual, union, half, duet, either, match, second, railroad, February (2nd
month), Tuesday, b( 2nd letter)
3. e…dimension, perspective, isosceles, cube, space, model, sphere, March (3rd month), Wednesday, c(3rd letter)
4. d…direction, quad, square, fourth, rectangle, season, cross, intersection, vehicle, bus, wagon, trolley, April (4th month),
Thursday. D( 4th letter)
5. i…quintet, five, pentagon, torah, fingers, lustrum (ceremonial cleaning of the Roman population every 5 years), nickel,
halogen (group of 5 that combine with metals to fom salts), half (hands), May (5th month), Friday, e (5th letter)
6. l hexa, cube (6 faces), devil (666), six, carbon (6th element), inert (6 inert gases), evil (666), June (6ht month), Saturday, f
(6th letter)
7. n heavenly, seven, nitrogen (7th element), nirvana (heaven), July (7th month), Sunday, g( seventh letter)
8. o octagon, eight, triolet (poetry: stanza of 8 lines: the 1st line is repeated as the 4th and again as the 7th, and the 2nd line is
repeated as the eighth), Hanukkah (8 day Jewish holiday commemorating rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem in
165BC), Pasover (8 day Jewish holiday), Beautitude (one of 8 sayings Jesus said at beginning of the Sermon on the
Mount.:”blessed are the meek..”), Decapod (cephalopods with 8 short tentacles plus two long ones), Spider ( have 4 pairs
of legs=8), byte (=8 bits of computer information), August (8th month), chessboard (8X8 square), h (8th leter)
9. r nine, rounded, almost (about, approvimately), September (9th month), I (ninth leter)
10. s set, full (hands), base (number base number system), October (10th month), j (10th letter), ten
1.
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Super bowl 1 January 15, 1967 Green Bay Packers(NFL) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (AFL) 35-10 PARENTING CABALISTS
(adherence to some extreme traditional theological concept or interpretation) KC 0 10 0 0 10 GB 7 7 14 7 35 Stadium Los Angeles
Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles MVP Bart Starr, Quarterback Favorite Packers by 14 Halftime show University of Arizona and
University of Michigan Bands Future Hall of Famers Chiefs: Hank Stram (coach), Bobby Bell, Buck Buchanan, Len Dawson, Emmitt
Thomas Packers: Vince Lombardi (coach), Herb Adderly, Willie Davis, Forrest Gregg, Paul Hornung, Henry Jordan, Ray Nitschke,
Bart Starr, Jim Taylor, Willie Wood The First AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football,.The National
Football League (NFL) champion Green Bay Packers (14–2) scored 3 second-half touchdowns en route to a 35–10 win over the
American Football League (AFL) champion Kansas City Chiefs (12–3–1). Green Bay quarterback Bart Starr, who completed 16 of 23
passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns, with 1 interception, was named Super Bowl MVP. Origins: The First AFL-NFL World
Championship Game was established as part of the June 8, 1966 merger agreement between the NFL and the AFL. However, Los
Angeles was not awarded the game until six weeks prior to the kickoff. The date of the game was also not set until around that time.
Since the AFL Championship Game was originally scheduled for Monday, December 26 and the NFL Championship Game for
Sunday, January 1 (the reverse of the situation in 1960), it was suggested the game be played on Sunday, January 8, 1967. It was
eventually decided to hold an unprecedented TV doubleheader on January 1, 1967, with the AFL Championship Game in Buffalo
starting at 1 p.m. and the NFL Championship Game in Dallas starting at 4 p.m. Coming into this first game, there was considerable
animosity between the two rival leagues, with both of them putting pressure on their respective champions to trounce the other and
prove each league's dominance in professional football. Still, many sports writers and fans believed that the game was a mismatch, and
that any team from the long-established NFL was far superior to the best team from the upstart AFL.The 2 teams that played were the
Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs. The Packers ended up winning 35 to 10. Kansas City Chiefs The Chiefs entered the
game after recording an 11-2-1 mark during the regular season. In the AFL Championship Game, they beat the Buffalo Bills, 31-7.
Kansas City's high powered offense led the AFL in points scored (448) and total rushing yards (2,274). Their trio of running backs,
Mike Garrett (801 yards), Bert Coan (521 yards), and Curtis McClinton (540 yards) all ranked among the top ten rushers in the AFL.
Quarterback Len Dawson was the top rated passer in the AFL, completing 159 out of 284 (56 percent) of his passes for 2,527 yards
and 26 touchdowns. Wide receiver Otis Taylor provided the team with a great deep threat by recording 58 receptions of 1,297 yards
and 8 touchdowns. Receiver Chris Burford added 58 receptions for 758 yards and 8 touchdowns. And tight end Fred Arbanas, who
had 22 catches for 305 yards and 4 touchdowns, was one of 6 Chiefs offensive players who were named to the All-AFL team. The
Chiefs also had a strong defense, with All-AFL players Jerry Mays and Buck Buchanan anchoring their line. Linebacker Bobby Bell,
who was also named to the All-AFL team, was great at run stopping and pass coverage. But the strongest part of their defense was
their secondary, led by All-AFL safeties Johnny Robinson and Bobby Hunt, who each recorded 10 interceptions, and defensive back
Fred Williamson, who recorded 4. Their Head Coach was Hank Stram. Green Bay Packers The Packers were an NFL dynasty after
being a losing team eight years earlier. The team had posted an NFL-worst 1–10–1 record in 1958 before legendary head coach Vince
Lombardi was hired in January 1959. But Lombardi was determined to build a winning team. During the offseason, he signed Fred
"Fuzzy" Thurston, who had been cut from three other teams but ended up becoming an All-Pro left guard for Green Bay. Lombardi
also made a big trade with the Cleveland Browns that brought three players to the team who would become cornerstones of the
defense: linemen Henry Jordan, Willie Davis, and Bill Quinlan. Lombardi's hard work paid off, and the Packers improved to a 7–5
regular season record in 1959. They surprised the league during the following year by making it all the way to the 1960 NFL
Championship Game. Although the Packers lost 17–13 to the Philadelphia Eagles, they had sent a clear message that they were no
longer losers. Green Bay went on to win NFL Championships in 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, and 1967. Packers veteran quarterback Bart
Starr was the top-rated quarterback in the NFL for 1966, and won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award, completing 156 out of 251
(62.2 percent) passes for 2,257 yards, 14 touchdowns, and only 3 interceptions. His top targets were wide receivers Boyd Dowler and
Carroll Dale, who combined for 63 receptions for 1,336 yards. Fullback Jim Taylor was the team's top rusher with 705 yards, and also
caught 41 passes for 331 yards. (Before the season, Taylor had informed the team that instead of returning to the Packers in 1967, he
would become a free agent and sign with the expansion New Orleans Saints. Lombardi, infuriated at what he considered to be Taylor's
disloyalty, refused to speak to Taylor the entire season.) The team's starting halfback, Paul Hornung, was injured early in the season,
but running back Elijah Pitts did a good job as a replacement, gaining 857 combined rushing and receiving yards. And the Packers
offensive line was also big reason for the team's success, led by All-Pro guards Jerry Kramer and Thurston, along with Forrest Gregg.
Green Bay also had a superb defense, which displayed its talent on the final drive of the NFL Championship Game, stopping the
Dallas Cowboys on 4 consecutive plays starting on the Packers 2-yard line to win the game. Lionel Aldridge had replaced Quinlan,
but Jordan and Davis still anchored the defensive line, linebacker Ray Nitschke excelled at run stopping and pass coverage, while the
secondary was led by defensive backs Herb Adderley and Willie Wood. Wood was another example of how Lombardi found talent in
players that nobody else could see. Wood had been a quarterback in college and was not drafted by an NFL team. When Wood joined
the Packers in 1960, he was converted to a free safety and he went on to make the All-Pro team 9 times in his 12 year career. Super
Bowl pregame news and notes Many people considered it fitting that the Chiefs and the Packers would be the teams to play in the first
ever AFL-NFL World Championship Game. Kansas City owner Lamar Hunt was the person who founded the AFL, while Green Bay
was widely considered one of the better teams in NFL history (even if they couldn't claim to be founding members of their own
league). (CBS announcer Frank Gifford, who interviewed Lombardi prior to the game, said Lombardi was so nervous "he held onto
my arm and he was shaking like a leaf. It was incredible.") Lombardi was under intense pressure from the entire NFL that the Packers
not only win but preferably win big. The Chiefs saw this game as an opportunity to show they were good enough to play against any
NFL team. One player who was really looking forward to compete in this game was Dawson, who had spent 3 years as a backup in the
NFL before joining the Chiefs. (The Chiefs were also nervous. Linebacker E. J. Holub said "the Chiefs were scared to death. Guys in
the tunnel were throwing up.") In the week prior to the game, Chiefs cornerback Fred "The Hammer" Williamson garnered
considerable publicity by boasting he would use his "hammer"--forearm blows to the head—to destroy the Packers' receivers, stating
"Two hammers to (Boyd) Dowler, one to (Carroll) Dale should be enough." The two teams played with their respective footballs from
each league- The Chiefs used the AFL ball by Spalding, the Packers played with the NFL ball by Wilson. The AFL's two-point
conversion rule was not used and would not be used in any of the first four Super Bowls. Television Simulcast This game is the only
Super Bowl to have been broadcast in the United States by two television networks simultaneously (no other NFL game was
subsequently carried nationally on more than one network until December 29, 2007, when the New England Patriots faced the New
York Giants on NBC, CBS, and the NFL Network). At the time, NBC held the rights to nationally televise AFL games while CBS had
the rights to broadcast NFL games. It was decided to have both of them cover the game. Each network used its own announcers: Ray
Scott (doing play-by-play for the first half), Jack Whitaker (doing play-by-play for the second half), and Frank Gifford provided
commentary on CBS; while Curt Gowdy and Paul Christman were on NBC. CBS did have some problems. A little-known fact about
SB I is that at the start of the second half, the Chiefs received the opening kickoff and returned it for good field position, around
midfield. However, CBS did not return in time from a halftime commercial break for the start of the second half. Ironically, the AFL
network missed the first kickoff and return, and the Chiefs were forced to receive another "official" kickoff, this one being stopped
around the Chiefs' twenty. They then advanced the ball to their own 49-yard line, but were intercepted, a play that turned the game
around. Professional Football pundits to this day wonder what the game's outcome would have been, had the first kickoff return not
been expunged from history. CBS was also forced to broadcast the game over NBC' cameras (NBC received prerogative to use its feed
and feed and less innovative camera placement and angles, since the Coliseum was home to the NFL's Rams). In other words, CBS's
crew had little to no control over how the game was shot. Super Bowl I was the only Super Bowl in history that was not a sellout in
terms of attendance, despite a TV blackout in the Los Angeles area (at the time, NFL games were required to be blacked out in the
market of origin, even if it was a neutral site game and if it sold out). Days before the game, local newspapers printed editorials about
what they viewed as a then-exorbitant $12 USD price for tickets, and wrote stories about how to pirate the signal from TV stations
outside the Los Angeles area. Lost footage Much to the dismay of television historians, all known broadcast tapes which recorded the
game in its entirety were subsequently destroyed in a process of wiping, the reusing of videotape by taping over previous content, by
both networks. This was due to the idea that the game wasn't going to become what it did, plus videotapes were extremely expensive
back then. This has prevented contrast and compare studies of how each network handled their respective coverage. Despite this,
television and sports archivists remain on the lookout, and at least two small samples of the telecast survive: a recording of Max
McGee's opening touchdown and Jim Taylor's first touchdown run (Packers' second touchdown), both were shown on HBO's 1991
two-part sports documentary, Play by Play: A History of Sports Television. NFL Films had a camera crew present, and retains a
substantial amount of film footage in its archives, some of which has been released for home video and cable presentations. In January
of 2011, it was reported that a recording of the CBS telecast had been found in a Pennsylvania attic and restored by the Paley Center
for Media in New York. The 2" color videotape is incomplete, and is missing the halftime show and most of the third-quarter footage,
but is still the most complete version of the broadcast yet discovered. Ceremonies and entertainment The first Super Bowl halftime
show featured American trumpeter Al Hirt, and the marching bands from the University of Arizona and Grambling State University.
(At least one source incorrectly lists the University of Michigan Band.) The postgame, trophy presentation ceremony was handled by
CBS' Pat Summerall and NBC's George Ratterman. Summerall and Ratterman were forced to share a single microphone. Game
summary After both teams traded punts on their first possessions of the game, the Packers jumped out to an early 7–0 lead, driving 80
yards in 6 plays. On the last play, Bart Starr threw a pass to reserve receiver Max McGee, who had replaced injured starter Boyd
Dowler earlier in the drive. McGee slipped past Chiefs cornerback Willie Mitchell, made a one-handed catch at the 23-yard line, and
then took off for a 37-yard touchdown reception. On their ensuing drive, the Chiefs moved the ball to Green Bay's 33-yard line, but
kicker Mike Mercer missed a 40-yard field goal. Early in the second quarter, Kansas City marched 66 yards in 6 plays, featuring a 31yard reception by receiver Otis Taylor, to tie the game on a 7-yard pass to Curtis McClinton from quarterback Len Dawson. But the
Packers responded on their next drive, advancing 73 yards down the field and scoring on fullback Jim Taylor's 14-yard touchdown run
with the team's famed "Power Sweep" play. Dawson was sacked for an 8-yard loss on the first play of the Chiefs next drive. But he
followed it up with four consecutive completions for 58 yards, including a 27-yarder to Chris Burford, setting up Mercer's 31-yard
field goal to make the score 14-10 at the end of the half. At halftime, it appeared that the Chiefs had a chance to win. Many people
watching the game were surprised how close the score was and how well the AFL's champions were playing. Kansas City actually
outgained the Packers in total yards, 181–164, and had 11 first downs compared to the Packers' 9. The Chiefs were exuberant at
halftime. Hank Stram said later "I honestly thought we would come back and win it." The Packers were disappointed with the quality
of their play in the first half. "The coach was concerned" said defensive end Willie Davis later. Lombardi told them the game plan was
sound but that they had to tweak some things and execute better. On their first drive of the second half, the Chiefs advanced to their
own 49-yard line. But on a third down pass play, a heavy blitz by linebackers Dave Robinson and Lee Roy Caffey rushed Dawson's
throw, and the ball was intercepted by Willie Wood, who then returned it 50 yards to Kansas City's 5-yard line.("the biggest play of
the game," wrote Starr later). On their first play after the turnover, running back Elijah Pitts scored on a 5-yard touchdown run to give
the Packers a 21-10 lead. The Packers defense would then dominate the Chiefs offense for the rest of the game, only allowing them to
cross midfield once, and for just one play. The Chiefs were forced to deviate from their game plan, and that hurt them. The Chiefs'
offense totaled 12 yards in the third quarter, and Dawson was held to 5 out of 12 second half pass completions for 59 yards.
Meanwhile, Green Bay forced Kansas City to punt from their own 2-yard line after sacking Dawson twice and got the ball back with
good field position on their own 44. McGee subsequently caught 3 passes for 40 yards on a 56-yard drive that ended with his 13-yard
touchdown reception. Midway through the fourth quarter, Starr completed a 25-yard pass to Carroll Dale and a 37-yard strike to
McGee, moving the ball to the Chiefs 18-yard line. Four plays later, Pitts scored his second touchdown on a 1-yard run to close out the
scoring, giving the Packers the 35-10 win. Also in the fourth quarter, Fred Williamson, who had boasted about his "hammer" prior to
the game, was knocked out when his head collided with running back Donny Anderson's knee, and then suffered a broken arm when
Chiefs linebacker Sherrill Headrick fell on him. Williamson had three tackles for the game. Hornung was the only Packer not to see
any action. Lombardi had asked him in the fourth quarter if he wanted to go in, but Hornung declined, not wanting to aggravate a
pinched nerve in his neck. McGee, who caught only four passes for 91 yards and one touchdown during the season, finished Super
Bowl I with seven receptions for 138 yards and two touchdowns. The Green Bay Packers were each paid a salary of $15,000 as the
winning team. The Chiefs were paid $7,500 each. Note: According to NBC Radio announcer Jim Simpson's report at halftime of the
game, Kansas City led 11 to 9 in first downs at halftime, 181 to 164 in total yards, and 142 to 113 in passing yards (Green Bay led 51
to 39 in rushing yards). Bart Starr was 8 of 13 with no interceptions, while Len Dawson was 11 of 15 with no interceptions. Green Bay
led 14-10 at halftime. Green Bay had the ball five times, although only for a minute or so on the last possession; they punted on their
first possession, scored a touchdown on their second, punted on their third, scored a touchdown on their fourth, and had the ball when
the half ended on their fifth. Kansas City had the ball four times --- punting on their first possession, driving to a missed field goal on
their second possession, scoring a touchdown on their third, and kicking a field goal on their fourth. This means that, in the second
half, Green Bay led 12 to 6 in first downs, 203 to 58 in total yards, 115 to 25 in passing yards, and 82 to 33 in rushing yards (the
Packers won the second half, 21-0). Starr and his late-game replacement, Zeke Bratkowski, were 8 for 11 with one interception;
Dawson and his late-game replacement, Pete Beatherd, were just 6 for 17, also with one interception. Each team had the ball seven
times in the second half, although Green Bay's first possession was just one play and their seventh possession was abbreviated because
the game ended. Green Bay scored a touchdown on their first (one play) possession, punted on their second, scored a touchdown on
their third, was intercepted at KC's 15 yard line on their fourth (just Starr's fourth interception of the year), scored a touchdown on
their fifth, punted on their sixth, and had the ball when the game ended on their seventh possession. Kansas City was intercepted on
their first possession --- Wood's return to the five set up Pitts' TD that made it 21-10 --- and then punted on each of their next six
possessions.
Superbowl 2 January 14, 1968 Green Bay Packers (NFL) vs. Oakland Raiders (AFL) 33-14 POWERLESSLY REMAINDER GB 3
13 10 7 33 OAK 0 7 0 7 14 Stadium Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida MVP Bart Starr, Quarterback Favorite Packers by 13½
Halftime show Grambling State University Future Hall of Famers Packers: Vince Lombardi (coach), Herb Adderly, Willie Davis,
Forrest Gregg, Henry Jordan, Ray Nitschke, Bart Starr, Willie Wood. Raiders: Fred Biletnikoff, George Blanda, Jim Otto, Gene
Upshaw..Aided by kicker Don Chandler's 4 field goals and defensive back Herb Adderly's 60-yard interception return for a touchdown,
the National Football League (NFL) champion Green Bay Packers (9–4–1) defeated the American Football League (AFL) champion
Oakland Raiders (13–1), 33–14.Green Bay quarterback Bart Starr was named the Super Bowl MVP for the second time for his 13 of
24 passing for 202 yards and one touchdown. Green Bay Packers The Packers advanced to their second straight AFL-NFL World
Championship Game, but had a much more difficult time than in the previous season. Both of their starting running backs from the
previous year, future Pro Football Hall of Famers Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor, had left the team. Their replacements, Elijah Pitts and
Jim Grabowski, were both injured early in the season, forcing Green Bay coach Vince Lombardi to use veteran reserve running back
Donny Anderson and rookie Travis Williams. Fullbacks Chuck Mercein and Ben Wilson, who were signed as free agents after being
discarded by many other teams, were also used to help compensate for the loss of Hornung and Taylor. Meanwhile the team's 33-year
old veteran quarterback Bart Starr had missed 4 games during the season with injuries, and finished the season with nearly twice as
many interceptions (17) as touchdown passes (9). The team's deep threat was provided by veteran receivers Carroll Dale, who
recorded 35 receptions for 738 yards (a 21.1 average), and 5 touchdowns; and Pro Bowler Boyd Dowler, who had 54 catches for 846
yards and 4 touchdowns. The Packers still had the superb blocking of linemen Jerry Kramer, Fred Thurston and Forrest Gregg. On
special teams, Williams returned 18 kickoffs for 749 yards and an NFL record 4 touchdowns, giving him a whopping 41.1 yards per
return average. But overall the team ranked just 9th out of 16 NFL teams in scoring with 332 points. The Packers defense, however,
allowed only 209 points, the 3rd best in the NFL. Even this figure was misleading, since Green Bay had yielded only 131 points in the
first 11 games (when they clinched their division), the lowest total in professional football. Three members of Green Bay's secondary,
the strongest aspect of their defense, were named to the Pro Bowl: defensive backs Willie Wood, Herb Adderley, and Bob Jeter. The
Packers also had a superb defensive line led by Henry Jordan and Willie Davis. Behind them, the Packers linebacking core was led by
Ray Nitschke. The Packers won the NFL's Central Division with a 9–4–1 regular season record, clinching the division in the 11th
week of the season. During the last three weeks, the Packers gave up an uncharacteristic total of 78 points, after having yielded only
about a dozen points per game in their first 11 contests. In the playoffs, Green Bay returned to its dominant form, blowing away their
first playoff opponent, the Los Angeles Rams, in the Western Conference Championship Game, 28–7. Green Bay would then come
from behind to defeat the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL championship game for the second year in a row, in one of the most famous
games in NFL lore: The Ice Bowl. Oakland Raiders The Raiders, led by head coach John Rauch, had stormed to the top of the AFL
with a 13–1 regular season record (their only defeat was an October 7th loss to the New York Jets, 27–14), and went on to crush the
Houston Oilers, 40–7, in the AFL Championship game. They had led all AFL and NFL teams in scoring with 468 points. And starting
quarterback Daryle Lamonica had thrown for 3,228 yards and 30 touchdown passes, the most by any NFL or AFL quarterback in the
season. The offensive line was anchored by center Jim Otto and guard Gene Upshaw, along with Pro Bowlers Harry Schuh and
Wayne Hawkins. Wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff led the team with 40 receptions for 876 yards, an average of 21.3 yards per catch. On
the other side of the field, tight end Billy Cannon recorded 32 passes for 629 yards and scoring 10 touchdowns. In the backfield, the
Raiders had 3 running backs, Clem Daniels, Hewritt Dixon, and Pete Banaszak, who carried the ball equally and combined for 1,510
yards and 10 touchdowns. On special teams, defensive back Rodger Bird led the AFL with 612 punt return yards and added another
148 yards returning kickoffs. The main strength of the Raiders was their defense, nicknamed "The 11 Angry Men". The defensive line
was anchored by Pro Bowlers Tom Keating and Ben Davidson. Davidson was an extremely effective pass rusher who had
demonstrated his aggressiveness in a regular season game against the New York Jets by breaking the jaw of Jets quarterback Joe
Namath while sacking him. Behind them, Pro Bowl linebacker Dan Conners excelled at blitzing and pass coverage, recording 3
interceptions. The Raiders also had 2 Pro Bowlers defensive backs: Willie Brown, who led the team with 7 interceptions, and Kent
McCloughan, who had 2 interceptions. Safety Warren Powers recorded 6 interceptions, returning them for 154 yards and 2
touchdowns. Super Bowl pregame news and notes Despite Oakland's accomplishments, and the fact that most experts agreed that this
was the weakest of the all the Packer NFL championship teams, the Packers were 14-point favorites to win the Super Bowl. Like the
previous year, most fans and sports writers believed that the top NFL teams were superior to the top AFL teams. Thus, most of the
drama and discussions surrounding the game was not about which team would win, but on the rumors that Lombardi might retire from
coaching after the game. The game would also prove to be the final one for Packers wide receiver Max McGee, one of the heroes of
Super Bowl I, and place kicker Don Chandler. Television and entertainment The game was televised in the United States by CBS,
with Ray Scott handling the play-by-play duties and color commentators Pat Summerall and Jack Kemp in the broadcast booth. Kemp
was the first Super Bowl commentator who was still an active player (with Buffalo of the AFL) at the time of the broadcast. The status
of this game's broadcast is currently unknown. It was the first time a Super Bowl was televised live on only one network, which has
been the case for all following Super Bowl games. While the Orange Bowl was sold out for the game, unconditional blackout rules in
both leagues prevented the live telecast from being shown in the Miami area. The pregame ceremonies featured two giant figures, one
dressed as a Packers player and the other dressed as a Raiders player. They appeared on opposite ends of the field and then faced each
other near the 50-yard line. The Grambling State University Band performed both the national anthem and during the halftime show.
Game summary On Oakland's first offensive play, a sweep, Ray Nitschke shot through a gap and literally upended fullback Hewitt
Dixon in what was one of Nitschke's signature plays of his entire career. The hit was so vicious, it prompted Jerry Green, a Detroit
News columnist sitting in the press box with fellow journalists, to say in a deadpan, that the game was over. The Packers opened up
the scoring with Don Chandler's 39-yard field goal after marching 34 yards on their first drive of the game. Meanwhile, the Raiders
were forced to punt on their first two possessions. The Packers then started their second possession at their own 3-yard line, and in the
opening minutes of the second quarter, they drove 84 yards to the Raiders 13-yard line. However, they once again had to settle for a
Chandler field goal to take a 6–0 lead. Later in the period, the Packers had the ball on their own 38-yard line and they made a big play
with a play action pass. Starr faked a handoff in the backfield and then threw a pass to receiver Boyd Dowler. The Raiders defensive
backs were fooled by the fake handoff, allowing Dowler to slip by the man covering him, catch the pass, and outrun the defense to
score on a 62-yard touchdown completion, increasing the lead to 13–0. After being completely dominated until this point, the Raiders
offense finally struck back their next possession, advancing 79 yards in 9 plays, and scoring on a 23-yard touchdown pass from Daryle
Lamonica to receiver Bill Miller. The score seemed to fire up the Raiders' defense, and they forced the Packers to punt on their next
drive. Raiders returner Rodger Bird gave them great field position with a 12-yard return to Green Bay's 40-yard line, but Oakland
could only gain 1 yard with their next 3 plays and came up empty when George Blanda's 47-yard field goal attempt fell short of the
goal posts. Oakland's defense again forced Green Bay to punt after 3 plays on the ensuing drive, but this time after calling for a fair
catch, Bird fumbled punter Donny Anderson's twisting, left footed kick, and Green Bay recovered the ball. After 2 incomplete passes,
Starr threw a 12-yard completion to Anderson (who also played running back in addition to being the punter) to set up Chandler's third
field goal as the half expired, giving the Packers a 16–7 lead. At halftime, Packers guard Jerry Kramer said to his teammates (referring
to Lombardi), "Let's play the last 30 minutes for the old man." Any chance the Raiders might have had to make a comeback seemed to
completely vanish in the second half. The Packers had the ball three times in the third quarter, and held it for all but two and a half
minutes. On the Packers first drive of the second half, Starr completed a 35-yard pass to receiver Max McGee (McGee's only
reception of the game, and the final one of his career), eventually setting up Anderson's 2-yard touchdown run, making the score 23–7.
The Packers increased their lead to 26–7 on their next drive after Chandler kicked his fourth field goal. Early in the fourth quarter,
Starr was knocked out of the game when he jammed the thumb on his throwing hand when sacked by Davidson. (Starr was replaced
by Zeke Bratkowski, who would be sacked on his only pass attempt.) But later in the period, the Packers put the game completely out
of reach after defensive back Herb Adderley intercepted a pass from Lamonica and returned it 60 yards for a touchdown, making the
score 33–7. Oakland did manage to score on their next drive after the turnover with a second 23-yard touchdown pass from Lamonica
to Miller, set up by Pete Banaszak's 41-yard reception on the previous play. But all the Raiders' second touchdown did was make the
final score look remotely more respectable, 33–14. At the end of the game, coach Lombardi was carried off the field by his victorious
Packers in one of the more memorable images of early Super Bowl history. It would in fact be Lombardi's last game as Packer coach
and his ninth consecutive playoff victory. Oakland's Bill Miller was the top receiver of the game with 5 receptions for 84 yards and 2
touchdowns. Green Bay fullback Ben Wilson was the leading rusher of the game with 62 yards despite missing part of the second half
while looking for a lost contact lens on the sidelines. Don Chandler ended his Packer career in style with 4 field goals. Lamonica
finished the game with 15 out of 34 pass completions for 208 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. The Packers had no turnovers,
and only one penalty.
Superbowl 3) January 12, 1969 NY Jets (AFL) vs. Baltimore Colts(NFL) 16-7 Juicy NYJ 0 7 6 3 16 BAL 0 0 0 7 7 Stadium Miami
Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida MVP Joe Namath, Quarterback Favorite Colts by 18 National anthem Anita Bryant Halftime show
"America Thanks" with Florida A&M University Future Hall of Famers Colts: Don Shula (coach), John Mackey, Johnny Unitas. Jets:
Weeb Ewbank (coach), Don Maynard, Joe Namath. Super Bowl III This game is regarded as one of the greatest upsets in sports
history. The heavy underdog American Football League (AFL) champion New York Jets (11-3) defeated the National Football League
(NFL) champion Baltimore Colts (13-1) by a score of 16–7.– the same location as Super Bowl II. Entering Super Bowl III, the NFL
champion Colts were heavily favored to defeat the AFL champion Jets. Although the upstart AFL had successfully forced the longestablished NFL into a merger agreement three years earlier, the AFL was not generally respected as having the same caliber of talent
as the NFL. Plus, the AFL representatives were easily defeated in the first two Super Bowls.After brashly guaranteeing a victory prior
to the game, Jets quarterback Joe Namath completed 17 out of 28 passes for 206 yards, and was named the Super Bowl's Most
Valuable Player, despite not throwing a touchdown pass in the game or any passes at all in the fourth quarter. Professional football
The National Football League had dominated professional football from its origins after World War I. Rival leagues had crumbled or
merged with it, and when the American Football League began to play in 1960, it was the fourth of that name to challenge the NFL.
Unlike its namesakes, however, this AFL was able to command sufficient financial resources to survive; one factor in this was
becoming the first league to sign a television contract—previously, individual franchises had signed agreements with networks to
televise games. The junior league proved successful enough, in fact, to make attractive offers to players. After the 1964 season, in fact,
there had been a well-publicized bidding war which culminated with the signing, by the AFL's New York Jets, of University of
Alabama quarterback Joe Namath for an unprecedented contract. Fearing that bidding wars over players would become the norm,
greatly increasing labor costs, NFL owners, led by league Commissioner Pete Rozelle, obtained a merger with the AFL. That merger
agreement provided for a single draft, interleague play in the preseason, a championship game to follow each season, and the
integration of the two leagues into one in a way to be agreed at a future date. As the two leagues had an unequal number of teams
(under the merger agreement, the NFL expanded by one team to 16, and the AFL by one to 10), realignment was advocated by some
owners, but was opposed. Eventually, three NFL teams agreed to move to join the AFL franchises in what became the American
Football Conference. Despite the ongoing merger, it was a commonly-held view that the NFL was a far superior league. This was
seemingly confirmed by the results of the first two interleague championship games, in January of 1967 and 1968, in which the NFL
champion Green Bay Packers, coached by the legendary Vince Lombardi, easily defeated the AFL's Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland
Raiders. Baltimore Colts The Baltimore Colts had won the 1958 and 1959 NFL championships under Coach Weeb Ewbank. In the
following years, however, the Colts failed to make the playoffs, and the Colts dismissed Ewbank after a 7–7 1962 season. He was
hired by New York's AFL franchise, which had just changed its name from Titans to Jets. In Ewbank's place, Baltimore hired an
untested young head coach, Don Shula. The Colts did well under Shula, losing to the Cleveland Browns in the 1964 NFL
Championship Game and, in 1965, losing in overtime to the Green Bay Packers in a tiebreaking game to decide the NFL Western
Division championship. The Colts finished a distant second in the West to the Packers in 1966, and in 1967, with the NFL divided into
four divisions of four teams each, went undefeated with two ties through their first 13 games, but lost the game and the Coastal
Division championship to the Los Angeles Rams on the final Sunday of the season—under newly-instituted tiebreakers, Los Angeles
won the division championship as it had better net points in the two games the teams played (the Rams win and an earlier tie). The
Colts finished 11–1–2, out of the playoffs. In 1968 Shula and the Colts were considered a favorite to win the NFL championship,
which carried with it a berth what was becoming popularly known as the Super Bowl against the AFL champion. The NFL champion,
in both cases the Packers, had easily won the first two Super Bowls over the AFL winner. Baltimore's quest for a championship
seemed doomed from the start when starting quarterback Johnny Unitas suffered a pre-season injury to his throwing arm and was
replaced by Earl Morrall, a veteran who had started inconsistently over the course of his 12 seasons with four different teams. But
Morrall would go on to have the best year of his career, leading the league in passer rating (93.2) during the regular season. His
performance was so impressive that Colts coach Don Shula decided to keep Morrall in the starting lineup after Unitas was healthy
enough to play. The Colts had won ten games in a row, including four shutouts, and finished the season with an NFL-best 13–1 record.
In those ten games, they had allowed only seven touchdowns. Then, the Colts avenged their sole regular-season loss against the
Cleveland Browns by crushing them, 34–0, in the NFL Championship Game. By the end of the season, many people[who?] thought the
Colts were one of the best teams of all time, stronger than even Vince Lombardi's Super Bowl I and II champion Green Bay Packers.
The Colts offense ranked second in the NFL in points scored (402). Wide receivers Jimmy Orr (29 receptions, 743 yards, 6
touchdowns) and Willie Richardson (37 receptions, 698 yards, 8 touchdowns) provided Baltimore with two deep threats, with Orr
averaging 25.6 yards per catch, and Richardson averaging 18.9. Tight end John Mackey also recorded 45 receptions for 644 yards and
5 touchdowns. Pro Bowl running back Tom Matte was the team's top rusher with 662 yards and 9 touchdowns. He also caught 25
passes for 275 yards and another touchdown. Running backs Terry Cole and Jerry Hill combined for 778 rushing yards and 236
receiving yards. The Colts defense led the NFL in fewest points allowed (144, tying the then all-time league record), and ranked third
in total rushing yards allowed (1,339). Bubba Smith, a 6'7" 295-pound defensive end considered the NFL's best pass rusher, anchored
the line. Linebacker Mike Curtis was considered one of the top linebackers in the NFL. Baltimore's secondary consisted of defensive
backs Bobby Boyd (8 interceptions), Rick Volk (6 interceptions), Lenny Lyles (5 interceptions), and Jerry Logan (3 interceptions).
The Colts were the only NFL team to routinely play a zone defense. That gave them an advantage in the NFL because the other NFL
teams were inexperienced against a zone defense. (This would not give them an advantage over the Jets, however, because zone
defenses were common in the AFL and the Jets knew how to attack them.) After winning the 1968 NFL title, the Colts were touted by
the sports media[who?] as "the greatest team in pro football history". New York Jets The New York Jets, led by head coach Weeb
Ewbank (who was the head coach of the Colts when they won the famous 1958 NFL Championship game), finished the season with
an 11-3 regular season record (one of the losses was to the Oakland Raiders in the infamous Heidi Game) and had to rally to defeat
those same Raiders, 27-23, in a thrilling AFL Championship Game. Jets quarterback Joe Namath threw for 3,147 yards during the
regular season, but completed just 49.2 percent of his passes, and threw more interceptions (17) than touchdowns (15). Still, he led the
offense effectively enough for them to finish the regular season with more total points scored (419) than Baltimore. More importantly,
Namath usually found ways to win. For example, late in the fourth quarter of the AFL championship game, Namath threw an
interception that allowed the Raiders to take the lead. But he then made up for his mistake by completing 3 consecutive passes on the
ensuing drive, advancing the ball 68 yards in just 55 seconds to score a touchdown to regain the lead for New York. The Jets had a
number of offensive weapons that Namath used. Future Hall of Fame wide receiver Don Maynard had the best season of his career,
catching 57 passes for 1,297 yards (an average of 22.8 yards per catch) and 10 touchdowns. Wide receiver George Sauer, Jr. recorded
66 receptions for 1,141 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Jets rushing attack was also effective. Fullback Matt Snell, a power runner, was
the top rusher on the team with 747 yards and 6 touchdowns, while elusive halfback Emerson Boozer contributed 441 yards and 5
touchdowns. Meanwhile, kicker Jim Turner made 34 field goals and 43 extra points for a combined total of 145 points. The Jets
defense led the AFL in total rushing yards allowed (1,195). Gerry Philbin, John Elliott, and Verlon Biggs anchored the defensive line.
The Jets linebacking core was led by middle linebacker Al Atkinson. The secondary was led by defensive backs Johnny Sample (a
former Colt who played on their 1958 NFL Championship team) who recorded 7 interceptions, and Jim Hudson, who recorded 5.
Several of the Jets' players had been cut by NFL teams. Maynard had been cut by the New York Giants after they lost the 1958 NFL
Championship to the Colts. "I kept a little bitterness in me," he says. Sample had been cut by the Colts. "I was almost in a frenzy by
the time the game arrived," he says. "I held a private grudge against the Colts. I was really ready for that game. All of us were."
Offensive tackle Winston Hill had been cut five years earlier by the Colts as a rookie in training camp. "Ordell Braase kept making me
look bad in practice," he says. Hill would be blocking Braase in Super Bowl III. At an all-night party to celebrate the Jets victory over
the Raiders at Namath's nightclub, Bachelors III, Namath poured champagne over Johnny Carson as the talk show host commented,
"First time I ever knew you to waste the stuff." Super Bowl pregame news and notes After winning the AFL championship, Namath
said that at least four AFL quarterbacks were better than Earl Morrall, including himself, his backup (38-year old Babe Parilli), John
Hadl of the San Diego Chargers, and Bob Griese of the Dolphins. "The Guarantee" Despite the Jets' accomplishments, AFL teams
were generally not regarded as having the same caliber of talent as NFL teams. However, three days before the game, Namath
appeared at the Miami Touchdown Club and boldly predicted to the audience, "We're gonna win the game. I guarantee it." Jets' head
coach Weeb Ewbank, in an NFL Films segment, once joked that he "could have shot" Namath for the statement. Namath later claimed
he only made his famous "guarantee" in response to a rowdy Colts supporter at the club, who boasted the Colts would easily defeat the
Jets. Namath said he never intended to make such a public prediction, and never would have done so if he had not been confronted by
the fan. Nevertheless, his comments and subsequent performance in the game itself are one of the more famous instances in NFL lore.
Some analysts suggested that the Jets' record in the NFL might have been 9-5, which would have made them unlikely to have made
the 1968 NFL playoffs altogether, let alone competitive against the dominant Colts. Despite this, the AFL champions shared the
confident feelings of their quarterback. According to Matt Snell, all of the Jets, not just Namath, were insulted and angry that they
were 18-point underdogs. Most of the Jets considered the Raiders, whom they barely beat (27-23) in the AFL title game, a better team
than the Colts. However, watching films of the Colts and in preparation for the game, Jets coaching staff and offensive players noted
that their offense was particularly suited against the Colts defense. The Colts defensive schemes relied on frequent blitzing, which
covered up weak points in pass coverage. The Jets had an automatic contingency for such blitzes by short passing to uncovered tight
ends or backs. After a film session the Wednesday prior to the game, Jets tight end Pete Lammons, a Crockett, Texas native, was
heard to drawl, "Damn, y'all, we gotta stop watching these films. We gonna get overconfident." Television and entertainment The
game was broadcast in the United States by NBC Sports - at the time, still a "Service of NBC News" - with Curt Gowdy handling the
play-by-play duties and joined by color commentators Al DeRogatis and Kyle Rote in the broadcast booth. Also helping with NBC's
coverage were Jim Simpson (reporting from the sidelines) and Pat Summerall (helping conduct player interviews for the pregame
show, along with Rote). In an interview later done with NFL Films, Gowdy called it the most memorable game he ever called because
of its historical significance. While the Orange Bowl was sold out for the game, the live telecast was not shown in Miami due to both
leagues' unconditional blackout rules at the time. For the first time, famous celebrities appeared for the Super Bowl ceremonies.
Entertainer Bob Hope led a pregame ceremony honoring the astronauts of Project Apollo and the recently completed Apollo 8 mission,
the first manned flight around the Moon. Singer Anita Bryant later sang the national anthem, and the Florida A&M University band
performed during the "America Thanks" halftime show. This game is thought to be the earliest surviving Super Bowl game preserved
on videotape in its entirety save for a portion of the Colts' fourth quarter scoring drive. The original NBC broadcast was aired as part
of the NFL Network Super Bowl Classics series the day before Super Bowl XLI, and again the night before the AFC and NFC
Championship games in 2010. Game summary New York entered the game with their primary deep threat, wide receiver Don
Maynard, playing with a pulled hamstring. But his 112-yard, two touchdown performance against the Oakland Raiders in the AFL
championship game made the Colts defense pay special attention to him, not realizing he was injured. Using Maynard as a decoy—he
had no receptions in the game—Joe Namath was able to take advantage of single coverage on wide receiver George Sauer, Jr.. (After
studying the Colts' zone defense, Ewbank had told his receivers, "Find the dead spots in the zone, hook up, and Joe will hit you.") The
Jets had a conservative game plan, emphasizing the run and short, high-percentage passes to minimize interceptions. Meanwhile, with
the help of many fortunate plays, the Jets defense kept the Colts offense from scoring for most of the game. 1st half The game started
badly for the Jets. After taking the opening kickoff, they gained only 15 yards on five plays and were forced to punt. However, Colts
safety Rick Volk was knocked out and sustained a concussion on the game's second play tackling Snell and would miss much of the
game. On the Colts' first drive, they advanced the ball from their own 27-yard line to the Jets' 19-yard-line in an 11-play drive, aided
by a 19-yard catch-and-run from Earl Morrall to tight end John Mackey on their first play. But after two incomplete passes and a
quarterback run for no gain, they came up empty when defensive lineman/kicker Lou Michaels' 27-yard field goal attempt went wide
right. "You could almost feel the steam go out of them," said Snell. On the Jets' second possession, Namath threw deep to Maynard,
who, despite his pulled hamstring, was open by a step. The ball was overthrown, but this one play helped change the outcome of the
game. Fearing the speedy Maynard, the Colts decided to rotate their zone defense to help cover Maynard, leaving Sauer covered oneon-one by Lenny Lyles, helping Sauer catch 8 passes for 133 yards, including a crucial third quarter 39-yard reception that kept a
scoring drive alive. The Jets kept rushing Snell to their strong left, rushing off tackle with Boozer blocking the linebacker, and gained
first down after first down as the Colts defense gave ground. The Colts defense was more concerned about Maynard, the passing game,
and the deep threat of a Namath to Maynard touchdown. Although the Colts were unaware of Maynard's injury, the Jets were aware
that Lyles had been weakened by tonsillitis all week, causing them great glee when they saw the one-on-one matchup with Sauer.
With less than two minutes left in the period, Colts punter David Lee booted a 51-yard kick that pinned the Jets back at their own 4yard line. Three plays later, Sauer caught a 3-yard pass from Namath, but fumbled while being tackled by Lyles, and Colts linebacker
Ron Porter recovered it at New York's 12-yard line. However, on third down (the second play of the second quarter) Baltimore
quarterback Earl Morrall's pass was tipped by Jets linebacker Al Atkinson, bounced crazily, high into the air off tight end Tom
Mitchell, and was intercepted by Jets cornerback Randy Beverly in the end zone for a touchback. "That was the game in a nutshell,"
says Matte. Starting from their own 20-yard line, Snell rushed on the next 4 plays, advancing the ball 26 yards. The Jets would have
success all day running off left tackle behind the blocking of Winston Hill, who, according to Snell, was overpowering 36-year-old
defensive end Ordell Braase, the man who had tormented the rookie Hill in Colts' training camp. Said Snell, "Braase pretty much
faded out." Namath later completed 3 consecutive passes, moving the ball to the Colts 23-yard line. Jet's RB Boozer gained just 2
yards on the next play, but Snell followed it up with a 12-yard reception at the 9-yard line, a 5-yard run to the 4-yard line, and capped
the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run, once again off left tackle. The score gave the Jets a 7-0 lead, and marked the first time in
history that an AFL team led in the Super Bowl. On Baltimore's ensuing drive, a 30-yard completion from Morrall to running back
Tom Matte helped the Colts advance to the New York 42-yard line, but they once again failed to score as Jets cornerback Johnny
Sample broke up Morrall's third down pass and Michaels' missed his second field goal attempt, this time from 46 yards. Two plays
after the Jets took over following the missed field goal, Namath's 36-yard completion to Sauer enabled to New York to eventually
reach the Baltimore 32-yard line. But Namath then threw two incompletions, then was sacked on third down by Colts linebacker
Dennis Gaubatz for a 2-yard loss. New York kicker Jim Turner tried to salvage the drive with a 41-yard field goal attempt, but he
missed. On their ensuing possession, Baltimore went from their own 20-yard line to New York's 15-yard line in three plays, aided by
Matte's Super Bowl record 58-yard run. But with 2 minutes left in the half, Morrall was intercepted again, at the Jets' 2-yard line,
deflating the Colts considerably. The Jets then were forced to punt on their ensuing drive, and the Colts advanced the ball to New
York's 41-yard line. What followed is one of the most famous plays in Super Bowl history. Baltimore tried a flea flicker play, which
had a huge impact on the momentum of the game. Matte ran off right tackle after taking a handoff, then pitched the ball back to
Morrall. The play completely fooled the NBC Camera Crew, and the Jets defense, leaving receiver Jimmy Orr wide open near the end
zone. However, Morrall failed to spot him and instead threw a pass intended for running back Jerry Hill that was intercepted by Jets
safety Jim Hudson as time expired, maintaining the Jets' 7-0 lead at halftime. Earlier in the season, against the Atlanta Falcons, on the
same play, Morrall had completed the same pass for a touchdown to Orr, the play's intended target. "I was the primary receiver," Orr
said later. "Earl said he just didn't see me. I was open from here to Tampa." "I'm just a lineman, but I looked up and saw Jimmy open",
added center Bill Curry. "I don't know what happened." 2nd half The third quarter belonged to the Jets, who controlled the ball for all
but three minutes of the period. Baltimore ran only seven offensive plays all quarter, gaining only 11 yards. Matte lost a fumble on the
first play from scrimmage in the second half, yet another demoralizing event, which led to Turner's 32-yard field goal to increase the
Jets' lead, 10-0. Then, after forcing the Colts to punt again, Namath completed 4 passes for 40 yards to set up Turner's 30-yard field
goal to increase the lead, 13-0. On that drive, Namath temporarily went out of the game after injuring his right thumb, and was
replaced by backup quarterback Babe Parilli for a few plays. Namath returned by the end of the third quarter, but the Jets would not
run a pass play for the entire fourth quarter. Matt Snell said, "By this time, the Colts were pressing. You saw the frustration and worry
on all their faces." After Turner's second field goal, with 4 minutes left in the third quarter, Colts head coach Don Shula took Morrall
out of the game and put in the sore-armed Johnny Unitas to see if he could provide a spark to Baltimore's offense. Unitas could not get
the Colts offense moving on their next drive and they were forced to punt again after 3 plays. Then, aided by a 39-yard pass from
Namath to Sauer, the Jets drove all the way to the Colts 2-yard line. Baltimore's defense wouldn't quit, and kept them out of the end
zone. Turner kicked his third field goal early in the final period to make the score 16-0. On Baltimore's next possession, they managed
to drive all the way to the Jets' 25-yard line. However, Beverly ended the drive by intercepting a pass from Unitas in the end zone, the
Jets' fourth interception of the game. New York then drove to the Colts 35-yard line with 7 consecutive running plays, but ended up
with no points after Turner missed a 42-yard field goal attempt. Unitas started out the next drive with 3 incomplete passes, but
completed a key 17-yard pass to Orr on fourth down. Ten plays later, aided by three Jets penalties, Baltimore finally scored a
touchdown on a 1-yard run by Hill to cut their deficit to 16-7, but with only 3:19 left in the game. The Colts then recovered an onside
kick and drove to the Jets 19-yard line with 3 consecutive completions by Unitas, but they turned the ball over on downs after his next
3 passes fell incomplete. That ended any chance of a Baltimore comeback, as the Jets ran the ball for 6 plays before being forced to
punt. When the Colts got the ball back, only 8 seconds remained in the game. The Colts then attempted two final passes before time
ran out, and the Jets had won Super Bowl III. Matt Snell said, "Leaving the field, I saw the Colts were exhausted and in a state of
shock. I don't remember any Colt coming over to congratulate me." As he ran off the field, Namath, in a spontaneous show of defiance
held up his index finger, signaling "number one." Years later Morrall said, "I thought we would win handily. We'd only lost twice in
our last 30 games. I'm still not sure what happened that day at the Orange Bowl, however; it's still hard to account for." Wrote Matt
Snell, "The most distinct image I have from that whole game is of Ordell Braase and some other guys--not so much Mike Curtis-having a bewildered look." Namath finished the game having completed 17 of his 28 passes. He is the only quarterback to win Super
Bowl MVP without throwing a touchdown pass. Snell rushed for 121 yards on 30 carries with a touchdown, and caught 4 passes for
40 yards. Sauer caught eight passes for 133 yards. Beverly became the first player in Super Bowl history to record 2 interceptions.
Morrall had a terrible day—just 6 of 17 completions for 71 yards, and was intercepted 3 times. Despite not being put into the game
until late in the third quarter, Unitas finished with more pass completions (11) and passing yards (110) than Morrall, but he also threw
one interception. Matte was the Colts' top rusher with 116 yards on just 11 carries, an average of 10.5 yards per run, and caught 2
passes for 30 yards. The Colts were minus-4 in turnovers, four of five deep in Jet territory.
Superbowl 4 January 11, 1970 Kansas City Chiefs (AFL) vs. Minnesota Vikings(NFL) 23-7 Curving MIN 0 0 7 0 7 KC 3 13 7 0 23
Stadium Tulane Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana MVP Len Dawson, Quarterback Favorite Vikings by 12 National anthem Doc
Severnson with Pat O'Brian Halftime show "Mardi Gras" with Carol Channing Future Hall of Famers Chiefs: Hank Stram (coach),
Bobby Bell, Buck Buchanan, Len Dawson, Willie Lanier, Jan Stenerud, Emmitt Thomas. Vikings: Bud Grant (coach), Carl Eller, Paul
Krause, Alan Page, Ron Yary.Super Bowl IV This was the first Super Bowl played without the standard week off after the conference
championship games (league championship games at the time). Strangely enough, the AFL had a week off between its divisional
playoffs (the NFL played its conference championship games during the AFL's off-week) and league championship game. The AFL
started its 1969 season a week earlier than the NFL, and thus had an extra week to prepare for the Super Bowl. This would be the last
Super Bowl played without the week off until Super Bowl XVII.The underdog AFL champion Kansas City Chiefs (11-3) defeated the
NFL champion Minnesota Vikings (12-2), 23–7. Even though the Vikings were 12.5 to 13-point favorites, the Chiefs defense
dominated the game by limiting the Minnesota offense to only 67 rushing yards, forcing three interceptions, and recovering two
fumbles. This victory by the AFL squared the Super Bowl series with the NFL at two games apiece.Kansas City's Len Dawson
became the fourth consecutive winning quarterback to be named Super Bowl MVP. He completed 12 of 17 passes for 142 yards and
one touchdown, with one interception. Dawson also recorded three rushing attempts for 11 yards. Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota
Vikings, led by head coach Bud Grant, entered the game with an NFL best 12-2 regular season record, leading the older league in total
points scored (379) and fewest points allowed (133). They had scored 50 or greater points in three different games. They lost their first
and last games of the season, but in between had 12 straight victories, the longest single-season winning streak in 35 years. Their
defense, considered the most intimidating in the NFL, was anchored by a defensive line nicknamed the "Purple People Eaters",
consisting of defensive tackles Gary Larsen and Alan Page, and defensive ends Carl Eller and Jim Marshall. The secondary was led by
defensive backs Bobby Bryant (8 interceptions, 97 return yards), Earsell Mackbee (6 interceptions, 100 return yards), and Paul Krause
(5 interceptions, 82 return yards, 1 touchdown). On offense, quarterback Joe Kapp was known for his superb leadership and his
running ability, both throwing on the run and running for extra yards. And when Kapp did take off and run, instead of sliding when he
was about to be tackled like most quarterbacks, he lowered his shoulder and went right at the tackler. This style of play earned him the
nickname "Indestructible". In the NFL Championship Game against the Cleveland Browns, he collided with linebacker Jim Houston
while running for a first down, and Houston had to be helped off the field after the play ended. Also, Kapp was known for being an
extremely unselfish leader: when he was voted the Vikings Most Valuable Player, he turned the award down and said that every player
on the team was equally valuable. Running back Dave Osborn was the team's top rusher with 643 yards and seven touchdowns. He
also caught 22 passes for 236 yards and another touchdown. In the passing game, Pro Bowl wide receiver Gene Washington averaged
21.1 yards per catch by recording 821 yards and nine touchdowns from 39 receptions. Wide receiver John Henderson caught 34 passes
for 553 yards and 5 touchdowns. The Vikings' offensive line was anchored by Pro Bowlers Grady Alderman and Mick Tingelhoff.
Kansas City Chiefs For more details on this topic, see 1969 Kansas City Chiefs season. Meanwhile, it seemed that the Chiefs, led by
head coach Hank Stram, and especially quarterback Len Dawson, were jinxed throughout the year. In the second game of the regular
season, Dawson suffered a knee injury that kept him from playing the next six games. However, back-up quarterback Mike Livingston
of Southern Methodist University fame engineered five wins of the next six starts, with Dawson coming off the bench in the second
half of the sixth to clinch the win. The Chiefs managed to finish in second place behind the Oakland Raiders in the AFL's Western
Division, but only after suffering a tough 10-6 loss to Oakland in the final game of the regular season. After that game, many sports
writers and fans heavily criticized the team and Dawson for the poor play calling (Dawson called between 80 and 90 percent of the
plays during the season). The Chiefs still managed to clinch a playoff spot. Wanting to set itself up more like the NFL right before the
merger, the AFL expanded the playoffs for the 1969 season, by having the second place teams from each division face the first place
teams from the other division (Western Champion vs. Eastern Runner-Up, and vice versa). As a result of the new playoff format,
many critics thought the Chiefs entered the playoffs through a "back-door" as the runner up in the Western division. But Dawson
silenced the critics and led Kansas City to a strong finish in the playoffs, defeating the defending champion Jets in New York, 13-6 in
the Divisional Playoffs, and defeating the Raiders 17-7 in the AFL Championship Game, thus essentially making the Chiefs the first
wild card team to play in the Super Bowl. (Dawson says he thinks both the Jets and the Raiders could have beaten the Vikings.) Still,
many people felt that Dawson's level of play in the AFL was not comparable to the NFL. Dawson himself had spent 5 seasons in the
NFL as a backup before going to the AFL and becoming one of its top quarterbacks. "The AFL saved my career," said Dawson. In his
8 AFL seasons, he had thrown more touchdown passes (182) than any other professional football quarterback during that time. But
because many still viewed the AFL as being inferior to the NFL, his records were not considered significant. Dawson's first chance to
prove himself against an NFL team ended in failure, with his Chiefs losing 35-10 in Super Bowl I, reinforcing the notion that his
success was only due to playing in the "inferior league". Offensively, the Chiefs employed innovative formations and strategies
designed by Stram to disrupt the timing and positioning of the defense. Besides Dawson, the Chiefs main offensive weapon was
running back Mike Garrett (1965 Heisman Trophy winner), who rushed for 732 yards and 6 touchdowns. He also recorded 43
receptions for 432 yards and another 2 touchdowns. Running back Robert Holmes had 612 rushing yards, 266 receiving yards, and 5
touchdowns. In the passing game, wide receiver Otis Taylor caught 41 passes for 696 yards and 7 touchdowns. The offensive line was
anchored by AFL All-Stars Ed Budde and Jim Tyrer. According to Len Dawson, placekicker Jan Stenerud and punter Jerrel Wilson
were the best kickers in football. The Chiefs defense led the AFL in fewest points allowed (177). Like the Vikings, the Chiefs also had
an outstanding defensive line, which was led by defensive tackles Buck Buchanan and Curley Culp, and defensive ends Jerry Mays
and Aaron Brown. The Chiefs also had AFL All-Star linebacker Willie Lanier, who recorded 4 interceptions and 1 fumble recovery
during the season. The Kansas City secondary was led by defensive backs Emmitt Thomas (9 interceptions for 146 return yards and a
touchdown), and Johnny Robinson (8 interceptions for 158 return yards). Super Bowl pregame news and notes Many sports writers
and fans fully expected that the Vikings would easily defeat the Chiefs. Although the AFL's New York Jets won Super Bowl III at the
end of the previous season, many were convinced that it was a fluke. They continued to believe that all of the NFL teams were far and
away superior to all of the AFL teams. Super Bowl IV provided another chance to show that Dawson belonged at the same level with
all of the great NFL quarterbacks. But five days before the Super Bowl, news leaked that his name had been linked to a Detroit federal
gambling investigation. Although Dawson was eventually cleared of any charges, the controversy added to the pressure he was
already under while preparing for the game, causing him to lose sleep and concentration. "It was, beyond a doubt, the toughest week
of my life," said Dawson. The night before the game, Ed Sabol of NFL Films met with Stram and convinced Stram to wear a hidden
microphone during the game so his comments could be recorded for the NFL Films Super Bowl IV film. They agreed the microphone
would be kept secret. This would be the first time that a head coach had worn a microphone during a Super Bowl. Television and
entertainment Super Bowl IV was broadcast in the United States by CBS with play-by-play announcer Jack Buck and color
commentators Pat Summerall and Frank Gifford. While the game was sold out at Tulane Stadium, unconditional blackout rules in both
leagues prohibited the live telecast from being shown in the New Orleans area. Trumpeters Al Hirt and Doc Severinsen "faced off"
during the pregame show in a "Battle of the Horns". A planned hot-air balloon race fizzled when the balloon marked NFL and
carrying a "Viking" lifted off prematurely, failed to gain altitude, and crashed into the stands in the end zone. Hirt later performed the
national anthem, while actress and singer Carol Channing was featured during the halftime show that paid tribute to Mardi Gras in
New Orleans. Hank Stram Miked for Sound The NFL Films Super Bowl IV film is one of the best-known and most popular of the
NFL Films Super Bowl films due to the constant chatter and wisecracking of Hank Stram. Some excerpts include: Observing the
confusion in the Vikings defense: "Look at Kassulke (Viking SS Karl Kassulke) out there, it looks like he's in a Chinese fire drill.",
Before the Chiefs' first touchdown, he sent in the play "65 toss power trap." When the Chiefs scored on the play, Stram laughed while
yelling to his players on the bench, "Ha ha, 65 toss power trap! What'd I tell ya, boys? 65 toss power trap! Ha ha.", One time, as the
referees were spotting the ball before a measurement to determine if the Chiefs got a first down, Stram yelled to the officials, "You
didn't mark it right! You didn't mark it right! C'mon." When the chains were stretched and the Chiefs indeed had the first down, Stram
was then heard saying to the refs, "Ya did good, you're doing a fine job out there.", On Otis Taylor's touchdown reception that
clinched the game, Stram is heard yelling and laughing while Taylor is running to the end zone "Ha ha, go Otis, that a baby! Woo
hoo!" Game summary Chiefs head coach Hank Stram, who was also the team's offensive coordinator, devised an effective game plan
against the Vikings. He knew the Vikings' secondary was able to play very far off receivers because Viking defensive ends Carl Eller
and Jim Marshall knocked down short passes or put pressure on the quarterback. Stram decided to double-team Marshall and Eller;
most of Dawson's completions would be short passes, and neither Marshall nor Eller knocked down any passes. Stram also concluded
that the Vikings' aggressiveness on defense also made them susceptible to trap plays; Mike Garrett's rushing touchdown would come
on a trap play. The Chiefs routinely played a 3-4 defense, common in the AFL but rare in the NFL. The Vikings' inside running game
depended on center Mick Tingelhoff blocking linebackers. Stram put 285 pound Buck Buchanan or 295 pound Curley Culp in front of
Tingelhoff, who weighed only 235 pounds. To the Vikings credit, the NFL used the so-called light "greyhound" centers whle the AFL
used big centers. It was a mismatch that disrupted the Vikings' running game. Wrote Dawson, "It was obvious that their offense had
never seen a defense like ours." The Vikings would rush for only two first downs. The Vikings began the game by receiving the
opening kickoff and marching from their own 20-yard line to the Kansas City 39-yard line, but were forced to punt. The Chiefs then
drove 42 yards in eight plays to score on placekicker Jan Stenerud's Super Bowl record 48-yard field goal. (According to Dawson, the
Vikings were shocked that the Chiefs would attempt a 48-yard field goal. Stenerud was among the first soccer-style placekickers in
professional football. The others included brothers Charlie and Pete Gogolak. The soccer-style placekickers used the instep of the foot
while the conventional professional football placekicker kicked straight on with their toes. "Stenerud was a major factor," he said.)
Minnesota then managed to reach midfield on their next drive, but were forced to punt again. On the first play of their ensuing drive,
Chiefs quarterback Len Dawson threw a 20-yard completion to wide receiver Frank Pitts, followed by a 9-yard pass to wide receiver
Otis Taylor. Four plays later, on the first play of the second quarter, a pass interference penalty on Vikings defensive back Ed
Sharockman nullified Dawson's third down incompletion and gave Kansas City a first down at the Minnesota 31-yard line. However
on third down and 4 at the 25-yard line, Vikings cornerback Earsell Mackbee broke up a deep pass intended for Taylor. Stenerud then
kicked another field goal to increase the Chiefs lead to 6-0. On the second play of their next drive, Vikings wide receiver John
Henderson fumbled the ball after catching a 16-yard reception, and Chiefs defensive back Johnny Robinson recovered the ball at the
Minnesota 46-yard line. But the Vikings made key defensive plays. First defensive tackle Alan Page tackled running back Mike
Garrett for a 1-yard loss, and then safety Paul Krause intercepted Dawson's pass at the 7-yard line on the next play. However, the
Vikings also could not take advantage of the turnover. Viking quarterback Joe Kapp's two incompletions and a delay of game penalty
forced Minnesota to punt from their own 5-yard line. The Chiefs then took over at the Viking 44-yard line after punter Bob Lee's kick
traveled only 39 yards. A 19-yard run by Pitts on an end around play that fooled the overaggressive, overpursuing Viking defense to
set up another field goal attempt by Stenerud to increase the Chiefs' lead to 9-0. On the ensuing kickoff, Vikings returner Charlie West
fumbled the football, and Kansas City's Remi Prudhomme recovered it at Minnesota 19-yard line. ("That was a key, key play," said
Dawson.) Defensive end Jim Marshall sacked Dawson for an 8-yard loss by on the first play of the drive; however, a 13-yard run by
running back Wendell Hayes and a 10-yard reception by Taylor gave the Chiefs a first down at the Viking four yard line. Two plays
later, running back Mike Garrett's five yard touchdown run on a trap play gave Kansas City a 16-0 lead. This play is forever known as
the 65 toss power trap. West returned the ensuing kickoff 27 yards to the 32-yard line. On the first play of the drive, Kapp completed a
27-yard pass to Henderson to advance the ball to the Kansas City 41-yard line. However, the next three plays, Kapp threw 2
incompletions and was sacked by Chief defensive tackle Buck Buchanan for an eight yard loss. On fourth down, kicker Fred Cox's 56yard field goal attempt fell way short of the goal posts. In the third quarter, the Vikings managed to build momentum. After forcing
the Chiefs to punt on their opening possession of the second half, Kapp completed four consecutive passes for 47 yards and rushed for
7 as Minnesota drove 69 yards in 10 plays to score on fullback Dave Osborn's four yard rushing touchdown, reducing the lead to 16-7.
However, Kansas City responded on their next possession with a six play, 82-yard drive to score on Dawson's 46-yard catch and run
touchdown completion to Taylor three minutes later. Taylor caught the ball at the Minnesota 41-yard line, broke Earsell Mackbee's
tackle, raced down the sideline, broke through Vikings' safety Karl Kassulke's tackle and scored the clinching touchdown. The
Vikings were demoralized after the game breaking touchdown and the Chiefs' defense would continue to shut down the Vikings in the
fourth quarter, forcing three interceptions on three Minnesota possessions to clinch the 23-7 victory. The defeat was total for the
Vikings, as even their "Indestructible" quarterback Joe Kapp had to be helped off the field in the fourth quarter after being sacked by
Chiefs defensive lineman Aaron Brown. Kapp was replaced by Gary Cuozzo. Fittingly, the Vikings' final play was an interception
Cuozzo threw to Thomas. Kansas City running back and future University of Southern California Athletic Director Mike Garrett, the
1965 Heismann Trophy recipient was the top rusher of the game, recording 11 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown. He also caught
two passes for 25 yards and returned a kickoff for 18 yards. Taylor was the Chiefs' leading receiver with six catches for 81 yards and a
touchdown. Kapp finished the game with 16 of 25 completions for 183 yards, with two costly interceptions. Henderson was the top
receiver of the game with seven catches for 111 yards. The Chiefs defense had completely shut down Minnesota's vaunted rushing
attack. In the NFL championship game, Osborn had rushed for 108 yards while Kapp rushed for 57. But in Super Bowl IV, the two
rushed for a combined total of 24 yards. In addition, Kansas City's secondary held Minnesota all pro receiver Gene Washington to one
reception for 9 yards. Referring to the Vikings' three interceptions, three fumbles, and six penalties, Vikings safety Karl Kassulke said,
"We made more mental mistakes in one game than we did in one season."
Superbowl 5 January 17, 1971 Baltimore Colts(AFC) vs. Dallas Cowboys(NFC) 16-13 BAL 0 6 0 10 16 DAL 3 10 0 0 13 Stadium
Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida MVP Chuck Howley, Linebacker, Cowboys Favorite Colts by 2½ National anthem Tommy Loy
(Trumpeter) Halftime show Southeast Missouri State College Marching Golden Eagles Band with Anita Bryant Future Hall of Famers
Colts: Ted Hendricks, John Mackey, Johnny Unitas.Cowboys: Tom Landry (coach), Herb Adderly(Raiders), Mike Ditka, Bob Hayes,
Bob Lilly, Mel Renfro, Roger Staubach, Rayfield Wright Super Bowl V was an American football game played on January 17, 1971,
at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion following the 1970 regular season.
The American Football Conference (AFC) champion Baltimore Colts (11–2–1) defeated the National Football Conference (NFC)
champion Dallas Cowboys (10–4), 16–13, in the first Super Bowl game played on artificial turf.Super Bowl V was the first Super
Bowl played after the completion of the AFL-NFL Merger. As per the merger agreement, all 26 AFL and NFL teams were divided
into 2 conferences with 13 teams in each of them. The NFL's Colts, the Cleveland Browns, and the Pittsburgh Steelers agreed to join
the 10 AFL teams to form the AFC. The remaining 13 NFL teams formed the NFC. This explains why the Colts represented the NFL
in Super Bowl III, but not the NFC for Super Bowl V.The game is sometimes called the "Blunder Bowl" or the "Stupor Bowl" because
it was filled with poor play, penalties, turnovers, and officiating miscues. The two teams committed a Super Bowl record 11 combined
turnovers in the game, and the Colts' 7 turnovers are currently the most ever committed by a winning team in a Super Bowl. Dallas
also set a Super Bowl record with 10 penalties, costing them 133 yards. Bubba Smith refuses to wear his Super Bowl V ring because
of the "sloppy" play.It was finally settled with five seconds left when Colts rookie kicker Jim O'Brien kicked a 32-yard field goal. In
order to win the game, Baltimore had to overcome a 13–6 deficit at the half, losing their starting quarterback in the second quarter. It
is also the only Super Bowl in which the Most Valuable Player Award was given to a member of the losing team: Cowboys
Linebacker Chuck Howley, who intercepted two passes. Sacks and tackles were not yet recorded. It was the first time a QB didn't win
the award. Howley refused to accept the award because it was meaningless to him after his team lost. Baltimore Colts The Colts were
an unspectacular but well-balanced veteran team, led by 37-year old quarterback Johnny Unitas. Unitas had regained his starting spot
on the team in 1969 upon recovering from an injury that led him to miss the majority of the 1968 season. Unitas played inconsistently
during the 1970 regular season; he threw for 2,213 yards, but recorded more interceptions than touchdowns. Unitas also had injury
problems, causing him to miss 2 regular season games and thus giving Earl Morrall more significant playing time. Morrall put up a
better statistics than Unitas (792 yards, 9 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, and a 97.6 passer rating), but head coach Don McCafferty
decided to start Unitas for the playoffs. (According to Jim O'Brien, Morrall was just as good as Unitas in the players' opinion.) In
addition, Baltimore had 3 solid weapons in the passing game: wide receivers Eddie Hinton and Roy Jefferson, and future hall of fame
tight end John Mackey combined for 119 receptions, 1,917 yards, and 15 touchdowns. In the backfield, running back Norm Bulaich
was the team's top rusher with 426 yards and 3 touchdowns, while also catching 11 passes for another 123 yards. The Colts' main
strength was their defense. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Bubba Smith anchored the line. Behind him, the Colts had 2 outstanding
linebackers: Pro Bowler Mike Curtis, who recorded 5 interceptions, and Ted Hendricks. In the secondary, Pro Bowl safety Jerry
Logan recorded 6 interceptions for 92 return yards and 2 touchdowns, while safety Rick Volk had 4 interceptions for 61 return yards.
Baltimore finished the regular season winning the AFC East with an 11-2-1 record. Dallas Cowboys The Cowboys had to overcome
many obstacles during the regular season. Running back Calvin Hill, the team's second leading rusher with 577 yards and 4
touchdowns, was lost for the year after suffering a leg injury late in the regular season. And wide receiver Bob Hayes was benched by
head coach Tom Landry for poor performances on several occasions. Most significantly, the Cowboys had a quarterback controversy
between Craig Morton and Roger Staubach. Morton and Staubach alternated as the starting quarterback during the regular season.
Landry eventually settled on Morton for most of the second half of the season, because he felt less confident that Staubach would
follow his game plan (Landry called all of Morton's plays). Also, Morton had done extremely well in the regular season, throwing for
1,819 yards and 15 touchdowns, with only 7 interceptions, earning him a passer rating of 89.8. In contrast, Staubach, although a noted
scrambler and able to salvage broken plays effectively, threw for 542 yards, and only 2 touchdowns compared to 8 interceptions,
giving him a 42.9 rating. Hayes was the main deep threat on the team, catching 34 passes for 889 yards (a 26.1 yards per catch average)
and 10 touchdowns, while also rushing 4 times for 34 yards and another touchdown, and adding another 116 yards returning punts. On
the other side of the field, wide receiver Lance Rentzel recorded 28 receptions for 556 yards and 5 touchdowns. However, the main
strength on the Cowboys offense was their running game. Rookie running back Duane Thomas rushed 151 times for 803 yards (a 5.1
yards per carry average) and 5 touchdowns, while adding another 416 yards returning kickoffs. Fullback Walt Garrison, who replaced
the injured Hill, provided Thomas with excellent blocking and rushed for 507 yards and 3 touchdowns himself. Garrison was also a
good receiver out of the backfield, catching 21 passes for 205 yards and 2 touchdowns. Up front, Pro Bowl guard John Niland and
Rayfield Wright anchored the offensive line. Like the Colts, the Cowboys main strength was their defense. Nicknamed the
"Doomsday Defense", they allowed just 1 touchdown in their last 6 games prior to the Super Bowl. Their line was anchored by future
hall of fame defensive tackle Bob Lilly. Behind him, linebackers Lee Roy Jordan, Dave Edwards and Chuck Howley excelled at
stopping the run and pass coverage. The Cowboys also had an outstanding secondary, led by Mel Renfro and Herb Adderley, who
combined for 7 interceptions. Safety Charlie Waters led the team with 5 interceptions, while safety Cliff Harris recorded 2. Dallas
finished the regular season winning the NFC East with a 10-4 record, winning their final five regular season games to overcome the St.
Louis Cardinals (who lost their final three games and fell to third place in the final standings) and New York Giants (who lost their
finale 31-3 to the Los Angeles Rams; a Giants victory would have given New York the NFC East title based upon a better division
record). Playoffs In the playoffs, Dallas defeated the Detroit Lions in sunny weather at the Cotton Bowl, 5-0, with a field goal and a
safety. Then the Cowboys overcame the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC championship game, 17-10, aided by Thomas' 143 rushing
yards, along with interceptions by Renfro and Jordan late in the third quarter that were both converted into touchdowns. Meanwhile,
the Colts advanced to the Super Bowl by beating the Cincinnati Bengals, 17-0, and the Oakland Raiders, 27-17, in the playoffs. Super
Bowl pregame news and notes
For the Colts, Super Bowl V represented a chance to redeem themselves for their humiliating loss to the New York Jets in Super Bowl
III. Volk commented, "Going to the game a second time took away some of the awe. I think we were able to focus better. There was
no way we were going to let ourselves get beat again." Meanwhile, the game was a chance for the Cowboys to lose their nickname of
"next year's champions" and their reputation of "not being able to win the big games". In the past 5 seasons, Dallas had won more
games, 52 out of 68, than any other professional football team, but they had never won any league title. The Cowboys had chances to
go to the first two Super Bowls, but narrowly lost to the Green Bay Packers in both the 1966 and 1967 NFL Championship games. In
the 1966 title game, the Cowboys lost because they failed to score a touchdown on 4 attempts starting from the Packers 2-yard line on
the game's final drive. Then in the 1967 title game (the "Ice Bowl"), the Cowboys lost because they allowed the Packers to score a
touchdown with 16 seconds left in the game. As the designated home team, Dallas was forced to wear its blue jerseys for the Super
Bowl under rules in place at the time, which did not allow the home team its choice of jersey color, unlike the regular season and
playoff games leading up to the Super Bowl. Dallas had not worn its blue jerseys at home since 1964, as Cowboys general manager
Tex Schramm opted to have the team wear white at home in order to present fans with a consistent look. The Cowboys wore their blue
jerseys twice during the 1970 season, losing 20-7 at St. Louis in week four and winning 6-2 at Cleveland in week 13. The designated
home team was first allowed its choice of jersey color for Super Bowl XIII, allowing the Cowboys to wear white vs. the Pittsburgh
Steelers. Television and entertainment The game was broadcast in the United States by NBC with play-by-play announcer Curt
Gowdy and color commentator Kyle Rote. Although the Orange Bowl was sold out for the event, unconditional blackout rules in the
NFL prohibited the live telecast from being shown in the Miami area. The blackout was challenged in Miami-Dade District Court by
attorney Ellis Rubin, and although the judge denied Rubin's request since he felt he did not have the power to overrule the NFL, he
agreed with Rubin's argument that the blackout rule was unnecessary for the Super Bowl. The bands from Southern University and
Southeast Missouri State College performed before the game, while trumpeter Tommy Loy played the national anthem. Loy also
played the anthem before every Cowboys' home game from the mid-1960s until the late-1980s. The Southeast Missouri State Indians
Band was featured during the halftime show along with singer Anita Bryant. Game summary The first 3 possessions of the game
ended with punts after the respective teams went three-and-out on each one. Then on the first play of the Colts' second drive, Dallas
linebacker Chuck Howley intercepted a pass from Johnny Unitas and returned it 22 yards to Baltimore's 46-yard line before being
tackled by Unitas himself. However, the Cowboys could not take advantage of the turnover because of a holding penalty on the drive
and had to punt. But Colts punt returner Ron Gardin fumbled the punt and Cowboys safety Cliff Harris recovered the ball at the
Baltimore 9-yard line. Despite their great starting field position, Dallas was unable to score a touchdown and thus had to settle for
kicker Mike Clark's 14-yard field goal to give them a 3 – 0 lead. Dallas forced the Colts to punt on their next possession, and several
plays later, quarterback Craig Morton completed a 47-yard pass to Bob Hayes at the Colts 12-yard line, with a roughing the passer
penalty adding 6 yards (half the distance to the goal). But Dallas was still unable to score a touchdown. On first down, linebacker Ted
Hendricks deflected Morton's pass, and then running back Duane Thomas was tackled for a 1-yard loss on the next play. Then on third
down, Morton committed a 15-yard intentional grounding penalty, pushing the Cowboys back to the 22-yard line and forcing them to
settle for Clark's 30 yard field goal, giving them a 6-0 lead. But on the ensuing drive, the Colts got a break. Baltimore defensive back
Jim Duncan returned the ensuing kickoff 22 yards to their 25-yard line. Then after throwing 2 incompletions, Unitas threw a pass to
Eddie Hinton that was both high and behind the receiver. The ball bounced off Hinton's hands, was tipped by Dallas defensive back
Mel Renfro, and finally ended up in the arms of tight end John Mackey, who took the ball 75 yards for a touchdown, tying the score 6
– 6 after Jim O'Brien's extra point attempt was blocked. O'Brien later said that he was "awfully nervous" and hesitated a second too
long before kicking it. In the second quarter, Dallas took a 13 – 6 lead when Morton threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Thomas at the
end of a drive that was set up after Unitas lost a fumble while being tackled by Cowboys linebacker Lee Roy Jordan. The next time the
Colts had the ball, Unitas was hit as he threw a pass, resulting in an interception by Renfro. On the play, Unitas was knocked out of
the game with a rib injury, and was replaced by Earl Morrall, who was widely blamed for the Colts loss in Super Bowl III. The
Cowboys were unable to get any points off the turnover and had to punt. After the punt, Morrall completed two passes for 47 yards,
with a personal foul on Jordan adding another 7 yards and giving them a first down on the Cowboys 2-yard line with less than two
minutes left in the half. But Colts running back Norm Bulaich failed to gain any yards with three rushing attempts, and on fourth down,
Morrall threw an incomplete pass, turning the ball over on downs. Duncan fumbled the opening kickoff of the second half to Dallas,
and the Cowboys moved the ball down to the Colts' 1-yard line. But then Thomas returned the favor when Curtis knocked the ball
loose before the goal line. Duncan was awarded the recovery and the Colts took over on a touchback - a controversial call because
when the resulting pile-up was sorted out, Dallas center Dave Manders was holding the ball. The Colts then drove to Dallas' 44-yard
line, but came up empty when O'Brien's 52-yard field goal attempt fell short of the goal posts. However, instead of attempting to
return the ball, Renfro let it bounce inside his own 1-yard line where it was downed by center Tom Goode (NFL rules prior to 1974
allowed a field goal that fall short of the goal posts to be downed just like a punt). "I thought it would carry into the end zone", he
explained after the game. The Colts defense then forced Dallas to punt after 3 plays, and would have gotten the ball inside Dallas
territory following Ron Widby's punt, but Colts rookie running back Jack Maitland committed a 15-yard clipping penalty during the
punt return, pushing his team back to their own 39 for their ensuing drive. Two plays later, Morrall completed a 47-yard pass to
running back Tom Nowatzke at the Cowboys 15-yard line. Baltimore gained 4 yards on their next 2 plays, but on the first play of the
fourth quarter, Morrall's pass was intercepted by Howley in the end zone. After forcing the Cowboys to punt, Baltimore got the ball
back on their own 18-yard line. On first down, Morrall's pass was incomplete. Then on the next play, Morrall fumbled the snap.
Fortunately for the Colts, he managed to recover the fumble and throw the ball away, preventing a loss of yards or a turnover. On third
down, Morrall threw his third consecutive incompletion, which would have forced Baltimore to punt from deep in their own territory,
but Renfro was called for a 13-yard pass interference penalty while trying to cover Hinton, giving the Colts a first down. Aided by a
23-yard completion from Morrall to receiver Roy Jefferson, the Colts drove to Dallas' 30-yard line and attempted to fool the Cowboys
with a flea-flicker play. Running back Sam Havrilak took a handoff from Morrall and was supposed to throw it back to Morrall, but a
charging Jethro Pugh disrupted the pattern. Havrilak (who had been a quarterback in college) instead threw a pass intended for
Mackey. Hinton cut in front of Mackey to make the catch and then took off for the end zone, but he lost a fumble at the 10-yard line
while being tackled by defensive back Cornell Green. After several players from both teams tried to recover it, the ball rolled through
and out of the end zone for a touchback, giving the Cowboys the ball at their 20-yard line. Three plays after the turnover, Morton
threw a pass that was intercepted by safety Rick Volk and returned 30 yards to the Cowboys 3-yard line (Morrall later referred to play
as the play of the game). Two plays later, Nowatzke scored on a 2-yard touchdown run and O'Brien's extra point was good to tie the
game, 13 – 13. (O'Brien says he was much calmer and more confident on this extra point than on the first one, which was blocked.)
Dallas was forced to punt on their ensuing drive, and Widby managed to pin the Colts deep in their own territory with a 40-yard punt
that was downed on Baltimore's 5-yard line. Dallas' defense forced Baltimore to punt after 3 plays, and got the ball back with great
starting field position after receiving David Lee's 38-yard punt at the Colts 48-yard line with less than 2 minutes left in the game. It
looked as though it would become the first super bowl to go into overtime. On the first play of the drive, Thomas was tackled for a 1yard loss by Colts defensive tackle Bubba Smith. On the next play, Dallas committed a 15-yard holding penalty on the 42-yard line,
which was a spot foul, pushing the team all the way back to their own 27-yard line (the NFL did not reduce the penalty for offensive
holding to 10 yards until 1974). Then on second down and 35 to go, Morton threw a pass that went through the hands of running back
Dan Reeves and into the arms of linebacker Mike Curtis, who returned the ball 13 yards to the Cowboys 28-yard line. Two plays later,
O'Brien kicked the go ahead 32-yard field goal, giving Baltimore a 16-13 lead with 5 seconds left in the game. O'Brien says he was
"on automatic" and was so calm and concentrating so hard that he didn't hear anything and saw only the ball. In an enduring image
from Super Bowl V, after O'Brien's game-winning field goal Bob Lilly took off his helmet and hurled it through the air in disgust. The
Cowboys got the ball back on their 40-yard line with a few seconds remaining after O'Brien's ensuing squib kick, but Morton's pass to
Garrison was intercepted by Logan at the Baltimore 29-yard line, and time expired. Morrall was the top passer of the game, with 7 out
of 15 completions for 147 yards, with 1 interception. Before being knocked out of the game, Unitas completed 3 out of 9 passes for 88
yards and a touchdown, with 2 interceptions. Morton completed more passes than Morrall and Unitas combined (12), but finished the
game with 118 fewer passing yards (127), and was intercepted 3 times (all in the fourth quarter). Mackey was the top receiver of the
game with 2 receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown. Nowatzke was the Colts' leading rusher with 33 yards and a touchdown, while
also catching a pass for 47 yards. Dallas running back Walt Garrison was the leading rusher of the game with 65 rushing yards, and
added 19 yards on 2 pass receptions. Referencing the numerous turnovers, Morrall said, "It really was a physical game. I mean, people
were flying into one another out there." "It was really a hard-hitting game," wrote O'Brien. "It wasn't just guys dropping the ball. They
fumbled because they got the snot knocked out of them." Said Tom Landry: I haven't been around many games where the players hit
harder. Sometimes people watch a game and see turnovers and they talk about how sloppy the play was. The mistakes in that game
weren't invented, at least not by the people who made them. Most were forced. "We figured we could win if our offense didn't put us
into too many holes", said 35-year old Colts lineman Billy Ray Smith, who was playing in his last NFL game, "Let me put it this way,
they didn't put us into any holes we couldn't get out of" Don McCafferty became the first rookie head coach to win a Super Bowl.
Superbowl 6 January 16, 1972 Dallas Cowboys(NFC) vs. Miami Dolphins(AFC) 24-3 DAL 3 7 7 7 24 MIA 0 3 0 0 3 Stadium Tulane
Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana MVP Roger Staubach, Quarterback Favorite Cowboys by 6 National anthem U.S. Air Force
Academy ChoraleHalftime show "Salute to Louis Armstrong" with Ella Fitzgerald, Carol Channing, Al Hirt and the U.S. Marine
Corps Drill Team Future Hall of Famers Cowboys: Tom Landry (coach), Herb Adderly, Lance Alworth, Mike Ditka, Forrest Gregg,
Bob Hayes, Bob Lilly, Mel Renfro, Roger Staubach, Rayfield Wright Dolphins: Don Shula (coach), Nick Buoniconti, Larry Csonka,
Bob Griese, Jim Langer, Larry Little, Paul Warfield. Super Bowl VI was an American football game played on January 16, 1972, at
Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion following the 1971 regular
season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys (14–3) defeated the American Football Conference (AFC)
champion Miami Dolphins (12–4–1), 24–3, to win their first Super Bowl game.The Cowboys dominated the game, setting Super Bowl
records for the most rushing yards (252), the most first downs (23), and the least points allowed (3). The Cowboys are currently the
only team ever to prevent their opponent from scoring a touchdown in the Super Bowl. The game would be the only loss for Miami
during the calendar year 1972, as it preceded the team's undefeated season the next fall.The Cowboys' Quarterback, former Heisman
Trophy winner Roger Staubach, completed 12 out of 19 passes for 119 yards, threw 2 touchdown passes, and rushed 5 times for 18
yards, and was named the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player. Dallas Cowboys The Cowboys entered the season still having the
reputation of "not being able to win the big games" and "next year's champion". The Super Bowl V loss added more fuel to that widely
held view. As in the previous season, Dallas had a quarterback controversy as Staubach and Craig Morton alternated as starting
quarterback (in a loss to the Bears in game 7, Morton and Staubach alternated plays). The Cowboys were 4-3 at the season midpoint,
including a 24-14 loss to the New Orleans Saints at Tulane Stadium. But after head coach Tom Landry settled on Staubach, the
Cowboys won their last seven regular season games to finish with an 11–3 record. Staubach finished the regular season as the NFL's
top rated passer (101.8) by throwing for 1,882 yards, 15 touchdowns, and only 4 interceptions. He was also a terrific rusher, gaining
343 yards and 2 touchdowns on 41 carries. Dallas also had an outstanding trio of running backs, Walt Garrison, Duane Thomas, and
Calvin Hill, who rushed for a combined total of 1,690 yards and 14 touchdowns during the season. Garrison led the team in receptions
during the season. (Thomas, upset that the Cowboys would not renegotiate his contract after his excellent rookie year, had stopped
talking to the press and to almost everyone on the team). Wide Receivers Bob Hayes and Lance Alworth also provided a deep threat,
catching a combined total of 69 passes for 1,327 yards and 10 touchdowns. The offensive line, anchored by all-pro tackle Rayfield
Wright, Pro Bowlers John Niland and Ralph Neely, and future hall of famer Forrest Gregg, was also a primary reason for their success
on offense (Neely had broken his leg in November in a dirt-bike accident, and was replaced first by Gregg and then by Tony Liscio,
who came out of retirement. The Dallas defense (nicknamed the "Doomsday Defense") had given up only one touchdown in the last
25 quarters prior to the Super Bowl. Their defensive line was anchored by Pro Bowl defensive tackle Bob Lilly, who excelled at
pressuring quarterbacks and breaking up running plays. Dallas also had an outstanding trio of linebackers: Pro Bowler Chuck Howley,
who recorded 5 interceptions and returned them for 122 yards; Dave Edwards 2 interceptions; and Lee Roy Jordan, who recorded 2
interceptions. The Cowboys secondary was led by 2 future hall of fame cornerbacks Herb Adderley (6 interceptions for 182 return
yards) and Mel Renfro (4 interceptions for 11 yards). Safeties Cliff Harris and Pro Bowler Cornell Green also combined for 4
interceptions. They were also helped out by weak side linebacker D.D. Lewis. Miami Dolphins The Dolphins were based primarily
around their league-leading running attack, led by running backs Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick. Csonka rushed for 1,051 yards,
averaging over five yards per carry, and scored seven touchdowns. Versatile Jim Kiick rushed for 738 yards and three touchdowns,
and was second on the Dolphins in receiving with 40 receptions for 338 yards. They fumbled once (by Kiick) between the two of them
during the regular season. But Miami also had a threatening passing game. Quarterback Bob Griese, the AFC's leading passer and
most valuable player, put up an impressive performance during the season, completing 145 passes for 2,089 yards and 19 touchdowns
with only 9 interceptions. Griese's major weapon was wide receiver Paul Warfield, who caught 43 passes for 996 yards (a 23.2 yards
per catch average) and a league-leading 11 touchdowns. The Dolphins also had an excellent offensive line to open up holes for their
running backs and protect Griese on pass plays, led by future Hall of Fame guard Larry Little. Miami's defense was a major reason
why the team built a 10–3–1 regular season record, including eight consecutive wins. Future Hall of Fame linebacker Nick Buoniconti
was a major force reading and stopping plays, while safety Jake Scott recorded 7 interceptions. Playoffs Before this season, the
Dolphins had never won a playoff game in franchise history, but they surprised the entire NFL by advancing to the Super Bowl with
wins against the two previous Super Bowl champions. First Miami defeated the Kansas City Chiefs (winners of Super Bowl IV), 2724, in the longest game in NFL history with kicker Garo Yepremian's game-winning field goal after 22 minutes and 40 seconds of
overtime play. Later, Miami shut out the defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Colts, 21-0, in the AFC Championship Game,
with safety Dick Anderson intercepting 3 passes from Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas and returning one of them for a 62-yard
touchdown. Meanwhile, the Cowboys marched to the Super Bowl with playoff wins over the Minnesota Vikings, 20-12 in the NFC
Divisional Playoffs, and the San Francisco 49ers, 14-3 in the NFC Championship Game, only giving up one touchdown in the two
games. Super Bowl pregame news and notes Soon after the Dolphins' win in the AFC Championship Game, Shula received a phone
call at his home from President Richard M. Nixon at 1:30 in the morning. Nixon had a play he thought would work, a particular pass
to Warfield. (That particular play, which was called late in the first quarter, was broken up by Mel Renfro.) When asked about the
Dolphins' defensive team prior to Super Bowl VI, Landry said that he could not recall any of the players' names, but they were a big
concern to him. This remark immediately led to the nickname "No-Name Defense". According to Tom Landry, the Cowboys were
very confident. "When they talked among themselves they said there was no way they were going to lose that game." On Media Day,
Duane Thomas refused to answer any questions and sat silently until his required time was up. Roger Staubach surmises that Duane
Thomas would have been named MVP if he had cooperated with the press prior to the game. In the Cowboys' locker room after the
game, flustered CBS reporter Tom Brookshier asked Duane Thomas a long-winded question, the gist of which was "You're fast, aren't
you?" Thomas, who had shunned the press all season, simply said "Evidently." Thomas became the first player to score touchdowns in
back-to-back Super Bowls, having a receiving touchdown in Super Bowl V. Dolphins safety Jake Scott entered Super Bowl VI with a
broken left hand. He broke his right wrist during the game but never came out. With both hands in casts for three months, he said
"When I go to the bathroom, that's when I find out who my real friends are." This game was originally scheduled to be the last to be
played in Tulane Stadium. It was hoped the Louisiana Superdome would be ready in time for the 1972 NFL season. However, political
wrangling led to a lengthy delay in construction, and groundbreaking did not take place until August 11, 1971, five months before this
game. The Superdome was not completed until August 1975, forcing Super Bowl IX to be moved to Tulane Stadium. That Super
Bowl proved to be the final NFL game in the stadium, which was demolished in late 1979. Television and entertainment The game
was broadcast in the United States by CBS with play-by-play announcer Ray Scott and color commentator Pat Summerall. Although
Tulane Stadium was sold out for the game, unconditional blackout rules in the NFL prohibited the live telecast from being shown in
the New Orleans area. This would be the last Super Bowl to be blacked out in the TV market in which the game was played. The
following year, the NFL allowed Super Bowl VII to be televised live in the host city (Los Angeles) when all tickets were sold. In 1973,
the NFL changed its blackout policy to allow games to be broadcast in the home team's market if sold out 72 hours in advance. The
Kilgore College Rangerettes drill team performed during the pregame festivities. Later, the United States Air Force Academy Chorale
sang the national anthem. The halftime show was a "Salute to Louis Armstrong" featuring jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, actress and
singer Carol Channing, trumpeter Al Hirt and the U.S. Marine Corps Drill Team. Armstrong, a New Orleans native, died in July 1971.
Despite being the second Super Bowl after the AFL-NFL merger, Super Bowl VI was the first one to have the NFL logo painted at the
50-yard line. The NFL would do this for all but one Super Bowl after this until Super Bowl XXXI. Game summary According to
Roger Staubach, the Cowboys' game plan was to neutralize the Dolphins' key offensive and defensive players—Paul Warfield and
Nick Buoniconti. Warfield was double-teamed by Green and Renfro. "They pretty much shut him down," wrote Staubach. Since the
running game was the key to the Cowboys' offense, they wanted to take the quick-reacting Buoniconti out of each play. Two linemen,
usually Niland and center Dave Manders, were assigned to block Buoniconti. Combined with counterplays and the excellent cutback
running of Thomas, this tactic proved very successful. Miami's defense was designed to stop Staubach's scrambling. According to
Staubach, although his scrambing was shut down this did not work to the Dolphins' benefit because it opened things up for the other
backs. Miami won the coin toss and elected to receive. Neither team could mount a drive on its first possession. On the first play of the
Dolphins' second possession, Csonka, on his first carry of the game, gained 12 yards on a sweep. That would be his longest gain of the
day. On the next play, Csonka fumbled a handoff from Griese–his first fumble of the season–and it was recovered by linebacker
Chuck Howley at the Cowboys 48-yard line. Twelve plays later, Dallas kicker Mike Clark kicked a 9-yard field goal to give the
Cowboys a 3–0 lead. On the third play of the Dolphins' next possession at their own 38-yard line, Griese was sacked by Lilly for a
Super Bowl record 29-yard loss (A picture of Griese being chased by Larry Cole, Bob Lilly and Jethro Pugh is the game's most
famous photograph). Early in the second quarter, Miami drove to the Cowboys 42-yard line with the aid of a 20-yard reception by
receiver Howard Twilley, but the drive stalled and ended with no points after kicker Garo Yepremian missed a 49-yard field goal
attempt. Later in the period, Dallas drove 76 yards in nine plays, including a 21-yard reception by Alworth, and then scored on a 7yard touchdown pass from Staubach to Alworth to increase their lead, 10–0. Miami started the ensuing drive with just 1:15 left in the
half, and quarterback Bob Griese completed three consecutive passes, two to receiver Paul Warfield and one to running back Jim
Kiick, for 44 total yards to reach the Dallas 24–yard line. On the next play Griese threw to Warfield, who was open at the 2-yard line,
but the ball was deflected by Green and bounced off Warfield's chest. Miami had to settle for Yepremian's 31-yard field goal to cut the
Dolphins deficit to 10–3 going into halftime. But Dallas dominated the second half, preventing any chance of a Miami comeback.
Dallas reasoned that Miami would make adjustments to stop the Cowboys' inside running game which had been so successful in the
first half. So the Cowboys decided to run outside. The Cowboys opened the third period with a 71-yard, 8-play drive, which included
four runs by Thomas for 37 yards, a reverse by Hayes for 16 yards, and only one pass, scoring on Thomas' 3-yard sweep to make the
score 17-3. This seemed to fire up the Dallas defense, who managed to prevent Miami from getting a single first down in the entire
third quarter. The farthest advance Miami had in the third quarter was to its own 42-yard line as Griese and the offense were, said
Shula, "destroyed." Miami did manage to advance to midfield early in the final period, but Howley ended the drive by intercepting a
pass from Griese intended for Kiick in the flat. After returning the ball 41 yards, Howley tripped and fell at the Dolphins 9-yard line
with nobody near him. But three plays later, Staubach threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mike Ditka, increasing the Dallas
lead to 24–3 with twelve minutes left in the game. Miami began their next possession at their own 23-yard line and mounted only their
third sustained drive of the game, reaching the Dallas 16-yard line in six plays. However, Griese fumbled the snap and the ball was
recovered by Cowboys left end Larry Cole at the 20-yard line. The Cowboys then mounted an eleven-play drive to the Miami 1-yard
line which featured just one pass and a fake field goal attempt on fourth-and-one at the Miami 20-yard line. However, on first-andgoal at the 1-yard line, Hill fumbled while attempting to dive across the goal line, and the ball was recovered at the 4-yard line by
Dolphins defensive tackle Manny Fernandez with just under two minutes left. Miami then ran four meaningless plays to end the game.
Wrote Staubach, "I can say that I don't think I ever felt any better as an athlete than how I felt after that game..." Nick Buoniconti
wrote, "I was knocked senseless...The Cowboys seemed to be moving so much faster than we were....We were overmatched
psychologically as well as physically." Jim Kiick said, "Dallas wasn't that much better, but football is momentum. We lost it in the
first quarter when we fumbled and they scored, and we never got it back." Said the Dolphins' Howard Twilley: It's so hard to figure.
We went in confident. We really thought we'd win and win handily. Something happened, though, during the week. I guess it was that
week. The week has its own momentum, like nothing we'd been in before... said we'd been embarrassed. He said we didn't even
compete....That's the sickest feeling I've ever had. Said Cornell Green, "The difference between the Dolphins and Cowboys was that
the Dolphins were just happy to be in the game and the Cowboys came to win the game.". Griese completed the same amount of
passes as Staubach (12), and threw for 15 more yards (134), but threw no touchdown passes and was intercepted once. Csonka and
Kiick, were held to just 80 combined rushing yards (40 yards each), no touchdowns, and lost 1 fumble on 19 carries. Warfield was
limited to just 4 receptions for 39 yards. Thomas was the top rusher of the game with 19 carries for 95 yards and a touchdown. He also
caught 3 passes for 17 yards. Dallas running back Walt Garrison added 74 rushing yards and caught 2 passes for 11 yards.
Superbowl 7 January 14, 1973 Miami Dolphins (AFC) vs. Washington Redskins(NFC) 14-7 MIA 7 7 0 0 14 WAS 0 0 0 7 7 Stadium
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California MVP Jake Scott, Safety Favorite Redskins by 1 National anthem Little
Angels of Holy Angels Church, Chicago Halftime show Woody Herman and the Michigan Marching Band Future Hall of Famers
Dolphins: Don Shula (coach), Nick Buoniconti, Larry Csonka, Bob Griese, Jim Langer, Larry Little, Paul Warfield. Redskins: George
Allen (coach), Chris Hanburger, Sonny Jurgenson, Charley Taylor.Super Bowl VII was an American football game played on January
14, 1973, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California, to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion
following the 1972 regular season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion Miami Dolphins (17–0) defeated the National
Football Conference (NFC) champion Washington Redskins (13-4), 14–7, and became the first and still the only team in NFL history
to complete a perfect undefeated season.As the lowest-scoring Super Bowl to date with a total of only 21 points (3 TDs, 3 PATs and
no field goals), the game was perhaps not as close as the score indicates, as the Dolphins' "No-Name Defense" dominated the game,
allowing Washington to cross midfield only once in the first half and only four times overall. But Super Bowl VII is most memorable
for the final two minutes of the game: Miami's quest for a perfect season was jeopardized when Dolphins kicker Garo Yepremian
picked up a blocked field goal, attempted a forward pass, but batted it in the air, and Redskins' cornerback Mike Bass caught it and
returned it 49 yards for a touchdown. It was the longest period in a Super Bowl to date for one team to be shut out, as Washington was
held scoreless until 2:07 remained in the fourth quarter.Dolphins safety Jake Scott was named Most Valuable Player. He recorded two
interceptions for 63 return yards, including a 55-yard return from the end zone during the 4th quarter. Scott became the second
defensive player in Super Bowl history (after linebacker Chuck Howley in Super Bowl V) to earn a Super Bowl MVP.The win made
the Dolphins, in their seventh season of existence, the quickest expansion team to win a Super Bowl, a record that stood for 28 years.
Although the Baltimore Ravens officially eclipsed that record with their win over the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV in just
their fifth year of existence, due to the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy the Ravens were considered an expansion team only
in a legal sense. The Dolphins remain the quickest genuine expansion team to win a Super Bowl. Miami Dolphins The Dolphins went
undefeated during the season, despite losing their starting quarterback. In the fifth game of the regular season, starter Bob Griese
suffered a fractured right leg and dislocated ankle. In his place, 38-year-old Earl Morrall led Miami to victory in their nine remaining
regular season games, and was the 1972 NFL Comeback Player of the Year. Morrall had previously played for Dolphins head coach
Don Shula when they were both with the Baltimore Colts, where Morrall backed up quarterback Johnny Unitas and started in Super
Bowl III. But Miami also had the same core group of young players who helped the team advance to the previous year's Super Bowl
VI. (The only Dolphins starter in Super Bowl VII over the age of 30 was 32-year-old Nick Buoniconti.) The Dolphins still had a
powerful running attack, spearheaded by running backs Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick, and Eugene "Mercury" Morris. (Morris, who in
previous seasons had been used primarily as a kick returner, took over the starting halfback position from Kiick, who had been the
starter the previous four years. The more-experienced Kiick, however, would start in Super Bowl VII.) Csonka led the team with
1,117 yards and six touchdowns. Kiick contributed 521 yards and five touchdowns, and also caught 21 passes for 147 yards and
another touchdown. Morris, a breakaway runner, rushed for 1,000 yards, caught 15 passes for 168 yards, added another 334 yards
returning kickoffs, and scored a league-leading 12 rushing touchdowns. Overall, Miami set a record with 2,960 total rushing yards
during the regular season, and became the first team ever to have two players rush for 1,000 yards in one season. Miami led the NFL
in points scored (385). Receiver Paul Warfield once again provided the run-based Dolphins with an effective deep threat option,
catching 29 passes for 606 yards, an average of 20.9 yards per catch. Miami's offensive line, led by future hall of famers Jim Langer
and Larry Little was also a key factor for the Dolphins' offensive production. And Miami's "No-Name Defense" (a nickname inspired
by Dallas Cowboys head coach Tom Landry when he could not recall the names of any Dolphins defenders just before Super Bowl
VI), led by future hall of fame linebacker Nick Buoniconti, allowed the fewest points in the league during the regular season (171).
Safety Jake Scott recorded five interceptions. Because of injuries to defensive linemen (at the beginning of the season the Dolphins
were down to four healthy defensive linemen) defensive coordinator Bill Arnsparger created what he called the "53" defense, in which
versatile Bob Matheson (number 53) would be used as either a defensive end in the standard 4-3 defense or as a fourth linebacker in a
3-4 defense, with Manny Fernandez at nose tackle. As a linebacker, Matheson would either rush or drop back into coverage. Said Nick
Buoniconti, "Teams would be totally confused." The Dolphins' undefeated, untied regular season was the third in NFL history, and the
first of the post-Merger era. The previous two teams to do it, the 1934 and 1942 Chicago Bears, both lost those years' NFL
Championship Games. The Cleveland Browns completed a perfect season in 1948, including a Championship victory, when they were
part of the All-America Football Conference. Washington Redskins After finishing the 1970 season with a 6–8 regular season record,
the Redskins hired George Allen as their head coach, hoping he could turn the team's fortunes around. Allen's philosophy was that
veteran players win games, so immediately after taking over the team, he traded away most of the younger team members and draft
choices for older, more established players. His motto was "The future is now." Washington quickly became the oldest team in the
NFL and earned the nickname "The Over the Hill Gang." The average age of starters was 31 years old. However, Allen's strategy
turned the Redskins around as the team improved to a 9–4–1 record in 1971, and finished the 1972 season with an NFC-best 11-3
record. Washington was led by 33-year old quarterback Billy Kilmer, who completed 120 out of 225 passes for 1,648 yards and a
league leading 19 touchdowns during the regular season, with only 11 interceptions, giving him an NFL best 84.8 passer rating.
Kilmer had started the first three games of the season, was replaced in game four by 38-year-old Sonny Jurgensen, then replaced
Jurgensen when he was lost for the season with an Achilles tendon injury. Their powerful rushing attack featured two running backs.
Larry Brown gained 1,216 yards (first in the NFC and second in the NFL) in 285 carries during the regular season, caught 32 passes
for 473 yards, and scored 12 touchdowns, earning him both the NFL Most Valuable Player Award and the NFL Offensive Player of
the Year Award. Running back Charley Harraway had 567 yards in 148 carries. Future hall of fame wide receiver Charley Taylor and
wide receiver Roy Jefferson provided the team with a solid deep threat, combining for 84 receptions, 1,223 receiving yards, and 10
touchdowns. Washington also had a solid defense led by linebacker Chris Hanburger (four interceptions, 98 return yards, one
touchdown), and cornerbacks Pat Fischer (four interceptions, 61 return yards) and Mike Bass (three interceptions, 53 return yards)
Playoffs Morrall led the Dolphins to a 20-14 playoff win over the Cleveland Browns. However, Griese started the second half of the
AFC Championship Game to help rally the Dolphins to a 21–17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, largely due to a fake punt by
Dolphin Larry Seiple. Meanwhile, the Redskins advanced to the Super Bowl without allowing a touchdown in either their 16-3 playoff
win over the Green Bay Packers or their 26-3 NFC Championship Game victory over the Cowboys. Super Bowl pregame news and
notes Much of the pregame hype surrounded the chances of the Dolphins completing a perfect, undefeated season, as well as their
quarterback controversy between Griese and Morrall. Griese was eventually picked to start the Super Bowl because Shula felt more
comfortable with Morrall as the backup just in case Griese was ineffective due to his recent inactivity. Miami was also strongly
motivated to win the Super Bowl after having been humiliated by the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl VI. Wrote Nick Buoniconti,
"There was no way we were going to lose the Super Bowl; there was no way." Head coach Don Shula, loser of Super Bowls III and VI,
was also determined to win. Although Shula was relaxed and charming when dealing with the press, it was all an act; Dolphins players
described him as "neurotic" and "absolutely crazy." He was also sick Super Bowl week with the flu, which he kept secret. Still, many
favored the Redskins to win the game because of their group of "Over the Hill Gang" veterans, and because Miami had what some
considered an easy schedule (only two Dolphin opponents, Kansas City and the New York Giants posted winning records, and both of
those teams were 8-6) and had struggled in the playoffs. Allen had a reputation for spying on opponents. A school overlooked the
Rams facility that the NFL designated the Dolphins practice field, so the Dolphins found a more secure field at a local community
college. Dolphins employees inspected the trees every day for spies. Miami cornerback Tim Foley, a future broadcaster who was
injured and would not play in Super Bowl VII, was writing daily stories for a Miami newspaper and interviewed George Allen and
Redskin players, provoking charges from Allen that Foley was actually spying for Shula. Allen was extremely uptight and prickly
dealing with the press Super Bowl week, and accused the press of ruining his team's preparation. Allen pushed the team so hard in
practices that the players joked among themselves that they should have left Allen in Washington. During practice the day before
Super Bowl VII, the Dolphins' five foot seven, 150 pound kicker, Garo Yepremian, relaxed by throwing 30-yard passes to David
Shula, Don Shula's son. During the pre-game warmups, he consistently kicked low line drives and couldn't figure out why. Television
and entertainment The game was broadcast in the United States by NBC with play-by-play announcer Curt Gowdy and color
commentator Al DeRogatis. This was the first Super Bowl to be televised live in the city in which it was being played. Despite
unconditional blackout rules in the NFL that normally would have prohibited the live telecast from being shown locally, the NFL
allowed the game to be telecast in the Los Angeles area on an experimental basis when all tickets for the game were sold. The league
then changed its blackout rules the following season to allow games sold out at least 72 hours in advance to be televised in the host
market. No subsequent Super Bowl has ever been blacked out under this rule, as all have been sold out (owing to its status as the
marquee event on the NFL schedule, meaning that tickets sell out pretty quickly). The pregame show was a tribute to Apollo 17, the
sixth and last mission to date to land on the Moon and the final one of Project Apollo. The show featured the crew of Apollo 17 and
the Michigan Marching Band. Later, the Little Angels of Chicago's Angels Church from Chicago performed the national anthem. The
halftime show, featuring Woody Herman and the Michigan Marching Band along with The Citrus College Singers and Andy Williams,
was titled "Happiness Is". Game summary According to Buoniconti, the Dolphins' priority on defense was to stop Larry Brown and
force Kilmer to pass. Buoniconti looked at Washington's offensive formation on each play and shifted the defense so it was strongest
where he felt Brown would run. This strategy proved successful. Washington's offensive line also had trouble handling Dolphins'
defensive tackle/nose tackle Manny Fernandez, who was very quick. "He beat their center Len Hauss like a drum," wrote Buoniconti.
Miami's defenders had also drilled in maintaining precise pursuit angles on sweeps to prevent the cut-back running that Duane
Thomas had used to destroy the Dolphins in Super Bowl VI. Washington's priority on defense was to disrupt Miami's ball-control
offense by stopping Larry Csonka. They also intended to shut down Paul Warfield by double-covering him. As they had in Super
Bowl VI, Miami won the toss and elected to receive. Most of the first quarter was a defensive battle with each team punting on their
first two possessions. Then Miami got the ball on their own 37-yard line with 2:55 left in the first quarter. Running back Jim Kiick
started out the drive with two carries for eleven yards. Then quarterback Bob Griese completed an 18-yard pass to wide receiver Paul
Warfield to reach the Washington 34-yard line. After two more running plays, on third and four Griese threw a 28-yard touchdown
pass to receiver Howard Twilley (his only catch of the game). Twilley fooled Pat Fischer by faking a route to the inside, then broke to
the outside and caught the ball at the five-yard line, dragging Fischer into the end zone. "Griese read us real good all day," said Fischer.
Yepremian's extra point gave the Dolphins a 7-0 lead with one second remaining in the period. (Yepremian noticed that the kick was
too low, just like his practice kicks). On the third play of the Redskins' ensuing drive, Miami safety Jake Scott intercepted quarterback
Billy Kilmer's pass down the middle intended for Taylor and returned it eight yards to the Washington 47-yard line. However a 15yard illegal man downfield penalty on left guard Bob Kuechenberg nullified a 20-yard pass completion to tight end Marv Fleming on
the first play after the turnover, and the Dolphins were forced to punt after three more plays. After the Redskins were forced to punt
again, Miami reached the 47-yard line with a 13-yard run by Larry Csonka and an 8-yard run by Kiick. But on the next play, Griese's
47-yard touchdown pass to Warfield was nullified by an illegal procedure penalty on receiver Marlin Briscoe (Briscoe's first, and only,
play of the game). Then on third down, Redskins defensive tackle Diron Talbert sacked Griese for a 6-yard loss and the Dolphins had
to punt. The Redskins then advanced from their own 17-yard line to the Miami 48-yard line (their first incursion into Miami territory)
with less than two minutes left in the half. But on third down and three yards to go, Dolphins linebacker Nick Buoniconti intercepted
Kilmer's pass to tight end Jerry Smith at the Miami 41-yard line and returned it 32 yards to the Washington 27-yard line. From there,
Kiick and Csonka each ran once for three yards, and then Griese completed a 19-yard pass (his sixth completion in six attempts) to
tight end Jim Mandich, who made a diving catch at the 2-yard line. Two plays later, Kiick scored on a 1-yard blast behind Little and
Csonka with just 18 seconds left in the half, and Yepremian's extra point gave the Dolphins a lead of 14–0 before halftime (once again,
Yepremian noticed the kick was too low). Miami's defense dominated the Redskins in the first half, limiting Washington to 49 yards
rushing, 23 yards passing, and four first downs. The Redskins had more success moving the ball in the second half. They took the
second half kickoff and advanced across midfield for only the second time in the game, driving from their own 30-yard line to Miami's
17-yard line in a seven-play drive that featured just two runs. On first down at Miami's 17-yard line, Kilmer threw to Charley Taylor,
who was open at the 2-yard line, but Taylor stumbled right before the ball arrived and the ball glanced off his fingertips. After a
second-down screen pass to Harraway fell incomplete, left tackle Manny Fernandez sacked Kilmer on third down for a loss of eight
yards, and Washington's drive ended with no points after kicker Curt Knight's ensuing 32-yard field goal attempt was wide right.
"That was an obvious turning point," said Allen. Later in the period, the Dolphins drove 78 yards to Washington's 5-yard line,
featuring a 49-yard run by Csonka, the second-longest run in Super Bowl history at the time. However, Redskins defensive back Brig
Owens intercepted a pass intended for Fleming in the end zone for a touchback. Early in the fourth quarter, Washington threatened to
score by mounting its most impressive drive of the game, driving 79 yards from its own 11 to Miami's 10-yard line in twelve plays.
On second down at the Miami 10-yard line, Kilmer threw to tight end Jerry Smith in the end zone. Smith was wide open, but the ball
hit the crossbar of the goalpost and fell incomplete. Then on third down, Scott intercepted Kilmer's pass to Taylor in the end zone and
returned it 55 yards to the Redskins 48-yard line. After Miami moved the ball to the 34-yard line on their ensuing drive, kicker Garo
Yepremian attempted a 42-yard field goal in what is now remembered as one of the most famous blunders in NFL lore: "Garo's Gaffe".
As had been the case all day, Yepremian's kick was too low, and it was blocked by Washington defensive tackle Bill Brundige. The
ball bounced to Yepremian's right and he reached it before holder Earl Morrall. But instead of falling on the ball, Yepremian picked it
up and, with Brundige bearing down on him, made a frantic attempt to pass the ball to Csonka, who blocked on field goals.
Unfortunately for Miami, the ball slipped out of his hands and went straight up in the air. Yepremian attempted to bat the ball out of
bounds, but instead batted it back up into the air, and it went right into the arms of Redskins cornerback Mike Bass, who returned the
fumble 49 yards for a touchdown to make the score 14-7 with 2:07 left in the game. To the surprise of some, the Redskins did not try
an onside kick, but instead kicked deep. The Redskins were forced to use up all of their timeouts on the Dolphins' ensuing five-play
possession, but forced Miami to punt (nearly blocking the punt) from its own 36-yard line with 1:14 remaining in the game, giving
themselves a chance to drive for the tying touchdown. However, Miami's defense forced two incompletions and a 4-yard loss on a
swing pass, and then defensive end Vern Den Herder's 9-yard sack on fourth down as time expired in the game. Griese finished the
game having completed 8 out of 11 pass completions for 88 yards and a touchdown, with one interception. Csonka was the game's
leading rusher with 15 carries for 112 yards. Kiick had 38 rushing yards, two receptions for six yards, and a touchdown. Morris had 34
rushing yards. Manny Fernandez had 11 solo tackles and six assists. Kilmer completed six more passes then Griese, but finished the
game with just 16 more total passing yards and was intercepted three times. Said Kilmer, "I wasn't sharp at all. Good as their defense
is, I still should have thrown better." Washington's Larry Brown rushed for 72 yards on 22 carries and also had five receptions for 26
yards. Redskins receiver Roy Jefferson was the top receiver of the game, with five catches for 50 yards. Washington amassed almost
as many total yards (228) as Miami (253), and actually more first downs (16 to Miami's 12).
Superbowl 8 January 13, 1974 Miami Dolphins(AFC) vs. Minnesota Vikings(NFC) 24-7 MIN 0 0 0 7 7 MIA 14 3 7 0 24 Stadium
Rice Stadium, Houston, Texas MVP Larry Csonka, Running back Favorite Dolphins by 6½ National anthem Charley Pride Halftime
show The University of Texas Longhorn Band Future Hall of Famers Dolphins: Don Shula (coach), Nick Buoniconti, Larry Csonka,
Bob Griese, Jim Langer, Larry Little, Paul Warfield. Vikings: Bud Grant (coach), Carl Eller, Paul Krause, Alan Page, Fran Tarkenton,
Ron Yary. Super Bowl VIII was a professional American football game played on January 13, 1974 at Rice Stadium. in Houston,
Texas to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion following the 1973 regular season. The American Football Conference
(AFC) champion Miami Dolphins (15-2) defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Minnesota Vikings (14-3), 24–7.
Scoring the first 24 points of the game and leading 24-0 entering the fourth quarter, the Dolphins easily won their second consecutive
Super Bowl, and became the first team to appear in three consecutive Super Bowls.Dolphins Running Back Larry Csonka, who ran for
145 yards and two touchdowns, was named the game's Most Valuable Player. Both his 145 rushing yards and his 33 carries were
Super Bowl records. Csonka became the first running back to earn Super Bowl MVP honors. Super Bowl postgame news and notes
As Shula was being carried off the field after the end of the game, a kid who shook his hand stripped off his watch. Shula got down,
chased after the kid, and retrieved his watch. Manny Fernandez was a strong contender for MVP. Wrote Nick Buoniconti, "It was the
game of his life–in fact, it was the most dominant game by a defensive lineman in the history of the game, and he would never be
given much credit for it. They should have given out two game balls and made Manny Fernandez the co-MVP with Jake Scott." Larry
Csonka also said he thought Fernandez should have been the MVP. The MVP was selected by Dick Schaap, the editor of SPORT
magazine. Schaap admitted later that he had been out late the previous night, struggled to watch the defense-dominated game, and was
not aware that Fernandez had 17 tackles. When Garo Yepremian went back to the Dolphins' sideline after his botched field goal
attempt, Nick Buoniconti told him that if they lost he would "Hang you up by one of your ties." Yepremian was so traumatized by his
botched field goal attempt that he had to be helped from the post-game party by his brother because of a stress-induced stabbing pain
down his right side. Depressed, he spent two weeks in seclusion until he was cheered up by a letter, apparently from Shula, praising
him for his contributions to the team and urging him to ignore criticism. Yepremian kept the letter and mentioned it to Shula in 2000,
but Shula had no knowledge of it. They concluded the letter was actually written by Shula's wife Dorothy, who died from breast
cancer in 1991. She had signed her husband's name to it. Nevertheless, "Garo's Gaffe" made Yepremian famous and led to a lucrative
windfall of speaking engagements and endorsements. "It's been a blessing," says Yepremian. The same teams met 10 years later in
Super Bowl XVII, which was also played in the Los Angeles area, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The Redskins won that game, 27-17.
Two starters from Miami's undefeated team, guard Bob Kuechenberg and defensive end Vern Den Herder, were still active during the
strike-shortened 1982 season. The Redskins had no players remaining from Super Bowl VII on their Super Bowl XVII roster. The last
member of the 1972 Redskins still active with the franchise, offensive tackle Terry Hermeling, retired after the 1980 season.
January 12, 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers(AFC) vs. Minnesota Vikings(NFC) 16-6 PIT 0 2 7 7 16 MIN 0 0 0 6 6 Stadium Tulane Stadium,
New Orleans, Louisiana MVP Franco Harris, Running back Favorite Steelers by 3 National anthem Grambling State University Band
Halftime show "Tribute to Duke Ellington" with Mercer Ellington and Grambling State University Band Future Hall of Famers
Steelers: Chuck Noll (coach), Mel Blount, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Greene, Jack Ham, Franco Harris, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth,
Lynn Swann, Mike Webster. Vikings: Bud Grant (coach), Carl Eller, Paul Krause, Alan Page, Fran Tarkenton, Ron Yary.Super Bowl
IX was an American football game played on January 12, 1975 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National
Football League (NFL) champion following the 1974 regular season. It would be the last pro game at legendary Tulane Stadium. The
American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3-1) defeated the National Football Conference (NFC)
champion Minnesota Vikings (12-5), 16–6, to win their first Super Bowl game.This game matched two of the NFL's best defenses –
Pittsburgh's Steel Curtain against the Purple People Eaters of Minnesota – and two legendary quarterbacks: Terry Bradshaw and Fran
Tarkenton, respectively.However, the Steelers dominated the game, recording the first safety in Super Bowl history, and limiting the
Vikings to Super Bowl lows that still stand (as of 2010) of nine first downs, 119 yards of total offense, and 17 rushing yards. The
Steelers also tied Super Bowl records for the least rushing first downs allowed (2) and the least passing first downs allowed (5). It was
the first Super Bowl to have a safety scored. Tarkenton was held to only 11 out of 26 completions for 102 passing yards, no
touchdown passes, and tied a then Super Bowl record with three interceptions. Furthermore, Pittsburgh became the second Super
Bowl team after the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VII to hold their opponents' offense scoreless; Minnesota's only score came on a
blocked punt, and they did not even score on the extra point attempt. The Steelers accomplished all of this with two backups on
defense: linebackers Ed Bradley and Loren Toews replaced injured starters Andy Russell and Jack Lambert for most of the second
half.Meanwhile, Pittsburgh had 333 yards of total offense. Steelers running back Franco Harris, who ran for a Super Bowl record
158 yards (more than the entire Minnesota offense) and a touchdown, was named the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player. Miami
Dolphins Although the Dolphins were unable to match their 17-0 perfect season of 1972, many sports writers, fans, and Dolphins
players themselves felt that the 1973 team was better. While the 1972 team faced no competition that possessed a better record than 86 in the regular season, the 1973 team played a much tougher schedule that included games against the Oakland Raiders, Pittsburgh
Steelers, and Dallas Cowboys (all playoff teams), plus two games against a resurgent Buffalo Bills squad that featured 2,000-yard
rusher O.J. Simpson. Miami finished with a 12-2 regular season, including their opening game victory over the San Francisco 49ers
that tied an NFL record with 18 consecutive wins. The Dolphins' winning streak ended in week two with a 12-7 loss to the Raiders in
Berkeley, California. Just like the last two previous seasons, Miami's offense relied primarily on their rushing attack. Fullback Larry
Csonka recorded his third consecutive 1,000 rushing yards season (1,003 yards), while running back Mercury Morris rushed for 954
yards and scored 10 touchdowns. Running back Jim Kiick was also a key contributor, rushing for 257 yards, and catching 27 passes
for 208 yards. Quarterback Bob Griese, the AFC's second leading passer, completed only 116 passes for 1,422 yards, but threw more
than twice as many touchdown passes (17) as interceptions (8), and earned an 84.3 passer rating. He became the first quarterback to
start three Super Bowls and is joined by Jim Kelly as only quarterbacks to start at least three consecutive Super Bowls. Wide receiver
Paul Warfield remained the main deep threat on the team, catching 29 passes for 514 yards and 11 touchdowns. Also, the offensive
line was strong, once again led by center Jim Langer and right guard Larry Little. Griese, Csonka, Warfield, Langer, Bob
Kuechenberg, Nick Buoniconti and Little would all eventually be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Miami's "No Name
Defense" continued to dominate their opponents. Future Hall of Fame linebacker Nick Buoniconti recovered three fumbles and
returned one for a touchdown. Safety Dick Anderson led the team with eight interceptions, which he returned for 163 yards and two
touchdowns. And safety Jake Scott, the previous season's Super Bowl MVP, had four interceptions and 71 return yards. The Dolphins
were still using their "53" defense devised at the beginning of the 1971 season, where Bob Matheson (#53) would be brought in as a
fourth linebacker in a 3-4 defense, with Manny Fernandez at nose tackle. Matheson could either rush the passer or drop back into
coverage. Minnesota Vikings The Vikings also finished the regular season with a 12-2 record, winning their first nine games before a
loss on Monday Night Football to the Atlanta Falcons. Minnesota's offense was led by 13-year veteran quarterback Fran Tarkenton.
During the regular season, Tarkenton completed 61.7 percent of his passes for 2,113 yards, 15 touchdowns, and just seven
interceptions. He also rushed for 202 yards and another touchdown. The team's primary deep threat was Pro Bowl wide receiver John
Gilliam, who caught 42 passes for 907 yards, an average of 21.6 yards per catch, and scored eight touchdowns. Tight End Stu Voigt
was also a key element of the passing game, with 23 receptions for 318 yards and two touchdowns. The Vikings' main weapon on
their rushing game was NFL Rookie of the Year running back Chuck Foreman, who rushed for 801 yards, caught 37 passes for 362
yards, and scored six touchdowns. The Vikings had four other significant running backs: Dave Osborn, Bill Brown, Oscar Reed, and
Ed Marinaro combined for 1,469 rushing/receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. The Vikings offensive line was also very talented, led
by Ron Yary and six-time Pro Bowl player Mick Tingelhoff. Their defense was once again anchored by a defensive line nicknamed
the "Purple People Eaters", consisting of defensive tackles Gary Larsen and Alan Page, and defensive ends Jim Marshall and Carl
Eller. Behind them, cornerback Bobby Bryant (seven interceptions, 105 return yards, one touchdown), and safety Paul Krause (four
interceptions) led the defensive secondary. Playoffs The Vikings earned their second appearance in the Super Bowl after defeating the
wild card Washington Redskins, 27-20, and the NFC Eastern Champion Dallas Cowboys 27-10, in the playoffs. Meanwhile, the
Dolphins defeated the AFC Central Champion Cincinnati Bengals 34-16 in the divisional round, and the AFC Western Champion
Oakland Raiders, 27-10 for the AFC Championship. The Dolphins were the first team to appear in three consecutive Super
Bowls.Super Bowl pregame news and notes This was the first Super Bowl in which a former AFL franchise was the favorite. The
1970 AFC Champion Baltimore Colts had been the favorite in Super Bowl V, but they were an original NFL franchise prior the 1970
merger. This was also the first Super Bowl played in a stadium that was not the current home to an NFL or AFL team, as no team had
called Rice Stadium home since the Houston Oilers moved into the Astrodome. The Vikings complained about their practice facilities
at a Houston high school, a 20-minute bus ride from their hotel. They said the locker room was cramped, uncarpeted, had no lockers,
and that most of the shower heads didn't work. The practice field had no blocking sleds. "I don't think our players have seen anything
like this since junior high school," said Vikings head coach Bud Grant. There were reports of dissension among the Dolphin team
arising from owner Joe Robbie's decision to allow married players to bring their wives at the club's expense. The single players were
reportedly angry that they couldn't bring their girlfriends or mothers. Paul Warfield entered the game with a well-publicized hamstring
injury in his left leg. Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Alan Page and Miami Dolphins left guard Bob Kuechenberg were former
teammates at the University of Notre Dame. Kuechenberg would be blocking Page in Super Bowl VIII. Kuechenberg entered the
game with a broken arm which was injured in a game played against the Baltimore Colts and wore a cast on that arm throughout the
game. On television before the game, New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath said, "If Miami gets the kickoff and scores on the
opening drive, the game is over.". Indeed, the Dolphins became the first team score a touchdown after receiving the game's opening
kickoff. For this game, the Miami Dolphins were assigned the home team. The Dolphins wear white jerseys at home typically for day
games, but due to a (since changed) uniform policy, the Dolphins were obligated to wear their aqua jerseys as the designated home
team, although Miami wore its aqua jerseys for its final regular season home game (on a Saturday afternoon) that season vs. the
Detroit Lions. Also, many Dolphin players wore a slightly different helmet decal than the rest...starting with the final regular season
game of the 1973 season (and continuing throughout the playoffs) many players, mostly linemen, wore the decal that the team would
adopt in 1974 (with the mascot dolphin leaping through the sun), while others wore helmets with the 1969-1973 decal (with the
mascot dolphin halfway through the sun). Famed "Gonzo" writer Hunter S. Thompson covered the game for Rolling Stone magazine,
and his exploits in Houston are legendary. This was the only Super Bowl in which the game ball had stripes. Until the late 1970s,
stripes were permissible for NFL footballs for night games and other special situations. Television and entertainment The game was
televised in the United States by CBS with play-by-play announcer Ray Scott and color commentators Pat Summerall and Bart Starr.
This was Scott's final telecast for CBS. The following season Summerall would take Scott's place as the network's lead play-by-play
announcer, holding that position through 1993, when CBS lost rights to the NFC television package to Fox. The Longhorn Band from
the University of Texas at Austin performed during the pregame festivities. Later, country music singer Charley Pride sang the
national anthem. The halftime show also featured the Longhorn Band, along with Judy Mallett, Miss Texas 1973, playing the fiddle,
in a tribute to American music titled "A Musical America". Game summary The Dolphins' game plan on offense was to use
misdirection, negative-influence traps, and cross-blocking to exploit the Vikings defense's excellent pursuit. (The Kansas City Chiefs
had used similar tactics against the same Vikings defensive line in Super Bowl IV). Wrote Jim Langer, "All this was successful right
away. We kept ripping huge holes into their defense and Csonka kept picking up good yardage, especially to the right. We'd hear Alan
cussing because those negative-influence plays were just driving him nuts. He didn't know what the hell to do." On defense the
Dolphins' goal was to neutralize Chuck Foreman by using cat-quick Manny Fernandez at nose tackle and to make passing difficult for
Tarkenton by double-teaming John Gilliam and knocking down his receivers. They were also depending on defensive ends Bill
Stanfill and Vern Den Herder to contain Tarkenton's scrambling. As they had the two previous Super Bowls, the Dolphins won the
coin toss and elected to receive. The Dolphins dominated the Vikings right from the beginning, scoring touchdowns on two 10-play
drives in the first quarter. Said Jim Langer, "It was obvious from the beginning that our offense could overpower their defense." First,
Dolphins defensive back Jake Scott gave his team good field position by returning the opening kickoff 31 yards to the Miami 38-yard
line. Then Mercury Morris ran right for four yards, Larry Csonka crashed through the middle for two, and quarterback Bob Griese
completed a 13-yard pass to tight end Jim Mandich to advance the ball to the Vikings 43-yard line. Csonka then ran on second down
for 16 yards, then Griese completed a six-yard pass to receiver Marlin Briscoe to the 21-yard line. Three more running plays, two by
Csonka and one by Morris moved the ball to the Vikings 5-yard line. Csonka then finished the drive with a five-yard touchdown run.
Then after forcing Minnesota to punt after three plays, the Dolphins went 56 yards in 10 plays (aided with three runs by Csonka for
eight, 12, and eight yards, and Griese's 13-yard pass to Briscoe) to score on running back Jim Kiick's one-yard run (his only
touchdown of the season) to give them a 14-0 lead. By the time the first quarter ended, Miami had run 20 plays for 118 yards and eight
first downs, and scored touchdowns on their first two possessions. Meanwhile the Miami defense held the Minnesota offense to only
25 yards, six plays from scrimmage and one first down. The Vikings did not cross their own 23-yard line. The situation never got
much better for the Vikings the rest of the game. After each team traded punts early in the second period, Miami mounted a sevenplay drive starting from their own 35-yard line, culminating in a 28-yard field goal from kicker Garo Yepremian to make the score 170 midway through the second quarter. On the first play of the drive, Minnesota was penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct
on linebacker Wally Hilgenberg, who threw an elbow through Csonka's facemask, cutting Csonka above the eye. The Vikings then
had their best opportunity to score in the first half on their ensuing drive. Starting at their own 20-yard line, Minnesota marched to the
Miami 15-yard line in nine plays, aided by Fran Tarkenton's completions of 17 and 14 yards to tight end Stu Voigt and wide receiver
John Gilliam's 30-yard reception. Tarkenton's eight-yard run on first down then advanced the ball to the 7-yard line. But on the next
two plays, Vikings running back Oscar Reed gained only one yard on two rushes, bringing up a fourth-down-and-one with less than a
minute left in the half. Instead of kicking a field goal, Minnesota attempted to convert the fourth down with another running play by
Reed. However, Reed lost the ball while being tackled by linebacker Nick Buoniconti, and Scott recovered the fumble. Jim Langer
wrote that at halftime, "We definitely knew that this game was over."Gilliam returned the second half kickoff 65 yards, but a holding
penalty on the play moved the ball all the way back to the Minnesota 11-yard line. Two plays later, Tarkenton was sacked for a sixyard loss by defensive tackle Manny Fernandez on third down, forcing Minnesota to punt from their own 7-yard line. Scott then
returned the punt 12 yards to the Minnesota 43-yard line. Miami then marched 43 yards in eight plays to score on Csonka's two-yard
touchdown run through Hilgenberg to increase their lead to 24-0 with almost nine minutes left in the third quarter. The key play was
Griese's third-and-five, 27-yard pass to wide receiver Paul Warfield to the Minnesota 11-yard line. It was Griese's last pass of the
game and only Warfield's second, and last, catch of the game. (Because of his hamstring injury, Warfield had earlier been limping
through primarily decoy routes.) After an exchange of punts, Minnesota got the ball back at their 43-yard line. They mounted a nineplay drive, running the ball only twice. On second-and-one at the Miami 4, Tarkenton himself ran it in around right end, and the extra
point made it 24-7 with 13 minutes left in the game. Minnesota recovered their ensuing onside kick, but an offsides penalty on the
Vikings nullified the play, and they subsequently kicked deep. Miami went three-and-out, and Minnesota got the ball back at their
own 3-yard line. Eight plays later the Vikings reached the Miami 32-yard line. After two incomplete passes, Tarkenton's pass intended
for wide receiver Jim Lash was intercepted by Dolphins cornerback Curtis Johnson at the goal line. Miami got the ball back at their
10-yard line with 6:24 left in the game, and Csonka and Kiick then ran out the clock. With less than four minutes to play, a frustrated
Alan Page was called for a personal foul for a late hit on Griese, and then one play later both Page and Kuechenberg were given
offsetting personal fouls after getting in a scuffle with each other. Wrote Jim Langer, "We just hit the Vikings defense so hard and so
fast that they didn't know what hit them. Alan Page later said he knew we would dominate them after only the first couple of plays."
Griese finished the game with just six out of seven pass completions for 73 yards. Miami's seven pass attempts were the fewest ever
thrown by a team in the Super Bowl. The Dolphins rushed for 196 yards, did not have any turnovers, and were not penalized in the
first 52 minutes. Tarkenton set what was then a Super Bowl record for completions, 18 out of 28 for 182 yards, with one interception,
and rushed for 17 yards and a touchdown. Reed was the leading rusher for the Vikings, but with just 32 yards. Tight end Stu Voigt
was the top receiver of the game with three catches for 46 yards. The Vikings' lethargic performance was very similar to their
performance in their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl IV. Super Bowl postgame news and notes In the Dolphins' locker
room after the game, Csonka was asked about his battered face. Without naming Hilgenberg, he said, "It was a cheap shot, but an
honest cheap shot. He came right at me and threw an elbow right through my mask. I could see the game meant something to him."
With their 32-2 record over two years, the still-young Dolphins appeared to have established a dynasty. In 1974, however, their
offense was hurt by injuries to Csonka and the offensive line, and the defense was hurt by the departure of defensive coordinator Bill
Arnsparger to become the New York Giants head coach. The Dolphins finished 11-3 but lost a dramatic playoff game to the Oakland
Raiders. In 1975 Csonka, Kiick, and Warfield left to join the World Football League. The Dolphins would not win another playoff
game until 1982.
January 18, 1976Pittsburgh Steelers(AFC) vs. Dallas Cowboys(NFC) 21-17 DAL 7 3 0 7 17 PIT 7 0 0 14 21 Stadium Miami Orange
Bowl, Miami, Florida MVP Lynn Swann, Wide Receiver Favorite Steelers by 7 National anthem Tom Sullivan Halftime show Up
with People presents "200 Years and Just a Baby: Tribute to America's Bicentennial" Future Hall of Famers Cowboys: Tom Landry
(coach), Mel Renfro, Roger Staubach, Randy White, Rayfield Wright. Steelers: Chuck Noll (coach), Mel Blount, Terry Bradshaw, Joe
Greene, Jack Ham, Franco Harris, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, Lynn Swann, Mike Webster. Super Bowl X was an American
football game played on January 18, 1976 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League (NFL)
champion following the 1975 regular season.The American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers (12–2) defeated
the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys (10–4), 21–17. This game featured a contrast of styles between
the Steelers and the Cowboys, which were, at the time, the two most popular teams in the league.Pittsburgh safety Glen Edwards
halted a late Dallas rally with an end zone interception as time expired. Steelers receiver Lynn Swann, who caught four passes for a
Super Bowl record 161 yards and one touchdown including a diving catch after tripping over Cowboys' cornerback Mark Washington
in the second quarter, was named the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player. Swann was the first wide receiver to win the Super Bowl
MVP award. Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh advanced to their first Super Bowl and were playing for a league championship for the
first time in team history. Their 73-year old owner Art Rooney founded the Steelers as a 1933 NFL expansion team, but suffered
through losing seasons for most of its 42-year history and had never made it to an NFL championship game or a Super Bowl. But in
1969, Rooney hired Chuck Noll to be the team's head coach and its fortunes started to turn following a disastrous 1-13 first year under
the future Hall of Fame coach. Noll rebuilt the Steelers through the NFL draft, selecting defensive tackle Joe Greene in his first season
as head coach. In 1970, Noll drafted quarterback Terry Bradshaw and cornerback Mel Blount. In 1971, linebacker Jack Ham,
defensive tackle Ernie Holmes, defensive tackle Dwight White, and defensive back Mike Wagner were selected by the team. Fullback
Franco Harris was drafted in 1972. And in 1974, the Steelers picked linebacker Jack Lambert, center Mike Webster and wide receivers
Lynn Swann, John Stallworth and defensive back Donnie Shell as a free agent. Bradshaw, Webster, Swann, Stallworth and Harris
ended up being hall of fame players on offense, while the others formed the core nucleus of their "Steel Curtain" defense, including
future Hall of Famers Greene, Ham, Blount and Lambert. But en route to Super Bowl IX, the Steelers had started the regular season
slowly, as Bradshaw and Joe Gilliam fought to be the team's starting quarterback. Gilliam had started for the first four games of the
season, but Noll eventually made Bradshaw the starter. Although Bradshaw ended up completing only 67 out of 148 passes for
785 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions, he helped lead the team to a 10-3-1 regular season record. The Steelers main offensive
weapon however was running the ball. Harris rushed for 1,006 yards and five touchdowns, while also catching 23 passes for 200 yards
and another touchdown. Running backs Rocky Bleier, Preston Pearson, and Steve Davis also made important contributions, gaining a
combined total of 936 yards and eight touchdowns. But the Steelers' main strength during the season was their staunch "Steel Curtain"
defense, which led the league with the fewest total yards allowed (3,074) and the fewest passing yards allowed (1,466). Greene won
the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award for the second time in the previous three seasons, and he and Greenwood were named to
the Pro Bowl. Both of the team's outside linebackers, Ham and Andy Russell, had been also selected to play in the Pro Bowl, while
Lambert already had two interceptions for 19 yards in his rookie year. In the defensive backfield, Blount, Wagner, and Glen Edwards
made a strong impact against opposing passing plays. Minnesota Vikings The Vikings came into the season trying to redeem
themselves after a one sided Super Bowl VIII loss after which they became the first team ever to lose two Super Bowls (the other loss
was in Super Bowl IV) as well as losing back to back Super Bowls. Minnesota's powerful offense was still led by veteran quarterback
Fran Tarkenton, who passed for 2,598 yards and 17 touchdowns. The Vikings' primary offensive weapon was running back Chuck
Foreman, who led the team in receptions with 53 for 586 yards and six touchdowns. He was also their leading rusher with 777 rushing
yards and nine touchdowns. Wide receiver Jim Lash was a major deep threat, with 32 receptions for 631 yards (a 19.7 yards per catch
average). Fullback Dave Osborn contributed with 514 rushing yards, and 29 receptions for 196 yards. And the Vikings offensive line,
led by future Hall of Fame left tackle Ron Yary, allowed only 17 sacks. Aided by the "Purple People Eaters" defense, led by future
hall of fame defensive linemen Carl Eller and Alan Page, and future hall of fame safety Paul Krause, the Vikings won the NFC
Central for the sixth time in the previous seven seasons. Playoffs For the first time in four years, the Miami Dolphins were not able to
advance to the Super Bowl. The Dolphins lost three of their most productive players Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick and Paul Warfield to the
startup World Football League. This transition effectively ended any opportunity of a long term Dolphin dynasty. While the Steelers
defeated the Buffalo Bills, 32-14, in the first round, the favored Dolphins lost to the Oakland Raiders, 28-26, giving up Raiders
running back Clarence Davis' 8-yard touchdown reception with 26 seconds remaining in the game with a play now known as the Sea
of Hands. The key play in the game occurred when the Dolphins were in control and were leading the Raiders 19-14 midway through
the fourth quarter. Cliff Branch hauled in a 72 yard touchdown pass from Raider QB Kenny Stabler when third year Dolphin defensive
back Henry Stuckey, the man assigned to cover Branch on the play, fell down and the resultant wide open Branch caught the bomb
and sprinted to the endzone. After George Blanda kicked the PAT, the Raiders led 21 to 19. Dolphin fans were furious because fan
favorite Lloyd Mumphord was replaced with Stuckey. Mumphord and Coach Don Shula were involved in a feud at the time and it is
thought that Stuckey was given the starting job for this game because of Shula's and Mumphord's differences of opinion. Afterwards,
Stuckey was released in the offseason. Many believed that had Mumphord had been in the game, there would have been no sea of
hands play. The Steelers defeated the Buffalo Bills 32-14 at home in the divisional round, then won the AFC Championship Game
over the host Raiders, 24-13. Meanwhile, Minnesota allowed only a combined 24 points in their playoff wins against the St. Louis
Cardinals, 30-14, and their narrow defeat of the Los Angeles Rams, 14-10, after their defense stopped an attempted comeback
touchdown drive from the Rams on the Vikings' own 2-yard line. This game was also noted for a controversial procedure penalty
during one Rams' drive when Los Angeles guard Tom Mack was called for a false start near the Viking goal line following Alan Page
crossing the line of scrimmage unabated. Super Bowl pregame news and notes Sports writers and fans predicted that Super Bowl IX
would be a low scoring game because of each team's defenses. The Steelers' "Steel Curtain" had led the AFC in fewest points allowed
(189) and the Vikings' "Purple People Eaters" had only given up 195. As the NFC was the designated "home team" for the game, by
NFL rules at the time the Vikings were required to wear their purple jerseys. Although the league later relaxed the rule from Super
Bowl XIII onwards, the Vikings would've likely worn their purple jerseys anyways, given that they've worn their purple jerseys at
home for much of their history aside from a few games in the 1960s, when the NFL was encouraging (but not requiring) teams to wear
white at home. This was the only one of the four Super Bowls the Steelers of the 1970s played in that the team wore their white
jerseys, and the only Super Bowl the team would wear white at all until Super Bowl XL 31 years later. Game Conditions The game
was originally scheduled for the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. Because construction on the dome was not yet finished, the
game had to be moved to Tulane Stadium, home field for Tulane University. This proved to be quite pivotal, because of the inclement
conditions (low temperature and the field was slick from overnight rain). This would be the last Super Bowl to be played in inclement
weather until Super Bowl XLI. The last minute change of venue meant this was not only the last of three Super Bowls played at
Tulane Stadium, but the last professional game ever played in the stadium, which was demolished five years later and replaced for the
1975 NFL season by the Louisiana Superdome, which has hosted every Super Bowl held in New Orleans since. Television and
entertainment The game was broadcast in the United States by NBC with play-by-play announcer Curt Gowdy and color
commentators Al DeRogatis and Don Meredith. Charlie Jones served as the event's host, field reporter and would cover the trophy
presentation (prior to the 1975 NFL season, NBC did not have a pregame show). The Grambling State University Band performed
during both the pregame festivities and the national anthem. During the national anthem, they were backed by a Mardi Gras choir. The
halftime show was a tribute to American jazz composer, pianist and bandleader Duke Ellington, also featuring the Grambling State
University Band along with Ellington's son Mercer. Ellington had died the previous May. The Mary Tyler Moore Show on CBS used
this game as a plotline on the episode aired the night before the game. Lou Grant was teaching Ted Baxter how to bet on football
games, and used Ted's money, as well as some of his own to bet on the Vikings winning the Super Bowl. The Vikings won the Super
Bowl in this episode but Ted's hopes were dashed when it was revealed that Lou actually bet all the money on the Steelers. At the end
of the show, Mary Tyler Moore announced the following over the credits: "If the Pittsburgh Steelers win the actual Super Bowl
tomorrow, we want to apologize to the Pittsburgh team and their fans for this purely fictional story. If on the other hand, they lose,
remember, you heard it here first." And, as it turned out, her apology did go into effect. Game summary As many predicted, the game
was low scoring; both teams failed to score a touchdown or a field goal until the third quarter and ended up with the second lowest
total of combined points in Super Bowl history. The first quarter of the game was completely dominated by both teams' defenses. The
Vikings were limited to 20 passing yards, zero rushing yards, and one first down. The Steelers did slightly better with 18 passing yards,
61 rushing yards, and four first downs. Pittsburgh even managed to get close enough for their kicker Roy Gerela to attempt two field
goals. But Gerela missed his first attempt, and a bad snap prevented the second one from getting off the ground. In the second quarter,
the Vikings got an opportunity to score when they recovered a fumble from fullback Rocky Bleier at the Steelers 24-yard line. But
they could only move the ball two yards in their next three plays, and then Vikings kicker Fred Cox missed a 39-yard field goal
attempt. The first score of the game occurred later in the period, when fullback Dave Osborn fumbled a pitch from Tarkenton in
Minnesota's own end zone. Tarkenton quickly dove on the ball to prevent a Steeler touchdown, but he was downed by Dwight White
for a safety, giving Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead. It was the first safety ever scored in a Super Bowl. The Vikings later threatened to score
when Tarkenton led them on a 55-yard drive to the Steelers 20-yard line. With 1:17 left in the half, Tarkenton threw a pass to receiver
John Gilliam at the 5-yard line, but Steelers safety Glen Edwards hit him just as he caught the ball. The ball popped out of his hands
and right into the arms of Mel Blount for an interception. The half ended with the Steelers leading 2-0, the lowest halftime score in
Super Bowl history and lowest possible, barring a scoreless tie. On the opening kickoff of the second half, Minnesota's Bill Brown lost
a fumble, and the Steelers recovered the ball at the Vikings' 30-yard line. Then, Franco Harris moved the ball to the 6-yard line with a
24-yard run. Harris was then tackled for a 3-yard loss on the next play, but then made up for it with a 9-yard touchdown run after that,
giving the Steelers a 9-0 lead. After an exchange of punts, Minnesota got the ball back on their own 20-yard line. On the second play
of drive, Tarkenton's pass was deflected behind the line of scrimmage by Pittsburgh defensive lineman L. C. Greenwood, and bounced
back right into the arms of Tarkenton, who then threw 41-yard completion to Gilliam. However, officials ruled Tarkenton's first pass
attempt was a completion to himself, and thus his second attempt was an illegal forward pass. The penalty brought up third down and
11 yards to go, but Minnesota got the first down with running back Chuck Foreman's 12-yard run. Three plays later, Tarkenton
completed a 28-yard pass to tight end Stu Voigt at the Steelers 45-yard line. However, White deflected Tarkenton's next pass attempt
and Greene intercepted the ball, ending the Vikings' best offensive scoring opportunity. Early in the fourth quarter, the Vikings got
another scoring opportunity when Minnesota safety Paul Krause recovered a fumble from Harris on the Steelers 47-yard line. On the
next play, a 42-yard pass interference penalty on Pittsburgh defensive back Mike Wagner moved the ball up to the 5-yard line. But
once again, the Steelers stopped them from scoring when Greene forced and recovered a fumble from Foreman. However, Pittsburgh
failed to get a first down on their next possession and was forced to punt from deep in their own territory. Minnesota defender Matt
Blair burst through the line to block the punt, and Terry Brown recovered the ball in the end zone for touchdown. Cox missed the extra
point, but the Vikings had cut their deficit to 9-6 and were just a field goal away from a tie. But on the ensuing drive, the Steelers put
the game out of reach with a 66 yard, 11 play scoring drive that took 6:47 off the clock and featured three successful third down
conversions. The first was a key 30-yard pass completion from Terry Bradshaw to tight end Larry Brown. Brown fumbled the ball as
he was being tackled, and two officials initially ruled the ball recovered for the Vikings, but head linesman Ed Marion overruled their
call, stating (correctly as noted in television replays) that Brown was downed at the contact before the ball came out of his hands.
Another third down pass to Bleier advanced the ball to the Vikings 5-yard line. The Steelers gained just one yard with their next two
plays, but on third down Bradshaw's 4-yard touchdown pass to Brown gave the Steelers a 16-6 lead with only 3:31 remaining. Vikings
running back Brent McClanahan returned the ensuing kickoff 22 yards to the 39-yard line, but on the first play of the drive,
Tarkenton's pass was intercepted by Wagner. The Steelers then executed 7 consecutive running plays, taking the game clock all the
way down to 38 seconds remaining before turning the ball over on downs. Harris finished the game with 34 carries for a Super Bowl
record 158 yards and a touchdown. Bleier had 65 rushing yards, and two receptions for 11 yards. Bradshaw completed nine out of 14
passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. Foreman was the Viking's top offensive contributor, finishing the game as the team's leading
rusher and receiver with 18 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards.
January 9, 1977 Oakland Raiders(AFC) vs. Minnesota Vikings(NFC) 32-14 OAK 0 16 3 13 32 MIN 0 0 7 7 14 Stadium Rose Bowl
Stadium, Pasadena, California MVP Fred Biletnikoff, Wide Receiver Favorite Raiders by 4 National anthem Vikki Carr ("America the
Beautiful") Halftime show Disney presents "It's A Small World" with the Los Angeles Unified All-City Band Future Hall of Famers
Raiders: John Madden (coach), Fred Biletnikoff, Willie Brown, Dave Casper, Ted Hendricks, Art Shell, Gene Upshaw. Vikings: Bud
Grant (coach), Carl Eller, Paul Krause, Alan Page, Fran Tarkenton, Ron Yary. Super Bowl XI was an American football game played
on January 9, 1977 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion following the
1976 regular season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion Oakland Raiders (16–1) won their first Super Bowl by
defeating the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Minnesota Vikings (13–3–1), 32–14. Oakland gained a Super Bowl
record 429 yards, including a Super Bowl record 288 yards in the first half, en route to winning their first Vince Lombardi
Trophy.Raiders wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff had 4 catches for 79 yards that set up three Raider touchdowns and was named the
Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player. There have been six wide receivers named MVP in the Super Bowl and Biletnikoff is the only
one to not have gained 100 yards in his MVP performance. Pittsburgh Steelers The Steelers became the first official #1 seed to reach
the Super Bowl. Playoff seeds were instituted in 1975. The Steelers finished the regular season with a league best 12–2 record,
dominating opponents with their "Steel Curtain" defense and powerful running game. Fullback Franco Harris ranked second in the
league with 1,246 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, while also catching 28 passes for 214 yards and another touchdown. Halfback
Rocky Bleier had 528 rushing yards, and fullback John "Frenchy" Fuqua added 285 yards and 18 receptions. Still, the Steelers had a
fine passing attack led by quarterback Terry Bradshaw. Bradshaw threw for 2,055 yards, 18 touchdowns, and nine interceptions, while
rushing for 210 yards and three touchdowns. One reason why Bradshaw's numbers were much improved from the previous season was
the emergence of wide receivers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth. Both saw limited playing time in the previous season, but became
significant contributors. Swann caught a team leading 49 passes for 781 yards and 11 touchdowns. Stallworth only had 20 receptions,
but he had an average of 21.2 yards per catch, recording a total of 423 reception yards. The Steelers' "Steel Curtain" defense
dominated the league, ranking third in fewest yards allowed (4,019) and sending 8 of their 11 starters to the Pro Bowl: defensive
linemen Joe Greene and L. C. Greenwood; future Hall of Fame linebackers Jack Ham and Jack Lambert; Andy Russell, the team's
third starting linebacker; future Hall of Fame defensive back Mel Blount; and safeties Glen Edwards and Mike Wagner. Greene made
the Pro Bowl despite missing six games with injuries. Ham and Lambert had the best seasons of their careers, while Blount led the
league with 11 interceptions. Dallas Cowboys The Cowboys advanced to their third super bowl in team history with their rather hightech offense and "flex" defense. Quarterback Roger Staubach had a solid season, passing for 2,666 yards and 17 touchdowns, while
also rushing for 310 yards. Wide receiver Drew Pearson led the team with 46 receptions for 822 yards and 8 touchdowns. Wide
receiver Golden Richards and tight end Jean Fugett were also reliable targets in the Cowboys' passing game, combining for 59
receptions and 939 receiving yards. Like the Steelers, Dallas was a run based team. Fullback Robert Newhouse was their leading
rusher with 930 yards, and also caught 34 passes for 274 yards. Halfback Doug Dennison contributed 388 yards. Perhaps the most
talented player in the backfield was Halfback Preston Pearson (no relation to receiver Drew Pearson), who signed on the team as a free
agent after being cut by the Steelers in the pre-season. Preston rushed for 509 yards, caught 27 passes for 351 yards, and added another
391 yards returning kickoffs. Preston had been especially effective in the playoffs, where he caught 12 passes for 200 yards and three
touchdowns, and was extremely eager to increase his numbers in the Super Bowl against the team that let him go. Up front, the
offensive line was led by All-pro tackle Rayfield Wright. The Cowboys' "Flex" defense was anchored by linemen Harvey Martin and
Ed "Too Tall" Jones. Linebacker Lee Roy Jordan led the team with six interceptions, while linebacker D.D. Lewis was an effective
weapon pass rushing. The starting players in Dallas' defensive secondary, future Hall of Fame cornerback Mel Renfro, cornerback
Mark Washington, and safeties Charlie Waters and Pro Bowler Cliff Harris, combined for 12 interceptions. Even though the Cowboys
finished in second place in the NFC East with a 10-4 record, they qualified for the playoffs as the NFC's wild-card team (during that
time, only one wild card team from each conference entered the playoffs). The Dallas Cowboys are the first NFC wild card team to
reach the Super Bowl. Playoffs Dallas went on to defeat the Minnesota Vikings, 17–14, with a 50-yard touchdown pass from
Staubach to Drew Pearson with less than a minute to play in what was called the "Hail Mary pass". They went on to crush the Los
Angeles Rams, 37-7, in the NFC Championship Game. As a result, the Cowboys became the first ever wild card team to advance to
the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the Steelers only gave up a combined total of 20 points in their playoff victories over the Baltimore Colts,
28–10, and the Oakland Raiders, 16–10. Super Bowl pregame news and notes Coming into Super Bowl X, most sports writers and
fans expected that Swann would not play. He had suffered a severe concussion in the AFC Championship Game against the Raiders
that forced him to spend two days in a hospital. If he did play, many assumed he would just be used as a decoy to draw coverage away
from the other receivers. Throughout the week leading up to the Super Bowl, Swann was unable to participate in several team
practices or was limited to only a minor workout in them. However, a few days before the game, he received a verbal challenge from
Dallas safety Cliff Harris, who stated "I'm not going to hurt anyone intentionally. But getting hit again while he's running a pass route
must be in the back of Swann's mind. I know it would be in the back of my mind." Swann responded "I'm still not 100 percent. I value
my health, but I've had no dizzy spells. I read what Harris said. He was trying to intimidate me. He said I'd be afraid out there. He
needn't worry. He doesn't know Lynn Swann. He can't scare me or the team. I said to myself, 'The hell with it, I'm gonna play.' Sure, I
thought about the possibility of being reinjured. But it's like being thrown by a horse. You have to get up and ride again immediately
or you may be scared the rest of your life." CBS televised the game in the United States with play-by-play announcer Pat Summerall
(calling his first Super Bowl in that role) and color commentator Tom Brookshier. Towards the end of the game, Hank Stram took
over for Brookshier, who had left the booth to head down to the locker room area to conduct the postgame interviews with the winning
team. On radio, Verne Lundquist and Al Wisk announced the game for the Dallas Cowboys Radio Network, and Jack Fleming and
Myron Cope called the game for the Steelers Radio Network. Ed Ingles and Jim Kelly called the game nationally for CBS Radio. The
overall theme of the Super Bowl entertainment was to celebrate the United States Bicentennial. Each Dallas and Pittsburgh player
wore a special patch with the Bicentennial Logo on their jerseys. The performance event group Up with People performed during both
the pregame festivities and the halftime show titled "200 Years and Just a Baby: A Tribute to America's Bicentennial". Up with People
dancers portrayed various American historical figures along with a rendition of Steve Goodman's City of New Orleans. Singer Tom
Sullivan sang the national anthem. Scenes for the 1977 suspense film Black Sunday, about a fictional terrorist attack on the Super
Bowl via the Goodyear Blimp, were filmed during the game. Game summary The Steelers won their second straight Super Bowl,
largely through the plays by Swann and by stopping a rally by the Cowboys late in the fourth quarter. Officials did not call a single
penalty on the Steelers during the game, while the Cowboys were called for only 2 penalties for 20 yards. On the opening kickoff, the
Cowboys ran a reverse where rookie linebacker Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson took a handoff from Preston Pearson and returned
the ball a Super Bowl record 48 yards before kicker Roy Gerela forced him out of bounds at the Steelers 44-yard line. But on the first
play of the game, Steelers defensive lineman L. C. Greenwood sacked Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach, forcing him to fumble.
Although Dallas recovered the fumble, they eventually were forced to punt. Pittsburgh managed to get one first down and advanced to
Dallas 40-yard line, but then they too were forced to punt. Steelers punter Bobby Walden fumbled the snap. Walden managed to
recover his own fumble, but Dallas took over on Steelers 29-yard line. On the very next play, Staubach threw a 29-yard touchdown
pass to wide receiver Drew Pearson, taking a 7–0 lead.
Instead of trying to immediately tie the game on a long passing play, the Steelers ran the ball on the first four plays of their ensuing
possession, and then quarterback Terry Bradshaw completed a 32-yard pass to wide receiver Lynn Swann to reach the Cowboys 16yard line. Two running plays further advanced the ball to the 7-yard line. Then on third down and one, the Steelers managed to fool
the Cowboys. Pittsburgh brought in two tight ends, which usually signals a running play. After the snap, tight end Randy Grossman
faked a block to the inside as if it were a running play, but then ran a pass route into the endzone, and Bradshaw threw the ball to him
for a touchdown, tying the game, 7–7. Dallas responded on their next drive, advancing the ball 51 yards (30 of them on five carries
from fullback Robert Newhouse) and scoring on kicker Toni Fritsch's 36-yard field goal to take a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter.
The Steelers subsequently advanced to the Cowboys 36-yard line on their next possession, but on fourth down and two, Bradshaw's
pass was broken up by Dallas safety Cliff Harris. Later in the period, Dallas drove to the Steelers 20-yard line. But in three plays, the
Cowboys lost 25 yards. On first down, Newhouse was tackled for a 3-yard loss by linebacker Andy Russell. Then Greenwood sacked
Staubach for a 12-yard loss. And on third down, Staubach was sacked again, this time for a 10 yard loss, by defensive end Dwight
White. The sacks pushed Dallas out of field goal range and they were forced to punt. The Steelers offense got the ball back their own
6-yard line with 3:47 left in the half. On the drive, Bradshaw completed a 53-yard pass to Swann to advance the ball to the Cowboys
37-yard line; Swann's catch has become one of the most memorable acrobatic catches in Super Bowl history. But the drive stalled at
the 19-yard line, and ended with no points after Gerela missed a 36-yard field goal attempt with 22 seconds remaining in the period.
Early in the third quarter, Pittsburgh got a great scoring opportunity when defensive back J. T. Thomas intercepted a pass from
Staubach and returned it 35 yards to the Cowboys 25-yard line. But once again the Steelers failed to score as the Dallas defense kept
Pittsburgh out of the end zone and Gerela missed his second field goal, a 33-yard attempt. After the miss, Harris mockingly patted
Gerela on his helmet and thanked him for "helping Dallas out," but was immediately thrown to the ground by Steeler linebacker Jack
Lambert. Lambert could have been ejected from the game for defending his teammate, but the officials decided to allow him to remain.
The third quarter was completely scoreless and the Cowboys maintained their 10-7 lead going into the final period. But early in the
fourth quarter, Dallas punter Mitch Hoopes was forced to punt from inside his own goal line. As Hoopes stepped up to make the kick,
Steelers running back Reggie Harrison broke through the line and blocked the punt. The ball went through the end zone for a safety,
cutting the Dallas lead to 10–9. Then Steelers running back Mike Collier returned the free kick 25 yards to the Cowboys 45-yard line.
Dallas halted the ensuing drive at the 20-yard line, but this time Gerela successfully kicked a 36-yard field goal to give Pittsburgh their
first lead of the game, 12–10. Then on the first play of the Cowboys' next drive, Steelers defensive back Mike Wagner intercepted a
pass from Staubach and returned it 19 yards to the Dallas 7-yard line. The Cowboys defense again managed to prevent a touchdown,
but Gerela kicked an 18-yard field goal to increase the Steelers lead to 15–10. The Steelers regained possession of the ball on their
own 30-yard line with 4:25 left in the final period, giving them a chance to either increase their lead or run out the clock to win the
game. But after two plays, the Steelers found themselves facing 3rd down and 6 on their own 36-yard line. Assuming that the
Cowboys would be expecting a short pass or a run, Bradshaw decided to try a long pass and told Swann in the huddle to run a deep
post pattern. As Bradshaw dropped back to pass, Harris and linebacker D.D. Lewis both blitzed in an attempt to sack him. But
Bradshaw managed to dodge Lewis and throw the ball just before being leveled by Harris and lineman Larry Cole, who landed a
helmet-to-helmet hit on Bradshaw. Swann then caught the ball at the 5-yard line and ran into the end zone for a 64-yard touchdown
completion. Bradshaw never did see Swann's catch or the touchdown since Coles' hit to Bradshaw's helmet knocked him out of the
game with a head injury. It was only after he was assisted to the locker room that he was told what happened. After play resumed,
Gerela missed the extra point attempt, but the Steelers now had a 21–10 lead with 3:02 left in the game, and the Cowboys needed two
touchdowns to come back. Staubach then led his team 80 yards in 5 plays on the ensuing drive, scoring on a 34-yard touchdown pass
to wide receiver Percy Howard and cutting their deficit to 21–17 (Howard's touchdown reception was the only catch of his NFL
career). After Gerry Mullins recovered Dallas' onside kick attempt, the Steelers then tried to run out the clock on the next drive with
four straight running plays, but the Cowboys defense stopped them on fourth down at their 39-yard line, giving Dallas one more
chance to win. Some questioned why Noll would elect to go for it on fourth down but, as later explained by NFL films, his entire
kicking game had been suspect all game long with Gerela missing an extra point and two field goals while Walden fumbled a snap on
a punt and nearly had two others blocked. (Gerela's problems may have begun on the opening kickoff when he was forced to make a
touchdown saving tackle on Hollywood Henderson.) With 1:22 left in the game, Staubach started out the drive with an 11-yard
scramble to midfield, and then followed it up with a 12-yard completion to Preston Pearson at the Steelers 38-yard line. On the next
play, Staubach fumbled the snap but managed to recover the ball and throw it out of bounds. On second down, he threw a pass
intended for Howard in the end zone, but the ball bounced off Howard's shoulder, and a Hail Mary replay was not to be. Then on third
down, Staubach once again tried to complete a pass to Howard in the end zone, but the ball was tipped by Wagner into the arms of
safety Glen Edwards for an interception as time expired, sealing Pittsburgh's victory. It was the first time in 10 Super Bowls that the
team scoring first lost. Bradshaw finished the game with 9 out of 19 pass completions for 209 yards and two touchdowns, with no
interceptions. He also added another 16 yards rushing the ball. Staubach completed 15 out of 24 passes for 204 yards and two
touchdowns with three interceptions. He also rushed for 22 yards on five carries, but was sacked seven times. Steelers running back
Franco Harris was the leading rusher of the game with 82 rushing yards, and also caught a pass for 26 yards. Newhouse was the
Cowboys top rusher with 56 yards, and caught two passes for 12 yards. Greenwood recorded a Super Bowl record four sacks but it has
gone unrecognized since the NFL didn't officially record sacks until 1982. Oakland Raiders This game marked the second Super
Bowl appearance for the Oakland Raiders, who lost Super Bowl II. Two years after their Super Bowl loss, the Raiders hired John
Madden as their head coach. Under Madden, the Raiders posted the best overall record for any NFL team in his 8 seasons, 83-22-7.
But Super Bowl XI was the first time Madden led his team to a league championship game. They had been eliminated in all 6 of their
previous playoff appearances, including 5 losses in the AFC Championship Game.
The Raiders offense was led by quarterback Ken Stabler, who finished as the top rated passer in the AFC, passing for 2,737 yards and
27 touchdowns. His 66.7 completion percentage (194 completions out of 291 attempts) was the second highest in the league. Stabler's
main passing weapon was wide receiver Cliff Branch, who caught 46 passes for 1,111 yards (24.2 yards per catch average) and 12
touchdowns. Fred Biletnikoff was also a reliable deep threat, with 43 receptions for 551 yards and 7 touchdowns. And tight end Dave
Casper recorded 53 receptions for 691 yards and 10 touchdowns. In addition to their great passing attack the Raiders also had a
powerful running game, led by fullback Mark van Eeghen (1,012 rushing yards, 17 receptions) and halfback Clarence Davis (516
rushing yards, 27 receptions). Another reason for the Raiders' success on offense was their offensive line, led by left tackle Art Shell
and left guard Gene Upshaw, as well as perennial all pro center Dave Dalby. Injuries early in the season forced the Raiders to switch
from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense. The switch benefited the team, as they won their last 10 games and finished the regular season with the
best record in the league, 13-1. The Raiders defense was anchored by great linebackers, such as Phil Villapiano and Ted Hendricks,
while defensive end Otis Sistrunk anchored the defensive line. Their defensive secondary was extremely hard hitting and talented, led
by safeties Jack Tatum, George Atkinson, cornerback Skip Thomas and cornerback Willie Brown. Many accused the Raiders defense
of being overly aggressive, especially Atkinson, who inflicted a severe concussion on Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Lynn Swann
in the previous season's AFC Championship Game. Atkinson added to that reputation as the Raiders advanced through the playoffs to
Super Bowl XI. In the Raiders' 24–21 playoff win over the New England Patriots, Atkinson broke the nose of Patriots tight end Russ
Francis. Then Atkinson inflicted another concussion to Swann in the Raiders' 24–7 AFC Championship victory over the Steelers. In
reaction, Pittsburgh head coach Chuck Noll complained of a "criminal element" in Atkinson's play. Atkinson himself denied
deliberately trying to injure anyone and pointed out that at 6'0 and 185 pounds, he was one of the smallest players on the field. The
Raiders and their fans were often known to counter these accusations against Atkinson and Jack Tatum by pointing out the physical
way that Pittsburgh cornerback Mel Blount covered Oakland's speedy split end Cliff Branch. Minnesota Vikings The Vikings,
coached by Bud Grant, won the NFC Central for the eighth time in the last nine seasons with an 11–2–1 record, and advanced to their
fourth Super Bowl in eight years. They were the only team who had lost three Super Bowls (they had previously lost Super Bowls IV,
VIII and IX), and did not want to be the first one to lose four. Once again, the Vikings had a powerful offense led by 37-year old
quarterback Fran Tarkenton and running back Chuck Foreman. Playing in his 16th NFL season, Tarkenton was already the league's all
time leader in pass completions (3,186), passing yards (41,802), and touchdown completions (308). He had another fine season in
1976, completing 61.9 percent of his passes for 2,961 yards, 17 touchdowns, and only 8 interceptions. Foreman had the best season of
his career, rushing for 1,155 yards and 13 touchdowns, while also catching 55 passes for 567 yards and another touchdown. Fullback
Brent McClanahan also contributed 634 combined rushing and receiving yards. The Vikings also added 2 new weapons to their
offense: veteran wide receiver Ahmad Rashad and rookie wide receiver Sammy White combined for 104 receptions, 1,577 receiving
yards, and 13 touchdowns. And once again, tackle Ron Yary anchored the offensive line. The Vikings' "Purple People Eaters" defense,
anchored by Carl Eller and Alan Page, were also dominating teams again. During this regular season, they led the NFC in fewest
points allowed (176). Also, defensive back Nate Wright led the team with 7 interceptions for 47 yards, while safety Paul Krause had 2
interceptions for 21 yards. By starting this Super Bowl Tarkenton became the second quarterback to start three Super Bowls,
following his Super Bowl VIII counterpart Bob Griese. Playoffs The Vikings went on to dominate the Washington Redskins, 35–20,
and defeat the Los Angeles Rams, 24–13, in the playoffs. 10 of the Vikings' points in the NFC Championship Game came from
blocked kicks. The Raiders defeated the New England Patriots, 24–21, with the aid of a penalty call against the Patriots. New
England's Ray Hamilton was tagged for roughing the passer in the fourth quarter; a call which extended Oakland's drive. Oakland
went on to defeat the previous season's Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers, which was missing starting running back tandem of
Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier, 24–7. This was the first Super Bowl game to match both conference's #1 seeds, and was the last
Super Bowl (and first one held in the Rose Bowl) to finish under daylight. It was the last Super Bowl where both team's placekickers
(Minnesota's Fred Cox and Oakland's Errol Mann) used the straight-on style. Scheduled on the 9th day of January, the game marks the
earliest Super Bowl played during the calendar year. The regular season started one week earlier than usual in order to avoid having
playoff games on Christmas Day, which fell on a Saturday in 1976. By moving the season up, the divisional playoffs were held
December 18-19, and the conference championship games Sunday, December 26. Television and entertainment The game was
televised in the United States by NBC with play-by-play announcer Curt Gowdy and color commentator Don Meredith. This was
Meredith's last broadcast with NBC, as he returned to ABC to rejoin the Monday Night Football crew for the 1977 season, where he
had been a commentator from 1970–73. Bryant Gumbel and Lee Leonard with analyst John Brodie anchored NBC's pregame, halftime
and postgame coverage. Pregame festivities The pregame festivities featured the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) AllCity Band and frisbee dog Ashley Whippet. Later, singer Vikki Carr sang "America the Beautiful". There was no national anthem
played before coin toss. This was the first time that "America the Beautiful" was played at a Super Bowl. Halftime show The halftime
show was produced by Disney and was based on It's a Small World, an attraction at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom. The show
featured the cast members of the New Mickey Mouse Club. It was the first Super Bowl halftime show to include crowd participation
as people in the stadium waved colored placards on cue. The LAUSD All-City Band also played during the show. Game summary The
Raiders took the opening kickoff and advanced all the way to the Vikings 12-yard line, but came up empty after kicker Errol Mann hit
the left upright on his 29-yard field goal attempt. Later in the period, the Vikings had a great opportunity to score when linebacker
Fred McNeill blocked a punt from punter Ray Guy and recovered it on the Raiders 3-yard line. The Vikings special teams unit was
known for blocking kicks, but this was the first time it had happened to Ray Guy. (Guy would have only three of his punts blocked in
his 14-year NFL career.) However, Vikings running back Brent McClanahan fumbled the ball while being tackled by Raiders
linebacker Phil Villapiano and linebacker Willie Hall recovered the ball for Oakland. The Raiders then marched 90 yards to the
Vikings 7-yard line (the key play being a 35-yard run by Clarence Davis), but had to settle for a field goal from Mann, giving them a
3–0 lead 48 seconds into the second quarter. The next time the Raiders got the ball, they did even better, driving 64 yards in 10 plays
and scoring on a 1-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ken Stabler to tight end Dave Casper, increasing their lead to 10–0. Then,
Oakland got the ball back in excellent field position after returner Neal Colzie returned Minnesota's punt 25 yards to the Vikings 35yard line. After 3 running plays, Stabler completed a 17-yard pass to Fred Biletnikoff at the 1-yard line, and running back Pete
Banaszak scored a touchdown on the next play, increasing Oakland's lead to 16–0 after Mann missed the extra point attempt. The
score at halftime marked the fourth time in as many Super Bowls that the Vikings failed to score in the first half. The second half
began with 3 consecutive punts, but then Colzie returned the Viking's second punt of the period 12 yards to the Oakland 46-yard line.
From there, the Raiders advanced to the Vikings 23-yard line, aided by an 18-yard run by Davis and a 10-yard reception by wide
receiver Cliff Branch, to set up Mann's 40-yard field goal to increase the their lead, 19–0. Quarterback Fran Tarkenton then threw 3
consecutive incomplete passes on their ensuing drive, forcing the Vikings to punt again. However, Oakland linebacker Ted Hendricks
was penalized for running into the punter on the play, giving Minnesota a first down. Taking advantage of their second chance, the
Vikings ended up with a 12-play, 68-yard drive and scored on an 8-yard pass from Tarkenton to receiver Sammy White to cut their
deficit to 19–7. The Raiders were forced to punt on their next drive after they were unable to recover from Alan Page's 11-yard sack
on first down. Then aided by Tarkenton's completions to White for gains of 14 and 18 yards, respectively, the Vikings advanced to the
Oakland 37-yard line. But on third down and 3 to go, Hall intercepted a pass from Tarkenton and returned it 16 yards to the 46-yard
line. Three plays later, Biletnikoff's 48-yard reception moved the ball to the Vikings 2-yard line, setting up Banaszak's second rushing
touchdown to increase Oakland's lead to 26–7. White returned the ensuing kickoff 19 yards to the Minnesota 32-yard line, and four
plays later, Tarkenton completed a 25-yard pass to receiver Ahmad Rashad to reach the Oakland 28-yard line. But on the next play,
defensive back Willie Brown intercepted a pass intended for White and returned it 75 yards for a touchdown. Although Mann missed
the extra point attempt, the Raiders put the game out of reach, 32–7. After both teams turned the ball over on downs, Minnesota drove
86 yards in 9 plays to score on a 14-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Bob Lee to tight end Stu Voigt. The touchdown
cut Minnesota's deficit to 32–14, but by then there was only :25 left in the game. Stabler finished the game with 12 out of 19 pass
completions for 180 yards and a touchdown. Davis, who was the top rusher in the game, gained 137 yards on just 16 rush attempts, an
average of 8.5 yards per carry. Casper finished the game with 4 catches for 70 yards and a touchdown. Colzie returned 4 punts for a
Super Bowl record 43 yards. Running back Chuck Foreman had a solid performance for Minnesota, contributing 44 rushing yards and
62 receiving yards. Tarkenton had 17 out of 35 pass completions for 205 yards, a touchdown, and 2 interceptions. White recorded 163
total yards, catching 5 passes for 77 yards and a touchdown, rushing once for 7 yards, and returned 4 kickoffs for 79 yards.
January 15, 1978 Dallas Cowboys(NFC) vs. Denver Broncos(AFC) 27-10 DAL 10 3 7 7 27 DEN 0 0 10 0 10 Stadium Louisiana
Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana MVP Randy White, Defensive tackle; and Harvey Martin, Defensive end Favorite Cowboys by 6
National anthem Phyllis Kelly of Northeast Louisiana State University Halftime show "From Paris to the Paris of America" with the
Tyler Junior College Apache Belles, Pete Fountain, and Al Hirt Future Hall of Famers Broncos: none. Cowboys: Tom Landry (coach),
Tony Dorsett, Mel Renfro, Roger Staubach, Randy White, Rayfield Wright. Super Bowl XII was an American football game played
on January 15, 1978 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion
following the 1977 regular season. It was the first Super Bowl played inside a domed stadium.The National Football Conference (NFC)
champion Dallas Cowboys (15-2) defeated the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos (14-3), 27–10. The
Cowboys defensive team dominated most of the game, forcing 8 turnovers and allowing only 8 pass completions by the Broncos for
just 61 yards.For the first and only time, two players won Super Bowl MVP honors: defensive tackle Randy White and defensive end
Harvey Martin. For White, the honor was won on his 25th birthday. This was also the first time that a defensive lineman was named as
the Super Bowl MVP. Staubach v. Morton The main storyline surrounding Super Bowl XII was Cowboys quarterback Roger
Staubach versus Broncos quarterback Craig Morton. Morton began his career playing for Dallas in 1965. After Staubach joined the
Cowboys in 1969 after spending 4 years of service in the United States Navy, however, both quarterbacks competed for the starting
job. During the 1970 season, both Morton and Staubach started for about half of the regular season games. Morton was ultimately
selected to lead the team through the playoffs and eventually to their Super Bowl V loss to the Baltimore Colts, 16-13. He is the first
quarterback to start a Super Bowl game for two different franchises (Kurt Warner being the second with St. Louis Rams and Arizona
Cardinals). The next year, Staubach won the starting job and eventually led Dallas to defeat the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI,
24-3. Staubach was also named Super Bowl MVP during that game, essentially assuring him the starting spot in the future. Morton
was relegated to backup status until he left the team in 1974 to join the New York Giants. Morton and the Broncos Orange Crush
Defense After spending three years with the Giants, Morton became the starting quarterback for the Broncos and helped Denver to a
12-2 regular season record. He did not tally a large amount of passing yards (1,929) during the regular season, but he threw 14
touchdown passes and only 8 interceptions, while also rushing for 125 yards and 4 touchdowns, earning him the NFL Comeback
Player of the Year Award. Denver tight end Riley Odoms was his main target, with 37 receptions for 429 yards. Wide receiver Haven
Moses was also a major deep threat, catching 27 passes for 539 yards, an average of 20 yards per catch. However, the Broncos main
offensive strength was their rushing game. Denver had 3 running backs, Otis Armstrong, Lonnie Perrin, and Rob Lytle, who carried
the ball equally, combining for 1,353 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. On special teams, multi-talented wide receiver Rick Upchurch
led the NFL with 653 punt return yards, while also catching 12 passes for 245 yards and recording 456 yards returning kickoffs. The
backbone of the Broncos was their defense, a unit known as the "Orange Crush," which used a 3-4 formation anchored by four superb
linebackers, including Randy Gradishar (3 interceptions, 4 fumble recoveries) and Tom Jackson (4 interceptions, 93 return yards, 1
touchdown). Defensive End Lyle Alzado anchored the line, while their secondary was led by defensive backs Billy Thompson (who
recorded 5 interceptions) and Louis Wright (who had 3 interceptions). Staubach and the Cowboys' "Doomsday Defense" With
Staubach and his team's "Doomsday Defense", the Cowboys won the NFC East with a 12-2 regular season record. Staubach threw for
2,620 yards and 18 touchdowns with only 8 interceptions, while also gaining 171 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground.
Wide receiver Drew Pearson was the leading receiver on the team with 48 receptions for 870 yards, while Pro Bowl tight end Billy Joe
Dupree recorded 28 receptions for 347 yards and provided blocking support on running plays. The Cowboys also had a new weapon
on offense: rookie running back Tony Dorsett. Despite not becoming a full-time starter until the tenth game of the regular season,
Dorsett led the team in rushing with 1,007 yards, scored 13 total touchdowns, and was the team's third leading receiver with 29
receptions for another 273 yards. Veteran fullback Robert Newhouse provided Dorsett with blocking, and was the team's second
leading rusher with 721 yards, while also catching 16 passes for another 106 yards. Running back Preston Pearson contributed 341
yards rushing, caught 46 passes for 535 yards, and scored 5 touchdowns. The Cowboys' offensive line was led by All-Pro tackle
Rayfield Wright. Meanwhile, the Cowboys' "Doomsday Defense" remained in the superb form that helped lead the Cowboys' Super
Bowl X appearance. Their defensive line consisted of Harvey Martin (who recorded 20 sacks), Jethro Pugh, Ed "Too Tall" Jones and
Randy White. Behind them, the Cowboys had a trio of linebackers, Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson (3 interceptions), D.D. Lewis,
and Bob Breunig, who provided pass coverage and run stoppage. Dallas also had a secondary led by future hall of famer Mel Renfro
and safeties Cliff Harris and Charlie Waters. Playoffs The Cowboys earned their second trip to the Super Bowl in three years by
defeating the Chicago Bears, 37-7, and the Minnesota Vikings, 23-6, in the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Broncos earned their first ever
trip to the Super Bowl in team history by defeating the two previous league champions: the Pittsburgh Steelers, 34-21, and the
Oakland Raiders, 20-17, in the playoffs. This was the final Super Bowl in the 14-game schedule era. The following season, the NFL
went to a 16-game schedule, where it has remained since. Super Bowl pregame news and notes Super Bowl XII provided an
opportunity for Morton to not only beat his former team, but also to redeem himself for his Super Bowl V loss and the loss of his
starting job to Staubach. For Staubach, he had a chance to win his second Super Bowl and defeat his old rival, showing that he truly
was the better quarterback of the two. Tony Dorsett became the first football player in history to win an NCAA National
Championship one year (with the University of Pittsburgh Panthers) and a Super Bowl the next. Dorsett won both championships in
the same building; Pitt clinched the 1976 national championship by defeating the Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl on January 1,
1977. Dallas was the only NFC team to win the Super Bowl in the 1970s (although both Baltimore and Pittsburgh were pre-merger
NFL teams). Both Cowboy victories in the decade came in New Orleans against teams making their first Super Bowl appearance. This
was the first Super Bowl between two teams who had met in regular season play. The Cowboys defeated the Broncos 14-6 on the final
Sunday of the regular season at Texas Stadium. Both teams did not play most of their starters in that contest, since both squads had
already clinched their respective division championships and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Denver was 12-1 and
Dallas 11-2 prior to the Dec. 18 matchup. It was the first of only two times that two teams have played each other in the Super Bowl
after playing on the final weekend of the regular season (the New York Giants and New England Patriots played in the final week of
the 2007 regular season and met again in Super Bowl XLII).Under NFL scheduling rules put in place by NFL Commissioner Roger
Goodell prior to the 2010 season, the Super Bowl participants will not be able to play each other on the final weekend of the regular
season, since all games on the final weekend now match division opponents. Television and entertainment The game, the first Super
Bowl to be played in prime time, was broadcast in the United States by CBS with play-by-play announcer Pat Summerall and color
commentator Tom Brookshier. The game kicked off just after 5 p.m. Central Standard Time, the latest kickoff in Super Bowl history
up to that point. The standard starting time for Super Bowls since Super Bowl XXV has been just after 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
(5 p.m. CST, 4 p.m. Mountain Standard Time, 3 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.) The pregame festivities featured the Southern
University Band along with the cheerleaders of both teams. Later, Phyllis Kelly of Northeast Louisiana State University sang the
national anthem. For the first time in a Super Bowl, someone other than the game's referee tossed the coin. Pro Football Hall of Fame
running back Red Grange participated in the coin toss ceremony. This was the first Super Bowl to display arrows every 10 yards on
the field of play to indicate the direction of the nearest goal line. The halftime show was "From Paris to Paris of America" featuring
performances by the Apache Belles Drill team from Tyler Junior College, clarinetist Pete Fountain, and trumpeter Al Hirt. Game
summary Super Bowl XII did not start out well for the Cowboys, as they nearly turned over the ball three times on their first two
possessions. On Dallas' first play from scrimmage, receiver Butch Johnson fumbled the handoff on a double reverse, but recovered the
ball. Dallas was then forced to punt, and the Broncos advanced to the Cowboys' 33-yard line before quarterback Craig Morton was
sacked for an 11-yard loss on third down. On the ensuing punt, Cowboys punt returner Tony Hill fumbled the ball at the 1-yard line,
but managed to fall on the ball before any Denver players recovered it. A few plays later, Dallas running back Tony Dorsett fumbled
on his own 19-yard line, but center John Fitzgerald quickly recovered the ball. On the Broncos' second drive of the game, Cowboys
linemen Randy White and Harvey Martin forced Morton to hurry his throw, and defensive back Randy Hughes intercepted the rushed
pass at the Broncos 25-yard line. 5 plays after the turnover, Dorsett scored on a 3-yard touchdown run. On the Broncos' next
possession, Morton was intercepted again when his pass was tipped by linebacker Bob Breunig into the arms of defesive back Aaron
Kyle, who then returned the ball 19 yards to Denver's 35-yard line. Dallas then drove to the 8-yard line, but Cowboys quarterback
Roger Staubach was sacked by Lyle Alzado for a 10-yard loss on third down, forcing them to settle for a 35-yard Efren Herrera field
goal to increase their lead to 10-0. In the second quarter, Dallas advanced to Denver's 19-yard line, and once again barely avoided a
turnover. On third down, Staubach's pass was intercepted in the end zone, but officials ruled that he had stepped out of bounds before
he threw the ball. On the next play, Herrera added a 43-yard field goal to increase the Dallas lead to 13-0. The rest of the quarter was
filled with sloppy play and turnovers by both teams. On the second play after receiving the ensuing kickoff, Morton was intercepted
again, this time by Dallas defensive back Benny Barnes at his own 40-yard line. The Cowboys then drove to the Denver 26-yard line,
but Herrera missed wide left from 43 yards out. The Broncos then committed another turnover when wide receiver Jack Dolbin
fumbled, and Hughes picked it up and returned it 19 yards to the Denver 27-yard line. However, the Cowboys once again failed to
score as Herrera missed a 32-yard field goal attempt. On the first play after the missed field goal, Hughes recovered Denver tight end
Riley Odoms's fumble at the Broncos 28-yard line. But on the next play, Dallas gave the ball right back to Denver after Broncos
linebacker Tom Jackson recovered tight end Billy Joe Dupree's fumble. 5 plays later, defensive back Mark Washington intercepted
another errant Morton pass and returned it 27 yards to Denver's 35-yard line with just 6 seconds left in the period, but Herrera missed
yet another field goal attempt, this time from 44 yards out as time expired in the first half. By halftime, the Broncos had committed 7
turnovers. Morton, who had thrown a total of only 8 interceptions throughout the entire 1977 season, had been picked off 4 times, in
addition to 3 fumbles lost. Yet Denver trailed by only 13 points as the second half began,and on the opening drive of the second half,
the Broncos moved the ball to the ball deep into Dallas territory. First, John Schultz returned the second half kickoff 25 yards to the
35-yard line, and then Otis Armstrong ripped off an 18-yard gain. Seven plays later, Jim Turner finished the drive with a 47-yard field
goal, cutting the score to 13-3. But later in the period, the Cowboys scored another touchdown on a 45-yard pass from Staubach to
receiver Butch Johnson, who made a fingertip catch as he fell into the end zone. The receiver dropped the ball when he hit the ground,
but the officials ruled he had caught the ball for a touchdown before it came out of his hands, and the Cowboys increased their lead to
20-3. Denver kick returner Rick Upchurch returned the ensuing kickoff a super bowl record 67 yards to the Cowboys 26-yard line. On
the next play, Morton nearly threw his fifth interception, and was then immediately replaced by quarterback Norris Weese. Two plays
later on fourth down, Jim Jenson's 16-yard run moved the ball to the 1-yard line, and then Rob Lytle scored on a 1-yard touchdown
run to cut the deficit to 20-10. Midway through the fourth quarter, Weese fumbled the ball while being sacked by Martin, and Kyle
recovered it on the Denver 29 yard line. On the next play, the Cowboys scored on a 29-yard halfback option play: Staubach pitched
the ball to fullback Robert Newhouse, who ran left as if it were a normal run play, but then Newhouse passed the ball to Cowboys
receiver Golden Richards for a touchdown. The score gave the Cowboys a 27-10 lead and put the game out of reach. Newhouse
became the first running back in Super Bowl history to complete a touchdown pass. Staubach finished the game with 17 out of 25 pass
completions for 183 yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions. Dorsett was the leading rusher of the game, with 66 rushing yards
and a touchdown. He also caught 2 passes for 11 receiving yards. In addition to his 29 yard touchdown pass, Newhouse also
contributed with 55 rushing yards. Dallas tight end Billy Joe Dupree was the leading receiver of the game with 4 receptions for 66
yards. Hughes had an interception and a Super Bowl record 2 fumble recoveries. Before being taken out of the game, Denver's starting
quarterback Craig Morton completed just 4 out of 15 passes for 39 yards and was intercepted 4 times. Upchurch recorded 125 total
offensive yards (94 on kickoff returns, 22 on punt returns, and 9 receiving yards). The Cowboy's superb defense played a critical role
in the game. White and Martin were named co-Most Valuable Players; this award is usually bestowed on an offensive player. The
voters actually wanted to name the entire 11-man starting defensive lineup as co-MVPs, and asked the NFL if this was acceptable. The
league said no, and so two players were picked for the award. The unheralded Hughes and Kyle of the Cowboy secondary each had
superb games to play an important role in the victory. The two men came up with five turnovers between them, leading directly to 17
of Dallas' points.
January 21, 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers(AFC) vs. Dallas Cowboys(NFC) 35-31 PIT 7 14 0 14 35 DAL 7 7 3 14 31 Stadium Miami
Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida MVP Terry Bradshaw, Quarterback Favorite Steelers by 3½ National anthem The Colgate Thirteen
Halftime show Bob Jani presents "Carnival Salute to Caribbean" Future Hall of Famers Cowboys: Tom Landry (coach), Tony Dorsett,
Jackie Smith, Roger Staubach, Randy White, Rayfield Wright. Steelers: Chuck Noll (coach), Mel Blount, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Greene,
Jack Ham, Franco Harris, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, Lynn Swann, Mike Webster. Super Bowl XIII was an American football
game played on January 21, 1979 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion
following the 1978 regular season. This was the last of five Super Bowls to be played at the Orange Bowl.The American Football
Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers (17–2) defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys
(14–5), 35–31. It was the first Super Bowl rematch (the Steelers had previously beaten the Cowboys, 21–17, in Super Bowl X). The
game, which was not decided until the final minute, has long been considered one of the best Super Bowls.Steelers quarterback Terry
Bradshaw was named Super Bowl MVP. Despite throwing one interception and losing two fumbles, Bradshaw completed 17 out of 30
passes for 318 yards and 4 touchdowns. His 318 passing yards and 4 passing touchdowns broke Super Bowl records. Also, his 75-yard
touchdown pass in the second quarter tied Johnny Unitas in Super Bowl V for the longest pass in a Super Bowl. Bradshaw became the
first player since the 1970 AFL-NFL Merger to win both the Super Bowl MVP and the AP Most Valuable Player Award during the
same season. Meanwhile, the Cowboys could not overcome turnovers, drops, and a controversial penalty during the second half. The
Cowboys were the first defending champion to lose in the Super Bowl. They were also the first to lose two Super Bowls to the same
team (they lost 21–17 to the Steelers in Super Bowl X). The Cowboys were the first team, and to date the only team, to score 30 points
or more and still lose the Super Bowl. Background For the 1978–79 season, the NFL extended its schedule from 14 regular season
games to 16, and increased the playoffs from an 8-team tournament to 10, creating two extra playoff games. The three division
winners from each conference would be ranked first through third and be given a week off, and two wild card teams from each
conference, seeded fourth and fifth, would play a playoff game with the winner going on to play the first seeded team (or, if they were
in the same division, the second seed). Pittsburgh Steelers The Steelers joined the Cowboys in their attempt to be the first team to ever
win a third Super Bowl, after wins in Super Bowl IX and Super Bowl X. Pittsburgh quarterback Terry Bradshaw had the best season
of his career, completing 207 of 368 passes for 2,915 yards and 28 touchdowns, with 20 interceptions. He ranked as the second highest
rated passer in the league (84.8), his 28 touchdown passes led the league, and he won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award. Wide
receivers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth provided the team with a great deep threat. Swann recorded 61 receptions for 880 yards
and 11 touchdowns, while Stallworth had 41 receptions for 798 yards and 9 touchdowns. Tight end Randy Grossman, who replaced
injured starter Bennie Cunningham for most of the season, also was a big factor, recording 37 receptions for 448 yards and a
touchdown. In the Steelers' rushing game, running back Franco Harris was the team's leading rusher for the 7th consecutive season,
recording 1,082 yards and 8 touchdowns, while also catching 22 passes for another 144 yards. Fullback Rocky Bleier had 633 rushing
yards and 5 touchdowns, while also catching 17 passes for 168 yards. The Steelers' success on offense was due in large measure to
their stellar offensive line, anchored by future hall of fame center Mike Webster Although Pittsburgh's "Steel Curtain" defense had
some new starters this season, such as linemen John Banaszak and Steve Furness, and defensive back Tony Dungy, they finished No.
1 in fewest points allowed (195) second in the league against the run (allowing 107.8 yards per game) and ranked third in fewest total
yards allowed (4,529). Once again, defensive tackles Joe Greene and L. C. Greenwood anchored the line, while Pro Bowl linebackers
Jack Ham and Jack Lambert combined for 7 interceptions. Dungy lead the team with 6 interceptions, while the rest of the secondary,
defensive backs Mel Blount, Donnie Shell, and Ron Johnson, combined for 11. Dallas Cowboys The Cowboys became the first team
to appear in five Super Bowls (after playing in Super Bowls V, VI, X and XII). Dallas led the league in scoring (384) and was No. 2 in
total yards (5959). The defending Super Bowl champions were once again led by quarterback Roger Staubach. Staubach finished the
season as the top rated passer in the NFL (84.9) by throwing 231 out of 413 completions for 3,190 yards and 25 touchdowns, with 16
interceptions.) He also rushed for 182 yards and another touchdown. Wide receivers Drew Pearson and Tony Hill provided the deep
passing threats, combining for 90 receptions, 1,537 yards, and 7 touchdowns. Tight end Billy Joe Dupree contributed 34 receptions for
509 yards and 9 touchdowns. Running back Tony Dorsett had another fine season, recording a total of 1703 combined rushing and
receiving yards, and scoring a total of 9 touchdowns. Fullback Robert Newhouse and halfback Preston Pearson also contributed from
the offensive backfield, combining for 1,326 rushing and receiving yards, while Newhouse also scored 10 touchdowns. The Cowboys
also had a superb offensive line, led by Herbert Scott and 12-time Pro Bowler Rayfield Wright The Cowboys' "Doomsday Defense"
finished the season as the top ranked defense in the league against the run by only allowing 107.6 yards per game, 2nd overall (4009),
3rd in points allowed (208). Pro Bowl linemen Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Harvey Martin and Randy White anchored the line, leading the
league with 58 sacks, while linebackers Bob Breunig, D. D. Lewis and Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson provided solid support. Their
secondary, led by safeties Cliff Harris and Charlie Waters, along with cornerbacks Benny Barnes and Aaron Kyle, combined for 16
interceptions. The Cowboys started the regular season slowly, winning only six of their first ten games. But Dallas finished strong,
winning their last six regular season games to post a 12–4 record. Playoffs Dallas marched through the playoffs, defeating the Atlanta
Falcons, 27–20, and the Los Angeles Rams, 28–0. Meanwhile, the Steelers easily demolished the Denver Broncos, 33–10, and the
Houston Oilers, 34–5. Super Bowl pregame news and notes
Although the Super Bowl had grown into America's biggest one-day sporting event by this point, many believe the 13th edition began
the game's evolution to unofficial national holiday. It was the first Super Bowl with a true heavyweight title-fight feel, given the
Steelers' and Cowboys' unquestioned status as the two best teams in the NFL, and the honor of the first three-time Super Bowl
champion that would go to the winner. Super Bowl XIII can arguably be called the greatest collection of NFL talent ever to gather for
a game. In addition to Coaches Noll and Landry, 14 players would end up being voted into the Hall of Fame: Nine Pittsburgh players:
Bradshaw, Harris, Swann, Stallworth, Webster, Greene, Lambert, Ham, and Blount, and five from Dallas: Staubach, Dorsett, White,
Wright, and Jackie Smith, who the Cowboys lured out of retirement from the St. Louis Cardinals due to injuries to Cowboy tight ends,
most notably, Jay Saldi. Other Hall of Famers who participated in the game were from Dallas: GM/President Tex Schramm, and
defensive coordinator Ernie Stautner, who actually was a HOF defensive tackle for the Steelers. Additional Hall of Famers from
Pittsburgh included owner Art Rooney, Sr., and son Dan Rooney. This was the first Super Bowl in which the designated "home" team
was allowed to select between their team colored jersey or their white jersey, a rule similar to that of home games in the regular season
and playoffs. Previously, the designated "home" team was required to wear their team colored jersey. The Cowboys, who traditionally
wear their white jerseys in home games and often only wear their blue jerseys against teams that have similar policies for themselves
(most notably against the Washington Redskins and occasionally the Philadelphia Eagles), were forced to wear their blue jerseys as
the "home" team in Super Bowl V, which the team lost to the Baltimore Colts and is widely believed where the "blue jersey jinx"
started with America's Team. Not wanting a repeat of that being the designated "home" team in Super Bowl XIII, the Cowboys were
able to persuade the NFL to change the rule to allow the "home" team to choose so that they could wear their white jerseys. The
Cowboys would later repeat the option of wearing white jerseys as the "home" team in Super Bowl XXVII, while the Redskins would
do so in Super Bowl XVII and, ironically, the Steelers (who always wear their black jerseys in home games) in Super Bowl XL due to
the team's success on the road that season. Much of the pregame hype surrounded Super Bowl XIII centered around Cowboys
linebacker Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson. Henderson caused quite a stir before the NFC Championship Game by claiming that the
Rams had "no class" and the Cowboys would shut them out. His prediction turned out to be very accurate; the Cowboys did shut them
out, aided by Henderson's 68-yard interception return for a touchdown. In the days leading up the Super Bowl, Henderson began
talking about the Steelers in the same manner. He predicted another shutout and then made unflattering comments about several
Pittsburgh players. He put down the talent and the intelligence of Bradshaw, proclaiming "Bradshaw couldn't spell 'cat' if you spotted
him the 'c' and the 'a'." But the Steelers refused to get into a war of words with Henderson. Greene responded by saying the Steelers
didn't need to say they were the best, they would just go out on the field and "get the job done.'" The matchup of quarterbacks Terry
Bradshaw and Roger Staubach is still the only one in Super Bowl history to feature two quarterbacks with two Super Bowl victories.
With this start, Staubach became the first quarterback to start four Super Bowls. Bradshaw joined Fran Tarkenton, Bob Griese as well
as Staubach as only three quarterbacks to start at least three Super Bowls. Television and entertainment The game was televised in the
United States by NBC, with Curt Gowdy handling play-by-play and color commentators Merlin Olsen and John Brodie. Dick Enberg
served as the pregame host for the broadcast. Also taking part in NBC's coverage were Bryant Gumbel and Mike Adamle. This was
Gowdy's seventh and final Super Bowl telecast, and his last major event for NBC before moving to CBS later in 1979. Enberg had
essentially succeeded Gowdy as NBC's lead NFL play-by-play announcer in the 1978 regular season, and network producers didn't
decide until nearly the last minute which man would get the Super Bowl call. NBC preceded the game with the first network broadcast
of Black Sunday, a 1977 motion picture that depicts a terrorist attack on a fictitious Super Bowl game in the Orange Bowl between
Pittsburgh and Dallas (and which utilized footage shot during Super Bowl X). The pregame festivities featured the Dallas Cowboys
Cheerleaders and several military bands. The Colgate Thirteen performed the national anthem, while the Stetson University Army
ROTC Color Guard presented the Colors. The coin toss ceremony featured Pro Football Hall of Famer and longtime Chicago Bears
owner/head coach George Halas. The halftime show was a "Carnival Salute to Caribbean" with various Caribbean bands. Radio The
national radio broadcast of Super Bowl XIII was carried by the CBS Radio Network, with Jack Buck and Hank Stram calling the
action. Locally, Verne Lundquist and Brad Sham called the game for the Cowboys on KRLD-AM in Dallas, while Jack Fleming and
Myron Cope called it for the Steelers on WTAE-AM in Pittsburgh. A technical glitch led to Fleming and Cope's commentary going
out over NBC's television broadcast in place of the network's own audio during the coin toss ceremony. Game summary Both teams
entered the game with the best defenses in the league (the Cowboys only allowed 107.6 rushing yards per game while the Steelers
only allowed 107.8), and each side took advantage of the other team's mistakes throughout the game. But Dallas could not overcome
their miscues in the second half. On their opening drive, the Cowboys advanced to the Pittsburgh 38-yard line, with running back
Tony Dorsett gaining 38 yards off 3 running plays. But they lost the ball on a fumbled handoff while attempting to fool the Steelers
defense with a reverse-pass play. Receiver Drew Pearson later explained "We practiced that play for three weeks. It is designed for me
to hit Billy Joe 15 to 17 yards downfield. We practiced the play so much it was unbelievable we could fumble it. I expected the
handoff a bit lower, but I should have had it. Billy Joe was in the process of breaking into the clear when the fumble occurred." The
play was similar to the near-turnover by Butch Johnson in the previous game. After defensive lineman John Banaszak recovered the
loose ball on the Pittsburgh 47-yard line, the Steelers attempted 2 running plays with running back Franco Harris carrying the ball, but
only gained 1 yard. Then on third down, wide receiver John Stallworth caught a 12-yard pass to the Cowboys' 40-yard line. Then after
throwing an incomplete pass, Terry Bradshaw completed 2 consecutive passes, the second one a 28-yard touchdown completion to
Stallworth to take a 7–0 lead. On their next drive, the Cowboys responded by advancing to the Steelers 39-yard line, but were pushed
back to their own 39-yard line after quarterback Roger Staubach was sacked twice, and they were forced to punt. Then on the Steelers'
ensuing drive, Bradshaw threw a 22-yard pass to Harris and followed it up with a 13-yard pass to receiver Lynn Swann to move the
ball to the Dallas 30-yard line. But on the next play, Dallas linebacker D. D. Lewis ended the drive by intercepting a pass intended for
Stallworth. With a little more than a minute to go in the period, Bradshaw fumbled the ball while being sacked by Cowboys lineman
Harvey Martin, and defensive end Ed "Too Tall" Jones recovered it. Staubach then capitalized on Bradshaw's mistake three plays later
with a 39-yard scoring strike to receiver Tony Hill, tying the game at 7 as the first quarter expired. Pittsburgh sent eight men on an allout blitz, but Staubach got the pass away just before he was hit by Steelers' safety Mike Wagner. Hill beat Donnie Shell in singlecoverage and scored the only first quarter touchdown surrendered by Pittsburgh all season(In Super Bowl X, the Cowboys also scored
a first quarter touchdown against a Steeler team that hadn't permitted one all year). The Steelers took possession at the start of the
second quarter and advanced to their own 48-yard line. On the next play, Dallas linebackers Mike Hegman and Thomas "Hollywood"
Henderson went after Bradshaw on a blitz. After taking the snap, Bradshaw collided with Franco Harris and the ball popped loose.
Bradshaw scooped it up and rolled to his right, looking to pass, but Henderson wrapped him up before he could throw, while Hegman
ripped the ball out of his hands and returned the fumble 37 yards for a touchdown, giving the Cowboys a 14–7 lead. The Cowboys
lead didn’t last long. On the third play of Pittsburgh's ensuing possession, Stallworth caught a pass from Bradshaw at the Steelers 35yard line. He then broke a tackle from defensive back Aaron Kyle and outraced every other defender to the end zone, turning a simple
10-yard pass into a 75-yard touchdown completion to tie the score, 14–14. Bradshaw later explained that Stallworth was not even the
primary receiver on the play: "I was going to Lynn Swann on the post," he said, "but the Cowboys covered Swann and left Stallworth
open. I laid the ball out there and it should have gone for about 15 yards, but Stallworth broke the tackle and went all the way."
Pittsburgh's "Steel Curtain" defense then dominated the Dallas offense on their ensuing drive. First, Banaszak tackled fullback Robert
Newhouse for 4-yard loss. Next, linebacker Jack Ham tackled Dorsett for a 3-yard loss on an attempted sweep. On third down,
defensive tackle Joe Greene sacked Staubach, forcing a fumble that bounced through the hands of Steelers' defensive lineman Steve
Furness. Cowboys lineman Tom Rafferty eventually recovered at the Dallas 13-yard line. Theo Bell then returned Danny White's
eunsuing 38-yard punt 3 yards to the Dallas 38-yard line. The Steelers began their ensuing drive with Bradshaw's 26-yard completion
to Swann. Jones tackled Harris for an 8-yard loss on the next play, but a subsequent holding penalty on Henderson gave Pittsburgh a
first down at the Dallas 25-yard line. However, after an incomplete pass and a 2-yard run by Harris, Hegman sacked Bradshaw for an
11-yard loss on third down, pushing the ball back to the 34-yard line. The Steelers then came up empty after kicker Roy Gerela's 51yard field goal attempt hit the crossbar. With less than two minutes remaining in the half, Dallas advanced to the Pittsburgh 32-yard
line, after starting from their own 34-yard line. But Pittsburgh defensive back Mel Blount intercepted a pass from Staubach and
returned it 13 yards to the 29, with a personal foul on Dallas tight end Billy Joe Dupree adding another 15 yards and giving the
Steelers the ball at their own 44-yard line (note: The interception happened on exactly the same play that Drew Pearson scored on in
the first quarter of Super Bowl X. Mike Wagner intercepted Staubach on exactly the same playcall in the 4th quarter of the same
game.). With time running out, Bradshaw completed 2 passes to Swann for gains of 29 and 21 yards, moving the ball to the 16-yard
line with 40 seconds left in the half. Then after throwing an incomplete pass, Harris ran the ball to the 7-yard line. Then with just 26
seconds left, Bradshaw completed a 7-yard touchdown pass to fullback Rocky Bleier, giving the Steelers a 21–14 lead at halftime. The
torrid scoring pace slowed during much of the third quarter, as both teams began to assert themselves on the defensive side of the ball.
But late in the quarter, a 12-yard punt return by Cowboys receiver Butch Johnson gave Dallas good field position on their 42-yard line.
The Cowboys subsequently drove down to the Steelers 10-yard line, mostly with Dorsett's rushing. Then on third down with less than
three minutes remaining in the period, Staubach spotted 38-year old reserve tight end Jackie Smith wide open in the end zone and
threw him the ball. The pass was a little low, but it was catchable. However, Smith dropped the pass and the Cowboys had to settle for
a field goal from kicker Rafael Septien, cutting their deficit to 21–17. Though Smith played 16 years in the league and is now
enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he is perhaps best known for his embarrassing blunder on the sport's biggest stage. Two
controversial penalties early in the fourth quarter paved the way for the Steelers to score 14 unanswered points. The Steelers advanced
to their own 44-yard line after a crucial 3rd down pass from Bradshaw to tight end Randy Grossman, a 13-yard pass to Swann, and a
5-yard run by Harris. Bradshaw then attempted a pass to Swann, but the receiver collided with Cowboys defensive back Benny Barnes
and fell to the ground as the ball rolled incomplete. However, official Fred Swearingen called Barnes for pass interference. Replays
showed that it could have been incidental contact, as Swann seemed to run into Barnes. The penalty gave Pittsburgh a first down at
Dallas' 23-yard line. Two plays later, the Steelers faced 3rd down and 4 from the Dallas 17. Henderson sacked Bradshaw for a 12-yard
loss, but the play was nullified by a delay of game penalty on Pittsburgh, bringing up 3rd down and 9 instead of a fourth down.
Replays clearly showed the whistle blew before the play's onset, plus most of the players pulled up and stopped playing after a whistle
sounded, but Henderson claimed, "I didn't hear a whistle until after I had knocked Bradshaw down. The same guy (Swearingen) made
that call too. Who is that guy?" " Franco Harris confronted Henderson for taunting Bradshaw after the whistle, and on the next play,
Bradshaw handed the ball off to Harris, who raced untouched, with help from the umpire impeding Cowboys' safety Charlie Waters'
attempt to tackle him, up the middle for a 22-yard touchdown run. The score increased Pittsburgh's lead to 28–17. On the ensuing
kickoff, video shows that Gerela slipped when trying to plant his foot, causing him to squib the ball, which bounced to Cowboy
lineman Randy White at the 24-yard line. White, who was playing the game with a cast on his broken left hand, fumbled the ball
before being hit by Tony Dungy and Pittsburgh linebacker Dennis Winston recovered the ball at the Dallas 18-yard line. On the next
play, Bradshaw threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Swann, increasing the Steelers' lead to 35–17 with less than 7 minutes left in the
game. Some of the Steelers were already celebrating victory on the sidelines, but the Cowboys refused to give up. On their next drive,
Dallas drove 89 yards in 8 plays, including an 18-yard scramble by Staubach on 3rd and 11 and a 29-yard run by Dorsett, to score on
Staubach's 7-yard touchdown pass to Dupree. Then after Dallas' Dennis Thurman recovered an onside kick at 2:19, Drew Pearson
caught 2 passes for gains of 22 and 25 yards (the second catch on 4th down and 18) as the Cowboys drove 52 yards in 9 plays to score
on Staubach's 4-yard touchdown pass to Butch Johnson. With the ensuing extra point, the score was cut to 35–31 with just 0:22 left in
the game. But the Cowboys' second onside kick attempt was unsuccessful. Bleier recovered the ball and the Steelers were able to run
out the clock to win the game. Swann was the leading receiver in the game with 7 receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown.
Stallworth recorded 115 yards and a touchdown off just 3 receptions. Stallworth and Swann became the first pair of teammates to each
have 100 yards receiving in a Super Bowl and first time two receivers did it in the same game. Dorsett was the top rusher of the game
with 96 rushing yards, and also caught 5 passes for 44 yards. Harris was Pittsburgh's leading rusher with 68 yards, and he caught a
pass for 22 yards. Staubach finished the game with exactly as many passing attempts (30) and completions (17) as Bradshaw, good for
228 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Butch Johnson caught 2 passes for 30 yards and a touchdown, returned 3
kickoffs for 63 yards, and gained 33 yards on 2 punt returns, giving him 126 total yards.
January 20, 1980 Pittsburgh Steelers(AFC) LOS Angeles Rams(NFC) 31-19 LA 7 6 6 0 19 PIT 3 7 7 14 31 Stadium Rose Bowl
Stadium, Pasadena, California MVP Terry Bradshaw, Quarterback Favorite Steelers by 10½ National anthem Cheryl Ladd Halftime
show Up with People presents "A Salute to the Big Band Era" Future Hall of Famers Rams: Jackie Slater, Jack Youngblood. Steelers:
Chuck Noll (coach), Mel Blount, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Greene, Jack Ham, Franco Harris, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, Lynn Swann,
Mike Webster. Super Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California
to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion following the 1979 regular season. Aided by two touchdowns in the fourth
quarter, the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers (15-4) defeated the National Football Conference
(NFC) champion Los Angeles Rams (11-8), 31–19, to win their fourth Super Bowl in team history. The Rams would not appear in the
Super Bowl again until after they moved to St. Louis in 1995. They would appear in Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000 and Super Bowl
XXXVI in 2002. This game was the first Super Bowl (and the only one until Super Bowl XLI) to feature two pre-expansion era (pre1960) teams. It was also the first time that a team with nine wins or fewer reached the Super Bowl, and the last such occurrence until
Super Bowl XLIII. The Rams were also the first "host" team to participate in the Super Bowl (although the game was not in their
home stadium, the Rams were the official hosts).Despite throwing three interceptions, Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw was
named the game's MVP by completing 14 of 21 passes for 309 yards and two touchdowns. Pittsburgh Steelers The Steelers won the
AFC Central with a 12–4 regular season record, and advanced to their second consecutive Super Bowl and their fourth appearance in
the last six seasons. Pittsburgh appeared to be even better than what they were in their three previous Super Bowl victories. They led
the league with 6,258 yards in total offense, an average of 391 yards per game and just 31 yards short of an NFL record. The team also
led the league in scoring with 412 points. Pittsburgh Quarterback Terry Bradshaw had another fine season as the leader of the Steelers
offense, throwing for 3,724 yards and 26 touchdowns during the regular season (but he did throw 25 interceptions). Wide receiver
John Stallworth was his top target with 70 receptions for 1,183 yards and 8 touchdowns, while wide receiver Lynn Swann caught 41
passes for 808 yards, an average of 19.7 yards per catch. Steelers starting tight end Bennie Cunningham, who missed most of the
previous season due to injuries, was also a big contributor with 36 receptions for 512 yards. Running back Franco Harris was the
Steelers leading rusher for the 8th consecutive season with 1,186 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also recorded his 7th consecutive
season with more than 1,000 yards, tying an NFL record set by Jim Brown. Harris also had his best year as a receiver out of the
backfield, catching a career high 36 passes for a career high 291 yards and another touchdown. Fullback Rocky Bleier also had
another superb season, providing Harris with excellent blocking while also contributing 711 combined rushing and receiving yards.
And Running back Sidney Thornton also emerged as a big threat with 816 total yards and averaging 5 yards per carry. Pittsburgh also
had a solid offensive line, led by center Mike Webster. The Steelers "Steel Curtain" defense finished the regular season as the top
rated defense in the AFC, limiting opponents to only 4,621 offensive yards. Up front, linemen Joe Greene and L. C. Greenwood
terrorized opposing quarterbacks and rushers. And linebackers Jack Lambert and Jack Ham excelled at run stopping and pass coverage,
combining for 8 interceptions. The Steelers also had a fine secondary, led by defensive backs Mel Blount, who recorded 3
interceptions, and Donnie Shell, who had 5. Los Angeles Rams Adversity hovered over the Rams long before the season began.
During the off-season, in a mysterious accident, owner Carroll Rosenbloom drowned, and a power struggle ensued between Carroll's
son, Steve Rosenbloom, and his second wife, Georgia Frontiere. Georgia eventually gained control of the team and fired her stepson.
Prior to Carroll Rosenbloom's death, the Rams had already announced their intentions to leave the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
and move to Anaheim Stadium in Orange County for the 1980 season. The Rams barely outscored their opponents in total points, 323
to 309, and finished the regular season with a 9-7 record, the worst ever by a team who advanced to the Super Bowl (that record was
later tied by the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII). The team was plagued with injuries during the regular season, including the
loss of their starting quarterback Pat Haden. His replacement, Vince Ferragamo, completed less than 50 percent of his passes and
threw twice as many interceptions (10) as touchdowns (5). But he still led the Rams to victory in 6 of their last 7 games. The Rams
gained 6,006 total yards of offense during the regular season, ranking second in the league. The team's main offensive weapon was
running back Wendell Tyler, who rushed for 1,109 yards, caught 32 passes for 308 yards, and scored 10 touchdowns. Tyler's rushing
yards came off just 218 rushing attempts, giving him a league leading 5.1 yards per carry average. Fullback Cullen Bryant provided
Tyler with excellent blocking while also gaining 846 total yards and scoring 5 touchdowns. Wide receiver Preston Dennard was the
team's main deep threat, catching 43 passes for 766 yards and 4 touchdowns. The offensive line, led by tackle Doug France, Jackie
Slater and guard Dennis Harrah, paved the Rams running attack to 4th in the NFC during the season despite injuries. They also gave
up only 29 sacks. But the Rams main strength was their defense which featured defensive end Jack Youngblood, who made the Pro
Bowl for the 7th year in a row and was playing with a broken leg, and lightning-quick Fred Dryer on the opposite end. Behind them,
the Rams had 2 outstanding linebackers: Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds, and Jim Youngblood (no relation to Jack), who had recorded 5
interceptions and returned 2 for touchdowns. The Rams also had a solid secondary, led by free safety Nolan Cromwell who also
grabbed 5 interceptions. Playoffs In the playoffs, the Rams avenged the previous year's NFC Championship Game shutout loss to the
Dallas Cowboys by beating them 21–19. Then they beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game, 9–0, scoring
only three field goals. Meanwhile, the Steelers went on to defeat the Miami Dolphins, 34–14, and the Houston Oilers, 27–13, in the
playoffs. During those two playoff games, the Pittsburgh defense limited running backs Larry Csonka and Earl Campbell, respectively,
to a combined total of only 35 rushing yards. Campbell was the league's rushing leader during the regular season with 1,697 yards, but
could only gain 15 yards against the Steelers in the AFC Championship Game. Super Bowl pregame news and notes Pittsburgh was
heavily favored to win Super Bowl XIV and become the first team to win 4 Super Bowls. Most people did not think that the Rams
even belonged on the same field with the Steelers. In fact, Sports Illustrated had called the NFC Championship Game a game for
losers, played by losers. One sports writer sarcastically suggested that Bradshaw throw left-handed and the Rams should be allowed to
play with 12 men on the field to make the Super Bowl more competitive. However, Pittsburgh themselves were not taking their
opponents lightly. In their previous meetings, the Rams held a 12–1–2 all-time record over the Steelers, including wins in 1971, 1975,
and 1978. Bradshaw became the second quarterback to start four Super Bowls, joining his counterpart from Super Bowls X and XIII
Roger Staubach. Television and entertainment CBS televised the game in the United States with play-by-play announcer Pat
Summerall and color commentator Tom Brookshier. One of the guest analysts for the network's studio pregame show was former
Oakland Raiders coach John Madden; he impressed CBS executives so much that he replaced Brookshier as lead game analyst in 1981.
The Los Angeles Unified School District All-City Band played during the pregame ceremonies. Later, actress and singer Cheryl Ladd
performed the national anthem. The coin toss ceremony featured longtime Steelers owner Art Rooney. The performance event group
Up with People performed during the halftime show titled "A Salute to the Big Band Era". The famous Coca-Cola commercial in
which "Mean" Joe Greene gives a boy his game jersey aired during CBS' telecast of the game. However, it is technically not viewed as
a Super Bowl ad since it actually debuted on October 1, 1979, not during the day of the game. The city of Pittsburgh celebrated its
third major pro championship in 13 months. The Steelers had also won the previous year's Super Bowl, and the city's Major League
Baseball team, the Pirates, had won the World Series three months before this Super Bowl game. Ten days after the Steelers' Super
Bowl victory, the city's National Hockey League team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, changed its uniform colors to match the black and
gold scheme of the Pirates and Steelers, as well as that of the Pittsburgh city flag. Game summary Despite being the underdogs, the
Rams managed to hang on to a 13–10 lead at halftime, and a 19–17 lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter. But the Steelers held
the Rams scoreless in the fourth quarter and scored two touchdowns for the win. Despite the game's uneven matchup and a final score,
this game is regarded by some as one of the most competitive games in Super Bowl history. Overall, the lead changed 7 times between
both teams, a Super Bowl record; the Rams took the lead 3 times while the Steelers took it 4 times. The Rams took the opening
kickoff but the Steel Curtain, however, managed to force a three-and-out. Then on the Steelers' 7th play of their first possession,
quarterback Terry Bradshaw completed a 32-yard pass to running back Franco Harris to reach the Los Angeles 26-yard line. But a
third down pass fell incomplete, forcing Pittsburgh to settle for a 41-yard field goal from rookie kicker Matt Bahr. Bahr's ensuing
kickoff was very short, giving the Rams great field position at their 41-yard line. On the first play of the drive, Los Angeles running
back Wendell Tyler caught a 6-yard pass from Vince Ferragamo. Then on the next play, Tyler took a handoff, ran left, broke some
tackles, and ran 39 yards to the Steelers 14-yard line before he was finally dragged down by Pittsburgh defensive back Donnie Shell,
the longest run against the Steelers all season. 6 plays later, fullback Cullen Bryant scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to give the
Rams a 7–3 lead. But the lead did not last long. Pittsburgh defensive back Larry Anderson returned the ensuing kickoff 45 yards to his
own 47-yard line, and then the Steelers marched 53 yards in 9 plays using every offensive weapon in their arsenal. First, Harris ran for
12 yards, fullback Rocky Bleier ran for 1, then tight end Bennie Cunningham caught a pass for 8. Bleier ran again for 2, followed by
Bradshaw's 18-yard completion to receiver Lynn Swann on the last play of the first quarter. The second period opened with
Bradshaw's 13-yard completion to Cunningham to reach the Los Angeles 5-yard line, and then Harris ran through the middle to the 4.
Wide receiver John Stallworth was then stopped at the 1-yard line, but then Harris ran to the right untouched and scored a touchdown
on the next play, giving the Steelers a 10-7 lead. But like the Rams' previous lead, the Steelers lead also turned out to be short-lived.
Aided by a 20-yard pass interference penalty against Shell, Los Angeles advanced 67 yards in 10 plays to score on 31-yard field goal
from kicker Frank Corral to tie the game. Anderson gave the Steelers great field position after returning the ensuing kickoff 38 yards
to the Pittsburgh 46-yard line, but the Steelers could not move the ball and had to punt. The Rams were also forced to punt on their
next possession after only gaining 6-yards. But on the first play of the Steelers' next drive, Los Angeles defensive back Dave
Elmendorf intercepted a pass from Bradshaw and returned it 10 yards to Pittsburgh's 39-yard line. On the first 2 plays after the
turnover, Ferragamo was sacked for a 10-yard loss and threw an incomplete pass. But he managed to overcome the situation with a
12-yard completion to Bryant on third down and a 10-yard completion to receiver Billy Waddy on 4th down and 8. Ferragamo's next
pass was complete to tight end Terry Nelson for a first down at the 13-yard line, but after throwing 2 incompletions, Pittsburgh
lineman John Banaszak sacked Ferragamo on third down. However, Corral kicked a 45-yard field goal to give the Rams a 13-10
halftime lead. Many observers were surprised that the heavily favored Steelers trailed at the end of the half. "How can you mess up
this way?" Steelers assistant coach Woody Widenhofer asked his team at halftime. "Didn't we go over these things a dozen times? You
guys are standing out there like statues." Anderson once again gave the Steelers great starting field position, returning the opening
kickoff of the second half 37 yards to the Pittsburgh 39-yard line. The Steelers lulled the Rams defense by running the ball on three
consecutive plays of the drive, and then Bradshaw burned them with a 47-yard touchdown completion to Swann, who made a leaping
catch at the Los Angeles' 2-yard line and tumbled into the end zone, to give Pittsburgh a 17-13 lead. But they didn't hold it. After
starting the ensuing drive with 2 running plays, Ferragamo completed a 50-yard pass to Waddy. Then on the next play, Ferragamo
handed the ball off to running back Lawrence McCutcheon who started to run to the right. The Steelers defense came up to tackle him
behind the line of scrimmage, only to watch him throw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Ron Smith. Corral missed the extra point attempt,
but the Rams had retaken the lead, 19-17. The Steelers had some success advancing into Rams territory on their next 2 possessions
only to see the Rams intercept the ball both times. First, Rams free safety Eddie Brown stopped the ensuing Steelers drive with an
interception, lateraling to Pat Thomas to gain an additional two yards. Then after a punt, Pittsburgh drove all the way to the Rams 16yard line, but Los Angeles defensive back Rod Perry intercepted a pass intended for Stallworth. Thus, the third quarter ended with the
Rams still in the lead, 19-17, seemingly in control of the game. Worse yet, Pittsburgh lost Lynn Swann to injury. With 12:59 left in the
game, Rams punter Ken Clark's 59-yard punt planted Pittsburgh back on their own 25-yard line. Then faced with 3rd down and 8,
Bradshaw took the snap, faked a handoff, and then threw a pass to Stallworth, who was running a streak pattern down the middle of
the field. Stallworth caught the ball barely beyond the outstretched hand of Rams defensive back Rod Perry and took it all the way to
the end zone for a 73-yard go-ahead touchdown to make the score 24-19 for the Steelers. The NFL Films highlight film notes that
safety Eddie Brown was supposed to help Rod Perry in covering Stallworth, but for some reason Brown ignored the Steeler receiver.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Rams tried a reverse on the kickoff which resulted in poor field position. After an exchange of punts, the
Rams mounted one final, spirited drive to regain the lead. Ferragamo smartly moved the Rams down the field, completing 3 or 4
passes around runs by Tyler. His 15-yard completion to Billy Waddy on 3rd and 13 moved the Rams to the Pittsburgh 32-yard line
with just under 6 minutes remaining. However, on the following play, Ferragamo made his first, and only mistake of the game.
Despite the fact that Waddy had broken free down the right side of the field, Ferragamo had zeroed in on Ron Smith down the middle
of the field, but he didn't notice Pittsburgh linebacker Jack Lambert playing behind Smith. As Ferragamo released the ball, Lambert
jumped in front of Smith and intercepted the pass with 5:24 remaining. When faced with a 3rd down and 7 on their ensuing drive,
Bradshaw once again made a crucial long pass completion to Stallworth, this time a 45-yard reception to the Rams 22-yard line gain
barely beyond the outstretched hand of Rod Perry. Two plays later, a questionable pass interference penalty on Los Angeles
cornerback Pat Thomas in the end zone gave the Steelers a first down at the 1-yard line. The Rams managed to keep Bleier and Harris
out of the end zone for 2 plays, but Harris then scored on a third down, 1-yard touchdown run to give the Steelers a 31-19 lead and put
the game away. The Rams responded by driving to Pittsburgh's 37-yard line, but ended up turning over the ball on downs with 39
seconds left in the game, and the Steelers ran out the clock for the win. This was the third time in Super Bowl history that a team
overcame a deficit entering the fourth quarter to win the game. The Baltimore Colts entered the final quarter down 13-6 against Dallas
in Super Bowl V and won the game 16-13. The Pittsburgh Steelers started the final period against Dallas in Super Bowl X down 10-7
and eventually won the game 21-17. The lead had changed hands seven times, a Super Bowl record to this day. Franco Harris, Lynn
Swann, and John Stallworth became the fourth, fifth and sixth players to score touchdowns in back-to-back Super Bowls, respectively.
Ferragamo finished the game with 15 out of 25 completions for 212 yards, with 1 interception. Tyler was the top rusher of the game
with 60 yards, and caught 2 passes for 20 yards. Waddy was the Rams leading receiver with 3 catches for 75 yards. Harris led the
Steelers in rushing with 44 yards and 2 touchdowns, while also catching 3 passes for 66 yards. Stallworth was the top receiver of the
game with 3 receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown, an average of 40.3 yards per catch. Swann had 5 catches for 79 yards and a
touchdown. Larry Anderson set a Super Bowl record with 162 yards from his 5 kickoff returns. Of note to the betting public was Los
Angeles' kicker Frank Corrall's missed extra point. The spread on the game was Steelers by 11 1⁄2; had Corrall made his final extra
point try, the Rams would have covered in a 31-20 loss. But instead, the Steelers covered.
January 25, 1981 Oakland Raiders(AFC) vs. Philadelphia Eagle(NFC) 27-10 OAK 14 0 10 3 27 PHI 0 3 0 7 10 Stadium Louisiana
Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana MVP Jim Plunkett, Quarterback Favorite Eagles by 3 National anthem Helen O'Connell
Halftime show Jim Skinner Productions presents "Mardi Gras Festival" Future Hall of Famers Eagles: none. Raiders: Art Shell, Gene
Upshaw Super Bowl XV was an American football game played on January 25, 1981 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans,
Louisiana to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion following the 1980 regular season. The American Football
Conference (AFC) Oakland Raiders (15–5) defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Philadelphia Eagles (14–5),
27–10, to become the first wild card playoff team to win a Super Bowl.The Raiders jumped out to a 14–0 lead in the first quarter,
which the Eagles never recovered from. Oakland quarterback Jim Plunkett was named the Super Bowl MVP, completing 13 of 21
passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 9 yards. Plunkett would be the second Heisman Trophy winner to
be named Super Bowl MVP after Roger Staubach in Super Bowl VI. Plunkett's revival with the Raiders Super Bowl XV was the
climax of Plunkett's revival as an NFL starting quarterback. The 1970 Heisman Trophy winner was drafted by the New England
Patriots and was later named the 1971 NFL Rookie of the Year. But Plunkett suffered through 5 losing seasons with the Patriots and 2
uneven seasons with the San Francisco 49ers before being released as a free agent before the 1978 season. Plunkett was signed by
Oakland to be their backup quarterback, and thus he did not see much playing time, throwing no passes in 1978 and just 15 passes in
1979. But after the Raiders started the 1980 season with a 2-3 record, starter Dan Pastorini broke his leg and suddenly Plunkett was
thrust into the starting role. The 33-year old Plunkett got off to a bad start, throwing 5 interceptions in a 31-17 loss to the Kansas City
Chiefs after relieving Pastorini. However, he recovered and led the Raiders to victory in 9 of their last 11 games in the season,
qualifying for the playoffs as a wild card team. Plunkett made 165 out of 320 pass completions for 2,299 yards, 18 touchdown passes,
and was intercepted 15 times. He also contributed 141 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground. The Raiders' main offensive
deep threat was wide receiver Cliff Branch (44 receptions, 858 yards, 7 touchdown), while wide receiver Bob Chandler contributed 49
receptions for 786 yards and 10 touchdowns. Running back Mark van Eeghen was the team's top rusher with 838 yards and 5
touchdowns, while also catching 29 passes for 259 yards. Halfback Kenny King rushed for 761 yards and catching 22 passes for 145
yards. The Raiders also had an outstanding offensive line led by 2 future Hall of Famers, tackle Art Shell and guard Gene Upshaw.
Upshaw became the first player to play in three Super Bowls with the same team in three different decades. He also played in Super
Bowls II (1967) and XI (1976). Oakland's defense, anchored by defensive end John Matuszak, was punishing. Defensive back Lester
Hayes led the league in interceptions (13) and interception return yards (273), and was the league's Defensive Player of the Year. The
Raiders also had a trio of great linebackers: future Hall of Famer Ted Hendricks, Pro Bowler Rod Martin (3 Interceptions) and
standout rookie Matt Millen. The Raiders were led by Head Coach Tom Flores, the first minority coach to win a Super Bowl.
Philadelphia Eagles Under Head Coach Dick Vermeil, Philadelphia advanced to their first ever Super Bowl in team history, and had
not played in a league championship game since their 1960 NFL championship. The Eagles were led by quarterback Ron Jaworski,
who completed 257 out of 451 passes for 3,529 yards during the regular season, including 27 touchdowns and only 12 interceptions.
Another key player on the Eagles offense was halfback Wilbert Montgomery, who was widely considered one of the top running
backs in the NFL and had rushed for over 1,200 rushing yards in the last 2 seasons. Injuries during the 1980 regular season had limited
him to just 778 yards, but he proved he was fully recovered in the postseason by rushing for 194 yards in the NFC title game.
Montgomery was also a superb receiver out of the backfield, recording 50 receptions for 407 yards. The other main deep threats on
offense, wide receivers Harold Carmichael and Charlie Smith, along with tight end Keith Krepfle, combined for 125 receptions, 2,090
yards, and 16 touchdowns. The Eagles defense led the league in the fewest points allowed during the regular season (222). Nose tackle
Charlie Johnson anchored the line, and even managed to record 3 interceptions. Defensive end Claude Humphrey led the team in sacks
with 14 and a half. Linebackers Jerry Robinson and Bill Bergey excelled at both stopping the run and pass coverage. Philadelphia also
had a fine secondary, led by veteran defensive backs Herman Edwards (3 interceptions) and Brenard Wilson (6 interceptions), along
with rookie Roynell Young (4 interception). The Eagles defense was a major factor in their hard fought 10-7 victory over the Raiders
in the regular season; they sacked Plunkett 8 times. Playoffs The Eagles advanced through the playoffs, defeating the Minnesota
Vikings, 31-16, and the Dallas Cowboys, 20–7. Meanwhile, Plunkett and the Raiders defeated the Houston Oilers, 27–7, the
Cleveland Browns 14–12 on a play known as Red Right 88, and the San Diego Chargers, 34–27. In doing so, Oakland became the
third wild card team to advance to the Super Bowl, and the first wild card team to win three postseason rounds since the NFL
expanded to a 10-team playoff format in 1978. Super Bowl pregame news and notes In the days before the game, most sports writers
were speculating over whether, if the Raiders won, NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle would present the Vince Lombardi Trophy to the
team's owner Al Davis. Prior to the season, the league declined to approve the Raiders' proposal to move from Oakland, California to
Los Angeles. In reaction, the team sued the NFL for violating antitrust laws. The conflict caused much friction between Rozelle and
Davis (The Raiders would eventually win the lawsuit, allowing the team to move to Los Angeles before the 1982 season). Oakland
became the first team to avenge a regular-season loss in the Super Bowl. The Eagles defeated the Raiders 10–7 on November 23 at
Veterans Stadium. This game marked the first Super Bowl where both teams used the 3-4 defensive formation as their base defense.
The Raiders were the first team to use the 3-4 in the Super Bowl in Super Bowl XI against the Minnesota Vikings, although the Miami
Dolphins used a version of the 3-4 ("53 defense") in Super Bowl VI, Super Bowl VII and Super Bowl VIII. The 3-4 would be used by
at least one team in every Super Bowl between Super Bowl XV and game XXVIII. Television and entertainment The game was
broadcast in the United States by NBC with Dick Enberg handling the play-by-play duties and color commentators Merlin Olsen, John
Brodie, and Len Dawson (who wasn't in the broadcast booth with Enberg and Olsen). Bryant Gumbel and Mike Adamle of NFL '80
anchored the pregame, halftime and postgame coverage. The pregame festivities honored the end of the Iran hostage crisis (which was
announced 5 days before the game), which featured a performance by the Southern University band. A large yellow bow 80-foot
(24 m) long and 30 feet (9.1 m) wide was attached to the outside of the Superdome, while miniature bows were given to fans. Singer,
actress, and dancer Helen O'Connell later sang the national anthem. The coin toss ceremony featured Marie Lombardi, the widow of
Pro Football Hall of Fame Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi. The halftime show, featuring singers and dancers, was a
"Mardi Gras Festival". Game summary Oakland linebacker Rod Martin intercepted Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski's first pass of the
game and returned it 17 yards to Philadelphia's 30-yard line, setting up Jim Plunkett's 2-yard touchdown pass to Cliff Branch 7 plays
later. After each team punted once, Jaworski threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Rodney Parker, but the score was
nulified by an illegal motion penalty on wide receiver Harold Carmichael and the Eagles ended up being forced to punt. The Raiders
later scored another touchdown with about a minute left in the period. On third down from the Oakland 20-yard line, Plunkett threw
the ball to running back Kenny King at the 39-yard line as he was scrambling around in the backfield to avoid being sacked. King
caught the pass as it carried just over the outstretched arms of defensive back Herman Edwards and took off to the end zone for a
Super Bowl record 80-yard touchdown reception. On their first possession of the second quarter, the Eagles reached the Raiders' 13yard line, but the drive stalled and they had to settle for kicker Tony Franklin's 30-yard field goal to cut score 14-3. Then with less
than 4 minutes left in the period, the Raiders reached the Eagles 27-yard line, only to have kicker Chris Bahr miss a 45-yard field goal.
The Eagles then drove 62 yards to Oakland's 11-yard line. With just 54 seconds left in the half, Franklin attempted a 28-yard field goal,
but Raiders linebacker Ted Hendricks extended his 6'7" frame at the line and blocked the kick. The Raiders then took the opening
kickoff of the second half and scored quickly. Plunkett completed a 13-yard pass to King and a 32-yard completion to receiver Bob
Chandler to move the ball to Philadelphia's 33-yard line. Then after a 4-yard run by running back Mark van Eeghen, Plunkett threw a
29-yard touchdown pass to Branch, increasing Oakland's lead to 21-3. The Eagles responded by driving 56 yards to the Raiders 34yard line, but on third down and 3, Jaworski threw his second interception of the game to Martin. Oakland subsequently drove 40
yards and scored with Bahr's 46-yard field goal, increasing their lead to 24–3. The Eagles finally managed to score a touchdown early
in the fourth quarter to cut their deficit to 24–10. Starting from their own 12-yard line, a 43-yard reception by receiver Charlie Smith
sparked an 88-yard, 12-play drive that was capped by Jaworski's 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Keith Krepfle. But on their
ensuing drive, Oakland marched from their own 11 to the Eagles 17-yard line. Philadelphia kept the Raiders out of the end zone, but
Bahr kicked his second field goal, increasing Oakland's lead to 27-10. Oakland's defense then dominated the rest the game, forcing
two turnovers on Philadelphia's last 2 possessions of the game to prevent any chance of a comeback. On the Eagles' next drive,
Jaworski lost a fumble. Later, Martin recorded a Super Bowl record third interception, and the Raiders ran out the clock to win the
game. Jaworski finished the game with more completions (18) and yards (291) than Plunkett, but completed just 18 of 38 attempts and
was intercepted 3 times. Van Eeghen was the top rusher of the game with 75 yards. King was the top receiver with 93 yards and a
touchdown off of just 2 receptions. Eagles running back Wilbert Montgomery led Philadelphia in rushing and receiving with 44
rushing yards and 6 receptions for 91 yards. After the game, the expected heated confrontation between Rozelle and Davis was
actually very civil. As Rozelle presented the Lombardi Trophy to Davis, he praised Plunkett, head coach Tom Flores, the players, and
the entire Raiders organization for being the first wild card team to win the Super Bowl. Davis thanked Rozelle, then proceeded to also
praise the team.
January 24, 1982 San Francisco 49ers(NFC) vs. Cincinnati Bengals(AFC) 26-21 SF 7 13 0 6 26 CIN 0 0 7 14 21 Stadium Pontiac
Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan MVP Joe Montana, Quarterback Favorite 49ers by 1 National anthem Diana Ross Halftime show Up
with People presents "Salute to the 1960s and Motown" Future Hall of Famers 49ers: Bill Walsh (coach), Fred Dean, Ronnie Lott, Joe
Montana. Bengals: Forrest Gregg‡ (coach), Anthony Munoz. Super Bowl XVI was an American football game played on January 24,
1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan (a suburb of Detroit) to decide the National Football League champion
following the 1981 regular season. It marked the first time that a Super Bowl was held at a cold-weather city. The domed stadium
saved the crowd at the game from the very cold and snowy weather, but the weather did affect traffic and other logistical issues related
to the game. Icy roads and a windchill well below zero caused the 49ers motorcade to be delayed out on the slippery roads before they
finally made it to the Silverdome, although no one was hurt and the team made it there with plenty of time before kickoff.The National
Football Conference NFC champion San Francisco 49ers (16-3) defeated the American Football Conference AFC champion
Cincinnati Bengals (14-5), 26-21. Although the Bengals gained 356 yards of total offense to the 49ers' 275, San Francisco forced 5
turnovers and jumped to a 20-0 lead by halftime. This marked the first time in Super Bowl history that the team which compiled the
most yards and touchdowns lost.49ers quarterback Joe Montana was named the Super Bowl MVP, completing 14 of 22 passes for 157
yards and one touchdown, while also rushing for 18 yards and a touchdown on the ground. San Francisco 49ers San Francisco finished
the regular season with a league-best 13-3 record. The 49ers' success surprised many because they finished with a 6-10 record during
the previous season, and a 2-14 record before that (they even still had home blackouts early on in the 1981 season, the last blackouts
for the 49ers to date). A major reason for the team's improvement was the emergence of their young quarterback Joe Montana. In just
his third season in the league, Montana completed 311 out of 488 passes (a 63.7 completion percentage) for 3,565 yards and 19
touchdowns. His favorite targets were receivers Dwight Clark (85 receptions, 1,104 yards, and 4 touchdowns) and Freddie Solomon
(59 receptions, 969 yards, and 8 touchdowns). Running back Ricky Patton was the top rusher on the team with 543 yards and 4
touchdowns, while also catching 27 passes for 195 yards. Multi-talented running back Earl Cooper also provided the team with a good
running and receiving threat, rushing for 330 yards and catching 51 passes for 477 yards. Much of San Francisco's success was aided
by their offensive line, which featured Dan Audick (LT), John Ayers (LG), Fred Quillan (C), Randy Cross (RG), and Keith Fahnhorst
(RT). Although the 49ers had 3 rookies starting as defensive backs, they all were major defensive threats: Carlton Williamson
recorded 4 interceptions, Eric Wright had 3, and Ronnie Lott recorded 7 interceptions and tied an NFL record by returning 3 of them
for touchdowns. Three-year veteran defensive back Dwight Hicks led the team with 9 interceptions, which he returned for 239 yards
and a touchdown, giving the secondary a total of 23. Defensive end Fred Dean and linebacker Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds were big
contributors up front, making it difficult for the opposing teams to rush the ball; Dean became a 49er after an in-season trade with the
San Diego Chargers and piled up 12 sacks for San Francisco. Cincinnati Bengals The Bengals finished with the best regular season
record in the AFC at 12-4. Cincinnati was also a surprise team because, like the 49ers, they also had recorded a 6-10 record during the
previous season. And prior to this year, they had never won a playoff game in their entire history. Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson
was the top rated passer in the league and won both the NFL Most Valuable Player Award and the NFL Comeback Player of the Year
Award. He completed 300 out of 479 (62.6 percent) of his passes for 3,754 yards and 29 touchdowns, with only 10 interceptions.
Anderson was also an outstanding scrambler, rushing for another 320 yards and another touchdown. The Bengals main deep threat
was rookie wide receiver Cris Collinsworth, who caught 67 passes for 1,009 yards and 8 touchdowns. Tight end Dan Ross had 71
receptions for 910 yards and 5 touchdowns, while wide receiver Isaac Curtis recorded 37 passes for 609 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Fullback Pete Johnson was the leading rusher on the team, with 1,077 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was also a good receiver out of
the backfield, catching 46 passes for another 320 yards and 4 touchdowns. A big reason for Cincinnati's production on offense was
their line, led by future Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz. On special teams, punter Pat McInally made the pro bowl with a 45.4 yards
per punt average. The Bengals also had a good defense that had not given up more than 30 points in any of their regular season or
playoff games. Their line was anchored by defensive ends Ross Browner and Eddie Edwards, who did a great job stopping the run.
Cincinnati's defense was also led by defensive backs Louis Breeden and Ken Riley, and Linebackers Bo Harris, Jim LeClair, and
Reggie Williams, who intercepted four passes and recovered three fumbles. Playoffs The Bengals went on to win their first ever
playoff game by defeating the Buffalo Bills, 28-21, and then defeated San Diego Chargers, 27-7, in a game known as the Freezer
Bowl because of the -59 windchill conditions at Riverfront Stadium. Meanwhile, the 49ers went on to defeat the New York Giants,
38-24, and then narrowly beat the Dallas Cowboys, 28-27, on a last minute touchdown pass known as The Catch. Super Bowl
pregame news The 49ers had handily beaten the Bengals in a December game played in Cincinnati and consequently were installed as
a 2-point favorite. That said, going into Super Bowl XVI most experts agreed that both teams were very evenly matched, but many
thought Pete Johnson's rushing ability could prove to be the difference. Some also pointed out that Ken Anderson was an established
11-year veteran who had just finished the best season of his career, while the young Montana was only just starting to emerge as a top
notch quarterback. Furthermore, Anderson had advanced through the playoffs without throwing a single interception, while Montana
had been intercepted 4 times, 3 of them occurring in the NFC title game. Cincinnati head coach Forrest Gregg became the second
person to play in a Super Bowl and then be a head coach in a Super Bowl. Gregg played in Super Bowl I and Super Bowl II as a
member of the Green Bay Packers. Tom Flores, who coached in Super Bowl XV, was the first. This was the first Super Bowl to
feature two first-time participants since Super Bowl III. (There has been only one since, Super Bowl XX between the Chicago Bears
and New England Patriots). This was also the only Super Bowl to date between two teams who had losing records the previous season,
although Super Bowl XXXIV matched a team that had a losing record in 1998 (St. Louis Rams) vs. a team that finished a mediocre 88 that year (Tennessee Titans). This is the only Super Bowl to have ever been played at the Pontiac Silverdome. This was also only the
second of 16 Super Bowls to not take place in one of the three so-called "Big Super Bowl Cities" (the other was Houston in 1974).
Fourteen of the previous 16 Super Bowls took place in either Miami, Florida, New Orleans, Louisiana or in the Greater Los Angeles
Area. The Super Bowl did return to Michigan for Super Bowl XL but that game was played at Ford Field in Detroit, which by 2006
had replaced the Pontiac Silverdome as the home site for the Detroit Lions. Television and entertainment The game was televised in
the United States by CBS and featured the broadcast team of play-by-play announcer Pat Summerall and color commentator John
Madden (the latter making his Super Bowl debut as a broadcaster). The broadcast also featured the introduction of the telestrator to a
national audience. This was also the first Super Bowl to be telecast in Canada, being simulcast on CTV. The game was one of the
most watched broadcasts in American television history, with more than 85 million viewers. The final national Nielsen rating was a
49.1 (a 73 share), which is still a Super Bowl record, and ranks second only to the final episode of M*A*S*H in 1983 among
television broadcasts in general. (Super Bowl XLV holds the record for total U.S. viewership, with an average audience of 111 million,
but only earned a rating of 47.9 and a 69 share). The pregame festivities featured the University of Michigan Band. Singer Diana Ross
performed the national anthem. The coin toss ceremony featured hall of fame quarterback Bobby Layne. Up with People provided the
halftime entertainment featuring a salute to the 1960s and Motown. This was the first Super Bowl to be played in the Midwest. Game
summary First Quarter The Bengals had the first opportunity to score early in the game. After returning the opening kickoff 17 yards,
San Francisco's Amos Lawrence was hit by Bengals linebacker Guy Frazier and fumbled at his own 26-yard line (the first time in a
Super Bowl that a turnover took place on the opening kick), where John Simmons recovered for Cincinnati. Quarterback Ken
Anderson then started the drive off with a completion to wide receiver Isaac Curtis for 8 yards, and followed it up with an 11-yard
pass to tight end Dan Ross. Fullback Pete Johnson's 2-yard run then moved to ball to the 5-yard line. However, Anderson threw an
incomplete pass on first down, then was sacked by defensive end Jim Stuckey on second down for a 6-yard loss. Facing third down,
Anderson tried to connect with Curtis in the end zone, but 49ers safety Dwight Hicks intercepted the ball at the 5-yard line and
returned it 27 yards to the 32. From there, quarterback Joe Montana led the 49ers offense to the Cincinnati 47-yard line with 3
consecutive completions. Then, the 49ers ran a fake reverse – flea flicker play that involved wide receiver Freddie Solomon and ended
with Montana completing a 14-yard pass to tight end Charle Young at the 33. Three running plays and Montana's 14-yard completion
to Solomon moved the ball to the 1-yard line. Finally, Montana scored from there on a 1-yard quarterback sneak, giving San Francisco
a 7-0 lead. Second Quarter The Bengals threatened to score early in the second quarter when they advanced across the San Francisco
30-yard line. But after catching a 19-yard pass from Anderson at the 5-yard line, wide receiver Cris Collinsworth lost a fumble while
being tackled by 49ers defensive back Eric Wright. After recovering the fumble, the 49ers drove for a Super Bowl record 92 yards,
scoring on an 10-yard pass from Montana to fullback Earl Cooper, increasing their lead to 14–0. The play Cooper scored on had not
been called by Bill Walsh for 2 years. Cooper's leaping, celebratory spike of the football after scoring became the photo Sports
Illustrated used for its post-game cover. With just over 4 minutes left in the half, Montana lead the 49ers on another scoring drive.
First, he completed a 17-yard pass to wide receiver Dwight Clark at the Cincinnati 49-yard line. Then, running back Ricky Patton ran
twice, advanced the ball to the 39-yard line. Montana's next two completions to Clark and Solomon moved the ball to the 5-yard line.
But then Montana threw 2 straight incompletions, forcing the 49ers to settle for kicker Ray Wersching's 22-yard field goal to increase
their lead to 17-0. With just 15 seconds left in the half, Ray Wersching's ensuing squib kick was muffed by Bengals running back
Archie Griffin, and the 49ers recovered the ball on the Bengals 4-yard line. According to the NFL's highlight film for the game, the
49ers had discovered Wersching's ability to effectively use the squib during their 1981 season opener when a leg injury kept him from
fully powering into the football. A false start penalty against San Francisco prevented them from attempting to score a touchdown, but
Wersching kicked a 26-yard field goal, increasing the 49ers' lead, 20–0, which was the largest halftime lead in Super Bowl history to
that date. Third Quarter After receiving the opening kickoff of the second half, the Bengals drove 83 yards in 9 plays, scoring on a 5yard touchdown run by Anderson to cut the deficit to 20–7. This seemed to fire up Cincinnati's defense, who limited the 49ers to only
8 plays and 4 offensive yards for the entire third quarter. Later in the quarter, Bengals defensive back Mike Fuller's 17-yard punt
return gave the Bengals the ball at midfield. 2 penalties and a 4-yard sack pushed them back to their own 37, but on third down,
Collinsworth's 49-yard reception from Anderson moved the ball the San Francisco 14-yard line. Johnson then later successfully
converted on a fourth down run, giving the Bengals a first down on the 3-yard line. On that play, the 49ers only had 10 players on the
field because LB Keena Turner, who was seriously ill with the chicken pox during Super Bowl week, missed a call to enter the game.
On first down, Johnson drove into the line and gained 2 yards down the 49ers 1-yard line. The Bengals then tried to run Johnson into
the line on second down, but lost a yard when a charging rush prevented the Bengals from establishing an up-the-middle blocking plan.
Cincinnati receiver David Verser also missed a blocking audible by Anderson. On third down, 49ers linebacker Dan Bunz made
probably the key defensive play of the game. Anderson faked to Johnson and threw a swing pass out to running back Charles
Alexander, who was isolated on Bunz. Bunz, however, corralled Alexander at the line of scrimmage on an open-field tackle and kept
him from reaching the end zone. Highlights showed that Alexander was supposed to have entered the end zone before making his cut
and his early turn prevented a touchdown pass. Rather than attempting a field goal on fourth down, the Bengals sent Johnson into the
middle of the line one last time. But San Francisco linebackers Dan Bunz, Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds and cornerback Ronnie Lott
tackled him for no gain, giving the ball back to the 49ers. Fourth Quarter The 49ers only gained 8 yards on their ensuing drive, and
Bengals got the ball back after receiving Jim Miller's 44 yard punt at their own 47-yard line. Taking advantage of their great starting
field position, the Bengals marched 53 yards in 7 plays and scored a touchdown on a 4-yard pass from Anderson to Ross. With the
score, the deficit was cut to 20-14 with 10:06 left in the fourth quarter. But the 49ers countered with a 50-yard, 9-play drive that took
4:41 off the clock, and included Montana's 22-yard pass to receiver Mike Wilson and 7 consecutive running plays. Wilson's reception
was a play Bill Walsh specifically designed for the Super Bowl that capitalized on the Bengals' doing a long-run coverage on Wilson
anytime he ran a pass route over 20 yards; Wilson simply ran 25 yards straight out and then cut back to receive Montana's precision
pass. Wersching ended the drive with a 40-yard field goal to give San Francisco a 23-14 lead with just 5 minutes left. On the Bengals
first play after receiving the ensuing kickoff, Wright intercepted a pass from Anderson. After returning the interception 25 yards,
Wright fumbled while being tackled by Bengals guard Max Montoya, but San Francisco linebacker Willie Harper recovered the ball at
the Bengals 22-yard line. The 49ers then ran the ball on 5 consecutive plays, taking 3 minutes off the clock, to advance to the
Cincinnati 6-yard line. Wersching then kicked his fourth field goal to increase the 49ers lead to 26–14 with less than 2 minutes left in
the game. Wersching's 4 field goals tied a Super Bowl record set by Green Bay Packers kicker Don Chandler in Super Bowl II.
Because of his 4 field goals and the close score, this is the only Super Bowl in which the losing team scored more touchdowns than the
winning team (Cincinnati 3, San Francisco 2). Anderson completed 6 consecutive passes on the Bengals ensuing drive, the last one a
3-yard touchdown pass to Ross, to make the score 26–21, but with less than 20 seconds left in the game. The Bengals tried an onside
kick, but Clark recovered the ball for the 49ers, allowing San Francisco to run out the clock to win the game. Notable performances
The game featured several great performances by players on both teams. Montana threw for 157 yards and a touchdown, while rushing
for another 18 yards and a touchdown. Wright had an interception and forced a fumble. Collinsworth caught 5 passes for 107 yards, an
average of 21.4 yards per catch. Cris Collinsworth and Dan Ross became the second pair teammates to each have 100 yards receiving
in a Super Bowl. Collinsworth had 107, while Ross had 104. John Stallworth and Lynn Swann were the first to do so in Super Bowl
XIII. Ross is the only tight end to have 100 yards receiving in a Super Bowl. Fuller gained 35 yards on 4 punt returns. Ross recorded a
Super Bowl record 11 receptions for 104 yards and 2 touchdowns (the most ever by a tight end in a Super Bowl) and he remains tied
for the most receptions in a Super Bowl with Jerry Rice (who tied Ross' record in the Super Bowl rematch), Deion Branch, and Wes
Welker. Anderson finished the game with 25 out of 34 pass completions for 300 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 2 interceptions. He
also gained 14 rushing yards and a touchdown on 6 carries. Anderson's 25 completions and his 73.5 completion percentage were both
Super Bowl records.
January 30, 1983 Washington Redskins(NFC) vs. Miami Dolphins(AFC) 27-17 MIA 7 10 0 0 17 WSH 0 10 3 14 27 Stadium Rose
Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, California MVP John Riggins, Running back Favorite Dolphins by 3 National anthem Leslie Easterbrook
Halftime show Bob Jani Productions presents "KaleidoSUPERscope" with the Los Angeles Super Drill Team Future Hall of Famers
Dolphins: Don Shula (coach), Dwight Stephenson. Redskins: Joe Gibbs (coach), Russ Grimm, Art Monk, John Riggins.Super Bowl
XVII was an American football game played on January 30, 1983 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National
Football League (NFL) champion following the 1982 regular season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Washington
Redskins (12-1) defeated the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Miami Dolphins (10-3), 27–17, as the Redskins scored
17 unanswered points in the second half and gained a Super Bowl record 276 yards on the ground, while holding the Dolphins to just
47 offensive plays for 176 total yards, 76 of which came on a single play.Washington Running back John Riggins was named Super
Bowl MVP. He finished the game with 2 Super Bowl records: the most rushing yards in a Super Bowl game (166), and the most
rushing attempts (38). His performance was also his fourth 100 yard rushing game in a row in a postseason game, a postseason record.
Riggins also recorded a reception for 15 yards, giving him more total yards than the entire Miami team.This game came at the end of a
season that was significantly shortened by a players' strike. The game was a rematch of Super Bowl VII, also played in the Los
Angeles area at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum ten years before, where the Dolphins completed their 17–0 perfect season at the
Redskins' expense by a score of 14–7. NFL players' strike A 57-day long players' strike reduced the 1982 regular season from a 16game schedule to 9. Because of the shortened season, the NFL adopted a special 16-team playoff tournament. Division standings were
ignored. Eight teams from each conference were seeded 1-8 based on their regular season records. The modified schedule forced the
league to extend the regular season into January for the first time. After the 57-day strike, the NFL extended the regular season one
weekend (pushing the end of the regular season back from December 26 to January 2), moving back the start of the playoffs and
eliminating the week off for the first time since Super Bowl IV. The strike-shortened season impacted 4 teams that made the playoffs
during the 1981 regular season. The San Francisco 49ers, winners of Super Bowl XVI, suffered a 3-6 record. The Buffalo Bills, the
New York Giants, and the Philadelphia Eagles did not qualify for the playoffs either. The Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions
qualified for the playoffs despite 4-5 records, the only sub-.500 teams to reach the NFL playoffs until the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks
reached the playoffs following the 2010 season. Washington Redskins Super Bowl XVII was the Redskins' first Super Bowl victory
(third NFL championship overall), and their second Super Bowl appearance, since they were defeated by the Dolphins, 14-7, in Super
Bowl VII. This was the second rematch in Super Bowl history, as the two teams met in Super Bowl VII. Washington finished the
strike-shortened regular season with an 8-1 record, the best in the NFC, and led the NFL in fewest points allowed (128). Redskins
quarterback Joe Theismann finished the season as the top rated passer in the NFC, completing 161 out of 252 (63 percent) of his
passes for 2,033 yards and 13 touchdowns, while also rushing for 150 yards. The main weapons in the passing game were wide
receivers Charlie Brown (32 receptions, 690 yards, and 8 touchdowns) and Art Monk (35 receptions, 447 yards, and 1 touchdown).
Running back John Riggins led the Redskins running game, rushing for 553 yards and 3 touchdowns during the regular season. Much
of Washington's success on offense was also attributed to their offensive line, affectionately known as "The Hogs". Washington also
had impact players on their special teams. Mark Moseley became the first placekicker ever to win the NFL Most Valuable Player
Award, making 20 out of 21 field goals and all 18 of his extra point attempts. Kick returner Mike Nelms also gained a combined total
of 809 yards returning kickoffs and punts. The Redskins defense was led by 6-foot-7 295-pound defensive tackle Dave Butz, who
anchored the line, along with defensive ends Dexter Manley and Tony McGee, who each recorded 6.5 sacks. Washington secondary
was led by defensive backs Vernon Dean and Jeris White, who each recorded 3 interceptions. Miami Dolphins The Dolphins finished
the strike-shortened regular season with a 7-2 record, ranking them second in the AFC. The Dolphins' main strength was their defense,
nicknamed the "Killer Bees" because 6 of their 11 starters had last names that began with the letter "B". The "Killer Bees", anchored
by Pro Bowl defensive tackle Bob Baumhower, led the league in fewest total yards allowed (2,312) and fewest passing yards allowed
(1,027). Linebacker A.J. Duhe was extremely effective at blitzing and in pass coverage. And the Dolphins secondary, consisting of
defensive backs Don McNeal, Gerald Small and brothers Lyle and Glenn Blackwood, combined for 11 interceptions. However, the
Dolphins' passing attack, led by quarterback David Woodley, ranked last in the league with 1,401 total yards, 8 touchdowns, and 13
interceptions. One of the few bright spots in the Dolphins passing attack was wide receiver Jimmy Cefalo, who gained 356 yards off
of just 17 receptions, an average of 20.9 yards per catch. Wide receiver Duriel Harris also provided a deep threat with 22 receptions
for 331 yards. But Miami's strength on offense was their running game, ranking 3rd in the league with 1,344 yards. Pro Bowl running
back Andra Franklin was the team's top rusher with 701 yards and 7 touchdowns. Running back Tony Nathan rushed for 233 yards,
and caught 16 passes for another 114 yards. Woodley himself also recorded 207 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns. One reason for the
Dolphins' rushing success was the blocking of their offensive line, led by future hall of fame center Dwight Stephenson, along with
Pro Bowlers Bob Kuechenberg and Ed Newman. Playoffs The Dolphins advanced through the special 16-team playoffs by defeating
the New England Patriots, 28-13, the San Diego Chargers, 34-13, and the New York Jets, 14-0, to earn a trip to their fourth Super
Bowl in team history. Meanwhile, the Redskins beat the Detroit Lions, 31-7, the Minnesota Vikings, 21-7, and the Dallas Cowboys,
31–17. Before the playoffs, the 33-year old Riggins told coach Joe Gibbs "I'm really getting down the road. I don't have many of these
left. I've been out two weeks and I'm ready. Give me the ball." Gibbs did just that, and Riggins ended up rushing for a combined total
of 444 yards and 3 touchdowns during those playoff victories Another key contributor in the playoff games was backup wide receiver
Alvin Garrett, who replaced Monk after he suffered a leg injury that kept him out of the entire postseason. Although he only recorded
one reception during the regular season, Garrett caught a combined total of 13 receptions for 231 yards and 4 touchdowns in
Washington's 3 playoff games. Super Bowl pregame news Entering Super Bowl XVII, the Dolphins were favored to win the game,
primarily because of their "Killer Bees" defense, which had recorded 12 interceptions in their 3 playoffs games, including 5 each in
the final two. Another reason why the Redskins were the underdogs was because they had 26 players on their 45-man roster who had
been signed by the team as free agents, including 14 who had never even been drafted by an NFL team. Television and entertainment
The game was televised in the United States by NBC, with Dick Enberg handling the play-by-play duties and color commentator
Merlin Olsen in the broadcast booth. Len Berman and his NFL '82 castmates, Mike Adamle (who also covered the Vince Lombardi
Trophy presentation ceremony), Ahmad Rashad and Pete Axthelm anchored the pregame, halftime and postgame coverage. NBC's
national Nielsen rating of 48.6 was the second-highest for a Super Bowl broadcast, trailing only the 49.1 garnered by Super Bowl XVI
on CBS the year before. Super Bowl XVII was dedicated to University of Alabama Coach Bear Bryant who died on January 26, 1983.
A moment of silence was held in his memory during the pregame ceremonies. The Los Angeles Unified School District All-City Band
played during the pregame ceremonies. Later, actress Leslie Easterbrook performed the national anthem. The coin toss ceremony
featured Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Elroy Hirsch. Dolphins captain Bob Kuechenberg called "tails," and the coin came
down "tails." However, referee Jerry Markbreit became confused by the similar design of both sides of the coin and incorrectly
thought "heads" had landed. After a short discussion with his head linesman, Dale Hamer, Markbreit corrected his mistake before the
kickoff. The halftime show was produced by Bob Jani Productions and titled "KaleidoSUPERscope", and featured the Los Angeles
Super Drill Team. Following the game, NBC aired the premiere episode of The A-Team, beginning the tradition of the game's host
network airing programming after the game. The game was shown live in the UK for the first time when Channel 4, Britain's newest
channel (launched 2 November 1982) covered it. Additionally, the Super Bowl was shown live in Canada on CTV, which also
simulcasted NBC's coverage. This Super Bowl has appeared on NFL's Greatest Games under the title Hog Day Afternoon. The game
is also referenced in the film Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Game summary Miami scored first on their second possession with a 76yard touchdown pass from quarterback David Woodley to wide receiver Jimmy Cefalo. Then after forcing the Redskins to punt,
Woodley attempted a deep pass again, but was hit by Washington defensive end Dexter Manley causing him to fumble, and defensive
tackle Dave Butz recovered the ball. The turnover led to Redskins kicker Mark Moseley's 31-yard field goal to cut the lead 7–3 two
plays into the second quarter. Miami kick returner Fulton Walker returned the ensuing kickoff 42 yards to the Dolphins 47-yard line.
From there, the Dolphins advanced to the Redskins 3-yard line. But Woodley's pass fell incomplete on third down, so Miami had to
settle for kicker Uwe von Schamann's 20-yard field goal to increase their lead to 10-3 with 6 minutes left in the half. Although the
drive was only 50 yards long, it consisted of 13 plays and took 8:39 off the clock. Aided by a 27-yard completion from quarterback
Joe Theismann to tight end Rick Walker, four runs and a 15-yard reception by running back John Riggins, and a 12-yard run from
Theismann himself, the Redskins marched 80 yards in 11 plays to score on wide receiver Alvin Garrett's 4-yard touchdown reception.
Garrett's touchdown tied the game 10-10 with less than 2 minutes left in the half, but the tie did not last long: Fulton Walker returned
the ensuing kickoff a Super Bowl record 98 yards for a touchdown to give the Dolphins a 17–10 lead. It was the first kickoff return for
a touchdown in Super Bowl history. A penalty on the ensuing kickoff forced Washington to start their next drive at their own 7-yard
line, but they managed to get to the 28 on their first 4 plays. Then a pass interference penalty on defensive back Lyle Blackwood on
the next play moved the ball to the Miami 42-yard line. Immediately after Blackwood's penalty, wide receiver Charlie Brown's 24yard reception advanced the Redskins to the Dolphins 16-yard line. After calling their final timeout with 14 second left, Washington
made one last attempt to score a touchdown before trying a field goal. Theismann's subsequent pass was caught by Garrett, but he was
tackled at the 9-yard line by defensive back Glenn Blackwood, preventing any field goal attempt as the Redskins were unable to stop
the clock before time expired in the half. Both teams opened the second half trading punts. But after driving to their own 47-yard line
on their second possession of the third period, the Redskins managed to fool the Dolphins with a reverse play. Riggins took a hand off
from Theismann, who then handed the ball off to Garrett, who was running in the opposite direction. The play worked perfectly as
Garrett ran the ball 44 yards to Miami's 9-yard line before being tackled. But the Dolphins defense only allowed Washington to
advance to the 3-yard line on their next three plays, and so the Redskins had to settle for another field goal from Moseley to cut their
deficit to 17–13. Later in the third period, Theismann was intercepted by Miami linebacker A.J. Duhe at the Redskins 47-yard line.
After the turnover, the Dolphins reached the 37-yard line, and Woodley tried to pass the ball deep to Cefalo again. But Washington
defensive back Vernon Dean deflected the ball and safety Mark Murphy made a one-handed interception at the 5-yard line as he was
falling to the ground. After the Redskins got a first down, Theismann had a pass blocked at the line of scrimmage by Kim Bokamper.
Bokamper nearly intercepted the pass in the Redskins' end zone but for a timely move by Theismann to knock the ball out of
Bokamper's hands. The Redskins then drove to Miami's 43-yard line, and once again tried to fool Miami with a trick play, this time a
flea flicker. Riggins took a pitch from Theismann, ran up to the line of scrimmage, and then pitched the ball back to Theismann who
then attempted to pass it. But this time Miami was not fooled, and Lyle Blackwood made a diving interception at the 1-yard line. (This
was the first Super Bowl ever to have 3 consecutive drives end with interceptions). However, Blackwood's interception turned out to
be somewhat beneficial for the Redskins, as it pinned Miami back at their own 1. The Dolphins could only gain 3 yards with their next
three plays, and Washington ended up getting the ball back with great field position on their own 48-yard line. The Redskins ran three
plays to reach Miami's 43-yard line, but then faced a fourth down and one to go. Instead of punting, the Redskins decided to gamble
and attempt to get the first down with a run from Riggins. But Riggins did a lot more than pick up the first down. Coach Joe Gibbs
called his trademark play I-Right 70 Chip, starting TE Clint Didier in motion towards the right, then reversing motion back to the left.
Theismann handed to Riggins who broke a tackle from Miami cornerback Don McNeal and took off for a 43-yard touchdown run,
giving Washington their first lead of the game, 20–17, with a little more than 10 minutes remaining in the game. McNeal, who was
assigned to cover Didier on the play, slipped briefly as Didier changed direction. The Redskins ran the play to the left, behind Didier
and FB Otis Wonsley, and Riggins ran over McNeal to score the touchdown. Although McNeal did indeed slip briefly while following
Didier across the formation, it would have made little difference in the outcome of the play. Despite a valiant effort by McNeal, the
185 lb. corner could do little more than hold on briefly as he met the 240 lb. Riggins running with a full head of steam, hit him high,
and slid down his body as The Diesel pulled away towards the end zone and the Redskins 1st Super Bowl victory. Washington quickly
forced Miami to punt on their next possession, and punt returner Mike Nelms's 12-yard return gave the Redskins great field position at
the Dolphins 41-yard line. The Redskins then executed 5 consecutive running plays by Riggins, consuming a lot of time off the clock
and moving the ball to the 23-yard line. Then on third down, Theismann made a key pass completion to Brown to the 9-yard line.
Riggins then advanced the ball to the 6-yard line with two more runs. Then after the 2-minute warning, Brown caught a touchdown
pass on the next play, increasing the Redskins lead to 27—17 and putting the game away. Walker returned the ensuing kickoff 36
yards to the 35-yard line, but Miami could only advance to the 39 before turning the ball over on downs. Washington had completely
dominated Miami in the second half, allowing only two first downs and no pass completions. Overall, the Dolphins gained just 9 first
downs and 4 completions in the entire game. "Their way is what we called Dolphin football," said left guard Bob Kuechenberg, one of
only two holdovers from Miami's three previous Super Bowl teams in the 1970s (the other was defensive end Vern Den Herder).
"They controlled the second half and they're fitting world champions." Woodley finished the game with just 4 out of 14 completions
for 97 yards. Receiver Duriel Harris, who recorded 2 receptions for 15 yards, was the only other Dolphins player to catch a pass in the
game besides Cefalo. And after catching a 76-yard pass in the first quarter, Cefalo caught just 1 more pass for 6 yards in the entire
game. Walker finished the game with 4 kickoff returns for 190 yards and a touchdown, setting Super Bowl records for most kickoff
return yards and highest single game yards per return average(47.5). Meanwhile, Theismann, the first starting quarterback to win a
Super Bowl while wearing a single digit number (7), finished 15 out of 23 for 143 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 2 interceptions. He
also added 20 rushing yards on 3 carries. Brown was the Redskins leading receiver with 6 receptions for 60 yards and a touchdown.
Nelms returned 6 punts returns for 52 yards, both Super Bowl records, and returned 2 kickoffs for 44 yards. Overall, Washington
gained 400 yards of offense, including a Super Bowl record 276 rushing yards, while limiting Miami to only 176, with just 34 yards in
the second half.
January 22, 1984 Los Angeles Raiders(AFC) vs. Washington Redskins(NFC) 38-9 WAS 0 3 6 0 9 LA 7 14 14 3 38 Stadium Tampa
Stadium, Tampa, Florida MVP Marcus Allen, Running back Favorite Redskins by 3 National anthem Barry Manilow Halftime show
"Salute to Superstars of the Silver Screen" with the University of Florida and Florida State University Bands Future Hall of Famers
Raiders: Marcus Allen, Mike Haynes, Ted Hendricks, Howie Long. Redskins: Joe Gibbs (coach), Darrell Green, Russ Grimm, Art
Monk, John RigginsSuper Bowl XVIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1984, at Tampa Stadium in Tampa,
Florida, deciding the National Football League (NFL) champion following the 1983 regular season. The American Football
Conference (AFC) champion Los Angeles Raiders (15–4) defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Washington
Redskins (16–3), 38–9. The Raiders' 38 points and their 29 point margin of victory were both Super Bowl records until Super Bowl
XX. They also outgained the Redskins in total yards 385 to 283.The win gave the city of Los Angeles its first NFL championship
since the 1951 Los Angeles Rams.As the favored team, the Redskins' humiliating defeat at the hands of the black-jerseyed Raiders led
Super Bowl XVIII to be known as "Black Sunday."Raiders' running back Marcus Allen was the Super Bowl MVP, carrying the ball
20 times for a then-record total of 191 yards and two touchdowns, including a 74–yard run in the third quarter. His 74–yard run was
also a record (now 2nd to Willie Parker's 75-yard TD run in Super Bowl XL), and his 9.6 yards per carry average was the second
highest in Super Bowl history. He also caught two passes for 18 yards, giving him 209 total yards from the line of scrimmage in the
game. Allen became just the third Heisman Trophy winner to be named Super Bowl Most Valuable Player. Background NFL owners
voted to award Super Bowl XVIII to Tampa on June 3, 1981. This was first time Tampa hosted the game, making it the first Super
Bowl to be played in Florida in a city other than Miami. Washington Redskins The Redskins entered the game appearing to be even
better than the previous season when they defeated the Miami Dolphins 27–17 in Super Bowl XVII. The Redskins finished the regular
season with a 14–2 record, the best in the NFL, and their two losses were only by one point each. In addition, the Redskins set new
NFL records with 541 points (since broken by the 1998 Minnesota Vikings and 2007 New England Patriots), a givaway/takaway ratio
of +43, and had the top rated rush–defense. The Redskins had a number of efficient offensive weapons. Quarterback Joe Theismann
won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award for being second rated passer in the league behind Steve Bartkowski, completing 276 out
of 459 (60.1 percent) of his passes for 3,714 yards, 29 touchdowns, and only 11 interceptions. He rushed for 234 yards and another
touchdown. Washington's main deep threats were wide receivers Charlie Brown (78 receptions, 1,225 yards, and 8 touchdowns) and
Art Monk (47 receptions, 746 yards, and 5 touchdowns), with the latter fully healthy after the previous year's injury that caused him to
miss the entire postseason. Wide receiver Alvin Garrett, who replaced Monk during that time, emerged as a significant contributor by
catching 25 passes for 332 yards. Fullback John Riggins once again was the team's top rusher with 1,347 yards, and set a then-NFL
record by scoring the most rushing touchdowns in a season (24). Multi-talented running back Joe Washington recorded 772 rushing
yards, while catching 47 passes for 454 yards and 6 touchdowns. Kicker Mark Moseley led the NFL in scoring with 161 points, while
Riggins ranked second with 144, making them the first teammates to finish a season as the NFL's top two scorers since 1951. The
Redskins defense led the league in the fewest rushing yards allowed (1,289). Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dave Butz recorded 11.5
sacks and a fumble recovery. On the other side of the line, defensive end Dexter Manley recorded 11 sacks and an interception.
Defensive back Mark Murphy led the NFL with 9 interceptions, while the other starters in the secondary, Vernon Dean, Anthony
Washington and Ken Coffey, along with rookie cornerback Darrell Green, combined for 13 interceptions. Los Angeles Raiders The
Raiders, in their second season in Los Angeles since moving from Oakland, California, made it to their fourth Super Bowl in team
history after posting a 12–4 regular season record. Raiders quarterback Jim Plunkett completed 230 out of 379 (60.7 percent) passes
resulting in 2,935 yards and 20 touchdowns. His favorite target was tight end Todd Christensen, who led the NFL with 92 receptions
for 1,247 yards and 12 touchdowns. Wide receivers Cliff Branch and Malcolm Barnwell combined for 74 receptions, 1,209 yards, and
6 touchdowns. But the largest impact on offense was runningback Marcus Allen. In just his second NFL season, Allen led the team in
rushing yards (1,014) and total yards from scrimmage (1,604), while ranking second on the team in receptions (68) and touchdowns
(11). But Allen was not the only key running back on the team. Kenny King and Frank Hawkins combined for 1,119 total rushing and
receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns. On defense, their three-man front was led by Pro Bowl defensive linemen Howie Long and Lyle
Alzado. The linebacking corps was led by Pro Bowlers Rod Martin and Matt Millen. Cornerbacks Mike Haynes (acquired in a trade
from New England) and Lester Hayes were widely considered to be the best tandem in the NFL. The Raiders' head coach was Tom
Flores. Playoffs The Raiders only allowed a combined total of 24 points in their playoff victories over the Pittsburgh Steelers, 38–10,
and the Seattle Seahawks (who had beaten the Raiders twice during the regular season), 30–14. Allen had been particularly effective
in the playoffs, gaining a total of 375 combined yards and scoring three touchdowns. The Raiders defense limited Seahawks running
back Curt Warner, who had led the AFC in rushing yards (1,449 yards), to just 26 yards on 11 carries. Meanwhile, the Redskins
crushed the Los Angeles Rams 51–7, and then narrowly defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 24–21, with Mark Moseley kicking the
game winning field goal with just 40 seconds left. Mirroring the previous postseason, Riggins was a key contributor, rushing for a
combined playoff total of 242 yards and five touchdowns in the two games. In doing so, Riggins extended his NFL record of
consecutive playoff games with at least 100 rushing yards to six. Brown also was a key contributor in both playoff wins, recording a
combined total of 11 receptions for 308 yards and a touchdown. Washington's defense was just as effective at stopping their
postseason opponent's rushing attack as they had been during the regular season, limiting running backs Eric Dickerson and Wendell
Tyler to a combined total of 60 rushing yards. Dickerson was the NFL's leading rusher with 1,808 yards and 18 touchdowns during the
season, but could only gain 16 yards on 10 carries against the Redskins defense. Super Bowl pregame news Coming into Super Bowl
XVIII, the Redskins were favored to win because of their offense, their number one-rated rush–defense, their league best 14–2 regular
season record, and their Super Bowl win from last season. Also, the Redskins had defeated the Raiders during an October 2 regular
season game, 37–35, by scoring 17 points in the final six minutes of the game. Television and entertainment The game was broadcast
in the United States by CBS and featured the broadcast team of play-by-play announcer Pat Summerall and color commentator John
Madden. It was simulcast in Canada on CTV and in the United Kingdom on Channel 4. The pregame festivities, which paid tribute to
George Halas, featured the University of Florida Fightin' Gator Marching Band and the Florida State University Marching Chiefs.
After a moment of silence for Halas, Singer Barry Manilow performed the national anthem. The coin toss ceremony featured Pro
Football Hall of Fame fullback and defensive tackle Bronko Nagurski. The halftime show was a "Salute to Superstars of Silver
Screen" featuring the University of Florida and Florida State University Bands. Apple's famous "1984" television commercial,
introducing the Apple Macintosh computer and directed by Ridley Scott, ran during a timeout in the third quarter. The advertisement
changed how the Super Bowl would be used as a media advertising platform. The highlight package to Super Bowl XVIII was voiceover artist John Facenda's final project for NFL Films. Facenda died eight months after the game. An expanded version of Black
Sunday (the highight film's title) has appeared on NFL's Greatest Games and contains an additional hour of game footage plus audio
play-by-play from Bill King and Rich Marotta while retaining Facenda's narration. Following the game, CBS aired the pilot episode of
Airwolf. Game summary During the first half the Raiders scored on offense, defense and special teams, becoming the first team to
score two non-offensive touchdowns in a Super Bowl. Less than five minutes into the game, Los Angeles' Derrick Jensen blocked Jeff
Hayes' punt deep in Washington territory and recovered the ball in the end zone to give the Raiders a 7-0 lead. On their ensuing drive,
Washington was forced to punt, but Los Angeles punt returner Ted Watts muffed the catch and Washington safety Greg Williams
recovered the ball at the Raiders 42-yard line. However, the Redskins could only advance to the Raider's 27-yard line and came away
with no points after kicker Mark Moseley missed a 44-yard field goal attempt. Early in the second quarter, Raiders quarterback Jim
Plunkett completed a 50-yard pass to wide receiver Cliff Branch, advancing the ball to the Redskins' 15-yard line. Two plays later,
Plunkett threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Branch, increasing the lead to 14-0. Cliff Branch became just the fourth player to catch a
touchdown in two different Super Bowls. On their next drive, the Redskins moved the ball 73 yards in 12 plays to the Raiders 7-yard
line, with Joe Theismann completing a 17-yard pass to receiver Alvin Garrett and three passes to tight end Clint Didier for 50 yards.
However, linebacker Rod Martin broke up Theismann's third down pass attempt, forcing Washington to settle for a 24-yard field goal
by Moseley. Los Angeles took the ensuing kickoff and drove 41 yards to the Redskins 39-yard line. The drive stalled when Plunkett's
third down pass fell incomplete, but Ray Guy's 27-yard punt pinned Washington back at their own 12-yard line with 12 seconds left in
the half. On the first play of their drive, Coach Joe Gibbs had Theismann run a screen play called "Rocket Screen", but Raiders
linebacker Jack Squirek intercepted the pass and returned it for a touchdown to give the Raiders a 21-3 halftime lead. The defense was
prepared for the play, as Theismann had successfully completed an identical screen pass to Joe Washington for a 67-yard gain in their
37-35 victory over the Raiders on October 2. In fact, Los Angeles linebackers coach Charlie Sumner had sent Squirek onto the field as
a last second substitution specifically to cover Washington. "I was mad," said linebacker Matt Millen, who had to run off the field to
avoid a penalty. "I'd called a blitz, and I was cranked up for it, but he told Jack to play the screen and sent him in. I guess Charlie
knows what he's doing, huh?" The Redskins regrouped in the second half and scored on their opening drive by marching 70 yards in
nine plays. First, Garrett returned the opening kickoff 35 yards from 5 yards deep in the end zone to the Washington 30-yard line.
Then, Theismann completed a 23-yard pass to receiver Charlie Brown to the Raiders' 47-yard line. Eight plays later, fullback John
Riggins finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. (Riggins became the second player to run for touchdowns in back-to-back
Super Bowls. He had one in Super Bowl XVII en route to winning that game's Super Bowl MVP). Moseley's extra point attempt was
blocked by reserve tight end Don Hasselbeck, but the Redskins had cut the score to 21-9 and were just two touchdowns away from
taking the lead. However, the Raiders completely took over the rest of the game, preventing any chance of a Washington comeback.
On the ensuing drive, Washington defensive back Darrell Green was called for a 38-yard pass interference penalty while trying to
cover Raiders receiver Malcolm Barnwell, setting up running back Marcus Allen's 5-yard touchdown run 7 plays later to make the
score 28-9. Late in the third quarter, the Redskins had an opportunity to score after defensive back Anthony Washington forced and
recovered a fumble from Branch at the Raiders 35-yard line. They moved the ball nine yards in their next three plays, and then faced
fourth down and one. Washington attempted to convert the fourth down with a run by Riggins, just like their successful fourth down
conversion against the Miami Dolphins in the previous Super Bowl. But this time, Riggins was tackled by Martin for no gain. On the
next play, the last play of the third quarter, Plunkett handed the ball off to Allen, who started to run left as the play was designed. But
after taking an unusually wide turn in that direction, Allen saw a lot of defenders in front of him and cut back to the middle before
taking off for a then-Super Bowl record 74-yard touchdown run, increasing Los Angeles' lead to 35-9. This play would later be
immortalized by one of the last great lines from John Facenda who said, "Here comes Marcus Allen, running with the night." In the
final period, the Raiders sacked Theismann three times, forcing him to fumble once, and intercepted a pass. Meanwhile, a 39-yard run
from Allen set up a 21-yard field goal from kicker Chris Bahr to make the final score of the game 38-9. Plunkett finished the game
with 16 out of 25 pass completions for 172 yards and a touchdown. Theismann threw for more yards then Plunkett (243), but was just
16 out of 35 and was intercepted twice. He was also sacked six times. Branch was the top receiver of the game with six receptions for
94 yards and a touchdown. Guy punted seven times for 299 yards (42.7 average), with 244 net yards (34.8 average) and planted five of
his seven punts in the 20. Martin recorded a sack, a pass deflection, and a fumble recovery. Riggins was the leading rusher for the
Redskins with 64 yards and a touchdown. Brown was their top receiver with three receptions for 93 yards. Tight end Clint Didier
caught five passes for 65 yards. Garrett recorded 100 yards on kickoff returns, and one reception for 17 yards. After the game,
Redskins general manager Bobby Beathard said that Hayes and Haynes were the difference in the game. Haynes was still a Patriot
during the teams' regular season matchup, and his addition gave the Raiders two shutdown corners. According to Beathard, Hayes and
Haynes "changed our whole game plan." Hayes had only one tackle, but had the left side of the field covered so effectively that
Theismann hardly bothered to throw there. Haynes had two tackles, one interception, and two pass breakups. The Raiders were the
first team to appear in, and win, the Super Bowl representing two different cities. They were also the first team to score an offensive,
defensive and special teams touchdown in the same Super Bowl. The Redskins became the second defending champion to lose a
Super Bowl (their divisional rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, were the first, losing Super Bowl XIII after winning Super Bowl XII).
January 20, 1985 San Francisco 49ers(NFC) vs. Miami Dolphins(AFC) 38-16 MIA 10 6 0 0 16 SF 7 21 10 0 38 Stadium Stanford
Stadium, Palo Alto, California MVP Joe Montana, Quarterback Favorite 49ers by 3½ National anthem San Francisco Boys Chorus
and San Francisco Girls Chorus and Piedmont Children's Chorus and San Francisco Children's Chorus Halftime show "World of
Children's Dreams" with the USAF Tops In Blue Future Hall of Famers 49ers: Bill Walsh (coach), Fred Dean, Ronnie Lott, Joe
Montana, Jerry Rice. Dolphins: Don Shula (coach), Dan Marino, Dwight Stephenson Super Bowl XIX was an American football
game played on January 20, 1985 at Stanford Stadium, on the campus of Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, to decide the
National Football League (NFL) champion following the 1984 regular season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion
San Francisco 49ers (18-1) defeated the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Miami Dolphins (16-3), 38–16, to win their
second Super Bowl.The game had been hyped as the battle between two great quarterbacks, Miami's Dan Marino and San Francisco's
Joe Montana - and indeed this was the first Super Bowl ever in which the starting quarterbacks of each team both threw for over 300
yards. In addition, the two teams combined total of 851 offensive yards was a Super Bowl record (later broken in Super Bowl XXII &
Super Bowl XXXVIII). But the 49ers would end up taking the game in dominating fashion. It would be Marino's only trip to the Super
Bowl during his 17 year career.Montana, who was named the Super Bowl MVP, completed 24 of 35 passes for a Super Bowl record
331 yards and three touchdowns. He also had 5 rushes for 59 yards and 1 rushing touchdown. His 59 rushing yards were the most
rushing yards ever gained by a quarterback in the Super Bowl at that time.Going into the game the two teams had combined for 33
wins - a Super Bowl record.This Super Bowl was unique in that it fell on the same day that Ronald Reagan was inaugurated for a
second term as President of the United States. Because January 20 fell on a Sunday, Reagan was sworn in privately and the public
ceremony took place the following day.It was one of the most watched games in history with an estimated 115.9 million viewers. This
game also was the first time television commercials ran for a million dollars a minute. It is the only Super Bowl where the host region
was victorious, albeit not on their home field. Background NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl XIX to Stanford University
Stadium in Palo Alto, California on December 14, 1982. It became the fourth primarily college stadium to host a Super Bowl,
following Tulane Stadium, then the home of the New Orleans Saints (1970, 1972, and 1975), Rice Stadium (1974) and the Rose Bowl.
San Francisco 49ers The 49ers advanced to their second Super Bowl in team history after becoming the first team ever to win 15
regular season games since the league expanded to a 16-game schedule in 1978. Much of the hype surrounding the team was their
offense, which boasted 5 Pro Bowlers. Quarterback Joe Montana recorded 279 out of 432 completions for 3,630 yards, 28 touchdowns,
and only 10 interceptions. Running back Roger Craig was one of the 49ers' major weapons, both rushing and receiving. Craig was the
team's second leading rusher with 649 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns, and also caught 71 passes for 675 yards. Pro Bowl running
back Wendell Tyler, who had rushed for a team record 1,262 yards during the regular season, recorded 7 rushing touchdowns, and
also caught 28 passes for 230 yards and 2 touchdown receptions. Wide receivers Freddie Solomon and Dwight Clark also were deep
threats, gaining a combined total of 1,617 yards and 16 touchdowns. Up front, 3 of the 49ers' 5 starting offensive linemen, Randy
Cross, Fred Quillan, and Keith Fahnhorst, had been selected to play in the Pro Bowl. Overall, San Francisco's offense finished the
season ranked second in the NFL in scoring (475 points) and fourth in total yards (6,544). Although they did not get as much media
attention as the offense, the 49ers defense led the league in fewest points allowed during the regular season (227). All 4 of the 49ers'
starting defensive backs, Ronnie Lott, Eric Wright, Carlton Williamson, and Dwight Hicks, were selected to play in the Pro Bowl. Pro
Bowl linebacker Keena Turner was also a major defensive weapon, recording 2 sacks and 4 interceptions for 51 yards. Defensive end
Dwaine Board anchored the line, recording 10 sacks and 1 fumble recovery. Miami Dolphins As the Dolphins advanced to the Super
Bowl for the fifth time in franchise history, much of the media focus was on Miami's young quarterback Dan Marino. In just his
second year in the league, he broke nearly every NFL single season passing record. Marino set a record for the most completions in a
season (362) and became the first quarterback ever to throw for over 5,000 yards, reaching a total of 5,084. He set the record for the
most games throwing for at least 300 passing yards (9) and the most games with 400 yards (4). Marino's 48 touchdown passes broke
the previous record of 36, which was held by both George Blanda for the Houston Oilers in 1961 and Y.A. Tittle for the New York
Giants in 1963. And he played the most games with at least 4 or more touchdown passes (6) and the most consecutive games with at
least 4 touchdown passes (4). Thus going into Super Bowl XIX, many sports writers predicted that it would be the first of many Super
Bowls that Marino would play in during his career. Marino had a unique ability to read the defenses quickly before setting up to throw
and his skill of quickly releasing the ball made it very difficult for defenders to sack him. In addition, he had protection given to him
by an offensive line led by all-pro center Dwight Stephenson and Pro Bowl guard Ed Newman. Coming into Super Bowl XIX, Marino
had only been sacked 13 times in the regular season and not once in the playoffs. The Dolphins had a number of offensive threats for
Marino to use. Wide receivers Mark Clayton (73 receptions, 1,389 yards, 18 touchdowns) and Mark Duper (71 receptions, 1,306 yards,
8 touchdowns) became the first teammates ever to each gain over 1,300 receiving yards in one season, while Clayton's 18 touchdown
catches broke the NFL single season record of 17 set by Don Hutson in 1942. Receiver Nat Moore caught 43 passes for 574 yards and
6 touchdowns, while tight end Dan Johnson contributed 34 receptions for 426 yards. While Miami's main offensive attack was passing,
they still had a trio of great running backs: Tony Nathan, Woody Bennett, and Joe Carter. Both Nathan and Bennett finished the
season with over 1,000 combined rushing and receiving yards, while Carter contributed 495 rushing yards. Despite Miami's superb
offense, punter Reggie Roby still made the pro bowl, averaging 44.7 yards per punt with a net gain average of 38.7. However, the
Dolphins defense was a little suspect. They tied the Oilers and the Minnesota Vikings for the most rushing yards allowed during the
regular season (4.7 yards per attempt), and ranked just 19th in fewest yards allowed (5,759). The main bright spots on the defense
were safeties brothers Lyle and Glenn Blackwood, along with Pro Bowl ILB A.J. Duhe, Pro Bowl NT Bob Baumhower, and DE Doug
Betters. Glenn Blackwood had picked off 6 passes during the season and returned them for 169 yards, while Betters recorded 14 sacks
and a fumble recovery. LB Charles Bowser was also a big contributor, recording 9 sacks and one fumble recovery Despite their
defensive flaws, the Dolphins' powerful offense led the NFL in scoring (513 points) and total yards gained (7,064), and helped the
team reach an AFC best 14-2 regular season record. Playoffs The Dolphins gained 405 yards of total offense in their 31-10 playoff
win over the Seattle Seahawks, and over 500 yards as they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 45-28, in the AFC Championship Game.
In the victory over the Steelers, Marino completed 21 of 32 passes for 421 yards and 4 touchdowns, with 1 interception. Meanwhile,
the 49ers' underrated defense allowed the team to blitz through the playoffs. Although Montana threw a combined total of 5
interceptions in their 2 games, they only gave up a combined total of 10 points and zero touchdowns in their victories over the New
York Giants, 21-10, and the Chicago Bears, 23-0. At 33-3, the combined records for the two teams coming into the game were and
still are the best in Super Bowl history. The 49ers were 17-1 and the Dolphins 16-2 including their playoff games. Pregame news and
notes This was the second time a team could have been considered a home team for a Super Bowl with Stanford just 30 miles away
from San Francisco. Promotion for the Super Bowl also contributed to that feeling with many photographs of the Vince Lombardi
trophy near San Francisco landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge. Thus, the 49ers may be considered the only team to have won
the Super Bowl at home. The Los Angeles Rams also played near home at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. in Super Bowl XIV, but
lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Television As a result of the 1982 television contract signed by the NFL with the three networks, this
game was the first Super Bowl to be televised in the United States by ABC, as they earned their first turn at the Super Bowl, with a
new alternation process started for the 1983 game. Previously, the Super Bowl telecast alternated between CBS and NBC, while the
networks simulcast the first AFL-NFL World Championship Game. ABC's NFL program, Monday Night Football, happened to be
celebrating its 15th season in 1984. Two more ABC-aired Super Bowls would occur during major anniversary seasons for MNF -
Super Bowl XXIX (also won by the 49ers) closed out the 25th anniversary season (1994), and Super Bowl XXXIV (won by the St.
Louis Rams, bitter rivals of the 49ers) closed out the 30th anniversary season (1999). Announcers Frank Gifford was the play-by-play
announcer, while then-ABC Sports analyst Don Meredith and then-Washington Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann served as color
commentators. Al Michaels and Jim Lampley hosted the pregame, halftime, and postgame (Lampley presided over the Vince
Lombardi Trophy presentation ceremony) coverage for ABC. Michaels and Lampley were joined by analysts O. J. Simpson (who
would normally have been the second color commentator) and Tom Landry. Also helping out with ABC's coverage were Jack
Whitaker, Ray Gandolf, Stone Phillips, Dick Schaap, Jeff Greenfield, Judd Rose, Donna de Varona, and Bill Redeker. This would be
the only ABC Super Bowl for Gifford as play-by-play announcer, the final game for Don Meredith and the second (and last) time a
commentator for the Super Bowl (Theismann) was an active player (Jack Kemp in Super Bowl II was the only other active player to
provide commentary). Michaels would call ABC's next six Super Bowls, until the network lost NFL rights in 2006. Pregame The
pregame festivities featured a tribute to the NFL and an appearance by various team mascots. Later, a mega-choir formed by members
of the San Francisco Children's Chorus, San Francisco Boys Chorus, San Francisco Girls Chorus and Piedmont Children's Choir
performed the national anthem under well known choir director Louis Magor. In honor of Inauguration Day, Reagan, himself a
California native and former Governor of the state from 1967–75, became the first president to participate in a Super Bowl coin toss
ceremony. However, he did it from the White House via satellite. Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Hugh McElhenny was on
the field during the ceremony. Halftime The halftime show was titled "World of Children's Dreams" and featured Tops In Blue, an
elite performing tour ensemble consisting of members from the U.S. Air Force. Aftergame Overseas broadcasts Shown on Channel 4,
the XIX Super Bowl was the first to be broadcast live and in its entirety in the United Kingdom. The experiment was not repeated.
Super Bowl XIX was simulcast in Canada on CTV. In popular culture Actress Teri Hatcher was a 49ers cheerleader at the time, she
can be seen on several close ups during the game. Also, in a Strong Bad e-mail cartoon from the Homestar Runner website, a flier
advertising this particular game washes up in a bottle on a deserted island that Strong Bad and Homestar happen to be stranded on.
Clips from this game can be seen in the movie Ace Ventura: Pet Detective as the character Ray Finkle is in reality Dolphins kicker
Uwe von Schamann. Von Schamann made three field goals and an extra point in this game, but Finkle missed the game-winning field
goal in a fictional Super Bowl XVII. Also, in the Sliders episode "Post Traumatic Slide Syndrome", Quinn recognized he was not
home on his Earth due to a newspaper headline that showed the 49ers had beaten the New York Jets in Super Bowl XIX. The NFL's
Greatest Games episode Masters of the Game focuses on Super Bowl XIX. The Oliver Stone film, Any Given Sunday, the final game
of the film, albeit not the climax, features a Miami team losing to a San Fransisco team, both heralding strong quarterbacks, is
purposefully reminiscent of Super Bowl XIX. Game summary Instead of the predicted shootout between Dan Marino and Joe
Montana, the game was mostly one-sided. The 49ers defense only allowed 25 rushing yards and 16 Dolphins points. San Francisco
also intercepted Marino 2 times and sacked him 4 times. The Dolphins set a Super Bowl record for least rush attempts in a game (9).
1st half But in the opening minutes of the game, it seemed that the game would live up to the hype. On the opening kickoff, 49ers
rookie kick returner Derrick Harmon caught the ball too close to the sidelines and stepped out of bounds at the San Francisco 6-yard
line. The 49ers managed to advance to the 41-yard line but were forced to punt, and Dolphins defensive back Fulton Walker returned
the punt 9 yards to the Miami 36-yard line. Then on their first play of the drive, Marino completed a 25-yard pass to Tony Nathan.
Five plays later, Miami reached the San Francisco 23-yard line. But on third down, 49ers cornerback Eric Wright tackled wide
receiver Mark Clayton 2 yards shy of the first down. Miami had to settle for a 37-yard field goal from Uwe von Schamann. The
Dolphins' 3-0 lead did not last long, as the 49ers stormed down the field on their next possession. San Francisco drove 78 yards in 8
plays, culminating in a 33-yard touchdown pass from Montana to reserve running back Carl Monroe to give them a 7-3 lead. But
Miami retook the lead on their ensuing drive. After a 5-yard rush by Nathan, the Dolphins went into a no-huddle offense, preventing
the 49ers from making substitutions and keeping their run defense on the field. Marino completed five consecutive passes, hitting
Clayton for 18 yards, Mark Duper for 11, Clayton again for 13, and tight end Dan Johnson for 21. On the next play, Marino finished
the drive by hitting Johnson for a 2-yard touchdown pass, giving the Dolphins a 10-7 lead with 45 seconds left in the first quarter. In
the second quarter, the 49ers began to take control of the game. Bill Walsh switched to a 4-1-6 (or dime defense) to slow down
Miami's passing attack, with Keena Turner as the sole linebacker. Miami tried to run against the 4-1-6 alignment, to no avail. Safety
Dwight Hicks broke up two consecutive Marino passes, and the Dolphins were forced to punt from their own 10-yard line. Then after
taking the ball at the Miami 47-yard line, Montana scrambled for a 19-yard run, and then completed a 16-yard pass to wide receiver
Dwight Clark to reach the 12-yard line. From there, Wendell Tyler rushed for 4 yards, and then Montana threw an 8-yard touchdown
pass to Roger Craig, giving the 49ers a 14-10 lead. Miami then had to punt again on their ensuing possession, and San Francisco
defensive back Dana McLemore returned the ball 28 yards to the 49ers' 45-yard line. After advancing 15 yards with 2 running plays,
Montana completed a pair of passes to tight end Russ Francis to move the ball 29 yards to the Miami 11-yard line. Craig ran for 5
yards on the next play, and then Montana ran the final 6 yards to the end zone for a touchdown, making the score 21-10. After the
ensuing kickoff, Miami again was forced to punt after 3 plays, and McLemore returned Reggie Roby's 39-yard punt 10 yards to the
49ers' 48-yard line. Montana was sacked for a 5-yard loss by Doug Betters on the first play of the ensuing drive, but he struck back
with a 20-yard completion to Craig and a 7-yard run over the next two plays. On the next play, wide receiver Freddie Solomon caught
a pass from Montana, took one step, and then lost the ball due to a hit from safety Lyle Blackwood. Blackwood quickly recovered the
ball and took off for the 49ers end zone, but field judge Bob Lewis blew the play dead, ruling that Solomon's fumble was an
incomplete pass. Bill Quinby, the side judge, who was nearest to the play, did not make any call. Five plays later, Craig finished the
nine play, 52-yard drive with his second touchdown on a 2-yard run, increasing the 49ers lead to 28-10. With about two minutes left in
the half, the Dolphins finally managed to get a good drive going on their next possession. Marino completed 7 out of 9 passes, the last
one being a 30-yard pass to tight end Joe Rose, to reach the 49ers 12-yard line. But San Francisco's defense tightened up on the next 3
plays, forcing 2 incompletions and a completed pass for no gain, and Miami was forced to settle for Von Schamann's second field goal
of the game to cut their deficit to 28-13 with 12 seconds left in the half. Then Miami caught a break as the 49ers botched the ensuing
kickoff. San Francisco lineman Guy McIntyre received Van Schamann's short kick and was about to down the ball, but then changed
his mind at the last second and decided to return it. This turned out to be a big mistake. McIntyre lost a fumble while being leveled by
rookie Joe Carter, and Jim Jensen recovered the ball for Miami at the 49ers 12-yard line. After that, Von Schamann kicked his third
field goal on the last play of the half, cutting the score to 28-16. "I can laugh about the play now, but it wasn't funny at the time,"
McIntyre said after the game. "My first instinct when I got the ball was to fall down. Then I heard everyone yelling, 'Get up! Get up!'
So I got up, and here comes someone sneaking underneath me, and he hit the ball." 2nd half But any thoughts of a Miami comeback
ended early in the third quarter. On the first play second half, 49ers defensive end Dwaine Board tackled Nathan for a 1-yard loss.
Then after Marino threw an incompletion, Board sacked him for a 9-yard loss on third down. For the fourth time in the game, Roby
had to punt, and again McLemore gave the 49ers good field position with an 8-yard return to San Francisco's 47-yard line. The 49ers
then drove 43 yards and scored on kicker Ray Wersching's 27 yard field goal. On the Dolphins' ensuing drive, they were forced to
punt again after Marino was sacked twice (once by defensive lineman Manu Tuiasosopo and once by Board). Starting their own 30yard line after a 5-yard return by McLemore, Montana completed a 40-yard pass to Tyler, followed up with a 14-yard completion to
Francis. Three plays later, Craig scored his third touchdown on a 16-yard reception to make the score 38-16. The score proved to be
the last one from either team, as the defenses of both teams took over for the rest of the game - especially the 49ers' defense, who
intercepted Marino twice. Highlights Overall, San Francisco gained a Super Bowl record 537 yards, breaking the Oakland Raiders
record of 429 yards in Super Bowl XI, while limiting Miami to 314, with just 25 rushing yards. San Francisco's 38 points also tied a
Super Bowl record set by the Raiders in Super Bowl XVIII. The 49ers' 288 offensive yards in the first half also tied the Raiders in
Super Bowl XI for the most offensive yards in a half during a Super Bowl. Marino finished the game with 29 out of 50 pass
completions for 318 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions. Clayton was the top receiver of the game, with 6 receptions for 92 yards.
Walker returned 4 kickoffs for 93 yards and gained 15 yards on 2 punt returns. Nathan was the Dolphins leading rusher with 18 yards,
while also catching 10 passes for 83 yards. Craig had 58 rushing yards, 77 receiving yards, and 3 touchdowns. He was the first player
ever to score 3 touchdowns in a Super Bowl, and his 2 touchdown catches also tied a Super Bowl record. Tyler led San Francisco in
rushing with 65 yards, and also caught 4 passes for 70 yards. Clark caught 6 passes for 77 yards. Board recorded 2 sacks. McLemore
recorded 51 punt return yards, the second most in Super Bowl history. Reactions After the game, Blackwood criticized the referee's
ruling of Solomon's fumble as an incomplete pass. "You don't want the game to hinge on that play, but you never know," Blackwood
said. "I could have taken the ball up the sideline. That's a 14-point swing." However, other Dolphins were not convinced. "We were
dominated to the point where one play didn't make much of a difference", said Dolphins coach Don Shula. "Our major objective was
to contain Montana, and we did a terrible, terrible job of it" added defensive coach Chuck Studley. Even Roby, who averaged only
39.3 yards per punt and didn't place any of his 6 punts in the 20, took some responsibility for the loss. "I was trying to kill the ball, and
I kicked it bad," he said. "I didn't hit one well. I was scared -- scared to make a mistake. It was the worst game of my life, counting
high school, college, counting everything." Meanwhile in the 49ers locker room, Montana had his own explanation for the win. "As
far as my own game, well, I'd have to admit it was pretty close to the best I've ever played. I didn't throw anything I didn't have
confidence in. We got in sort of a groove. Once you get going like that you gain confidence, and it carries over to the defense, and
then back to the offense. It's a snowball kind of thing."
January 26, 1986 Chicago Bears(NFC) vs. New England Patriots(AFC) 46-10 CHI 13 10 21 2 46 NE 3 0 0 7 10 Stadium Louisiana
Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana MVP Richard Dent, Defensive end Favorite Bears by 10 National anthem Wynton Marsalis
Halftime show Up with People presents "Beat of the Future" Future Hall of Famers Bears: Mike Ditka‡ (coach), Richard Dent, Dan
Hampton, Walter Payton, Mike Singletary. Patriots: Raymond Berry‡ (coach), John Hannah, Andre Tippett Super Bowl XX was an
American football championship game played on January 26, 1986 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide
the National Football League (NFL) champion following the 1985 regular season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion
Chicago Bears (18-1) won their first Super Bowl by defeating the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England
Patriots (14-6), 46–10. The Bears set Super Bowl records for sacks (eight) and fewest rushing yards allowed (seven). The Bears' 36point margin over the Patriots was a Super Bowl record until Super Bowl XXIV (45). The Patriots were held to negative yardage (-19)
throughout the entire first half, and finished with just 123 total yards from scrimmage, the second lowest total yards in Super Bowl
history, behind the Minnesota Vikings (119 total yards) in Super Bowl IX.Bears defensive end Richard Dent, who had 1.5 quarterback
sacks, forced two fumbles, and blocked a pass, was named the game's Most Valuable Player. Background NFL owners awarded the
hosting of Super Bowl XX to New Orleans, Louisiana on December 14, 1982. This was the sixth time that New Orleans hosted the
Super Bowl. Tulane Stadium was the site of Super Bowls IV, VI, and IX; while the Louisiana Superdome previously hosted XII and
XV. Through 2011, Super Bowl XX remains the last Super Bowl to feature two teams both making their first appearance in the game.
Any future Super Bowl that would have such a combination would have to have the Detroit Lions playing either the Cleveland
Browns, Houston Texans, or Jacksonville Jaguars in the game. Both the Lions and Browns won NFL championships before the Super
Bowl era. Chicago Bears Under head coach Mike Ditka, who won the 1985 NFL Coach of the Year Award, the Bears went 15-1 in
the regular season, becoming the second NFL team to win 15 regular season games. The Bears' defense, "46 Zone", allowed the
fewest points (198), total yards (4,135), and fewest rushing of any team during the regular season (1,319). The Bears' defense led the
league with thirty-four interceptions. It was a team full of characters. Pro Bowl quarterback Jim McMahon provided the team with a
solid passing attack, throwing for 2,392 yards and 15 touchdowns, while also rushing for 252 yards and three touchdowns. Running
back Walter Payton, who was then the NFL's all time leading rusher with 14,860 yards, rushed for 1,551 yards. He also caught 49
passes for 483 yards, and scored eleven touchdowns. Linebacker Mike Singletary won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award
by recording three sacks, three fumble recoveries, and one interception. But one of the most distinguishable players on defense was a
large rookie lineman named William "Refrigerator" Perry. Perry came into training camp before the season weighing over 380 pounds.
But after Bears defensive coach Buddy Ryan told the press that the team "wasted" their first round draft pick on him, Perry lost some
weight and ended being an effective defensive tackle. He got even more attention when Ditka started putting him in the game at the
fullback position during offensive plays near the opponent's goal line. During the regular season, Perry rushed for 2 touchdowns,
caught a pass for 1, and was frequently a lead blocker for Payton during goal line plays. The Bears "46 defense" also had the
following impact players: On the defensive line, Pro Bowler and hall of famer Richard Dent led the NFL in sacks for the second year
in a row with 17, while Pro Bowler and future hall of famer Dan Hampton recorded 6.5 sacks. In addition to Singletary, linebacker
Otis Wilson had 10.5 sacks and 3 interceptions while Wilber Marshall recorded 4 interceptions. In the secondary, defensive back
Leslie Frazier had 6 interceptions, Mike Richardson recorded 4 interceptions, Dave Duerson had 5 interceptions, and Gary Fencik
recorded 5 interceptions and 118 tackles. Chicago's main offensive weapon was Payton and the running game. A big reason for
Payton's success was fullback Matt Suhey as the primary lead blocker. Suhey was also a good ball carrier, rushing for 471 yards and
catching 33 passes for 295 yards. The team's rushing was also aided by Pro Bowlers Jim Covert and Jay Hilgenberg and the rest of the
Bears offensive line. In their passing game, the Bears primary deep threat was wide receiver Willie Gault, who caught 33 passes for
704 yards, an average of 21.3 yards per catch, and returned 22 kickoffs for 557 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Emery Moorehead
was another key contributor, catching 35 passes for 481 yards. Wide receiver Dennis McKinnon was another passing weapon,
recording 31 receptions, 555 yards, and 7 touchdowns. Meanwhile, the players brought their characterizations to the national stage
with the "Super Bowl Shuffle", a rap song the Bears recorded during the season. Even though it was in essence a novelty song, it
actually peaked at #41 on the Billboard charts and received a Grammy nomination for best R&B song by a group. New England
Patriots The Patriots were a cinderella team during the 1985 season because many sports writers and fans thought they were lucky to
make the Super Bowl at all. New England began the season losing 3 of their first 5 games, but won 6 consecutive games to finish with
an 11-5 record. However, the 11-5 mark only earned them third place in the AFC East behind the Miami Dolphins and the New York
Jets. Quarterback Tony Eason, in his third year in the NFL, was inconsistent during the regular season, completing 168 out of 299
passes for 2,156 yards and 11 touchdowns, but also 17 interceptions. Eason suffered an injury midway through the season and was
replaced by backup Steve Grogan, who was considered one of the best reserve quarterbacks in the league. Grogan was the starter in 6
of the Patriots' games, and finished the regular season with 85 out of 156 completions for 1,311 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 5
interceptions. Wide receiver Stanley Morgan provided the team with a good deep threat, catching 39 passes for 760 yards and 5
touchdowns. On the other side of the field, multi-talented wide receiver Irving Fryar was equally effective, catching 39 passes for 670
yards, while also rushing for 27 yards, gaining another 559 yards returning punts and kickoffs, and scoring 10 touchdowns. But like
the Bears, the Partiots main strength on offense was their rushing attack. Halfback Craig James rushed for 1,227 yards, caught 27
passes for 370 yards, and scored 7 touchdowns. Fullback Tony Collins rushed for 657 yards, recorded a team leading 52 receptions for
549 yards, and scored 5 touchdowns. The Patriots also had an outstanding offensive line, led by Pro Bowl tackle Brian Holloway and
future Hall of Fame guard John Hannah. New England's defense ranked 5th in the league in fewest yards allowed (5,048). Pro Bowl
linebacker Andre Tippett led the AFC with 16.5 sacks and recovered 3 fumbles. Linebacker and Pro Bowler Steve Nelson was also a
big defensive weapon, excelling at pass coverage and run stopping. Also, the Patriots secondary only gave up 14 touchdown passes
during the season, the 2nd fewest in the league. Pro bowl defensive back Raymond Clayborn recorded 6 interceptions for 80 return
yards and 1 touchdown, while Pro Bowler Fred Marion had 7 interceptions for 189 return yards. Playoffs In the playoffs, the Patriots
qualified as the AFC's second wild card. But the Patriots shocked everybody, beating the New York Jets 26-14, Los Angeles Raiders
27-20, and the Dolphins 31-14 - all on the road - to make it to the Super Bowl. The win against Miami had been especially surprising,
not only because Miami was the only team to beat Chicago in the season, but also because New England had not won in the Orange
Bowl (Miami's then-home field) since 1966, the Dolphins' first season (then in the AFL). The Patriots had lost to Miami there 18
consecutive times, including a 30-27 loss in their 15th game of the season. But New England dominated the Dolphins in the AFC
Championship Game, recording two interceptions from quarterback Dan Marino and recovering 4 fumbles. Meanwhile, the Bears
became the first team in NFL history to shut out both of their opponents in the playoffs, beating the New York Giants 21-0 and the
Los Angeles Rams 24-0. Super Bowl pregame hype Much of the Super Bowl pregame hype centered around Bears quarterback
McMahon. First, he was fined by the NFL during the playoffs for a violation of the league's dress code, wearing a head band on which
he had handwritten "Adidas". He then started to wear a head band saying "Rozelle", after then-league commissioner Pete Rozelle.
McMahon was suffering a sore rear end from a hit he took in the NFC Championship Game. So he flew in his acupuncturist into New
Orleans to get treatment. During practice four days before the Super Bowl, he started wearing a hand band reading "Acupuncture".
Another anecdote involving Jim McMahon during the Super Bowl anticipation was the New Orleans’ press reporting a supposed
quote of McMahon referring to the women of New Orleans as “sluts”. This caused wide controversy among the ladies of New Orleans
and forced McMahon to publicly apologize on sports radio, in which he denounced the claim as false, indicating (amusingly) that he
couldn’t have said such things simply because he’s a late-sleeper, and wouldn’t have been up that early in the morning (of the
supposed day, apparently) to publicly smear the women of New Orleans. Television and entertainment The NBC telecast of the game,
with play-by-play announcer Dick Enberg and color commentators Merlin Olsen and Bob Griese (who was not in the booth with
Enberg and Olsen), garnered the third highest Nielsen rating of any Super Bowl to date, a 48.3. While Dick Enberg, Merlin Olsen and
Bob Griese called the game, Bob Costas and his NFL '85 castmates, Ahmad Rashad and Pete Axthelm anchored the pregame, halftime
and postgame coverage. To celebrate the 20th Super Bowl game, the Most Valuable Players of the previous Super Bowls were
featured during the pregame festivities. After trumpeter Wynton Marsalis performed the national anthem, Bart Starr, Super Bowl MVP
of I and II, tossed the coin. The performance event group Up with People performed during the halftime show titled "Beat of the
Future". Up with People dancers portrayed various scenes into the future. This was the last Super Bowl to feature Up with People as a
half-time show, though they later performed in the Super Bowl XXV pre-game show. The Last Precinct debuted on NBC after the
game. Super Bowl XX was simulcast in Canada on CTV and also broadcast on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom. Super Bowl XX is
featured on NFL's Greatest Games under the title Super Bears. Game summary The Patriots took the second quickest lead in Super
Bowl history after linebacker Larry McGrew recovered a fumble from Walter Payton at the Chicago 19-yard line on the second play
of the game (the Bears themselves would break this record in Super Bowl XLI when Devin Hester ran back the opening kickoff for a
touchdown). Jim McMahon took responsibility for this fumble after the game, saying he had called the wrong play. This set up Tony
Franklin's 36-yard field goal 1:19 into the first quarter after 3 incomplete passes by Tony Eason (the first of which starting tight end
Lin Dawson went down with torn ligaments in his knee). "I looked up at the message board," said Chicago linebacker Mike Singletary,
"and it said that 15 of the 19 teams that scored first won the game. I thought, yeah, but none of those 15 had ever played the Bears."
Chicago struck back with a 7 play, 59-yard drive, featuring a 43-yard pass completion from Jim McMahon to wide receiver Willie
Gault, to set up a field goal from Kevin Butler, tying the score 3-3. After both teams traded punts, Richard Dent and linebacker Wilber
Marshall shared a sack on Eason, forcing a fumble that lineman Dan Hampton recovered on the Patriots 13-yard line. Chicago then
drove to the 3-yard line, but had to settle for another field goal from Butler after rookie defensive lineman William "Refrigerator"
Perry was tackled for a 1-yard loss while trying to throw his first NFL pass on a halfback option play. On the Patriots' ensuing drive,
Dent forced running back Craig James to fumble, which was recovered by Singletary at the 13-yard line. Two plays later, Bears
fullback Matt Suhey scored on an 11-yard touchdown run to increase the lead 13-3. New England took the ensuing kickoff and ran
one play before the first quarter ended, which resulted in positive yardage for the first time in the game (a 3-yard run by James). But
after an incomplete pass and a 4-yard loss, they had to send in punter Rich Camarillo again, and receiver Keith Ortego returned the
ball 12 yards to the 41-yard line. The Bears subsequently drove 59 yards in 10 plays, featuring a 24-yard reception by Suhey, to score
on McMahon's 2-yard touchdown run to increase their lead, 20-3. After the ensuing kickoff, New England lost 13 yards in 3 plays and
had to punt again (on this play Ortego apparently forgot there was a reverse on the punt return, waved for a fair catch, committed a
penalty by running with it and giving it to Leslie Frazier; who was tackled and suffered what turned out to be a career-ending knee
injury), but got the ball back with great field position when defensive back Raymond Clayborn recovered a fumble from Suhey at their
own 46-yard line. Patriots coach Raymond Berry then replaced Eason with Steve Grogan, who had spent the previous week hoping he
would have the opportunity to step on to NFL's biggest stage. "I probably won't get a chance." he had told reporters a few days before
the game. "I just hope I can figure out some way to get on the field. I could come in on the punt-block team and stand behind the line
and wave my arms, or something." But on his first drive, Grogan could only lead them to the 37-yard line and they decided to punt
rather than risk a 55-yard field goal attempt. The Bears then marched 72 yards in 11 plays, moving the ball inside the Patriots 10-yard
line. New England kept them out of the end zone, but Butler kicked his third field goal on the last play of the half to give Chicago a
23-3 halftime lead. The end of the half was controversial. With 21 seconds left in the first half, McMahon scrambled to the Patriots'
three-yard line and was stopped in-bounds. With the clock ticking down, players from both teams were fighting, and the Bears were
forced to snap the ball before the officials formally put it back into play, allowing McMahon to throw the ball out of bounds and stop
the clock with three seconds left. The Bears were penalized five yards for delay of game, but according to NFL rules, ten seconds
should have also been run off the clock during such a deliberate clock-stopping attempt in the final two minutes of a half. In addition,
a flag should have also been thrown for fighting (also according to NFL rules). This would have likely resulted in offsetting penalties,
which would still allow for a field goal attempt. As far as the illegal snap is concerned, the non-call was promptly acknowledged by
the officials and reported by NBC sportscasters during halftime, but the resulting three points were not taken away from the Bears
(Because of this instance, the NFL instructed officials to strictly enforce the 10-second run-off rule at the start of the 1986 season. The
Bears had dominated New England in the first half, holding them to 21 offensive plays (only 4 of which resulted in positive yardage),
-19 total offensive yards, 2 pass completions, 1 first down, and 3 points. Meanwhile, Chicago gained 236 yards and scored 23 points
themselves. After the Patriots received the second half opening kickoff, they managed to get one first down, but then had to punt after
Grogan was sacked twice. Camarillo, who punted 4 times in the first half, managed to pin the Bears back at their own 4-yard line with
a then-Super Bowl record 62-yard punt. But the Patriots defense still had no ability to stop Chicago's offense. On their very first play,
McMahon faked a handoff to Payton, then threw a 60-yard completion to Gault. Eight plays later, McMahon finished the Super Bowl
record 96-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to make the Bears lead 30-3. On New England's second drive of the period,
Chicago cornerback Reggie Phillips (who replaced Frazier) intercepted a pass from Grogan and returned it 28 yards for a touchdown
to increase the lead 37-3. On the second play of their ensuing possession, the Patriots turned the ball over again, when receiver Cedric
Jones lost a fumble after catching a 19-yard pass from Grogan, and Marshall returned the fumble 13 yards to New England's 37-yard
line. A few plays later, McMahon's 27-yard completion to receiver Dennis Gentry moved the ball to the 1-yard line, setting up perhaps
the most memorable moment of the game. William "the Refrigerator" Perry was brought on to score on offense, as he had done twice
in the regular season. His touchdown made the score 44-3. The Bears' 21 points in the third quarter is still a record for the most points
scored in that period. The Patriots finally scored a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, advancing the ball 76 yards in 12 plays and
scoring on an 8-yard pass from Grogan to receiver Irving Fryar. But the Bears defense dominated New England for the rest of the
game, forcing another fumble, another interception, and defensive lineman Henry Waechter's sack on Grogan in the end zone for a
safety to make the final score 46-10. One irony in the Bears victory was that Payton had a relatively poor performance running the ball
and never scored a touchdown in Super Bowl XX, his first and only Super Bowl appearance during his Hall of Fame career (Many
people including Mike Ditka have claimed that the reason for this due to the fact that the Patriots defensive scheme was centered
around stopping Walter Payton). Although Payton was ultimately the Bears' leading rusher during the game, the Patriots defense held
him to only 61 yards on 22 carries, with his longest run being only 7 yards. He was given several opportunities to score near the goal
line, but New England stopped him every time before he reached the end zone (such as his 2-yard loss from the New England 3-yard
line a few plays before Butler's second field goal, and his 2-yard run from the 4-yard line right before McMahon's first rushing
touchdown). Thus, Chicago head coach Mike Ditka opted to go for other plays to counter the Patriots defense. Perry's touchdown and
McMahon's rushing touchdowns are scoring opportunities that were denied to Payton. Ditka has since gone on record stating that his
biggest regret of his career was not creating a scoring opportunity for Payton during the game. McMahon, who completed 12 out of 20
passes for 256 yards, became the first quarterback in a Super Bowl to score 2 rushing touchdowns. Bears receiver Willie Gault
finished the game with 129 receiving yards on just 4 receptions, an average of over 32.2 yards per catch. He also returned 4 kickoffs
for 49 yards. Suhey had 11 carries for 52 yards and a touchdown, and caught a pass for 24 yards. Singletary tied a Super Bowl record
with 2 fumble recoveries. Eason became the first Super Bowl starting quarterback to fail to complete a pass, going 0 for 6 attempts.
Grogan completed 17 out of 30 passes for 177 yards and 1 touchdown, with 2 interceptions. Although Fullback Tony Collins was the
Patriots leading rusher, he was limited to just 4 yards on 3 carries, and caught 2 passes for 19 yards. New England receiver Stephen
Starring returned 7 kickoffs for 153 yards and caught 2 passes for 39 yards.
January 25, 1987 NY Giants(NFC) vs. Denver Broncos (AFC) 39-20 DEN 10 0 0 10 20 NYG 7 2 17 13 39 Stadium Rose Bowl
Stadium, Pasadena, California MVP Phil Simms, Quarterback Favorite Giants by 9½ National anthem Neil Diamond Halftime show
"Salute to Hollywood's 100th Anniversary" with Southern California high school drill teams and dancers Future Hall of Famers
Broncos: John Elway. Giants: Harry Carson, Lawrence TaylorSuper Bowl XXI was an American football game played on January 25,
1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion following the 1986 regular
season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants (17–2) won their first Super Bowl by defeating the
American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos (13–6), 39–20. The Giants scored 26 consecutive points during the
second, third, and fourth quarters, and a Super Bowl record 30 points in the second half.New York quarterback Phil Simms was
named the Super Bowl MVP, finishing the game with 22 of 25 passes completed for 268 yards and three touchdowns. Simms also had
25 rushing yards on 3 carries. His 22 out of 25 (88%) completion percentage not only set a Super Bowl record, but also an NFL
postseason record for 21 years. Background NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl XXI to Pasadena, California during their May
23–25, 1984 meetings. Fourteen cities were part of the bidding process, which was scheduled to award four Super Bowls (XXI, XXII,
XXIII, and XXIV). The bidding cities included: Anaheim, Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Miami, Minneapolis, New Orleans,
Pasadena, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, Tampa, and Tempe. The Philadelphia host committee assembled what was
considered a strong, but long-shot bid, hoping to win the first outdoor Super Bowl in a cold weather city. The balloting for XXI took
13 ballots and over two hours to complete, with Pasadena finally receiving the winning bid. XXII was also voted on, but the voting for
XXIII and XXIV was postponed. This was the fourth time that Pasadena hosted the game, and the sixth time it was held in the Greater
Los Angeles Area. New York Giants The Giants advanced to their first Super Bowl in team history, and were playing for their first
league championship since they lost to the Chicago Bears in the 1963 NFL Championship Game. The Giants were led by quarterback
Phil Simms, who threw for 3,487 yards and 21 touchdowns (but also 22 interceptions). Simms' main target was tight end Mark Bavaro,
who caught 66 passes for 1,001 yards and 4 touchdowns. Although the Giants did not have one great wide receiver, they did have
several good ones. Receivers Stacy Robinson, Bobby L. Johnson, and Phil McConkey combined for 76 receptions and 1,307 yards.
However, running the ball was the Giants' primary offensive attack. Running back Joe Morris finished the regular season with a then
franchise record 1,516 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, while also catching 21 passes for 223 yards and another touchdown. One
reason for his success was fullback Maurice Carthon, who provided Morris with excellent blocking and was the team's second leading
rusher with 260 yards. Another reason was the play of their offensive line, led by Pro Bowl tackles Brad Benson and Karl Nelson. The
Giants also had a lot of weapons on their defense, nicknamed The "Big Blue Wrecking Crew". After giving up 31 points in their
opening day regular season loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the Giants had not given up more than 20 points in a game until the last game
of the season, in a 55–24 win over the Green Bay Packers. The Giants' defensive leader was Hall of Fame outside linebacker
Lawrence Taylor who led the league with 20½ sacks during the regular season, won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award for
the third time in his career, and became just the second defensive player to ever win the NFL Most Valuable Player Award. At 6′3″
and 245 pounds, Taylor was big enough to break through the offensive lines of many teams, but he still had enough speed to chase
down running backs. The Giants' other starting linebackers, Gary Reasons, Carl Banks, and Harry Carson, did not get as much media
attention as Taylor, but both Reasons and Carson had been selected to play in the Pro Bowl, while Banks recorded 6.5 sacks and 2
fumble recoveries. Nose tackle Jim Burt and right end Leonard Marshall, who were also both selected to the Pro Bowl, anchored the
defensive line. Marshall recorded 12 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, and 1 interception during the season. With the play of their defense,
the running attack led by Morris, and Simms' passing game, the Giants earned a 14–2 regular season record. Denver Broncos The
Broncos won the AFC West with an 11–5 regular season record, largely through the play of their quarterback John Elway. In just his
fourth season in the league, Elway made an impact to the team with his ad-libbing skills. During the regular season, he had thrown for
3,480 yards and 19 touchdowns, while also rushing for 257 yards, the third leading rusher on the team. Elway did not really have a
particular receiver who caught the most of his passes during the regular season, but wide receivers Mark Jackson, Vance Johnson,
Steve Watson, and tight end Orson Mobley all combined for 136 receptions and 2,132 yards. Pro Bowl running back Sammy Winder
was the Broncos' top rusher with 789 yards and 9 touchdowns, while also catching 26 passes for another 171 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Fullback Gerald Willhite also contributed by rushing for 365 yards and 5 touchdowns, while also leading the team in receptions with
64, good for 529 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Broncos also had a powerful offensive line, led by Pro Bowl guard Keith Bishop. The
Broncos also led the AFC with the fewest rushing yards allowed (1,651). The defensive line was anchored by Pro Bowl defensive end
Rulon Jones, who recorded 13.5 sacks and a fumble recovery. Denver's linebacking core, led by three time Pro Bowler Tom Jackson
and Karl Mecklenburg, who recorded 9.5 sacks, was viewed as comparable to the Giants' Pro Bowl linebackers. Their secondary was
led by Pro Bowl cornerbacks Dennis Smith and Louis Wright, along with Mike Harden, who intercepted 6 passes and returned them
for 179 yards and 2 touchdowns. Louis Wright, Steve Foley, and Tom Jackson, the last remnants of Denver's Orange Crush Defense
of the 1970s, all retired after this Super Bowl.Playoffs Elway's ability to improvise on the fly, in part, helped Denver to make it
through the playoffs, narrowly defeating the New England Patriots, 22–17, and the Cleveland Browns, 23–20, in the AFC
Championship Game. The AFC Championship Game against the Browns was particular significant because Elway displayed why
many NFL experts thought Super Bowl XXI would be the first of many Super Bowls for him. In what became known as The Drive,
the Broncos started from their own 2-yard line, trailing 20-13, with 5:32 left to play. But in 15 plays, Elway led Denver 98 yards for a
game-tying touchdown pass with 39 seconds left. The Broncos then won in overtime after Elway's led them 60 yards in 9 plays to set
up kicker Rich Karlis' game winning field goal. Meanwhile, the Giants went on to only allow a combined total of 3 points in their
playoff victories over the San Francisco 49ers, 49-3, and the Washington Redskins, 17-0, respectively. Such a dominating
performance by the Giants' defense gave the team a lot of confidence going into the Super Bowl match-up versus the Broncos. Super
Bowl pregame news Much of the pregame hype centered around the confrontation between Elway and Taylor, and whether or not
Taylor would be able to hurry Elway's throws or sack him. The Giants had narrowly defeated Denver during the regular season,
forcing four turnovers in a 19-16 win despite being outgained in total yards 405 to 262. Television, radio, and entertainment The game
was broadcast in the United States by CBS and featured the broadcast team of play-by-play announcer Pat Summerall and color
commentator John Madden. Brent Musburger of The NFL Today anchored the pregame, halftime and postgame coverage. Helping
Musburger were reporters Irv Cross and Will McDonough and analysts Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Theismann
and Dan Dierdorf (in his final CBS assignment before moving on to ABC's Monday Night Football for the following season). The
game was also the first NFL game to be broadcast in Dolby Surround sound and in stereo. The game was also broadcast in Canada on
CTV and in the United Kingdom on Channel 4. Nationally, the game was carried over the NBC Radio Network. Don Criqui served as
play-by-play with Bob Trumpy his color commentator. This was the last Super Bowl called by Criqui, as NBC Radio lost NFL rights
following the season and he returned to his secondary play-by-play role on NBC television. Trumpy would call two more Super Bowls
for NBC television (Super Bowl XXVII and Super Bowl XXVIII) as part of the network's #1 broadcast team. In the teams' local
markets, the game was carried on WNEW-AM and KOA-AM. The pregame show was a salute to California and featured the pop
music group The Beach Boys. Singer Neil Diamond performed the national anthem. The coin toss ceremony featured Pro Football
Hall of Fame defensive lineman Willie Davis. The halftime show was a "Salute to Hollywood's 100th Anniversary" featuring an
introduction by George Burns (who was only nine years younger than Hollywood at the time) and a performance by the Southern
California high school drill teams and dancers. Super Bowl XXI MVP Phil Simms was the first athlete to appear in a "I'm going to
Disney World!" television ad. As had been their tradition all season, upon securing their victory, Giants players celebrated by
dumping a Gatorade cooler on head coach Bill Parcells. The 1986 Giants were the first team to initiate what has now become a
standard post-game celebration, and the Super Bowl telecast enabled a large, national audience to first witness what has become
commonplace. The postgame show was supposed to feature the song "One Shining Moment" but due to postgame interviews taking so
long, CBS never aired it. They ultimately changed the lyrics from "The ball is kicked" to "The ball is tipped", and the song is now
played at the end of the network's NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship coverage. CBS also debuted the theme music
that would later be used for their college football coverage during this game, as well as its open that was used through 1990. This
Super Bowl is featured in NFL's Greatest Games under the title Land of the Giants.Game summary On the Broncos' first play after
receiving the opening kickoff, quarterback John Elway faked a handoff, then spun around and ran in the opposite direction for a 10yard gain to the Denver 34-yard line. Then on third down, his 24-yard completion to receiver Mark Jackson advanced the ball to the
New York 39-yard line. However, the Giants' defense tighened up and halted the drive at the 30-yard line, forcing Denver to settle for
Rich Karlis's 48-yard field goal to give them a 3-0 lead. The Giants then took the ensuing kickoff and stormed right back on a 9-play,
78-yard drive. First quarterback Phil Simms completed a 17-yard pass to receiver Lionel Manuel. Then, running back Joe Morris ran
for 11 yards to the Denver 41-yard line. The Giants then marched to the Denver 6-yard line with Simms' 18-yard pass to receiver
Stacy Robinson, and then a 17-yard completion to tight end Mark Bavaro two plays later. Finally, Simms threw a 6-yard touchdown
pass to tight end Zeke Mowatt, giving the Giants a 7-3 lead. Denver kick returner Ken Bell gave his team great field position by
returning the ensuing kickoff 28 yards to the Broncos 42-yard line. Then, Elway completed 3 consecutive passes: a 14-yard
completion to running back Sammy Winder, an 11-yard completion to tight end Orson Mobley, and a 9-yard screen pass to Winder.
On Winder's play, the Giants were flagged for two 15-yard penalties. The first was a personal foul called on Harry Carson, who was
penalized for hitting Winder out of bounds. The second penalty was an unsportsmanlike conduct foul on Lawrence Taylor, who
picked up the first penalty marker and threw it. The penalties moved the ball to the Giants' six-yard line, and three plays later Elway
scored on a 4-yard touchdown run to give the Broncos a 10–7 lead. On Denver's first drive of the second quarter, Elway dropped back
to pass from his own 18-yard line on third down. The Giants' pass rush forced him to scramble out of the pocket, but it gave him time
to find receiver Vance Johnson, who was wide open, for a 54-yard completion. Several plays later, the Broncos drove to a first down
at the New York's 1-yard line, but Giants defense made a key defensive stand. First, Elway tried a run-pass option, but linebacker
Lawrence Taylor broke through the line and tackled him for a 1-yard loss. Then, fullback Gerald Willhite tried to run through the
middle, but linebacker Harry Carson tackled him for no gain. On third down, Elway pitched the ball to Winder, who tried to score on a
run to the outside, but linebacker Carl Banks tackled him for a 4-yard loss. In total, the Broncos had run 3 plays from the 1-yard line
and lost 5 yards. Denver tried to salvage the drive with a 23-yard field goal attempt, but Karlis' kick was no good, making it the
shortest missed field goal in Super Bowl history. The first use of instant replay in a Super Bowl game came with approximately three
minutes to play in the half. Bronco tight end Clarence Kay caught a pass from Elway for a 25-yard gain, but after the officials
conferred the pass was ruled incomplete. The replay booth, headed by director of officiating Art McNally, took a look at the play and
confirmed the ruling on the field. On the next play George Martin sacked Elway in the end zone for a safety, cutting Denver's lead to
10-9. Toward the end of the first half, CBS broadcast a reverse angle replay that the officials were unable to see and showed that they
had missed the call, clearly showing a reception by Kay. With less than a minute remaining in the half, Elway completed 31-yard pass
to receiver Steve Watson and an 11-yard pass to Willhite, giving the Broncos a first down at the Giants 20-yard line. But the Giants
defense forced 3 consecutive incompletions, and Denver ended the drive with no points after Karlis missed another field goal, this
time from 34 yards. Karlis, who had made 11 of 12 field goals from under 40 yards during the season, later admitted his misses in the
first half were devastating to the Broncos. "Both times I didn't get my hips all the way through the kicks. I was steering the ball, and I
know better than that. I felt the team unravel after that. I really hurt them." In the second half, the Giants dominated the Broncos,
outscoring them 30-10 with four touchdowns and a field goal on their first five possessions. The Giants took the opening kickoff in the
third quarter, but faced fourth down after their first 3 plays. Instead of kicking the ball to Denver, they ran a successful fake punt.
Playing from the blocking back position on the punt formation, backup quarterback Jeff Rutledge took the snap and ran to the Giants
48-yard line for a first down. On the next play, Simms completed a 12-yard pass to Morris, and then followed it up with a 23-yard
completion to running back Lee Rouson. Two plays later, Simms finished the drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Bavaro to give
the Giants a 16-10 lead. The Broncos were forced to punt on their next drive, and receiver Phil McConkey returned the punt 25 yards
to Denver's 36-yard line. The Broncos managed to keep the Giants out of the endzone, but New York kicker Raul Allegre kicked a 21yard field goal to increase their lead to 19-10. Denver was again forced to punt on their ensuing possession. Afterwards, Simms
completed a 17-yard pass to Manuel at the Broncos 45-yard line. Then the Giants fooled Denver on a flea flicker play: Morris took a
handoff from Simms and ran up to the line of scrimmage as if it were a run play. But before he crossed the line, Morris pitched the
ball back to Simms, who then passed the ball to McConkey, who was wide open at the 20-yard line. After catching the pass,
McConkey ran all the way to the 1-yard line before being tackled. Morris then scored on a 1-yard touchdown run on the next play,
increasing New York's lead to 26-10. Elway barely avoided a turnover by recovering his own fumble on the last play of the third
quarter, but on the first play of the fourth quarter, he threw an interception to Giants defensive back Elvis Patterson. After that, Simms
completed a 36-yard pass to Robinson. Two plays later from Denver's 6-yard line, Simms threw a pass to Bavaro in the endzone. The
pass bounced off Bavaro's fingertips, but fell right into the arms of McConkey for a touchdown, making the Giants lead 33-10 The
Broncos finally managed to get a good drive going on their next possession, advancing the ball 74 yards in 13 plays. Elway completed
5 of 6 passes for 46 yards and rushed for 14, while Karlis finished it off with a 28-yard field goal, cutting their deficit to 33-13. But the
Giants recovered Denver's ensuing onside kick attempt and stormed right back for another touchdown. On the drive, Rouson ran twice
for 21 yards and then Simms ran for a 22-yard gain. Running back Ottis Anderson finished the drive off with a 2-yard touchdown run
to make the score 39-13 after Allegre's extra point attempt failed. Denver later managed to cut their deficit to 39-20 with Elway's 47yard touchdown pass to Vance Johnson (the 100th TD in Super Bowl history), but by then there was only a little more than two
minutes left in the game. As the final seconds of the game ticked away Harry Carson, continuing the recent trend started by the Giants,
gave head coach Bill Parcells a Gatorade shower, going as far as to take off his jersey and pads and sneak behind Parcells with a Rose
Bowl security team shirt on. Thanks in large part to this particular Gatorade dunking, a tradition of sorts was formed that continues to
this day. In addition Brad Benson and Bart Oates drenched Simms with a cooler of ice water; "I think it was very appropriate to cool
the guy down," Oates explained, "as hot as he was in the game." Morris was the top rusher of the game, gaining 67 yards, and added
another 20 yards on 4 receptions. Robinson was the Giants top receiver with 3 catches for 62 yards. Bavaro caught 4 passes for 51
yards and a touchdown. McConkey caught 2 passes for 50 yards and a touchdown, and returned a punt for 25 yards. Defensively;
while the Broncos managed to bottle up Lawrence Taylor, Carl Banks had 14 tackles, 10 of which were unassisted and four of those
for negative yardage, while Leonard Marshall had two sacks and forced a fumble. Elway finished the game with 22 out of 37 pass
completions for 304 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. He also was the Broncos' leading rusher in the game, with 27 rushing
yards and a touchdown on 6 carries. Denver's Vance Johnson was the top receiver of the game, with 5 receptions for 121 yards, an
average of 24.2 yards per catch, and a touchdown. The Giants' victory in Super Bowl XXI marked the second time in four months that
the New York metropolitan area had won a championship in a major professional sport; three months before, the New York Mets had
won the 1986 World Series.
January 31, 1988 Washington Redskins(NFC) vs. Denver Broncos(AFC) 42-10 WAS 0 35 0 7 42 DEN 10 0 0 0 10 Stadium Jack
Murphy Stadium, San Diego, California MVP Doug Williams, Quarterback Favorite Broncos by 3 National anthem Herb Alpert
Halftime show Chubby Checker and The Rockettes Future Hall of Famers Broncos: John Elway Redskins: Joe Gibbs (coach), Darrell
Green, Russ Grimm, Art Monk Super Bowl XXII was an American football game played on January 31, 1988 at Jack Murphy
Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion following the 1987 regular season. The
National Football Conference (NFC) champion Washington Redskins (14–4) won their second Super Bowl by defeating the American
Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos (12–5–1), 42–10, scoring 42 unanswered points after being down 10–0.The
Redskins set the following Super Bowl records in the victory:Total offensive yards (602)Total offensive rushing yards (280)Most
touchdowns scored in a Super Bowl game (6)Total offensive yards in a quarter (356)Most points in a quarter and in a half (35)Most
touchdowns in a quarter (5)The largest deficit that a team has overcome to win a Super Bowl (10 points)Both teams combined to set
the following records:Total combined offensive yards (929)Redskins quarterback Doug Williams was named the Super Bowl MVP,
completing 18 of 29 passes for a Super Bowl record 340 yards and four touchdowns, with one interception. Williams became the first
player in Super Bowl history to pass for four touchdowns in a single quarter, and throw four in a half. Williams was also the first
African-American quarterback to play in (and win) a Super Bowl.This game came at the end of a season that was shortened by a
players' strike, but each team only missed one regular season game due to the labor dispute. Background NFL owners voted to award
Super Bowl XXII to San Diego during their May 23–25, 1984 meetings. This was the first Super Bowl to be played at Jack Murphy
Stadium (now currently known as Qualcomm Stadium) in San Diego, California. Fourteen cities were part of the bidding process,
which was scheduled to award four Super Bowls (XXI, XXII, XXIII, and XXIV). The bidding cities included: Anaheim, Detroit,
Houston, Jacksonville, Miami, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Pasadena, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, Tampa, and
Tempe. The Philadelphia host committee assembled what was considered a strong, but long-shot bid, hoping to win the first outdoor
Super Bowl in a cold weather city. Jacksonville had no NFL team at the time, the Jacksonville Jaguars would not start play until 1995.
After the balloting for XXI took over two hours to complete, XXII was also voted on, but the voting for XXIII and XXIV was
postponed. San Diego was awarded the game, marking the second time consecutive Super Bowls were played in the same state with
Pasadena hosting Super Bowl XXI. This has now happened three times in NFL history; Super Bowls II and III were both played at the
Miami Orange Bowl and Super Bowls XLIII and XLIV were played in Florida (at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa and Sun Life
Stadium in Miami Gardens).Williams and the Redskins The primary storyline surrounding Super Bowl XXII was that Washington's
Doug Williams was the first African-American quarterback ever to start in a NFL league championship game, let alone a Super Bowl .
Williams had taken a rather unconventional route to the Super Bowl. He began his career as the first round draft pick of the Tampa
Bay Buccaneers in 1978. After five seasons, a contract dispute caused him to leave the team and sign with the Oklahoma Outlaws of
the newly formed USFL. When that league folded a few years later, Williams found himself out of a job until Redskins coach Joe
Gibbs asked him to join the team to be the backup for quarterback Jay Schroeder. Williams played just one game in 1986, and spent
most of the 1987 season on the bench. But injuries and inconsistent play from Schroeder made Gibbs promote Williams to starting
quarterback. Williams had played extremely well in his five regular season games, passing for 1,156 yards, 11 touchdowns and five
interceptions. The Redskins main receiving threat was wide receiver Gary Clark, who caught 56 passes for 1,066 yards, an average of
19 yards per catch. Wide receivers Ricky Sanders and Art Monk were also deep threats, combining for 80 receptions and 1,130 yards.
Running back George Rogers was Washington's leading rusher with 613 yards. However, Rogers saw limited action in Super Bowl
XXII due to injuries that would force him into early retirement. Rookie running back Timmy Smith started in his place. Fullback
Kelvin Bryant also was a big contributor, rushing for 406 yards, and catching 43 passes for 490 yards during the 1987 season. The
Redskins also had an excellent defensive unit, led by defensive backs Barry Wilburn who recorded nine interceptions for 135 return
yards and one touchdown, Todd Bowles, who intercepted four passes, and Darrell Green. Their line was anchored by defensive ends
Charles Mann, who led the team with nine and a half sacks and recovered a fumble, and Dexter Manley, who recorded eight and a half
sacks. The Redskins finished the 1987 strike-shortened regular season as NFC East champions with an 11 –4 record and the third seed
in the NFC playoffs. Elway and the Broncos The Broncos advanced to their second consecutive Super Bowl, overall the third
appearance in team history. Quarterback John Elway had another excellent season, passing for 3,198 yards and 19 touchdowns. He
was also the team's second leading rusher with 304 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receivers Vance Johnson and Ricky Nattiel, and
tight end Clarence Kay, combined for 104 receptions and 1,754 yards. Running back Sammy Winder was the leading rusher with 741
yards and six touchdowns, while fullback Gene Lang rushed for 304 yards and caught 17 receptions. The Broncos also possessed a
solid defensive unit, led by outside linebacker Karl Mecklenburg, and defensive back Mike Harden with four interceptions. The
Broncos finished the strike-shortened 1987 season winning the AFC West with a 10-4-1 record and the number one seed in the AFC
playoffs. Playoffs The Broncos routed the Houston Oilers in the Divsional round of the playoffs, 34–10, jumping to a 14–0 first
quarter lead off of two quick Oilers turnovers, with Elway completing 14 of 25 passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns in the game.
Vance Johnson recorded four catches for 105 yards, including a 55-yard reception to set up Elway's second touchdown pass. However,
Johnson was injured during the game and had to miss the rest of the postseason Denver then won the AFC Championship Game in an
exciting game over the AFC Central champion Cleveland Browns 38-33 for the second consecutive year. The Broncos seemed to be in
control of the game during the first half, taking a 21-3 lead. But behind Bernie Kosar, Cleveland rallied back and tied the score 31-31
in the fourth quarter. Elway responded with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Winder, taking the lead back with less than five minutes left
in regulation. The Browns took the ball back and drove to the Denver 8-yard line, but the drive ended with a play that became known
as The Fumble resulting more bad luck in Cleveland professional sports lore: Denver defensive back Jeremiah Castille stripped the
football from Browns running back Ernest Byner and recovered the ensuing fumble as Byner was rushing in for the potential tying
touchdown, securing the Broncos' win. Meanwhile, the Redskins had narrow wins in the playoffs. First, they won at Soldier Field
against the Chicago Bears, 21–17. The key play was a 52 yard punt return for a touchdown by Redskin defensive back Darrell Green
for the go ahead touchdown. The Bears' Kevin Butler kicked a field goal to close the deficit to 21-17, but the Bears could get no closer.
Noteworthy was the Redskins trailed 14-0 early in the game. The Redskins won a defensive battle against the surprising Minnesota
Vikings in the NFC Championship Game, 17-10. The Vikings barely made the playoffs with an 8-7 record during the strike-shortened
regular season, but advanced to the NFC championship by winning on the road against the teams with the best records in the NFL,
defeating the 12-3 New Orleans Saints, 44-10, and the 13-2 San Francisco 49ers, 36-24. The experienced Redskins put an end to the
Vikings string of upsets, aided by Williams' go ahead touchdown pass to Clark with five minutes remaining in the game to lead 17-10.
A strong goal line stand by the Redskin defense and was rewarded with Wade Wilson's incomplete pass in the end zone forced by
Darrell Green which was intended for Minnesota running back Darrin Nelson on fourth down with 56 seconds left, sealed the victory
for Washington. Super Bowl pregame news into Super Bowl XXII, the Broncos were favored to win (-3 as noted on the NFL Today
show by Jimmy "the Greek" Snyder) because most experts thought both teams were equal in terms of talent with Elway presumed to
be the superior quarterback to Williams. Elway had won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award and was selected to start for the AFC
in the Pro Bowl, while Williams had played just five regular season games in the 1987 season. Television and entertainment The
game was broadcast in the United States by ABC with play-by-play announcer Al Michaels and color commentators Frank Gifford
and Dan Dierdorf. Keith Jackson hosted the pregame, halftime, and postgame coverage for ABC. Jackson was joined by analysts Lynn
Swann and Mike Adamle. Also helping with ABC's coverage were Jack Whitaker, Jim Hill and Becky Dixon. This would be the first
Super Bowl broadcast on ABC to have the broadcast team of Michaels, Gifford, and Dierdorf in the booth (as the 1987 season was the
first year the trio was together, with Dierdorf moving to ABC from CBS; Gifford was the only holdover from ABC's Super Bowl XIX
telecast). The trio would man the booth for ABC's Monday Night Football from 1987 to 1997 and call Super Bowls XXV and XXIX.
It was simulcast in Canada on CTV and in the United Kingdom on Channel 4. It was also the first Super Bowl to be aired on Televisa
in Mexico, airing on its Canal de las Estrellas. The pregame festivities featured a tribute to entertainer Bob Hope, who was
approaching the age of 85. Trumpeter Herb Alpert performed "The Star-Spangled Banner", while Pro Football Hall of Fame wide
receiver Don Hutson participated in the coin toss ceremony (the game happened to coincide with Hutson's 75th birthday). Alpert's
performance was the last non-vocal performance of the National Anthem in a Super Bowl to date. The halftime show, produced by
Radio City Music Hall, was titled "Something Grand" and featured performances by vocalist Chubby Checker, The Rockettes, and 88
grand pianos. The Wonder Years premiered on ABC immediately following the game. This was only the second successful series to
debut following a Super Bowl up to that time (The A-Team, which had premiered following Super Bowl XVII, was the other). Game
summary The game started out very well for Denver. After forcing Washington to go 3 and out, the Broncos' scored on their first play
from scrimmage, when quarterback John Elway threw a 56-yard touchdown pass to wide open receiver Ricky Nattiel, giving Denver a
quick 7–0 lead after just 1:57 had elapsed in the game. It was the earliest touchdown any team had ever scored in Super Bowl history.
(This record would be broken by Jerry Rice in Super Bowl XXIX, and later by Devin Hester in Super Bowl XLI.) The Broncos
quickly forced Washington to punt, and once again Elway displayed his superb scrambling skills. On the second play of Denver's
ensuing possession, Elway completed a 32-yard pass to wide receiver Mark Jackson. Then he caught a 23-yard pass from halfback
Steve Sewell, becoming the first quarterback ever to catch a pass in the Super Bowl (Elway had scored a touchdown on that play
during opening day the previous year against the Raiders). The Redskins managed to halt Denver's drive on the 6-yard line, but kicker
Rich Karlis kicked a field goal to increase the Broncos lead to 10–0. After yet another Redskin punt, Denver managed to drive to the
Washington 30-yard line on their third possession with 2 runs by Gene Lang for a total of 24 yards and an 18-yard reception by Sewell.
But this time they failed to score because Washington safety Alvin Walton sacked Elway for an 18-yard loss on third down, pushing
the Broncos out of field goal range. This play would turn out to be the turning point in the game. Meanwhile, the Redskins could not
generate any offensive momentum in the first quarter, with the Bronco defense forcing a punt on every drive. To make matters worse,
late in the period quarterback Doug Williams twisted his leg while being sacked and had to leave the game. Back-up quarterback Jay
Schroeder was sacked by Denver's Karl Mecklenburg on his first snap, continuing the Redskins' offensive woes. By the time the
period ended, the Broncos had more than twice as many total yards of offense (142) as the Redskins (64). With Denver leading 10–0,
Washington seemed to face insurmountable odds; no team had ever overcome a 10 point deficit to win a Super Bowl. However, the
Redskin offense began to click upon Williams' return with 14:17 left in the second quarter, and much as they had in the second half of
Super Bowl XXI against the New York Giants the Bronco defense seemed to collapse. On the Redskins' first play of the second
quarter, receiver Ricky Sanders got behind defensive back Mark Haynes (who tried to jam him at the line of scrimmage), caught a
pass from Williams, and took it 80 yards for a touchdown. After forcing the Broncos to punt on their next possession, Washington
advanced to the Denver 27-yard line. Facing third down and 1, with Denver's defense expecting a running play, Washington decided
to pass and receiver Gary Clark made a diving catch in the end zone for a touchdown to give Washington a 14–10 lead. After the
ensuing kickoff Denver drove to the Washington 26-yard line, aided by running back Sammy Winder's 27-yard reception and Elway's
21-yard run. After Elway threw an incomplete pass on third down, however, Karlis missed a 43-yard field goal attempt. On the first
play of the Redskins' ensuing drive, Williams threw a 16-yard completion to Clark. Then on the next play, running back Timmy Smith,
a rookie in his first NFL start, took off for a 58-yard touchdown run, making the score 21–10. The Redskins increased their lead to 28–
10 on their next possession with a 50-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Sanders, making him the first player in Super Bowl
history to catch 2 touchdowns in a single quarter. Four plays after the ensuing kickoff, Washington defensive back Barry Wilburn
intercepted a pass from Elway on the Redskin 21 yard-line, and once again the Redskins stormed down the field to score. First,
Timmy Smith broke loose for a 43-yard run, then Williams completed a pair of passes to Sanders to reach the Denver 7-yard line. Two
plays later, Williams threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Clint Didier to make the score 35–10. On Denver's next drive,
Elway completed 3 consecutive passes for 40 total yards to advance to the Redskins 36-yard line. However, Washington rookie
defensive back Brian Davis intercepted Elway's next pass at the 21-yard line with 7 seconds left in the half. In the second quarter alone,
Williams had completed 9 of 11 passes for 228 yards and 4 touchdowns; Smith had rushed 5 times for 122 yards and a touchdown;
and Sanders had caught 4 passes for 168 yards and 2 touchdowns. By the end of the game, Elway was sacked five times and threw
three interceptions, and Washington scored another touchdown on a 68-yard fourth quarter drive featuring a 25-yard run by Clark on a
reverse and three runs by Smith for 43 yards, the last a 4-yard touchdown to bring the game to its final score of 42–10. Smith finished
the game with a Super Bowl record 204 rushing yards, and scored 2 touchdowns. His 58-yard touchdown run in the second quarter
tied Tom Matte in Super Bowl III for the third longest run in Super Bowl history, and Smith's 9.3 yard per carry average was the third
highest. Sanders caught 9 passes for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns, and returned 3 kickoffs for 46 yards. His 193 receiving yards and
his 235 total offensive yards were both Super Bowl records, and his 80-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter also tied a
Super Bowl record. Clark caught 3 passes for 55 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing once for 25 yards. Wilburn recorded 2
interceptions, while Walton had 2 sacks. Meanwhile, running back Gene Lang was the Broncos' leading rusher, with only 38 yards on
5 carries. Elway finished the game with 14 out of 38 pass completions for 257 yards, 1 touchdown, and 3 interceptions. He was also
Denver's second leading rusher with 32 yards on 3 carries; this would be the only Super Bowl in which Elway did not score a rushing
touchdown. Jackson was Denver's top receiver with 4 catches for 76 yards.
January 22, 1989 San Francisco 49ers(NFC) vs. Cincinnati Bengals(AFC) 20-16 CIN 0 3 10 3 16 SF 3 0 3 14 20 Stadium Joe Robbie
Stadium, Miami, Florida MVP Jerry Rice, Wide receiver Favorite 49ers by 7 National anthem Billy Joel Halftime show "Be Bop
Bamboozled" - South Florida-area dancers and performers, and 3-D effects Future Hall of Famers 49ers: Bill Walsh (coach), Ronnie
Lott, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Steve Young.Bengals: Anthony Munoz Super Bowl XXIII was an American football game played on
January 22, 1989 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion following the
1988 regular season. This was the first Super Bowl hosted in the Miami area in 10 years, and the first in Miami not held at the Orange
Bowl. This was also the last Super Bowl played on the second to last Sunday in January. From 1990 to 2001, the game was played on
the last Sunday of January and since 2002, on the first Sunday in February (with the exception of Super Bowl XXXVII, which was
played on January 26, 2003).The National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers (13-6) defeated the American
Football Conference (AFC) champion Cincinnati Bengals (14-5), 20-16. This was the second meeting between the two teams in the
Super Bowl, their first meeting being seven years earlier.The game is remembered for the 49ers' fourth-quarter game-winning drive.
Down 16-13, San Francisco got the ball on their own eight yard line with 3:10 on the clock and marched 92 yards down the field in
under three minutes. They then scored the winning touchdown on a Joe Montana pass to John Taylor with just 35 seconds left in the
game.49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice was named the Super Bowl MVP. He caught 11 passes for a Super Bowl record 215 yards and a
touchdown, while also rushing once for 5 yards.This was the final NFL game coached by the 49ers' Bill Walsh as well as the final
Super Bowl that Pete Rozelle presided over as NFL Commissioner.On January 26, 2006, NFL.com ranked this game number 1 on its
list of the top 10 Super Bowls of all time. Background NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl XXIII to Miami, Florida during their
March 10–15, 1985 meetings. This was the sixth time that Miami hosted the game, and the first at Joe Robbie Stadium; the 5 previous
Super Bowls in the area were played at Miami Orange Bowl. Originally, the selection was to be voted on during the May 23–25, 1984
meetings. However, after balloting for XXI took more than two hours, voting for XXIII was rescheduled. Twelve cities were part of
the bidding process, which was scheduled to award two Super Bowls (XXIII and XXIV) The bidding cities included: Anaheim,
Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Miami, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa, and Tempe. Miami
entered as the favorite. San Francisco 49ers For the 49ers, it was their first Super Bowl appearance since they defeated the Miami
Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX. They had made the playoffs in the three seasons between Super Bowl XIX and Super Bowl XXIII, but
were eliminated each time in the first round, primarily because of the poor performances by their offensive stars in those games;
quarterback Joe Montana, receiver Jerry Rice and running back Roger Craig all failed to produce a single touchdown. In the 1988
season, San Francisco won the NFC West with a 10-6 regular season record, but it was a long uphill battle. The team had a
quarterback controversy with Montana and Steve Young each starting at quarterback during the season. But after a 6-5 start, Montana
led the 49ers to win 4 of their final 5 regular season games. Montana finished the regular season with 238 completions for 2,981 yards
and 18 touchdowns, and also added 132 rushing yards. His favorite target was Rice, who recorded 64 receptions for 1,306 yards (a
20.4 yards per catch average) and 9 touchdowns. Craig was also a key contributor, leading the team in receptions (76) while finishing
the season with a total of 2,036 combined rushing and receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, earning him the NFL Offensive Player of
the Year Award. Fullback Tom Rathman also made a big impact, rushing for 427 yards and catching 42 passes for 387 yards. San
Francisco also had a major special teams threat in second year receiver John Taylor, who led the NFL in punt return yards (556), yards
per return, (12.6), and touchdowns (2). He also gained 228 yards on kickoff returns and 325 receiving yards on just 14 recetions (a
23.2 yards pre catch average). The 49ers defense was led by defensive backs Ronnie Lott, Eric Wright, Jeff Fuller, and Tim McKyer,
who recorded a combined total of 18 interceptions. McKyer led the team with 7, while Lott recorded 5. Linebacker Charles Haley was
also a big contributor with 11.5 sacks and 2 fumble recoveries. Cincinnati Bengals The Bengals were also a team on the rebound.
During the 1987 strike-shortened season, quarterback Boomer Esiason and head coach Sam Wyche had openly feuded, and the team
finished with a miserable 4-11 record. A lot of Bengals fans would have been happy to see them both leave the team, but they worked
out their differences in the off-season and Esiason ended up having the best season of his career en route to Super Bowl XXIII. During
the regular season, he threw for 3,572 yards and 28 touchdown passes with only 14 interceptions, while also rushing for 248 yards and
a touchdown on 43 carries. Esiason's performance made him the top rated quarterback in the league with a 97.4 passer rating and
earned him the NFL Most Valuable Player Award. Cincinnati had a number of offensive weapons, boasting 6 Pro Bowl selections.
Wide receiver Eddie Brown was the top receiver on the team, with 54 receptions for 1,273 yards and 9 touchdowns, setting franchise
records for most receiving yards in season, highest yards per catch average in a season (24.0) and most receiving yards in a single
game (216 against the Pittsburgh Steelers). Wide receiver Tim McGee and Pro Bowl tight end Rodney Holman were also major
threats, combining for 75 receptions, 1,213 yards, and 9 touchdowns. Rookie fullback Ickey Woods was their top rusher with 1,066
yards and 15 touchdowns, while also catching 21 passes for 199 yards and gaining a lot of media attention with his "Ickey Shuffle", a
dance routine he did in the end zone to celebrate his touchdowns. Multi-talented running back James Brooks was also a key
contributor, gaining a total of 1,218 combined rushing and receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. And the Bengals' offensive line was
led by such Pro Bowl players as right guard Max Montoya and left tackle Anthony Muñoz. Muñoz was named the NFL Offensive
Lineman of the Year the third time in his career, and was selected to play in the Pro Bowl for the 8th season in a row. With all these
weapons, Cincinnati's offense led the NFL in scoring (448 points), rushing yards (2,710), and total yards (6,302). The Bengals defense
ranked 17th in the league, allowing 5,556 yards and 329 points during the regular season. Cincinnati had a superb defensive line, led
by Pro Bowl defensive tackle Tim Krumrie, along with linemen Jim Skow (9.5 sacks), David Grant (5 sacks), and Jason Buck (6
sacks). Pro Bowl defensive backs Eric Thomas and David Fulcher combined for 12 interceptions, while safety Lewis Billups added 4
interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries. The team ended up winning the AFC Central with a 12 – 4 record. Playoffs The Bengals went
on to defeat the Seattle Seahawks, 21-13, and the Buffalo Bills, 21-10, in the playoffs. Woods was the key contributor in both wins,
rushing for a combined total of 228 yards and 3 touchdowns. Cincinnati's 17th ranked defense during the season made a major
improvement in the playoffs, holding both their opponents to a combined total of 23 points and recording 5 interceptions. Meanwhile,
Bill Walsh guided the 49ers to their crushing playoff wins over the Minnesota Vikings, 34-9, and the Chicago Bears, 28-3. With the
win over the Bears, the 49ers became the first road team to win an NFC Championship Game since the 1979 season. Super Bowl
pregame news Despite the Bengals superior regular season record and Esiason's MVP award, the 49ers were heavily favored to win
the Super Bowl, mainly because of Montana. Montana had already led the 49ers to 2 previous Super Bowls and both times left with a
championship ring and Super Bowl MVP honors. While Montana had problems during the regular season, he appeared to be playing
his best in the postseason, throwing for 466 yards and 5 touchdowns in his 2 playoff games, with only 1 interception. In contrast,
Esiason had thrown for only 202 yards and 1 touchdown, with 2 interceptions. Cincinnati also had internal problems. On the night
before the game, Bengals running back Stanley Wilson, the team's third leading rusher during the season with 398 yards, was caught
using cocaine in his hotel room and was suspended from the team. The rematch was the third time in Super Bowl history two teams
were meeting for a second time. Miami and Washington met in Super Bowls VII and XVII, with the teams splitting the games. Dallas
and Pittsburgh met in Super Bowls X and XIII, with Pittsburgh winning both of those games. Both Dallas-Pittsburgh matchups were
in Miami at the Orange Bowl. Pittsburgh and Dallas would later meet in Super Bowl XXX (which the Cowboys won by 10) to become
the first two teams to ever meet three times in the Super Bowl. The Cowboys and Bills is the only other Super Bowl rematch, which
happened in Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII. Overtown rioting On January 16, a Hispanic Miami police officer shot and killed a
speeding black motorcyclist in the Overtown section of Miami. A large crowd gathered and turned violent, leading to rioting and
looting which lasted into January 18. A television van and several automobiles and buildings were set on fire, and police used tear gas
against the rioters. A teenager was shot and killed in the melee and more than $1 million worth of damage was done. Rumors began
that the Super Bowl might be moved to Tampa, and the incident later prompted the NFL to look at the league's hiring of minorities
and its lack of a black coach. Television and entertainment The game was broadcast in the United States by NBC with Dick Enberg
handling the play-by-play duties and color commentator Merlin Olsen in the broadcast booth. This would be Olsen's final Super Bowl
broadcast, as he was demoted the following season to make room for Bill Walsh. Bob Costas along with Gayle Gardner hosted the
pregame, halftime, and postgame coverage with analysts Paul Maguire and then-Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula, pregame
roving reporter Jim Gray (who was also working as a researcher for NBC Sports at the time) and Marv Albert, who interviewed
Boomer Esiason after the game. Meanwhile during NBC's pregame coverage, Ahmad Rashād and John Candy hosted the Diet Pepsi
Talent Challenge at the Miami Seaquarium. Also, Frank Deford delivered a special segment profiling recently deceased Pittsburgh
Steelers owner Art Rooney. This was also the first NFL game that NBC covered with their new "Quantel Cypher" graphics system,
which was introduced during their coverage of the 1988 Seoul Olympics (they had used Chyron for their graphics prior to Super Bowl
XXIII). NBC also introduced their "cursive font" logo during this broadcast. Before, it was just the 1986 peacock logo with "NBC
SPORTS" in their generic corporate font. With the win, the 49ers became the first team to win Super Bowls televised on three
different networks (CBS-XVI, ABC-XIX, and NBC). Since then, the Washington Redskins (in 1992), the Green Bay Packers (in
1997), the Pittsburgh Steelers (in 2006) and the New York Giants (in 2008) have accomplished this same feat. The game aired on
Channel 4 in the United Kingdom, and simulcast on CTV in Canada and Televisa's Canal de las Estrellas in Mexico. The pregame
festivities honored the Miami and South Florida areas, along with a tribute to NASA. Singer Billy Joel later sang the national anthem.
He also sang the national anthem at Super Bowl XLI which coincidentally was held at the same venue. The coin toss ceremony
featured former Miami Dolphins players Nick Buoniconti, Bob Griese, and Larry Little. This was the last outdoor Super Bowl to start
earlier than 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, as it started just after 5 p.m. The halftime show was titled "Be Bop Bamboozled in 3-D"
and featured Elvis Presto and hundreds of South Florida-area dancers and performers. Ironically, not one actual Elvis Presley song
was performed. Several scenes included computer generated 3-D images. Prior to the game, Coca-Cola distributed 3-D glasses at
retailers for viewers to use. At the onset of the halftime show, primary sponsor Diet Coke aired the first commercial in 3-D (CocaCola had originally planned to use the 3-D Diet Coke commercial as part of the 1987-1988, aired in 3-D season finale of Moonlighting,
but withdrew plans due to the 1988 Writers Guild of America Strike). This game also marked the debut of the USA Today Super Bowl
Ad Meter. The first winner of the annual survey was an ad from American Express starring Saturday Night Live stars Dana Carvey
and Jon Lovitz, who went to the game with different credit cards - Carvey with AmEx rival Visa, Lovitz with American Express. The
movie Brotherhood of the Rose aired after the game. This Super Bowl is featured in NFL's Greatest Games under the title Ambush at
Super Bowl XXIII. Game summary The game started out with devastating injuries on both sides. On the third play of the game, 49ers
tackle Steve Wallace was taken off the field with a broken ankle. Later on, Bengals defensive lineman Tim Krumrie twisted his ankle
nearly 180 degrees, shattering two bones in his left leg. After the two teams traded punts on their first drives of the game, the 49ers,
aided by a roughing the passer penalty and a 17-yard screen pass to Tom Rathman on 3rd-and-10, marched 73 yards from their own 3yard line to the Bengals 24. But dropped passes, including one by receiver Mike Wilson on the 2-yard line (the first time in a Super
Bowl that instant replay was used to reverse a call), forced them to settle for a 41-yard field goal from kicker Mike Cofer. On the
49ers next drive, Montana threw a pass to wide receiver Jerry Rice, who first tipped it to himself and then made a one-handed catch
before stepping out of bounds at the San Francisco 45-yard line. Then after reaching the Cincinnati 42-yard line, Montana spotted
defensive back Lewis Billups trying to cover Rice one-on-one and made him pay for it by completing a pass to the receiver at the 10.
But two plays later on a third down play, Bengals safety David Fulcher made a touchdown saving tackle at the 2-yard line to keep
Rathman from scoring. Cofer then attempted a 19-yard field goal, but a poor snap from center Randy Cross (though NBC's Dick
Enberg initially blamed backup guard Chuck Thomas; who lined up next to Cross) threw off the kicker's timing and his kick sailed
wide left. It became the shortest missed field goal in Super Bowl history. The 49ers then forced the Bengals to punt on their next drive.
On the play, San Francisco Pro Bowl punt returner John Taylor misplayed punter Lee Johnson's kick, and it sailed over his head,
bouncing all the way to the 49ers 9-yard line to make it a Super Bowl record 63 yard punt. But Taylor made up for his mistake by
chasing the ball down and returning it for a Super Bowl record 45 yards to the Bengals 46-yard line. Thanks to Taylor, a seemingly
routine punt had turned into a double record setter. However, the 49ers were unable to take advantage of their excellent starting field
position. On first down, running back Harry Sydney fumbled a pitch from Montana and was downed for a 10-yard loss after he dove
on the ball. On the next play, Montana was sacked by defensive lineman David Grant (who replaced Krumrie at nose tackle). Then on
third down, Fulcher forced a fumble from 49ers running back Roger Craig, and Bengals defensive end Jim Skow recovered the ball on
his own 41-yard line. Cincinnati then drove to the San Francisco 42-yard line, but after 2 incomplete passes and defensive end Danny
Stubbs's 8-yard sack on Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason, they were forced to punt. However, Johnson pinned the 49ers back at
their own 11-yard line with his punt. Then the Cincinnati defense limited the 49ers to just 1 yard on their ensuing drive, and ended up
with great field position after defensive back Ray Horton returned San Francisco punter Barry Helton's 37-yard punt 5 yards to the
49ers 44-yard line On their ensuing drive, the Bengals managed to get into scoring range by driving 28 yards to the San Francisco 16yard line, assisted by an 18-yard completion from Esiason to receiver Tim McGee. But after Esiason's third down pass intended to
wide receiver Eddie Brown was overthrown, they were forced to settle for kicker Jim Breech's 34-yard field goal with 1:15 left in the
half. The two teams went into their locker rooms tied 3 – 3, the first halftime tie in Super Bowl history, and the lowest halftime score
since the Pittsburgh Steelers took a 2 – 0 halftime lead over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IX. On their opening possession in
the second half, the Bengals managed to get a sustained drive going, moving the ball 61 yards in 12 plays and taking 9:15 off the clock.
Esiason, who completed only 4 of 12 passes for 48 yards in the first half, completed 3 of 4 passes for 54 yards on the drive, including
a 20-yard completion to James Brooks and 23-yard and 11-yard completions to Cris Collinsworth, setting up a 43-yard field goal from
Breech to give the Bengals their first lead of the game, 6-3. Cincinnati then forced San Francisco to punt, but on the first play of their
next drive, 49ers rookie linebacker Bill Romanowski intercepted a pass from Esiason at the Bengals' 23-yard line. However, after a
dropped pass by Jerry Rice, the 49ers offense could not get a first down, and they had to settle for Cofer's 32-yard field goal to tie the
game. With less than a minute left in the third quarter, it appeared that this would become the first Super Bowl ever to go 3 quarters
without either team scoring a touchdown. But on the ensuing kickoff, Bengals kick returner Stanford Jennings returned the ball 93
yards for a touchdown to give the Bengals a 13 – 6 lead. Jennings would be the second player to return a kickoff for a touchdown in
Super Bowl history. Of the five Super Bowls played at Joe Robbie Stadium, four of them had a kickoff return for a score, all by the
eventual losing team. But the 49ers immediately responded with a touchdown of their own, on an 85-yard, 4-play drive. First,
Montana threw a short pass to Jerry Rice, who turned it into a 31-yard gain. Then the San Francisco quarterback completed a 40-yard
pass to Craig on the first play of the 4th quarter, moving the ball to the Bengals 14-yard line. Montana's next pass was nearly
intercepted but dropped by Billups in the endzone. Montana then threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Rice, and the game was tied, 13 –
13. Cofer's ensuing kickoff went out of bounds, giving the Bengals the ball at their own 35-yard line. But they could only reach the
43-yard line before being forced to punt. Taylor nearly turned the ball over by fumbling Johnson's punt, but his teammate Darryl
Pollard recovered the ball at the San Francisco 18-yard line. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Montana completed a 44-yard pass
to Rice, and then Craig ran for 7 yards, moving the ball to the Bengals 31-yard line. But after Craig was tackled for a 1-yard loss on
the next play, Fulcher broke up a third down pass intended for Taylor, and then Cofer's ensuing 49-yard field attempt sailed wide right.
The Bengals took over from their own 32-yard line following the missed field goal, and retook the lead with a 10-play, 46-yard drive,
featuring a 17-yard reception by backup receiver Ira Hillary on third down and 13, along with 21 yards on three carries from Ickey
Woods and a 12-yard play-action sideline pass to James Brooks. At the end of the drive, Breech kicked a 40-yard field goal, giving the
Bengals a 16-13 lead with 3:20 left in the game. The 49ers returned the ensuing kickoff to their own 15-yard line with 3:10 on the
clock, but an illegal block penalty on the play pushed the ball back half the distance to the goal line to the 8. Montana then led an 11play, 92-yard drive to score the winning touchdown. In order to calm his teammates in the huddle just before the final game-winning
drive, Montana pointed into the stadium crowd and said "Hey, isn't that John Candy?" The tactic worked, and the 49ers were able to
drive down the field for the win. It became the defining moment of Montana's "Joe Cool" reputation. Assuming that the Bengals
would expect him to throw the ball near the sidelines (to enable the receivers to step out of bounds to immediately stop the clock),
Montana first threw a pair of completions in the middle of the field, one to Craig and one to tight end John Frank. His next pass went 7
yards to Rice, which was then followed up by a pair of runs by Craig to reach their own 35-yard line. Montana then completed a 17yard pass to Rice to advance the team to the Bengals 48-yard line, and followed it up with a 13-yard completion to Craig to move
them to the 35-yard line. But on the next play, Montana threw his first incomplete pass of the drive. After that, Cross committed an
illegal man downfield penalty, which at the time was a 10-yard foul, moving the ball back to the 45-yard line and bringing up second
down and 20 to go with just 1:15 left in the game. But Montana overcame the situation on the next play with a 27-yard completion to
Rice, who caught the ball at the 33, evaded 3 Bengal defenders, and ran to the 18-yard line before Horton managed to tackle him to
prevent a touchdown. An 8-yard pass to Craig then advanced San Francisco to the 10-yard line. Then with 39 seconds left in the game,
Montana finished the drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Taylor, giving the 49ers the lead for good. Finally, San Francisco's
defense sealed the victory after Esiason's pass to Collinsworth was broken up as time expired. Although Jerry Rice was named MVP,
Montana had an MVP-worthy performance, completing 23 of 36 passes for a Super Bowl record 357 yards, throwing for 2
touchdowns, and gaining 14 rushing yards. Craig finished the game with 71 yards rushing, and 8 receptions for 101 receiving yards.
He was the first running back in Super Bowl history to gain over 100 receiving yards. Taylor finished the game with a Super Bowl
record 56 punt return yards. His 18.7 yards per return was also the highest average in Super Bowl history. For Cincinnati, Jennings
rushed one time for 3 yards, and gained 117 yards and a touchdown on 2 kickoff returns. Woods was the top rusher of the game with
79 yards. But Esiason was limited to just 11 out of 25 completions for 144 yards and no touchdowns, with 1 interception. Collinsworth
(who retired after this game) was the Bengals top receiver of the game, but with just 3 catches for 40 yards. The 49ers became the 6th
team to win the Super Bowl over a team with a better regular season record going into the game (12-6 for the 49ers to 14-4 for the
Bengals). The 49ers also became the first team, since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule in 1978, to win the Super Bowl after
winning only 10 games during the regular season. Their 6 losses are tied for the most ever by a Super Bowl champion.
January 28, 1990 San Francisco 49ers(NFC) vs. Denver Broncos (AFC) 55-10 SF 13 14 14 14 55 DEN 3 0 7 0 10 Stadium Louisiana
Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana MVP Joe Montana, Quarterback Favorite 49ers by 12 National anthem Aaron Neville Halftime
show Pete Fountain, Doug Kershaw, Irma Thomas Future Hall of Famers 49ers: Ronnie Lott, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Steve Young.
Broncos: John Elway Super Bowl XXIV was an American football game played on January 28, 1990 at the Louisiana Superdome in
New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion following the 1989 regular season. The National
Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers (17–2) won their fourth Super Bowl by defeating the American Football
Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos (13–6), 55–10. It remains the most lopsided game in Super Bowl history to date. The
49ers' 55 points were the most ever scored by one team, and their 45-point margin of victory was the largest ever. The 49ers are the
only team in a Super Bowl to score at least two touchdowns in each quarter. Their 2nd of 8 touchdowns ended with a missed extra
point however. They are also the only team to score 8 touchdowns in a Super Bowl.This marked the first time in 10 years that a team
won back-to-back Super Bowls, the last time being when the Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowls XIII and XIV following the 1978
and 1979 seasons. The Broncos became the second team to lose three Super Bowls in four years after losing Super Bowls XXI and
XXII, both by considerable margins as well. The Vikings also lost three Super Bowls in four years (VIII, IX and XI). The Buffalo
Bills are the only team to lose four Super Bowls in four years.Joe Montana was named the Super Bowl MVP, his third award in his
fourth Super Bowl victory. He completed 22 of 29 passes for a total of 297 yards and a Super Bowl record 5 touchdowns, while also
rushing for 15 yards. Montana's 75.9 completion percentage was the second highest in Super Bowl history, and he also set a record by
completing 13 consecutive passes during the game. Head coach George Seifert was the second rookie head coach to win a Super Bowl.
Montana became the third player in league history to win both the Super Bowl MVP and the AP Most Valuable Player Award during
the same season. Bart Starr and Terry Bradshaw also won both after the 1966 and 1978 seasons, respectively.This also was the first of
four consecutive nationally televised meetings between the Broncos and 49ers. Their 1994, 1997, and 2000 meetings were also
nationally televised, by NBC, ABC, and Fox respectively (all but the 1997 game being played on Saturday). Background NFL owners
voted to award Super Bowl XXIV to New Orleans, Louisiana during their March 10–15, 1985 meetings. This would be a record 7th
time that New Orleans hosted the Super Bowl. Tulane Stadium was the site of Super Bowls IV, VI, and IX; while the Louisiana
Superdome previously hosted XII, XV, and XX.
Originally, the selection was to be voted on during the May 23–25, 1984 meetings. However, after balloting for XXI took more than
two hours, voting for XXIV was rescheduled. Twelve cities were part of the bidding process, which was scheduled to award two
Super Bowls (XXIII and XXIV) The bidding cities included: Anaheim, Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Miami, Minneapolis, New
Orleans, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa, and Tempe. New Orleans entered as the favorite. San Francisco 49ers The
49ers entered the game seeking to win their second straight Super Bowl. Bill Walsh retired as head coach after San Francisco's 20–16
win over the Cincinnati Bengals in the previous year's Super Bowl XXIII but rookie head coach George Seifert did not miss a beat as
he guided the 49ers to a league best 14–2 regular season record. Their 2 losses were only by a combined margin of 5 points. The 49ers
offense was just as dominating as it was during the previous regular season. Quarterback Joe Montana threw for 3,512 yards, 26
touchdowns, and only 8 interceptions, giving him what was then the highest quarterback rating in NFL history (112.4). Montana also
rushed for 227 yards and 3 touchdowns, and earned both the NFL Most Valuable Player Award and the NFL Offensive Player of the
Year Award. Wide receiver Jerry Rice had another outstanding season, catching 82 passes for 1,483 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Running back Roger Craig was the team's leading rusher with 1,054 yards and 6 touchdowns, and he recorded 49 receptions for 473
yards and another touchdown. But other stars on the 49ers offense began to emerge, enabling the team to spread the ball around. After
being used primarily as a punt returner during his first 2 seasons, wide receiver John Taylor had a breakout season, catching 60 passes
for 1,077 yards and 10 touchdowns, while also returning 36 punts for 417 yards. Tight End Brent Jones recorded 40 receptions for 500
yards. Fullback Tom Rathman had the best season of his career, rushing for 305 yards and catching 73 passes for 616 yards. Kicker
Mike Cofer scored 136 points while making a career high 80.6% of his field goals. Even Montana's backup, quarterback Steve Young,
had a great year, throwing for 1,001 yards and 8 touchdowns with only 3 interceptions, while also rushing for 126 yards and 2
touchdowns. With all of these weapons, San Francisco's offense led the league in total yards from scrimmage (6,268) and scoring (442
points). The 49ers defense ranked third in the NFL in fewest points allowed (253). Defensive end Pierce Holt recorded 10.5 sacks, as
did linebacker Charles Haley. In addition to Haley, their linebacking corps was anchored by Keena Turner, Matt Millen, and Bill
Romanowski. Future Hall of Fame safety Ronnie Lott led the team with 5 interceptions. Defensive backs Eric Wright and Chet Brooks
also combined for 5 interceptions between them. Denver Broncos The Broncos were trying to avoid becoming the second team, after
the Vikings, to lose a fourth Super Bowl. After appearing in Super Bowl XXI and Super Bowl XXII, the team missed the playoffs
with an 8–8 record during the previous season. But they signed several new players in the off-season to help them win 10 of their first
12 games and finish with an 11–5 record. One of Denver's new major additions was rookie running back Bobby Humphrey, who
rushed for 1,151 yards, caught 22 passes for 156 yards, and scored 8 touchdowns. Humphrey gave the Broncos a powerful running
attack that they lacked in their previous Super Bowl seasons. Also new to the team was rookie kicker David Treadwell, who made the
pro bowl with an 81.8% field goal percentage and ranked third in the NFL with 120 points. The defense had a new weapon as well:
rookie free safety Steve Atwater. Together with veteran defensive backs Dennis Smith, Wymon Henderson and Tyrone Braxton, the
Broncos secondary combined for 14 interceptions. Braxton lead the team with 6, which he returned for 103 yards and a touchdown,
while also recovering 2 fumbles. Another new addition was defensive end Ron Holmes, who recorded 9 sacks. Holmes, along with
veteran linebackers Karl Mecklenburg (7.5 sacks and 4 fumble recoveries) and Simon Fletcher (12 sacks) gave Denver one of the top
defensive lines in the AFC. Veteran receiver Vance Johnson had the best season of his career, catching 76 passes for 1,095 yards and 7
touchdowns, while also returning 12 punts for 118 yards. However, quarterback John Elway played inconsistently during the regular
season, throwing just as many interceptions as touchdowns (18) and recording only a 73.7 passer rating. Playoffs Despite his regular
season problems, Elway ended up playing his best during the playoffs. First, he led the Broncos on a last minute touchdown drive to
narrowly defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers, 24–23. The Steelers held a 17–10 halftime lead before Elway's 37-yard touchdown pass to
Vance Johnson tied the game in the third quarter. Then after Pittsburgh scored 2 field goals to take a 23–17 fourth quarter lead, Elway
led the Broncos on a 71-yard drive to score on the Melvin Bratton's 1-yard game winning touchdown run. On the ensuing drive,
Randy Robbins then recovered a Steelers fumble on third down with 2:02 left to clinch the victory. The Broncos then defeated the
Cleveland Browns, 37–21, in the AFC Championship Game. This was the third time in the last four years that both teams faced each
other in AFC Championship, and the previous two resulted in two of the most famous games in NFL Lore: The Drive and The Fumble.
In this game, the Broncos seemed to be in complete control at first, building up a 24–7 lead. But Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar
rallied his team back with 2 third quarter touchdowns, cutting the lead to 24–21 going into the final period. Some observers began to
wonder if this game would become known as "The Comeback". However, Elway destroyed any chance of a Browns comeback by
leading the Broncos 80 yards and scoring with a 39-yard touchdown pass to Sammy Winder on the first drive of the fourth quarter.
Denver then scored field goals on each of their next 2 drives to put the game away. Elway finished the game with 385 passing yards, 3
touchdowns, and no interceptions, while also leading Denver in rushing with 5 carries for 39 yards. Meanwhile, San Francisco started
out their postseason by blowing out the Minnesota Vikings, 41–13. Minnesota started out the game by marching 70 yards on their
opening drive and scoring a field goal to take a 3–0 lead. But the 49ers dominated the rest of the game. On their first play from the line
of scrimmage, Montana completed a short pass to Rice, who then took it all the way to the end zone for a 72-yard touchdown
reception. The next time they had the ball, Montana led them on another touchdown drive, scoring on a short pass to Jones. Then
defensive back Chet Brooks intercepted a pass from Vikings quarterback Wade Wilson and returned it 28 yards, setting up Montana's
third touchdown pass on an 8-yard toss to Taylor. Then just before half ended, Montana threw another touchdown pass to Rice, giving
the 49ers a 28–3 halftime lead. Then in the fourth quarter, San Francisco scored 2 more touchdowns to put the game away: a 53-yard
interception return by Lott and a 4-yard run by Craig. Montana finished the game with 241 passing yards, 4 touchdowns, and no
interceptions. Wilson was held to just 9 completions for 74 yards and intercepted twice. The 49ers then entered the NFC
Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams, who had defeated San Francisco in one of their two regular season games against
them and were coming off postseason wins against two of the NFC's toughest teams, the New York Giants and the Philadelphia
Eagles. The Rams scored first to take a 3–0 lead. However, the 49ers took over in the second quarter, scoring 21 unanswered points on
2 touchdown passes by Montana and touchdown run by Craig. By the time the first half ended, San Francisco had a commanding 21–3
lead and went on to a surprisingly easy 30–3 win and their second consecutive Super Bowl appearance. Montana had another superb
performance, compiling 262 passing yards and 2 touchdowns, again without throwing an interception. Rams quarterback Jim Everett
was held to 163 yards and threw 3 interceptions. Super Bowl pregame news Although Elway's performance in the AFC Championship
Game was widely considered his best ever, many sports writers and fans believed that the Broncos' best effort would not be good
enough to beat the 49ers. After all, Denver had barely defeated the Steelers who only had a 9–7 regular season record. Furthermore,
the Elway-led Broncos had already lost two Super Bowls. On the other hand, the Montana-led 49ers with their powerful offense had
already won 3 Super Bowls. Television and entertainment The game was broadcast in the United States by CBS and featured the
broadcast team of play-by-play announcer Pat Summerall and color commentator John Madden. Brent Musburger hosted all the events
with help from his then-fellow cast members of The NFL Today Irv Cross, Dick Butkus and Will McDonough, then-CBS Sports
analysts Terry Bradshaw, Ken Stabler and Dan Fouts, and then-Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka. CBS Sports reporter Pat
O'Brien, meanwhile, was stationed in San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana's hometown of Monongahela, Pennsylvania.
Unbeknownst to Musburger, this would be the last Super Bowl he hosted for CBS, as he was fired on April 1, 1990. Cross would also
be dropped from pregame coverage after this game and moved to the broadcast booth for the remainder of his tenure at CBS, while
Bradshaw moved from the broadcast booth to co-host of The NFL Today with Musburger's replacement, Greg Gumbel. In addition,
Butkus would step down to return to acting and various philanthropic work, while McDonough would exit for a similar position on
NBC's NFL Live! pregame show. CBS debuted a new graphical package and theme song for their NFL coverage; the graphics became
part of The NFL Today open while the theme was used until mid-January 1992. The game drew a national Nielsen rating of 39.0 for
CBS, the lowest rating for a Super Bowl game since Super Bowl III in 1969. Pregame ceremonies The pregame show was a salute to
Mardi Gras and featured musician and singer David Clayton-Thomas Soul and R&B singer (and New Orleans native) Aaron Neville
later sang the national anthem. The coin toss ceremony featured the recent inductees to the Pro Football Hall of Fame: defensive back
Mel Blount, quarterback Terry Bradshaw, offensive lineman Art Shell, and safety Willie Wood. Halftime show The halftime show
was a salute to both New Orleans and the 40th anniversary of the comic strip Peanuts. The show featured performances by clarinetist
Pete Fountain, fiddle player Doug Kershaw, and singer Irma Thomas – all Louisiana natives. The finale featured a float that was
dressed up as a riverboat that rose several stories high. The float was so huge that one of the goal posts had to be moved so it could be
put on the field.Game summary Broncos by gaining 461 yards of total offense, holding the ball for 39:31, and scoring on six of their
first eight drives. The San Francisco defense also limited the Broncos to 167 yards, 12 first downs, and a time of possession to 20:29.
On their opening possession, Denver was forced to punt after three plays and the 49ers scored on their ensuing drive, marching 66
yards and scoring on a 20-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Joe Montana to receiver Jerry Rice. The Broncos responded with a
49-yard scoring drive, mainly on plays by running back Bobby Humphrey, who rushed 4 times for 22 yards and caught a 27-yard
shovel pass, Elway's longest completion of the game. Kicker David Treadwell finished the drive with a 42-yard field goal to cut the
Broncos deficit to 7–3. Denver's defense forced San Francisco to punt on their next drive after 3 plays, and receiver Vance Johnson
gave his team good field position with a 7-yard return to the Broncos' 49-yard line. But then Humphrey lost a fumble at midfield while
being tackled by defensive end Kevin Fagan, and safety Chet Brooks recovered the loose ball for San Francisco. From then on, the
49ers completely took over the game. Ten plays after the fumble recovery, the 49ers scored on a 7-yard pass from Montana to tight
end Brent Jones. Kicker Mike Cofer missed the extra point attempt, keeping the score at 13–3, but it turned out to be the only miscue
the 49ers would make for the rest of the game. Once again, the Broncos were forced to punt three plays after the ensuing kickoff, and
the 49ers advanced 69 yards in 13 plays to score another touchdown. The key player on that drive was fullback Tom Rathman, who
caught 3 passes for 39 yards, kept the drive alive with a successful run on a fourth down conversion, and capped it off with a 1-yard
touchdown to make the score 20–3. Later in the second quarter, wide receiver John Taylor's 17-yard punt return gave the 49ers the ball
near midfield, and they scored another touchdown with a 38-yard completion from Montana to Rice, increasing their lead to 27–3 at
the end of the half. When the second half started, the 49ers picked up right where they left off. Linebacker Mike Walter intercepted
Broncos quarterback John Elway's first pass of the third quarter, and Montana threw a 28-yard touchdown reception to Rice on the
next play. Then Elway was intercepted again on the Broncos' ensuing drive, this time by Brooks, who returned the ball 38 yards to the
Denver 37-yard line. Two plays later, Montana fooled defensive back Steve Atwater with a pump fake in Rice's direction, and then
threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Taylor, making the score 41–3. Denver's lone touchdown came on their next possession, a 61-yard,
5-play drive. First, Broncos defensive back Darren Carrington returned the ensuing kickoff 39 yards to the 39-yard line. Elway's 13yard completion to Johnson, a 34-yard run from Humphrey, and a pass interference penalty on 49ers linebacker Bill Romanowski
moved the ball to the San Francisco 1-yard line. Elway then capped off the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run on third down, cutting
their deficit to 41–10. However, the 49ers continued to dominate the Broncos. San Francisco responded to Denver's score with an 11play, 75-yard drive that took 6:56 off the clock, and ended with Rathman's 3-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Then after the ensuing kickoff, Elway was sacked for a 6-yard loss by defensive end Danny Stubbs. Then after an offsides penalty on
the 49ers, cornerback Don Griffin sacked Elway, forcing a fumble. Stubbs recovered the loose ball and returned it 15 yards to
Denver's 1-yard line. 49ers running back Roger Craig then closed out the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run on the next play to
make the final score of the game 55–10. Rice finished the game with 7 receptions for 148 yards and a Super Bowl record 3 receiving
touchdowns (he joined teammate Roger Craig as the only players to score three touchdowns in a Super Bowl; Craig did it in Super
Bowl XIX – 2 receiving and 1 rushing). Craig was the leading rusher of the game with 69 rushing yards and a touchdown, while also
catching 5 passes for 34 yards. Rathman rushed for 38 yards and 2 touchdowns while also catching 4 passes for 43 yards. Taylor
caught 3 passes for 49 yards and a touchdown, and added another 38 yards on 3 punt returns. Elway was held to just 10 completions
out of 26 attempts for 108 yards with no touchdowns, and was intercepted 2 times. Elway also ran for a touchdown, and fumbled twice
(although he recovered one of them). Humphrey was Denver's leading rusher and receiver, with 61 rushing yards and 3 receptions for
38 yards. Carrington returned 6 kickoffs for 146 yards.
January 27, 1991 NY Giants (NFC) vs. Buffalo Bills(AFC) 20-19 BUF 3 9 0 7 19 NYG 3 7 7 3 20 Stadium Tampa Stadium, Tampa,
Florida MVP Ottis Anderson, Running back Favorite Bills by 7 National anthem Whitney Houston Halftime show New Kids on the
Block Future Hall of Famers Bills: Marv Levy (coach), Jim Kelly, James Lofton, Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas. Giants: Lawrence
Taylor Super Bowl XXV was an American football game played on January 27, 1991 at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide
the National Football League (NFL) champion following the 1990 regular season. The National Football Conference (NFC)
Champion New York Giants (16-3) defeated the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Buffalo Bills (15-4), 20–19. This
remains the only time in history a Super Bowl has been decided by one point.Super Bowl XXV was played under much patriotic
fervor, due to the Gulf War. The proceedings included a rousing rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" by Whitney Houston.Giants
running back Ottis Anderson, who carried the ball 21 times for 102 yards and one touchdown, was named Super Bowl MVP. He was
the first awardee to receive the newly named "Pete Rozelle Trophy" (named for the former commissioner). Anderson also recorded
one reception for seven yards.However, the game is best remembered for Bills placekicker Scott Norwood's last second field goal
attempt which went right of the uprights, leading to a Giants victory and starting a four-game losing streak in the Super Bowl for the
Bills, and has since become known as the "Wide Right Game". Background NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl XXV to Tampa
during a May 20, 1987 meeting. This was the second time that Tampa hosted the game; the city previously hosted Super Bowl XVIII
on January 22, 1984. The Bills and the Giants entered the game using contrasting styles: While the Bills led the league in total points
scored (428), the Giants led the league in fewest points allowed (211). The teams had met earlier in the season as well. On December
15, in another nationally-televised game, the Bills completed a season sweep at Giants Stadium, beating the Giants 17-13, a game
which was close, but would prove to be not as close as this one. New York Giants The 1990 New York Giants were built to head
coach Bill Parcells' specifications of "power football": a powerful defense and an offense that sustained extremely long drives. The
Giants' defense ranked second in the league in fewest total yards allowed (4,392) and first in fewest points allowed, and boasted three
Pro Bowl selections: defensive tackle Erik Howard, and linebackers Pepper Johnson and Lawrence Taylor. The secondary was led by
defensive back Everson Walls, an offseason acquisition from the Dallas Cowboys, who recorded 6 interceptions. The Giants' offense
was unspectacular, ranking just 17th in the league in yards gained and 13th in points scored. But they wore down opposing teams'
defenses with extremely long drives, thus keeping their opponents' offense on the sidelines and preventing them from scoring. More
importantly, the Giants set an NFL record by losing only 14 turnovers in a 16-game regular season. A big reason for the team's
offensive success was the blocking of linemen Bart Oates and William Roberts, the only Pro Bowlers on the offense. Kick returner
Dave Meggett led the NFL in punt return yards (467), while also gaining 492 yards on kickoff returns, rushing for 164 yards, and
catching 39 passes for 410 yards. New York began the regular season by winning their first 10 games, and then went into a tailspin
and lost three of their next four. One week after losing to the division rival Philadelphia Eagles, 31–13, the 10–1 Giants were defeated
on Monday Night Football in a 7–3 defensive battle with the 10–1 San Francisco 49ers, who had won the previous two Super Bowls
and ultimately finished the regular season with an NFL best 14–2 record. Then, in their 17–13 loss to the Bills, New York suffered a
major setback when starting quarterback Phil Simms went down for the season with a broken bone in his foot. Simms' replacement,
Jeff Hostetler, had started only two games in his seven years as a backup with the Giants. However, Hostetler displayed fine passing
and scrambling ability in his limited playing time during the season, and threw only one interception and committed no fumbles. With
Hostetler at the helm, the Giants responded by winning their final two games to finish the regular season 13–3, good enough to win
the NFC East and earn the second seed in the NFC playoffs. Buffalo Bills The Bills had a very talented team with 9 Pro Bowl
selections on their roster. Their defense was led by defensive end Bruce Smith, who recorded 19 sacks and won the NFL Defensive
Player of the Year Award. Behind him, 3 of the Bills starting linebackers, Darryl Talley, Shane Conlan, and Cornelius Bennett, were
selected to the Pro Bowl. And on special teams, Pro Bowler Steve Tasker was a major threat, forcing fumbles, delivering jarring
tackles, and blocking kicks. But as good as their defense was, it was the Bills' flashy, high-powered offense that gained the most
attention. Unlike the Giants, the Bills routinely used the no-huddle offense to storm down the field and score points very quickly.
Instead of going into a huddle after each play, quarterback Jim Kelly would immediately send his offense back to the line of
scrimmage and call the play there after reading the defense. This strategy prevented opposing defenses from properly reading the Bills
formation, making substitutions, or even catching their breath. The Bills' no-huddle K-Gun offense worked well enough for Kelly to
finish the regular season as the top rated quarterback in the NFL (101.2), throwing for 2,829 yards, 24 touchdowns, and only 9
interceptions. One reason for his success was that he had 2 outstanding wide receivers: Andre Reed, who made his specialty going
across the middle on slants and crossing routes, recorded 71 receptions, 945 yards, and 8 touchdowns, and future hall of famer James
Lofton, who was the deep threat with 35 receptions for 712 yards (a 20.3 yards per catch average). Tight end Keith McKeller
contributed 34 receptions for 464 yards and 5 touchdowns. Pro Bowl running back Thurman Thomas had 1,297 rushing yards, caught
49 passes for 532 yards, and scored 13 touchdowns. Thomas led the NFL in yards from scrimmage. A key to the Bills' prolific offense
was the blocking of its superb offensive line, led by All-Pro center Kent Hull and Pro Bowl left tackleWill Wolford. Even though
Kelly missed the last 2 games of the season with a knee injury, suffered in the same game in which the Giants lost Simms, the Bills
finished with a 13–3 regular season record. Playoffs The Giants began their championship postseason run by easily eliminating the
Chicago Bears, 31–3. In leading the Giants' "power football" offense, Hostetler threw only 17 passes, but two went for touchdowns
and he committed no turnovers. He also directed a rushing attack that gained 194 yards, including 43 (and a touchdown) from
Hostetler himself. But New York lost another key player for the season when rookie running back Rodney Hampton, the team's
second leading rusher during the regular season with 455 yards, suffered a broken leg. The following Sunday, the Giants upset the San
Francisco 49ers, 15–13, in the NFC Championship Game. The 49ers, an NFL-best 14–2 in the regular season and winners of the last
two Super Bowls, were 6½ point favorites at kickoff. Their outstanding defense was led by future Hall of Fame defensive back Ronnie
Lott and linebacker Charles Haley, who led the NFC in sacks. San Francisco's offense was considered the best in the NFC, led by
future Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana and wide receiver Jerry Rice. However, with the exception of a 61-yard touchdown pass
from Montana to wide receiver John Taylor, the Giants contained the 49ers' offense extremely well. A sack by Giants' defensive end
Leonard Marshall early in the fourth quarter knocked Montana out of the game. Despite their great defensive effort, the Giants still
trailed 13-9 late in the fourth quarter, but a 30-yard run from linebacker Gary Reasons on a fake punt set up kicker Matt Bahr's fourth
field goal, cutting their deficit to 13-12. The 49ers (now led by Steve Young) tried to run out the clock on their ensuing possession, but
San Francisco running back Roger Craig had the ball dislodged by nosetackle Eric Howard, and Lawrence Taylor recovered the
fumble in mid-air with 2:36 remaining. Five plays later, Bahr kicked his 5th field goal, a 41-yarder, as time expired to give New York
the win. As for the Bills, Jim Kelly returned from his injury to lead Buffalo to a 44–34 playoff victory over the Miami Dolphins. The
Bills jumped to an early 20–3 lead, but Miami quarterback Dan Marino rallied his team back and cut Buffalo's lead to 30-27 going into
the fourth quarter. However, Buffalo scored a touchdown on their first drive of the period with a five-yard run by Thurman Thomas.
Miami then lost a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, allowing the Bills to put the game away with Kelly's 26-yard touchdown pass to
Andre Reed. Kelly finished the game with 336 passing yards, three touchdowns, and 37 rushing yards. Reed was also a big factor,
recording 123 receiving yards and a pair of touchdown catches. Lofton caught 7 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown. Thomas led
the Bills ground attack with 32 carries for 117 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns, while also catching 3 passes for 38 yards. Buffalo
then crushed the Los Angeles Raiders 51–3, the most lopsided score in AFC Championship Game history. The Bills' defense
dominated the Raiders' offense, which was without running back Bo Jackson, who suffered a career-ending injury against the
Cincinnati Bengals the week before, limiting them to an early field goal and intercepting five passes from quarterback Jay Schroeder.
Meanwhile, the Bills' offense set an NFL playoff record with 41 points in the first half, putting the game out of reach by halftime.
Kelly was 17 of 23 for 300 yards passing, and two touchdowns to James Lofton. Thomas had 138 yards rushing, 61 yards receiving,
and his backup, Kenneth Davis, tied a playoff record with three touchdowns. Super Bowl pregame news The Bills were heavily
favored to win Super Bowl XXV. Most experts expected that the Giants defense would not be able to contain the Bills' turbo-charged,
no-huddle offense, which had scored 95 points in 2 playoff games. Many also questioned how effective the Giants' offense would be
after failing to score a single touchdown in the NFC Championship Game. Also, in week 15 of the regular season, the two teams met
at Giants Stadium where the Bills defeated the Giants 17–13.
For the first time, each player wore a Super Bowl logo patch on his jersey. This would not become a regular practice in Super Bowls
until Super Bowl XXXII. The Super Bowl XXV logo was painted at midfield and the NFL logo was placed at each of the two 35-yard
lines. For the past Super Bowl games since Super Bowl VI, the NFL logo was painted on the 50-yard line. Television and
entertainment The game was broadcast in the United States by ABC with play-by-play announcer Al Michaels and color
commentators Frank Gifford and Dan Dierdorf. Brent Musburger hosted all the events with the help of then-ABC Sports analysts
Lynn Swann and Dick Vermeil, Musburger's regular color commentator on ABC's college football telecasts. Also sponsors Coca-Cola
and Diet Pepsi had to withdraw planned contest promotions or ads due to the Gulf War situation. The game was broadcast in the
United Kingdom on Channel 4, in Mexico on the Canal de las Estrellas and in Canada on CTV. Because of the Gulf War situation,
this marked the first time the Super Bowl would be telecast in most countries around the world. Outside of North America and
England, this Super Bowl was broadcast for the first time in such countries as Australia, Russia, and most other countries. Pregame
ceremonies Singer Whitney Houston's rendition of the national anthem during Super Bowl XXV, backed by the Florida Orchestra,
was later released as a single, where it reached number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, making her the only artist to turn the national
anthem into a hit single.[citation needed] The single was also reissued after the September 11, 2001 attacks a decade later and charted even
higher on the Hot 100, reaching number six. Former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle joined the coin toss ceremony. Halftime show
The halftime show was titled "A Small World Salute to 25 Years of the Super Bowl". It was produced by Disney and featured over
3,500 local children from different ethnic backgrounds and a performance by boy band New Kids on the Block, with special guest
Warren Moon. ABC did not broadcast the halftime show live. Instead, they televised a special ABC News report anchored by Peter
Jennings on the progress of the Gulf War. The halftime show was later shown on tape delay after the game, although most ABC
affiliates ran the first episode of Davis Rules following the broadcast. Game summary To counteract the Bills' no-huddle offense, the
Giants' used a tough-nosed, conservative plan on both sides of the ball. On offense, the plan was to use a power running game utilizing
O.J. Anderson, aided by quarterback rollouts, bootlegs, and play-action fakes. As tight end Mark Bavaro later recalled, "e came out
with three tight ends, fat slobs picking you up and moving you and letting you tackle O.J., if you could." This enabled them to take
time off the clock and limit Buffalo's possessions. The Giants set a Super Bowl record for time of possession with 40 minutes, 33
seconds, including 22 minutes in the second half. On defense, New York wanted to be physical with Buffalo's wideouts, and play with
extra defensive backs to concentrate on stopping the Bills passing game, while shifting focus away from trying to stop Buffalo's
running game. In his book "The Education of a Coach", David Halberstam writes that one of Bill Belichick's specific plans to combat
the Bills involved convincing his defense (who had been the best unit against the run in the NFL that season) that they would win the
game if Thurman Thomas ran for more than 100 yards. Belichick also felt that Jim Kelly was not as good at reading defenses as some
other elite QBs, like Joe Montana, were, and that Kelly tended to "freeze" what he was seeing from a series and then use that
information on the next one, which meant the Giants could be a step ahead of him all game if they alternated their cover plans from
drive to drive. The contrast in strategies was evident during the first period. After forcing the Bills to punt on the opening drive of the
game, the Giants consumed 6:15 off the clock by marching 58 yards in 10 plays to score on a 28-yard field goal from Matt Bahr. In
that drive, New York ran five rushing plays and five passing plays. But the Bills struck right back on their ensuing possession with a
five-play, 66-yard drive that took 1:23 off the clock, including a tipped 61-yard completion from quarterback Jim Kelly to receiver
James Lofton that set up Scott Norwood's 23-yard field goal to tie the game at 3-3. After forcing the Giants to punt on their ensuing
possession, the Bills' offensive strategy started to work to perfection. Kelly led the Bills on a 12-play, 80-yard scoring drive that
consumed 4:27 and moved the ball so effectively that the team never faced a third down. Kelly completed six consecutive passes (four
to Andre Reed) for 62 yards, and running back Don Smith capped it off with a one-yard touchdown run to give Buffalo a 10-3 lead.
Smith's 1-yard touchdown run was his only carry of the game and the last carry of his career. Reed's 5 first quarter receptions were a
Super Bowl record. After trading punts, the Giants were pinned at their own 7-yard line. On second down, defensive lineman Bruce
Smith sacked quarterback Jeff Hostetler in the end zone for a safety, increasing the Bills' lead 12-3. On the play, Smith had a chance to
force a fumble since Hostetler was holding the football with only his throwing hand. But to his credit, Hostetler held the ball away
from Smith, helping to ensure that only 2 points would be surrendered. Later on, the Giants got the ball at their own 13-yard line with
3:43 left in the second quarter. New York abandoned their long drive strategy and employed a quick strike attack of their own, as
Hostetler led the Giants 87 yards and scored on a 14-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Stephen Baker with just 25 seconds left in
the half to cut New York's deficit to 12-10. The Giants opened the third quarter and resumed their original game strategy by driving 75
yards in 14 plays to score on Ottis Anderson's one-yard touchdown run, taking the lead at 17-12. The drive consumed a then Super
Bowl record nine minutes and 29 seconds (since surpassed by the Giants in Super Bowl XLII), and included four successful third
down conversions. The highlight was a 14 yard pass to wide receiver Mark Ingram on 3rd down and 13 yards to go. Ingram caught a
short pass and broke five Buffalo tackles to get the first down and keep the drive alive. After forcing Buffalo to punt on its ensuing
possession, New York drove to the Bills' 35-yard line. But on fourth and two, Smith tackled Anderson for a 2-yard loss. Buffalo then
took over and stormed down the field, advancing 63 yards in just four plays and scoring on a 31-yard burst from running back
Thurman Thomas on the first play of the fourth quarter, regaining the lead at 19-17. Thomas' fourth quarter touchdown run marked
1,000 points scored in Super Bowl history (1,001 with the extra point). However, before the Bills' defenders had a chance to catch
their breath, they found themselves back on the field trying to contain another long Giants drive. This one went for 14 plays and 74
yards, half of which came off passes from Hostetler to tight end Mark Bavaro, and took another 7:32 off the clock. The Bills managed
to halt the drive at their own 3-yard line when linebacker Cornelius Bennett broke up Hostetler's third down pass, but Bahr kicked his
second field goal to give New York a 20-19 lead. On the Bills' ensuing possession, they could only advance to their own 41-yard line
before having to punt, enabling the Giants to take more time off the clock. The Bills finally forced New York to punt and took the ball
at their own 10-yard line with 2:16 remaining. Kelly then led them down the field with a mix of scrambles, short passes, and Thomas
runs. Buffalo drove to the Giants' 29-yard line, setting up Norwood for a 47-yard field goal attempt with eight seconds left. However,
his kick sailed wide right, less than a yard outside of the goalpost upright. There were many impressive performances in the game by
players from both teams. Jim Kelly completed 18 of 30 passes for 212 yards with no interceptions, while adding another 23 yards on
six rushing attempts. Jeff Hostetler completed 20 of 32 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for 10 yards. Dave Meggett
recorded 129 combined net yards (48 rushing, 18 receiving, 37 punt return, 26 kickoff return). But the best performances came from
both teams' starting running backs. Ottis Anderson rushed for 102 yards, caught a pass for seven yards, and scored a touchdown.
Thurman Thomas scored a touchdown, rushed for 135 yards, and caught five passes for 55 yards, giving him 190 total yards from the
line of scrimmage. Thomas' 135 yards are the most yards rushing for a member of a losing team. This was also only the second Super
Bowl to have two 100-yard rushers. The defensive game plan for the Giants, written by defensive coordinator Bill Belichick, has been
included in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Giants' triumph helped Belichick and wide receivers coach Tom Coughlin make their
names and eventually land head-coaching jobs with the Cleveland Browns and Boston College, respectively. Currently, Belichick is
head coach of the New England Patriots, while Coughlin went from Boston College to be the first-ever head coach for the Jacksonville
Jaguars, and is currently the head coach of the Giants. Giants head coach Bill Parcells retired shortly after winning his second Super
Bowl with the Giants. However, he has coached three other teams since then: the New England Patriots (whom he helped bring to
Super Bowl XXXI) from 1993-1996, the New York Jets from 1997-1999, and the Dallas Cowboys from 2003-2006. Both Coughlin
and Belichick have gone on to win Super Bowls as head coaches: Belichick with the Patriots in Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII, and
XXXIX; Coughlin with the Giants in Super Bowl XLII, ironically against Belichick's Patriots. This was the first Super Bowl in which
neither team committed a turnover. The only other Super Bowl to date without a turnover is Super Bowl XXXIV, in which the St.
Louis Rams defeated the Tennessee Titans 23-16.
January 26, 1992 Washington Redskins(NFC) vs. Buffalo Bills(AFC) 37-24 WSH 0 17 14 6 37 BUF 0 0 10 14 24 Stadium Hubert H.
Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota MVP Mark Rypien, Quarterback Favorite Redskins by 7 National anthem Harry
Connick, Jr. Halftime show Gloria Estefan, Brian Boitano, Dorothy Hamill Future Hall of Famers Bills: Marv Levy (coach), Jim
Kelly, James Lofton, Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas. Redskins: Joe Gibbs (coach), Darrell Green, Russ Grimm, Art Monk Super
Bowl XXVI was an American football game played on January 26, 1992 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis,
Minnesota to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion following the 1991 regular season. The National Football
Conference (NFC) champion Washington Redskins (17–2) defeated the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Buffalo Bills
(15–4), 37–24. Washington became the fourth team to win three Super Bowls, joining the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Oakland Raiders,
and the San Francisco 49ers. The Bills also became the third team to lose back-to-back Super Bowls, joining Minnesota (Super Bowls
VIII and IX) and Denver (Super Bowls XXI and XXII). They would go on to lose 4 straight.The Redskins jumped to a 24–0 lead early
in the third quarter, which the Bills could never recover from. Washington quarterback Mark Rypien, who completed 18 of 33 passes
for 292 yards and two touchdowns, with 1 interception was named Most Valuable Player (MVP). Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs
became only the third head coach to win three Super Bowls. Washington became the first team to win three Super Bowls with three
different starting quarterbacks, following wins by Joe Theismann (Super Bowl XVII) and Doug Williams (Super Bowl XXII). Both
the New York Giants with Phil Simms (Super Bowl XXI), Jeff Hostetler (Super Bowl XXV) and Eli Manning (Super Bowl XLII) and
the Green Bay Packers with Bart Starr (Super Bowl I and II), Brett Favre (Super Bowl XXXI), and Aaron Rodgers (Super Bowl XLV)
have since won three Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks. Background NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl XXVI to
Minneapolis during their May 24, 1989 meeting. It became the second Super Bowl to be played in a cold, winter climate city. The first
one was Super Bowl XVI on January 24, 1982 in Pontiac, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. Indianapolis, Indiana lost in its bid to host
the game at the Hoosier Dome, as did Detroit's Pontiac Silverdome and Seattle's Kingdome, who had also applied. The Metrodome
also hosted the 1992 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four, making it the only stadium to host both events in the same calendar year. It
also hosted the 1991 World Series as the Minnesota Twins defeated the Atlanta Braves. Minneapolis is the only city and the
Metrodome is the only arena to host all three events in a 12-month span (all three of these events aired on CBS, who would go on to
purchase their Twin Cities affiliate, WCCO-TV, later in the year). The attendance mark of 63,130 was second lowest only to the first
Super Bowl's attendance of 61,946, and the Metrodome was the smallest stadium to ever host the Super Bowl. To date, this is the
northernmost Super Bowl ever played. Washington Redskins Washington entered Super Bowl XXVI leading the league during the
regular season with 485 points while allowing just 224. The team was led by Mark Rypien. Rypien was head coach Joe Gibbs' third
different starting Super Bowl quarterback. Rypien led the NFC during the regular season in passing yards (3,564) and touchdown
passes (28). With 249 out of 421 completions and only 11 interceptions, he earned the second highest passer rating in the league (97.9).
Rypien had several great targets to whom he could throw. Wide receiver Gary Clark was the main deep threat on the team, catching 70
passes for 1,340 yards and 10 touchdowns. On the other side of the field, wide receiver Art Monk, playing in his 12th NFL season,
was just as reliable, catching 71 passes for 1,049 yards and 8 touchdowns. Monk's 71 receptions in 1991 gave him a career total of 801,
just 18 behind the all-time record held by Steve Largent. Wide receiver Ricky Sanders was also big element of the passing game,
catching 45 passes for 580 yards and 5 touchdowns. The Redskins primary weapon in the backfield was running back Earnest Byner,
who ranked 5th in the NFL with 1,048 rushing yards, while also catching 34 passes for 308 yards and scoring 5 touchdowns. Rookie
running back Ricky Ervins was also a major asset to the running attack, rushing 145 times for 680 yards to earn an average of 4.7
yards per carry, while also catching 16 passes for 181 yards. And when Washington was near the goal line, they usually relied on
fullback Gerald Riggs, who rushed for 248 yards and scored 11 touchdowns. The Redskins offensive line, known as "The Hogs", was
led by Pro Bowl tackle Jim Lachey and guard Mark Schlereth, along with four time pro bowl veteran Russ Grimm. "The Hogs"
allowed the fewest sacks in the league with just 9, 10 sacks less than the team that allowed the second fewest. Even Washington's
special teams unit was a big threat. Running back Brian Mitchell led the NFL in punt return yards (600) and punt return touchdowns
(2) with a 13.3 yards per return average, while also gaining 583 yards returning kickoffs. Washington's defense, which ranked third in
the NFL in fewest yards allowed (4,638), was led by all-pro defensive back Darrell Green, who was one of the fastest players in the
NFL, and Pro Bowl linebacker Wilber Marshall. Both recorded 5 interceptions each, with Marshall recording 75 return yards and a
touchdown, while also compiling 5.5 sacks. Safety Brad Edwards was also a big factor in the secondary, recording four interceptions.
Up front, their line was anchored by defensive end Charles Mann, who recorded 11 of Washington's 50 sacks, and recovered a fumble.
Defensive end Fred Stokes also made a big impact with 6.5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, and an interception. The Redskins stormed to a
league best 14–2 regular season record. After crushing the Detroit Lions on opening day 45–0, they recorded 11 consecutive wins
before suffering their first loss to the Dallas Cowboys 24–21. Their only other defeat was a meaningless loss to the Philadelphia
Eagles in the final game of the regular season in which they rested most of their starters because they had already clinched the #1 NFC
playoff seed. Buffalo Bills The Bills No Huddle "K-Gun" offense once again dominated the league by gaining an NFL leading 6,525
yards and scoring 458 points, second only to Washington. The leaders of the offense, quarterback Jim Kelly and running back
Thurman Thomas, both had the best seasons of their careers. Kelly completed 64.1 percent of his passes for 3,844 yards and a league
leading 33 touchdowns, with only 17 interceptions, to give him a 97.6 passer rating. Thomas rushed for 1,407 yards, caught 62 passes
for 620 yards, and scored 12 touchdowns to earn him both the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award and the NFL Most Valuable
Player Award. Just like Washington, Buffalo had more than one threat in their backfield. Running back Kenneth Davis emerged as a
big threat, rushing for 624 yards, catching 20 passes for 118 yards, and scoring 5 touchdowns. The Bills also had several major
weapons in their passing game. Wide receiver Andre Reed led the team with 81 receptions for 1,113 yards and 10 touchdowns, and
also rushed 12 times for 136 yards. On the other side of the field, veteran wide receiver James Lofton recorded 57 receptions for 1,072
yards and 8 touchdowns to earn his 8th Pro Bowl appearance and finish the year just 55 yards short of the all time receiving record
held by Steve Largent (13,089 yards). Pro Bowl tight end Keith McKeller was also a big contributor with 44 receptions for 434 yards,
while receiver Don Beebe had 32 catches, 414 yards, and 6 touchdowns. Once again, the Bills offensive line was led by center Kent
Hull along with Pro Bowl guard Jim Ritcher. But the Bills had big problems on their defense. Buffalo ranked just 27th (At the time
there were 28 NFL teams) in yards allowed, 19th in points allowed, and recorded only 31 sacks. A reason for this was that defensive
linemen Bruce Smith and Jeff Wright had missed most of the season with injuries. One of the few bright spots on the Bills defense
was Pro Bowl linebacker Cornelius Bennett, who recorded 78 tackles, 9 sacks, and 2 fumble recoveries. Pro Bowl linebacker Darryl
Talley led the team with 90 tackles and 5 interceptions, while also recovering 2 fumbles. Defensive back Nate Odomes was the leader
of the secondary with 5 interceptions, which he returned for 120 yards and a touchdown, along with 66 tackles and a fumble recovery.
Despite their defensive problems, the Bills finished the season with an AFC best 13-3 regular season record. Playoffs The Redskins
first defeated the Atlanta Falcons, 24–7, in a rain-soaked playoff game that was closer than their 56–17 regular season win over
Atlanta. Rypien had 442 passing yards and 6 touchdowns in the earlier game, but could only complete 14 out of 28 passes for 170
yards and 0 touchdowns in the rematch. Still, Washington dominated the Falcons again by forcing 6 turnovers and rushing for 162
yards. The Redskins held the ball for over 36 minutes while running back Ricky Ervins recorded 104 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Then Washington crushed the Detroit Lions, 41–10, in the NFC Championship Game. The Lions posted a 12–4 regular season record
and were coming off a 38–6 playoff blowout over the Cowboys. Many sports writers predicted that the NFC Championship Game
would be much closer than the Redskins' win over the Lions in the season opening game because Detroit's future hall of fame running
back Barry Sanders did not play in it due to injury. He had recorded 1,548 yards and 16 touchdowns in the remaining 15 games of the
season, and 99 combined rushing and receiving yards against Dallas in the playoffs. However, the Redskins crushed Detroit in this
game as well, quickly forcing 2 Lions turnovers and building up a 10-0 lead before the game was five minutes old. The Redskins
scored 41 points off of 2 touchdown runs by Riggs, two field goals from kicker Chip Lohmiller, a pair of touchdown passes from
Rypien to Monk and Clark, and Green's 32-yard fourth quarter interception return for a touchdown. Sanders was held to just 59 total
yards, and linebacker Wilber Marshall sacked Lions quarterback Erik Kramer three times. Meanwhile, the Bills first defeated the
Kansas City Chiefs, 37–14, avenging a 33–6 Monday night loss during the regular season in which the Chiefs gained over 247 rushing
yards, with running backs Harvey Williams and Christian Okoye recording over 100 rushing yards each. During this playoff game, the
Bills jumped to a 24–0 lead in the third quarter with Kelly throwing three touchdown passes, the first two to Reed and the third to
Lofton. The Bills also got a big performance out of Thomas, who rushed for over 100 yards, and kicker Scott Norwood, who made 3
field goals. Meanwhile, unconcerned with Kansas City's weak passing game, Buffalo played Bennett and Talley close to the line of
scrimmage on nearly every play to stuff the run. Both players combined for 13 tackles, while the Bills defense held running back
Barry Word, who became the Chiefs' primary rusher since the Monday Night game and rushed over 100 yards in each of Kansas City's
previous 3 games, to just 50 yards. In addition, Buffalo's defense knocked Chiefs quarterback Steve DeBerg out of the game and
intercepted backup quarterback Mark Vlasic four times Buffalo then played against Denver Broncos, who were coming off a 26–24
win over the Houston Oilers in which quarterback John Elway led them on an 87-yard drive to set up kicker David Treadwell's gamewinning field goal with only 16 seconds left. It was predicted that this AFC Championship Game would be a shootout between the
Bills' powerful offense and the superb postseason play of Elway. But neither Elway nor the Bills offense had much success in the 10-7
Bills victory over a game totally dominated by defense. Bennett had another great game, constantly pressuring Elway and tackling
Denver rushers behind the line of scrimmage three times. Bills linebacker Carlton Bailey also made a big impact, intercepting a screen
pass from Elway and returning it 11 yards for Buffalo's only touchdown of the game. After backup quarterback Gary Kubiak scored
Denver's only touchdown with less than two minutes to go, the Bills then clinched the victory when defensive back Kirby Jackson
forced and recovered a fumble from running back Steve Sewell on Denver's final drive of the game. Super Bowl pregame news
During the week leading to Super Bowl XXVI, it seemed most of the pressure was on the Bills. The AFC Championship Game
appeared to be the best defensive effort by Buffalo all season, as they held the Broncos to only a touchdown, while also limiting
Elway to just 11 of 21 completions for 121 yards and no touchdowns, with 1 interception. But the Bills's high powered offense was
completely shut down, limited to just a single field goal in the entire game. In addition, the Bills could have easily been eliminated by
the Broncos had Treadwell not missed 3 field goal attempts, 2 of which hit the uprights. The performance also gave an opportunity for
Gibbs and the Redskins' coaches to devise a strong game plan to exploit their Super Bowl opponent's weaknesses. "Denver was
successful being aggressive. That may have aided us a little bit in our thinking," said Redskins' defensive coach Richie Petitibon.
"Looking at them before they had played Denver, we kind of thought you had to put pressure on this guy (Jim Kelly). We attacked the
line of scrimmage more than usual. We wanted to blitz to stop the run early in the game. It's sometimes tough to pick up blitzes
against the running game." Redskins linebacker Matt Millen was bidding to become the first player to play in a Super Bowl victory for
three different franchises (he played in Super Bowl XV and Super Bowl XVIII with the Raiders, and Super Bowl XXIV with the
49ers). However, Millen was deactivated for the game and watched from the Redskins sideline. He retired from the NFL shortly after
the game to pursue a career in broadcasting. During the CBS telecast, it was mentioned that Leonard Smith (the Bills' regular starting
strong safety) couldn't play as a result of an infection in his knee. Television and entertainment The game was broadcast in the United
States by CBS and featured the broadcast team of play-by-play announcer Pat Summerall and color commentator John Madden (their
fifth and final Super Bowl broadcast for CBS). Lesley Visser and Pat O'Brien reported on the sidelines. Greg Gumbel hosted all the
events with help from his fellow cast member from The NFL Today Terry Bradshaw, as well as Dan Fouts and Randy Cross. Also,
history was made when Lesley Visser became the first female sportscaster to preside over the postgame Vince Lombardi Trophy
presentation. This would be the last Super Bowl to air on CBS until Super Bowl XXXV at the end of the 2000 season, as CBS lost the
NFC package to Fox following the 1993 season; leaving them without the NFL until they acquired the AFC package from NBC for
the 1998 season. Super Bowl XXVI was not originally in CBS' rotation; since they had just broadcast Super Bowl XXIV two years
earlier. CBS would have received Super Bowl XXVII as part of the rotation while NBC would have aired Super Bowl XXVI. Instead,
the NFL made an exception for CBS, which had acquired the rights to the 1992 Winter Olympics, and allowed the network to air the
Super Bowl as a lead-in program for their Olympics coverage. For this game CBS debuted a new network-wide red, white, and blue
graphics package as well as a new theme song (composed by Frankie Vinci) for its NFL coverage. The graphics package lasted until
the end of 1995, after which CBS discarded it in favor of an orange and yellow color scheme for its sports package. The new music
lasted until CBS lost the NFL at the end of the 1993 season, but continued to be used by CBS Radio until 2002. Several remixed
versions of the 1993 theme were used upon the return of the NFL to CBS until the end of the 2002 season, when CBS replaced its
entire NFL package with one composed by E.S. Posthumus. Following the game was a 60 Minutes interview with future President Bill
and Hillary Rodham Clinton and an episode of 48 Hours. Super Bowl XXVI was featured in the episode of The Simpsons entitled
"Lisa the Greek", which aired three days prior to the game and correctly predicted that Washington would win. Pregame ceremonies
The pregame show featured local Minnesota youth including the Metropolitan Boys Choir, the Minnesota Youth Symphonies, and
local marching bands. Singer Harry Connick, Jr. later sang the national anthem. The coin toss ceremony featured Pro Football Hall of
Fame head coach Chuck Noll. Noll, former Steelers Hall of Fame head coach who had retired a month earlier after 23 seasons,
conducted the coin toss. Noll's Steelers had lost to both of these teams earlier in the season by large margins (52-34 to Buffalo and 4114 to Washington). STS-42, a space shuttle mission, was in orbit during the game. A live downlink between the Metrodome and
Discovery happened during the pregame show. Three of the mission's seven crew members demonstrated a 'human coin toss' in space.
Buffalo Head Coach Marv Levy stated his famous phrase "Where else would you rather be?" to his players moments before kickoff,
as shown on NFL Films highlights. Halftime show The halftime show was titled "Winter Magic" and featured a celebration to the
winter season and the Winter Olympics. In addition to dancers and performers, former Olympic champions Brian Boitano and
Dorothy Hamill skated on sheets of Teflon that were embedded on the tops of large platforms that were placed on the field for the
show. Singer Gloria Estefan performed during the show's finale. To counter with the halftime show, Fox decided to broadcast a
special live episode of In Living Color. As a result of that ratings success, Michael Jackson would be tapped to perform at halftime
during Super Bowl XXVII, and more big-name talent would follow (U2, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen
performed in subsequent years). Game summary Both teams entered the game as the two highest scoring teams in the league, but after
the end of an extremely sloppy first quarter, both of them would be scoreless. The miscues began right from the start. First, the
opening kickoff had to be redone because Bills kicker Brad Daluiso kicked the ball before referee Jerry Markbreit signaled to begin
play. Then after Washington was forced to punt, Bills running back Thurman Thomas missed the first two plays of Buffalo's first drive
because he misplaced his helmet. Later in the period, Washington drove 89 yards and appeared to score a touchdown on a third down
pass from Mark Rypien to wide receiver Art Monk (who had already caught 3 passes for 67 yards on the drive). But it was overruled
by instant replay: the officials ruled that Monk's foot was out of bounds when he caught the ball (the first time a touchdown was
overruled by instant replay in a Super Bowl). The Redskins tried to salvage the drive with a field goal attempt, but their holder Jeff
Rutledge fumbled the snap. On Buffalo's first play after the botched field goal attempt, Bills quarterback Jim Kelly gave Washington
another chance to score by throwing an interception to Redskins safety Brad Edwards, who returned it 21 yards to the Bills 12-yard
line. But Rypien propmptly gave it back with an interception to Bills defensive back Kirby Jackson on the third play of the Redskins'
ensuing drive. But in the second quarter, the Redskins began to take over the game. First, a 41-yard completion from Rypien to wide
receiver Ricky Sanders and a 19-yard run by Ernest Byner set up kicker Chip Lohmiller's 34-yard field goal to give Washington a 3-0
lead. The Redskins defense then forced Buffalo to a three-and-out on their ensuing possession, and punter Chris Mohr's 23-yard punt
sailed out of bounds at the Washington 49-yard line. The Redskins then drove 51 yards in 5 plays to score with Byner's 10-yard
touchdown reception. Then, on the Bills next drive, Washington defensive back Darrell Green intercepted a pass from Kelly at the
Redskins 45-yard line. Three plays after the turnover, Rypien completed a 34-yard pass to wide receiver Gary Clark to reach the
Buffalo 15-yard line. A 14-yard run by Ricky Ervins then set up fullback Gerald Riggs' 1-yard touchdown run to expand the Redskins'
lead, 17–0. The Bills had a chance to drive for a score late in the second quarter. With 1:46 left in the half, Bills special teams expert
Steve Tasker downed Mohr's 48-yard punt at the Redskins 1-yard line. Washington gained zero net yards during that possession, and
Buffalo got the ball back after Cliff Hicks returned Kelly Goodburn's 42-yard punt 2 yards to the Redskins 41-yard line. From there,
Kelly completed 21-yard pass to tight end Keith McKeller to get to the 20-yard line. But after an incomplete pass and an 8-yard sack
by linebacker Wilber Marshall, Edwards broke up a third down pass intended for Andre Reed. In disgust, Reed threw his helmet to the
ground, drawing a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that took his team out of field goal range and forced them to punt. The
Bills became the 9th team to go scoreless in the 1st half, after the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III; the Minnesota Vikings in Super
Bowls IV, VIII, IX, and XI; the Redskins in Super Bowl VII, the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XII; and the Cincinnati Bengals in
Super Bowl XVI. The Redskins then increased their lead 24–0 just 16 seconds into the second half after linebacker Kurt Gouveia
intercepted Kelly's pass on the first play of the third quarter and returned it 23 yards to the Bills' 2-yard line. One play later, Riggs
scored his second touchdown of the game. The Redskins' 24–0 lead midway through the 3rd quarter is the largest shutout lead in
Super Bowl history. The San Francisco 49ers had led the Cincinnati Bengals 20–0 at halftime in Super Bowl XVI. The Bills finally
got some momentum going with their next few drives. First, they drove 77 yards to the Redskins' 3 yard-line, aided by a 43-yard
completion from Kelly to receiver Don Beebe. Washington kept Buffalo out of the end zone, but kicker Scott Norwood kicked a 21yard field goal to cut their deficit to 24-3. Then aided by a 29-yard pass interference penalty on Redskins cornerback Martin Mayhew
in the end zone, the Bills finally scored a touchdown on their next drive with a 1-yard run by Thomas to make the score 24-10. The
two teams combined for the most points in a 3rd quarter in a Super Bowl history (24 total points: 14 for Washington and 10 for
Buffalo) and the most combined in a second half (44 total points: 24 for Buffalo and 20 for Washington). But Buffalo's hopes of a
comeback faded when Washington advanced 79 yards in 11 plays on their ensuing drive, scoring on Clark's 30-yard touchdown
reception to give the Redskins a 31-10 lead with 1:24 left in the third quarter. Then 3 plays after receiving the ensuing kickoff, Kelly
fumbled the ball while being sacked by defensive back Alvoid Mays, and it was recovered by defensive end Fred Stokes. After the
turnover, Washington drove to the Bills 7-yard line and increased their lead to 34-10 with Lohmiller's 25-yard field goal on the second
play of the fourth quarter. Then on the Bills' ensuing drive, Kelly was sacked for a 9-yard loss by Stokes, threw an incomplete pass,
and then threw his second interception of the game to Edwards, who returned it 35 yards to Buffalo's 33-yard line. Five plays later,
Lohmiller kicked his second field goal with 11:36 left in the game to increase Washington's lead to 37–10. With the game almost
completely out of reach, the Bills managed to respond with a 15 play, 79-yard drive to cut the score to 37–17 on a 2-yard touchdown
pass from Kelly to Metzelaars. Then, after recovering an onside kick, the Bills drove 50 yards and scored another touchdown with
Beebe's 4-yard reception to make the score 37–24. But the Bills' second onside kick attempt was unsuccessful and the Redskins were
able to run out the clock. From there, the Bills attempted one final pass play before time expired. Kelly completed 28 of a Super
Bowl–record 58 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns, but was sacked 4 times, intercepted four times, and lost a fumble. Thomas
ran for only 13 yards on 10 carries and was limited to 27 yards on four receptions. James Lofton was the top receiver for the Bills with
7 catches for 92 yards, but Reed was limited to just 5 catches for 31 yards. Clark had seven catches for 114 yards and a touchdown and
Monk added seven for 113 yards. (Clark and Monk became the third pair of teammates to each have 100 yards receiving in a Super
Bowl; they joined the Steelers' John Stallworth and Lynn Swann who did it in Super Bowl XIII and the Bengals' Cris Collinsworth
and Dan Ross who did it in Super Bowl XVI). Ervins was the top rusher of the game with 79 yards. Byner recorded 49 rushing yards,
and 3 receptions for 24 yards and a touchdown. On defense, Edwards recorded four tackles, broke up five passes, and returned two
interceptions for 56 yards. The Redskins amassed 417 yards of total offense while limiting the explosive Bills to 283, with just 43
rushing yards.
January 31, 1993 Dallas Cowboys(NFC) vs. Buffalo Bills(AFC) 52-17 BUF 7 3 7 0 17 DAL 14 14 3 21 52 Stadium Rose Bowl
Stadium, Pasadena, California MVP Troy Aikman, Quarterback Favorite Cowboys by 6½ National anthem Garth Brooks Halftime
show Michael Jackson Future Hall of Famers Bills: Marv Levy (coach), Jim Kelly, James Lofton, Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas.
Cowboys: Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, Emmitt Smith Super Bowl XXVII was an American football game played on January 31,
1993 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion following the 1992 regular
season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys (16-3) defeated the American Football Conference (AFC)
champion Buffalo Bills (14-6), 52–17 (a then-record 69 combined points). The Cowboys won their third Super Bowl in team history,
and their first one in fifteen years. The Bills became the first team to lose three consecutive Super Bowls, and just the second team to
play in three straight (the Miami Dolphins played in Super Bowls VI-VIII, winning VII and VIII). This is also the first time that three
teams from the same division have each won a Super Bowl within one year of each other (The Cowboys NFC East rivals, the New
York Giants and the Washington Redskins won the previous two Super Bowls XXV and XXVI respectively.)The Bills' Super Bowl
record nine turnovers—four interceptions and five lost fumbles—led to their third consecutive Super Bowl loss. The Cowboys lost
two fumbles themselves, tying the Super Bowl record for the most turnovers by both teams (the Cowboys and the Baltimore Colts also
committed a combined 11 turnovers in Super Bowl V).Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman was named Super Bowl MVP, completing
22 of 30 passes for 273 yards and four touchdowns, while also rushing for 28 yards.This was the seventh and last Super Bowl to date
that the Greater Los Angeles Area has hosted. Background Arizona's Martin Luther King Day controversy Super Bowl XXVII was
originally scheduled to be played at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona, the home of the Phoenix Cardinals. Immediately after the
Cardinals relocated from St. Louis, Missouri to the Phoenix, Arizona area in 1988, the NFL was eager to hold a Super Bowl in that
state. Meanwhile, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the United States federal holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr, was observed for the
first time in 1986. However, the holiday was only celebrated in 27 states and the District of Columbia during that first year. Opponents
across the nation tried to stop the holiday from being recognized in their own local areas. In 1986, an Arizona holiday honoring King
had been declared, through an executive order by Governor Bruce Babbitt after a bill to create the holiday failed in the state legislature.
A year later, though, newly-elected Governor Evan Mecham rescinded the holiday in 1987 on the grounds that the holiday had been
illegally created. Legislation to create the holiday was passed by the state legislature in 1989, but opponents to the holiday succeeded
in forcing the holiday to undergo a ballot initiative. The NFL met in March 1990 at the Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando, Florida to
select the site of the 1993 Super Bowl. Arizona was heavily favored to win selection as the site of the 93 bowl game. Civil Rights
advocates in Arizona sent Art Mobley to Orlando to make sure the King Holiday issue was considered in the discussions. The
controversy surrounding the Arizona King Holiday issue had become confusing and difficult to follow. Mobley delivered letters to
each of the five owners on the site selection committee, providing detailed history and analysis of the situation on the ground in
Arizona. Blacks across the nation had already supported a complete entertainment and convention boycott of Arizona that had been
called by Dr. King's widow, Coretta Scott King and Legendary Singer/Songwriter, Stevie Wonder in response to Governor Mecham
rescinding the holiday. State leaders, including US Senators John McCain, Dennis DeConcini and Governor Rose Mofford all flew to
Orlando to convince NFL owners that Arizona would do all it could to win a state observance at the earliest ballot box opportunity.
The Site Selection Committee was chaired by Philadelphia Eagles Owner and GM, Norman Braman. Braman met with Mobley after
the committee voted to award the 93 game to Arizona and vowed that 'if anything was done to dishonor the memory of Dr. King,' the
committee would vote to rescind the award of the game to Arizona. Mobley and Braman held an impromptu news conference to
publicly reiterate the warning. Arizona voters rejected the 1990 initiative to create a King holiday. The NFL, which had an increasing
percentage of African American players, and urged by the NFL Players' Association, voted to yank Super Bowl XXVII from Arizona,
and awarded it instead to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. A citizens coalition called 'Arizonans for a Martin Luther King Jr.
Holiday,' led by Reverend Warren H. Stewart Sr., organized to bring all sides together in a campaign call 'Victory Together One Clear
Choice.' Two years after the loss of more the $350 million in major convention business and the 1993 Super Bowl, Arizona became
the first and only state to popularly vote for and pass a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. State Holiday. Faced with the boycott, Arizona
voters finally approved the holiday by ballot in 1992, and on March 23, 1993, the NFL awarded Super Bowl XXX (1996) to Tempe.
The resurrection of the Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl XXVII saw the resurrection of the Cowboys. Between 1966 and 1985, the team
made the playoffs 18 out of 20 seasons under coach Tom Landry, including 5 Super Bowl appearances and 2 Super Bowl wins. But in
the late 1980s, the team suffered several losing seasons, including a 3-13 regular season record in 1988. Then Jerry Jones bought the
team on February 25, 1989, and promptly fired Landry, the only head coach Dallas ever had. Jones replaced Landry with University of
Miami head coach, Jimmy Johnson. With Johnson as head coach and Jones as his own general manager, people in the league thought
they could take advantage of them. Both lacked NFL experience, and instead of hiring coaching assistants with experience in the
league, they hired ones that worked with Johnson in Miami. And Jones fired the two men that brought previous success to Dallas: its
founding president Tex Schramm and its famed personnel man Gil Brandt. The Cowboys' 3-13 record in 1988 did have a silver lining,
it was the worst in the league and thus gave the Cowboys the first pick in the 1989 NFL Draft. Jones and Johnson picked UCLA
quarterback Troy Aikman, who would eventually go on to be selected to the Pro Bowl 6 times in his NFL career. Meanwhile, Jones
and Johnson immediately started to shuffle the team's depth chart to find players talented enough to build a winning team. Linebacker
Ken Norton Jr., one of the few holdovers from Landry's last losing seasons, would later claim that he would often go into a player
huddle and meet new teammates for the first time. Then, Jones and Johnson made a move midway through the 1989 season that
shocked many in the league: they traded their only Pro Bowl player, running back Herschel Walker, to the Minnesota Vikings for five
veteran players and eight draft choices. Although the Cowboys finished the 1989 season with a 1-15 record, their worst record since
the team's inception, the foundations for the Cowboys' return to glory had been set. Although Dallas had the league's worst record,
they traded away the first pick in the 1990 draft so they could get backup quarterback Steve Walsh in the supplemental draft. Then
with the 17th pick, they drafted running back Emmitt Smith, and the trifecta of Aikman, Smith, and wide receiver Michael Irvin (who
was drafted by Landry in 1988) was now set. Dallas also signed veteran tight end Jay Novacek away from Phoenix, who went on to
make the Pro Bowl in five of his six years with the Cowboys.
Johnson also started to rebuild the team by drafting players who were fast, quick, and athletic. The defense was designed to become
aggressive, while the offense was made to be a conservative one that did not make mistakes. The Cowboys finished 7-9, but Smith
won the NFL Rookie of the Year Award and Jimmy Johnson was selected as NFL Coach of the Year. By the 1991 season, the
Cowboys finished with an 11-5 record and made the playoffs for the first time in six years. In 1992, the Cowboys finished with a 13-3
regular season record, the second best in the league. Although not a single one of their defensive players made the Pro Bowl, Dallas
was ranked as the number one defense in the league (allowing only 4,278 yards) and ranked as the number one defense against the run
(allowing only 1,244), bringing back many fans memories of the Doomsday Defenses of old. The defensive line was anchored by Jim
Jeffcoat (10.5 sacks) and Tony Tolbert (8.5 sacks), along with Charles Haley, who had led the NFC in sacks in 1990 and had been
acquired by Dallas in a trade with San Francisco. While Norton anchored the linebacking core, the team's solid secondary was led by
defensive backs Kenneth Gant and James Washington, who both recorded 3 interceptions each. Dallas' spectacular offense, led by
Aikman who had the best season of his career by completing 302 out of 473 passes for 3,445 yards and 23 touchdowns while throwing
only 14 interceptions, was one of the league's finest, finishing fourth in the league in total yards. Superstar running back Emmitt Smith
led the NFL in rushing, with 1,713 yards and scoring 18 rushing touchdowns, while also catching 59 passes for 335 yards and another
touchdown. Fullback Daryl Johnston was also an asset in the backfield, provding Smith with effective blocking and hauling in 32
receptions. Irvin, the team's emotional lightning rod, caught 78 passes for 1,396 yards and 7 touchdowns. Other contributors on the
offense included wide receiver Alvin Harper (35 receptions for 562 yards and 4 touchdowns) and Novacek (68 receptions for 630
yards and 6 touchdowns). Dallas' dominant offensive line was led by Pro Bowlers Nate Newton and Mark Stepnoski. With all this
talent the Cowboys would be considered by many to be one of the deepest and most talented teams to ever take to the gridiron. The
Buffalo Bills' third attempt for a Super Bowl title The Bills entered Super Bowl XXVII trying to avoid becoming the first team to lose
three consecutive Super Bowls. Once again the team was loaded with Pro Bowl players, boasting 12 Pro Bowl selections. During the
regular season, Buffalo's no-huddle offense ranked as the number two offense in the league (6,114 yards) and ranked as the number
one rushing offense (2,436). Running back Thurman Thomas rushed for 1,487 yards and 9 touchdowns during the regular season,
while also catching 58 passes for 626 yards and another 3 touchdowns. Running back Kenneth Davis rushed for 613 yards, caught 15
passes for 80 yards, and added another 251 yards returning kickoffs. Quarterback Jim Kelly had 269 out of 462 completions for 3,457
yards, 23 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions. Wide receiver Andre Reed led the team with 65 receptions for 913 yards and 3
touchdowns, receiver James Lofton contributed 51 receptions for 786 yards and 6 touchdowns, and wide receiver Don Beebe caught
33 passes for 554 and 2 touchdowns. Also tight end Pete Metzelaars recorded 30 receptions for 298 yards and 6 touchdowns. The Bills
also had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, led by Pro Bowlers Will Wolford, Jim Ritcher, and Howard Ballard, along with
center Kent Hull. On defense, the line was anchored by end Bruce Smith (14 sacks) and nose tackle Jeff Wright (6 sacks, 1 fumble
recovery), who were fully recovered after missing almost all of the previous season due to injuries. The Bills were once again led by
their trio of linebackers Darryl Talley (77 tackles, 4 sacks), Shane Conlan (66 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 interception), and Pro Bowler
Cornelius Bennett (52 tackles, 4 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries). The defensive secondary was aided by the emergence of second year
safety Henry Jones, who tied for the NFL lead with 8 interceptions, returning them for 263 yards and 2 touchdowns. Safety Mark
Kelso recorded 7 interceptions, while Pro Bowl cornerback Nate Odomes had 5. However, the Bills quest for a third consecutive
Super Bowl suffered a major setback when they lost the final game of the season to the Houston Oilers. The loss caused the Bills to
finish with an 11-5 record, losing out on the AFC East title to the Miami Dolphins based on tie-breaking rules, and thus making them a
wild card team for the playoffs. Thus, even if they won their first playoff game, they would have to win two on the road to make the
Super Bowl. To make matters worse, Kelly also suffered strained knee ligaments during the loss to the Oilers and had to miss the first
2 playoff games. Furthermore, their first opponent in the playoffs ended up being the Oilers. A headline on a Buffalo newspaper stated
the Bills situation: "Bills Begin The Longest Road Today." Playoffs The Cowboys easily defeated their first playoff opponent, the
Philadelphia Eagles, 34-10. Dallas' defense held the Eagles to only 178 offensive yards and sacked quarterback Randall Cunningham 5
times. Meanwhile, the Cowboys recorded 160 rushing yards and 185 passing yards. Aikman completed 15 of 25 passes and 2
touchdowns, while Smith ran for 114 yards and a touchdown. Dallas then defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 30–20, in the NFC
Championship Game. This was the first time that the two teams met in the NFC Championship since the 49ers narrowly beat the
Cowboys during the 1981 season on a late touchdown pass known as "The Catch". The 49ers came into the game with the league's
best regular season record at 14–2 and led the league in scoring with 431 points. But in this game, the Cowboys built a 24–13 lead
going into the fourth quarter, as Aikman capped a nine minute drive with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Smith. However, 49ers
quarterback Steve Young's 5-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Rice cut the lead 24-20 with 4:22 left in the game. But instead of trying to
run out the clock with a running play, Aikman threw a 70-yard completion to Harper. Three plays later, Aikman threw a 6-yard
touchdown pass to wide receiver Kelvin Martin to clinch the victory (the extra point was blocked). Aikman finished with 332 passing
yards and 2 touchdowns, with no interceptions. The Bills first defeated the Houston Oilers, 41–38 in overtime, in what became known
as "The Comeback". Nothing seemed to go right for the Bills in the first half. In addition to playing without Kelly and Bennett,
Thomas was knocked out of the game with a hip injury. The Bills offense could only score a single field goal, while their defense
played even worse, as Oilers quarterback Warren Moon passed for 222 yards and 4 touchdowns, and Houston jumped to a 28-3
halftime lead. Then, backup quarterback Frank Reich's first pass of the second half was intercepted by Bubba McDowell and returned
58 yards for a touchdown, making the score 35-3. However, the Bills suddenly stormed back to score 5 unanswered touchdowns to
overcome the seemingly insurmountable odds. First, Davis scored on a 1-yard touchdown run. Then Buffalo recovered an onside kick
and immediately scored again on Reich's 36-yard touchdown pass to Beebe. Reich then threw touchdowns of 26 and 18 yards to Reed.
In the fourth quarter, Reich hit Reed with a 17-yard score to give the Bills a 38-35 lead. The Oilers kicked a field goal late in the game
to send it into overtime, but Odomes' interception in the extra period set up kicker Steve Christie's game winning field goal to give the
Bills the biggest comeback win in NFL history. Buffalo then recorded a 24-3 win on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the AFC
Central champions with the AFC's best regular season record at 11-5. Although Kelly and Thomas had not recovered enough to play
for this game, Reich threw for 160 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no interceptions, while Davis rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown.
Meanwhile, the defense redeemed themselves for giving up 38 points against the Oilers by holding the Steelers to only a field goal.
The Bills then defeated the Miami Dolphins, 29-10, in the AFC Championship. The Dolphins were coming off a 31-0 blowout playoff
win over the San Diego Chargers. But Buffalo's defense dominated the Dolphins offense, intercepting quarterback Dan Marino twice,
recovering 3 fumbles, and limiting Miami to just 33 rushing yards. Although Buffalo's offense had trouble scoring touchdowns
because Kelly and Thomas were rusty coming back from their injuries, Christie scored 5 field goals to make up for the difference.
Kelly did connect with Thomas on a screen pass for a 17 yard touchdown, and Ken Davis ran it in from two yards out for another
score. As a result, the Bills became the fourth wild-card team to advance to the Super Bowl. This marked the first time since the AFLNFL merger that the two Super Bowl teams each won their conference championship on the road. Dallas winning in San Francisco
and Buffalo in Miami. Super Bowl pre-game news and notes Even though the Bills had more experienced players than the Cowboys,
Dallas was favored to win Super Bowl XXVII based on the recent dominance of NFC teams in the Super Bowl. Some writers and fans
were starting to compare Buffalo to the Super Bowls losers Minnesota Vikings and the Denver Broncos. Still, many thought that the
inexperienced Cowboys might panic under the pressure of playing in their first Super Bowl, and thus make a number of mistakes.
Also, some thought Buffalo's no-huddle offense could eventually wear down and dominate Dallas' young defense. Finally, Jimmy
Johnson was looking to become the first head coach to win a college football national championship (University of Miami in 1987)
and a Super Bowl. As of 2010, Johnson and Cowboys successor Barry Switzer remain the only coaches ever to achieve this goal.
Television and entertainment The game was broadcast in the United States by NBC with Dick Enberg handling the play-by-play
duties and color commentator Bob Trumpy in the broadcast booth. Bob Costas hosted all the events with analyst Mike Ditka. After the
game, Homicide: Life on the Street premiered on NBC. This was the last of five Super Bowls at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Two
other Super Bowls were played nearby at the Los Angeles Coliseum. As previously mentioned, this would be the seventh and final (to
date) Super Bowl in the Los Angeles area, tying New Orleans at the time for the city to host the most Super Bowls. Pregame
ceremonies The pre show featured The Rockettes dance company in a tribute to Hollywood, music, and the movies. Country music
singer Garth Brooks sang the national anthem. He was accompanied by actress Marlee Matlin, who signed the anthem for the deaf
fans. Brooks very nearly did not perform the anthem—he left the stadium less than an hour before he was slated to sing, because of a
dispute with NBC, regarding a video he asked them to air. Television producers spotted rocker Jon Bon Jovi in the crowd and were
prepared to have him perform the anthem, until Brooks was finally coaxed back into the stadium. The coin toss ceremony featured a
future infamous celebrity, former Bills running back O. J. Simpson, who was working for NBC Sports at the time. Halftime show
Michael Jackson performed during the halftime show. Unlike many previous years, he was the only performer in the entire halftime
show. Jackson started the performance by being catapulted on stage and then simply standing frozen in one of his famous 'Dangerous'
poses. Jackson's set included songs "Jam" (with the beginning of "Why You Wanna Trip On Me"), "Billie Jean" and "Black or White".
The finale featured an audience card stunt, a video montage showing Jackson participating in various humanitarian efforts around the
world, and a choir of 3,500 local Los Angeles area children singing "We Are The World", later joining Jackson as he sang his single
"Heal the World". Part of the halftime show can be found on Michael Jackson's Dangerous - The Short Films DVD. However, the
DVD only features the "Heal The World" performance of the halftime show, and omits the show opening and a medley of "Jam",
"Billie Jean" and "Black Or White". Because of Jackson's star power, the Fox network declined to broadcast counter-programming
against the halftime show like they did during Super Bowl XXVI's show in the previous year (Fox aired a special live edition of In
Living Color on that occasion). Fox would never broadcast counter-programming again against the Super Bowl; on December 19,
1993, the network signed an agreement to broadcast NFL (replacing CBS as the NFC television broadcaster) starting in 1994. It was
the first Super Bowl where the audience figures actually increased during the half-time show. The selection of Jackson for the halftime
show was in response to sagging interest in recent performances, notably in the two years immediately prior. NFL and network
officials decided it was necessary to sign top acts for the halftime in future years to boost future viewership and interest. Game
summary Things started out well in the beginning for Buffalo. On their first possession, the Cowboys were forced to a three-and-out.
Bills special teams expert Steve Tasker then blocked the ensuing punt, knocking the ball out of bounds at the Cowboys 16-yard line.
Four plays later, Thurman Thomas scored on a 2-yard touchdown run to give the Bills the 7-0 early lead. Dallas then reached their
own 40-yard line on their next drive, but an illegal formation penalty nullified running back Emmitt Smith's 12-yard run. Troy
Aikman then threw two consecutive incompletions, and the Cowboys were forced to punt again. The Bills subsequently advanced to
midfield with the aid of a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty on Cowboys defensive lineman Leon Lett and a 21-yard reception by
wide receiver Andre Reed. Then the wave of turnovers began. On the next play, Dallas safety James Washington intercepted Jim
Kelly's pass and returned it 13 yards to the Bills' 47-yard line. The Cowboys then drove 47 yards in 6 plays to tie the game on
Aikman's 23-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jay Novacek. On the Bills' first play of their next drive, Dallas defensive end Charles
Haley sacked Kelly and forced a fumble. Cowboys defensive tackle Jimmie Jones picked the ball out of the air at the 2-yard line and
dove into the end zone for a touchdown to give his team a 14-7 lead. Dallas had scored 2 touchdowns in a span of 15 seconds, the
fastest pair in Super Bowl history. Early in the second quarter, Kelly's 40-yard completion to Reed gave the Bills a first down at the
Cowboys 4-yard line. But the Bills failed to score on 3 rushing attempts. On fourth down, Kelly's pass was intercepted in the end zone
by safety Thomas Everett. On Buffalo's next drive, linebacker Ken Norton, Jr. hit Kelly, re-injuring the quarterback's knee that he
sprained earlier in the season, and playoff hero Frank Reich took Kelly's place. Reich started out well, completing his first 2 passes,
including a 38-yard completion to Reed to advance the ball to the Dallas 22-yard line. But then Thomas was stopped for no gain on
third down and 1 at the 4-yard line. Rather than attempt another fourth down play near the goal line, the Bills settled for Steve
Christie's 21-yard field goal to cut their deficit to 14–10 with 3:24 left in the half. The Cowboys then stormed down the field on their
next possession, scoring in just 5 plays. After a pair of completions by Aikman for 17 yards, Smith's 38-yard run gave the Cowboys a
first down inside the Bills' 20-yard line. Aikman then finished the drive with a 19-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Michael Irvin,
increasing his team's lead to 21–10. On the first play of the Bills' ensuing drive, Thomas caught a swing pass, but fumbled the ball
while being tackled by Lett, and Jones recovered it at the Bills 18-yard line. Aikman then threw his second touchdown pass to Irvin to
give the Cowboys a 28-10 lead. (Irvin's two touchdown receptions made him the 7th player to do so in a Super Bowl. Irvin also
became the second player, after Washington Redskins wide receiver Ricky Sanders in Super Bowl XXII, to catch two touchdowns in a
single quarter. Furthermore, Irvin's two catches occurred in a span of 18 seconds, the fastest pair of touchdowns ever scored by a
single player in Super Bowl history). With about a little over a minute left in the first half, Buffalo barely avoided another turnover
when running back Kenneth Davis recovered a fumbled handoff from Reich. But 2 plays later, defensive back Larry Brown
intercepted Reich's pass at the Dallas 28-yard line to preserve the Cowboys' 18-point lead at halftime. Dallas then took the opening
drive of the second half and advanced 77 yards in 11 plays, featuring a 25-yard reception by Irvin. However, on third down and 2,
Aikman's pass to Novacek in the end zone was overthrown, forcing Dallas to settle for Lin Elliot's 20-yard field goal. This increased
their lead to 31-10. Both teams were unable to score on each of their next possessions, but on the period's final play, Reich threw a 40yard touchdown pass to Bills receiver Don Beebe, despite Cowboy complaints that the touchdown should have been nullified because
Reich, while scrambling to avoid the Cowboy rush, crossed the 40-yard line for what should have been ruled an illegal forward pass.
So despite 5 first half turnovers, the Bills were only trailing Dallas 31–17 going into the final period, and after their comeback from
the 32-point deficit in the playoffs, a 14-point comeback seemed perfectly within their capabilities. But early in the fourth quarter,
Aikman threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Alvin Harper. Then on the second play of the Bills' next possession, Everett intercepted a
pass from Reich and returned it 22 yards to Buffalo's 8-yard line, setting up another touchdown on Smith's 10-yard run. After Buffalo
received the ensuing kickoff, Reich fumbled a high snap while in a shotgun formation. Norton recovered the loose ball and returned it
for a touchdown, increasing the Cowboys' lead to 52-17. The 21 points by the Cowboys is the most ever for a team in the 4th quarter.
The Cowboys also became just the second team to score two non-offensive touchdowns in a game. The Raiders also did so in Super
Bowl XVIII with a blocked punt return and an interception return. The most memorable moment of the game came well after the
Cowboys had built an insurmountable lead. After both teams lost a fumble on their next possessions, the Bills managed to advance to
the Cowboys' 31-yard line. But Reich lost a fumble while being sacked by Cowboys lineman Jim Jeffcoat. Lett picked up the ball with
no one in front of him and appeared to be headed for a 64-yard touchdown return. As he started to showboat just before crossing the
goal line, Don Beebe raced in from behind and knocked the ball out of Lett's arm and into the end zone. The ball then rolled out of
bounds for a touchback. If Lett had scored the touchdown, the Cowboys would have topped the previous Super Bowl record of 55
points scored in a game that the 49ers had set three years prior. Smith was the top rusher of the game, rushing for 108 yards and a
touchdown, while also catching 6 passes for 27 yards. Irvin was the Cowboys' leading receiver with 6 receptions for 114 yards and 2
touchdowns. Novacek added 7 receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown. Lett recorded a sack, a fumble recovery, and 2 forced
fumbles. Reich and Kelly combined for 22 out of 38 completions for 276 yards and a touchdown, but also threw 4 interceptions.
Thomas, who gained 2,113 combined rushing and receiving yards during the season, was held to just 29 combined rushing and
receiving yards in the game. Reed was the Bills' top receiver with 8 receptions for 152 yards. Bills running back Kenneth Davis was
their leading rusher with 86 yards. Davis also caught 3 passes for 16 yards and returned a kickoff for 21 yards, giving him 123 total
yards. Irvin and Bills receiver Andre Reed each had over 100 yards receiving, making it the first time players from different teams had
at least 100 yards receiving. Irvin had 114 yards while Reed had 152. Reed's total is the highest for a player on a losing team.
January 30, 1994 Dallas Cowboys(NFC) vs. Buffalo Bills(AFC) 30-13 DAL 6 0 14 10 30 BUF 3 10 0 0 13 Stadium Georgia Dome,
Atlanta, Georgia MVP Emmitt Smith, Running back Favorite Cowboys by 10½ National anthem Natalie Cole Halftime show The
Judds (feat. Wynonna Judd, Naomi Judd), Clint Black, Travis Tritt, Tanya Tucker Future Hall of Famers Bills: Marv Levy (coach),
Jim Kelly, Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas. Cowboys: Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, Emmitt SmithSuper Bowl XXVIII was an
American football game played on January 30, 1994, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, to decide the National Football League
(NFL) champion following the 1993 regular season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys (15-4)
defeated the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Buffalo Bills (14-5), 30–13. This was the first time in Super Bowl
history that the same two teams had met in two consecutive Super Bowls. The Cowboys won their fourth Super Bowl in team history,
tying the Pittsburgh Steelers and the San Francisco 49ers for most Super Bowl wins, while the Bills became the first team to appear in
4 consecutive title games. Buffalo also joined the Minnesota Vikings and the Denver Broncos as the only teams to lose four, and
garnered the dubious distinction of being the first and only team to lose four consecutive Super Bowls. This would be the last time in
which both number 1 seeded playoff teams from each conference met in the Super Bowl until Super Bowl XLIV.Dallas scored 24
unanswered points in the second half. Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith was named the Super Bowl MVP, with 30 carries for 132
yards and 2 touchdowns, while also catching 4 passes for 26 yards. Background NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl XXVIII to
Atlanta, Georgia, during their May 23, 1990, meeting. The Georgia Dome was under construction at the time of the vote. Dallas
Cowboys The Cowboys' journey to Super Bowl XXVIII proved more difficult than the previous contest. Pro Bowl running back
Emmitt Smith held out the first two regular season games over a contract dispute, and Dallas lost both of those contests. Pro Bowl
quarterback Troy Aikman, along with a few other key players, missed games due to injuries. Dallas still managed to finish with an
NFC-best 12-4 record after defeating the New York Giants in their final regular season game. Though not as dynamic as the last year,
Dallas' offense remained incredibly efficient. Led by Aikman who finished the regular season completing 271 out of 392 passes for
3,100 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. Smith recorded 1,486 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns, while catching 57 passes for
414 yards and another touchdown, earning him the NFL Most Valuable Player Award. Fullback Daryl Johnston was also a realiable
backfield threat, scoring four touchdowns and contributing a career high 50 receptions for 371 yards. Pro Bowler Michael Irvin was
once again the team's leading wide receiver with 88 catches for 1,330 yards and 7 touchdowns. Wide receiver Alvin Harper had 36
catches for 777 yards and 5 touchdowns, while Pro Bowl tight end Jay Novacek had 44 receptions for 445 yards and 1 touchdown. Pro
Bowlers Mark Stepnoski, Erik Williams, and Nate Newton anchored the offensive line. The Cowboys' defense was anchored by such
Pro Bowlers as lineman Russell Maryland, linebacker Ken Norton Jr., along with defensive backs Thomas Everett and Kevin Smith,
who picked off 6 passes during the season. Defensive end Tony Tolbert led the team with 7.5 sacks. Buffalo Bills The Bills finished at
the top of the AFC by clinching the conference's best regular season record at 12-4. Quarterback Jim Kelly once again led Buffalo's
no-huddle offense by passing for 288 out of 470 regular season completions for 3,382 yards, 18 touchdowns, with 18 interceptions.
Kelly was joining an elite class by starting this, his fourth Super Bowl. The only other quarterbacks to start four at the time were
Roger Staubach, Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana, with John Elway and Tom Brady since joining this exclusive club. Kelly being the
only one to start four consecutive Super Bowls. Running back Thurman Thomas gained 1,315 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns, while
also catching 48 passes for 387 yards. Running back Kenneth Davis rushed for 391 yards and 6 touchdowns, while also recording 21
receptions for 95 yards. Pro Bowl wide receiver Andre Reed led the team with 52 receptions for 854 yards and 6 touchdowns; wide
receiver Bill Brooks had 60 receptions for 714 yards and 5 touchdowns; and wide receiver Don Beebe recorded 31 receptions for 504
yards and 3 touchdowns. Also, Pete Metzelaars led the Bills tight ends with 68 receptions for 609 yards and 4 touchdowns. And Pro
Bowl offensive lineman Howard Ballard anchored the line. Buffalo's defense was still the team's weakness, ranking 28th (then-last) in
the league, giving up 5,810 total yards. The defense did have a few good contributors such as Hall of Fame lineman Bruce Smith (14
sacks, 1 fumble recovery), Pro Bowl linebacker Cornelius Bennett (5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries), along with linebacker Darryl Talley
(101 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 3 interceptions) and cornerback Nate Odomes, who led the NFL with 9 interceptions and
recorded 1 fumble recovery. Playoffs Buffalo's first opponent was the Los Angeles Raiders, led by quarterback Jeff Hostetler, who had
led the New York Giants to victory over the Bills in Super Bowl XXV 3 years earlier. In this game, the Raiders built up a 17-13
halftime lead, but Buffalo stormed back with 16 second half points. First they scored on Kelly's 25-yard touchdown pass to Brooks.
Then on their next drive, kicker Steve Christie made a 29-yard field goal to give the Bills a 23-17 lead. Los Angeles managed to
respond with an 86-yard scoring strike from Hostetler to receiver Tim Brown, but Buffalo stormed right back with Brooks' 22-yard
touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. The Bills ended up winning the game 29-23, having scored 16 points in a span of 6:18 in
the second half. Kelly had a superb performance in the game, throwing for 287 yards and 2 touchdowns with no interceptions. One
week later, the Bills advanced to their fourth consecutive Super Bowl by blowing away the Kansas City Chiefs 30-13 in the AFC
championship game. Thomas had a phenomenal performance in the game, rushing for 186 yards and 3 touchdowns, and catching 2
passes for 22 yards. On defense, the Bills limited Chiefs future hall of fame quarterback Joe Montana to just 9 of 23 completions for
125 yards and no touchdowns, with 1 interception. In addition, Kansas City's future hall of fame running back Marcus Allen was held
to just 50 rushing yards on 18 carries. In the NFC, Dallas' first opponent in the playoffs was the Green Bay Packers, who were coming
off a thrilling 28-24 win over the Detroit Lions in the wildcard round in which quarterback Brett Favre had thrown the winning
touchdown pass to Sterling Sharpe with only 55 seconds left in the game. In this game, the Packers scored first with a field goal, but
Dallas stormed back with 17 consecutive points in the second quarter. First Aikman threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Harper. Then
with time running out the period, Dallas scored again on an Eddie Murray field goal. Green Bay then fumbled the ensuing kickoff,
allowing the Cowboys to score again with Aikman's 6-yard pass to Novacek. The Cowboys went on to stave off an attempted Packers
comeback in the second half and win the game 27-17. Aikman finished the game with 28 of 37 completions for 302 yards and 3
touchdowns, with 2 interceptions. Irvin recorded 9 catches for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns. One week later, Dallas faced the San
Francisco 49ers in the NFC title game for the second year in a row in what was at the time the last NFL game to air on CBS. The last
time the 2 teams played, Dallas won when Aikman thwarted a 49ers attempted comeback with a touchdown drive late in the fourth
quarter. But this time, the game was extremely one-sided. The Cowboys scored touchdowns on 4 of their 5 first half possessions. By
the end of the half, Dallas had a commanding 28-7 lead and were on their way to a surprisingly easy 38-21 win. Although he missed
most of the second half due to injury, Aikman had a superb performance in the game, completing 14 of 18 passes for 177 yards and 3
touchdowns with no interceptions, while also rushing for 25 yards. Smith was also a key contributor, rushing for 88 yards, catching 7
passes for 85 yards, and scoring 2 touchdowns. Both Dallas and Buffalo were the top seeds in their respective conferences, earning
homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. Until the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts qualified for Super Bowl XLIV,
this was the last time that both number one seeds advanced to the Super Bowl. Super Bowl pregame news and notes Many sports
writers and fans were a bit upset that the Bills advanced to their fourth consecutive Super Bowl. They were distressed with Buffalo
having lost the three previous Super Bowl games and did not want to see them lose again. Some Bills fans appeared to be defensive
about their team's presence in the game; during Buffalo's victory in the AFC championship game a week earlier, one fan displayed a
banner defiantly proclaiming, "We're back; deal with it, America!" Therefore, the Super Bowl hype was more focused onto Cowboys
owner/general manager Jerry Jones and head coach Jimmy Johnson. Although the two rebuilt the team with young talent that
eventually won the previous year's Super Bowl, both men had huge egos that conflicted with each other. Both had different ideas on
the future personnel plans for the Cowboys and both wanted equal credit for the team's recent success (eventually, Johnson would
leave the team after the season). This was the fourth rematch in Super Bowl history, and the first time that both teams met in
consecutive years. The Dolphins and Redskins met twice (VII and XVII), as did the Steelers and Cowboys (X and XIII) and 49ers and
Bengals (XVI and XXIII). The Steelers and the Cowboys would also meet again, in Super Bowl XXX. Television and entertainment
The game was broadcast in the United States by NBC with play-by-play announcer Dick Enberg and color commentator Bob Trumpy.
Jim Lampley hosted all the events with the help of analysts Mike Ditka and Joe Gibbs and sideline reporters O.J. Simpson (on
Buffalo's sideline) and Will McDonough (on Dallas' sideline). It was the first time a network had held consecutive Super Bowls
outright. The five-year NFL contract signed in 1989 had a provision where the last Super Bowl in the contract (XXVIII) would not be
rotated, but would go to the highest bidder. NBC, which had held XXVII (according the original rotation, NBC would have had XXVI
and CBS XXVII, but the NFL allowed the networks to switch the two games in order to allow CBS a significant lead-in to its
coverage of the 1992 Winter Olympics), was the only network to bid on XXVIII. Less than two weeks before the game was aired,
NBC had shown a Peanuts special, You're In the Super Bowl, Charlie Brown, in which the character Melody-Melody wins the Punt,
Pass & Kick contest wearing a Dallas Cowboys uniform. For this game, NBC introduced a new theme for NFL broadcasts by
composer John Colby that would be retained for the 1994 season. Previously, the league alternated the Super Bowl broadcast among
its television networks, except for Super Bowl I in which both NBC and CBS televised it simultaneously. CBS broadcast Super Bowl
II, then the league rotated the broadcast between CBS and NBC until 1985 when ABC entered the rotation when they broadcast Super
Bowl XIX. NBC aired the premiere of The John Larroquette Show following the game. Pregame ceremonies The pregame show held
before the game was titled "Georgia Music Makers" and featured performances by the rap music duo Kris Kross, the rock band The
Georgia Satellites, country musician Charlie Daniels, and the Morehouse College Marching Band. The United States Trampoline
Association (USTA) performed on 4 trampolines during "Jump-Jump" performed by Kris Kross. Later, singer Natalie Cole,
accompanied by the Atlanta University Center Chorus, sang the national anthem. To honor the 25th anniversary of the New York Jets'
upset win in Super Bowl III, that game's MVP, former Jets quarterback Joe Namath joined the coin toss ceremony. Halftime show The
halftime show was titled "Rockin' Country Sunday" and featured country music stars Clint Black, Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt, Brooks
& Dunn, and Wynonna Judd. The show's finale included a special appearance by Naomi Judd, who joined Wynonna in performing
The Judds' single "Love Can Build a Bridge", to which everyone eventually joined in. This was the first Super Bowl halftime show in
which the main stadium lights were turned off for the performance. The show including dancers with yard-long light sticks. Game
summary Though the Bills had a lead at halftime, Super Bowl XXVIII would have an identical outcome to the 3 preceding games and
end with a Buffalo loss. Dallas kick returner Kevin Williams returned the opening kickoff 50 yards to the Buffalo 48-yard line. Then
the Cowboys began the drive with quarterback Troy Aikman's 20-yard pass to wide receiver Michael Irvin. But with third down and
six from 24-yard line, Aikman threw an incomplete pass and the Cowboys had to settle for kicker Eddie Murray's 41-yard field goal.
The Bills then responded with a 7-play, 43 yard scoring drive. Quarterback Jim Kelly's 24-yard pass to running back Thurman
Thomas advanced the ball across the Dallas 40-yard line. After a 3-yard run by running back Kenneth Davis, however, Kelly threw
two straight incompletions. The Bills then tied the game, 3-3, with Steve Christie's 54 yard field goal, the longest field goal in Super
Bowl history. Buffalo then forced Dallas to punt, but on the first play of the Bills' ensuing possession Dallas safety James Washington
forced Thomas to fumble and safety Darren Woodson recovered the ball at midfield. Aided by receiver Alvin Harper's 24-yard
reception, the Cowboys drove to the Bills' 7-yard line, but once again were forced to settle for a field goal; a 24-yarder by Murray to
regain the lead, 6-3. After receiving Murray's kickoff, the Bills could only reach their own 41-yard line before being forced to punt.
However, Dallas cornerback Dave Thomas was penalized for running into the punter on the play, giving Buffalo a first down. Taking
advantage of their second chance, Buffalo marched down the field with runs by Thomas and short completions by Kelly. Thomas
eventually finished off the 17 play, 80-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown run, giving the Bills a 10-6 lead early in the second quarter.
Dallas started out their ensuing drive with a 15-yard reception by Irvin and a 13-yard run by running back Emmitt Smith to get to
midfield. They were eventually forced to punt, but Cowboys defensive end Matt Vanderbeek downed John Jett's 43-yard punt at the
Bills' 1-yard line. A 19-yard completion from Kelly to receiver Andre Reed moved Buffalo out from the shadow of their own end zone,
and they eventually reached the Cowboys 46-yard line, but they too were forced to punt. However, Chris Mohr matched Jett's feat
with a 45-yard punt that was downed at the Dallas 1-yard line by Buffalo special teams expert Steve Tasker. As the Bills had done,
Dallas managed to get out of their own territory and advance to the Buffalo 47-yard line. However, Bills defensive back Nate Odomes
intercepted a pass intended for Irvin and returned it 41 yards to the Dallas 47-yard line with 1:03 left in the half. After a 1-yard run by
Thomas, Kelly completed a pair of passes to Thomas and Reed for gains of 12 and 22 yards, respectively, to move the ball to the
Cowboys 12-yard line. But the Dallas defense tightened up on the next 3 plays as Kelly threw a 3-yard completion to Thomas, an
incomplete pass, and a completion to Thomas for no gain. Christie then kicked his second field goal as time expired in the half,
increasing Buffalo's lead to 13-6. Buffalo's command over the game proved short lived as the Cowboys dominated the second half.
Forty-five seconds into the third quarter, Leon Lett forced a Thurman Thomas fumble, which Washington returned 46 yards for a
touchdown to tie the game. Bills receiver Russell Copeland then returned the ensuing kickoff 22 yards to the Buffalo 37-yard line, but
on third down Cowboy linemen Jim Jeffcoat and Charles Haley shared a 13-yard sack on Kelly to force the Bills to punt. The
Cowboys then scored on an 8-play, 64-yard drive in which Smith carried the ball on 7 of the 8 plays, gaining all but 3 of the 64 yards
himself, and finished the drive with a 15-yard touchdown run to take a 20-13 lead. Meanwhile, Dallas' defense continued to stop
Buffalo's offense throughout the second half. Washington intercepted a pass from Kelly on the first play of the fourth quarter and
returned it 12 yards to the Bills' 34-yard line. A false start penalty on the next play moved the ball back to the 39, but on the next 3
plays, Smith ran twice for 10 yards and caught a screen pass for 9. Aikman then completed a 16-yard pass to Harper, giving Dallas a
first and goal at the 6-yard line. The Bills managed to prevent a touchdown on the next 3 plays, but on fourth down and 1, Smith ran
into the end zone for the score, giving the Cowboys a 27-13 lead. The Bills started their ensuing drive from their own 22-yard line and
managed to reach their own 36. Cowboy defensive lineman Jimmie Jones made two key plays, however; a second down tackle on
Thomas for a one yard loss and a 13-yard sack on third down; to push the ball back to the 22-yard line and force Buffalo to punt; a
poor, 29 yard kick which the Cowboys recovered at their own 49 yard line. Dallas then put the game away with a 9 play, 49-yard
scoring drive that took 4:10 off the clock. On the sixth play of the drive, Aikman completed a 35-yard pass to Harper to the Bills 1yard line. After a false start penalty pushed them back to the 6-yard line, the Cowboys ran the ball on their next 3 plays to force
Buffalo to use up all of their timeouts. Murray then kicked a 20-yard field goal with 2:50 left in the game, increasing the Cowboys
lead to 30-13, and effectively ending any chance of a Bills comeback. "This one is the worst," Reed said after the game, referring to
the Bills' streak of four consecutive Super Bowl losses. "We should have won. Then they come up with 24 unanswered points. That
last fumble was once in a million. These things always happen to the Bills. It rips the heart out of you." "Dallas didn't wear us down in
the second half," added Thomas. "I fumbled. I cost us the game." However, Hull managed to find some consolation. "In the immediate
future we'll be thought of as losers," he said. "But one day down the road, when I'm no longer playing, they'll say, 'Wow, they won
four straight AFC championships. They must have been good.' " Troy Aikman was 19 out of 27 for 207 yards, with 1 interception
while Alvin Harper was the team's top receiver with 3 catches for 75 yards. Emmitt Smith, still suffering the effects of a shoulder
injury during the regular-season finale, became just the second player in Super Bowl history to run for 100 yards in back-to-back
Super Bowls. (The other being Larry Csonka who did it in Super Bowls VII and VIII. He became the fourth player to rush for
touchdowns in back-to-back Super Bowls, joining Franco Harris, John Riggins and Thomas). Smith also became the first player to
lead the league in rushing yards, win NFL Most Valuable Player Award, and win Super Bowl MVP all in the same season. He was
also the fourth player, after Bart Starr (1966), Terry Bradshaw (1978), and Joe Montana (1989), to win both the NFL MVP and Super
Bowl MVP during the same season. Defensively, James Washington, who began as the nickel-back to counter Buffalo's "no-huddle"
and frequent use of three wide receivers, had a phenomenal game with his 46-yard touchdown on a fumble recovery, an interception,
forcing a Thurman Thomas fumble that Darren Woodson recovered, and collecting 11 tackles. Bills receiver Andre Reed finished the
game with 6 receptions for 75 yards to lead Buffalo, with Don Beebe catching 6 passes for 60 yards and returned 2 kickoffs for 63
yards. Thomas was limited to just 37 rushing yards, but he also caught 7 passes for 52 yards (Thomas became the first player in Super
Bowl history to score touchdowns in four Super Bowls: he scored one TD in each of the Bills 4-straight appearances, XXV-XXVIII).
Kenneth Davis was the Bills' top rusher with 38 yards. Kelly finished the game 31-of-50 for 260 yards and 1 interception. His 31
completions were a Super Bowl record. Kelly became the only player ever to throw 50 passes in 2 Super Bowls. In addition to his 50
passes in this game, he threw a Super Bowl record 58 passes in Super Bowl XXVI.
January 29, 1995 San Francisco 49ers(NFC) vs. San Diego Chargers(AFC) 49-26 SD 7 3 8 8 26 SF 14 14 14 7 49 Stadium Joe
Robbie Stadium, Miami, Florida MVP Steve Young, Quarterback Favorite 49ers by 18½ National anthem Kathie Lee Gifford
Halftime show Tony Bennett, Patti LaBelle, Arturo Sandoval, Miami Sound Machine Future Hall of Famers 49ers: Richard Dent,
Rickey Jackson, Jerry Rice, Deion Sanders, Steve Young. Chargers: none.Super Bowl XXIX was an American football game played
on January 29, 1995 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida (now part of the suburb of Miami Gardens) to decide the National
Football League (NFL) champion following the 1994 regular season (the 75th season of the NFL). The National Football Conference
(NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers (16–3) defeated the American Football Conference (AFC) champion San Diego Chargers (13–
6), 49–26. The 49ers became the first team to win five Super Bowls while the Chargers were making their first Super Bowl
appearance. The combined aggregate score of 75 and the ten total touchdowns both remain Super Bowl records. This is the first time
that both teams scored in all four quarters of a Super Bowl.This marked the first time that two teams who played their home games in
the same state played in the Super Bowl. Super Bowl XXV (also aired on ABC) between the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills was
the first Super Bowl to feature teams merely representing the same state (New York) - the Giants actually play their home games in
East Rutherford, New Jersey.49ers quarterback Steve Young threw a record 6 touchdown passes en route to the Super Bowl MVP
award. (His four TDs in a half tied Doug Williams from the Washington Redskins). He also completed 24 out of 36 passes for
325 yards, and was the top rusher of the game with 49 rushing yards (the first time both top passer and rusher were the same person).
This game is regarded as Young's final leap out of the shadow of his predecessor, Joe Montana, who had won four Super Bowls with
the 49ers, two with Young as the backup quarterback. Young became the 5th player to win both the NFL Most Valuable Player Award
and Super Bowl MVP during the same season. He follows Bart Starr in 1966, Terry Bradshaw in 1978, Joe Montana in 1989, and
Emmitt Smith in 1993. Background NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl XXIX to Miami, Florida during their May 23, 1991
meeting. This was the seventh time that Miami hosted the game. For the first time in five years, the Buffalo Bills would not be
representing the AFC in the Super Bowl. They had collapsed during the second half of the season, losing 6 of their last 8 games and
finishing the season with a 7-9 record. San Francisco 49ers From the 1988 to the 1993 seasons, the 49ers played in 5 out of 6 NFC
Championship Games, winning Super Bowls XXIII and XXIV. But after coach George Seifert's team lost 2 consecutive NFC
Championship Games to the Dallas Cowboys in 1992 and 1993, San Francisco brought in several veteran free agents to strengthen
their defense. Among the players signed were defensive lineman Richard Dent (the MVP of Super Bowl XX), Charles Mann, and
Rickey Jackson, linebackers Ken Norton Jr. and Gary Plummer, and cornerback Deion Sanders. The free agents enabled the 49ers to
jump from the 18th ranked defense in the league to the 8th, and to jump from the league's 16th best defense against the run to the 2nd.
Pro Bowl defensive lineman Dana Stubblefield led the team with 8.5 sacks. Rookie defensive tackle Bryant Young was also a big
threat to opposing quarterbacks and rushers, recording 42 tackles, 6 sacks, and a fumble recovery. Behind them, Norton played very
effectively at the middle linebacker position, leading the team with 77 tackles and recording an interception. Pro Bowl safety Merton
Hanks led the team with 7 interceptions for 93 return yards, while Sanders had 6 interceptions for 303 return yards and 3 touchdowns,
earning him the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award. His 303 return yards was the third highest total in NFL history, while his
touchdown returns of 74, 93, and 90 yards made him the first player ever to have two 90-yard interception returns in one season. Pro
Bowl safety Tim McDonald was also a big contributor, recording 2 interceptions for 79 yards and 1 touchdown. The 49ers offense
was led by quarterback Steve Young, who replaced future hall of famer Joe Montana as the starter in 1991 and 1992 due to injuries.
But after Young led the league in passing in both 1991 and 1992, Montana was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs, leaving Young as the
undisputed starter in 1993. But even with his impressive passing statistics, Young was criticized as "not being able to win the big
games" as Montana had done in leading the 49ers to Super Bowl victories in XVI and XIX, XXIII, and XXIV. Still, Young again led
the league in passing during the 1994 regular season with a passer rating of 112.8, breaking Montana's record for the highest regular
season rating in NFL history. Young recorded 324 out of 461 completions for 3,969 yards, 35 touchdowns, with just 10 interceptions.
He also had 58 rushes for 293 yards and 7 touchdowns, and earned the NFL Most Valuable Player Award. With Young at the helm,
the 49ers led the league in total points scored (505) and helped them earn a league best 13-3 regular season record. Pro Bowl running
back Ricky Watters was the team's leading rusher with 877 yards and 6 touchdowns, while also recording 66 receptions for 719 yards
and 5 touchdowns. Rookie fullback William Floyd was the team's second leading rusher with 305 yards and 6 touchdowns, while also
having 19 receptions for 145 yards. The team's leading receiver was Pro Bowl wide receiver Jerry Rice who had 112 catches for
1,499 yards and 13 touchdowns, while also gaining 93 yards and two more touchdowns rushing the ball. Receiver John Taylor was
also a reliable target, catching 41 passes for 531 yards and 5 touchdowns. Pro Bowl tight end Brent Jones added 49 receptions for
670 yards and 9 touchdowns. The offensive line was led by Pro Bowlers Bart Oates and Jesse Sapolu. Meanwhile, running back
Dexter Carter was a superb returner on special teams, gaining a combined total of 1,426 yards and a touchdown returning both punts
and kickoffs. San Diego Chargers The Chargers were the surprise winners of the 1994 season, with very few expecting them to even
reach the playoffs, let alone the Super Bowl. San Diego suffered losing seasons in the 1980s until former Washington Redskins
General Manager Bobby Beathard joined the team in 1990. Beathard decided to rebuild the Chargers using the same model that he
used to build the Redskins into Super Bowl contenders during the 1980s – a powerful running game built around big lineman, a
passing game that helped sustain extremely long drives, and a bending but steady defense. After former Georgia Tech head coach
Bobby Ross was hired by the Chargers in 1992, the team advanced to the playoffs winning the AFC West with an 11-5 regular season
record. But in 1993, they went 8-8 and missed the playoffs. Before the start of the 1994 season, San Diego was not expected to be a
winning team because they brought in 10 new starters and 22 new players. However, they ended up winning their first 6 regular
season games en route to an 11-5 record, the AFC West championship and the #2 AFC playoff seed. The Chargers went into the final
game of the season vs. the Steelers needing a win to get the #2 seed, which came with a first round bye and a home game in the
divisional round of the playoffs. Backup QB Gale Gilbert, subbing for injured starter Humphries, led the Chargers to a come from
behind 37-34 win, with John Carney kicking a game winning field goal in the game's final seconds. The Chargers offense was led by
quarterback Stan Humphries, who was the Redskins' backup to Mark Rypien during the 1991 season when they won Super Bowl
XXVI. During the 1994 season for San Diego, Humphries completed 264 out of 453 attempts for 3,209 yards and 17 touchdowns,
with 12 interceptions. Wide receiver Mark Seay was the team's leading receiver with 58 receptions for 645 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Wide receiver Tony Martin had 50 catches for 885 yards and 7 touchdowns, wide receiver Shawn Jefferson recorded 43 catches for
627 yards and 3 touchdowns, and tight end Alfred Pupunu had 21 receptions for 214 yards and 2 touchdowns. Running back Natrone
Means led the team in rushing with 1,350 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also recorded 39 receptions for 235 yards, and was named to
the Pro Bowl. Third-down back Ronnie Harmon was also a big contributor, catching 58 passes for 615 yards and a touchdown.
Meanwhile, the Chargers special teams was also a major threat with Andre Coleman, who returned 49 kickoffs for 1,293 yards (26.4
average yards per kickoff) and 2 touchdowns. The Chargers had an excellent defensive line, anchored by Pro Bowl lineman Leslie
O'Neal, who led the team with 12.5 sacks and forced four fumbles, Defensive tackle Chris Mims, who recorded 11 sacks, and Shawn
Lee, who added 6.5 sacks and a fumble recovery. Their linebacking corps was led by Junior Seau, who was a pro bowl selection for
the fourth consecutive year, recording 123 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and 3 fumble recoveries. Defensive back Stanley Richard was a major
weapon in the secondary, recording 4 interceptions, 224 return yards, and 2 touchdowns. Defensive back Darrien Gordon was also a
major asset to the team, recording 4 interceptions and 32 return yards, while also adding another 475 yards and 2 touchdowns
returning punts. Safety Rodney Harrison was a rookie on the team. Playoffs 49ers The 49ers first defeated the Chicago Bears, 44-15,
in the NFC Divisional Playoffs. Although Chicago scored first with a field goal, San Francisco scored 37 unanswered points to put the
game out of reach by the end of the third quarter. Floyd scored three rushing touchdowns, while Young rushed for a touchdown and
threw for another. San Francisco then defeated their arch-nemesis, the Dallas Cowboys, 38-28, in the NFC Championship Game.
Expected to be a close game, the 49ers converted 3 Dallas turnovers into 21 points in the first quarter. On the third play of the game,
cornerback Eric Davis returned an interception from Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman for a touchdown. Wide receiver Michael
Irvin lost a fumble on Dallas' next drive, setting up Young's 29-yard touchdown pass to Watters. Then Cowboys returner Kevin
Williams lost a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, and it was recovered by kicker Doug Brien at Dallas' 35-yard line. Several plays later,
Floyd scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to give San Francisco a 21-0 lead less than 8 minutes into the game. With the score 24-14 in
the closing minutes of the first half, Aikman threw 3 straight incompletions, and a short punt by the Cowboys set up Young's 28-yard
touchdown completion to Rice with 8 seconds remaining in the first half. The Cowboys eventually cut their deficit to 38-28 with a
touchdown run by Emmitt Smith and Aikman's 10-yard touchdown pass to Irvin in the final period, but they were unable to score
again. Although the Cowboys outgained the 49ers in total offensive yards (451-294), Aikman broke an NFC Championship Game
record with 380 yards passing, and Irvin also broke an NFC Championship Game record with 192 receiving yards, Dallas was
ultimately unable to overcome their first quarter turnovers. Chargers In the AFC Divisional Playoffs, the Chargers managed to
overcome a 21-6 halftime deficit to defeat the Miami Dolphins, 22-21. In the first half, San Diego was limited to only two John
Carney field goals, while Miami quarterback Dan Marino threw for over 180 yards and 3 touchdowns. However, the Chargers
dominated the Dolphins in the second half, limiting their offense to just 16 plays. In the third quarter, after being stopped on 4th and
goal at the one yard line, Chargers defensive lineman Reuben Davis tackled Dolphins running back Bernie Parmalee in the end zone
for a safety. San Diego then took the ensuing free kick and marched 54 yards to score on Means' 24-yard touchdown run. Then with
time running out, Humphries threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mark Seay, giving his team a one-point lead. The
Dolphins, aided by a pass interference call, responded with a drive to the Chargers' 31-yard line, but kicker Pete Stoyanovich's
potential game-winning 48-yard field goal attempt sailed far to the right of the goal posts and sealed San Diego's stirring win. San
Diego then faced the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship. Once again, the Chargers fell behind early as the Steelers built up
a 13-3 halftime lead, but Humphries fooled the Steelers secondary with a 43-yard play-action touchdown pass to a wide open tight end
Alfred Pupunu. The Chargers then took a 17-13 lead when Martin beat the Steelers secondary (particularly a badly overmatched Tim
McKyer) down the right sideline for a 43-yard touchdown reception. On their final drive, The Steelers advanced to the San Diego 3yard line on their ensuing drive, but Chargers linebacker Dennis Gibson sealed the victory on fourth down by deflecting quarterback
Neil O'Donnell's pass intended for running back Barry Foster to turn the ball back over to San Diego. Just like the 49ers in the NFC
title game, the Chargers advanced to the Super Bowl despite the fact that the Steelers had outgained them in many key statistical
categories such as total plays (80–47), total offensive yards (415–226), and time of possession (37:13–22:47). Super Bowl pregame
news Entering Super Bowl XXIX, most sports writers and fans thought the Chargers had absolutely no chance of beating the 49ers.
San Francisco was on track, winning 12 of its 13 last games, including their playoff victories. Many people also thought that the NFC
Championship Game between the 49ers and the Cowboys was "The Real Super Bowl" because those two teams were commonly
viewed as vastly superior to any AFC team. Furthermore, San Francisco crushed San Diego, 38-15, during the regular season.
Therefore, the 49ers entered the game favored to win by more than 18 points, exceeded only by the 19 1⁄2 point spread in which the
Baltimore Colts were favored over the New York Jets in Super Bowl III. Many also speculated that Super Bowl XXIX would be the
least watched game in Super Bowl history. In addition to the predicted blowout, the Chargers did not have as much national appeal nor
a relatively large core fan base as the Chiefs, the Dolphins, or the Steelers. (This prediction ultimately turned out to be false. Although
Super Bowl XXIX was viewed by 125.2 million people and had a Nielsen rating of 41.3, Super Bowl XXVI three years earlier was
seen by 119.7 million viewers and recorded a 40.3 rating.) This was the 7th Super Bowl to be played in Miami, at the time tying both
New Orleans, Louisiana and the Greater Los Angeles area for hosting the Super Bowl the most times. Television and entertainment
The game was broadcast in the United States by ABC with play-by-play announcer Al Michaels and color commentators Frank
Gifford and Dan Dierdorf. Lynn Swann (Chargers sideline) and Lesley Visser (49ers sideline) served as sideline reporters. During that
Super Bowl, Visser became the first woman assigned to a Super Bowl sideline. Visser had previously become the first woman
sportscaster to cover the Vince Lombardi Trophy presentation ceremony, when she covered Super Bowl XXVI for CBS. Brent
Musburger hosted all the events with the help of then-ABC Sports analyst Dick Vermeil, Musburger's regular color commentator on
ABC's college football telecasts, and then-New York Jets quarterback Boomer Esiason. This would be the final Super Bowl hosted by
Musburger, as all subsequent Super Bowls on ABC were hosted by ESPN's Chris Berman following the Disney purchase of ABC
(which included ESPN), and the subsequent integration of ESPN and ABC Sports (now ESPN on ABC). Also, the trophy presentation
for this game was the last to be held in the winning team's locker room, as all subsequent Lombardi Trophy presentations would be
held on the field. This was the last Super Bowl broadcast by the Monday Night team of Michaels, Gifford and Dierdorf. This was the
broadcast team for Monday Night Football from 1987–1997. They also worked ABC's coverage of Super Bowls XXII and XXV. This
would also be the last Super Bowl aired on ABC until the 1999 season (when Al Michaels called the game with Boomer Esiason). On
the Tuesday prior to the Super Bowl, the ABC sitcom Full House aired an episode called "Super Bowl Fun Day" involving two main
characters actually at the game. (Full House was set in San Francisco, and this was the only time during the show's run that the 49ers
advanced to a Super Bowl aired on ABC). A week earlier, the Seinfeld episode "The Label Maker" involved Jerry trying to give away
his tickets to the game. He eventually decided to go, but unfortunately was stuck sitting next to Newman. To honor the NFL's 75th
season, a special 75th anniversary logo was painted at midfield. Each player also wore a patch on their jerseys with the same logo.
During the regular season, teams also wore "throwback" jerseys for selected games. The 49ers wore their throwbacks (which paid
tribute to the 1957 Niners) for most of the season, this game included. 30 second ads for Super Bowl XXIX went for $1.15 Million,
the first time that Super Bowl ads exceeded the $1,000,000 mark. This Super Bowl aired in over 150 countries worldwide. It was
simulcast in Canada on CTV, in Mexico on Televisa's Canal 5, and later aired in the United Kingdom on Channel 4. Following the
game ABC premiered the television drama Extreme starring James Brolin; this was the last series to premiere following the Super
Bowl until Family Guy premiered following Super Bowl XXXIII and is one of only four in the last fourteen years to premiere
following a Super Bowl (joining Family Guy, its spinoff American Dad!, and Undercover Boss which premiered following Super
Bowl XLIV).
Pregame ceremonies The pregame show held before the game featured country music singer Hank Williams, Jr., who performed his
theme song for Monday Night Football, which was based on his single "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight". Actress
and singer Kathie Lee Gifford (Frank Gifford's wife) later sang the national anthem. She was accompanied by then-Miss America
Heather Whitestone who signed the anthem for the hearing impaired. To honor the NFL's 75th season, several former players who
were named to the league's 75th Anniversary All-Time Team joined the coin toss ceremony: Otto Graham, Joe Greene, Ray Nitschke,
and Gale Sayers. Halftime show The halftime show was titled "Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye" and was
produced by Disney to promote their Indiana Jones Adventure attraction at Disneyland that opened later that year. The show featured
actors playing Indiana Jones and his girlfriend Marion Ravenwood who were raiding the Vince Lombardi Trophy from the Temple of
the Forbidden Eye. The show also had performances by singers Tony Bennett and Patti LaBelle, jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, and
the Miami Sound Machine. The show ended with everybody singing "Can You Feel The Love Tonight", the song featured in Disney's
(which later acquired ABC) 1994 film The Lion King. This halftime show also had a connection with past ABC programming: the
first two Indiana Jones films had their broadcast premieres on ABC, and the network aired a TV series, The Young Indiana Jones
Chronicles, from 1992 to 1993 (actually serving as the lead-in to Monday Night Football at one point). dominated the game right from
the start. On the opening kickoff, a 15-yard facemask penalty on Chargers linebacker Doug Miller gave San Francisco the ball at their
own 41-yard line. Then on the third play of the drive, 49ers quarterback Steve Young threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Rice.
The 49ers became the second team to take the opening kickoff and score a touchdown on that first drive (the first being the Miami
Dolphins in Super Bowl VIII), and setting a new Super Bowl record for the fastest touchdown (later broken by Devin Hester in Super
Bowl XLI). After forcing the Chargers to punt, the 49ers advanced 79 yards in four plays, scoring on a 51-yard touchdown pass from
Young to running back Ricky Watters to give San Francisco a 14-0 lead less than 5 minutes into the first quarter, and setting a Super
Bowl record for the fastest "second" touchdown scored by a team. The Chargers responded on their ensuing possession, marching 78
yards in 13 plays and taking more than 7 minutes off the clock. Running back Natrone Means finished the drive with a 1-yard
touchdown run to cut San Diego's deficit to 14-7. But the 49ers quickly countered after the ensuing kickoff, driving 70 yards in 10
plays, and Young threw his third touchdown pass of the game to fullback William Floyd for 5 yards, increasing the lead to 21-7. Later
in the second quarter, Chargers punter Bryan Wagner's 40-yard punt from his own 9-yard line gave the 49ers the ball at the San Diego
49. San Francisco then marched on a 9-play drive to score on Young's fourth touchdown pass, an 8-yard toss to Watters with 4:44 left
in the half. The Chargers then took the ensuing kickoff and drove 62 yards from their own 25-yard line to the San Francisco 13. But
after 3 incomplete passes, they were forced to settle for kicker John Carney's 31-yard field goal, cutting their deficit to 28-10. A 33yard completion from Young to tight end Brent Jones helped the 49ers reach the San Diego 29-yard line on their next possession, but
Young's third down pass to Jones was overthrown and rookie kicker Doug Brien missed a 47-yard field goal attempt. The Chargers
then drove to their own 46-yard line, but 49ers defensive back Eric Davis intercepted Humphries' third down pass in the end zone with
10 seconds left in the half, and the score remained 28-10 at halftime. The Chargers 18-point halftime deficit ended up being the closest
scoring margin they would reach for the rest of the game. Leading 28-10 in the 3rd quarter, the 49ers added 14 more points. The
Chargers were forced to punt after three plays on the opening drive of the second half, and Dexter Carter returned the ball 11 yards to
his own 38-yard line. Young subsequently completed three consecutive passes for 53 yards on a 7-play, 62-yard drive that ended with
Watters' third touchdown on a 9-yard run, tying the Super Bowl record for the most touchdowns in a game. After a 33-yard kickoff
return by Andre Coleman, the Chargers advanced to the San Francisco 33-yard line, but they turned the ball over on downs when
quarterback Stan Humphries' fourth down pass was broken up by Davis. After the turnover, Young lead his team on a 10-play, 67-yard
drive to score on his 5th touchdown pass, a 15-yard completion to Rice. The Chargers' only highlight of the 3rd quarter was when
Coleman returned the ensuing kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown. Then, wide receiver Mark Seay caught a pass for a successful twopoint conversion (the first in Super Bowl history), but it only cut the deficit to 42-18. The 49ers were forced to punt on their next drive,
but San Diego ended up turning the ball over on downs when Means was tackled for a 4-yard loss on a fourth down and 1 from their
own 37-yard line. Six plays later, Young threw his record setting sixth touchdown pass to Rice with 13:49 remaining in the game to
make the score 49-18. The Chargers responded with a 13-play, 59-yard drive to get to the San Francisco 7-yard line, but 49ers
defensive back Deion Sanders intercepted backup quarterback Gale Gilbert's fourth down pass in the end zone. After 2 San Francisco
punts and another interception, the Chargers scored the final points of the game with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Humphries to
wide receiver Tony Martin and another two-point conversion to make the score 49-26. San Francisco recovered the ensuing onside
kick and ran time off the clock before punting to the San Diego 7. San Diego drove to the San Francisco 35 before time ran out, and
the game ended in a 49ers victory. At the end of the game Young showed his jubilation at finally being able to win "the big one" while
accepting the MVP trophy. "There were times when this was hard! But this is the greatest feeling in the world! No one — no one! —
can ever take this away from us! No one, ever! It's ours!" Young and his teammates were equally enthusiastic in the locker room
afterwards. "We're part of history," said guard Jesse Sapolu. "This is probably the best offense people will see in their lifetimes." "Is
this great or what?" Young added. "I mean, I haven't thrown six touchdown passes in a game in my life. Then I throw six in the Super
Bowl! Unbelievable." Rice caught 10 passes for 149 yards and 3 touchdowns, tying his own record for most touchdown receptions in
a Super Bowl, and becoming the first player ever to do it twice. He also recorded 10 rushing yards. Watters rushed for 47 yards and a
touchdown, while also catching 3 passes for 61 yards and two touchdowns. Means, who rushed for 1,350 yards in the regular season,
was held to just 33 yards in the game. Humphries finished 24 out of 49 for 275 yards and one touchdown, with two interceptions. Seay
was the Chargers top receiver with 7 receptions for 75 yards, while Ronnie Harmon added 8 catches for 68. Defensive end Raylee
Johnson had two sacks. Coleman's 8 kickoff returns for 244 yards and a touchdown set the following Super Bowl records: most
kickoff returns in a Super Bowl, most kickoff return yards in a Super Bowl, and most combined net yards gained in a Super Bowl.
This was the first Super Bowl to have two players each score three touchdowns. Rice matched his Super Bowl XXIV performance
with his three touchdown catches. Watters also had three touchdowns, matching Roger Craig's 3 touchdowns, 2 receiving and 1
rushing, that Craig accomplished in Super Bowl XIX. Watters also became the second running back to catch 2 touchdown passes in a
game, matching Craig. Ken Norton, Jr. became the first player to win three straight Super Bowls, although as a member of two
different teams. Norton was a member of the Cowboys teams who won Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII. Deion Sanders became the
first player to play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series, playing in the 1992 World Series with the Atlanta Braves. Chargers
quarterback Gale Gilbert became the first player to be a member of five straight Super Bowl teams. Gilbert was a member of the Bills
who played in four straight Super Bowls XXV through XXVIII. Gilbert was on the losing team in all five Super Bowl games. The
49ers' spectacular performance led to their offensive coordinator, Mike Shanahan, and defensive coordinator, Ray Rhodes, gaining
head coaching jobs the very next season for the Denver Broncos and the Philadelphia Eagles, respectively. Bobby Ross became the
second coach, after Jimmy Johnson in Super Bowl XXVII, to lead a team to a college football national championship (Georgia Tech
in 1990) and a Super Bowl.
January 28, 1996 Dallas Cowboys (NFC) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers(AFC) 27-17 DAL 10 3 7 7 27 PIT 0 7 0 10 17 Stadium Sun Devil
Stadium, Tempe, Arizona MVP Larry Brown, Cornerback Favorite Cowboys by 13½ National anthem Vanessa Williams Halftime
show Diana Ross Future Hall of Famers Cowboys: Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, Deion Sanders, Emmit Smith. Steelers: Rod
Woodson Super Bowl XXX was an American football game played on January 28, 1996 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona to
decide the National Football League (NFL) champion following the 1995 regular season. The National Football Conference (NFC)
champion Dallas Cowboys (15–4) defeated the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers (13–6), 27–
17.Dallas tied the San Francisco 49ers for the most Super Bowl wins by a team (5) and became the first team to win three Super
Bowls in four years. This game was the third meeting between the Cowboys and Steelers in a Super Bowl (after Super Bowl X and
Super Bowl XIII), which is currently the most between any two NFL teams. For Pittsburgh, it was their first Super Bowl loss in team
history after winning four in the 1970s. Pittsburgh would later surpass both the Cowboys and 49ers with 6 Super Bowl victories after
the Steelers won Super Bowls XL and XLIIIDallas' Larry Brown became the first cornerback to be named Super Bowl MVP, by
recording two interceptions thrown by Neil O'Donnell and returning them for a total of 77 yards. The Cowboys sealed the victory by
converting Brown's interceptions into 2 touchdowns.The NBC television broadcast averaged 95.13 million people in the United States,
then making it the most-watched sporting event ever on American television, and the second most-watched program of all, trailing
only the final episode of M*A*S*H (Later surpassed by Super Bowl XLV). The metropolitan Phoenix area hosted the Super Bowl
again twelve years later. Background Tempe was originally chosen as the venue for Super Bowl XXVII. However, the NFL pulled
the game away from Arizona after the league joined a massive, nationwide tourist boycott by various groups to protest the state’s
refusal to recognize Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. After Arizona finally adopted the federal holiday in 1992, the NFL again began to
consider Tempe. NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl XXX to Tempe, Arizona during their March 23, 1993 meeting. Super Bowl
XXX was the last to be hosted in a stadium containing bleacher seats, and would also be the last Super Bowl to be held on a college
campus, as the stadium sits on the campus of Arizona State University. Dallas Cowboys The Cowboys entered the 1995 regular season
attempting to win 3 out of the last 4 Super Bowls. They had previously won Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII but their chance of a
"three-peat" (winning three consecutive championships) was thwarted when they lost the NFC Championship Game to the San
Francisco 49ers, the eventual Super Bowl XXIX winners. This was the Cowboys’ 8th appearance in the Super Bowl, the most of any
franchise. After taking over the Cowboys in 1989, team owner/general manager Jerry Jones and head coach Jimmy Johnson rebuilt the
team into a Super Bowl contender with young talent. Both had different ideas on the future personnel plans for the Cowboys and both
wanted equal credit for the team's recent success. As a result, Johnson eventually left the team after their XXVIII win and was
replaced by former University of Oklahoma head coach Barry Switzer, who had one of the highest winning percentages of any college
football coach in history with a mark of .837. In 1995, the Cowboys finished with a 12–4 regular season record, the best in the NFC.
Pro Bowl quarterback Troy Aikman finished the regular season completing 280 out of 432 passes for 3,304 yards and 16 touchdowns,
with only 7 interceptions. Pro Bowl running back Emmitt Smith won his fourth league rushing crown in his career with 1,773 yards,
and broke a league single-season record with 25 rushing touchdowns. Smith was also a reliable receiver out of the backfield, recording
a career high 62 receptions for 375 yards. Fullback Daryl Johnson added 111 rushing yards, while also catching 30 passes for 248 and
scoring three touchdowns. Pro Bowl wide receiver Michael Irvin led the team in receiving with 111 catches for 1,603 yards and 10
touchdowns. Pro Bowl tight end Jay Novacek also had 62 receptions for 705 yards and 5 touchdowns. Dallas' offensive line was led
by Pro Bowlers Larry Allen, Ray Donaldson, Nate Newton and Mark Tuinei. Dallas' major acquisition before the season was 4-time
Pro Bowl cornerback Deion Sanders. Coincidentally, Sanders won the Super Bowl the year before with San Francisco. However,
Sanders only played 9 regular season games for the Cowboys in 1995 due to injuries, and thus only recorded 24 tackles and 2
interceptions for 34 yards. However, safety Darren Woodson was named to the Pro Bowl with 89 tackles and 2 interceptions for 46
return yards and a touchdown. Cornerback Larry Brown led the team in interceptions with 6 for 124 return yards and 2 touchdowns.
Pro Bowl defensive lineman Charles Haley led the team in sacks with 10.5. Safety Brock Marion recorded 6 interceptions, returning
them for 40 yards and a touchdown. After starting fast at 8-1, the Cowboys hit a major bump in the road, losing big at home to the
49ers, 38-20 (they trailed 31-14 at half time). Ironically, the 49ers, the previous Super Bowl champion, also suffered a blow out loss at
home the prior season (40-8 to the Philadelphia Eagles). Adding insult to injury, the 49ers were without starting quarterback Steve
Young and fullback William Floyd. The game was highly anticipated, with verbal exchanges between the teams during the week, and
it marked the beginning of a difficult stretch for the team. The following four games resulted in two more losses for the Cowboys.
However, after a narrow 21-20 win against the Giants, the Cowboys regained their dominating form, trouncing the Arizona Cardinals
(who were playing their home games at Sun Devil Stadium) 37-13 on Christmas night at Arizona as part of Monday Night Football,
and then cruising through the playoffs with convincing wins against the Eagles and the Packers. Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl XXX
was the first time that the Steelers advanced to the league championship game since winning Super Bowl XIV and the first under head
coach Bill Cowher. Cowher took over the team in 1992 after longtime head coach Chuck Noll retired after a 23-year tenure and
leading the team to 4 Super Bowl wins. During Cowher's first year, the Steelers captured the #1 AFC playoff Seed with an 11–5
regular season record, but were eliminated in their first playoff game against the Buffalo Bills, 24-3. Cowher then led the Steelers into
the playoffs in 1993 and 1994 but were also eliminated, including a 17–13 upset loss to the San Diego Chargers in the AFC
Championship Game. In 1995, the Steelers overcame a 3–4 start (including a 20–16 upset loss to the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars)
to win 8 of their final 9 games and finished with an 11–5 record, the second best in the AFC. Their offense was led by quarterback
Neil O'Donnell, who completed 246 out of 416 passes for 2,970 yards and 17 touchdowns, with only 7 interceptions. Pro Bowl wide
receiver Yancey Thigpen was the team's leading receiver with 85 receptions for 1,307 yards and 5 touchdowns. Other contributors in
the passing game included wide receivers Andre Hastings (48 catches for 502 yards and 1 touchdown) and Ernie Mills (39 receptions
for 679 yards and 8 touchdowns), who both also excelled as returners on special teams. Mills gained 1,306 yards returning kickoffs
while Hastings returned 48 punts for 474 yards and a touchdown. The Steelers rushing attack was led by Erric Pegram, who recorded
813 yards and 5 touchdowns, and Bam Morris, who had 559 yards and 9 touchdowns. On special teams, newly acquired kicker Norm
Johnson led the NFL in both field goals made (34) and field goals attempted (41), while also successfully making all 39 of his extra
point attempts. The 1995 Pittsburgh defense ranked second in the league in total yards allowed (4,833). Pro Bowl linebacker Kevin
Greene led the team with 9 sacks, while Pro Bowl linebacker Greg Lloyd led the team with 86 tackles. The secondary was led by Pro
Bowl defensive backs Carnell Lake and Rod Woodson. Playoffs The Cowboys first defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 30–11. The
score was tied 3–3 into the second quarter until Dallas scored 27 consecutive points to put the game out of reach. First, Deion Sanders
scored a 21-yard touchdown on an end around play. Emmitt Smith then capped off a 79-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run
before halftime. Kicker Chris Boniol later scored two field goals in the third quarter, and Troy Aikman completed a 9-yard touchdown
pass to Michael Irvin in the final period, giving the Cowboys a commanding 30-3 lead. Meanwhile, Eagles quarterback Randall
Cunningham was limited to just 11 of 26 completions for 161 yards and no touchdowns, with 1 interception. Philadelphia could only
score a single field goal and Cunningham's meaningless 4-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter. Dallas then advanced to their
fourth consecutive NFC Championship Game where they faced the Green Bay Packers, who had eliminated the San Francisco 49ers in
the other NFC Divisional Playoff game. Dallas jumped to an early 14-3 lead with a pair of first quarter touchdown passes from
Aikman to Irvin. But Packers quarterback Brett Favre threw 2 touchdowns to take a 17-14 lead midway through the second quarter: a
73-yard strike to wide receiver Robert Brooks and a 24-yard pass to tight end Keith Jackson. Dallas stormed right back with a Boniol
field goal, and a record 99-yard drive to score on Smith's 1-yard touchdown run, giving them a 24–17 halftime lead. In the third
quarter, Green Bay regained the lead with a field goal and another touchdown pass from Favre to Brooks. But Dallas scored two
unanswered touchdowns in the final quarter to put the game away. A 90-yard drive was capped with Smith's second touchdown run.
Then on Green Bay's ensuing drive, Larry Brown intercepted a pass from Favre and returned it 28 yards to set up Smith's third
touchdown run. Smith finished the game with 150 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns, while also catching 2 passes for 17 yards. Aikman
threw for 255 yards and 2 touchdowns, with no interceptions. Irvin caught 7 passes for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns. For the Steelers,
they started their playoff run with a 40–21 win over the Buffalo Bills. Pittsburgh dominated the Bills right from the start, building up a
23–7 halftime lead. Buffalo scored 2 touchdowns in the second half, but Bam Morris' two rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter
ended any thoughts of a Bills comeback. The Steelers defense limited Buffalo's Jim Kelly to just 135 passing yards and 1 touchdown,
while intercepting him 3 times. Bills running back Thurman Thomas, who had rushed for 158 yards and caught 3 passes for 42 yards
in Buffalo's wild card playoff win over the Miami Dolphins, was held to just 46 rushing yards and 12 receiving yards. Meanwhile,
Morris rushed for 106 yards 2 touchdowns, while kicker Norm Johnson scored 4 field goals. Pittsburgh then narrowly defeated the
Indianapolis Colts, 20–16, to advance to their first Super Bowl since the 1979 season. In the second quarter, Neil O'Donnell's
controversial 5-yard touchdown pass to Kordell Stewart gave Pittsburgh a 10-6 halftime lead (replays showed that Stewart stepped on
the end line before making the catch, which would have made him ineligible). But after the teams exchanged field goals in the third
quarter, Indianapolis quarterback Jim Harbaugh threw a 47-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Floyd Turner to take a 16-13 lead in
the fourth quarter. The Steelers drove 67 yards on their final drive (keyed by a 4th and 3 conversion and a 37 yard pass play from
O'Donnell to Ernie Mills) to score the go-ahead touchdown on a 1-yard run by Morris with 1:34 left. However, the Colts responded by
driving to the Steelers 29-yard line, and on the game's final play, Harbaugh threw a "Hail Mary" pass intended for wide receiver Aaron
Bailey in the end zone. Bailey attempted to make a diving catch, but the pass was batted away at the last second by Randy Fuller and
ruled incomplete. Television and entertainment The game was broadcast in the United States by NBC, with play-by-play announcer
Dick Enberg and color commentators Phil Simms and Paul Maguire. Greg Gumbel hosted all the events with the help of then-NBC
analysts Ahmad Rashad, Mike Ditka, Joe Gibbs, and Joe Montana. The Lombardi Trophy presentation for this game was the first to be
held on the field instead of the winners' locker room; all subsequent trophy presentations have been held in this manner. All three
Super Bowl wins for the Cowboys in the 1990s were broadcast on NBC, who later gained majority control of its affiliate in the Dallas
area, KXAS-TV. A portion of this Super Bowl was "predicted" in the January 17, 1990 episode of another NBC series, Quantum Leap.
At one point, in the episode titled, "All Americans," Al (Dean Stockwell) states that the Steelers were down by 3 points. Following the
game, NBC broadcast an hour-long episode of Friends, re-starting a trend in which the prized post-Super Bowl time slot was given to
an established program. Previously, networks typically used the occasion to premiere a new show, with little success. Of the new
series premiering after the Super Bowl from 1983–95, only The A-Team (NBC, after Super Bowl XVII), The Wonder Years (ABC,
after XXII), and Homicide: Life on the Street (NBC, after XXVII) had lengthy runs. The radio broadcast was carried by CBS Radio,
with Jack Buck and Hank Stram announcing. It proved to be Buck's last NFL broadcast. Some weeks before Super Bowl XXX, it was
found that some proxy servers were blocking the web site for the event. The reason: The game's Roman numeral (XXX) is usually
associated with pornography. Pregame ceremonies The pregame show held before the game featured dancers in celebration of the
culture of Native Americans in the United States, the traditions of the American Old West, and the great outdoors. Actress and singer
Vanessa Williams later sang the national anthem. To honor the 30th Super Bowl game, several past Super Bowl MVPs joined the coin
toss ceremony. Joe Montana, MVP of Super Bowls XVI, XIX, and XXIV, tossed the coin. Halftime show Diana Ross performed
during the halftime show, titled "Take Me Higher: A Celebration of 30 years of the Super Bowl". The show featured a number of her
songs along with pyrotechnics, special effects and stadium card stunts. The show ended with Ross singing "Take Me Higher" from her
1995 album of the same name, and then she was taken from the field in a helicopter. Game summary Super Bowl XXX began with
Dallas wide receiver Kevin Williams returning the opening kickoff 18 yards to the 29-yard line. On Dallas' first possession Troy
Aikman completed a 20-yard pass on second down to wide receiver Michael Irvin, followed by a 23-yard gain by Emmitt Smith to
advance to the Pittsburgh 28-yard line. On third down and eight from the 26-yard line, Williams could only gain 2 yards on a reverse
play, forcing Dallas to settle for a 42-yard Chris Boniol field goal. On the Steelers' first possession, the Dallas defense forced a threeand-out and subsequent punt, which Cowboy cornerback Deion Sanders returned 11 yards to the 25-yard line. After 2 Smith runs,
Aikman completed two quick passes, the first to Irvin for an 11 yard gain and the second to Sanders (who was brought in on offense as
an extra receiver) for 47. Four plays later, Aikman completed a 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jay Novacek (playing in what
would be his last game, as Novacek missed the following season due to back injuries before retiring), increasing Dallas' lead to 10-0.
After the Steelers managed to advance to the Dallas 36-yard line on their ensuing drive, the possession fell apart due to a miscue by
center Dermontti Dawson. Pittsburgh had lined up in the shotgun formation, and Dawson's snap sailed over quarterback Neil
O'Donnell's head. O'Donnell managed to recover the fumble, but the Steelers were unable to recover from the 13-yard loss and had to
punt 2 plays later. After the punt, Dallas drove to the Steelers 24-yard line. However, a pass interference penalty on Irvin nullified a
24-yard touchdown reception, and moved the ball back to the 34-yard line. On the next play, Aikman completed a 19-yard pass to
Novacek, bringing up second down and 1 to go from the 15-yard line. However, the Steelers defense stopped Smith for no gain on the
next play, and then tackled him for a 3-yard loss on third down. Boniol then kicked a 35-yard field goal, increasing Dallas' lead to 130. After an exchange of punts, Steelers wide receiver Andre Hastings returned John Jett's punt 11 yards to the Pittsburgh 46-yard line.
After O'Donnell's first down pass fell incomplete, Dallas linebacker Charles Haley then sacked the Steeler quarterback for a 10-yard
loss, forcing 3rd down and 20. O'Donnell's next pass was a 19-yard completion to Hastings, and then a 3-yard fourth down run by
wide receiver/backup quarterback Kordell Stewart netted a first down. Nine plays later, O'Donnell threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to
wide receiver Yancey Thigpen with just 13 seconds left in the half, cutting Pittsburgh's deficit to 13-7. After the third quarter began
with another exchange of punts, the Steelers advanced the ball to their own 48-yard line. However, on third down, Cowboys
cornerback Larry Brown intercepted O'Donnell's pass at the Dallas 38-yard line and returned it 44 yards to the Pittsburgh 18-yard line.
Aikman then completed a 17-yard pass to Irvin to reach the 1-yard line, setting up a 1-yard touchdown by Smith to increase Dallas'
lead to 20-7. On their next drive, the Steelers had second down and 2 on their own 47-yard line, but turned the ball over on downs
after running back Bam Morris was tackled for no gain on 3 consecutive running plays: a draw play to the left, a run to the left, and
one to the middle. The Steeler defense held, however, forcing Dallas into a three-and-out; after a 6-yard run by Smith and an
incompletion, Aikman's third down pass was broken up by defensive back Rod Woodson (who had missed most of the season due to a
knee injury), forcing the Cowboys to punt. On their next drive, the Steelers advanced from their own 20-yard line to the Dallas 19.
Dallas defensive end Tony Tolbert sacked O'Donnell on third down for a 9-yard loss, however, forcing Pittsburgh to settle for kicker
Norm Johnson's 46-yard field goal with 11:20 left in the game, cutting the deficit to 20-10. On the ensuing kickoff, Pittsburgh
surprised the Cowboys by executing a successful onside kick, with defensive back Deon Figures recovering the ball for Pittsburgh at
their own 47-yard line. O'Donnell hit Hastings on two consecutive passes for 23 total yards. His next pass went to wide receiver Ernie
Mills for 7 yards, and then Morris ran for 5 yards and caught a pass for a 6-yard gain to the Dallas 11-yard line. Three plays later,
Morris scored on a 1-yard touchdown run, cutting Pittsburgh's deficit to 20-17. With the aid of linebacker Levon Kirkland's 8-yard
sack on Aikman, the Cowboys were forced to punt on their next drive and Pittsburgh regained possession of the ball at their own 32yard line with 4:15 remaining. On second down, however, Brown intercepted another O'Donnell pass and returned it 33 yards to the
Steelers' 6-yard line. Two plays later, Smith scored once again with 3:43 left in the game, increasing the Cowboy lead to 27-17. The
Steelers responded by driving to the Dallas 40-yard line, but after O'Donnell threw 4 consecutive incompletions, Pittsburgh turned the
ball over on downs with 1:42 left in the game. After that, Dallas ran out most of the clock with three quarterback kneels and an
intentional delay of the game penalty before punting the ball back to the Steelers. Pittsburgh regained possession of the ball with three
seconds remaining, but O'Donnell's hail mary pass was intercepted by Dallas safety Brock Marion on the final play of the game. The
Steelers had outgained the Cowboys in total yards, 310-254 (201-61 in the second half) had 25 first downs compared to the Cowboys
15, and limited Dallas' powerful running attack to just 56 yards. However, they were unable to overcome O'Donnell's interceptions,
which led to two Cowboy touchdowns. The irony of the game was that O'Donnell entered Super Bowl XXX as the NFL's career leader
in fewest interceptions per pass attempt. Troy Aikman finished the game with 15 out of 23 completions for 209 yards and a
touchdown (Aikman became just the third quarterback to win three Super Bowls; Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana each won four).
Smith was the Cowboys' leading rusher with 49 yards and 2 rushing touchdowns. (Smith became just the 5th player to score a
touchdown in three different Super Bowls, joining Lynn Swann, Franco Harris, Thurman Thomas and Jerry Rice; he also became the
first player to rush for two touchdowns in two different Super Bowls). Irvin was Dallas' top receiver with 5 catches for 76 yards.
Novacek caught 5 passes for 50 yards and a touchdown. Defensive end Chad Hennings recorded 2 sacks. Although his 3 interceptions
were costly, O'Donnell recorded 28 of 49 completions for 239 yards and a touchdown. Morris was the top rusher of the game with 73
yards and a touchdown, and caught 3 passes for 18 yards. Hastings was the top receiver of the game with 10 receptions for 98 yards,
and returned 2 punts for 18 yards. Mills caught 8 passes for 78 yards and gained 79 yards on 4 kickoff returns, giving him 157 total
yards. Charles Haley became the first player to win 5 Super Bowls, winning two with San Francisco (XXIII and XXIV) and two
previously with Dallas (XXVII and XXVIII). Barry Switzer became the second head coach, after former Cowboys head coach Jimmy
Johnson, to win a college football national championship (University of Oklahoma 1974, 1975, 1985) and a Super Bowl title. After a
many-year long tradition of presenting the Vince Lombardi Trophy to the winning team in its locker room after the game, the NFL
instituted an on-the-field presentation ceremony for Super Bowl XXX. This new tradition has been followed by the NFL ever since.
The outcome of the game had rather large ramifications for two soon-to-be free agents after their performances. Larry Brown, who
was named Super Bowl MVP for his two interceptions, parlayed his performance into a lucrative free agent contract with the Oakland
Raiders. However, he was not very effective and was cut from the team after two injury-plagued seasons. Neil O'Donnell left the
Steelers in the offseason and signed a long-term free agent contract with the New York Jets, accepting New York's more lucrative
offer. O'Donnell's tenure in New York, like Brown's in Oakland, was plagued by injuries and ineffective play and he was released
from his contract following the 1997 season. Both players finished their careers as backups, Brown returning to the Cowboys in 1998
and O'Donnell playing for the Cincinnati Bengals and Tennessee Titans until his retirement in 2003.
January 26, 1997Green Bay Packers (NFC) vs. New England Patriots (AFC) 35-21 NE 14 0 7 0 21 GB 10 17 8 0 35 Stadium
Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana MVP Desmond Howard, Kick Returner/Punt Returner Favorite Packers by 14
National anthem Luther Vandross Halftime show James Brown, ZZ Top, and The Blues Brothers Future Hall of Famers Packers:
Reggie White. Patriots: none. Super Bowl XXXI was an American football game played on January 26, 1997, at the Louisiana
Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion following the 1996 regular season.
The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Green Bay Packers (16-3) defeated the American Football Conference (AFC)
champion New England Patriots (13-6), 35–21. This was the Packers' third overall Super Bowl victory, and their first since Super
Bowl II. The Packers also extended their league record for the most overall NFL championships to 12.Beginning with Super Bowl
XIX in 1985, the NFC won twelve consecutive Super Bowl games. With this Packer win, the NFC streak was extended to thirteen
consecutive wins, with fifteen of the last sixteen contests. The NFC domination in the Super Bowl was indicative with the overall
record of 17-10, not including the 1966-1969 Super Bowls when the games were played between the old NFL and AFL.Kick
returner/punt returner Desmond Howard was named Super Bowl MVP, the first special teams player ever to do so. He ran for 154
kickoff return yards, and scored a critical touchdown on a Super Bowl record 99-yard kickoff return. Howard also recorded a Super
Bowl record 90 punt return yards, thus setting the Super Bowl records of total return yards (244) and combined net yards gained (244).
Howard became the 4th Heisman Trophy winner to be named Super Bowl MVP. Background NFL owners awarded Super Bowl
XXXI to New Orleans during their October 26, 1993 meeting in Chicago. This was the eighth time that New Orleans hosted the game.
Green Bay Packers Further information: 1996 Green Bay Packers season After winning Super Bowl II after the 1967 regular season,
the Packers became a losing team for much of the 1970s and 1980s, only making the playoffs in 1972 and the strike-shortened 1982
season. In addition to having the reputation of being a poor team, the Packers were unable to attract good players because many did
not want to play in Green Bay's cold winter climate and the fact that they were a small market team. All that changed when Mike
Holmgren became the Packers head coach in 1992. During his first year, the team improved to a 9-7 regular season record, barely
missing the playoffs. One of the significant players on the 1992 Packers team was second year quarterback Brett Favre, who spent his
rookie season playing for the Atlanta Falcons. During a September 20, 1992 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Favre replaced
injured starter Don Majkowski and proceeded to lead the team to a comeback victory. Afterwards, Favre became the starter for the rest
of that season and held that position with the Packers until his purported retirement and subsequent conditional trade to the New York
Jets in 2008 (followed by a departure for Minnesota in 2009). Green Bay then made the playoffs in the 1993, 1994, and the 1995
seasons. As Holmgren, Favre, and the Packers continued to win, they were able to attract impact free agents like veteran defensive end
Reggie White, nicknamed the "Minister of Defense", who joined the team in 1993. In 1996, the Packers posted an NFC-best 13–3
regular season record after winning 8 of their first 9 games to start the season. After losing two straight games in November (one to
the rival Dallas Cowboys), they finished off the regular season winning their remaining five games, including dominating wins over
playoff teams Denver Broncos, 41–6, and Minnesota Vikings, 38–10. The Packers also had the best defense in the league in both
points and yards. They allowed 210 points and also scored an NFL best 456 points, becoming the first team since the 1972 Miami
Dolphins to score the most points in the league and allow the fewest. They set an NFL record with seven wins by at least 25 points.
Favre won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award for the second straight season after throwing for 3,899 yards and an NFC record 39
touchdown passes during the 1996 regular season, with only 13 interceptions. His 39 touchdown passes was the third highest total in
league history at that time. Favre was also a good runner, ranking third on the team with 136 rushing yards and scoring 2 touchdowns.
The Packers also had a triple-slammy in a sense with game-breaking kick returner Desmond Howard. The former Heisman Trophy
winner's NFL career as a wide receiver was widely viewed as a disappointment up until this point, recording just 92 receptions in his
first 4 NFL seasons. After joining Green Bay before the 1996 season, the team used him as a kick returner. Howard excelled in this
role and ended up setting an NFL record with 875 punt return yards, while also leading the league in yards per return (15.1) and punt
return touchdowns (3). He also caught 13 passes for 95 yards and added another 460 yards returning kickoffs. Green Bay also had a
number of offensive weapons. Wide receiver Antonio Freeman led the team with 933 yards and 9 touchdowns. Multi-talented veteran
wide receiver Don Beebe was also a constant breakaway threat, catching 39 passes for 606 yards and adding another 403 yards, and a
touchdown returning kickoffs. Beebe was a member of Buffalo Bills during their 4 Super Bowl losses, and was thus extremely eager
for another shot at a Super Bowl win. The Packers also had 2 outstanding tight ends: Pro Bowler Keith Jackson recorded 40 catches
for 504 yards and 10 touchdowns, and Mark Chmura had 28 receptions for 370 yards. Although Green Bay's running game did not
have any standout backs or Pro Bowlers, running backs Dorsey Levens, Edgar Bennett, and fullback William Henderson were all very
good at blocking, running and receiving. Bennett was the team's leading rusher with 899 yards, while also catching 31 passes for 176
yards and scored 3 touchdowns. Levens rushed for 566 yards, caught 31 passes for 226 yards, returned 5 kickoffs for 84 yards, and
scored 10 touchdowns. Henderson had 130 rushing yards, caught 27 passes for 203 yards, and returned 2 kickoffs for 38 yards. Up
front, Pro Bowl center Frank Winters anchored the offensive line, along with guard Adam Timmerman.On defense, White continued
to be a weapon, recording 29 tackles, 3 fumble recoveries, and led the team with 8.5 sacks. Defensive tackle Santana Dotson was also
a big asset, recording 5.5 sacks and 1 fumble recovery. In the secondary, the team was led by safety Eugene Robinson, who recorded
55 tackles, 6 interceptions, and 107 return yards. Defensive back LeRoy Butler was also a major force, recording 65 tackles, 6.5 sacks,
2 fumbles recoveries, and 5 interceptions for 149 return yards and a touchdown. New England Patriots The Patriots were also
considered a losing team for much of the late 1980s and early 1990s, including a dismal 1–15 regular season record in 1990. Then in
1993, New England turned to veteran head coach Bill Parcells to lead the team, hoping to repeat the success he had with the New
York Giants. Although the Patriots posted a 5-11 regular season record during Parcells' first year, eight of their losses were by 7 points
or fewer. To Parcells credit, much of the improvement was the result of the contributions from their draft picks that they made before
the season: linebackers Willie McGinest and Chris Slade. Tight end Ben Coates also became a major contributor as a favorite target of
Drew Bledsoe. With that improvement, the team was sold to Robert Kraft in January 1994 for a (then) record price of $200,000,000—
an astonishing price considering the Pats had generally been considered a laughing-stock and second rate team, had the worst stadium
in the league, and couldn't sell out save for select home games resulting in most games going without television coverage—sports in
New England centered on the beloved Bruins, Celtics and Red Sox, not the NFL team orphaned in remote Foxborough, Massachusetts,
forty miles outside Boston. The team then posted a 10-6 record in 1994 after starting the regular season at 3-6, but were eliminated by
the Cleveland Browns in their first playoff game. The Krafts had also eliminated the practice of TV blackouts (and courted and nailed
deals with local affiliates), and the season resulted in a resurge of interest in the NFL game across the region. Nonetheless, New
England then seemed to return to form and failed to make the playoffs in 1995, a year when many organizations were coming to grips
with the new salary cap put in by the NFL to improve competition in the league. In the off season, Parcells hired his old Giants
defensive co-ordinator Bill Belichick in January 1996 as Assistant Head Coach and receivers position coach. Part of the team's spotty
performance might have been that the new coach and the new owner did not really get along well, and Belichick came to serve during
the 1996 season as the head coach's interface with the Kraft family and the non-football operations side of the business. After losing
their first two games in the 1996 regular season with lackluster performances, they would run through the rest of the season
competitive in every game to finish with an 11-5 record, their best in the Parcells era. The Patriots offense became the 7th best unit in
the league in terms of yards, and 2nd best in points after the Packers. Their pass offense, led by Bledsoe and wide receiver Terry
Glenn, ranked third in the NFL. Bledsoe would throw for 4,086 yards and 27 touchdowns with just 15 interceptions, and Glenn would
set a rookie record with 90 receptions to go along with his 1,132 yards and 6 touchdowns. Tight end Ben Coates was also a big
contributor, catching 62 passes for 682 yards and 9 touchdowns. Wide receiver Shawn Jefferson recorded 50 receptions for 771 yards
and 4 touchdowns. Running back Curtis Martin would be the focal point of the rushing attack with his 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns
on the ground, while also catching 46 passes for another 333 yards and 3 touchdowns. Pro Bowl running back Dave Meggett provided
the team with a good special teams threat, gaining 1,369 yards and a touchdown returning kickoffs and punts, while also rushing for
122 yards and catching 33 passes for 292 yards. On defense, the team's main weapon was Pro Bowler McGinest, who recorded 49
tackles, 2 fumble recoveries, an interception which he returned 46 yards for a touchdown, and a team leading 9.5 sacks. New England
also had a solid secondary, led by defensive backs Willie Clay (72 tackles, 1 fumble recovery. 4 interceptions, 50 return yards), Ty
Law (56 tackles, 3 interceptions, 45 return yards, 1 touchdown), and Lawyer Milloy (54 tackles, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, 2
interceptions). Playoffs Aided by Martin's 166 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns, including a 78-yard touchdown run in the second
quarter, the Patriots first eliminated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 28–3. New England gained a total of 346 yards in the game, while limiting
Steelers quarterback Mike Tomczak to just 110 passing yards, with no touchdowns and 2 interceptions. The Patriots then defeated the
Jacksonville Jaguars, 20–6, in the AFC Championship Game. The 1995 expansion team Jaguars advanced after upsetting the AFC top
seeded Denver Broncos. However, New England took advantage of several key Jacksonville miscues in a game dominated by defense.
A bad snap allowed Patriots defensive back Larry Whigham to tackle Jaguars punter Bryan Barker at the Jacksonville 4-yard line,
setting up Martin's 1-yard touchdown run a few plays later. The Jaguars scored a field goal in the second quarter, but Jacksonville punt
returner Chris Hudson's fumble set up Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri's 29-yard field goal. Eventually the teams exchanged field goals
and the Patriots led 13–6 going into the fourth quarter. With under 4 minutes left in the game, the Jaguars reached the New England 5yard line, but Patriots defensive back Willie Clay intercepted a pass in the end zone. After New England was forced to punt,
cornerback Otis Smith recovered a fumble from Jaguars running back James Stewart and returned it 47 yards for a touchdown to put
the game away. Meanwhile, the Packers first eliminated the San Francisco 49ers, 35–14. Green Bay's defense and special teams
dominated the game, forcing 5 turnovers, and helping the team score 35 points even though Favre was limited to just 79 passing yards.
San Francisco starting quarterback Steve Young, who was still suffering from a rib injury sustained during their 14-0 playoff win over
the Philadelphia Eagles, had to leave the game in the first quarter. Howard opened up the scoring by returning a punt 71 yards for a
touchdown. Later, he returned a punt 46 yards to set up Favre's 4-yard touchdown pass to Andre Rison. By the time the first half
ended, Green Bay had a commanding 21–7 lead. San Francisco cut their deficit to 7 points with a third quarter touchdown, but the
Packers responded by driving 72 yards to score a touchdown, in which Bennett's fumble was recovered in the end zone by Freeman.
Green Bay then put the game away with an 11-yard touchdown run by Bennett. Green Bay then defeated the Carolina Panthers, 30–13,
in the NFC Championship Game. Like the Jaguars, the Panthers were also a 1995 expansion team that advanced to the conference title
game. But unlike Jacksonville, Carolina came into the contest as the NFC #2 seed and had eliminated the defending Super Bowl
champion Dallas Cowboys, 26–17. In the NFC Championship Game, Carolina scored first with a 3-yard touchdown reception by
Howard Griffith, but Green Bay scored on 2 touchdown passes by Favre and a field goal in the second quarter to take a 17-10 halftime
lead. The Packers then dominated the second half, only allowing one more field goal from the Panthers. Levens recorded 5 catches for
117 yards and a touchdown, along with 88 rushing yards. Bennett rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown. Favre threw for 292 yards and
2 touchdowns with 1 interception. Kicker Chris Jacke scored 3 field goals. Super Bowl pregame news and notes The Packers were
favored to win the game by 14 points, largely because many thought the Patriots were a Cinderella team, and because of the recent
dominance of the NFC in Super Bowl games. Much of the pregame hype surrounded the conflict between Parcells and Patriots owner
Robert Kraft. Kraft took control of the team after Parcells was hired, and the two of them had different ideas on how to run the
organization. Six days before the Super Bowl, in an article by Will McDonough, the Globe reported Parcells would leave the Patriots
after the Super Bowl to become the coach of the New York Jets. The book Patriot Reign alleges the Patriots have cell phone records
showing Parcells was in constant contact with the Jets during the week. Then Patriot defensive coordinator (and now head coach) Bill
Belichick is quoted as saying Parcells' plans to leave for the Jets were a distraction, "Yeah, I'd say it was a little bit of a distraction all
the way around. I can tell you first-hand, there was a lot of stuff going on prior to the game. I mean, him talking to other teams. He
was trying to make up his mind about what he was going to do. Which, honestly, I felt totally inappropriate. How many chances do
you get to play for the Super Bowl? Tell them to get back to you in a couple of days. I'm not saying it was disrespectful to me, but it
was in terms of the overall commitment to the team." Parcells even refused to travel back with the rest of the Patriots after the game,
and was eventually hired by the rival New York Jets. To honor the recent death of former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle, who died
on December 6, 1996, each player wore a special helmet decal with Rozelle's signature, "Pete," printed across the NFL logo. Tributes
to Rozelle were also published in the game program. Television and entertainment The game was the first Super Bowl to be televised
in the United States by the Fox network. Play-by-play announcer Pat Summerall and color commentator John Madden, both
previously of CBS, called the game. James Brown hosted all the events with help from his fellow Fox NFL Sunday cast members
Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long and Ronnie Lott. This was the first of three Super Bowls to be called by Summerall and Madden while
with Fox (Super Bowls XXXIII and XXXVI being the others). Starting with this game, through Super Bowl XXXVII, the Super Bowl
logo was painted at the 50-yard line, and the teams helmets were placed on the 30-yard lines. During the past Super Bowl games since
the 1970 AFL-NFL Merger (Super Bowl VI), the NFL logo was painted on the 50-yard line, except for Super Bowls XXV and XXIX.
The Super Bowl XXV logo was painted at midfield, and the NFL 75th Anniversary logo was painted at midfield in Super Bowl XXIX.
The league started to put the NFL logo at midfield again for Super Bowl XXXVIII. The telecast ended up being the highest-rated
program in the history of the then ten-year-old Fox network, and it currently ties Super Bowl XLII for the highest-rated program in the
entire history of the network. Afterwards, Fox televised The X-Files episode "Leonard Betts". Fox's broadcast was also the first Super
Bowl to have a constant, live-updating graphic for the score, time and down & distance. The FoxBox was used also in Super Bowl
XXXIII and the graphic positioned over live action has become the norm in virtually all sports broadcasts at the national and regional
production levels. With the Packers win, they became the third team to win Super Bowls on three different networks (I-broadcast on
both CBS and NBC, II-CBS, and Fox). They also became the first team to win three Super Bowls with Fox as one of the networks to
televise their win. They also became the first dark-colored team to win a Super Bowl indoors. The previous seven games played in
domes were all won by the road team which wore white. The game was rematched on October 27, 1997, as a near-national telecast on
ABC's Monday Night Football, the only time ABC aired a rematch of the previous season's Super Bowl. Pregame ceremonies The
pregame show featured Los del Río who performed their multi-platinum smash hit "Macarena", the dance craze that became a
worldwide summer hit in 1996. Country singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter and Cajun musical group BeauSoleil also appeared
singing Carpenter's hit "Down at the Twist and Shout". R&B singer Luther Vandross later sang the national anthem and Miss
Louisiana 1996 Erika Schwarz Wright performed sign language for the national anthem The coin toss ceremony featured the
following past Super Bowl winning head coaches: Hank Stram, Mike Ditka, Tom Flores, Tom Landry, Chuck Noll, and George
Seifert. Halftime show The halftime show was titled "Blues Brothers Bash" and featured actors Dan Aykroyd, John Goodman, and
James Belushi as the Blues Brothers. The show highlighted blues music and also had performances by the rock band ZZ Top and
singer James Brown. While practicing for the show, stuntwoman Laura "Dinky" Patterson, one of a 16-member professional bungeejumping team, died of massive cranial trauma when she jumped headfirst from the top level of the Superdome and smashed head-first
into the concrete-based playing field, causing her death. The New York Times reported on January 29, 1997 that Patterson had been
working with bungee cords that were being handled by volunteers who had received little training. The bungee-jumping portion of the
halftime show was removed. A title-graphic commemorating Patterson and acknowledging her death was displayed during the
broadcast of the Super Bowl. Game summary The Packers dominated the Patriots on both sides of the ball, outgaining New England
323 yards to 257 and intercepting quarterback Drew Bledsoe four times. Packers defensive lineman Reggie White set a Super Bowl
record with three sacks, including back-to-back takedowns in the 3rd quarter. Green Bay forced New England to punt on the opening
possession of the game and started their first drive with great field position after receiver Desmond Howard returned the ball 32 yards
to the Packers 46-yard line. Green Bay then opened up the scoring with Brett Favre's 54-yard touchdown pass to Andre Rison on their
second offensive play of the game. Then on the Patriots' ensuing drive, Packers defensive back Doug Evans intercepted a pass from
Bledsoe at the New England 28-yard line. On the first play after the turnover, New England lineman Ferric Collons sacked Favre for a
10-yard loss, but running back Dorsey Levens rushed for 4 yards and caught a pass for 14 over the next two plays, setting up Chris
Jacke's 37-yard field goal to make the score 10–0. New England stormed back, scoring touchdowns on each of their next 2 possessions.
On the second play of the Patriots ensuing drive, Bledsoe completed a 32-yard screen pass to fullback Keith Byars and followed it up
with a "dump-off" pass to running back Curtis Martin, who caught the ball near the line of scrimmage and ran 20 yards to the Packers
27-yard line before being tackled. Bledsoe then threw three straight incompletions, but on the third one, Packers defensive back Craig
Newsome was called for a 26-yard pass interference penalty, giving New England a first down at the 1-yard line. On the next play,
Bledsoe completed a 1-yard touchdown pass to Byars to cut his team's deficit to 10–7. New England's defense then forced the Packers
to punt from their own 17-yard line after a three-and-out, giving the Patriots the ball back after running back Dave Meggett received
Craig Hentrich's 39-yard punt at the New England 43-yard line. After a 7-yard reception and a 2-yard run by Martin on their first 2
plays, Bledsoe completed a 44-yard pass to wide receiver Terry Glenn to advance to the Green Bay 4-yard line. From there, tight end
Ben Coates's 4-yard touchdown reception gave New England a 14–10 lead. The Packers and Patriots combined for a total of 24 points,
the most ever scored in the first quarter of a Super Bowl. The Patriots became the first team in Super Bowl history to score 14 points
in the first quarter and lose the game. New England's lead was short lived. After both teams exchanged punts, Favre threw a Super
Bowl record 81-yard touchdown pass to receiver Antonio Freeman, putting the Packers back in the lead, 17-14. A third down, 9-yard
sack by safety LeRoy Butler forced the Patriots to punt on their ensuing drive, and Howard returned Tom Tupa's punt 34 yards to the
New England 47-yard line. The Packers then drove to the 14-yard line to score on Jacke's 31-yard field goal to increase their lead, 20–
14. Meggett returned the ensuing kickoff 21 yards to the Patriots 25-yard line. On the first play of the drive, Bledsoe completed a 19yard pass to Coates to advance to their own 44-yard line. But two plays later, Packers defensive back Mike Prior intercepted a long
pass that was intended for wide receiver Shawn Jefferson, and returned it 8 yards to the Green Bay 26-yard line. After the turnover,
the Packers went on a 9-play, 74-yard drive that took 5:59 minutes off the clock and scored on Favre's 2-yard touchdown run to give
Green Bay a 27–14 lead with just 1:11 left in the half. After a 24-yard kickoff return by Meggett, Bledsoe completed an 18-yard pass
to Coates, and followed it up with a 10-yard pass to Glenn. Then after a 1-yard run by Meggett on the next play, Bledsoe completed a
7-yard pass to receiver Vincent Brisby to bring up 3rd down and 2 yards to go from the Packers 42-yard line. But Green Bay's defense
forced 2 pass incompletions from Bledsoe, causing the Patriots to turn the ball over on downs with just 19 seconds left before halftime.
The Packers tried to get into scoring range by calling a pass on the next play, but linebacker Willie McGinest sacked Favre, and the
score remained 27–14 at halftime. Howard returned the second half kickoff 23 yards to the Green Bay 25-yard line. From there, Favre
led the Packers all the way to the New England 37, but the Patriots made a key defensive stand, stopping Green Bay running back
Dorsey Levens for no gain on third down and one, and then tackling him again for a 7-yard loss on a fourth down conversion attempt.
Then after driving to the Packers 41-yard line, New England was forced to punt, but they managed to pin Green Bay deep in their own
territory when Howard made a fair catch of Tupa's 29-yard punt at the 12-yard line. On the ensuing drive, a 7-yard sack by Patriots
cornerback Otis Smith helped the New England defense force the Packers to punt, and the Patriots got the ball back with great field
position after Meggett returned Craig Hentrich's 48-yard punt 6 yards to the New England 47-yard line.Taking advantage of their
excellent starting field position, New England drove 53 yards in 7 plays and scored on an 18-yard touchdown run by Martin to cut the
Packers' lead to 27-21. But on the ensuing kickoff, Howard returned the ball 99 yards for a touchdown - the longest play in Super
Bowl history (later broken in Super Bowl XLIII). Favre then completed a pass to tight end Mark Chmura for the successful two-point
conversion, giving the Packers a 35-21 lead. The score proved to be the last one of the contest as the defenses of both teams took over
for the rest of the game. The Patriots limited the Packers to 3 punts and a missed 47-yard field goal attempt by Jacke. Green Bay did
even better, not allowing New England to advance past their own 32 yard line. Furthermore, White sacked Bledsoe on back-to-back
plays on the Patriots first drive after Howard's game-clinching touchdown return. White then recorded a third sack late in the fourth
quarter. Bledsoe was also intercepted twice in the final period (one by Newsome and the other one by linebacker Brian Williams).
After the game, Favre reflected on his long road to becoming a Super Bowl champion, which included the death of his friend Mark
Harvy in a car accident during the season. "Through everything I really believed I'd be here today. Right here in this stairwell, talking
about being world champions. My best friend's gone forever. Trouble never seems to be far away, and the future won't be all rosy, but
they can't take this away from me. Thirty years from now, the kids will be getting ready for Super Bowl LXI, and NFL Films will drag
out Steve Sabol—he'll be around 102 then—and he'll talk about how Brett Favre fought through such adversity. And there will be
other players and coaches. But I know this: We etched our place in history today." Freeman was the top receiver of the game, finishing
with 105 receiving yards and a touchdown on only 3 receptions. Dorsey Levens was the game's leading rusher with 61 rushing yards,
and caught 3 passes for 23 yards. Favre completed 14 out of 27 passes for 246 yards and 2 touchdowns, and had 12 rushing yards and
another touchdown on 4 carries. Favre became the first Super Bowl winning quarterback to have at least three touchdowns (Favre had
2 throwing, 1 rushing) and not be named Super Bowl MVP. Bledsoe finished the game with 11 more pass completions (25) than Favre,
but only 7 more total passing yards (253). His four interceptions tied a Super Bowl record. Martin was limited to just 41 rushing yards
and 1 touchdown on 11 carries, but he also caught 3 passes for 28 yards. Meggett recorded 155 combined net yards (117 kick return,
30 punt return, 8 receiving). Coates was the Patriots leading receiver with 6 catches for 67 yards and a touchdown.
January 25, 1998 Denver Broncos(AFC) vs. Green Bay Packers(NFC) 31-24-GB 7 7 3 7 24 DEN 7 10 7 7 31 Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego MVP Terrell Davis, Running back Favorite Packers by 11 National anthem Jewel Halftime show
Boyz II Men, Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, and The Four Tops Future Hall of Famers Broncos: John Elway, Shannon
Sharpe, Gary Zimmerman.Packers: Reggie White Super Bowl XXXII was an American football game played on January 25,
1998 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion following the 1997
regular season. Qualcomm Stadium would also host the 1998 World Series, becoming the only stadium to host the Super
Bowl and the World Series in the same calendar year.The American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos
(16–4) defeated the heavily favored National Football Conference (NFC) champion and defending Super Bowl champion
Green Bay Packers (15–4), 31–24. The Broncos' win was their first league championship after suffering four previous Super
Bowl losses, and snapped a 13-game losing streak for AFC teams in the Super Bowl (the previous being the Los Angeles
Raiders win in Super Bowl XVIII in 1984, Season 1983). The Broncos became just the second wild card team to win a
Super Bowl and the first since the Raiders in Super Bowl XV.Despite suffering a migraine headache that caused him to miss
most of the second quarter, Denver running back Terrell Davis (a San Diego native) was named Super Bowl MVP. He ran
for 157 yards, caught 2 passes for 8 yards, and scored a Super Bowl record three rushing touchdowns. Background NFL
owners awarded Super Bowl XXXII to San Diego during their October 26, 1993 meeting in Chicago. This was the second
time San Diego hosted the game; the city previously hosted Super Bowl XXII ten years earlier on January 31, 1988.
Denver Broncos The Broncos entered Super Bowl XXXII after suffering 4 Super Bowl losses: Super Bowls XII, XXI, XXII,
and XXIV. In all of those losses the Broncos never had the ability to rush well enough or score enough points to be
competitive. Denver was blown out in each one, losing all 4 by a combined scoring margin of 163–50. The last three
Super Bowl losses were under starting quarterback John Elway, whose ad-libbing skills enabled the Broncos to advance to
the league's championship game in a span of 3 out of four seasons. Elway also led his team to the 1991 AFC Championship
Game, but they lost in a defensive struggle to the Buffalo Bills, 10–7. The team's fortunes changed when Mike Shanahan
became head coach of the Broncos in 1995. Shanahan was previously Denver's offensive coordinator during those Super
Bowl losses, but was fired in 1991 after a power struggle between him and then-head coach Dan Reeves over the offensive
personnel. Shanahan then served as the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers from 1992 to 1994, including the
49ers' Super Bowl XXIX win. Under Shanahan, the San Francisco offense ranked first in the league in total yards gained
for all three of his seasons there. When Shanahan returned to the Broncos in 1995, he selected running back Terrell Davis
in the sixth round of the NFL Draft. Davis became the cornerstone of Denver's rebuilt running game, leading the team with
1,117 rushing yards in just his rookie year. The Broncos finished the 1995 regular season with just an 8–8 record. By 1996,
the Broncos had the league's best offense, gaining 5,791 yards of total offense, and recorded the AFC's best regular
season record at 13-3, but they were upset by the second-year Jacksonville Jaguars, 30-27, in the playoffs. During the 1997
regular season, the Broncos once again had the league's best offense with 5,872 total yards of offense, and led the
league in total points scored with 472. Although they recorded a 12-4 regular season record, they finished in second place
behind the 13-3 Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West. Pro Bowler Davis remained the team's leading rusher, recording 1,750
yards and 15 touchdowns, while also catching 42 passes for 287 yards. At 37 years old, Elway still posted a Pro Bowl
season with 280 out of 502 completions for 3,635 yards, 27 touchdowns, with only 11 interceptions. He also rushed for
215 yards and another touchdown. Pro Bowl tight end Shannon Sharpe led the team with 72 receptions for 1,107 yards.
Wide receiver Rod Smith, who was not drafted by any NFL team and recorded only 22 receptions for 389 yards and 3
touchdowns in his 2 previous seasons, had a breakout year with 70 receptions for 1,180 yards and 12 touchdowns. Wide
receiver Ed McCaffrey, who played in Shanahan's 1994 49ers offense, recorded 45 receptions for 590 yards and 8
touchdowns. Denver's offensive line was led by seven-time Pro Bowl left tackle Gary Zimmerman and Pro Bowl center Tom
Nalen. On defense, the major acquisition to the team prior to the season was former Chiefs defensive lineman Neil Smith.
Smith had a Pro Bowl season for the 6th time in his career with 28 tackles and 8.5 sacks. Defensive end Alfred Williams
recorded 36 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery. The linebacking corps was led by veteran Bill Romanowski, who
had 55 tackles and 2 sacks, and John Mobley, who led the team with 97 tackles while also recording 4 sacks, 1 fumble
recovery, and 1 interception. The secondary was led by veteran defensive backs Tyrone Braxton, who led the team with 4
interceptions for 113 yards and 1 touchdown, and Steve Atwater, who had 53 tackles, 1 sack, 2 fumble recoveries, and 2
interceptions for 42 yards and 1 touchdown. Defensive back Darrien Gordon recorded 50 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 fumble
recoveries, 4 interceptions, 64 return yards, and 1 touchdown. He also returned 40 punts for 543 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Green Bay Packers The Packers entered the 1997 season coming off of their win in Super Bowl XXXI. They then repeated
as NFC Central division champions, earning a 13–3 regular season record. Quarterback Brett Favre had another Pro Bowl
season and became the first player ever to win the NFL MVP award three times, winning it for the third consecutive year.
Favre lead the league with 35 passing touchdowns and completed 304 out of 513 attempts for 3,867 yards, with 16
interceptions, while ranking second on the team in rushing with 187 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver Antonio
Freeman led the team in receptions with 81 catches for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns. Wide receiver Robert Brooks was
also a major deep threat, catching 60 passes for 1,010 yards and 7 touchdowns. Pro Bowl tight end Mark Chmura
recorded 38 receptions for 417 yards and 6 touchdowns. Pro Bowl running back Dorsey Levens led the team in rushing
with 1,435 yards and 7 touchdowns, while also catching 53 passes for 373 yards and 5 touchdowns. Fullback William
Henderson rushed for 113 yards and caught 41 passes for 367 yards and a touchdown. On the Packers defense, the line
was led by veteran Pro Bowler Reggie White, who led the team with 11 sacks. Behind him, Santana Dotson recorded 37
tackles and 5.5 sacks. In the secondary, Pro Bowl defensive back LeRoy Butler led the team with 5 interceptions, while
also adding 70 tackles. Safety Eugene Robinson led the team with 74 tackles while also recording 2.5 sacks, 2 fumble
recoveries, and 1 interception. Cornerback Mike Prior recorded 4 interceptions while rookie Darren Sharper recorded 2 of
them, both of which he returned for touchdowns. Playoffs The Broncos entered the playoffs as a wild-card team but
defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars, 42–17, the Kansas City Chiefs, 14–10, and the Pittsburgh Steelers, 24–21, making Denver
the fifth wild-card team to make it to the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the Packers were victorious against the Tampa Bay
Buccaneers, 21–7, and the San Francisco 49ers, 23–10. Super Bowl pregame news The Packers came into the game as 111⁄2point favorites. First, Green Bay had a better regular season record than the Broncos, who entered the playoffs as a wild
card team. Secondly, the Packers were the defending Super Bowl champions. Finally, NFC teams had a 13-game winning
streak in the Super Bowl. Each player wore a Super Bowl logo patch on their jerseys. This would become a regular
practice in each Super Bowl since. This would be the last even-numbered Super Bowl until Super Bowl XLIV in which the
game was played outdoors. Television and entertainment The game was broadcast in the United States by NBC, with play-byplay announcer Dick Enberg and color commentators Phil Simms and Paul Maguire. Greg Gumbel hosted all the events, and
was joined by co-host Ahmad Rashad and commentators Cris Collinsworth, Sam Wyche, and Joe Gibbs. Following the game,
NBC aired a special one-hour episode of 3rd Rock from the Sun, which opened live at the game site with Gumbel playing
himself before he was "attacked" by show star John Lithgow. This broadcast was the last for NBC as the AFC network after
33 years (CBS has held the AFC broadcast rights ever since), their last NFL broadcast overall until 2006, when the they
signed on to televise Sunday Night Football, and their last Super Bowl broadcast until 2009 (Super Bowl XLIII). This was
also the last time Channel 4 in the UK would show the Super Bowl - and their last NFL coverage until 2010 - after they had
been showing the event since 1983 (Super Bowl XVII). Only Sky Sports would show it live until Channel 5 joined them in
2003 (Super Bowl XXXVII). It was also the last Super Bowl to be telecast on a Televisa-owned network in Mexico until
2007. It was broadcast on Canal 5. Televisa had aired the Super Bowl since Super Bowl XXII in 1988, first on the Canal de
las Estrellas, and then on Canal 5. From 1999 to 2006 Azteca 7 would air the game. It also marked the last Super Bowl until
2007 for CTV in Canada after airing the NFL and the event since Super Bowl XVI; from 1999 to 2006 the Super Bowl aired
on the Global Television Network. CTV had aired NFL football since 1970 and the Super Bowl since 1982 (Super Bowl XVI).
Pregame ceremonies The pregame show, narrated by actor and comedian Phil Hartman, celebrated the music and history of
California. It featured performances by The 5th Dimension, Lee Greenwood, and The Beach Boys. Singer Jewel later sang the
National Anthem. To honor the 10th anniversary of the Washington Redskins' win in Super Bowl XXII, the only other
previous Super Bowl played in San Diego, the game's MVP Doug Williams and former head coach Joe Gibbs participated
during the coin toss ceremony. They were joined by the recently[when?] retired, longtime college football head coach Eddie
Robinson, who ran the Grambling State University Tigers football team from 1942 until 1997. Halftime show The halftime
show was titled "A Tribute to Motown's 40th Anniversary" and featured Boyz II Men, Smokey Robinson, Queen Latifah,
Martha Reeves and The Temptations. Game summary 1st half Packers wide receiver Antonio Freeman returned the opening
kickoff 19 yards to the Green Bay 24-yard line. On the third play of the drive, quarterback Brett Favre kept the offense on
the field by completing a 13-yard pass to Freeman on third down and 9. Then running back Dorsey Levens rushed the ball
on three consecutive plays, gaining 27 yards to advance to the Denver 35-yard line. Favre finished the drive with two
completions to Freeman: the first one for 13 yards and the second one a 22-yard touchdown pass to give the Packers a
7–0 lead (the Packers were the third team to take the opening kickoff down the field and score a touchdown on that drive;
the other two were Miami in Super Bowl VIII and San Francisco in Super Bowl XXIX). The Broncos stormed right back with
a touchdown of their own. Denver running back Vaughn Hebron returned the ensuing kickoff 32 yards to their own 42-yard
line. Denver then drove to the Green Bay 46-yard line. On third down, a holding penalty on Packers defensive back Doug
Evans nullified quarterback John Elway's incompletion and gave the Broncos a first down. On the next play, running back
Terrell Davis ran the ball 27 yards to the 14-yard line. Then after a 2-yard run by Davis, Elway scrambled 10-yards to gain
a first down at the 2-yard line. Two plays later, Davis capped off the 10-play, 58-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to
tie the game (this was the first Super Bowl in which both teams scored TDs on their opening drives). On the second play
of the Packers next possession, Denver defensive back Tyrone Braxton intecepted a pass from Favre at Green Bay's 45yard line. Aided by 5 runs by Davis for 29 yards, the Broncos marched 45 yards to score on Elway's 1-yard touchdown run
on the first play of the second quarter, taking a 14–7 lead. Elway's touchdown play involved a fake handoff to Davis, who
was previously taken out of the game during the drive because the onset of a migraine headache after being
inadverdantly tripped by Leroy Butler had severely impaired his vision. But head coach Mike Shanahan decided to send him
into the game for the third down play, believing that the Packers would not be fooled by a fake handoff without Davis on
the field. Davis later said his vision was so impaired that he was afraid Elway would call an audible at the line and try to
hand him the ball.[citation needed] Despite his blurred vision, Davis perfectly executed the play and Green Bay defenders were
fooled just enough to allow Elway to score. By the second half, Davis had taken migraine medication and his vision had
returned to normal, allowing him to play the rest of the game. On the Packers ensuing possession, Broncos safety Steve
Atwater forced a fumble while sacking Favre, and defensive end Neil Smith recovered the ball on the Packers 33-yard line.
Although the Broncos were unable to get a first down, kicker Jason Elam made a 51-yard field goal, the second longest in
Super Bowl history, to increase Denver's lead to 17-7. Both teams went three-and-out on their next possessions, and
Denver punter Tom Rouen's 47-yard kick planted Green Bay at their own 5-yard line with 7:38 left in the quarter. But Green
Bay stormed down the field on their ensuing drive, marching 95 yards in 17 plays and scoring with Favre's 6-yard
touchdown pass to tight end Mark Chmura with just 12 seconds left in the half. Thus by halftime, the Broncos held onto a
slim 17–14 lead. 2nd half Green Bay kicked to Denver to start the 2nd half. On the first play after the second half kickoff,
Green Bay defensive back Tyrone Williams forced and recovered a fumble from Davis at the Broncos 26-yard line. Green
Bay's offense took possession deep in Denver territory, but Denver's defense forced a "three and out." However, Denver
was called for an offside penalty on the field goal attempt following the three and out, giving Green Bay a new set of
downs. Green Bay had 1st and 10 inside the Broncos twenty yard line, but again, Denver forced a second consecutive
"three and out" and Green Bay had to settle for field goal from the 9-yard line. This series marked a "six and out" forced
by Denver's Defense, tying the game at 17–17 on Ryan Longwell's 27-yard field goal. Green Bay kicked off once again and
Denver's offense stalled, forcing a punt, giving the Packers good field position again near their 40 yard line. But for a third
consecutive time, Denver's defense forced a "three and out." On the ensuing punt, again Denver's special teams was
called for an offside penalty, giving Green Bay a fresh set of downs near midfield. Once again, Denver's defense forced a
"three and out" for a fourth consecutive time. Marking back to back "six and outs" by Denver's defense to begin the
second half to keep the score tied at 17–17. Later in the quarter, Green Bay punter Craig Hentrich's 51-yard kick pinned
the Broncos back at their own 8-yard line. But the Packers defense could not stop Denver as they marched on a 13-play,
92-yard drive to regain the lead. Aided by a 36-yard reception by receiver Ed McCaffrey, the Broncos advanced to the
Green Bay 12-yard line. Then on third down, Elway scrambled for an 8-yard run and dove for the first down, a play in
which he was hit so hard by two Packers defenders that he spun sideways through the air (This run has been later
referred to as "The Helicopter"). Many consider The Helicopter as Elway's defining career moment and the defining
moment of Super Bowl XXXII. Two plays later, Davis scored another 1-yard touchdown run, giving the Broncos the lead,
24–17. On the ensuing kick off, Denver's special teams player Detron Smith ran full speed into the wedge of the Green
Bay blockers, forcing Antonio Freeman outside, to his left. Freeman was hit as he held the ball exposed running side ways
and fumbled, Denver defensive back Tim McKyer recovered the ball at the Packers 22-yard line. Immediately the Broncos
tried to capitalize on the turnover by trying to throw for a touchdown, a pass intended for Rod Smith as he ran a post
pattern following a fake handoff and a roll out by Elway, but Packers safety Eugene Robinson intercepted Elway's pass in
the end zone and returned it to the 15-yard line. After the interception, the Packers marched 85 yards in just 4 plays, 3 of
them receptions by Freeman, to tie it up once again 1:28 into the fourth quarter with Freeman's 13-yard touchdown catch.
On the scoring play, Packers receivers Antonio Freeman and Robert Brooks ran a "criss-cross" pattern, with Antonio
Freeman on the inside running towards the sidelines. Denver defensive back Darrien Gordon hesitated as to which to
cover and Favre hit Freeman for the score. Both teams' defenses tightened up, and the clubs exchanged punts twice.
With Green Bay pinned at their own 10-yard line, Hentrich then kicked the ball 39 yards to the Packers 49-yard line with
3:27 left in the game. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Packers linebacker Darius Holland committed a 15-yard
facemask penalty while tackling Davis on a 2-yard run, moving the ball to the 32-yard line. Two plays later, Elway
completed a 23-yard pass to fullback Howard Griffith. A holding penalty pushed the Broncos back to the 18-yard line, but
then Davis rushed 17 yards to the 1-yard line and the Broncos called a timeout. This left the Broncos facing second and
goal with 1:47 left on the clock. The Packers had two timeouts remaining. Packers coach Mike Holmgren told his team to
let the Broncos score to maximize the time the Packers would have on the clock for a potentially game-tying drive. He
admitted later that he had thought that it was first and goal rather than second and goal, crucial to clock management
decision making on the play. Davis did score his third rushing touchdown on second and goal, leaving 1:45 on the clock.
The Broncos now had a one touchdown lead, at 31-24. The Packers attempted one final drive to try to tie the game before
the end of regulation and send the contest into overtime. Broncos coach Mike Shanahan famously instructed his
defensive coordinators to keep playing the same prevent defense as the Green Bay Packers attempted to drive downfield
in the final two minutes of the game. Freeman returned the Broncos' kickoff 22 yards to the 30-yard line, and the Packers
advanced to the Broncos' 35-yard line with 1:04 left in the game with a pair of completions from Favre to Levens for gains
of 22 and 13 yards on the next 2 plays. After a 4-yard pass to Levens, Favre's next 2 passes fell incomplete - one of them
was a bullet throw to a wide open Freeman around the 15-yard line, which would have given the Packers a first down, but
Freeman could not handle the pass. Then on fourth down, Denver linebacker John Mobley broke up a pass intended for
Chmura, enabling the Broncos to take the ball back and run out the clock for the victory. Post-game During the post-game
victory celebration, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen held the Vince Lombardi Trophy in the air and said, "This one's for John,"
referring to the fact that Elway's long quest for a Super Bowl victory was finally complete. Elway finished the game with
12 out of 22 pass completions, for 123 yards and 1 interception. Elway became the sixth player to score touchdowns in
three different Super Bowls, joining Lynn Swann, Franco Harris, Thurman Thomas, Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith and Kurt Warner.
He was also the Broncos second leading rusher behind Davis with 17 rushing yards and a touchdown on 5 carries. Terrell
Davis is the only player to rush for three touchdowns in a Super Bowl, and the only non-49er to score three touchdowns in
a Super Bowl. Roger Craig, Jerry Rice and Ricky Watters are the only other players to do so. Rice had 3 touchdown catches
in two different Super Bowls. Davis' three touchdowns in the Super Bowl gave him a total of 48 points (8 touchdowns)
during the postseason, an NFL record. Levens was Green Bay's leading rusher with 90 rushing yards, and was their
second leading receiver with 56 yards on 6 pass receptions. Both Freeman and Favre had outstanding performances for
the second Super Bowl game in a row. Favre completed 25 out of 42 passes for 256 yards and 3 touchdowns, with 1
interception. Freeman caught 9 passes for 126 yards, 2 touchdowns receptions, and also gained another 104 yards on 6
kickoff returns, giving him 230 total yards, the third highest total in Super Bowl history. Freeman also tied himself for
second all-time in touchdown catches in Super Bowls with three, joining Lynn Swann, John Stallworth and Cliff Branch.
(Jerry Rice has the most with eight). He also became just the third player to have at least 100 yards receiving in back-toback Super Bowls, joining Rice and Stallworth. Denver became the first team to score on four one-yard touchdown runs in
a Super Bowl. The Packers also became the third, and most recent, defending Super Bowl champion to lose the Super
Bowl, joining the Dallas Cowboys (won Super Bowl XII, lost Super Bowl XIII) and the Washington Redskins (won Super Bowl
XVII, lost Super Bowl XVIII).
January 31, 1999 Denver Broncos (AFC) vs. Atlanta Falcons(NFC) 34-19 DEN 7 10 0 17 34 ATL 3 3 0 13 19 Stadium Pro Player
Stadium, Miami, Florida MVP John Elway, Quarterback Favorite Broncos by 7½ National anthem Cher Halftime show Gloria Estefan,
Stevie Wonder and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Kiss Future Hall of Famers Broncos: John Elway, Shannon Sharpe. Falcons: none. .
Super Bowl XXXIII was an American football game played on January 31, 1999, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide
the National Football League (NFL) champion, following the 1998 regular season. The American Football Conference (AFC)
champion Denver Broncos (17–2) defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Atlanta Falcons (16–3), 34–19. Denver
was the last NFL team to repeat as Super Bowl champions until the New England Patriots in 2005's Super Bowl XXXIX.At 38 years
old, Denver quarterback John Elway became the oldest player ever to be named Super Bowl MVP. As the final game of his career, he
completed 18 of 29 passes for 336 yards, with one touchdown and one interception, and also scored a 3-yard rushing touchdown.
Elway retired on May 2 before the following season. Background NFL owners awarded Super Bowl XXXIII to the Miami area during
their October 31, 1996 meeting in New Orleans. This was the eighth time that the area hosted the game, and the third at Pro Player
Stadium. Following Super Bowl XXXII it would be the last back-to-back Super Bowls played outdoors until Super Bowls XLIII and
XLIV. This started a streak of 11 straight Super Bowls in which every game with the NFC as the home team was played outdoors and
every one with the AFC as the home team was played indoors. Denver Broncos After the Broncos won Super Bowl XXXII during the
previous season, many wondered if 15-year veteran quarterback John Elway would retire now that he finally won a Super Bowl. But
Elway decided to stay with Denver and see if he could lead them to a second consecutive championship. Under Elway's leadership, the
Broncos stormed to the top of the AFC with a 14–2 regular record in 1998, winning their first 13 games before suffering their first loss
to the New York Giants. The Broncos' offense, under the leadership of Elway and running back Terrell Davis, had another outstanding
regular season, ranking 2nd in the NFL with 501 points and gaining 6,276 yards (3rd in the league). Davis had one of the greatest
seasons of any running back in NFL history, rushing for 2,008 yards, catching 25 passes for 217 yards, and scoring 23 touchdowns to
earn him both the NFL Most Valuable Player Award and the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award. But Davis' rushing numbers
did not reduce Elway's passing production. The 38-year old quarterback made the Pro Bowl for the 3rd year in a row and the 9th time
in his career, throwing for 2,806 yards and 22 touchdowns, with only 10 interceptions. A big reason for Elway's passing success was
that he had 2 Pro Bowl wide receivers and a Pro Bowl tight end to throw to. Wide Receivers Ed McCaffrey (64 receptions, 1,053
yards and 10 touchdowns) and Rod Smith (86 receptions, 1,222 yards, 6 touchdowns and 66 rushing yards) provided the team with
outstanding deep threats, while tight end Shannon Sharpe (64 receptions, 786 yards and 10 touchdowns) provided a sure-handed target
over the middle. The Broncos also had 3 Pro Bowlers anchoring their offensive line: center Tom Nalen, guard Mark Schlereth, and
tackle Tony Jones. On special teams, running back Vaughn Hebron returned 46 kickoffs for 1,216 yards and a touchdown, giving him
a 26.4 yards per return average. The Broncos defense typically did not get as much attention as their offense, but it was still effective,
giving up 308 points (8th in the NFL). Up front, the line was anchored by defensive tackles Maa Tanuvasa and Trevor Pryce, who
each recorded 8.5 sacks. Behind them, Pro Bowl linebacker Bill Romanowski recorded 55 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, and
2 interceptions. The defensive secondary was led by Pro Bowler Steve Atwater and Darrien Gordon, who led the team with 4
interceptions, which he returned for 125 yards and a touchdown. Gordon was also a great punt returner, returning 34 punts for 379
yards. Atlanta Falcons The Falcons advanced to their first Super Bowl in franchise history. Like the Broncos, they finished the 1998
regular season with a 14-2 record, including wins in all of their last 9 games. But unlike the Broncos, Atlanta's success in the 1998
season was very surprising to many because they had a 7-9 record in the previous season and a 3-13 record the year before that. In fact,
the team recorded just 4 winning seasons in the last 20 years prior to 1998, and only 2 in the 1990s. However, the Falcons' fortunes
began to improve after Dan Reeves became their head coach in 1997. During Reeves' first season with Atlanta, they finished the
season 6-2, after starting out 1-7, to compile a 7-9 record overall. Reeves was Denver's head coach from 1981 to 1992 NFL season,
leading the Elway-led Broncos to Super Bowls XXI, XXII, and XXIV. But they lost each one, including a 55-10 loss to the San
Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIV. After that, Reeves was in constant conflict with his coaching staff and some of his players for
the next 3 years. He left Denver in 1993 and spent 4 seasons as the Giants head coach before joining the Falcons. Pro Bowl
quarterback Chris Chandler led Atlanta's offense extremely well, throwing for 3,154 yards, and 25 touchdowns, with just 12
interceptions, while also rushing for 121 yards and 2 touchdowns. Wide receivers Tony Martin and Terance Mathis provided the team
with a superb deep threat, each recording over 60 receptions and 1,100 receiving yards, while also combining for 17 touchdowns. But
the biggest threat on offense was Pro Bowl running back Jamal Anderson, who rushed for 1,846 yards, caught 27 passes for 319 yards,
and scored 16 total touchdowns. Rookie wide receiver Tim Dwight gave the team a great special teams attack, gaining a total of 1,236
yards and scoring a touchdown on kickoff and punt returns. The Falcons defense ranked second in the league in fewest rushing yards
allowed (1,203), eighth in fewest total yards (5,009), and fourth in fewest points. Defensive linemen Lester Archambeau (10 sacks, 2
fumble recoveries) and Chuck Smith (8.5 sacks, 4 fumble recoveries) excelled at pressuring quarterbacks and stopping the run. Behind
them, Atlanta had 2 outstanding linebackers, Pro Bowler Jessie Tuggle (65 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 fumble recovery) and Cornelius Bennett
(69 tackles, 1 sack, 2 fumble recoveries). Bennett played with the Buffalo Bills when they suffered their 4 consecutive Super Bowl
losses in XXV, XXVI, XXVII, and XXVIII; and thus was determined to finally get a championship ring that had eluded him in the
past. Atlanta's secondary was led by Pro Bowl defensive back Ray Buchanan, who recorded 7 interceptions and 102 return yards, and
Pro Bowl safety Eugene Robinson (4 interceptions), who was with the Green Bay Packers when they appeared in Super Bowls XXXI
and XXXII. The season was punctuated by Reeves receiving emergency coronary bypass surgery after Week 14. Doctors said he
could have been "within hours of a catastrophic heart attack." Although asked to rest for at least six weeks, Reeves returned to the
sidelines for Week 17. Then-defensive coordinator Rich Brooks substituted for Reeves as head coach in Weeks 15 and 16, and won
both games. Playoffs The Broncos demolished the Miami Dolphins, 38–3, and the New York Jets, 23–10, in the playoffs. Meanwhile,
the Falcons were victorious against the San Francisco 49ers, 20–18, and the Minnesota Vikings, 30–27, in overtime. This was the
second Super Bowl in history that featured two teams with two losses or fewer. Both teams came into the game with 16-2 records after
the playoffs. The only Super Bowl featuring a better matchup record wise was Super Bowl XIX when the San Francisco 49ers had a
17–1 record and the Miami Dolphins had a 16–2 record. Super Bowl pregame news Much of the pregame hype was centered around
Elway confronting his former coach Reeves. Mike Shanahan was hurt and angered by Reeves' pregame assertion that Shanahan and
Elway had conspired to have him fired during his stint at Denver. Media coverage also focused on whether or not Elway would retire
after the season (which he eventually did). John Elway became the first quarterback to start five Super Bowls. He previously started
XXI, XXII, XXIV and XXXII. Broncos defensive lineman Mike Lodish was making his record 6th appearance in a Super Bowl. He
played with Buffalo in all four of their Super Bowl losses Super Bowl XXV through XXVIII and with Denver's first Super Bowl win
the year before. On the night before the Super Bowl, Falcons safety Eugene Robinson was arrested for solicitation of prostitution.
While driving alone in a rented car along a downtown Miami street, he approached a female undercover police officer posing as a
prostitute and offered $40 for oral sex. Although he was released from jail and allowed to play the game, he was widely denounced by
the press and fans for the incident. Robinson's arrest was especially ironic because on the very morning of the day it happened, he had
received the Bart Starr Award for his "high moral character." Television and entertainment The game was broadcast in the United
States by Fox and featured the broadcast team of play-by-play announcer Pat Summerall and color commentator John Madden. James
Brown hosted all the events with help from his then-fellow Fox NFL Sunday cast members Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long and Cris
Collinsworth. After the game, Fox aired The Simpsons episode "Sunday, Cruddy Sunday", followed by the pilot episode of Family
Guy, "Death Has a Shadow". It was the only Fox-aired Super Bowl not to involve the New England Patriots until Super Bowl XLV.
With this appearance, the Broncos became the first team to play in Super Bowls televised on all four major broadcast networks in the
United States (CBS-XII, XXI and XXIV, ABC-XXII, NBC-XXXII, and Fox-XXXIII). The Pittsburgh Steelers have since become the
second with their appearance in Super Bowl XLV. The starting lines ups were shown using a virtual TV. To TV viewers, it appeared
as if the end zone opened up and a giant TV came up out of the ground. The virtual TV displayed video announcing the starting line
ups. The virtual TV effect was provided by PVI Virtual Media Services using their L-VIS virtual graphics system.Pregame
ceremonies The pregame show, narrated by actress Tori Spelling, depicted the adventure of a Caribbean cruise from its festive
departure to its journey to exotic destinations. The show included a performance by KISS, along with their trademark elaborate
costumes and theatrical pyrotechnics. Cher later sang the national anthem. To honor the 40th anniversary of the 1958 NFL
Championship, also known as "The Greatest Game Ever Played", the following participants of that game appeared during the coin toss
ceremony: Raymond Berry, Lenny Moore, Jim Parker, Art Donovan, Gino Marchetti, Frank Gifford, Roosevelt Brown, Don Maynard,
Sam Huff, and Tom Landry, the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants. Weeb Ewbank, head coach of the Baltimore Colts in
that game, was also scheduled to appear, but died November 17, 1998. Halftime show The halftime show was titled "A Celebration of
Soul, Salsa and Swing" and featured Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Stevie Wonder, and Gloria Estefan. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy performed
their song "Go Daddy-O". Wonder sang "Sir Duke", "You Are the Sunshine of My Life", and "I Wish". And Miami-native Estefan
performed "Oye!" and "Turn the Beat Around", then a special performance by Stevie Wonder and Estefan was given performing
Estefan's hit "You'll Be Mine (Party Time)". Tap dancer Savion Glover appeared during Wonder's performance of "I Wish". During
halftime, USA Network aired a special edition of WWF Sunday Night Heat called Halftime Heat featuring a match between The Rock
and Mankind for the WWF Championship in an Empty Arena Match that took place in Arizona and had been taped five days before.
Mankind won the title, just seven days after losing it to The Rock at the Royal Rumble. FoxSports.com also ran an online-only
Internet halftime show, Webcast live from South Beach Miami, and hosted by then-Fox Sports Net anchorman Keith Olbermann. This
halftime show was sponsored by Victoria's Secret and available exclusively in Windows Media Player. Viewer questions were
solicited via the FoxSports.com Web site. Game summary Falcons receiver Tim Dwight returned the opening kickoff 31 yards to the
Atlanta 37-yard line. Then aided by a 25-yard pass interference penalty against Broncos defensive back Steve Atwater and 31 rushing
yards from Jamal Anderson, the Falcons drove to the Broncos 8-yard line. But Denver linebacker Bill Romanowski sacked
quarterback Chris Chandler for a 7-yard loss on third down, forcing Atlanta to settle for Morten Andersen's 32-yard field goal to give
them a 3-0 lead. The Broncos then responded with an 80-yard scoring drive. Quarterback John Elway's 41-yard completion to wide
receiver Rod Smith and 2 receptions by tight end Shannon Sharpe for a total of 26 net yards setup fullback Howard Griffith's 1-yard
touchdown run. Unfortunately for Denver, Sharpe was injured on that drive. He did play the next drive, but was taken out after that.
Later in the quarter, Falcons defensive back Ronnie Bradford intercepted a pass from Elway (that had bounced off Shannon Sharpe)
and returned it to the Broncos 35-yard line. But Denver's defense made a great stand in the opening minutes of the second quarter,
tackling Anderson for no gain on third down and 1, and then stopping him for a 2-yard loss on a fourth down conversion attempt. The
Broncos then reached the Atlanta 8-yard line on their ensuing possession, but were forced to settle for kicker Jason Elam's 26-yard
yard field goal to increase their lead, 10–3. The Falcons then advanced to the Denver 8-yard line on their next drive, but failed to score
when Andersen's 26-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right. Immediately after the Broncos got the ball back, Smith broke ahead of
Falcons safety Eugene Robinson, caught a pass from Elway, and took off for an 80-yard touchdown reception, giving Denver a 17-3
lead (the fourth 80+ yard touchdown pass play in Super Bowl history). TV viewers did not see most of the play, as Fox was still airing
a commercial at the time. Aided by Dwight's 42-yard kickoff return to the 49-yard line, the Falcons responded by driving to Denver's
11-yard line and scored with Andersen's 28-yard field goal to cut Atlanta's deficit to 17–6 going into halftime. The Broncos opened
the second half by driving 74 yards to the Atlanta 20-yard line, but ended up scoring no points after Elam's 38-yard field goal attempt
sailed wide right. Chandler responded on the next 2 plays with a 29-yard completion to receiver Tony Martin and a 12-yard scramble
to advance the ball to the Denver 41-yard line. But then linebacker John Mobley sacked Chandler for a 6-yard loss, and cornerback
Darrius Johnson intercepted Chandler's pass and returned it 28 yards to the Falcons 42-yard line on the next play. Denver then drove
to the 29-yard line, but Elam missed another field goal attempt, this one from 47 yards. After the missed field goal, the Falcons drove
to the Denver 21-yard line with Anderson's 13-yard run, wide receiver Terance Mathis's 13-yard catch, and a 15-yard run from
Anderson, giving them a chance to cut their deficit to within one touchdown. However, Broncos defensive back Darrien Gordon
intercepted a pass from Chandler and returned it 58 yards to the Atlanta 24-yard line. Five plays later, Griffith scored his second
touchdown on a 1-yard run to increase Denver's lead to 24-6. The Falcons reached the Broncos 26-yard line on their ensuing drive, but
Gordon intercepted another pass and returned this one 50 yards to the Atlanta 48-yard line. On the next play, Elway completed a short
pass to running back Terrell Davis, who turned it into a 39-yard gain. Two plays later, Elway finished the drive with a 3-yard
touchdown run, giving the Broncos a 31-6 lead. (Elway became the second player in Super Bowl history to score a touchdown in four
different Super Bowls. He ran for scores before in Super Bowls XXI, XXIV and XXXII, joining Thurman Thomas on this list).
Dwight returned the ensuing kickoff 94-yards for a touchdown to cut the score 31-13, but the Broncos recovered Atlanta's ensuing
onside kick attempt. Two plays later, a 25-yard completion from Elway to receiver Ed McCaffrey set up Elam's 37-yard field goal
with just over 7 minutes left in the final period.
The Falcons offense advanced inside the Denver 30-yard line for the third consecutive time, and finally scored this time on a 3-yard
touchdown pass from Chandler to Mathis. Mathis' touchdown made the score 34-19 (Chandler's pass on the 2-point conversion
attempted was incomplete), but by then there was only 2:04 left in the game. Atlanta failed to recover the onside kick, but got the ball
back on their own 30-yard line with 1:34 left after Denver failed to "go for it" on fourth down. However, Jamal Anderson fumbled at
the Broncos 33-yard line, Broncos defensive back Tyrone Braxton recovered the ball, allowing Denver to run out the clock and win
the game. The two teams combined for a Super Bowl record 30 fourth-quarter points, with the Broncos' 17 and Falcons' 13. The
Falcons offense gained a total of 337 yards, were not penalized once, and had driven inside Denver's 30-yard line 7 times. But
Atlanta's offense could only score 13 points and committed 5 turnovers. Meanwhile, the Broncos gained a total of 457 yards and
scored 34 points. For the Broncos, Davis recorded 102 rushing yards and caught 2 passes for 50 yards. Davis' 102 rushing yards in the
Super Bowl gave him over 100 rushing yards for the 7th consecutive postseason game (and he was the 3rd player to run for 100 yards
in back-to-back Super Bowls, the others being Larry Csonka in Super Bowls VII and VIII, and Emmitt Smith in Super Bowls XXVII
and XXVIII). Davis became just the second player to be on a Super Bowl winning team after being named the NFL Most Valuable
Player and leading the league in rushing. Emmitt Smith was the first one, but also was named Super Bowl MVP for Super Bowl
XXVIII during that year. Marcus Allen is the only other player to win all three of these honors during his career. Allen won the 1985
NFL MVP Award and rushing title while being named Super Bowl XVIII MVP at the conclusion of the 1983 season. Smith caught 5
passes for 152 yards and a touchdown, an average of 30.4 yards per catch. Gordon recorded 2 interceptions and returned them for a
Super Bowl record 108 yards. Jamal Anderson rushed for 96 yards and caught 3 passes for 16 yards. Dwight returned 5 kickoffs for
210 yards, the second most in Super Bowl history, and the highest Super Bowl career yards per return average(42.0). Falcons receiver
Terance Mathis led Atlanta with 7 receptions for 85 yards. Chandler finished the game with 19 out of 35 completions for 219 yards
and a touchdown, but was intercepted 3 times. Dan Reeves became the fourth head coach to lose four Super Bowls, joining Bud Grant,
Don Shula and Marv Levy. Reeves lost Super Bowls XXI, XXII and XXIV ironically while with the Broncos.
January 30, 2000 St. Louis Rams(NFC) vs. Tennessee Titans(AFC) 23-16 STL 3 6 7 7 23 TEN 0 0 6 10 16 Stadium Georgia Dome,
Atlanta, Georgia MVP Kurt Warner, Quarterback Favorite Rams by 7 National anthem Halftime show Phil Collins, Christina
Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias, Toni Braxton, and Edward James Olmos Future Hall of Famers Rams: Marshall Faulk. Titans: Bruce
Matthews. Super Bowl XXXIV featured the National Football Conference (NFC) champion St. Louis Rams and the American
Football Conference (AFC) champion Tennessee Titans in an American football game to decide the National Football League (NFL)
champion for the 1999 regular season. The Rams (16–3) defeated the Titans (16–4), 23–16, to capture their first Super Bowl win and
first NFL championship since 1951. The game, played on January 30, 2000 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, was the fourth
Super Bowl to be held a week after the conference championship games (the previous time this happened was Super Bowl XXVIII,
and coincidentally this game was also played on January 30 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta).The Rams entered their second Super
Bowl in team history with an NFC-best 13–3 regular season record. It was the franchise's first playoff appearance in 10 years. The
Titans also finished the regular season with a 13–3 record, but advanced to their first Super Bowl in team history after entering the
playoffs as a wild-card team. Tennessee finished in second place in the AFC Central Division behind the Jacksonville Jaguars.The
first two quarters of Super Bowl XXXIV were largely a defensive battle. Despite outgaining the Titans in total offensive yards in the
first half, 294–89, the Rams held merely a 9–0 halftime lead on three field goals. St. Louis later scored their first touchdown midway
through the third quarter to go up 16–0. Tennessee then responded by scoring 16 unanswered points to tie the game with 2:12 left in
regulation. This was the largest deficit to be erased in a Super Bowl and the first greater than 10 points. On the Rams' ensuing drive,
quarterback Kurt Warner completed a 73-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Isaac Bruce to regain the lead. The Titans then drove
to the St. Louis 10-yard line with six seconds remaining, but on the final play of the game, Rams linebacker Mike Jones tackled
Tennessee wide receiver Kevin Dyson one yard short of the goal line to prevent a potential game-tying touchdown. This went into
NFL Lore as One Yard Short. The play later became known as simply "The Tackle."Warner completed 24 out of 45 passes for 414
yards and 2 touchdowns and was named the Most Valuable Player. His 414 passing yards and 45 pass attempts without an interception
were both Super Bowl records. Warner became the sixth player to win both the NFL Most Valuable Player Award and the Super Bowl
MVP award during the same season. He follows Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana, Emmitt Smith and Steve Young.
Background St. Louis Rams The Rams shocked the NFL in 1999 with an NFC-best 13–3 regular season record, only a year after
finishing 4-12. This was the Rams' first playoff appearance in 10 years and only the second Super Bowl appearance in team history. St.
Louis was led by undrafted quarterback Kurt Warner, who started the season as backup to Trent Green. Green suffered a seasonending knee injury in the preseason, making Warner the team's new starter. Warner previously played for the Iowa Barnstormers of
the Arena Football League and the Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europe. In his first NFL season in 1998, Warner played only one
game and threw just 11 passes. But in 1999, he experienced one of the most spectacular seasons ever by a quarterback, recording a
passer rating of 109.2, completing 65.1 percent of his passes for 4,353 yards, 41 touchdowns, and just 13 interceptions, and earning
the NFL Most Valuable Player Award. Warner was not the only Ram compiling significant statistics, though. Running back Marshall
Faulk, in his first year in St. Louis after spending 5 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, won the NFL Offensive Player of the Year
Award. He scored 12 touchdowns, rushed for 1,381 yards, and recorded a team leading 87 receptions for 1,048 yards. In all, Faulk
gained a record 2,429 total yards and became just the second running back in NFL history to gain over 1,000 yards rushing and
receiving in the same season (Roger Craig was the first). . Faulk held the NFL record for yards from scrimmage in a single season
until Tennessee's Chris Johnson broke it in 2009. Faulk wasn't the only weapon at Warner's disposal in 1999. Veteran receiver Isaac
Bruce was the top Rams receiver with 77 receptions for 1,165 yards and 12 touchdowns. while breakout rookie wide receiver Torry
Holt recorded 52 receptions, 788 yards, and 6 touchdowns. Even the team's third wide receiver, Az-Zahir Hakim, was a big
contributor by catching 36 passes for 677 yards and 8 touchdowns, while also returning punts for 461 yards and another touchdown.
The Rams' offensive line was led by Pro Bowlers Orlando Pace and Adam Timmerman. Timmerman, acquired by the Rams in 1999,
had previously won Super Bowl XXXI with the Green Bay Packers. On special teams, receiver Tony Horne returned 30 kickoffs for
892 yards and 2 touchdowns, giving him an NFL leading 29.7 yards per return average. Overall, St. Louis' offense led the league in
total yards gained (6,639), scoring (526 points), and passing touchdowns (42). The Rams' defense led the league in fewest rushing
yards allowed (1,189) and fewest rushing touchdowns allowed (4), while giving up just 242 points. Overall, the defense ranked 4th in
the league in fewest total yards allowed (5,056). The line was anchored by Pro Bowl defensive end Kevin Carter and defensive end
Grant Wistrom. Carter led the league with 17 sacks; while Wistrom recorded 8.5 sacks and 2 interceptions, returning both for
touchdowns for a combined total of 131 yards. Behind him, the Rams had 3 linebackers: London Fletcher (66 tackles and 3 sacks),
Mike Jones (4 interceptions for 96 return yards and 2 touchdowns, and 2 fumble recoveries for 51 return yards and 1 touchdown), and
Todd Collins (72 tackles, 1 sack, and 2 interceptions for 16 yards). The secondary was led by Pro Bowler Todd Lyght (6 interceptions),
Dexter McCleon (4 interceptions), and rookie Dre' Bly (3 interceptions). Tennessee Titans The Titans advanced to their first Super
Bowl in team history. From 1960 to 1996, the team was known as the Houston Oilers, an original charter member of the American
Football League (AFL). Houston, Texas businessman Bud Adams owned the Oilers since its inception and guided the team through
the 1970 AFL-NFL Merger. With Tennessee's Super Bowl appearance, every AFL team played in the Super Bowl. This includes the
original eight AFL teams and the two AFL expansion teams, the Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals. But by 1995, Adams was
lured to move his team from Houston to a new stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. Since this new stadium was not ready until the 1999
season, Adams decided to move his team to Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee in 1997 after playing before
small Houston crowds in 1996. However, the renamed Tennessee Oilers also played before sparse Memphis crowds, and thus spent
the 1998 season playing at Nashville's Vanderbilt Stadium. After the new Adelphia Coliseum, now known as LP Field, was completed
in 1999, the team's name was changed to Tennessee Titans. The 1999 Titans were led by quarterback Steve McNair and running back
Eddie George. McNair had missed 5 games due to injuries during the season, but he was still able to put up solid numbers, throwing
for 2,179 yards and 12 touchdowns with only 8 interceptions. Despite his injury problems, McNair finished the season as the second
leading rusher on the team with 337 yards and scoring 8 touchdowns. George also had an outstanding season, rushing for 1,304 yards,
and catching 47 passes for 458 yards (his receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns were all career highs). In all, George
scored a grand total of 13 rushing and receiving touchdowns, and was selected to play in the Pro Bowl for the 3rd consecutive year.
Another contributor on the Titans offense was fullback Lorenzo Neal, who frequently served as George's lead blocker and was widely
considered one of the best blocking backs in the league. The team did not have any outstanding deep threats, but wide receivers
Yancey Thigpen recorded 38 receptions for 648 yards, Kevin Dyson had 54 receptions for 658 yards, and tight end Frank Wycheck
gained 69 receptions for 641 yards. Up front, their line was anchored by Pro Bowl tackle Bruce Matthews. Tennessee's defense was
also extremely effective. Pro Bowl defensive end Jevon Kearse anchored the line recording 14.5 sacks to go along with 10 forced
fumbles and was named Defensive Rookie of the Year. The linebacking core was led by Eddie Robinson, who recorded 64 tackles and
6 sacks. Their secondary was led by cornerback Samari Rolle, who led the team with 4 interceptions. The Titans finished the regular
season with a 13–3 record (including a home win over the Rams), but finished second behind the 14–2 Jacksonville Jaguars in the
AFC Central. The Jaguars' only two losses were to the Titans, but Tennessee's three losses forced them to enter the playoffs as a wildcard team. Playoffs Playing in his first ever NFL playoff game, Warner threw for 395 yards and 5 touchdowns, with 1 interception, as
the Rams defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 49–37, by scoring 35 unanswered points in the second half. Bruce caught 4 passes for 133
yards and a touchdown. Faulk gained 101 combined rushing/receiving yards and scored 2 touchdowns. Although Vikings quarterback
Jeff George threw for 423 yards and 4 touchdowns, 3 of his scores occurred late in the fourth quarter after the Rams had already put
the game away. The Rams then narrowly defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 11–6 in a hard fought defensive struggle in the NFC
Championship. The first half ended with the Rams leading 5–3 on a Jeff Wilkins field goal and after a bad snap by the Buccaneers
went through their own end zone for a safety. Tampa Bay then scored a field goal in the third quarter to take the lead. But Warner
threw a 30-yard go-ahead touchdown pass to receiver Ricky Proehl with 4:14 left in the game. Meanwhile, the Titans started out their
postseason by narrowly defeating the Buffalo Bills, 22–16, on a famous, trick kickoff return play that became known in NFL Lore as
the Music City Miracle. Tennessee jumped to a 12–0 first half lead with an Al Del Greco field goal, a safety by Kearse, and a McNair
touchdown run. However, Buffalo came back to take the lead, 13–12 with Antowain Smith's 2 touchdown runs in the second half (the
two-point conversion after Smith's second touchdown failed). In the fourth quarter, the Titans regained the lead after Del Greco kicked
his second field goal. With 16 seconds left in the game, Bills kicker Steve Christie made what seemed to be the game-winning 41-yard
field goal to give his team the lead, 16–15. However, Neal received the ensuing kickoff and handed the ball off to Wycheck, who then
lateraled the ball to Dyson on the other side of the field, who eventually ran 75 yards to the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.
The play was reviewed to determine whether Wycheck had lateraled the ball to Dyson or made an illegal forward pass. Referee Phil
Luckett upheld the original call on the field of a touchdown, giving Tennessee the win. The Titans then defeated the Indianapolis Colts
19–16. After both teams exchanged field goals in the first half, George scored on a 68-yard touchdown run to give his team a 13–9
lead. Del Greco then kicked 2 more field goals in the final period to put the game away. George finished the game with a franchise
playoff record 162 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Del Greco made 4 field goals. The Titans then eliminated the Jacksonville
Jaguars, 33–14, in the AFC Championship game. The Jaguars finished the 1999 regular season with a league best 14–2 record, and
advanced to the AFC title game after crushing the Miami Dolphins, 62–7, and limiting future Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino to
just 11 of 25 completions for 95 yards and 1 touchdown, with 2 interceptions. However, Tennessee's defense dominated the Jaguars in
the AFC Championship game, forcing 6 turnovers. Jacksonville led 14–10 at halftime, but the Titans then scored 23 unanswered
points on 2 touchdown runs by McNair, a safety, and Derrick Mason's 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Although McNair
passed for only 112 yards and one touchdown with one interception, he rushed for 91 yards and 2 touchdowns on 9 carries. George
rushed for 86 yards and caught 3 passes for 19 yards. Pre-game notes In January 2000, two ice storms struck the Atlanta area within a
week of each other. The second storm occurred during the week the Super Bowl was hosted. Despite the rare adverse weather
conditions, city and state crews kept streets and sidewalks free of ice, and MARTA public transport kept running. The Atlanta region
does not receive more ice storms than most other areas of the country, and Super Bowl XXXIV was played indoors and unaffected by
the elements. But some residents believe the poor weather during Super Bowl week negatively impacted the city's chances of hosting
another Super Bowl, including the bid it lost for the 2009 Super Bowl. That bid included meteorological data showing the rarity of
such storms in the area. Nashville, home of the Titans, is also the midway point of the Atlanta-St. Louis highway corridor, which
contains the entirety of Interstate 24, and uses other highways to complete the route. Television and entertainment ABC televised the
game in the United States with play-by-play announcer Al Michaels and color commentator Boomer Esiason. Chris Berman from
Disney-owned corporate sibling ESPN hosted all the events. Berman was joined by fellow ESPN analyst Steve Young, while ESPN's
Mike Tirico was on hand for the post-game presentation of the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Lesley Visser and Lynn Swann served as
sideline reporters. It was also the first Super Bowl to be aired in high definition and 5.1 Dolby Digital. ABC Sports chose to use the
720p format. Ironically, the ABC affiliate in St. Louis, KDNL-TV, has been regarded as one of the network's weakest affiliates since
joining the network in 1995. The previous ABC affiliate, KTVI, in contrast, was one of the strongest affiliates - it had become a Fox
station in 1995, and thus, has televised the majority of the Rams' games in this period. Pregame ceremonies The pregame show
featured a tribute to "The Great American Music of the 20th Century". Narrated by The Smothers Brothers, the show highlighted some
of the unique American musical styles such as Gospel, Big Band, Classical, Country and Rock. Singers Tina Turner and Travis Tritt
along with the Georgia Tech Marching Band and the Georgia Mass Choir performed during the show. Country singer Faith Hill then
sang the national anthem. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Super Bowl IV, the following participants of the game were featured
during the coin toss ceremony: Bud Grant, Lamar Hunt, Bobby Bell, Paul Krause, Willie Lanier, Alan Page, and Jan Stenerud.
Halftime show The halftime show was produced by Disney and titled "Tapestry of Nations" after the Epcot parade of the same name.
The show, narrated by actor Edward James Olmos, was inspired by Walt Disney World's millennium celebration. It featured a full
symphony orchestra; a multi-generational, 80-person choir; and singers Phil Collins, Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias, and Toni
Braxton. Commercials This game is often referred to as the "dot-com" Super Bowl since it was held during the height of the dot-com
bubble, and several internet companies purchased television commercials. Pets.com famously paid millions for an advert featuring a
sock puppet. Game summary The two teams' defenses seemed to dominate most of the first half. The Rams started the game out
strong by taking the opening kickoff and marching to the Tennessee 17-yard line. But on third down, safety Blaine Bishop pressured
quarterback Kurt Warner to throw an incomplete pass. Then the ensuing field goal attempt failed when punter/holder Mike Horan
fumbled the snap. The Titans responded by moving the ball to the St. Louis 29-yard line, aided with running back Eddie George's 32yard reception. But they also came up empty after kicker Al Del Greco missed a 47-yard field goal attempt. For the rest of the half, the
Titans were forced to punt on all of their possessions. In contrast, the Rams were able to reach inside the Tennessee 20-yard line on all
4 of their remaining drives before halftime, but on each one, the Titans defense forced St. Louis to settle for field goal attempts from
kicker Jeff Wilkins, who was successful in making 3 of them, but missed one attempt from 34 yards. The Rams ended up leading at
halftime, 9–0, but their scoring margin over the Titans seemed somewhat small considering they drove into scoring range on every one
of their first half possessions and outgained Tennessee in total yards, 294–89. Both teams' offenses started to get going in the second
half. The Titans took the opening kickoff of the third period and drove 43 yards to the St. Louis 29-yard line. But Tennessee remained
scoreless after defensive back Todd Lyght blocked Del Greco's 47 yard field goal attempt. After that, Rams quarterback Kurt Warner
threw a 31-yard strike to Isaac Bruce and a 16-yard completion to tight end Ernie Conwell before finishing the 68-yard drive with a 9yard touchdown pass to Torry Holt, giving St. Louis a 16–0 lead. On the completion to Conwell, Titans cornerback Blaine Bishop
made the tackle, but suffered a spinal injury and had to leave the game. The game was delayed for several minutes while Bishop was
being treated. Tennessee wide receiver Derrick Mason returned the ensuing kickoff 35 yards to the 34-yard line. From there, 5 runs by
George and two completions from quarterback Steve McNair to tight end Frank Wycheck advanced the ball to the St. Louis 29-yard
line. Then McNair scrambled 23 yards to the 2-yard line, setting up a 1-yard touchdown run by George two plays later. The
touchdown cut the Titans' deficit to 16–6 after McNair's pass to Wycheck on the two-point conversion attempt fell incomplete. The
Titans first score sparked them to rally. After forcing the Rams to punt on their ensuing possession, a pair of 21-yard completions from
McNair to tight end Jackie Harris and wide receiver Isaac Byrd aided a 13-play, 79-yard drive that was capped by George's 2-yard
touchdown run to cut the score, 16–13. The Tennessee defense then forced the Rams to a three-and-out, and Horan's 30-yard punt
gave them the ball back at their 47-yard line. The Titans offense then drove only 28 yards on their ensuing possession, but it was close
enough for Del Greco to attempt a 43-yard field goal. This time, Del Greco's kick was good, tying the score 16–16 with just 2:12 left
in the game. The 16-point deficit was the largest deficit to be erased in a Super Bowl and the first greater than 10 points, but the Titans
only tied the game and never gained the lead. It was also the first time in any Super Bowl a team down double digits in the fourth
quarter had tied the game. However on the Rams' first play of their ensuing drive, Warner threw a long pass that was caught by Bruce
at the Titans' 38-yard line, who then ran it all the way into the end zone for a 73-yard touchdown completion to give St. Louis a 23–16
lead. The Titans took over the ball at their own 12-yard line with 1:48 left in the game after committing a holding penalty on the
ensuing kickoff. McNair started out the drive with a pair of completions to Mason and Wycheck for gains of 9 and 7 yards to reach the
28-yard line. Then after throwing an incompletion, defensive back Dre' Bly's 15-yard facemask penalty while tackling McNair on a
12-yard scramble gave the Titans a first down at the St. Louis 45-yard line. On the next play, St. Louis was penalized 5 yards for being
offsides, moving the ball to the 40-yard line with 59 seconds left. McNair then ran for 2 yards, followed by a 7-yard completion to
wide receiver Kevin Dyson. On the next play, Tennessee nearly lost the ball when Bly stepped in front of a pass intended for Mason,
only to have it go right through his arms. Two plays later, with the Titans facing 3rd down and 5 to go, McNair was hit by two Rams'
defenders, but he escaped and completed a 16-yard pass to Dyson to gain a first down at the Rams 10-yard line. Tennessee then used
up their final timeout with just six seconds left in the game, giving them a chance for one last play. This final play has gone down in
NFL history as simply "The Tackle". The final play
Titans had just used their final timeout with six seconds remaining. With no
timeouts remaining and the ball on the Rams' 10 yard line, the Titans were trailing by a touchdown and had one last opportunity to tie
the game. The plan was to use tight end Frank Wycheck as a decoy. Wycheck would run straight up the field on the right side, to lure
linebacker Mike Jones away from receiver Kevin Dyson. Dyson would then slant left through the middle of the field. With Jones
occupying Wycheck, quarterback Steve McNair would pass the ball to Dyson, who would be open from about five yards out for the
score. As the play began, everything appeared to go as planned. Jones ran with Wycheck up the field at the beginning of the play.
However, as the pass was being delivered to Dyson, Jones, who was at the goal line, glanced over his left shoulder and noticed an
open Dyson catching the ball. Jones switched directions and ran towards the Titans receiver. Dyson ran directly toward the end zone,
but his legs were wrapped up by Jones with about two and a half yards left to the goal line. Since Dyson was being tackled by the legs,
there was still the possibility he could reach towards the end zone and get the ball above the goal line. Both players went into a rolling
motion as Dyson outstretched his hand with the football towards the goal line in the hopes of scoring the touchdown. Though his reach
was close, and the ball mere inches away from the end zone, it was still not enough to score. As the rolling motion came to an end,
with Jones now on top of Dyson's legs, his shoulder had touched the ground and, therefore, the game was over. Had Dyson scored and
the extra point been made, it would have been the first Super Bowl overtime period in history. Considering the magnitude of the Super
Bowl, and the wild game that preceded it, "The Tackle" is considered one of the greatest and most exciting game-ending plays in
modern National Football League history. The image of Dyson stretching the ball towards the goal line with Jones wrapped around
him has become a staple of NFL highlights. ESPN.com ranked "The Tackle" as the 35th greatest moment of the past 25 years in sports
(as of 2007) and the second-greatest moment in Super Bowl history. Fox Sports ranked The Tackle as the Greatest Clutch Play in
Super Bowl History (as of 2007). Like Dallas Cowboys cornerback Larry Brown, Mike Jones was included on the NFL Network's
"Top 10 One-Hit Wonders" list (Jones was #10, Brown was #3), although Jones also mirrored Brown in having a solid if
unspectacular career outside of his Super Bowl heroics. After the game commented on Warner's rise from an unknown backup to a
Super Bowl MVP, but Warner himself wasn't impressed by it. "How can you be in awe of something that you expect yourself to do?"
Warner pointed out. "People think this season is the first time I touched a football; they don't realize I've been doing this for years –
just not on this level, because I never got the chance. Sure, I had my tough times, but you don't sit there and say, 'Wow, I was stocking
groceries five years ago, and look at me now.' You don't think about it, and when you do achieve something, you know luck has
nothing to do with it." Final statistics Overview Bruce caught 6 passes for 162 yards (3rd highest) and a touchdown, an average of 27
yards per catch. Holt had 7 receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown. Bruce and Holt became the fourth pair of teammates to each
have over 100 yards receiving in a Super Bowl, joining: Super Bowl XIII, the Steelers' John Stallworth and Lynn Swann, Super Bowl
XVI, the Bengals' Cris Collinsworth and Dan Ross, and Super Bowl XXVI, the Redskins' Gary Clark and Art Monk. Rams starting
running back Marshall Faulk was held to just 17 rushing yards, but gained 90 receiving yards on 5 receptions. McNair set a Super
Bowl record for rushing yards by a quarterback, recording 64 yards on 8 carries. He also completed 22 out of 36 passes for 214 yards.
George finished the game with 95 rushing yards, 35 receiving yards, and 2 touchdowns. Harris was the top receiver for Tennessee
with 7 catches for 64 yards. Mason returned 5 kickoffs for 122 yards, and caught 2 passes for 18 yards.
January 28, 2001 Baltimore Ravens(AFC) vs. NY Giants (NFC) 34-7 BAL 7 3 14 10 34 NYG 0 0 7 0 7 Stadium Raymond James
Stadium, Tampa, Florida MVP Ray Lewis, Linebacker Favorite Ravens by 3 National anthem Backstreet Boys Halftime show
Aerosmith, Britney Spears, Nelly, Mary J. Blige, and *NSYNC Future Hall of Famers Giants: none.
Ravens: Shannon Sharpe, Rod Woodson Super Bowl XXXV was played on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa,
Florida to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion following the 2000 regular season. The American Football
Conference (AFC) champion Baltimore Ravens (16–4) defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants
(14–5), 34–7. The Ravens became the third wild card team to win the Super Bowl and the second in four years. Also, the city of
Baltimore had its first Super Bowl title in 30 years.Baltimore allowed only 152 yards of offense by the Giants (the third lowest total
ever in a Super Bowl), recorded 4 sacks, and forced 5 turnovers. All 16 of the Giants possessions ended with punts or interceptions,
with the exception of the last one which ended when time expired in the game.Linebacker Ray Lewis made 11 tackles, 6 assists, and
blocked 4 passes and was named Super Bowl MVP. Lewis became the second linebacker to win the Super Bowl MVP award (see also
Chuck Howley). Background NFL owners awarded Super Bowl XXXV to Tampa during their October 31, 1997 meeting in New
Orleans. Tampa became the fourth metropolitan area to host the game at least three times, joining New Orleans, Miami, and Los
Angeles. Baltimore Ravens The Ravens entered the game with the second best defense in allowing yards in the league, with the fewest
points allowed (165) and the fewest rushing yards allowed (970) during the regular season. At the time they were the only team in
NFL history (in a 16 game schedule) to hold the opposition to under 1000 yards rushing for the season. Baltimore's 165 points allowed
broke the record set by the 1986 Chicago Bears, who had given up 187 points. The defense was led by a trio of outstanding
linebackers: Peter Boulware, Jamie Sharper, and Ray Lewis. During the regular season, Boulware recorded 7 sacks, while Sharper
forced 5 fumbles and caught one interception. Lewis was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year by recording 3 sacks, making
138 tackles, and intercepting 2 passes. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Sam Adams and veteran Tony Siragusa anchored the defensive line,
along with Defensive Ends Rob Burnett (10.5 sacks) and Pro Bowler Michael McCrary. Baltimore also had an outstanding corps of
defensive backs led by Pro Bowl veteran safety Rod Woodson, who along with Kim Herring, Duane Starks, and Chris McAlister
combined for 17 interceptions. On offense, the Ravens' main strength was rushing, led by running backs Jamal Lewis (1,364 yards, 6
rushing touchdowns, 27 receptions, 298 yards) and Priest Holmes (588 yards, 32 receptions, 221 yards). Also, tight end Shannon
Sharpe recorded 67 receptions for 810 yards and 5 touchdowns. Receiver Qadry Ismail added 49 receptions for 655 yards and four
touchdowns. The offensive line was anchored by tackle Jonathan Ogden, who was named to the Pro Bowl for the 4th consecutive
season. However, the Baltimore offense was mediocre, ranking only 13th in the league in scoring (333 points), 16th in total yards
(5,301), and 23rd in passing yards (3,102). The team had a lot of trouble scoring, and at one point they went through five games
without making an offensive touchdown (although they managed to win two of those games). But they managed to regroup, as head
coach Brian Billick forbade anyone to use the "P-word" (presumably "postseason" or "playoffs") until the team actually played in it.
The Ravens' outspoken defensive lineman Tony Siragusa did utter the word "playoffs" on two separate occasions and was fined, albeit
a measly sum of $500. Since the fine (and Billick's ban) were clearly symbolic and playful, Billick explained himself by saying, "He
got a $400 fine for doing it on national television and $100 for doing it on his radio show. The reason being because no one listens to
his show anyway." In place of the "P-word," the word "Festivus" was used, the secular holiday featured in an episode of the popular
American television sitcom Seinfeld. (The Ravens organization played along with this theme for that year's playoffs by showing a clip
of Cosmo Kramer saying "A Festivus miracle!" on the stadium screen during the team's only home playoff game that year.) The Super
Bowl was thereafter referred to as "Festivus Maximus." The Ravens eventually won their last seven regular season games to finish in
second place in the AFC Central with a 12–4 record and entered the playoffs as a wild-card team. New York Giants The Giants
advanced to Super Bowl XXXV after posting a 7-9 record in the previous year. Their big draft acquisition during the offseason was
running back Ron Dayne, the 1999 Heisman Trophy winner. The plan was to have his power running style complement running back
Tiki Barber's speed and pass-catching ability. The two would be called the Giants' "Thunder and Lightning" backfield. Although
Dayne had a solid rookie year by rushing for 770 yards, the breakout star during the regular season was Barber. Barber had 1,006
rushing yards in 213 attempts, caught 70 receptions for 719 yards, and scored 10 touchdowns. He also returned 44 punts for 506 yards
and gained 266 yards returning kickoffs, giving him 2,495 total yards. Kerry Collins entered the season as the Giants' unquestioned
starting quarterback. Although he helped lead the Carolina Panthers to the 1996 NFC Championship Game, problems with alcohol,
conflicts with his teammates, and questions about his character led to his release from the Panthers in 1997. After spending the 1998
season with the New Orleans Saints, Collins was signed in 1999 as the Giants' second-string quarterback, but soon claimed the starting
job. In leading the Giants to Super Bowl XXXV, Collins recorded 311 out of 529 completions for 3,610 yards and 22 touchdowns
during the regular season. His favorite targets, in addition to Barber, were wide receivers Amani Toomer (78 receptions, 1,094 yards,
7 touchdowns), and Ike Hilliard (55 receptions, 787 yards, 8 touchdowns). The Giants also had a powerful defense, led by Pro Bowl
defensive end Michael Strahan, who recorded 9.5 sacks, and defensive tackle Keith Hamilton who recorded 10. Defensive backs Jason
Sehorn, Emmanuel McDaniel, Reggie Stephens, and Shaun Williams combined for 14 interceptions. But the Giants fell to a 7-4 record
midway through the season and their playoff prospects seemed dim at best. In what would be his defining moment, head coach Jim
Fassel, at a press conference following the Giants' loss to the Detroit Lions, guaranteed that his team would make the playoffs. The
Giants responded by winning their last 5 regular season games to reach 12-4 and win the NFC East. Playoffs With an explosive
defense and a "play-it-safe" offense, the Ravens became the seventh wild-card team to reach the Super Bowl, and third in four seasons,
after allowing only a combined one touchdown and three field goals in their playoff wins over the Denver Broncos, the Tennessee
Titans, and the Oakland Raiders. Meanwhile, the Giants defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 20-10, and shut out the Minnesota Vikings,
41-0. Pre-game news Before the game, there was a lot of resentment from Cleveland Browns fans, as the Ravens were playing in the
Super Bowl only five years removed from the 1995 Cleveland Browns relocation controversy, in which following legal action, the
Browns' existing player and staff contracts became the new Ravens franchise; and the Browns' name, history, and archives would stay
in Cleveland, and a new Browns team would begin play in 1999 after a three-year period of "deactivation". As the Browns finished
with a 3-13 record in 2000, many Browns fans were upset that the Ravens were in the Super Bowl, although Matt Stover, Rob Burnett,
and Larry Webster were the only players from the Cleveland days remaining with the Ravens when they won the Super Bowl.
Officially, the win made the Ravens the quickest expansion team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl, although much like the 1950
Browns winning the NFL Championship in their first season in the NFL after coming over from the All-America Football Conference,
the Ravens were not an expansion team in the true sense of the term. Television and entertainment The game was broadcast in the
United States by CBS (their first since Super Bowl XXVI in 1992). Play-by-play announcer Greg Gumbel became the first AfricanAmerican announcer to call a major sports championship. He was joined in the broadcast booth with color commentator Phil Simms.
Armen Keteyian and Bonnie Bernstein roamed the sidelines. Jim Nantz hosted all the events with help from his then-fellow cast
members from The NFL Today: Mike Ditka, Craig James, Randy Cross, and Jerry Glanville. The desk reporting was done aboard the
famous Buccaneer Cove pirate ship at the endzone of Raymond James Stadium. The broadcast featured the brand-new EyeVision
instant-replay system, which provided rapid-fire sequential shots from a series of cameras positioned around the top of the stadium. It
allowed for bullet time effects, similar to those used in the movie The Matrix. It was extremely unusual for CBS to debut a major new
technology system at an event the size of the Super Bowl. The EyeVision system proved its mettle when it helped to uphold a replay
challenge on a Jamal Lewis fourth quarter touchdown. EyeVision was also used during the broadcast of the Super Bowl XXXV halftime show, which was directed by Saturday Night Live director Beth McCarthy-Miller. CBS also produced a separate HDTV
broadcast of the game in the 1080p format, with Kevin Harlan and Daryl Johnston announcing. It was the second year that the game
was televised in both standard-definition TV (NTSC) and HDTV. As previously mentioned, this was the first Super Bowl to be aired
on CBS in nine years (XXVI). Following the 1993 season, Fox bought the rights to air the NFC package leaving CBS without the
NFL for the next four years until 1998, when they began broadcasting the AFC package, bringing an end to NBC's 33 year stint.
Along with being the first African-American to be the play-by-play announcer for a Super Bowl, Greg Gumbel also became the third
person to both host a Super Bowl pre-game show and call the game. Gumbel was the host during his first stint with CBS for Super
Bowl XXVI and he was the pre-game host for Super Bowls XXX and XXXII when he was with NBC. He joined Dick Enberg and Al
Michaels. Pregame ceremonies Before the game, a pregame show titled "Life's Super in Central Florida" was held, featuring Sting,
Styx, and PYT. To honor the 225th anniversary of the birth of the United States, singer Ray Charles performed "America the
Beautiful". The song was signed (ASL) by Tom Cooney. To honor the 10th anniversary of the Persian Gulf War, 10 military veterans
from the conflict including former general Norman Schwarzkopf were introduced on the field. The pop group (and Florida natives)
The Backstreet Boys then sang the national anthem.
The coin toss ceremony honored the two previous Super Bowls that were played in Tampa. Representing the New York Giants win in
Super Bowl XXV was the game's MVP Ottis Anderson and former head coach Bill Parcells. Representing the Los Angeles Raiders
win in Super Bowl XVIII was that game's MVP Marcus Allen and former head coach Tom Flores. Halftime show The halftime show
was produced by MTV, then a sister network of CBS, and featured Aerosmith, 'N Sync, Britney Spears, Nelly, Mary J. Blige, and
Tremors featuring The Earthquake Horns. The show featured a back-and-forth medley between Aerosmith and 'N Sync, featuring the
songs "Jaded" and "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith (the former song was from their then-upcoming album Just Push Play)
and "Bye Bye Bye" and "It's Gonna Be Me" by 'N Sync. The show ended with all of the performers singing Aerosmith's "Walk This
Way". Game summary Both defenses dominated early in the first quarter as the first five possessions of the game ended in punts. On
the fifth punt, Ravens kickoff/punt returner Jermaine Lewis returned the ball 33 yards to the New York 31-yard line. Although a
holding penalty on the return moved the ball back to the 41-yard line, Baltimore took only two plays to score on quarterback Trent
Dilfer's 38-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon Stokley. Early in the second quarter, a holding penalty against the Giants
nullified linebacker Jessie Armstead's 43-yard interception return for a touchdown that would have tied the game. Later in the period,
Dilfer completed a 44-yard pass to receiver Qadry Ismail to set up a 47-yard field goal by Ravens kicker Matt Stover to extend
Baltimore's lead, 10-0. With the aid of a 27-yard run from running back Tiki Barber, the Giants advanced all the way to the Ravens'
29-yard line on their ensuing drive, but Baltimore defensive back Chris McAlister intercepted a pass from Kerry Collins to keep New
York scoreless at halftime. The Giants forced the Ravens to punt on the opening drive of the second half. Five plays later, Baltimore
safety Kim Herring intercepted Collins at the New York 41-yard line. The Ravens then advanced to the 24-yard line, but the drive
stalled and Stover missed a 41-yard field goal attempt. After an exchange of punts, Baltimore defensive back Duane Starks intercepted
a pass from Collins and returned it 49 yards for a touchdown, setting off a chain of events unseen before in Super Bowl history: three
touchdowns on three consecutive plays in 36 seconds. On the ensuing kickoff, Ron Dixon returned the ball 97 yards for the Giants'
first and only score of the game. But Jermaine Lewis returned the next kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown, making the score 24-7 for
the Ravens. It was the first time in history two kickoffs were returned for touchdowns in the same Super Bowl game, and on back-toback kickoffs. The Giants gained only one first down on their final four possessions, and was never able to move the ball into
Baltimore territory. Meanwhile the Ravens added 10 more points to their lead, making the final score 34-7. A few possessions after
Jermaine Lewis' touchdown, New York punter Brad Maynard's 34-yard punt from his own 4 to the 38-yard line and tight end Ben
Coates' 17-yard reception set up a 3-yard touchdown run by running back Jamal Lewis early in the fourth quarter. Dixon fumbled the
ensuing kickoff to Baltimore defender Robert Bailey, setting up Stover's 34-yard field goal with 5:27 left in the game.
February 3, 2002 New England Patriots(AFC) vs. St. Louis Rams(NFC) 20-17 STL 3 0 0 14 17 NE 0 14 3 3 20 Stadium Louisiana
Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana MVP Tom Brady, Quarterback (New England) Favorite Rams by 14 National anthem Mariah
Carey Halftime show U2 Future Hall of Famers Patriots: none. Rams: Marshall Faulk Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football
game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League
(NFL) champion following the 2001 regular season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots (14-5)
won their first Super Bowl by defeating the National Football Conference (NFC) champion St. Louis Rams (16-3), 20-17, as kicker
Adam Vinatieri made a game-winning 48-yard field goal as time expired. The Rams had been 14-point favorites to win the game,
making the Patriots' victory one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history.Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady, who completed 16 of 27
passes for 145 yards with a touchdown and marched his team down the field for the game winning score, was named Super Bowl
MVP.Due to the September 11 attacks and the NFL schedule being moved one week later, Super Bowl XXXVI was rescheduled from
the original date of January 27 to February 3. On December 16, 2002, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designated each
subsequent Super Bowl a National Special Security Event (NSSE). By 2004, the league had restored the traditional pre-Super Bowl
bye week that had been abolished prior to the 2001 NFL season, to reduce the possibility of the Super Bowl being unexpectedly
delayed again (as it turned out, the league never intended to permanently abolish the bye week, only being removed for 2 seasons due
to the NFL shifting the opening weekend to after Labor Day). Background St. Louis Rams After their Super Bowl-winning 1999
season, the Rams offense again dominated the league in 2000, leading the NFL in passing, scoring, and total yards. However, the
Rams had one of the worst defenses in the league, ranking second to last in points allowed. This, along with injury problems and a
coaching change (Super Bowl winning coach Dick Vermeil left the team and was replaced by Mike Martz), caused the team to slip to
a 10–6 record in 2000. The season ended with a loss to the New Orleans Saints in the wild card round of the playoffs. After signing
several new defensive players in the offseason, and hiring new defensive coordinator Lovie Smith, the Rams finished the 2001 season
with the NFL's best regular season record at 14–2, and advanced to their second Super Bowl appearance in three seasons. In 2001,
they led the league in both total offensive yards (6,930) and scoring (503). This was the Rams' third consecutive season with over 500
points, an NFL record. On defense, they only allowed 271 points, improving their 31st ranking from last season to 7th. The Rams'
1999–2001 offense, nicknamed "The Greatest Show on Turf," is widely considered one of the best in NFL history. The team
possessed an incredible amount of offensive talent at nearly every position. In 2001, quarterback Kurt Warner was awarded his second
NFL Most Valuable Player Award after throwing for 4,830 yards and 36 touchdowns, with 22 interceptions, and earned a league high
101.4 passer rating. Wide receivers Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce each amassed over 1,100 receiving yards, combining for 142
receptions, 2,469 yards, and 13 touchdowns. Wide receiver Ricky Proehl caught 40 passes for 563 yards and 5 touchdowns. Tight end
Ernie Conwell caught 38 passes for 431 yards and 4 touchdowns. Wide receiver Az-Zahir Hakim caught 39 passes for 374 yards, and
added another 333 yards returning punts. Running back Marshall Faulk won NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award for the third
year in a row. He rushed for 1,382 yards, caught 83 passes for 765 yards, scored 21 touchdowns, and became the first NFL player ever
to gain more than 2,000 combined rushing and receiving yards for 4 consecutive seasons. Running back Trung Canidate was also a
major contributor, rushing for 441 yards, catching 17 passes for 154 yards, returning kickoffs for 748 yards, and scoring 6 touchdowns.
Up front, their offensive line was led by guard Adam Timmerman and offensive tackle Orlando Pace, who was selected to the Pro
Bowl for the third year in a row. The Rams also had a solid defense, ranking third in the league in fewest yards allowed (4,733). The
line was anchored by Pro Bowl defensive end Leonard Little, who led the team with 14.5 sacks and recovered a fumble, and defensive
end Grant Wistrom, who recorded 9 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 1 fumble recovery. Behind them, the Rams linebacking core was led
by London Fletcher, who had 4.5 sacks and 2 interceptions. St. Louis also had an outstanding secondary, led by Dre' Bly (6
interceptions, 150 return yards, and 2 touchdowns), Pro Bowler Aeneas Williams (4 interceptions, 69 return yards, 2 touchdowns), and
Dexter McCleon (4 interceptions, 66 yards). New England Patriots The Patriots' chances for a Super Bowl appearance seemed bleak
shortly after the season had begun. Before the season even started, quarterbacks coach Dick Rehbein died of a heart attack. The
Patriots, coached by Bill Belichick, lost their first two games. In the second loss, at home to the New York Jets, starting quarterback
Drew Bledsoe suffered a sheared blood vessel on a hit by Jets linebacker Mo Lewis that would cause him to miss several weeks. His
replacement was second-year quarterback Tom Brady, a sixth-round draft pick who had thrown only 3 passes in 2000. Also, during
the fourth game of the year, wide receiver Terry Glenn, the team's leading receiver in 2000, was benched due to off-the-field problems.
Upon assuming the role of starting quarterback, Brady enjoyed immediate success in the regular season, leading New England to an
11–5 record. He completed 63.9 percent of his passes for 2,843 yards and 18 touchdowns with 12 interceptions and was selected to the
Pro Bowl. Veteran Pro Bowl wide receiver Troy Brown was the main receiving threat, recording 101 receptions for 1,199 yards and 5
touchdowns, while also adding another 413 yards and 2 touchdowns returning punts. Wide receiver David Patten also was productive,
catching 51 passes for 749 yards and 4 touchdowns. Running back Antowain Smith provided the team with a stable running game,
rushing for 1,157 yards, catching 19 passes for 192 yards, and scoring 13 touchdowns. New England was good on defense as well. Up
front, linemen Bobby Hamilton (7 sacks, 1 fumble recovery), and rookie Richard Seymour excelled at pressuring quarterbacks and
stuffing the run. Behind them, the Patriots had 3 outstanding linebackers: Mike Vrabel (2 interceptions, 3 sacks), Willie McGinest (5
sacks), and Tedy Bruschi (2 interceptions). The secondary also featured outstanding talent such as defensive back Otis Smith, who led
the team with 5 interceptions for 181 yards and 2 touchdowns. Cornerback Ty Law intercepted 3 passes, returning them for 91 yards
and 2 touchdowns. Safety Lawyer Milloy had 2 interceptions during the season, and was selected along with Law to represent the
New England defense in the Pro Bowl. The defense ended the season ranked 6th in scoring, but 24th in total defense. During the 2001
regular season, the Patriots hosted the Rams in a nationally televised ESPN Sunday night game on November 18. Although the
Patriots jumped out to an early lead, a critical turnover before the end of the first half that led to a Rams score proved costly. In the
second half, the Rams wore New England down and won 24–17. The Rams lost four of their defensive players with injuries. The
Patriots' physical play led Rams coach Mike Martz to say after the game that the Patriots were "a Super Bowl–caliber team." After the
loss, the Patriots dropped to 5–5, but would not lose again the rest of the season. Coincidentally, this was the third straight time that
the New England Patriots Super Bowl appearance was hosted in New Orleans. The Patriots did not appear in a Super Bowl hosted by
another city until the team played in Super Bowl XXXVIII two years later in Houston, Texas. Playoffs The Rams began their
postseason run with a 45–17 win over the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round. Expected to be a close shootout between Warner
and Packers quarterback Brett Favre, the Rams defense dominated the Packers by intercepting a playoff record 6 passes from Favre
and returning 3 of them for touchdowns. The Rams offense also racked up 24 points on 2 touchdown passes by Warner, a touchdown
run by Faulk, and a field goal by Jeff Wilkins, helping St. Louis put the game away by the end of the third quarter. One week later, the
Rams advanced to the Super Bowl with a 29–24 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC championship game. Philadelphia
managed to build a 17–13 halftime lead, but St. Louis scored 16 consecutive second half points (2 touchdown runs by Faulk and a
Wilkins field goal) to earn the win. Warner finished the game with 22 of 33 pass completions for 212 yards and a touchdown, with no
interceptions, while Faulk rushed for 159 yards and 2 touchdowns. In the AFC, the Patriots defeated the Oakland Raiders 16–13 in the
final game at Foxboro Stadium played in a driving New England snowstorm. The signature moment of the game was a controversial
ruling by referee Walt Coleman in the fourth quarter that would cause this game to commonly be known as the "tuck rule game".
While the Patriots possessed the ball, trailing the Raiders 13–10 with under two minutes left in regulation and no time outs, Tom
Brady was sacked by defensive back Charles Woodson, and appeared to fumble the ball. The fumble was recovered by Raiders
linebacker Greg Biekert, presumably ending the game with a Raiders victory. After reviewing the play using instant replay, Coleman
reversed the call on the field pursuant to the "tuck rule", where a ball is ruled an incomplete pass after the quarterback starts any
forward motion. Brady then led his team to the Raiders 27-yard line, where kicker Adam Vinatieri made a 45-yard field goal which
barely cleared the crossbar to send the game into overtime. The Patriots won the toss in overtime and would win on another Vinatieri
field goal from 23 yards. Oakland's offense never regained possession. In the AFC title game, the Patriots traveled to Heinz Field to
face the Pittsburgh Steelers, who were coming off a 27–10 win over the previous season's Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens.
New England scored first with a 55-yard punt return touchdown by Troy Brown, but in the second quarter, Brady was knocked out of
the game with a sprained ankle. He would be replaced by Drew Bledsoe in Bledsoe's first game action since being injured in
September. Upon entering the game, Bledsoe quickly moved the Patriots down the field and threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to
David Patten to give the Patriots a 14–3 halftime lead. Early in the second half, the Steelers moved from their own 32 to the New
England 16, where they lined up for a field goal by Kris Brown. However, Brandon Mitchell blocked the kick, Troy Brown picked up
the ball at the 40 and ran 11 yards before lateraling to Antwan Harris, who took it 49 yards for a touchdown that made the score 21–3.
But Pittsburgh scored two third quarter touchdowns to make the score 21–17. The Patriots ended the comeback attempt by scoring a
field goal in the fourth quarter and intercepting 2 passes from Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart in the final 3 minutes of the game.
Effect of the September 11, 2001 attacks Preparations for Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans were planned ever since the city was
awarded the game during the NFL's October 1998 meetings. However, the September 11, 2001 attacks led the league to move both the
playoffs and the Super Bowl back by one week. Rescheduling the game from January 27 to February 3 proved extraordinarily difficult.
In addition to rescheduling the game itself, all related events and activities had to be accommodated. This marked the first time in NFL
history that the Super Bowl was played in the month of February; however, all subsequent Super Bowls (excluding Super Bowl
XXXVII) would be played in February. Historically, the NFL made allowance for an open weekend between the Conference
Championship games and the Super Bowl. However, there wasn't one scheduled for 2001, due to the NFL's decision beginning in the
1999 season to move the opening week of games to the weekend after Labor Day. Because the date of the Super Bowl had been set
through 2003, the bye week before the Super Bowl would not return until 2004. The NFL and New Orleans officials worked diligently
to put together a deal to reschedule the game. The league considered a number of options, including shortening the regular season,
shortening the playoffs, condensing the three playoff rounds in two weeks, and moving the game to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena,
California. It was eventually decided to make every effort to maintain a full regular season and playoff, and push the Super Bowl back
to February 3. One of the most significant logistical challenges was accommodating the National Automobile Dealers Association
Convention, which was originally slated to occupy the Superdome on February 3. On October 3, 2001, the NFL announced its
intentions to hold the game on February 3, even though no agreement was in hand with NADA. Several weeks later, the three parties
reached an agreement, where the NADA would move its convention date to the original Super Bowl week in exchange for financial
and other considerations, including promotional spots shown during selected regular season NFL games. This agreement permitted the
NFL to move the game back to February 3, and allowed for a full standard playoff tournament. Initially, the original logo for Super
Bowl XXXVI had a style that reflected the host city. The original logo was distributed on some memorabilia items during 2001.
However, after the 9/11 attacks, a new logo reflecting American pride was designed, featuring the shape of the 48 contiguous states
(see the top of this article). Venue This was the last Super Bowl played on AstroTurf. From 2000 to 2005, NFL stadiums phased out
AstroTurf in favor of natural grass or other surfaces that closely simulate grass, such as FieldTurf. Prior to Super Bowl XXXVI,
Superdome officials considered installing natural grass for the game. The proposed system was comparable to what had been used at
the Silverdome during the 1994 World Cup, and at Giants Stadium from 2000–2002. Large trays of grass would be grown and
cultivated outdoors, then brought inside the dome and placed on the field of play. In the end, cost and quality concerns prompted
stadium and league officials to abandon the project. Television and entertainment The game was broadcast in the United States by Fox
television, with the broadcast team of play-by-play announcer Pat Summerall and color commentator John Madden. Pam Oliver and
Ron Pitts served as sideline reporters. This was Summerall's 26th and (to date) final Super Bowl broadcast on television or radio, as
well as the eighth and final Super Bowl telecast (and final NFL telecast of any kind) for Summerall and Madden as a team; the two
had been paired since 1981 (dating back to their days at CBS). Madden would move to ABC following Summerall's retirement, which
would make him the first person to announce Super Bowls on different networks in consecutive years when he called Super Bowl
XXXVII with Al Michaels. James Brown hosted all the events with help from his then-fellow Fox NFL Sunday cast members Terry
Bradshaw, Howie Long and Cris Collinsworth. Jillian Barberie served as the weather and entertainment reporter during the pre-game
show. Pregame ceremonies Before the game, an ensemble of singers Barry Manilow, Yolanda Adams, James Ingram, Wynonna and
Patti LaBelle performed Manilow's song "Let Freedom Ring." In a video segment, past and present NFL players read excerpts from
the Declaration of Independence. Former U.S. presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, George H. W. Bush, and Bill Clinton appeared
in another videotaped segment and recited some of the speeches by Abraham Lincoln. Because Ronald Reagan had Alzheimer's
disease, his wife Nancy appeared on the segment instead. Singers Mary J. Blige and Marc Anthony, along with the Boston Pops
Orchestra, performed "America the Beautiful". Paul McCartney then sang his post-9/11 song "Freedom". Afterwards, singer Mariah
Carey, accompanied by the Boston Pops Orchestra, performed the national anthem. George H. W. Bush became the first president,
past or present, to participate in a Super Bowl coin toss in person (Ronald Reagan participated in the Super Bowl XIX coin toss via
satellite from the White House in 1985). Bush was joined by hall of fame and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach,
who played at the United States Naval Academy and was the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl VI, played 30 years prior at New
Orleans' Tulane Stadium. Patriots entrance into the Superdome As was customary at the time, the Rams' offensive starters were
introduced first, as the Rams were considered the visitors. However, when it came time to introduce the Patriots' starters, Pat
Summerall, making the public address announcement, revealed that the Patriots chose "to be introduced as a team." According to
David Halberstam's book, The Education of a Coach, Belichick was given a choice by the NFL to introduce either the offense or
defense. Belichick chose neither, asking that the team be introduced all at once in the spirit of unity. Although this was initially
rejected by the NFL, Belichick held his ground and the NFL honored his request. This event set a precedent, and today both Super
Bowl contestants are introduced as a team. Halftime show The halftime show featured a three-song set from Irish rockers U2, who had
just completed their successful Elevation Tour. After a rendition of "Beautiful Day", the band launched into "MLK" and "Where the
Streets Have No Name", both featuring two backdrops with the names of victims of the 9/11 attacks floating into the sky behind the
band. While singing "Where the Streets Have No Name," Bono replaced the lyrics 'take shelter from the poison rain' to 'dance in the
Louisiana rain' and 'high on a desert plain' with 'where there's no sorrow or pain'. At the conclusion of the song, Bono opened his
jacket to reveal an American flag printed into the lining. In 2009, SI.com ranked it as the best halftime show in Super Bowl history,
and the second greatest by Askmen.com. Commercials Memorable television commercials that aired during the game included Sony
Pictures trailer for Spider-Man and Budweiser’s “Picking a Card.” ADBOWL ranked M&M’s “Chocolate on our Pillow” as the best
commercial of the year. Game summary The Rams scored first midway through the first quarter, with Kurt Warner completing 6 of 7
passes for 43 yards on 48 yard, 10 play drive to set up a 50-yard field goal by kicker Jeff Wilkins. At the time, the field goal was the
third longest in Super Bowl history. The rest of the quarter was scoreless. Early in the second quarter, the Rams drove to New
England's 34-yard line, but quarterback Kurt Warner threw an incompletion on third down, and Wilkins' subsequent 52-yard field goal
attempt sailed wide left. With 8:49 left in the second quarter, New England defensive back Ty Law intercepted a pass intended for
receiver Isaac Bruce and scored on a 47-yard return to give the Patriots a 7–3 lead. With less than two minutes left in the first half,
Warner completed a pass to receiver Ricky Proehl at the Patriots 40-yard line, but New England defensive back Antwan Harris forced
a fumble while tackling him, which was recovered by Patriots defensive back Terrell Buckley. New England quarterback Tom Brady
started off the Patriots drive with a 16-yard completion to Troy Brown and finished it with an 8-yard touchdown pass to receiver
David Patten with 31 seconds left in the half to give New England a 14–3 halftime lead. This was the first time in the 2001 season that
St. Louis fell behind in a game by more than eight points. The Patriots took the opening kickoff of the second half, but could only
reach the St. Louis 43-yard line before being forced to punt. Aided by a 20-yard reception by wide receiver Az-Zahir Hakim, a 22yard reception by Bruce, and a defensive pass interference penalty on Patriots defensive back Otis Smith, the Rams advanced to the
New England 41-yard line. However, on the next play, linebacker Mike Vrabel and defensive lineman Richard Seymour sacked
Warner for a 9-yard loss. Warner then threw 2 consecutive incomplete passes, which resulted in the Rams punting. Later in the third
quarter, Otis Smith intercepted a pass intended for Rams wide receiver Torry Holt after Holt slipped while coming off the line of
scrimmage, and returned the ball 30 yards to the Rams 33-yard line. Though St. Louis' defense did not give up a touchdown to the
Patriots, kicker Adam Vinateri made a 37-yard field goal to increase New England's lead to 17–3. The Rams responded by driving to
the Patriots' 3-yard line on their ensuing drive. On fourth-and-goal, the Rams attempted to score a touchdown, calling for a
quarterback sneak by Warner. Warner fumbled the ball while being tackled by linebacker Roman Phifer, which was recovered by
defensive back Tebucky Jones who returned it 97 yards for a touchdown that would have increased the Patriots lead to 23–3. However,
the play was nullified by a holding penalty on linebacker Willie McGinest, who illegally hugged Rams running back Marshall Faulk
and prevented him from becoming an eligible receiver, which in turn gave the Rams a first down on the 1-yard line instead. On second
down, Warner scored on a 2-yard touchdown run to make the score 17–10, Patriots. After Warner's touchdown, the Rams defense
forced the Patriots to a three-and-out. St. Louis then drove from their own 7-yard line to the New England 36-yard line, aided by a 30yard reception by Proehl. However, McGinest sacked Warner for a 16-yard loss on second down, pushing the Rams back to their 46yard line. St. Louis ended up punting after Warner's third down pass was incomplete. The Rams forced New England to another threeand-out, and got the ball back on their own 45-yard line with 1:51 left in the game. Warner threw three consecutive completions: an
18-yard pass to Hakim, an 11-yard one to receiver Yo Murphy, and finally a 26-yard touchdown completion to Proehl that tied the
game 17–17 with 1:30 left in the fourth quarter. Two years later, Ricky Proehl would do the same thing with the Carolina Panthers
against the Patriots. The Patriots had no timeouts left for their ensuing drive, which resulted in color commentator John Madden
initially suggesting that the Patriots should run out the clock and attempt to win in overtime. Instead, New England attempted to get
the winning score in regulation on the final drive. Brady opened the drive with three completions to running back J.R. Redmond,
which moved the ball to their 41-yard line with 33 seconds left. After an incomplete pass, Brady completed a 23-yard pass to wide
receiver Troy Brown, and followed it up with a 6-yard completion to tight end Jermaine Wiggins to advance to the Rams' 30-yard line.
Brady then spiked the ball with seven seconds left, which set up Vinatieri's 48-yard field goal attempt. Vinatieri's game-winning kick
was successful, marking the first time in Super Bowl history that a game was won by a score on the final play. Final statistics
Overview Warner finished the game with 28 completions out of 44 passes for 365 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions, and rushed
3 times for 6 yards and a touchdown. Warner's 365 passing yards were the second highest total in Super Bowl history behind his own
record of 414 yards set in Super Bowl XXXIV. Hakim was the top receiver of the game with 5 catches for 90 yards, and also rushed
once for 5 yards. Faulk led the team with 76 rushing yards, and also caught 4 passes for 54 yards. Patriots running back Antowain
Smith was the top rusher of the game with 92 yards, and caught a pass for 4 yards. Troy Brown was the Patriots leading receiver with
6 catches for 89 yards. Brown also had a 15-yard kickoff return, and a 4-yard punt return, which gave him 108 total yards. Although
the Rams outgained the Patriots 427–267 in total yards, New England forced three turnovers that were converted into 17 points. The
Patriots committed no turnovers. Records Kurt Warner's 365 passing yards were the second highest total in Super Bowl history behind
his own record of 414 yards set in Super Bowl XXXIV; This is the only Super Bowl to date in which the lead changed on the last play
of the game.; Tom Brady had the third lowest passing yards total for a Super Bowl MVP quarterback with 145. Brady's was the first
such award to include a contribution from fan voting. The following year's "Lindy's Pro Football Annual" reported had fan voting not
been a contribution in the game, Patriots' cornerback Ty Law would have won the award; This was the commonwealth of
Massachusetts' first major professional championship since the Boston Celtics' NBA title in 1986 ;The Rams' 4th-quarter comeback of
14 points is the largest in Super Bowl history for a team to tie or take the lead in the 4th quarter. Also just the second time a team
down 10 or more points in the 4th quarter had tied the game, the other being the Titans against the Rams two years earlier in Super
Bowl XXXIV;
January 26, 2003Tampa Bay Buccaneers(NFC) vs. Oakland Raiders (AFC) 48-21 OAK 3 0 6 12 21 TB 3 17 14 14 48 Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium, San DiegoMVP Dexter Jackson, Safety Favorite Raiders by 4 National anthem Dixie Chicks Halftime show
Shania Twain, No Doubt and Sting Future Hall of Famers Buccaneers: none.Raiders: Jerry Rice, Rod Woodson Super Bowl XXXVII
was an American football game played on January 26, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National
Football League (NFL) champion following the 2002 regular season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Tampa Bay
Buccaneers (12-4) won their first Super Bowl by defeating the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Oakland Raiders (115), 48–21.Oakland came into the game as four-point favorites. However, the Tampa Bay defense dominated the contest. Raiders'
quarterback Rich Gannon threw a Super Bowl record five interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns. Bucs safety
Dexter Jackson, who had two of those interceptions and returned them for 34 yards, was named Super Bowl MVP. Jackson became
only the second safety and third defensive back to ever be named Super Bowl MVP.The attendance of 67,603 was the third-smallest
ever for a Super Bowl game, trailing only Super Bowl I (61,946) and Super Bowl XXVI (63,130).Super Bowl XXXVII is sometimes
referred to as the "Gruden Bowl" because the primary storyline surrounding the game revolved around Jon Gruden. Gruden was the
Raiders' head coach from 1998 to 2001 and then became the Buccaneers coach in 2002. Thus, it was "Gruden's old team" versus
"Gruden's new team." It has also been called the "Pirate Bowl" since both teams have pirate-related logos. It was also the first time in
Super Bowl history that the league's #1 ranked offense (Raiders) was pitted against the league's #1 ranked defense (Buccaneers). This
is the last Super Bowl to have been played in the month of January. Background Super Bowl XXXVII was originally awarded to San
Francisco in 1997 by the NFL owners. The 49ers had recently announced plans for a new stadium, and were rewarded with the Super
Bowl dependent upon its completion. However, the stadium plans had stalled by the fall of 1998, and thus the NFL reopened the
bidding for the game. San Diego, who had lost out on Super Bowl XXXVI, announced its interest. The city was then awarded the
game during a May 1999 meeting at Atlanta. As of 2011, and for the foreseeable future this is the last Super Bowl to be played in
California. Of the first 37 Super Bowls, 11 were played in California. It's also the last Super Bowl in which part of game was played in
sunlight. Later in 2003, California would host the Stanley Cup Finals, making it the only the second time that the same state hosted
both the Super Bowl and the Stanley Cup Finals in the same year, following California themselves ten years earlier, when the Los
Angeles Kings went to the finals four months after Pasadena hosted Super Bowl XXVII. Jon Gruden helps rebuild the Raiders After
moving back to Oakland, California in 1995, the Raiders suffered sub-par seasons, including a 4-12 record in 1997. Under Gruden's
leadership, the Raiders improved to 8-8 in both 1998 and 1999. The team was further boosted in 1999 with the signing of veteran
quarterback Rich Gannon. With Gannon as Quarter-Back, the team jumped to the 5th best offense in the league. The Raiders won the
AFC West in 2000 with a 12-4 record and the best rushing offense in the league. However, they lost the AFC Championship Game to
the eventual Super Bowl XXXV champion Baltimore Ravens, 16-3. Then, after signing veteran Pro Bowl wide receiver Jerry Rice and
defensive tackle Trace Armstrong, the team repeated as AFC West champions in 2001. But they were eliminated in the AFC
Divisional Game to the eventual Super Bowl XXXVI champion New England Patriots in what became known as "The Tuck Game",
in which a potential game-ending fumble recovery by the Raiders was overturned by instant replay. Gruden is "traded" to the
Buccaneers Raiders owner Al Davis was known to have the lowest salaries for coaches in the league, and Gruden was no exception.
Instead of paying a high salary for Gruden, Davis opted to trade the rights for Gruden to the Buccaneers in exchange for four draft
picks, in a deal similar to what Patriots owner Robert Kraft made with the New York Jets to get head coach Bill Belichick in 2000.
The Buccaneers ended up giving two first round picks, two second round picks and $8 million to the Raiders to get Gruden. Tampa
Bay was desperate to have someone rebuild their offense so it would complement their powerful defense in an attempt to win the
Super Bowl. For most of their history, the Buccaneers were regarded as losers, only making the playoffs 3 times in their first 20
seasons. But all that changed when the team hired Tony Dungy as head coach in 1996. Dungy, along with his defensive coordinator
Monte Kiffin, rebuilt the defense around a core group of players such as defensive lineman Warren Sapp, linebacker Derrick Brooks,
and defensive backs Ronde Barber and John Lynch. By 1997, Tampa Bay ranked 3rd in the league in total yards allowed, 2nd in 1998,
and 3rd in 2000. With one of the best defenses in the league, Dungy helped guide the Buccaneers to 4 playoff appearances in his 6
years as the team's head coach. But the team always had one of the worst offenses in the league, and this was a major factor in their
playoff losses. Thus, Dungy was fired and replaced by Gruden. Still, even Gruden had trouble getting the offense in sync during his
first year as Tampa Bay's head coach. In 2002, the Buccaneers ranked 25th in the league in total yards gained (5,222). Quarterback
Brad Johnson made the Pro Bowl, completing 281 out of 451 passes for 3,049 yards, 22 touchdowns, and only 6 interceptions.
Running back Michael Pittman led the team in rushing with 718 yards and one touchdown, and caught 59 passes for 477 yards. Pro
Bowl fullback Mike Alstott had 548 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns, and also had 35 receptions for 242 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson led the team with 76 receptions for 1,088 yards and 5 touchdowns, while wide receiver Keenan
McCardell had 61 receptions for 670 yards and 6 touchdowns. However, the Buccaneers' defense was still the strength of the team,
leading the NFL in total defense (252.8 yards per game), pass defense (155.6 yards per game), points allowed (12.3 points per game),
passing touchdowns allowed (10), interceptions (31), and opponent passer rating (48.4). Brooks, Lynch, Sapp and defensive end
Simeon Rice all had Pro Bowl years. Brooks led the team with 87 tackles and excelled at pass coverage, recording 5 interceptions, 218
return yards, and 2 touchdowns, plus 1 fumble return and 1 on a lateral from Sapp after a Sapp interception for a total of 4 touchdowns
(an NFL record for a linebacker). The defense as a whole had nine total touchdowns during the regular season and playoffs. Rice led
the team with 15.5 sacks. Sapp recorded 7.5 sacks and 2 interceptions. Cornerback Brian Kelly was also a big asset, leading the team
with 8 interceptions. The Raiders win without Gruden Despite the loss of Gruden in 2002, the Raiders under their new coach Bill
Callahan still managed to earn a share of the AFC's best record at 11-5. The offense led the league in total passing yards (4,689) and
ranked second in total yards gained (6,451). Gannon had a Pro Bowl season, completing 418 out of 618 passes for 4,689 yards, 26
touchdowns, and with 10 interceptions. His 418 completions and his 10 games with over 300 passing yards were both NFL records.
He also ran 50 times for 156 yards and 3 touchdowns. Rice, who was already the NFL's all time leader in nearly every receiving
record after 17 seasons, had a Pro Bowl season for the 13th time in his career with 92 receptions for 1,211 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Gannon's other weapons in passing game were 13-year veteran receiver Tim Brown (81 receptions for 930 yards and 2 touchdowns)
and young receiver Jerry Porter (51 receptions for 688 yards and 9 touchdowns). Multi-talented running back Charlie Garner was the
team's leading rusher with 962 yards and 7 touchdowns, while also leading all NFL running backs in receiving with 91 receptions for
941 yards and another 4 touchdowns. Running back Tyrone Wheatley was also a big contributor with 419 rushing yards and 71
receiving yards, while fullback Zack Crockett provided both of them with solid blocking and scored 8 touchdowns. Up front, their
offensive line was led by 2 Pro Bowlers, guard Lincoln Kennedy and center Barret Robbins. The Raiders' weakness was primarily on
their defense, which ranked 25th in the league in passing yards allowed (3,787) and 12th in total yards (5,240). But veteran Pro Bowl
safety Rod Woodson recorded 8 interceptions (which led the league) for 225 yards and 2 touchdowns. Up front, their line was
anchored by defensive tackle Rod Coleman, who led the team with 11 sacks. Behind him, the team had a solid veteran linebacker, Bill
Romanowski, who was playing in his 5th Super Bowl (after winning 2 championships with the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowls
XXIII and XXIV, and 2 while playing for the Denver Broncos in Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII). Defensive back Tory James was
also a big contributor with 4 interceptions. Playoffs The Buccaneers defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 31-6, and the Philadelphia
Eagles, 27-10, in the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Raiders were victorious against the New York Jets, 30-10, and the Tennessee Titans,
41-24. Super Bowl pregame news The Raiders entered the game favored to win their first Super Bowl in 19 years. However, much of
the media hype surrounded Gruden. Many speculated on whether or not Gruden still had some idea of what Oakland's game plans
would be, and how this knowledge would affect the game. Much of the hype revolved around the Gruden trade prior to the season.
This forced league commissioner Paul Tagliabue to issue a statement that he might ban all future trades for coaches involving draft
choices because it might compromise the draft. But a distraction for the Raiders was that starting center Barret Robbins went missing
for most of the week leading up to the game and ended up in the hospital. Backup Adam Treu (a former Pro Bowler) replaced Robbins
in the Super Bowl with no problems at his position. Television and entertainment The game was broadcast in the United States by
ABC with Al Michaels handling the play-by-play duties and color commentator John Madden, who became the first person to
announce Super Bowls on different networks in consecutive years, having called Super Bowl XXXVI on Fox and then moving to
ABC after Pat Summerall retired. The NFC improved to 6-0 on Super Bowls broadcast on ABC. Melissa Stark and Lynn Swann
roamed the sidelines. Chris Berman from Disney-owned corporate sibling ESPN hosted all the events. Berman was joined by fellow
ESPN analyst Steve Young, Baltimore Ravens head coach Brian Billick, and New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan. The
Super Bowl was the first of three major professional sports championship series ABC broadcast in 2003, as they would also broadcast
the Stanley Cup Finals and the NBA Finals. Both the Super Bowl and the Stanley Cup Finals were hosted by Berman on ABC
(Berman co-hosted the Stanley Cup Finals with John Saunders.) and took place in the state of California. The state of California had
representation in both finals series. Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and John Davidson mentioned all of these when they called the
Stanley Cup Finals. Pregame ceremonies Before the game, a show called "Santana and Friends" performed on the field. Carlos
Santana was joined by Beyoncé and Michelle Branch and sang truncated versions of "Oye Como Va," "The Game of Love", and "Foo
Foo." In a nod to what the New England Patriots did the previous year in Super Bowl XXXVI, both teams were introduced as a team,
rather than offensive and defensive starters, after highlights of their seasons were simulcast on the video boards in the stadium and on
television. Celine Dion then sang "God Bless America" and later the Dixie Chicks sang the national anthem. This was the first (and
only) time that "God Bless America" was performed at a Super Bowl. The flyover was performed by VFA-97, United States Navy out
of Lemoore, California. To honor the 30th anniversary of the 17-0 undefeated, perfect season of the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the
following members of that team appeared during the coin toss ceremony: Don Shula, Bob Griese, Larry Csonka, Larry Little, Jim
Langer, Nick Buoniconti, Paul Warfield. Memorable television commercials that aired during the game included the "Terry Tate:
Office Linebacker" Reebok ad and the Budweiser Zebra Referee. ADBOWL ranked FedEx’s “Castaway” as the best commercial of
the year. Halftime show Shania Twain, No Doubt, and Sting were featured during the halftime show, which was sponsored by AT&T
Wireless. Twain sang her hits "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" and "Up!". No Doubt then sang their hit "Just a Girl" with lead singer
Gwen Stefani ad-libbing lines like "I'm just a girl at the Super Bowl!" The show concluded with Sting performing "Message in a
Bottle", in which Stefani joined midway through. NBC provided counter-programming against the halftime show, airing a live
segment of "Weekend Update" from the comedy-variety show Saturday Night Live featuring Jimmy Fallon and Tina Fey. Post-game
ceremonies Bon Jovi appeared as part of the post-game ceremonies, performing "It's My Life" prior to the Vince Lombardi Trophy
presentation and "Everyday" afterwards (most of the latter performance was not shown on ABC because the network cut to
commercials). Game summary First half:
As many sports fans and writers predicted, Gruden's prior knowledge of the Raiders was a major factor in the Buccaneers' win in
Super Bowl XXXVII. The most damaging piece of evidence is NFL Films footage of Tampa Bay defensive back John Lynch telling
his teammates during the game that almost all of the plays ran by Oakland's offense were plays that Gruden (who that week even
played the part of "Rich Gannon" by playing QB with the scout-team offense) specifically told them to look out for. Better still for the
Buccaneers was that Oakland hadn't changed their audible-calling signals that Gruden himself had installed, thus tipping off plays
repeatedly. As a result, Tampa Bay dominated Oakland, outgaining them in total yards (365 to 269), rushing yards (150 to 19), first
downs (24 to 11), offensive plays (76 to 60), and forced turnovers (5 to 1). The Raiders had a great chance to score a touchdown early
in the game after cornerback Charles Woodson intercepted Buccaneers quarterback Brad Johnson's pass on the third play of the game
and returned it 12 yards to the Tampa Bay 36-yard line. But 6 plays later, Tampa Bay defensive end Simeon Rice sacked Raiders
quarterback Rich Gannon on third down, forcing Oakland to settle for kicker Sebastian Janikowski's 40-yard field goal to give them a
3-0 lead. Buccaneers kick returner Aaron Stecker returned the ensuing kickoff 27 yards to the 29-yard line, then appeared to fumble
the ball. Although the officials initially ruled that the ball was recovered by Oakland's Eric Johnson, the play was reviewed by instant
replay and the fumble was overturned, and thus Tampa Bay retained possession. On the first play of the drive, Brad Johnson
completed an 11-yard pass to receiver Joe Jurevicius. Johnson's next 2 passes were incomplete, but he then completed a 23-yard pass
to Jurevicius on third down to advance the ball to the Oakland 37-yard line. Running back Michael Pittman then rushed for a 23-yard
gain to the 13-yard line. However on the next 3 plays, the Raiders defense limited the Buccaneers to a pair of incompletions and a 1yard run. Kicker Martin Gramatica then made a 31-yard field goal to tie the game, 3–3. Later in the period, a 17-yard punt return by
Raiders defensive back Darrien Gordon gave Oakland the ball at their own 49-yard line. Gannon then threw an 8-yard pass to running
back Charlie Garner to reach the Tampa Bay 43-yard line. But on third down, Buccaneers safety Dexter Jackson intercepted Gannon's
pass at the 40-yard line and returned it 9-yards to near midfield. Then nine plays after the turnover, Gramatica kicked his second field
goal from 43 yards to give Tampa Bay a 6–3 lead. Jackson intercepted another pass on the Raiders' next drive and returned it 25 yards
to Oakland's 45-yard line, making Jackson the first player ever to record 2 interceptions in the first half of the Super Bowl. However,
the Buccaneers were unable to take advantage of the turnover and were forced to punt. Fortunately for Tampa Bay, they got a big
assist from their punter Tom Tupa, who managed to pin Oakland all the way back at their own 11-yard line with his punt. The Raiders
could not move the ball either, losing 1 yard on 3 plays with their ensuing drive. Tampa Bay punt returner Karl Williams then returned
Shane Lechler's punt 25 yards, giving the Buccaneers great field position at Oakland's 27-yard line. Aided with Pittman's gains of 6
and 19 yards, the Buccaneers scored their first touchdown on a 2-yard run from fullback Mike Alstott, increasing their lead 13–3.
Then with 3:45 left in the half, Tampa Bay drove 77 yards, assisted by a pair of catches by Alstott for 28 total yards. Johnson finished
the drive with a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Keenan McCardell to give the Buccaneers a 20–3 halftime lead. Second half
Tampa Bay continued to dominate the game for most of the third quarter. The Buccaneers forced the Raiders to punt on the opening
drive of the second half. Next, Tampa Bay marched 89 yards on a 14-play drive that took 7:52 off the clock, and ended with Johnson's
8-yard touchdown pass to McCardell to increase their lead to 27-3. Then on the second play of Oakland's ensuing drive, Buccaneers
defensive back Dwight Smith intercepted Gannon's pass and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown, making the score 34-3. After giving
up 34 points, Oakland finally managed to drive 82 yards down the field and score on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Gannon to wide
receiver Jerry Porter. Although he was initially ruled as being out of bounds when he caught the ball, it was determined that Porter had
one foot in the end zone and used it to drag the other foot out. The two-point conversion failed, so the Raiders were still down 34-9.
The Raiders' touchdown seemed to fire up their defense, who forced the Buccaneers to a fourth down on their ensuing possession.
Oakland linebacker Tim Johnson then blocked Tupa's punt, and linebacker Eric Johnson returned the ball 13 yards for a touchdown.
Another two-point conversion for Oakland failed, but Tampa Bay's lead was cut to 34-15. Tampa Bay responded by moving the ball to
the Oakland 9-yard line on their ensuing drive, featuring a 24-yard run by Pittman, but they came up empty after Tupa fumbled the
snap on a field goal attempt. A few plays later, Gannon threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jerry Rice with 6:06 left in
the game, cutting the Raiders deficit to 34-21. Rice became the first player to catch a touchdown pass in 4 different Super Bowls, and
third overall to have TDs in 4 Super Bowls (Thurman Thomas and John Elway). The two-point conversion failed when Jerry Porter
caught the ball but landed out of bounds. Though there was contact with a defender, the officials deemed the contact incidental rather
than a force-out, and therefore that part of the play was non-reviewable. In an attempt to prevent a Raiders comeback, the Buccaneers
managed to run the clock down to 2:44 on their ensuing drive before being forced to punt. Then on third and 18 from the Oakland 29yard line, Tampa Bay linebacker Derrick Brooks intercepted a pass from Gannon and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown, giving the
Buccaneers a 41-21 lead with only 1:18 left and putting the game out of reach. And a few plays later as the Raiders were now playing
for pride, Dwight Smith intercepted a tipped pass and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown (the 200th TD in Super Bowl history) to
seal the victory & give the Bucs their 1st Super Bowl championship. Gannon after the game said his performance was
"nightmarish".Final statistics Overview The Buccaneers became the first team in Super Bowl history to score three defensive
touchdowns. The Cowboys (XXVII) were the only previous team to score multiple defensive touchdowns. Johnson finished the game
with 18 out of 34 completions for 215 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 1 interception, along with 10 rushing yards. Pittman was the top
rusher of the game with 129 yards. Alstott was the game's second leading rusher with 15 yards and a touchdown, and had 5 receptions
for 43 yards. Wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson was the Buccaneers' leading receiver with 6 catches for 69 yards. Smith recorded 2
interceptions, 94 return yards, and 2 touchdowns. He also added another 23 yards on a kickoff return. Gannon finished the game 24
out of 44 for 272 yards and 2 touchdowns, but was intercepted a Super Bowl record 5 times. Garner was their leading rusher, but with
only 10 yards, and caught 7 passes for 51 yards. Rice was the Raiders' leading receiver of the game with 5 catches for 77 yards and a
touchdown. He became the first player to score touchdowns with two different teams in Super Bowls (Ricky Proehl and Muhsin
Muhammad have since joined him). Wide receiver Marcus Knight returned 8 kickoffs for 143 yards.
Jerry Rice and Bill Romanowski joined Gene Upshaw as the only players to appear in Super Bowls in three different decades. Rice
played in Super Bowls XXIII, XXIV, and XXIX. Romanowski played in Super Bowls XXIII, XXIV, XXXII, and XXXIII; the
Raiders' loss prevented Romanowski from joining Charles Haley as the only NFL player to earn 5 Super Bowl rings (Haley was also
with the 49ers for Super Bowls XXIII and XXIV, and later earned rings when the Dallas Cowboys won Super Bowls XXVII, XXVIII,
and XXX). The Raiders became the first team to appear in Super Bowls under four different head coaches. John Rauch coached them
in Super Bowl II, John Madden (who himself called Super Bowl XXXVII on ABC), coached them in Super Bowl XI and Tom Flores
coached them in Super Bowl XV and XVIII. The teams combined for the most second half points in a Super Bowl with 46 (28 for
Tampa Bay and 18 for Oakland) and the second most total points in a game with 69, tying Dallas and Buffalo who combined for 69
points in Super Bowl XXVII. The Raiders joined the Minnesota Vikings and Washington Redskins as the only teams that never
gained an extra point after scoring a touchdown. Background NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl XXXVIII to Houston during
their November 1, 2000 meeting. This was the first Super Bowl to be played in a stadium with a retractable roof (but it was eventually
closed during the game). It also marked the first time in 4 tries that the Patriots played a Super Bowl that was not in New Orleans. This
game marked a six-month stretch for Texas hosting the Super Bowl, Men's Final Four and Major League Baseball All-Star Game. The
Final Four was at the Alamodome in San Antonio and the All-Star game was also in Houston at nearby Minute Maid Park. The
Panthers go from 1-15 to the Super Bowl The Panthers made their first trip to the Super Bowl after posting a one-win regular season
just two years earlier. The franchise was only in their ninth year of existence, joining the league as an expansion team in 1995. In just
their second season, they posted a 12-4 regular season record and advanced to the NFC Championship Game, but lost to the eventual
Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers 30-13 (the Packers would coincidentally go on to defeat the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI
35-21). But from 1997 onward, they had just one non-losing season (an 8-8 finish in 1999) until they finally suffered through a
franchise worst 1-15 record in 2001, winning only the first game of the regular season against the Minnesota Vikings. After that year,
head coach George Seifert was relieved of his duties and replaced by John Fox, former defensive coordinator for the New York Giants
who helped lead the Giants to Super Bowl XXXV in 2000. With Fox at the helm and the team taking advantage of the free agent
market and the salary cap rules, the Panthers improved in 2002, finishing with a 7-9 record. Then in 2003, they recorded an 11-5
record and won the NFC South. One of the free agents that Carolina signed before the 2003 season was quarterback Jake Delhomme.
Delhomme was not picked by any team in the NFL Draft, but later joined the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1998.
Delhomme also then played for the NFL Europe's Frankfurt Galaxy in 1999, and along with Pat Barnes, he was part of the "doubleheaded quarterback monster" that led the Galaxy to a World Bowl victory over the Barcelona Dragons. Although he only played 6
games in his 5 seasons with New Orleans, the Panthers signed Delhomme in 2003 to be the backup to starting quarterback Rodney
Peete. However, after the Panthers fell to a 17-0 third quarter deficit in their first game of the season against the Jacksonville Jaguars,
gaining only one first down and 36 offensive yards, Fox immediately replaced Peete with Delhomme. Delhomme ended up leading
Carolina to a 24-23 comeback victory over the Jaguars. Delhomme became the team's starting quarterback for the rest of the season,
throwing for 3,219 yards and 19 touchdowns, with 16 interceptions. The team's main receiving threat was multi-talented third-year
wide receiver Steve Smith, who also specialized as a kickoff and punt returner. Smith caught 88 passes for 1,110 yards and 7
touchdowns, rushed for 42 yards, gained 439 yards and another touchdown returning punts, and recorded 309 kickoff return yards.
Wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad was also a constant breakaway threat, recording 54 receptions for 837 yards and 3 touchdowns.
However, the Panthers' strength on offense was their running game, led by running backs Stephen Davis and DeShaun Foster. Davis
was the team's leading rusher with a franchise record 1,444 yards and 8 touchdowns, while Foster rushed for 429 yards and caught 26
passes for 207 yards. Carolina also had running back Rod Smart on their roster, who became widely known for his XFL debut jersey
name "He Hate Me" during that league's only season in 2001. During 2003, Smart was primarily used as the Panthers' other kickoff
returner, recording 947 yards and one touchdown. On defense, Carolina's main strength was their defensive line, anchored by
defensive ends Julius Peppers (7 sacks and 3 forced fumbles) and Mike Rucker (12 sacks and 1 interception), and Pro Bowl defensive
tackle Kris Jenkins (5 sacks and 1 fumble recovery). The secondary was led by defensive backs Reggie Howard (2 interceptions),
Mike Minter (3 interceptions for 100 return yards and 2 touchdowns), Deon Grant (3 interceptions), and Ricky Manning Jr. (3
interceptions for 33 return yards and 1 touchdown). The Patriots go for two out of three Despite their victory in Super Bowl XXXVI
after the 2001 season, the Patriots stumbled early in the 2002 season, recorded a 9-7 regular season record, and failed to make the
playoffs. Then, New England seemed to implode before the 2003 season ever started. Five days before their opening game against the
Buffalo Bills, Pro Bowl safety Lawyer Milloy, one of the Patriots' defensive leaders, was unexpectedly cut by the team after refusing
to restructure his contract. The move devastated many of the New England players, while Milloy immediately signed with the Bills
two days later. With the Patriots seemingly in emotional disarray, Buffalo defeated New England, 31–0, with Milloy forcing an
interception and recording one sack and five tackles. However, after a 2–2 start, the Patriots ended up winning their last 12 games
(including a mirror 31–0 shutout of the Bills in the final week) to earn a league-best 14–2 record. Tom Brady, the Super Bowl XXXVI
MVP, had become the team's permanent starter in 2002 after quarterback Drew Bledsoe left the team to lead the Bills. Brady had a
solid season in 2003, completing 317 out of 527 (60.2 percent) of his passes for 3,620 yards and 23 touchdowns, with only 12
interceptions. His primary weapon was second year wide receiver Deion Branch, who caught 57 passes for 803 yards. Another key
contributor was wide receiver David Givens, who filled in for the injured starter David Patten. Givens recorded 34 receptions for 510
yards and 6 touchdowns. Other weapons in the passing game included veteran wide receiver Troy Brown, who had 40 receptions, 472
yards, 4 touchdowns, and 293 yards returning punts, and tight end Daniel Graham who recorded 28 catches, 409 yards, and 4
touchdowns. In the backfield, the team's rushing game was led by running backs Antowain Smith and Kevin Faulk, who carried the
ball equally. Smith was the team's leading rusher with 642 yards and 3 touchdowns, while Faulk rushed for 638 yards and caught 48
passes for 440 yards. New England's defense was retooled before the 2003 season when the team signed veteran safety Rodney
Harrison and defensive lineman Ted Washington as free agents. With these additions, the Patriots led the league in fewest passing
yards allowed per attempt (5.64), fewest passing touchdowns allowed (11), and most interceptions (29). They also ranked 4th in
fewest rushing yards allowed (1,434) and 7th in fewest total yards (4,919). Washington helped anchor New England's defensive line,
recording 32 tackles and 2 sacks. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Richard Seymour also contributed with 8 sacks. Behind them, the Patriots
had 3 outstanding linebackers: Pro bowler Willie McGinest (5.5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries and 1 interception), Mike Vrabel (9.5
sacks, 1 fumble recovery, four forced fumbles, and 2 interceptions), and Tedy Bruschi (131 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 3
interceptions, and 2 touchdowns). Harrison became the veteran leader in the secondary, recording 92 tackles, 3 interceptions, and 3
sacks. Meanwhile, Pro Bowl cornerback Ty Law recorded 6 interceptions, cornerback (and ex-Panther) Tyrone Poole had 6
interceptions for 112 return yards and 1 touchdown, and rookie safety Eugene Wilson recorded 4 interceptions. Overall, the secondary
combined for 19 interceptions. Common opponents of both teams The Patriots and Panthers both played against the AFC South and
NFC East in the regular season. The Patriots lost to the Washington Redskins 20-17 in Week Four but swept the rest of the NFC East
and the entire AFC South; the Patriots shut out Dallas in bitter cold and edged the Giants in the rain while hammering Philly following
the infamously erroneous "They hate their coach" quote from Tom Jackson; the Patriots also edged the Titans, Houston in overtime,
and former division rival Indianapolis in shootouts while routing Jacksonville (which also entered the NFL in 1995) in the regular
season, and then edged the Titans and hammered the Colts in the playoffs. The Panthers had less success, going 6-4 against the two
divisions, losing to the Titans and Houston while defeating Jacksonville and the Colts, and defeating Washington and the Giants while
losing to Philly and Dallas in the regular season, then routing the Cowboys and edging the Eagles in the playoffs. Scores of games
against common opponents - VS. Jacksonville Jaguars Panthers 24 vs. Jaguars 23 - Jake Delhomme's first game with the Panthers
Patriots; 27 vs. Jaguars 13; VS. Philadelphia Eagles Patriots 31 @ Eagles 10; Panthers 16 vs. Eagles 25 - (playoffs) Panthers 14 @
Eagles 3; VS. Washington Redskins Patriots 17 @ Redskins 20 - last loss until Halloween 2004; Panthers 20 vs. Redskins 17; VS.
Tennessee Titans Patriots 38 vs. Titans 30 - (playoffs) Patriots 17 vs. Titans 14; Panthers 17 vs. Titans 37 - loss ended six-game win
streak; VS. New York Giants Patriots 17 vs. NY Giants 6; Panthers 37 @ NY Giants 24; VS. Indianapolis Colts Panthers 23 @ Colts
20 (OT) - win ended Colts five-game win streak; Patriots 38 @ Colts 34 - (playoffs) Patriots 24 vs. Colts 14; VS. Houston Texans
Panthers 10 @ Texans 14; Patriots 23 @ Texans 20 (OT); VS. Dallas Cowboys Patriots 12 vs. Cowboys 0; Panthers 20 @ Cowboys
24 - (playoffs) Panthers 29 vs. Cowboys 10 Playoffs Since the Panthers finished with the third best regular season record in the NFC,
they had to win three playoff games to reach the Super Bowl. The St. Louis Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles had better regular
season records at 12-4, and thus under the playoff format, each would have to win two playoff games to reach the league
championship game. Against Carolina's first opponent, the Dallas Cowboys, Delhomme threw for 273 yards and a touchdown, Davis
recorded 104 rushing yards and a touchdown, and kicker John Kasay made 5 field goals, en route to a thorough 29–10 victory. The
Panthers then eliminated the Rams on the road, 29-23 in double overtime. St. Louis built a 6-0 lead early in the second quarter, but
Carolina took the lead after Muhammad's fumble recovery in the end zone. Both teams spent the rest of the second and the third
quarter exchanging field goals before Brad Hoover's 7-yard rushing touchdown gave the Panthers a 23-12 fourth quarter lead.
However, the Rams rallied back with a touchdown, a successful two-point conversion, and a field goal to send the game into overtime.
Both teams missed field goals in the first overtime period, but Delhomme threw a 69-yard touchdown pass to Smith on the first play of
the second overtime period to win the game. The Panthers then went on the road again to eliminate the Eagles in the NFC
Championship Game, 14-3. Philadelphia was coming off of a 20-17 overtime win over the Green Bay Packers, that included
quarterback Donovan McNabb's 28-yard pass to Freddie Mitchell on a famous play known as "4th and 26". This was the third
consecutive NFC Championship Game appearance for Philadelphia, and thus they were heavily favored to win. But Carolina's defense
only allowed a field goal and held McNabb to just 10 of 22 completions for 100 yards. Ricky Manning also intercepted McNabb 3
times. Although Carolina's offense only scored 14 points, it was more than enough for the team to earn their first trip to the Super
Bowl with a 14-3 win. The Panthers became the first No. 3 seed to advance to the Super Bowl since the league expanded to a 12-team
playoff format in 1990. In doing so, they were also the first division winner to advance to the league championship after playing three
playoff games. All other instances up to this point where teams advanced to the Super Bowl after playing all three rounds of the
playoffs were wild card teams in Super Bowls XV, XX, XXVII, XXXII, XXXIV, and XXXV. Prior to Super Bowl XVII, the Miami
Dolphins and Washington Redskins both won three playoff games to reach the Super Bowl, but that came during the strike-shortened
1982 season when the regular season was reduced to nine games and the playoffs were expanded to 16 teams, with no teams receiving
first-round byes. Since then, there have been five instances of teams advancing to the Super Bowl after playing three playoff games:
the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL as the No. 6 seeded team, the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI as the No. 3 seed, the
New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII as the No. 5 seed, the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII as the No. 4 seed, and the Green
Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV as the No. 6 seed. The Colts and Cardinals, like the Panthers, were division winners in those years
(Although in the Colts case, they played the No. 4 seeded New England Patriots in the AFC Championship that year, ensuring at least
the second division winner to play three rounds to make it to the Super Bowl.), and all but the Cardinals went on to win it all. The
Super Bowl would mark the third game (out of four) of the playoffs in which Carolina scored 29 points. Meanwhile, the Patriots first
defeated the Tennessee Titans, 17-14, in one of the coldest games in NFL history, with temperatures reaching 4°F (-15°C). New
England jumped to 14-7 lead in the first half with a touchdown pass by Brady and a touchdown run from Smith. However, quarterback
Steve McNair's 11-yard touchdown pass to receiver Derrick Mason tied the game in the third period. With 4:06 remaining in the game,
Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri made a 46-yard field goal to take the lead. New England's defense later clinched a victory as they
stopped the Titans from scoring on fourth down on their last drive of the game. New England then eliminated the Indianapolis Colts,
24-14, in the AFC Championship Game. The Colts entered the game leading the NFL in passing yards and ranked third in total
offensive yards. With quarterback Peyton Manning, wide receiver Marvin Harrison, and running back Edgerrin James, the Colts had
scored 79 points in their 2 playoff victories against the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs, including a 38-31 victory over the
Chiefs in the first puntless game in NFL playoff history. However, New England's defense dominated the Colts, only allowing 14
points, intercepting 4 passes from Manning (3 of them by Law), and forcing a safety. Although New England's offense only scored
one touchdown, Vinatieri scored 5 field goals to make up the difference. Television and entertainment The game was broadcast in the
United States by CBS with Greg Gumbel handling the play-by-play duties and color commentator Phil Simms in the broadcast booth.
Armen Keteyian and Bonnie Bernstein roamed the sidelines. Jim Nantz hosted all the events with help from his fellow cast members
from The NFL Today: Dan Marino, Deion Sanders, and Boomer Esiason. Pregame ceremonies Both teams passed on the opportunity
for their starters to be introduced individually before the game, a move perpetuated by the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI. The game
was held exactly one year after the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. To honor the one year anniversary of the Space Shuttle Columbia
disaster, American singer Josh Groban performed "You Raise Me Up". Also appearing on the field was the crew of STS-114, the
"Return to Flight" Space Shuttle mission that eventually launched Space Shuttle Discovery on July 26, 2005. Houston-born R&B
singer Beyoncé, then sang the national anthem. The coin toss ceremony featured former NFL players and Texas natives Earl Campbell,
Ollie Matson, Don Maynard, Y.A. Tittle, Mike Singletary, Gene Upshaw. Tittle tossed the coin. The NFL logo was painted at midfield
for the first time since Super Bowl XXX, and the Super Bowl XXXVIII logo was placed on the 25-yard lines. From Super Bowls
XXXI through XXXVII, the Super Bowl logo was painted at midfield, and the helmets of the teams painted at the 30-yard lines. From
Super Bowl VI through Super Bowl XXX, the NFL logo was painted on the 50-yard line, except for Super Bowls XXV and XXIX.
The Super Bowl XXV logo was painted at midfield and the NFL logo was painted at each 35-yard line. In Super Bowl XXIX, the
NFL 75th Anniversary logo was painted at midfield with the Super Bowl logo at each 30-yard line. Halftime show The most widely
discussed moment of Super Bowl XXXVIII came during halftime. The show was produced by Viacom's MTV and CBS Sports, and
was sponsored by America Online's TopSpeed software for dial-up Internet service. The show was themed supposedly around MTV's
Rock the Vote campaign, however beyond some flag imagery and a vague call to action for younger persons to vote in a celebrity
montage the first minute of the program, the theme was not called out for the remainder of the show. After a brief appearance by
Jessica Simpson, the show began with a joint performance by marching bands the Spirit of Houston, from the University of Houston,
and the "Ocean of Soul" of Texas Southern University. Next, Janet Jackson made her first appearance, singing "All for You". Then, P.
Diddy, Nelly, and Kid Rock appeared in that order and performed a mixture of their hits. After Jackson's performance of her song
"Rhythm Nation", Justin Timberlake appeared, and he and Jackson sang a duet of Timberlake's song "Rock Your Body". The
performance featured many suggestive dance moves by both Timberlake and Jackson. As the song reached the final line, "I'm gonna
have you naked by the end of this song," Timberlake pulled off a part of Jackson's costume, revealing her outer right breast (adorned
with a large, sun-shaped nipple shield, a piece of jewelery worn to accentuate the appearance of a nipple piercing). CBS immediately
cut to an aerial view of the stadium, however the action was too late to be effective. Many people considered this indecent exposure,
and numerous viewers contacted the network to complain, saying it was inappropriate in the context of a football game. This was the
most rewatched moment in TiVo history. Just before the start of the second half, a British streaker, Mark Roberts, ran onto the field
disguised as a referee, undressed, and performed a dance wearing only a thong. He was tackled to the ground by Patriots linebacker
Matt Chatham and arrested. It is not custom for American television to zoom in on such events, but it was later shown on Late Show
with David Letterman. He received a $1000 fine for trespassing. Commercials Memorable television commercials that aired during
the game included Frito-Lay’s “Dentures” and Pepsi’s “The Bears.” ADBOWL ranked Budweiser’s “Donkey Dream” as the best
commercial of the year.Game summary Most of the first half was a defensive struggle, with neither team able to score until late in the
second quarter, despite several early scoring opportunities for New England. After Carolina was forced to punt on their opening drive,
Patriots receiver Troy Brown gave his team great field position with a 28-yard return to the Panthers 47-yard line. The Patriots
subsequently marched to the 9-yard line, but Carolina kept them out of the end zone and Adam Vinatieri missed a 31-yard field goal
attempt. The Patriots forced Carolina to punt after 3 plays and again got the ball with great field position, receiving Todd Sauerbrun's
40-yard punt at the Panthers 49-yard line. New England then drove to the 31-yard line, but on third down, linebacker Will
Witherspoon tackled Brown for a 10-yard loss on an end-around play, pushing the Patriots out of field goal range. Later on, New
England drove 57 yards to the Panthers 18-yard line with 6 minutes left in the second period, but once again they failed to score as
Carolina kept them out of the end zone and Vinatieri's 36-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Panthers defender Shane Burton.
Meanwhile, the Carolina offense was stymied by the New England defense, with quarterback Jake Delhomme completing just one out
of his first nine passes, sacked three times, and fumbling once. That fumble occurred 3 plays after Vinatieri's second missed field goal;
Delhomme lost the ball while being sacked by linebacker Mike Vrabel, and Patriots defensive tackle Richard Seymour recovered the
ball at the Panthers 20-yard line; by this point of the game the Panthers had suffered a net loss of nine yards on twenty offensive snaps.
Two plays later, New England faced a third down and 7, but quarterback Tom Brady scrambled 12 yards to the 5-yard line for a first
down. Then wide receiver Deion Branch caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Brady on the next play. Branch's touchdown came
after 26:55 had elapsed in the game, setting the record for the longest amount of time a Super Bowl remained scoreless. The play also
suddenly set off a scoring explosion from both teams for the remainder of the first half. The Panthers stormed down the field on their
ensuing possession, driving 95 yards in 8 plays, and tying the game on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Delhomme to wide receiver
Steve Smith with just 1:07 left in the half. The Patriots immediately countered with a 6-play, 78-yard scoring drive of their own.
Starting from their own 22-yard line, Brady completed a 12-yard pass to wide receiver David Givens. Then after throwing an
incompletion, Brady completed a long pass to Branch, who caught it at the Panthers 24-yard line in stride before being tackled at the
14-yard line for a 52-yard gain. Three plays later, Givens caught a 5-yard touchdown from Brady to give New England a 14–7 lead
with only 18 seconds left in the half. The Patriots decided to squib kick the ensuing kickoff to prevent a long return, but their plan
backfired as Carolina tight end Kris Mangum picked up the ball at his own 35-yard line and returned it 12 yards to the 47. The Patriots
expected a pass play from the Panthers, but instead running back Stephen Davis ran for 21 yards on the next play to set up kicker John
Kasay's 50-yard field goal as time expired in the half, cutting Carolina's deficit to 14–10.
The third quarter was scoreless as each team exchanged punts twice. But with 3:57 left in the period, the Patriots put together a 71yard, 8-play scoring drive, featuring tight end Daniel Graham's 33-yard reception to advance to the Carolina 9-yard line. Running back
Antowain Smith then capped off the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run on the second play on the final period to increase their lead,
21–10. This was the start of another scoring explosion, one that became one of the biggest explosions in Super Bowl history, with both
teams scoring a combined 37 points in the last 15 minutes, the most ever in a single quarter of a Super Bowl. Delhomme started out
Carolina's ensuing drive with a 13-yard completion to wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad. After committing a false start penalty on the
next play, Delhomme completed a pair of passes to Smith for gains of 18 and 22 yards. Running back DeShaun Foster then scored on
a 33-yard touchdown run, cutting the Panthers' deficit to 21-16 after Delhomme's 2-point conversion pass fell incomplete. The Patriots
responded on their ensuing possession by driving all the way to Carolina's 9-yard line, but the drive ended when Panthers defensive
back Reggie Howard intercepted a third down pass from Brady in the end zone. Then on 3rd down from his own 15-yard line,
Delhomme threw for the longest play from scrimmage in Super Bowl history, an 85-yard touchdown completion to Muhammad.
Carolina's 2-point conversion attempt failed again, but they took their first lead of the game, 22-21, with 6:53 remaining. It was the
first time in Super Bowl history a team down 10+ points during the 4th quarter had come back to take the lead. Two other times teams
came back to tie the game; the Tennessee Titans against the Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV and the Rams against the Patriots in Super
Bowl XXXVI. However, New England retook the lead on their next drive, advancing 68 yards with the aid of a pair of completions
from Brady to Givens for gains of 18 and 25 yards. Once again the Patriots were faced with third down and goal, but this time they
scored with Brady's 1-yard pass to Vrabel, who had lined up in an eligible tight end position. Then on a two-point conversion attempt,
running back Kevin Faulk took a direct snap and ran into the end zone to make the score 29-22. Despite amassing over 1,000
combined yards, Kevin Faulk's two-point conversion constituted the only points he scored all season. The Panthers countered on their
next possession. Foster started the drive with a 9-yard run and a 7-yard reception. After that, Delhomme completed a 19-yard pass to
Muhammad, followed by a 31-yard completion to receiver Ricky Proehl. Then Proehl, who caught the fourth quarter game tying
touchdown pass against the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI 2 years earlier for the St. Louis Rams, finished the drive with a 12-yard
touchdown reception. Kasay's ensuing extra point tied the game, 29-29, with 1:08 to play in regulation and it appeared that the game
would be the first Super Bowl ever to go into overtime. However, Kasay kicked the ensuing kickoff out of bounds, giving New
England the ball on their own 40-yard line. Brady calmly led the Patriots offense down the field with a 13-yard pass to Brown on
second down. An offensive pass interference penalty on Brown pushed New England back to their own 43-yard line, but another 13yard reception to Brown and a 4-yard pass to Graham brought up a critical 3rd down and 3 from the Carolina 40-yard line. The
Panthers defense could not prevent the Patriots from gaining the first down, as Brady completed a clutch 17-yard pass to Branch. On
the next play, Vinatieri kicked a 41-yard field goal to give New England the lead, 32-29, with four seconds left in the game. Carolina
failed on their last chance, as Rod Smart went nowhere on the ensuing kickoff, and the Patriots had won their second Super Bowl in
three years. This was the fourth Super Bowl to be decided on a field goal in the final seconds. Super Bowl V was won on a last second
kick by Jim O'Brien, Super Bowl XXV had Scott Norwood miss his field goal chance, and in Super Bowl XXXVIII, Adam Vinatieri
made his. Final statistics Overview Delhomme finished the game with 16 completions out of 33 attempts for 323 yards, three
touchdowns, and no interceptions for a passer rating of 113.6. Muhsin Muhammad caught four passes for 140 yards, an average of 35
yards per catch, and a touchdown. Steve Smith caught four passes for 80 yards and a touchdown. He also returned a punt for two yards,
and returned a kickoff for 30 yards, giving him 112 total yards. Proehl caught four passes for 71 yards and a touchdown. Proehl joined
Jerry Rice as only two players to score touchdowns with two different teams in Super Bowls. Tom Brady's 32 completions were the
most in Super Bowl history. His 48 attempts were the most for a winning quarterback. His 354 yards passing is now the fifth best total
in Super Bowl history. Brady's passer rating for this game was 100.5. Branch was the top receiver of the game with 10 receptions for
143 yards and a touchdown. Brown caught 8 passes for 76 yards, and returned four punts for 40 yards. Antowain Smith was the top
rusher of the game with 83 yards and a touchdown. The game set a number of marks for offensive production. The two teams
combined for 868 yards of total offense, the second-highest total in Super Bowl history. Both starting quarterbacks threw for at least
300 yards for only the second time in Super Bowl history, with Dan Marino and Joe Montana each passing for at least 300 yards in
Super Bowl XIX. This was also only the second Super Bowl to feature one 100-yard receiving performance on each team, with Deion
Branch and Muhsin Muhammad each reaching 100 yards. Andre Reed and Michael Irvin first accomplished the feat in Super Bowl
XXVII. The 37 total points scored in the 4th quarter were the most combined points in a 4th quarter in a Super Bowl and the most in
any quarter by two teams. Washington's 35 points in Super Bowl XXII was the previous high for most combined points in a single
quarter in a Super Bowl. The fourth quarter was the second in Super Bowl history to have five touchdowns scored in a single quarter,
the first being when the Redskins had five in Super Bowl XXII in the second quarter. It was also the first time in Super Bowl history
that both teams would score at least two touchdowns in the same quarter. Background New England seeks to become a dynasty New
England finished the regular season with a record of 14-2, bested only by the Steelers' 15-1 mark, and ranking 7th in yards gained
(5,773) and fourth in points scored (437). The Patriots' major acquisition prior to the season was veteran running back Corey Dillon,
who joined the team after playing 7 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. In his first 6 seasons in the league, Dillon averaged over
1,250 rushing yards per year, including setting a single-game rushing record (278 yards, but has since been broken) against the Denver
Broncos on October 22, 2000. In 2003, however, injuries, conflicts with the Bengals' management and coaching staff, and other offfield problems limited him to just 541 yards during the season. By the end of the 2003 season, Dillon had lost his starting job to
running back Rudi Johnson, and thus demanded to be traded. Although many observers questioned how effective the 30-year-old
Dillon would be after recovering from his injuries as well as his ability to function in a team environment, the Patriots decided to sign
the running back in exchange for a second-round draft pick. Dillon became a significant offensive weapon for the 2004 Patriots,
recording 1,635 rushing yards (franchise record) and 12 touchdowns, both career highs, and was named to the Pro Bowl for the fourth
time in his career. He also caught 15 passes for 103 yards and another touchdown. His contributions helped lead the team to break the
NFL record for the most consecutive regular season victories (18), the record for the most consecutive overall victories (21) and
earned the second best regular season record during the year at 14-2. The team's only losses during the year were to the Pittsburgh
Steelers, who ended up with the league's best regular season record at 15-1, and a 29-28 loss to the Miami Dolphins on ABC's Monday
Night Football. Another weapon in the Patriots' offensive backfield was running back Kevin Faulk, who rushed for 255 yards,
recorded 26 receptions for 248 yards, returned 20 punts for 113 yards, returned 4 kickoffs for 73 yards, and scored 3 total touchdowns.
Fullback Patrick Pass also emerged as a big contributor, rushing for 141 yards, catching 28 passes for 215 yards, and gaining another
115 yards on kickoff returns. Pro Bowl quarterback Tom Brady remained at the helm of the Patriots offense, completing 288 out of
474 (60.8 percent) of his passes for 3,692 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. Although wide receiver Deion Branch, New
England's major deep threat, missed most of the season because of injuries, he did record 35 receptions for 454 yards and 4
touchdowns. Wide receiver David Givens ended up being the team's leading receiver with 56 catches for 874 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Wide receiver David Patten also contributed with 44 receptions for 800 yards and 7 touchdowns, and tight end Daniel Graham had 30
receptions for 364 yards and 7 touchdowns. On defense, the Patriots were plagued by injuries, especially in their secondary. Defensive
backs Tyrone Poole and Ty Law suffered season-ending injuries, while safety Eugene Wilson, who led the team with 4 interceptions,
missed several games. In order to compensate for the losses, the following players were promoted to starters:
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Rookie cornerback Randall Gay, who did not play at all in the first 3 games of the season, and did not start until the 6th
week.
Cornerback Asante Samuel, who normally only played in dime formations.
Safety Earthwind Moreland, who came off of the team's practice squad and had only played in three games in his entire 5year NFL career.
Veteran wide receiver Troy Brown. Head Coach Bill Belichick used Brown in the secondary during training camp, gave
him playing time there during the preseason and saw Brown did very well.
With their patchwork secondary, the Patriots ranked just 17th in passing yards allowed (3,400) and 22nd in completions allowed (315).
However, they did rank 7th in interceptions (20) and 10th in fewest passing touchdowns allowed (18). Most importantly, New
England continued to win despite the injuries. Brown actually turned out to be very effective playing as a defensive back, ranking
second on the team with 3 interceptions. Safety Rodney Harrison was also an impact player, leading the team with 138 tackles while
also recording 3 sacks and 2 interceptions. Up front, the Patriots' defensive line was anchored by Pro Bowler Richard Seymour, who
recorded 5 sacks and 1 fumble recovery. New England also still had their trio of impact veteran linebackers: Pro Bowler Tedy Bruschi
(122 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3 interceptions, and 70 return yards), Willie McGinest (9.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 interception), and
Mike Vrabel (71 tackles and 5.5 sacks), along with Ted Johnson. Vrabel also frequently played at the tight end position during
offensive plays near the opponent's goal line, recording 2 touchdown receptions. Philadelphia returns to the Super Bowl The Eagles
gained the 2004 NFC Super Bowl berth after 3 consecutive defeats in the NFC Championship Game. The Eagles hired Andy Reid as
their head coach in 1999 following two straight losing seasons. That same year, they used their first-round pick in the NFL draft (the
second overall) to select quarterback Donovan McNabb. Although they finished the 1999 regular season with a 5–11 record, they
became a playoff team in 2000, with McNabb throwing for 3,365 yards and 21 touchdowns while also rushing for 629 yards and
another 6 touchdowns. The Eagles achieved the best regular season record in the conference during the combined 2001, 2002, and
2003 seasons with a total of 35 wins out of 48 games, but lost the NFC Championship Game in each of those 3 years. Prior to the 2004
season, the Eagles traded for wide receiver Terrell Owens to be the impact player to help get them to the Super Bowl. Owens joined
the team after 8 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. He was considered one of the top receivers in the league, but he was also
widely considered a troublemaker because of controversial touchdown celebrations and his tendency to berate his teammates during
media interviews. Nevertheless, Owens became the Eagles' deep-ball threat, finishing the season with 77 receptions for 1,200 yards
and 14 touchdowns. McNabb had the best season of his career in 2004, completing 300 out of 469 (64 percent) passes for 3,875 yards,
31 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions, making him the first quarterback to ever throw for more than 30 touchdowns and fewer than 10
interceptions in a season. He also rushed for 220 yards and 3 touchdowns. Wide receiver Todd Pinkston was also a reliable target,
recording 36 catches for 676 yards. Philadelphia's running game was not as strong as their passing attack, ranking just 24th in the
league in rushing yards (1,639). Running back Brian Westbrook led the team with 812 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns. Westbrook
also led all NFL running backs in receiving with 73 receptions for 706 yards and 6 touchdowns. Veteran running back Dorsey Levens
was also a big contributor with 410 rushing yards. The Eagles' offensive line was led by Pro Bowl tackles Tra Thomas and Jon
Runyan. Three of their four starters in the defensive secondary were named to the Pro Bowl: Cornerback Lito Sheppard (1 sack, 5
interceptions, 172 return yards and 2 touchdowns), safety Michael Lewis (88 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 interception) and safety Brian
Dawkins (3 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, and 4 interceptions for 40 return yards). Their defensive line was anchored by Pro Bowl
defensive tackle Corey Simon (5.5 sacks) and defensive ends Jevon Kearse (7.5 sacks, Pro Bowl) and Derrick Burgess. Pro Bowl
linebacker Jeremiah Trotter recorded 60 tackles and 1 sack. The Eagles started the 2004 regular season with seven straight wins before
suffering a loss to the Steelers. After that, they finished the season with a 13–3 record. Their only other 2 losses were in their last 2
games of the season, when they decided to rest all of their starters because they had already clinched the NFC #1 seed, and thus homefield advantage in the playoffs. However, during a December 19 12–7 win over the Dallas Cowboys, Owens was seriously injured on
a "horse-collar tackle" by Cowboys defensive back Roy Williams and had to miss the rest of the regular season and the playoffs.
Playoffs Despite the loss of Owens, the Eagles beat the Minnesota Vikings, 27–14, and the Atlanta Falcons, 27–10, in the playoffs.
McNabb recorded 21 out of 33 completions for 286 yards and two touchdowns, while receiver Freddie Mitchell scored two
touchdowns in the victory over the Vikings. McNabb then completed 17 out of 26 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns in the win
over the Falcons. Meanwhile, the Patriots defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 20–3, holding the league's highest scoring team with 522
total points to just one field goal, Indianapolis' lowest point total since their opening game of the 2003 season. Colts quarterback
Peyton Manning threw for 4,557 yards during the regular season, and set NFL records for most touchdown passes in a regular season
(49) and highest quarterback rating (121.4). Running back Edgerrin James gained 2,031 combined rushing and receiving yards and
scored 9 touchdowns. Wide receivers Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and Brandon Stokley each recorded over 1,000 receiving
yards and 10 touchdowns. However, the Patriots limited Manning to 238 passing yards with 1 interception and no touchdowns, and
James to just 39 rushing yards. The Patriots also held possession of the ball for 37:43, including 21:26 in the second half, and
recorded three long scoring drives that each took over 7 minutes off the clock. One reason New England was able to hold the ball so
long was because of Dillon's rushing. He finished the game with 23 carries for 144 yards and 5 receptions for 17 yards. The Patriots
then defeated the Steelers in the AFC Championship Game, 41–27. Although Pittsburgh had beaten New England, 34–20, during the
regular season and led the league in fewest total yards allowed, they could not stop the Patriots. Brady threw for 236 yards and 2
touchdowns; Dillon rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown; and Branch, who was coming off of his injuries, recorded 4 receptions for
116 yards and a touchdown, along with 37 rushing yards and another touchdown on 2 carries. Steelers quarterback Ben
Roethlisberger (who had struggled the previous week against the New York Jets) was intercepted 3 times, and running back Jerome
Bettis, Pittsburgh's leading rusher, was held to just 64 yards. Super Bowl pregame news 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. 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). 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. 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. The Eagles were trying to win their first
NFL title since 1960 and the first championship for the city of Philadelphia since Moses Malone's "fo', fi', fo'" during the 76ers run to
the 1983 NBA Championship. With President George W. Bush being inaugurated for a second time in January, the Eagles were also
trying to end a losing streak—teams in the city of Philadelphia had lost six straight championships during presidential inauguration
years, beginning with the 76ers loss in 1977. The streak included the Eagles in Super Bowl XV in 1981. Television and entertainment
The game was televised in the United States by Fox, with play-by-play announcer Joe Buck and color commentators Cris
Collinsworth and Troy Aikman. Pam Oliver (Patriots sideline) and Chris Myers (Eagles sideline) served as sideline reporters. This
marked the first time since Super Bowl I that none of the network commentators had ever called a Super Bowl game before (although
Collinsworth had worked three prior Super Bowl telecasts as a pregame analyst). This was the last game that Cris Collinsworth
broadcast as a member of the NFL on Fox team, as he chose to sign with NBC in the following off-season. James Brown hosted all the
events with help from his fellow Fox NFL Sunday cast members Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long and Jimmy Johnson. Jillian Barberie
served as weather and entertainment reporter. After the game, Fox aired a special episode of The Simpsons, titled "Homer and Ned's
Hail Mary Pass," and the series premiere of American Dad!, except in both Philadelphia and Boston, where local newscasts delayed
the premieres by an hour. Pregame ceremonies Before the game, performances came from the Black Eyed Peas, Earth Wind & Fire,
Charlie Daniels, John Fogerty, and Gretchen Wilson. Shortly before kickoff, Alicia Keys sang "America the Beautiful," paying tribute
to Ray Charles, who died in June 2004. The combined choirs of the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air
Force Academy, and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (including members of The Idlers) sang the national anthem accompanied by the
U.S. Army Herald Trumpets. This was the first time in more than 30 years that all four service academies sang together—the last time
was at the second inauguration of President Richard Nixon in 1973. In a move which proved somewhat controversial after the
broadcast, the traditional military missing man formation flyby was this year performed by a pair of F/A-18 Super Hornets from VFA106 at NAS Oceana and a pair of the Air Force's newest fighters, the F-22 Raptor, flying from Tyndall AFB, the training base for the
Raptor. The earlier military flyby during the veterans' salute was conducted by 2 T-6 Texan trainers and a B-25 Mitchell bomber. The
coin toss ceremony featured youth football players from Jacksonville: Tyler Callahan, Tyler Deal, Lawrence McCauley, and Jacob
Santana; and New Orleans NFL Junior Player Development coach Tamaris Jackson. They were billed as the first non-celebrities to
participate in the coin toss. For the third straight year, each team took the field en masse. In prerecorded video segments, Andover,
Massachusetts native Michael Chiklis introduced the Patriots, and Philadelphia-born Will Smith introduced the Eagles. (In Super
Bowl XXXVI, the Patriots were the first team to forego individual introductions.) The Patriots entered the Alltel Stadium field first to
"Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne. The Eagles entered last, as they were the "home" team, to "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC. Halftime
show Paul McCartney performed during the halftime show; his selection by the NFL, the show's producers, Don Mischer Productions,
and the show's sponsor, Ameriquest Mortgage, was considered to be a "safe" choice, as it avoided the possibility for an incident
similar to that which sparked the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy the previous year. McCartney's set consisted of the
Beatles songs: "Drive My Car", "Get Back", "Live and Let Die" from his career with Wings, "Hey Jude" Theme Taking the concept a
step further, for the first time, a theme was tied to the event: Building Bridges, as symbolized by the theme logo, represented by the
Main Street Bridge, one of the seven bridges that crosses over the St. Johns River in the host city, and according to the League,
symbolized the bridging of a nation under the NFL football umbrella. The theme was also used by Jacksonville-area nonprofit Fresh
Ministries in a major event entitled "Bridges of Peace," featuring city officials asking the people to unite for the Super Bowl and heal
the wounds of segregation. Presidential appearances Former Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton appeared in support of
their bipartisan effort to raise money for relief of the December 26, 2004 tsunami in southeast Asia through the USA Freedom Corps,
an action which former President Bush described as "transcending politics." Game summary On the first drive of the game, Eagles
quarterback Donovan McNabb fumbled while being sacked by New England linebacker Willie McGinest, and the Patriots recovered
the ball at Philadelphia's 34 yard line. Fortunately for the Eagles, coach Andy Reid's instant replay challenge overruled the fumble;
officials ruled that McNabb had been down by contact before the ball came out of his hands. Later in the quarter after each team had
punted twice, McNabb completed a 30-yard pass to Terrell Owens, with a roughing the passer penalty adding 9 yards, moving the ball
inside the Patriots 20 yard line. However, linebacker Mike Vrabel sacked McNabb for a 16-yard loss on the next play. On the
following play, the Eagles once again appeared to turn the ball over: McNabb's pass was intercepted in the end zone by Patriots
defensive back Asante Samuel, but it was nullified by an illegal contact penalty on linebacker Roman Phifer, moving the ball back
inside the 20 and giving the Eagles a first down. However, McNabb's second chance was wasted as he threw an interception to safety
Rodney Harrison on the next play. The Eagles defense then forced New England to a three-and-out on their ensuing possession, and
Philadelphia got great field position by receiving the punt at the Patriots 45 yard line. But once again, they gave up another turnover:
tight end L.J. Smith lost a fumble while being tackled by defensive back Randall Gay, and Samuel recovered the ball at the 38. The
Eagles defense once again forced New England to punt, and got the ball back at their own 19 yard line. Aided by a pair of completions
from McNabb to receiver Todd Pinkston for gains of 17 and 40 yards, the Eagles drove 81 yards in 9 plays and scored on McNabb's 6yard touchdown pass to Smith, taking a 7–0 lead with 9:55 left in the second quarter. It was the first time New England trailed during
the entire postseason. On their ensuing drive, the Patriots moved the ball to the Eagles 4-yard line, mainly on plays by Corey Dillon,
who caught two screen passes for 29 yards and rushed for 25. But quarterback Tom Brady fumbled the ball on a fake handoff and
Philadelphia defender Darwin Walker recovered it. However, the Eagles could not take advantage of the turnover and had to punt after
3 plays. Eagles punter Dirk Johnson's punt went just 29 yards, giving the Patriots the ball at Philadelphia's 37 yard line. The Patriots
then drove 37 yards to score on Brady's 4-yard pass to receiver David Givens with 1:10 remaining in the period, tying the game 7–7
by halftime. It was only the second halftime tie in Super Bowl history and the first time both of the game's first 2 quarters ended tied.
On the opening drive of the second half, Patriots receiver Deion Branch caught 4 passes for 71 yards on a drive that ended with
Brady's 2-yard pass to Vrabel, who lined up at the tight end spot on the play. The Eagles later tied the game with 3:39 left in the third
period with a 74-yard, 10-play drive that was capped by McNabb's 10-yard touchdown pass to running back Brian Westbrook. For the
first time in Super Bowl history, the game was tied going into the fourth quarter. Early in the final period, the Patriots put together a 9play, 66-yard scoring drive that was keyed by 3 plays from running back Kevin Faulk, who caught 2 passes for 27 combined yards and
rushed once for 12. Dillon capped off the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run to give the Patriots a 21-14 lead. Then after forcing
another Eagles punt, Branch's 19-yard reception and a roughing-the-passer penalty on Philadelphia defensive lineman Corey Simon
set up kicker Adam Vinatieri's 22-yard field goal with 8:43 left in the game to increase the score 24–14. In all three Patriots' Super
Bowl wins in the decade, they held a double digit lead in the 4th quarter. The Eagles responded by advancing to the New England 36yard line on their next drive, but it ended with no points after linebacker Tedy Bruschi intercepted a pass from McNabb at the Patriots
24-yard line. After forcing New England to punt, Philadelphia got the ball back at their own 21-yard line with 5:40 left in the game.
The Eagles then drove 79 yards in 13 plays to cut their deficit to 24–21 with McNabb's 30-yard touchdown pass to receiver Greg
Lewis. However, the drive consumed 3:52 of the clock, and only 1:55 remained in the game by the time Lewis scored. Because of this,
many sportswriters later criticized the Eagles for not immediately going to a no-huddle offense at the start of the possession. The
Eagles failed to recover their ensuing onside kick attempt. The Patriots then played it safe by running the ball 3 times and forcing
Philadelphia to use all of its timeouts. New England punter Josh Miller then pinned the Eagles back at their own 4-yard line with just
46 seconds left in the game. Philadelphia then tried one last desperate drive to win or tie the game. But on first down, McNabb was
pressured into making a rushed pass to Westbrook at the line of scrimmage. Instead of dropping the pass to stop the clock, Westbrook
made the mistake of catching the ball and was immediately tackled for no gain, keeping the clock running and forcing the Eagles to
run back to the line of scrimmage for their next play with no huddle. On second down, McNabb threw an incomplete pass intended for
Owens. Finally on third down, McNabb threw a pass that went just over the outstretched fingertips of Smith and into the arms of
Harrison for an interception with 9 seconds left, sealing the victory for the Patriots. Final statistics Overview McNabb completed 30
out of 51 passes for 357 yards and 3 touchdowns, but threw 3 interceptions and was sacked four times. Westbrook was the Eagles
leading rusher with 44 yards, while also catching 6 passes for 70 yards and a touchdown and returning 3 punts for 19 yards. Pinkston
caught 4 passes for 82 yards. Owens was the Eagles' top receiver with 9 catches for 122 yards. Brady completed 23 out of 33 passes
for 236 yards and 2 touchdowns. Dillon was the top rusher of the game with 75 yards and a touchdown, and had 3 catches for 31 yards.
Branch's Super Bowl record 11 catches tied Cincinnati Bengals' Dan Ross in Super Bowl XVI and San Francisco 49ers' Jerry Rice in
Super Bowl XXIII. (Coincidentally all 3 would eventually be traded to the Seattle Seahawks: Ross in 1985, Rice in 2004, and Branch
in 2006). Branch's 21 catches in Super Bowls XXXVIII and XXXIX are the most in back-to-back Super Bowls. Running back Kevin
Faulk contributed 38 rushing yards and 27 receiving yards. Branch and Terrell Owens each had 100 yards receiving, marking the third
time in Super Bowl history, one player from each team had over 100 yards in a Super Bowl. Michael Irvin and Andre Reed were the
first in Super Bowl XXVII, and Branch and Muhsin Muhammad the second a year earlier in Super Bowl XXXVIII. Branch also
became the fourth player to have at least 100 yards receiving in back-to-back Super Bowls, joining John Stallworth, Jerry Rice and
Antonio Freeman. Also, Mike Vrabel and David Givens became just the 14th and 15th players to score a touchdown in consecutive
Super Bowls. Vrabel is the most surprising person on this list because he is a linebacker and he scored his on offense. They also
became just the 7th and 8th players to catch a touchdown in back-to-back Super Bowls. With the victory, Tom Brady became just the
fourth quarterback to win at least three Super Bowls. He joined Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana and Troy Aikman on this exclusive list.
Brady also became the fourth quarterback to throw a touchdown pass in three different Super Bowls. Other quarterbacks to do it were
Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana and John Elway, with Kurt Warner later accomplishing the feat during Super Bowl XLIII. The Patriots
Super Bowl win was the latest to the recent success of Boston-area sports teams. It was the third championship for Boston-area sports
teams in 12 months, following the Patriots winning Super Bowl XXXVIII the year before and the Red Sox winning the World Series–
first in 86 years–three months earlier. This marked the first time since 1979-1980 in Pittsburgh that the same city has had 2 Super
Bowl and World Series winners in 12 months. For the Eagles, with the loss, the city of Philadelphia would not see its first
championship since the 76ers swept the 1983 NBA Finals until the next time their city's teams played for a championship, when the
Phillies won the 2008 World Series. Commercials As usual, the television coverage of this year's Super Bowl was the showcase for
the most expensive commercials in television—both to produce and to buy airtime (at the rate of $2.4 million US for 30 seconds). One
ad that drew the ire of many—including the NFL—was for the internet domain provider Go Daddy, which tweaked the controversial
halftime of the previous year's game with a mock censorship hearing featuring a comely woman, Nikki Cappelli (played by WWE
Wrestler Candice Michelle), having a "wardrobe malfunction". Fox pulled the second airing of the ad, scheduled for the two-minute
warning of the fourth quarter, along with a five-second plug, and it was replaced with a promo for The Simpsons. The Scottsdale,
Arizona-based World Wide Web domain registration company got a refund on the second ad. Another popular ad was made by the
NFL. It featured players who were not in the Super Bowl, headlined by Pittsburgh Steelers rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
being at a beach resort, depressed he did not make it in. Joe Montana comforted Roethlisberger, and soon both Montana and
Roethlisberger joined many other players in different locations in an off-key yet rousing edition of "Tomorrow" from the musical
Annie. The commercial ended with the tagline: "Tomorrow, we're all undefeated again." Roethlisberger would go on to lead the
Steelers to victory in Super Bowl XL the very next season. The top ad, as chosen by the USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter was for
Anheuser-Busch's Bud Light featuring a timid skydiver making his first jump getting enticed with a six-pack of the product. This ad
was ranked second on ADBOWL. The highest ranked commercial by ADBOWL was Anheuser-Busch’s “Applause.” For the first
time since the campaign started in Super Bowl XXI, no "I'm going to Disney World!" ad aired following Super Bowl XXXIX. -Gambling According to Las Vegas oddsmakers, the Patriots were seven-point favorites entering the game. As the Patriots only won
by three points, they failed to cover this spread. ---The over-under bet was set at 46.0 by most casinos. As the total combined score of
the two teams was 45 points, the under bet won.---The money line was set at roughly +245 for Philadelphia and −265 for New
England. Player bonuses Each member of the Patriots received a payment of $68,000 for winning the game. The Eagles each received
$36,500. When adjusted for inflation, the Patriots salary was actually less than the $15,000 paid to members of the Green Bay Packers
for winning Super Bowl I in 1967. That amount of money in 1967 equated to approximately $85,000 in 2005.
February 1, 2004 New England Patriots(AFC) vs. Carolina Panthers (NFC) 32-29 CAR 0 10 0 19 29 NE 0 14 0 18 32 Stadium Reliant
Stadium, Houston, Texas MVP Tom Brady, Quarterback Favorite Patriots by 7 National anthem Beyoncé Knowles Halftime show
Spirit of Houston, Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, OutKast, P. Diddy, Kid Rock, and Nelly Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American
football game played on February 1, 2004 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas to decide the National Football League (NFL)
champion following the 2003 regular season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots (17-2)
defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Carolina Panthers (14-6), with a score of 32–29.New England
quarterback Tom Brady was named Most Valuable Player for the second time in three years. He set a Super Bowl record for the most
pass completions (32). Brady also recorded a 66.7 completion percentage (48 pass attempts), 354 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, 1
interception, and 12 rushing yards.At the time, this was the most watched Super Bowl ever with 144.4 million viewers. NFL fans and
sports writers widely consider it one of the most well-played and exciting Super Bowls. After the game, Sports Illustrated writer Peter
King hailed it as the "Greatest Super Bowl of all time."This was the first time (out of four games) the Patriots played in a Super Bowl
that was not in New Orleans, Louisiana. This was the first and, to date, the only time the Panthers played in a Super Bowl. Both the
Patriots and the Panthers are two of only three NFL teams to use a region name (as opposed to city or state name) as their geographic
identifier with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (who'd won Super Bowl XXXVII the year before) being the other. Background NFL
owners voted to award Super Bowl XXXVIII to Houston during their November 1, 2000 meeting. This was the first Super Bowl to be
played in a stadium with a retractable roof (but it was eventually closed during the game). It also marked the first time in 4 tries that
the Patriots played a Super Bowl that was not in New Orleans. This game marked a six-month stretch for Texas hosting the Super
Bowl, Men's Final Four and Major League Baseball All-Star Game. The Final Four was at the Alamodome in San Antonio and the
All-Star game was also in Houston at nearby Minute Maid Park. The Panthers go from 1-15 to the Super Bowl The Panthers made
their first trip to the Super Bowl after posting a one-win regular season just two years earlier. The franchise was only in their ninth
year of existence, joining the league as an expansion team in 1995. In just their second season, they posted a 12-4 regular season
record and advanced to the NFC Championship Game, but lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers 30-13 (the
Packers would coincidentally go on to defeat the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI 35-21). But from 1997 onward, they had just one nonlosing season (an 8-8 finish in 1999) until they finally suffered through a franchise worst 1-15 record in 2001, winning only the first
game of the regular season against the Minnesota Vikings. After that year, head coach George Seifert was relieved of his duties and
replaced by John Fox, former defensive coordinator for the New York Giants who helped lead the Giants to Super Bowl XXXV in
2000. With Fox at the helm and the team taking advantage of the free agent market and the salary cap rules, the Panthers improved in
2002, finishing with a 7-9 record. Then in 2003, they recorded an 11-5 record and won the NFC South. One of the free agents that
Carolina signed before the 2003 season was quarterback Jake Delhomme. Delhomme was not picked by any team in the NFL Draft,
but later joined the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1998. Delhomme also then played for the NFL Europe's
Frankfurt Galaxy in 1999, and along with Pat Barnes, he was part of the "double-headed quarterback monster" that led the Galaxy to a
World Bowl victory over the Barcelona Dragons. Although he only played 6 games in his 5 seasons with New Orleans, the Panthers
signed Delhomme in 2003 to be the backup to starting quarterback Rodney Peete. However, after the Panthers fell to a 17-0 third
quarter deficit in their first game of the season against the Jacksonville Jaguars, gaining only one first down and 36 offensive yards,
Fox immediately replaced Peete with Delhomme. Delhomme ended up leading Carolina to a 24-23 comeback victory over the Jaguars.
Delhomme became the team's starting quarterback for the rest of the season, throwing for 3,219 yards and 19 touchdowns, with 16
interceptions. The team's main receiving threat was multi-talented third-year wide receiver Steve Smith, who also specialized as a
kickoff and punt returner. Smith caught 88 passes for 1,110 yards and 7 touchdowns, rushed for 42 yards, gained 439 yards and
another touchdown returning punts, and recorded 309 kickoff return yards. Wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad was also a constant
breakaway threat, recording 54 receptions for 837 yards and 3 touchdowns. However, the Panthers' strength on offense was their
running game, led by running backs Stephen Davis and DeShaun Foster. Davis was the team's leading rusher with a franchise record
1,444 yards and 8 touchdowns, while Foster rushed for 429 yards and caught 26 passes for 207 yards. Carolina also had running back
Rod Smart on their roster, who became widely known for his XFL debut jersey name "He Hate Me" during that league's only season
in 2001. During 2003, Smart was primarily used as the Panthers' other kickoff returner, recording 947 yards and one touchdown. On
defense, Carolina's main strength was their defensive line, anchored by defensive ends Julius Peppers (7 sacks and 3 forced fumbles)
and Mike Rucker (12 sacks and 1 interception), and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kris Jenkins (5 sacks and 1 fumble recovery). The
secondary was led by defensive backs Reggie Howard (2 interceptions), Mike Minter (3 interceptions for 100 return yards and 2
touchdowns), Deon Grant (3 interceptions), and Ricky Manning Jr. (3 interceptions for 33 return yards and 1 touchdown). The
Patriots go for two out of three Despite their victory in Super Bowl XXXVI after the 2001 season, the Patriots stumbled early in the
2002 season, recorded a 9-7 regular season record, and failed to make the playoffs. Then, New England seemed to implode before the
2003 season ever started. Five days before their opening game against the Buffalo Bills, Pro Bowl safety Lawyer Milloy, one of the
Patriots' defensive leaders, was unexpectedly cut by the team after refusing to restructure his contract. The move devastated many of
the New England players, while Milloy immediately signed with the Bills two days later. With the Patriots seemingly in emotional
disarray, Buffalo defeated New England, 31–0, with Milloy forcing an interception and recording one sack and five tackles. However,
after a 2–2 start, the Patriots ended up winning their last 12 games (including a mirror 31–0 shutout of the Bills in the final week) to
earn a league-best 14–2 record. Tom Brady, the Super Bowl XXXVI MVP, had become the team's permanent starter in 2002 after
quarterback Drew Bledsoe left the team to lead the Bills. Brady had a solid season in 2003, completing 317 out of 527 (60.2 percent)
of his passes for 3,620 yards and 23 touchdowns, with only 12 interceptions. His primary weapon was second year wide receiver
Deion Branch, who caught 57 passes for 803 yards. Another key contributor was wide receiver David Givens, who filled in for the
injured starter David Patten. Givens recorded 34 receptions for 510 yards and 6 touchdowns. Other weapons in the passing game
included veteran wide receiver Troy Brown, who had 40 receptions, 472 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 293 yards returning punts, and tight
end Daniel Graham who recorded 28 catches, 409 yards, and 4 touchdowns. In the backfield, the team's rushing game was led by
running backs Antowain Smith and Kevin Faulk, who carried the ball equally. Smith was the team's leading rusher with 642 yards and
3 touchdowns, while Faulk rushed for 638 yards and caught 48 passes for 440 yards. New England's defense was retooled before the
2003 season when the team signed veteran safety Rodney Harrison and defensive lineman Ted Washington as free agents. With these
additions, the Patriots led the league in fewest passing yards allowed per attempt (5.64), fewest passing touchdowns allowed (11), and
most interceptions (29). They also ranked 4th in fewest rushing yards allowed (1,434) and 7th in fewest total yards (4,919).
Washington helped anchor New England's defensive line, recording 32 tackles and 2 sacks. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Richard
Seymour also contributed with 8 sacks. Behind them, the Patriots had 3 outstanding linebackers: Pro bowler Willie McGinest (5.5
sacks, 2 fumble recoveries and 1 interception), Mike Vrabel (9.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, four forced fumbles, and 2 interceptions),
and Tedy Bruschi (131 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 3 interceptions, and 2 touchdowns). Harrison became the veteran leader in
the secondary, recording 92 tackles, 3 interceptions, and 3 sacks. Meanwhile, Pro Bowl cornerback Ty Law recorded 6 interceptions,
cornerback (and ex-Panther) Tyrone Poole had 6 interceptions for 112 return yards and 1 touchdown, and rookie safety Eugene
Wilson recorded 4 interceptions. Overall, the secondary combined for 19 interceptions. Common opponents of both teams The
Patriots and Panthers both played against the AFC South and NFC East in the regular season. The Patriots lost to the Washington
Redskins 20-17 in Week Four but swept the rest of the NFC East and the entire AFC South; the Patriots shut out Dallas in bitter cold
and edged the Giants in the rain while hammering Philly following the infamously erroneous "They hate their coach" quote from Tom
Jackson; the Patriots also edged the Titans, Houston in overtime, and former division rival Indianapolis in shootouts while routing
Jacksonville (which also entered the NFL in 1995) in the regular season, and then edged the Titans and hammered the Colts in the
playoffs. The Panthers had less success, going 6-4 against the two divisions, losing to the Titans and Houston while defeating
Jacksonville and the Colts, and defeating Washington and the Giants while losing to Philly and Dallas in the regular season, then
routing the Cowboys and edging the Eagles in the playoffs; Scores of games against common opponents -VS. Jacksonville
JaguarsPanthers 24 vs. Jaguars 23 - Jake Delhomme's first game with the Panthers; Patriots 27 vs. Jaguars 13; VS. Philadelphia Eagles
Patriots 31 @ Eagles 10; Panthers 16 vs. Eagles 25 - (playoffs) Panthers 14 @ Eagles 3; VS. Washington Redskins Patriots 17 @
Redskins 20 - last loss until Halloween 2004; Panthers 20 vs. Redskins 17 ; VS. Tennessee Titans Patriots 38 vs. Titans 30 - (playoffs)
Patriots 17 vs. Titans 14; Panthers 17 vs. Titans 37 - loss ended six-game win streak ; VS. New York Giants Patriots 17 vs. NY Giants
6; Panthers 37 @ NY Giants 24 ; VS. Indianapolis Colts Panthers 23 @ Colts 20 (OT) - win ended Colts five-game win streak;
Patriots 38 @ Colts 34 - (playoffs) Patriots 24 vs. Colts 14; VS. Houston Texans Panthers 10 @ Texans 14; Patriots 23 @ Texans 20
(OT); VS. Dallas Cowboys Patriots 12 vs. Cowboys 0; Panthers 20 @ Cowboys 24 - (playoffs) Panthers 29 vs. Cowboys 10 Playoffs
Since the Panthers finished with the third best regular season record in the NFC, they had to win three playoff games to reach the
Super Bowl. The St. Louis Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles had better regular season records at 12-4, and thus under the playoff
format, each would have to win two playoff games to reach the league championship game. Against Carolina's first opponent, the
Dallas Cowboys, Delhomme threw for 273 yards and a touchdown, Davis recorded 104 rushing yards and a touchdown, and kicker
John Kasay made 5 field goals, en route to a thorough 29–10 victory. The Panthers then eliminated the Rams on the road, 29-23 in
double overtime. St. Louis built a 6-0 lead early in the second quarter, but Carolina took the lead after Muhammad's fumble recovery
in the end zone. Both teams spent the rest of the second and the third quarter exchanging field goals before Brad Hoover's 7-yard
rushing touchdown gave the Panthers a 23-12 fourth quarter lead. However, the Rams rallied back with a touchdown, a successful
two-point conversion, and a field goal to send the game into overtime. Both teams missed field goals in the first overtime period, but
Delhomme threw a 69-yard touchdown pass to Smith on the first play of the second overtime period to win the game. The Panthers
then went on the road again to eliminate the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game, 14-3. Philadelphia was coming off of a 20-17
overtime win over the Green Bay Packers, that included quarterback Donovan McNabb's 28-yard pass to Freddie Mitchell on a
famous play known as "4th and 26". This was the third consecutive NFC Championship Game appearance for Philadelphia, and thus
they were heavily favored to win. But Carolina's defense only allowed a field goal and held McNabb to just 10 of 22 completions for
100 yards. Ricky Manning also intercepted McNabb 3 times. Although Carolina's offense only scored 14 points, it was more than
enough for the team to earn their first trip to the Super Bowl with a 14-3 win. The Panthers became the first No. 3 seed to advance to
the Super Bowl since the league expanded to a 12-team playoff format in 1990. In doing so, they were also the first division winner to
advance to the league championship after playing three playoff games. All other instances up to this point where teams advanced to
the Super Bowl after playing all three rounds of the playoffs were wild card teams in Super Bowls XV, XX, XXVII, XXXII, XXXIV,
and XXXV. Prior to Super Bowl XVII, the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins both won three playoff games to reach the
Super Bowl, but that came during the strike-shortened 1982 season when the regular season was reduced to nine games and the
playoffs were expanded to 16 teams, with no teams receiving first-round byes. Since then, there have been five instances of teams
advancing to the Super Bowl after playing three playoff games: the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL as the No. 6 seeded team,
the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI as the No. 3 seed, the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII as the No. 5 seed, the Arizona
Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII as the No. 4 seed, and the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV as the No. 6 seed. The Colts and
Cardinals, like the Panthers, were division winners in those years (Although in the Colts case, they played the No. 4 seeded New
England Patriots in the AFC Championship that year, ensuring at least the second division winner to play three rounds to make it to
the Super Bowl.), and all but the Cardinals went on to win it all. The Super Bowl would mark the third game (out of four) of the
playoffs in which Carolina scored 29 points. Meanwhile, the Patriots first defeated the Tennessee Titans, 17-14, in one of the coldest
games in NFL history, with temperatures reaching 4°F (-15°C). New England jumped to 14-7 lead in the first half with a touchdown
pass by Brady and a touchdown run from Smith. However, quarterback Steve McNair's 11-yard touchdown pass to receiver Derrick
Mason tied the game in the third period. With 4:06 remaining in the game, Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri made a 46-yard field goal to
take the lead. New England's defense later clinched a victory as they stopped the Titans from scoring on fourth down on their last
drive of the game. New England then eliminated the Indianapolis Colts, 24-14, in the AFC Championship Game. The Colts entered
the game leading the NFL in passing yards and ranked third in total offensive yards. With quarterback Peyton Manning, wide receiver
Marvin Harrison, and running back Edgerrin James, the Colts had scored 79 points in their 2 playoff victories against the Denver
Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs, including a 38-31 victory over the Chiefs in the first puntless game in NFL playoff history.
However, New England's defense dominated the Colts, only allowing 14 points, intercepting 4 passes from Manning (3 of them by
Law), and forcing a safety. Although New England's offense only scored one touchdown, Vinatieri scored 5 field goals to make up the
difference. Television and entertainment The game was broadcast in the United States by CBS with Greg Gumbel handling the playby-play duties and color commentator Phil Simms in the broadcast booth. Armen Keteyian and Bonnie Bernstein roamed the sidelines.
Jim Nantz hosted all the events with help from his fellow cast members from The NFL Today: Dan Marino, Deion Sanders, and
Boomer Esiason. Pregame ceremonies Both teams passed on the opportunity for their starters to be introduced individually before the
game, a move perpetuated by the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI. The game was held exactly one year after the Space Shuttle
Columbia disaster. To honor the one year anniversary of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, American singer Josh Groban
performed "You Raise Me Up". Also appearing on the field was the crew of STS-114, the "Return to Flight" Space Shuttle mission
that eventually launched Space Shuttle Discovery on July 26, 2005. Houston-born R&B singer Beyoncé, then sang the national
anthem. The coin toss ceremony featured former NFL players and Texas natives Earl Campbell, Ollie Matson, Don Maynard, Y.A.
Tittle, Mike Singletary, Gene Upshaw. Tittle tossed the coin. The NFL logo was painted at midfield for the first time since Super
Bowl XXX, and the Super Bowl XXXVIII logo was placed on the 25-yard lines. From Super Bowls XXXI through XXXVII, the
Super Bowl logo was painted at midfield, and the helmets of the teams painted at the 30-yard lines. From Super Bowl VI through
Super Bowl XXX, the NFL logo was painted on the 50-yard line, except for Super Bowls XXV and XXIX. The Super Bowl XXV
logo was painted at midfield and the NFL logo was painted at each 35-yard line. In Super Bowl XXIX, the NFL 75th Anniversary
logo was painted at midfield with the Super Bowl logo at each 30-yard line. Halftime show The most widely discussed moment of
Super Bowl XXXVIII came during halftime. The show was produced by Viacom's MTV and CBS Sports, and was sponsored by
America Online's TopSpeed software for dial-up Internet service. The show was themed supposedly around MTV's Rock the Vote
campaign, however beyond some flag imagery and a vague call to action for younger persons to vote in a celebrity montage the first
minute of the program, the theme was not called out for the remainder of the show. After a brief appearance by Jessica Simpson, the
show began with a joint performance by marching bands the Spirit of Houston, from the University of Houston, and the "Ocean of
Soul" of Texas Southern University. Next, Janet Jackson made her first appearance, singing "All for You". Then, P. Diddy, Nelly, and
Kid Rock appeared in that order and performed a mixture of their hits. After Jackson's performance of her song "Rhythm Nation",
Justin Timberlake appeared, and he and Jackson sang a duet of Timberlake's song "Rock Your Body". The performance featured many
suggestive dance moves by both Timberlake and Jackson. As the song reached the final line, "I'm gonna have you naked by the end of
this song," Timberlake pulled off a part of Jackson's costume, revealing her outer right breast (adorned with a large, sun-shaped nipple
shield, a piece of jewelery worn to accentuate the appearance of a nipple piercing). CBS immediately cut to an aerial view of the
stadium, however the action was too late to be effective. Many people considered this indecent exposure, and numerous viewers
contacted the network to complain, saying it was inappropriate in the context of a football game. This was the most rewatched
moment in TiVo history.
Just before the start of the second half, a British streaker, Mark Roberts, ran onto the field disguised as a referee, undressed, and
performed a dance wearing only a thong. He was tackled to the ground by Patriots linebacker Matt Chatham and arrested. It is not
custom for American television to zoom in on such events, but it was later shown on Late Show with David Letterman. He received a
$1000 fine for trespassing. Commercials Memorable television commercials that aired during the game included Frito-Lay’s
“Dentures” and Pepsi’s “The Bears.” ADBOWL ranked Budweiser’s “Donkey Dream” as the best commercial of the year. Game
summary Most of the first half was a defensive struggle, with neither team able to score until late in the second quarter, despite several
early scoring opportunities for New England. After Carolina was forced to punt on their opening drive, Patriots receiver Troy Brown
gave his team great field position with a 28-yard return to the Panthers 47-yard line. The Patriots subsequently marched to the 9-yard
line, but Carolina kept them out of the end zone and Adam Vinatieri missed a 31-yard field goal attempt. The Patriots forced Carolina
to punt after 3 plays and again got the ball with great field position, receiving Todd Sauerbrun's 40-yard punt at the Panthers 49-yard
line. New England then drove to the 31-yard line, but on third down, linebacker Will Witherspoon tackled Brown for a 10-yard loss on
an end-around play, pushing the Patriots out of field goal range. Later on, New England drove 57 yards to the Panthers 18-yard line
with 6 minutes left in the second period, but once again they failed to score as Carolina kept them out of the end zone and Vinatieri's
36-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Panthers defender Shane Burton. Meanwhile, the Carolina offense was stymied by the New
England defense, with quarterback Jake Delhomme completing just one out of his first nine passes, sacked three times, and fumbling
once. That fumble occurred 3 plays after Vinatieri's second missed field goal; Delhomme lost the ball while being sacked by
linebacker Mike Vrabel, and Patriots defensive tackle Richard Seymour recovered the ball at the Panthers 20-yard line; by this point
of the game the Panthers had suffered a net loss of nine yards on twenty offensive snaps. Two plays later, New England faced a third
down and 7, but quarterback Tom Brady scrambled 12 yards to the 5-yard line for a first down. Then wide receiver Deion Branch
caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Brady on the next play. Branch's touchdown came after 26:55 had elapsed in the game, setting
the record for the longest amount of time a Super Bowl remained scoreless. The play also suddenly set off a scoring explosion from
both teams for the remainder of the first half. The Panthers stormed down the field on their ensuing possession, driving 95 yards in 8
plays, and tying the game on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Delhomme to wide receiver Steve Smith with just 1:07 left in the half.
The Patriots immediately countered with a 6-play, 78-yard scoring drive of their own. Starting from their own 22-yard line, Brady
completed a 12-yard pass to wide receiver David Givens. Then after throwing an incompletion, Brady completed a long pass to
Branch, who caught it at the Panthers 24-yard line in stride before being tackled at the 14-yard line for a 52-yard gain. Three plays
later, Givens caught a 5-yard touchdown from Brady to give New England a 14–7 lead with only 18 seconds left in the half. The
Patriots decided to squib kick the ensuing kickoff to prevent a long return, but their plan backfired as Carolina tight end Kris Mangum
picked up the ball at his own 35-yard line and returned it 12 yards to the 47. The Patriots expected a pass play from the Panthers, but
instead running back Stephen Davis ran for 21 yards on the next play to set up kicker John Kasay's 50-yard field goal as time expired
in the half, cutting Carolina's deficit to 14–10.
The third quarter was scoreless as each team exchanged punts twice. But with 3:57 left in the period, the Patriots put together a 71yard, 8-play scoring drive, featuring tight end Daniel Graham's 33-yard reception to advance to the Carolina 9-yard line. Running back
Antowain Smith then capped off the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run on the second play on the final period to increase their lead,
21–10. This was the start of another scoring explosion, one that became one of the biggest explosions in Super Bowl history, with both
teams scoring a combined 37 points in the last 15 minutes, the most ever in a single quarter of a Super Bowl. Delhomme started out
Carolina's ensuing drive with a 13-yard completion to wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad. After committing a false start penalty on the
next play, Delhomme completed a pair of passes to Smith for gains of 18 and 22 yards. Running back DeShaun Foster then scored on
a 33-yard touchdown run, cutting the Panthers' deficit to 21-16 after Delhomme's 2-point conversion pass fell incomplete. The Patriots
responded on their ensuing possession by driving all the way to Carolina's 9-yard line, but the drive ended when Panthers defensive
back Reggie Howard intercepted a third down pass from Brady in the end zone. Then on 3rd down from his own 15-yard line,
Delhomme threw for the longest play from scrimmage in Super Bowl history, an 85-yard touchdown completion to Muhammad.
Carolina's 2-point conversion attempt failed again, but they took their first lead of the game, 22-21, with 6:53 remaining. It was the
first time in Super Bowl history a team down 10+ points during the 4th quarter had come back to take the lead. Two other times teams
came back to tie the game; the Tennessee Titans against the Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV and the Rams against the Patriots in Super
Bowl XXXVI. However, New England retook the lead on their next drive, advancing 68 yards with the aid of a pair of completions
from Brady to Givens for gains of 18 and 25 yards. Once again the Patriots were faced with third down and goal, but this time they
scored with Brady's 1-yard pass to Vrabel, who had lined up in an eligible tight end position. Then on a two-point conversion attempt,
running back Kevin Faulk took a direct snap and ran into the end zone to make the score 29-22. Despite amassing over 1,000
combined yards, Kevin Faulk's two-point conversion constituted the only points he scored all season. The Panthers countered on their
next possession. Foster started the drive with a 9-yard run and a 7-yard reception. After that, Delhomme completed a 19-yard pass to
Muhammad, followed by a 31-yard completion to receiver Ricky Proehl. Then Proehl, who caught the fourth quarter game tying
touchdown pass against the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI 2 years earlier for the St. Louis Rams, finished the drive with a 12-yard
touchdown reception. Kasay's ensuing extra point tied the game, 29-29, with 1:08 to play in regulation and it appeared that the game
would be the first Super Bowl ever to go into overtime. However, Kasay kicked the ensuing kickoff out of bounds, giving New
England the ball on their own 40-yard line. Brady calmly led the Patriots offense down the field with a 13-yard pass to Brown on
second down. An offensive pass interference penalty on Brown pushed New England back to their own 43-yard line, but another 13yard reception to Brown and a 4-yard pass to Graham brought up a critical 3rd down and 3 from the Carolina 40-yard line. The
Panthers defense could not prevent the Patriots from gaining the first down, as Brady completed a clutch 17-yard pass to Branch. On
the next play, Vinatieri kicked a 41-yard field goal to give New England the lead, 32-29, with four seconds left in the game. Carolina
failed on their last chance, as Rod Smart went nowhere on the ensuing kickoff, and the Patriots had won their second Super Bowl in
three years. This was the fourth Super Bowl to be decided on a field goal in the final seconds. Super Bowl V was won on a last second
kick by Jim O'Brien, Super Bowl XXV had Scott Norwood miss his field goal chance, and in Super Bowl XXXVIII, Adam Vinatieri
made his. Final statistics: Overview: Delhomme finished the game with 16 completions out of 33 attempts for 323 yards, three
touchdowns, and no interceptions for a passer rating of 113.6. Muhsin Muhammad caught four passes for 140 yards, an average of 35
yards per catch, and a touchdown. Steve Smith caught four passes for 80 yards and a touchdown. He also returned a punt for two yards,
and returned a kickoff for 30 yards, giving him 112 total yards. Proehl caught four passes for 71 yards and a touchdown. Proehl joined
Jerry Rice as only two players to score touchdowns with two different teams in Super Bowls. Tom Brady's 32 completions were the
most in Super Bowl history. His 48 attempts were the most for a winning quarterback. His 354 yards passing is now the fifth best total
in Super Bowl history. Brady's passer rating for this game was 100.5. Branch was the top receiver of the game with 10 receptions for
143 yards and a touchdown. Brown caught 8 passes for 76 yards, and returned four punts for 40 yards. Antowain Smith was the top
rusher of the game with 83 yards and a touchdown. The game set a number of marks for offensive production. The two teams
combined for 868 yards of total offense, the second-highest total in Super Bowl history. Both starting quarterbacks threw for at least
300 yards for only the second time in Super Bowl history, with Dan Marino and Joe Montana each passing for at least 300 yards in
Super Bowl XIX. This was also only the second Super Bowl to feature one 100-yard receiving performance on each team, with Deion
Branch and Muhsin Muhammad each reaching 100 yards. Andre Reed and Michael Irvin first accomplished the feat in Super Bowl
XXVII. The 37 total points scored in the 4th quarter were the most combined points in a 4th quarter in a Super Bowl and the most in
any quarter by two teams. Washington's 35 points in Super Bowl XXII was the previous high for most combined points in a single
quarter in a Super Bowl. The fourth quarter was the second in Super Bowl history to have five touchdowns scored in a single quarter,
the first being when the Redskins had five in Super Bowl XXII in the second quarter. It was also the first time in Super Bowl history
that both teams would score at least two touchdowns in the same quarter. Gambling Most sportsbooks had the Patriots as seven-point
favorites entering the game. As the Patriots only won by three points, the Patriots failed to cover this spread.; The over-under bet was
set at 38.0 by most sportsbooks. As the total combined score of the two teams was 61 points, the over bet won.; The money line was
set at roughly +200 for Carolina and -240 for New England.
February 6, 2005 New England Patriots(AFC) vs. Philadelphia Eagles(NFC) 24-21 NE 0 7 7 10 24 PHI 0 7 7 7 21 Alltel Stadium,
Jacksonville, FL MVP Deion Branch, Wide Receiver Favorite Patriots by 7 National anthem The combined choirs of the U.S. Military
Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and U.S. Army Herald
Trumpets. Halftime show Paul McCartney Super Bowl XXXIX was an American football game played on February 6, 2005, at Alltel
Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion following the 2004 regular season. The
American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots (17-2) defeated the National Football Conference (NFC)
champion Philadelphia Eagles (15-4), 24–21, and became the first team since the 1997–98 Denver Broncos to win consecutive Super
Bowls.New England also became the second team after the Dallas Cowboys to win three Super Bowls in four years. This was the
Patriots' third straight Super Bowl victory by a margin of three points. They defeated the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI, 20–
17, and the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII, 32–29. The margin of victory in each game was an Adam Vinatieri field goal,
two of which (against the Rams and the Panthers) occurred in the final seconds of the fourth quarter.The Patriots, playing in their firstever outdoor Super Bowl, forced four turnovers, while New England wide receiver Deion Branch, who recorded 133 receiving yards
and tied the Super Bowl record with 11 catches, was named the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player. Because he recorded 10 catches
during the previous year's Super Bowl, he also set the record for the most combined receptions in 2 consecutive Super Bowls (21).
Branch was the third offensive player ever to win Super Bowl MVP honors without scoring a touch down or throwing a touchdown
pass. The other 2 players were Joe Namath in Super Bowl III and Fred Biletnikoff in Super Bowl XI. Background New England seeks
to become a dynasty New England finished the regular season with a record of 14-2, bested only by the Steelers' 15-1 mark, and
ranking 7th in yards gained (5,773) and fourth in points scored (437). The Patriots' major acquisition prior to the season was veteran
running back Corey Dillon, who joined the team after playing 7 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. In his first 6 seasons in the
league, Dillon averaged over 1,250 rushing yards per year, including setting a single-game rushing record (278 yards, but has since
been broken) against the Denver Broncos on October 22, 2000. In 2003, however, injuries, conflicts with the Bengals' management
and coaching staff, and other off-field problems limited him to just 541 yards during the season. By the end of the 2003 season, Dillon
had lost his starting job to running back Rudi Johnson, and thus demanded to be traded. Although many observers questioned how
effective the 30-year-old Dillon would be after recovering from his injuries as well as his ability to function in a team environment,
the Patriots decided to sign the running back in exchange for a second-round draft pick. Dillon became a significant offensive weapon
for the 2004 Patriots, recording 1,635 rushing yards (franchise record) and 12 touchdowns, both career highs, and was named to the
Pro Bowl for the fourth time in his career. He also caught 15 passes for 103 yards and another touchdown. His contributions helped
lead the team to break the NFL record for the most consecutive regular season victories (18), the record for the most consecutive
overall victories (21) and earned the second best regular season record during the year at 14-2. The team's only losses during the year
were to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who ended up with the league's best regular season record at 15-1, and a 29-28 loss to the Miami
Dolphins on ABC's Monday Night Football. Another weapon in the Patriots' offensive backfield was running back Kevin Faulk, who
rushed for 255 yards, recorded 26 receptions for 248 yards, returned 20 punts for 113 yards, returned 4 kickoffs for 73 yards, and
scored 3 total touchdowns. Fullback Patrick Pass also emerged as a big contributor, rushing for 141 yards, catching 28 passes for 215
yards, and gaining another 115 yards on kickoff returns. Pro Bowl quarterback Tom Brady remained at the helm of the Patriots offense,
completing 288 out of 474 (60.8 percent) of his passes for 3,692 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. Although wide receiver
Deion Branch, New England's major deep threat, missed most of the season because of injuries, he did record 35 receptions for 454
yards and 4 touchdowns. Wide receiver David Givens ended up being the team's leading receiver with 56 catches for 874 yards and 3
touchdowns. Wide receiver David Patten also contributed with 44 receptions for 800 yards and 7 touchdowns, and tight end Daniel
Graham had 30 receptions for 364 yards and 7 touchdowns. On defense, the Patriots were plagued by injuries, especially in their
secondary. Defensive backs Tyrone Poole and Ty Law suffered season-ending injuries, while safety Eugene Wilson, who led the team
with 4 interceptions, missed several games. In order to compensate for the losses, the following players were promoted to starters:
Rookie cornerback Randall Gay, who did not play at all in the first 3 games of the season, and did not start until the 6th week.;
Cornerback Asante Samuel, who normally only played in dime formations.; Safety Earthwind Moreland, who came off of the team's
practice squad and had only played in three games in his entire 5-year NFL career.; Veteran wide receiver Troy Brown. Head Coach
Bill Belichick used Brown in the secondary during training camp, gave him playing time there during the preseason and saw Brown
did very well.; With their patchwork secondary, the Patriots ranked just 17th in passing yards allowed (3,400) and 22nd in
completions allowed (315). However, they did rank 7th in interceptions (20) and 10th in fewest passing touchdowns allowed (18).
Most importantly, New England continued to win despite the injuries. Brown actually turned out to be very effective playing as a
defensive back, ranking second on the team with 3 interceptions. Safety Rodney Harrison was also an impact player, leading the team
with 138 tackles while also recording 3 sacks and 2 interceptions. Up front, the Patriots' defensive line was anchored by Pro Bowler
Richard Seymour, who recorded 5 sacks and 1 fumble recovery. New England also still had their trio of impact veteran linebackers:
Pro Bowler Tedy Bruschi (122 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3 interceptions, and 70 return yards), Willie McGinest (9.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery,
and 1 interception), and Mike Vrabel (71 tackles and 5.5 sacks), along with Ted Johnson. Vrabel also frequently played at the tight
end position during offensive plays near the opponent's goal line, recording 2 touchdown receptions. Philadelphia returns to the Super
Bowl The Eagles gained the 2004 NFC Super Bowl berth after 3 consecutive defeats in the NFC Championship Game. The Eagles
hired Andy Reid as their head coach in 1999 following two straight losing seasons. That same year, they used their first-round pick in
the NFL draft (the second overall) to select quarterback Donovan McNabb. Although they finished the 1999 regular season with a 5–
11 record, they became a playoff team in 2000, with McNabb throwing for 3,365 yards and 21 touchdowns while also rushing for 629
yards and another 6 touchdowns. The Eagles achieved the best regular season record in the conference during the combined 2001,
2002, and 2003 seasons with a total of 35 wins out of 48 games, but lost the NFC Championship Game in each of those 3 years. Prior
to the 2004 season, the Eagles traded for wide receiver Terrell Owens to be the impact player to help get them to the Super Bowl.
Owens joined the team after 8 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. He was considered one of the top receivers in the league, but he
was also widely considered a troublemaker because of controversial touchdown celebrations and his tendency to berate his teammates
during media interviews. Nevertheless, Owens became the Eagles' deep-ball threat, finishing the season with 77 receptions for 1,200
yards and 14 touchdowns. McNabb had the best season of his career in 2004, completing 300 out of 469 (64 percent) passes for 3,875
yards, 31 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions, making him the first quarterback to ever throw for more than 30 touchdowns and fewer
than 10 interceptions in a season. He also rushed for 220 yards and 3 touchdowns. Wide receiver Todd Pinkston was also a reliable
target, recording 36 catches for 676 yards. Philadelphia's running game was not as strong as their passing attack, ranking just 24th in
the league in rushing yards (1,639). Running back Brian Westbrook led the team with 812 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns.
Westbrook also led all NFL running backs in receiving with 73 receptions for 706 yards and 6 touchdowns. Veteran running back
Dorsey Levens was also a big contributor with 410 rushing yards. The Eagles' offensive line was led by Pro Bowl tackles Tra Thomas
and Jon Runyan. Three of their four starters in the defensive secondary were named to the Pro Bowl: Cornerback Lito Sheppard (1
sack, 5 interceptions, 172 return yards and 2 touchdowns), safety Michael Lewis (88 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 interception) and safety
Brian Dawkins (3 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, and 4 interceptions for 40 return yards). Their defensive line was anchored by Pro Bowl
defensive tackle Corey Simon (5.5 sacks) and defensive ends Jevon Kearse (7.5 sacks, Pro Bowl) and Derrick Burgess. Pro Bowl
linebacker Jeremiah Trotter recorded 60 tackles and 1 sack. The Eagles started the 2004 regular season with seven straight wins before
suffering a loss to the Steelers. After that, they finished the season with a 13–3 record. Their only other 2 losses were in their last 2
games of the season, when they decided to rest all of their starters because they had already clinched the NFC #1 seed, and thus homefield advantage in the playoffs. However, during a December 19 12–7 win over the Dallas Cowboys, Owens was seriously injured on
a "horse-collar tackle" by Cowboys defensive back Roy Williams and had to miss the rest of the regular season and the playoffs.
Playoffs Despite the loss of Owens, the Eagles beat the Minnesota Vikings, 27–14, and the Atlanta Falcons, 27–10, in the playoffs.
McNabb recorded 21 out of 33 completions for 286 yards and two touchdowns, while receiver Freddie Mitchell scored two
touchdowns in the victory over the Vikings. McNabb then completed 17 out of 26 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns in the win
over the Falcons. Meanwhile, the Patriots defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 20–3, holding the league's highest scoring team with 522
total points to just one field goal, Indianapolis' lowest point total since their opening game of the 2003 season. Colts quarterback
Peyton Manning threw for 4,557 yards during the regular season, and set NFL records for most touchdown passes in a regular season
(49) and highest quarterback rating (121.4). Running back Edgerrin James gained 2,031 combined rushing and receiving yards and
scored 9 touchdowns. Wide receivers Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and Brandon Stokley each recorded over 1,000 receiving
yards and 10 touchdowns. However, the Patriots limited Manning to 238 passing yards with 1 interception and no touchdowns, and
James to just 39 rushing yards. The Patriots also held possession of the ball for 37:43, including 21:26 in the second half, and
recorded three long scoring drives that each took over 7 minutes off the clock. One reason New England was able to hold the ball so
long was because of Dillon's rushing. He finished the game with 23 carries for 144 yards and 5 receptions for 17 yards. The Patriots
then defeated the Steelers in the AFC Championship Game, 41–27. Although Pittsburgh had beaten New England, 34–20, during the
regular season and led the league in fewest total yards allowed, they could not stop the Patriots. Brady threw for 236 yards and 2
touchdowns; Dillon rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown; and Branch, who was coming off of his injuries, recorded 4 receptions for
116 yards and a touchdown, along with 37 rushing yards and another touchdown on 2 carries. Steelers quarterback Ben
Roethlisberger (who had struggled the previous week against the New York Jets) was intercepted 3 times, and running back Jerome
Bettis, Pittsburgh's leading rusher, was held to just 64 yards. Super Bowl pregame news 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. 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). 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. 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. The Eagles were trying to win their first
NFL title since 1960 and the first championship for the city of Philadelphia since Moses Malone's "fo', fi', fo'" during the 76ers run to
the 1983 NBA Championship. With President George W. Bush being inaugurated for a second time in January, the Eagles were also
trying to end a losing streak—teams in the city of Philadelphia had lost six straight championships during presidential inauguration
years, beginning with the 76ers loss in 1977. The streak included the Eagles in Super Bowl XV in 1981. Television and entertainment
The game was televised in the United States by Fox, with play-by-play announcer Joe Buck and color commentators Cris
Collinsworth and Troy Aikman. Pam Oliver (Patriots sideline) and Chris Myers (Eagles sideline) served as sideline reporters. This
marked the first time since Super Bowl I that none of the network commentators had ever called a Super Bowl game before (although
Collinsworth had worked three prior Super Bowl telecasts as a pregame analyst). This was the last game that Cris Collinsworth
broadcast as a member of the NFL on Fox team, as he chose to sign with NBC in the following off-season. James Brown hosted all the
events with help from his fellow Fox NFL Sunday cast members Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long and Jimmy Johnson. Jillian Barberie
served as weather and entertainment reporter. After the game, Fox aired a special episode of The Simpsons, titled "Homer and Ned's
Hail Mary Pass," and the series premiere of American Dad!, except in both Philadelphia and Boston, where local newscasts delayed
the premieres by an hour. Pregame ceremonies Before the game, performances came from the Black Eyed Peas, Earth Wind & Fire,
Charlie Daniels, John Fogerty, and Gretchen Wilson. Shortly before kickoff, Alicia Keys sang "America the Beautiful," paying tribute
to Ray Charles, who died in June 2004. The combined choirs of the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air
Force Academy, and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (including members of The Idlers) sang the national anthem accompanied by the
U.S. Army Herald Trumpets. This was the first time in more than 30 years that all four service academies sang together—the last time
was at the second inauguration of President Richard Nixon in 1973. In a move which proved somewhat controversial after the
broadcast, the traditional military missing man formation flyby was this year performed by a pair of F/A-18 Super Hornets from VFA106 at NAS Oceana and a pair of the Air Force's newest fighters, the F-22 Raptor, flying from Tyndall AFB, the training base for the
Raptor. The earlier military flyby during the veterans' salute was conducted by 2 T-6 Texan trainers and a B-25 Mitchell bomber. The
coin toss ceremony featured youth football players from Jacksonville: Tyler Callahan, Tyler Deal, Lawrence McCauley, and Jacob
Santana; and New Orleans NFL Junior Player Development coach Tamaris Jackson. They were billed as the first non-celebrities to
participate in the coin toss. For the third straight year, each team took the field en masse. In prerecorded video segments, Andover,
Massachusetts native Michael Chiklis introduced the Patriots, and Philadelphia-born Will Smith introduced the Eagles. (In Super
Bowl XXXVI, the Patriots were the first team to forego individual introductions.) The Patriots entered the Alltel Stadium field first to
"Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne. The Eagles entered last, as they were the "home" team, to "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC. Halftime
show Paul McCartney performed during the halftime show; his selection by the NFL, the show's producers, Don Mischer Productions,
and the show's sponsor, Ameriquest Mortgage, was considered to be a "safe" choice, as it avoided the possibility for an incident
similar to that which sparked the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy the previous year. McCartney's set consisted of the
Beatles songs: "Drive My Car"; "Get Back"; "Live and Let Die" from his career with Wings; "Hey Jude" Theme Taking the concept a
step further, for the first time, a theme was tied to the event: Building Bridges, as symbolized by the theme logo, represented by the
Main Street Bridge, one of the seven bridges that crosses over the St. Johns River in the host city, and according to the League,
symbolized the bridging of a nation under the NFL football umbrella. The theme was also used by Jacksonville-area nonprofit Fresh
Ministries in a major event entitled "Bridges of Peace," featuring city officials asking the people to unite for the Super Bowl and heal
the wounds of segregation. Presidential appearances Former Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton appeared in support of
their bipartisan effort to raise money for relief of the December 26, 2004 tsunami in southeast Asia through the USA Freedom Corps,
an action which former President Bush described as "transcending politics." Game summary On the first drive of the game, Eagles
quarterback Donovan McNabb fumbled while being sacked by New England linebacker Willie McGinest, and the Patriots recovered
the ball at Philadelphia's 34 yard line. Fortunately for the Eagles, coach Andy Reid's instant replay challenge overruled the fumble;
officials ruled that McNabb had been down by contact before the ball came out of his hands. Later in the quarter after each team had
punted twice, McNabb completed a 30-yard pass to Terrell Owens, with a roughing the passer penalty adding 9 yards, moving the ball
inside the Patriots 20 yard line. However, linebacker Mike Vrabel sacked McNabb for a 16-yard loss on the next play. On the
following play, the Eagles once again appeared to turn the ball over: McNabb's pass was intercepted in the end zone by Patriots
defensive back Asante Samuel, but it was nullified by an illegal contact penalty on linebacker Roman Phifer, moving the ball back
inside the 20 and giving the Eagles a first down. However, McNabb's second chance was wasted as he threw an interception to safety
Rodney Harrison on the next play. The Eagles defense then forced New England to a three-and-out on their ensuing possession, and
Philadelphia got great field position by receiving the punt at the Patriots 45 yard line. But once again, they gave up another turnover:
tight end L.J. Smith lost a fumble while being tackled by defensive back Randall Gay, and Samuel recovered the ball at the 38. The
Eagles defense once again forced New England to punt, and got the ball back at their own 19 yard line. Aided by a pair of completions
from McNabb to receiver Todd Pinkston for gains of 17 and 40 yards, the Eagles drove 81 yards in 9 plays and scored on McNabb's 6yard touchdown pass to Smith, taking a 7–0 lead with 9:55 left in the second quarter. It was the first time New England trailed during
the entire postseason. On their ensuing drive, the Patriots moved the ball to the Eagles 4-yard line, mainly on plays by Corey Dillon,
who caught two screen passes for 29 yards and rushed for 25. But quarterback Tom Brady fumbled the ball on a fake handoff and
Philadelphia defender Darwin Walker recovered it. However, the Eagles could not take advantage of the turnover and had to punt after
3 plays. Eagles punter Dirk Johnson's punt went just 29 yards, giving the Patriots the ball at Philadelphia's 37 yard line. The Patriots
then drove 37 yards to score on Brady's 4-yard pass to receiver David Givens with 1:10 remaining in the period, tying the game 7–7
by halftime. It was only the second halftime tie in Super Bowl history and the first time both of the game's first 2 quarters ended tied.
On the opening drive of the second half, Patriots receiver Deion Branch caught 4 passes for 71 yards on a drive that ended with
Brady's 2-yard pass to Vrabel, who lined up at the tight end spot on the play. The Eagles later tied the game with 3:39 left in the third
period with a 74-yard, 10-play drive that was capped by McNabb's 10-yard touchdown pass to running back Brian Westbrook. For the
first time in Super Bowl history, the game was tied going into the fourth quarter. Early in the final period, the Patriots put together a 9play, 66-yard scoring drive that was keyed by 3 plays from running back Kevin Faulk, who caught 2 passes for 27 combined yards and
rushed once for 12. Dillon capped off the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run to give the Patriots a 21-14 lead. Then after forcing
another Eagles punt, Branch's 19-yard reception and a roughing-the-passer penalty on Philadelphia defensive lineman Corey Simon
set up kicker Adam Vinatieri's 22-yard field goal with 8:43 left in the game to increase the score 24–14. In all three Patriots' Super
Bowl wins in the decade, they held a double digit lead in the 4th quarter. The Eagles responded by advancing to the New England 36yard line on their next drive, but it ended with no points after linebacker Tedy Bruschi intercepted a pass from McNabb at the Patriots
24-yard line. After forcing New England to punt, Philadelphia got the ball back at their own 21-yard line with 5:40 left in the game.
The Eagles then drove 79 yards in 13 plays to cut their deficit to 24–21 with McNabb's 30-yard touchdown pass to receiver Greg
Lewis. However, the drive consumed 3:52 of the clock, and only 1:55 remained in the game by the time Lewis scored. Because of this,
many sportswriters later criticized the Eagles for not immediately going to a no-huddle offense at the start of the possession. The
Eagles failed to recover their ensuing onside kick attempt. The Patriots then played it safe by running the ball 3 times and forcing
Philadelphia to use all of its timeouts. New England punter Josh Miller then pinned the Eagles back at their own 4-yard line with just
46 seconds left in the game. Philadelphia then tried one last desperate drive to win or tie the game. But on first down, McNabb was
pressured into making a rushed pass to Westbrook at the line of scrimmage. Instead of dropping the pass to stop the clock, Westbrook
made the mistake of catching the ball and was immediately tackled for no gain, keeping the clock running and forcing the Eagles to
run back to the line of scrimmage for their next play with no huddle. On second down, McNabb threw an incomplete pass intended for
Owens. Finally on third down, McNabb threw a pass that went just over the outstretched fingertips of Smith and into the arms of
Harrison for an interception with 9 seconds left, sealing the victory for the Patriots. Final statistics Overview
McNabb completed
30 out of 51 passes for 357 yards and 3 touchdowns, but threw 3 interceptions and was sacked four times. Westbrook was the Eagles
leading rusher with 44 yards, while also catching 6 passes for 70 yards and a touchdown and returning 3 punts for 19 yards. Pinkston
caught 4 passes for 82 yards. Owens was the Eagles' top receiver with 9 catches for 122 yards. Brady completed 23 out of 33 passes
for 236 yards and 2 touchdowns. Dillon was the top rusher of the game with 75 yards and a touchdown, and had 3 catches for 31 yards.
Branch's Super Bowl record 11 catches tied Cincinnati Bengals' Dan Ross in Super Bowl XVI and San Francisco 49ers' Jerry Rice in
Super Bowl XXIII. (Coincidentally all 3 would eventually be traded to the Seattle Seahawks: Ross in 1985, Rice in 2004, and Branch
in 2006). Branch's 21 catches in Super Bowls XXXVIII and XXXIX are the most in back-to-back Super Bowls. Running back Kevin
Faulk contributed 38 rushing yards and 27 receiving yards. Branch and Terrell Owens each had 100 yards receiving, marking the third
time in Super Bowl history, one player from each team had over 100 yards in a Super Bowl. Michael Irvin and Andre Reed were the
first in Super Bowl XXVII, and Branch and Muhsin Muhammad the second a year earlier in Super Bowl XXXVIII. Branch also
became the fourth player to have at least 100 yards receiving in back-to-back Super Bowls, joining John Stallworth, Jerry Rice and
Antonio Freeman. Also, Mike Vrabel and David Givens became just the 14th and 15th players to score a touchdown in consecutive
Super Bowls. Vrabel is the most surprising person on this list because he is a linebacker and he scored his on offense. They also
became just the 7th and 8th players to catch a touchdown in back-to-back Super Bowls. With the victory, Tom Brady became just the
fourth quarterback to win at least three Super Bowls. He joined Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana and Troy Aikman on this exclusive list.
Brady also became the fourth quarterback to throw a touchdown pass in three different Super Bowls. Other quarterbacks to do it were
Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana and John Elway, with Kurt Warner later accomplishing the feat during Super Bowl XLIII. The Patriots
Super Bowl win was the latest to the recent success of Boston-area sports teams. It was the third championship for Boston-area sports
teams in 12 months, following the Patriots winning Super Bowl XXXVIII the year before and the Red Sox winning the World Series–
first in 86 years–three months earlier. This marked the first time since 1979-1980 in Pittsburgh that the same city has had 2 Super
Bowl and World Series winners in 12 months. For the Eagles, with the loss, the city of Philadelphia would not see its first
championship since the 76ers swept the 1983 NBA Finals until the next time their city's teams played for a championship, when the
Phillies won the 2008 World Series. Commercials As usual, the television coverage of this year's Super Bowl was the showcase for the
most expensive commercials in television—both to produce and to buy airtime (at the rate of $2.4 million US for 30 seconds). One ad
that drew the ire of many—including the NFL—was for the internet domain provider Go Daddy, which tweaked the controversial
halftime of the previous year's game with a mock censorship hearing featuring a comely woman, Nikki Cappelli (played by WWE
Wrestler Candice Michelle), having a "wardrobe malfunction". Fox pulled the second airing of the ad, scheduled for the two-minute
warning of the fourth quarter, along with a five-second plug, and it was replaced with a promo for The Simpsons. The Scottsdale,
Arizona-based World Wide Web domain registration company got a refund on the second ad. Another popular ad was made by the
NFL. It featured players who were not in the Super Bowl, headlined by Pittsburgh Steelers rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
being at a beach resort, depressed he did not make it in. Joe Montana comforted Roethlisberger, and soon both Montana and
Roethlisberger joined many other players in different locations in an off-key yet rousing edition of "Tomorrow" from the musical
Annie. The commercial ended with the tagline: "Tomorrow, we're all undefeated again." Roethlisberger would go on to lead the
Steelers to victory in Super Bowl XL the very next season. The top ad, as chosen by the USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter was for
Anheuser-Busch's Bud Light featuring a timid skydiver making his first jump getting enticed with a six-pack of the product. This ad
was ranked second on ADBOWL. The highest ranked commercial by ADBOWL was Anheuser-Busch’s “Applause.” For the first
time since the campaign started in Super Bowl XXI, no "I'm going to Disney World!" ad aired following Super Bowl
XXXIX.Gambling According to Las Vegas oddsmakers, the Patriots were seven-point favorites entering the game. As the Patriots
only won by three points, they failed to cover this spread.; The over-under bet was set at 46.0 by most casinos. As the total combined
score of the two teams was 45 points, the under bet won.; The money line was set at roughly +245 for Philadelphia and −265 for New
England. Player bonuses Each member of the Patriots received a payment of $68,000 for winning the game. The Eagles each received
$36,500. When adjusted for inflation, the Patriots salary was actually less than the $15,000 paid to members of the Green Bay Packers
for winning Super Bowl I in 1967. That amount of money in 1967 equated to approximately $85,000 in 2005.
February 5, 2006 Pittsburgh Steelers(AFC) vs. Seattle Seahawks(NFC) 21-10 SEA 3 0 7 0 10 PIT 0 7 7 7 21 Stadium Ford Field,
Detroit, Michigan MVP Hines Ward, wide receiver Favorite Steelers by 4 National anthem Aaron Neville, Aretha Franklin and Dr.
John, ASL performed by Angela LaGuardia Halftime show The Rolling Stones Super Bowl XL was an American football game
pitting the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference (NFC)
champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2005 season. Played on February 5, 2006,
at Ford Field in Detroit, the Steelers defeated the Seahawks, 21–10, to join the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys as the
only franchises to have won five Super Bowls. Steelers receiver Hines Ward, who caught 5 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown,
while also rushing for 18 yards, was named Super Bowl MVP. Pittsburgh finished the regular season with an 11-5 record and became
the fourth wild card team, and third in nine years, to win the Super Bowl. The Steelers also became the first #6 seed in the NFL
playoffs to win a Super Bowl (and the first #6 seed to win a conference title). [edit] Background Ford Field was selected to host Super
Bowl XL on November 1, 2000, two years before the stadium opened in 2002; the only previous Super Bowl held in the Detroit area,
Super Bowl XVI, had been played at the Pontiac Silverdome in 1982 (also between teams from the AFC North and NFC West
divisions, though the AFC North was called the Central at that time). The NFL promoted this Super Bowl under the slogan "The Road
to Forty." The slogan not only honored the 40-year history of the game, but was a nod to Detroit's traditional role as the center of the
U.S. automotive industry. In a related note, Roger Penske, owner of car dealerships, racing teams, and other related companies,
headed the Super Bowl XL host committee. This was the first Super Bowl to be played on the FieldTurf surface; each of the previous
Super Bowls had been played either on natural grass or on AstroTurf. The Seahawks became the first team to have their city/state
location painted in their end zone for a Super Bowl, as their end zone read Seattle Seahawks. In Super Bowl XLIII, the Arizona
Cardinals became the second team to have this, as their end zone read Arizona Cardinals. For all other Super Bowl teams, end zones
have featured only the team nickname. Pittsburgh Steelers After stumbling to a 7-5 start, the Steelers rebounded and entered Super
Bowl XL finishing the regular season with an 11-5 record. (Although the team finished tied with the Cincinnati Bengals for the
division lead, the Bengals won the tiebreaker for the AFC North championship based on better divisional record.) They also became
the first team ever to defeat the top three seeded teams on the road in the playoffs (#3 Cincinnati, #1 Indianapolis and #2 Denver). In
addition, the team became the first sixth-seeded team to reach both a conference championship game and the Super Bowl since the
NFL expanded to a 12-team playoff format in 1990. Under Bill Cowher's reign as head coach since 1992, the Steelers had been one of
the top teams in the NFL, making the playoffs in 10 out of his 14 seasons, advancing to the AFC Championship Game six times, and
making an appearance in Super Bowl XXX, losing to the Dallas Cowboys 27-17. After having finished the 2003 season with a 6-10
record and after splitting its first two games to open 2004, Pittsburgh lost starting quarterback Tommy Maddox to injury. Maddox was
replaced by rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who was drafted with the 11th pick in the 2004 NFL Draft but was not expected to
play during his rookie season. Nevertheless, Roethlisberger led the Steelers to victory in all of the team's 14 remaining regular season
games, giving Pittsburgh a 15-1 record and making the Steelers the first AFC team ever to win 15 games. However, the Steelers lost to
eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. Pittsburgh began the 2005 season by winning
seven of its first nine games, but suffered a major setback when both Roethlisberger and his backup, Charlie Batch, went down with
injuries. With Maddox back as the starter, the team was upset by Baltimore and dropped two more games after Roethlisberger's return,
falling to then-undefeated Indianapolis, and division rival Cincinnati. The postseason hopes of the Steelers were in peril, but the team
recovered to win its final four regular season games and to claim the sixth—and final—seed in the AFC playoffs. Roethlisberger was
efficient in his 12 regular season games, throwing for 2,385 yards and seventeen touchdowns with nine interceptions, while adding
three rushing touchdowns. The Steelers' main receiving threat was wide receiver Hines Ward, who led the team with 69 receptions for
975 yards and eleven touchdowns. His 69 catches gave him a career total of 574, surpassing a franchise record for receptions
previously held by Hall of Famer John Stallworth. On the other side of the field, speedy wide receiver Antwaan Randle El was a
constant breakaway threat, catching 35 passes for 558 yards, while gaining 448 yards and two touchdowns on punt returns. Rookie
tight end Heath Miller also recorded 39 receptions for 459 yards and six touchdowns. Pittsburgh's main strength on offense, however,
was its running game. Running back Willie Parker was the team's leading rusher with 1,202 yards, while also recording 18 catches for
218 yards and scoring five touchdowns. In short-yardage situations, the team relied on 255-pound running back Jerome Bettis, who
rushed for 368 yards and scored nine touchdowns. The 33-year-old Bettis finished his 13th NFL season as the league's fifth all-time
leading rusher (13,662 yards and 91 touchdowns), but until this point he had never played in a Super Bowl. The Steelers rushing
attack was powered by an offensive line led by Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca and Pro Bowl reserve center Jeff Hartings. The Steelers
defense ranked fourth in the NFL, giving up 284.0 total yards per game. The Pittsburgh defense was led by its linebacking corps: Joey
Porter, James Farrior, Clark Haggans, and Larry Foote. Porter led all NFL linebackers with 10.5 quarterback sacks and also recorded
two interceptions and a fumble recovery. Haggans tallied nine sacks and 40 tackles, while Farrior added a team-high 119 tackles to go
with his two sacks and one fumble recovery. In the secondary, free safety Chris Hope led the team with three interceptions, while Pro
Bowl safety Troy Polamalu, the team's top threat in the defensive backfield, notched 91 tackles, three sacks, two fumble recoveries,
and two interceptions. The Steelers became just the third team to win the Super Bowl despite not playing a single home game in the
playoffs. The Green Bay Packers, who won Super Bowl I (against the Kansas City Chiefs), and the Kansas City Chiefs, who won
Super Bowl IV (against the Minnesota Vikings), also accomplished the feat. The Steelers, however, had to win four games to
accomplish the feat, while the Chiefs won three and Packers won only two games. Of a "bridging the eras" moment, Steelers
cornerback Willie Williams was the last remaining player to have been on the Steelers last Super Bowl team, their Super Bowl XXX
loss to the Dallas Cowboys following the 1995 season. (Defensive backs coach Darren Perry was also a player on the Super Bowl
XXX team. Both were starters in that game.) Ironically, Williams, who was in his second stint with the Steelers at the time, played
with Seattle from 1997-2003. He would be inactive for Super Bowl XL, which like Bettis would turn out to be his final NFL game
before retiring that offseason. Seattle Seahawks The Seahawks entered Super Bowl XL after finishing the regular season with an
NFC-best 13-3 record. After a rocky 2-2 start, they won 11 consecutive games before losing to the Green Bay Packers to finish the
season. The 13-3 record and 11-game winning streak set new team records. This was Seattle's first Super Bowl appearance in the
team's 30-year history. The Seahawks had been mediocre for much of the 1990s, recording eight consecutive non-winning seasons
from 1991 through 1998. The team hit a low point in 1996, when then-owner Ken Behring announced his intention to move the team
to the Los Angeles area. The team's fortunes began to turn in 1997, when Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen bought the team and
brokered a deal to build a new football stadium, Qwest Field, to replace the aging Kingdome. Mike Holmgren, who had led the Green
Bay Packers to Super Bowls XXXI and XXXII, became head coach in 1999. He became the fifth coach to take two different teams to
the Super Bowl. Joe Jurevicius became the sixth player to play in a Super Bowl with three different teams. Behind running back Shaun
Alexander, Seattle finished the 2005 season as the league's top offense, scoring 452 points. Meanwhile, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck
completed 65.5% of his passes for 3,455 yards and 24 touchdowns (against just nine interceptions) and added 124 yards and one
touchdown on the ground. Alexander, who had scored at least sixteen touchdowns in each of the previous four seasons, had the best
campaign of his career, leading the league with 1,880 rushing yards and scoring an NFL-record 28 touchdowns, for which he was
rewarded with the NFL Most Valuable Player Award. Although the Seahawks suffered injuries to starting wide receivers Darrell
Jackson and Bobby Engram throughout the season, the passing game proved potent, as Engram managed 67 receptions for 778 yards.
Joe Jurevicius, a backup when the season began, started eleven games and made 55 catches for 694 yards and ten touchdowns; tight
end Jerramy Stevens also emerged as a Hasselbeck target, catching 45 passes for 554 yards and scoring five touchdowns. Hasselbeck
was protected and Alexander was given time to run by a stout offensive line, led by Pro Bowl offensive tackle Walter Jones, guard
Steve Hutchinson, and center Robbie Tobeck, and by bruising Pro Bowl fullback Mack Strong. Though unheralded rookie middle
linebacker Lofa Tatupu was the Seahawks' only defensive Pro Bowler, the Seahawks' defense recorded 50 quarterback sacks, leading
the NFL in that category; defensive end Bryce Fisher led the Seahawks with nine sacks, while defensive tackle Rocky Bernard added
8.5 and veteran defensive end Grant Wistrom recorded four. Despite starting two rookies at linebacker for most of the year, the Seattle
linebacking corps played well, led by Tatupu, who topped the team with 104 tackles and added four sacks, three interceptions, and one
fumble recovery. From his strong safety position, Michael Boulware led the team with four interceptions and also tallied two sacks
and one fumble recovery. The Seattle secondary suffered injuries throughout the year, notably to free safety Ken Hamlin; second-year
cornerback Jordan Babineaux played well as he appeared in all sixteen games for Seattle, intercepting three passes and making 61
tackles. For the year, the defense surrendered just 271 points, 181 fewer than the Seahawks offense scored. Statistical comparison The
chart below provides a comparison of regular season statistics in key categories (overall rank amongst 32 teams in parentheses).
Playoffs The Steelers became the second team after the 1985 New England Patriots to win three road playoff games to reach the Super
Bowl. Pittsburgh defeated the third-seeded Bengals, 31-17; the top-seeded Colts, 21-18 in the Immaculate Redemption/Tackle II game;
and the second-seeded Denver Broncos, 34-17, in the AFC Championship Game. The Steelers also became the eighth wild-card team
to go to the Super Bowl and the fourth in nine seasons. The Steelers' catchphrase for the playoffs was "One for the Thumb."
Meanwhile, the Seahawks became the first team to advance to the Super Bowl without playing a division champion in the playoffs.
Off a first-round bye, Seattle defeated the sixth-seeded Washington Redskins, 20-10, before eliminating the fifth-seeded Carolina
Panthers, 34-14, in the NFC Championship Game. These were Seattle's first playoff victories since the 1984 season when they
defeated the Los Angeles Raiders 13-7. ] Broadcasting Television ABC Sports The game was televised in the United States by ABC
with play-by-play announcer Al Michaels, color commentator John Madden, who was named the day before to the Class of 2006 by
the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and sideline reporters Michele Tafoya (Steelers sideline) and Suzy Kolber (Seahawks sideline). This
was the sixth Super Bowl telecast for Michaels, and the tenth for Madden (whose first was Super Bowl XVI, also played in Michigan).
The opening theme was sung by Hank Williams Jr., who was later spotted in the stands wearing Steelers regalia. Although the Super
Bowl had largely been presented in high definition since Super Bowl XXXIV, Super Bowl XL would be the first Super Bowl where
all aspects of the game itself were aired in HD. With the expiration of the current television contracts among ABC, CBS, ESPN and
FOX following the 2005 season, this game served as the final telecast for ABC after 36 seasons with the NFL, at least for the
foreseeable future. It was the second (after Super Bowl XXXVII) Super Bowl telecast, and final ABC telecast, for the broadcast team
of Michaels and Madden, who would call Sunday night NFL games on NBC beginning with the 2006 season. With the Steelers win,
they became the fourth team to win Super Bowls on three different networks (NBC-IX and XIII, CBS-X and XIV, and ABC). Before
this game, the NFC was 6-0 in Super Bowls broadcasted on ABC. Disney-owned corporate sibling ESPN, returned to host ABC's
pregame show, as he had done for the network's coverage of Super Bowls XXXIV and XXXVII. Berman was joined by his fellow
analysts from ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown pregame show: Michael Irvin, Tom Jackson, and Steve Young, along with co-host
Mike Tirico and New England Patriots head coach (and three-time Super Bowl winner) Bill Belichick. Also contributing to the pregame show were Michele Tafoya, Suzy Kolber, Sam Ryan, Andrea Kremer, Kenny Mayne and Chris Mortensen. International Since
the game was being played close to the U.S.-Canada border, Canadian television rights holders Global broadcast portions of an NFLsponsored "Passport To The Super Bowl" event in nearby Windsor, Ontario, featuring a performance by the newly-revived 1980s rock
group INXS with Canadian native lead singer J.D. Fortune, though the network limited coverage of the Windsor event to short
segments immediately prior to commercial breaks. The game was also televised in Australia (SBS), Austria (ORF and TW1), Brazil
(ESPN International), Denmark (TV 2), Finland (MTV3), France (France 2), Germany (ARD), Hungary (Sport 1), Iceland (SÝN),
Ireland (Sky Sports), Italy (Sky Sports 3 and Italia 1), Japan (NHK BS-1, NTV), Mexico (TV Azteca), the Netherlands (SBS6), New
Zealand (ESPN International/SKY TV), Portugal (SportTV), Slovenia (Prva TV), Spain (Canal +), Sweden (ZTV), and UK (ITV/Sky
Sports). According to the NFL, the game was available worldwide in 32 languages. The main NFL international feed of the game
featured FOX broadcasters Dick Stockton and Daryl Johnston providing commentary tailored to those largely unfamiliar with the
rules of American football.Radio Westwood One/CBS Radio provided radio coverage in the United States, with the broadcasting team
of Marv Albert and Boomer Esiason. Sirius Satellite Radio and NFL.com carried international local-language broadcasts from the
United Kingdom (BBC Radio Five Live), Spain (Canal Plus Spain), Russia (NTV), Belgium (BeTV, in French), China (SMG), and
Japan (NTV), in addition to the press box intercom and the public address announcer feeds. Entertainment Pre-game ceremonies
During the pre-game ceremonies, Stevie Wonder, along with Joss Stone, India.Arie, and John Legend, performed a medley of
Wonder's hits. The Four Tops also performed during the pregame ceremonies, though the performance was not televised. In honor of
the fortieth Super Bowl, the pre-game ceremony featured the on-field introduction of 30 of the previous 34 Super Bowl Most Valuable
Players (with the exception of Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw, Jake Scott, and the late Harvey Martin). The absences of Montana and
Bradshaw were originally reported to have been due to disagreements over appearance funds to be paid by the NFL, but each later
rebutted such reports, suggesting that they had prior family commitments; Scott was reported to have been traveling through Australia.
A moment of silence was observed in memory of the two civil rights activists who had died during the months prior to the game:
Coretta Scott King (six days earlier) and Rosa Parks (on October 24, 2005), the latter a long-time Detroit resident. Singers Aretha
Franklin and Aaron Neville, along with pianist Dr. John and a 150-member choir, performed the national anthem as part of a pre-game
tribute to New Orleans, a nine-time Super Bowl host city then in the midst of efforts to rebuild in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The
national anthem was performed in American Sign Language by Angela LaGuardia, a teacher at Michigan School for the Deaf. Tom
Brady, MVP of Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII, became the first active player to participate in a Super Bowl coin toss, the result
of which toss was tails, as selected by Seattle. The Steelers became only the third franchise to wear white jerseys, (which they had
worn for each of their three road playoff victories) despite being the "home" team; the Cowboys (Super Bowls XIII and XXVII) and
the Redskins (Super Bowl XVII), both of whom traditionally wear white at home, are the other two. Bill Cowher stated that the
Steelers were playing in Detroit, not Pittsburgh, and therefore it wasn't a "home" game (although 10 years earlier Cowher's Steelers
did wear their black home jerseys as the "home" team in Super Bowl XXX at Tempe, Arizona away from Pittsburgh, where they had
won both their playoff games to reach that Super Bowl). The Steelers became the first AFC club to don their white jerseys as "home"
team; having been the Cowboys' opponent in Super Bowl XIII, they became the first (and so far only) team to have worn white jerseys
for a "home" Super Bowl and colored jerseys for an "away" one. Although the participating teams each entered as a team for their
introduction, the Steelers insisted on sending Jerome Bettis out ahead of the rest of the team in front of his hometown crowd.
Halftime show The Rolling Stones performed during the halftime show, which was sponsored by the American telecommunications
company Sprint. The group performed three songs: "Start Me Up", "Rough Justice", and "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction". In the wake
of the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy with Janet Jackson, ABC and the NFL imposed a five-second delay and
censored lyrics considered too sexually explicit in the first two songs by briefly turning off Mick Jagger's microphone; the group had
previously agreed to the censoring. However, the choice of The Rolling Stones sparked controversy in the Detroit community because
the band did not represent the music of Detroit and no other artist from the area was included. Post-game ceremonies The post-game
presentation saw Bart Starr, the MVP of Super Bowls I and II, take the Vince Lombardi Trophy to the podium, whence it was
presented to Steelers owner Dan Rooney. Game summary After the first four possessions of the game ended with punts, Seahawks
punt returner Peter Warrick gave his team good field position by returning Chris Gardocki's 37-yard punt 12 yards to Seattle's 49-yard
line. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck then started off the drive with a pair of completions to receivers Darrell Jackson and Joe Jurevicius
for gains of 20 and 11 yards, respectively. On the third play of the drive, Jackson caught a pass in the end-zone, apparently for a
touchdown, but the play was nullified as Jackson was called for pass interference. Running back Shaun Alexander ran the ball the next
two plays, but gained only three yards. Hasselbeck's third-down pass attempt fell incomplete, and the Seahawks were forced to settle
for a 47-yard field goal by kicker Josh Brown. By the end of the first quarter, the Steelers had failed to gain a first down, and
quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had completed one of five pass attempts for one yard. On their first second-quarter possession,
Pittsburgh once more was forced to punt after three plays, but benefited from another Seahawks penalty, a holding call that nullified
Warrick's 34-yard punt return. The Steelers forced a Seattle punt, but Seattle safety Michael Boulware intercepted a Roethlisberger
pass at the Seattle 17-yard line on the ensuing drive. The Seahawks, though, were once more forced to punt after three plays, and
Pittsburgh drove into Seattle territory on the following drive. An offensive pass interference call against tight end Heath Miller and a
sack for an eight-yard loss by Seahawks defensive end Grant Wistrom, though, backed the Steelers to the 40-yard line, and left the
team facing a third-down-and-28. However, Roethlisberger hit receiver Hines Ward out of a scramble and extremely unorthodox,
against the grain pass for a 37-yard gain to keep the drive going. Jerome Bettis carried the ball on the next two plays, taking his team
to the one-yard line but not into the end-zone. On the third-down play, after the two-minute warning, Roethlisberger faked a handoff
and dove into the end-zone himself. There was some confusion as to whether or not he had scored, since the referee hesitated for a bit
after the play ended, but he eventually signalled a touchdown, and it was upheld after a replay challenge. On the strength of a 19-yard
Jurevicius reception, Seattle advanced the ball to the Pittsburgh 36-yard line, but, after the drive stalled, Brown missed a 54-yard field
goal attempt to the right and the Steelers ran out the clock to end the first half. The Steelers took the ball to begin the second half, and
just two plays in, running back Willie Parker broke through for a 75-yard touchdown run, giving his team a 14-3 lead and setting a
record for the longest run in Super Bowl history, beating Marcus Allen's Super Bowl XVIII mark by one yard. The Seahawks drove
into Pittsburgh territory on the next drive, sparked by a 21-yard run by Alexander, but Brown again missed a field-goal attempt, this
one from 50 yards, as Seattle was unable to close the 11-point deficit. Pittsburgh drove 54 yards to the Seattle six-yard line to put
themselves in position to take a large lead, but Seahawks defensive back Kelly Herndon intercepted a pass from Roethlisberger and
returned it a Super Bowl record 76 yards to the Steelers 20-yard line. From there, the Seahawks required just two plays to score on
Hasselbeck's 16-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jerramy Stevens, cutting their deficit to 14-10. The teams exchanged punts (two
from Pittsburgh, one from Seattle) to fill out most of the third quarter, but the Seahawks ended the quarter having driven from their
own two-yard line to near midfield. The drive continued in the fourth quarter, as the Seahawks reached the Pittsburgh 19-yard line. An
18-yard pass to Stevens, though, was negated on a penalty call against Seattle tackle Sean Locklear for holding, denying the Seahawks
an opportunity for a first-down-and-goal from the 1-yard-line. Three plays later, Pittsburgh defensive back Ike Taylor intercepted a
Hasselbeck pass at the 5-yard line and returned it 24 yards. While tackling Taylor, Hasselbeck dove low and was flagged for blocking
below the waist. The penalty added 15 yards to the return and gave the Steelers the ball on their own 44-yard line. Four plays later,
Pittsburgh ran a wide receiver reverse, but the play turned out to be a pass play by wide receiver Antwaan Randle El, who played
quarterback while in college. Parker took a pitch from Roethlisberger and handed off to Randle El, who was running in the opposite
direction. Randle El then pulled up and threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Ward, giving the Steelers a 21-10 lead and
also marking the first time a wide receiver threw a touchdown pass in a Super Bowl. On the ensuing possession, Hasselbeck ran the
ball for eighteen yards and was briefly touched by Steelers linebacker Larry Foote as the former fell to the ground. Though the play
was initially ruled a fumble, with the ball recovered by the Steelers, a Seahawks challenge proved successful, as officials ruled
Hasselbeck to have been down prior to his having lost the ball; Seattle, aided by a 13-yard Jurevicius reception, drove to the Pittsburgh
48-yard line but could go no further; a Tom Rouen punt entered the end zone, giving the Steelers possession on their own 20-yard line.
Pittsburgh possessed the ball on for nearly four-and-one-half minutes on the ensuing drive, as Bettis carried seven times; Seattle was
forced to use all of its three timeouts to stop the clock, but nevertheless had only 1:51 left when it took the ball from its own 20-yard
line following a Gardocki punt. A 35-yard reception by Jurevicius took the Seahawks into Pittsburgh territory, and a 13-yard Bobby
Engram reception took the team to within field-goal range, but dubious clock-management and play-calling left the team with just 35
seconds remaining; an incompletion and a three-yard pass to Stevens over the middle over the field consumed 26 seconds, and
Hasselbeck threw incomplete near Stevens on fourth down, giving the Steelers the ball on downs with just three seconds left, after
which a Roethlisberger kneel-down ended the game. Final statistics Overview The Steelers became just the third team to win the
Super Bowl despite not playing a single home game in the playoffs. The Green Bay Packers, who won Super Bowl I, and the Kansas
City Chiefs, who won Super Bowl IV, also accomplished the feat. The Steelers, however, had to win four games to accomplish the
feat, while the Chiefs won three and Packers won only two games. Roethlisberger finished the game having completed just 9 of 21
passes for 123 yards and having also thrown two interceptions; his 22.6 quarterback rating was the lowest ever of any by a Super Bowl
winning quarterback. He also rushed for 25 yards and a touchdown. He became the second youngest quarterback to start in a Super
Bowl and the youngest quarterback ever to win a Super Bowl at 23 years, 11 months. The Pittsburgh rushing game was paced by
Willie Parker, who gained 93 yards and one touchdown on just ten carries; Bettis rushed 14 times for 43 yards, converted a key first
down, and allowing his team to run time off the clock late in the fourth quarter. Ward caught five passes for 123 yards and a
touchdown. In addition to his 43-yard touchdown pass, Randle El caught three passes for 22 yards and returned two punts for 32 yards.
In defeat for the Seahawks, Hasselbeck completed 26 of 49 pass attempts for 273 yards and a touchdown, with one interception.
Jurevicius caught 5 passes for 93 yards. Engram and Jackson also played roles, combining to gain 120 yards on eleven receptions.
Alexander led all rushers in the game, accumulating 95 yards on 20 carries while also catching two passes for two yards. The Steelers
were the third team to lose the turnover battle and win the game, after the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl V and the Steelers in Super
Bowl XIV. Defensively, Taylor led the Steelers, making seven tackles, defensing two passes, and intercepting Hasselbeck; for the
Seahawks, linebacker Lofa Tatupu recorded nine tackles. Reaction to officiating The officiating in Super Bowl XL was met with harsh
criticism from some of the media soon after the game, with some columnists saying that the officiating cost the Seahawks the game.
One call that was complained about was an offensive pass interference on wide receiver Darrell Jackson for a "push-off" against
Steelers safety Chris Hope that nullified his 16-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter. Another complaint had to do with a
penalty in the fourth quarter against Seattle right tackle Sean Locklear for allegedly holding Steelers linebacker Clark Haggans around
the neck that nullified a deep pass. Also disputed was the penalty on Hasselbeck for an illegal block while simply making a tackle
during Ike Taylor's interception return. Kansas City Star writer Jason Whitlock encapsulated some views when he wrote the day after
the game, "Bill Leavy and his crew ruined Super Bowl XL. Am I the only one who would like to hear them defend their
incompetence?" Initially, some fans reacted negatively as well. A February 7 online ESPN poll found that, with 103,167 votes cast,
61.7% of those votes were cast for the choice of "officiating mistakes affected the outcome of Super Bowl XL." Also, Seahawks
coach Mike Holmgren himself took issue with the officiating at a celebration for his team on February 6 at Qwest Field, saying, "We
knew it was going to be tough going against the Pittsburgh Steelers. I didn't know we were going to have to play the guys in the
striped shirts as well." Holmgren was not fined for the remarks. In response to the criticisms leveled at the officials, the NFL, just two
days after the game, released a statement defending the officials' performance. "The game was properly officiated, including, as in
most NFL games, some tight plays that produced disagreement about the calls made by the officials," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello
said in a statement. High profile referee Ed Hochuli said "the league felt, actually, that the Super Bowl was well officiated. Now, that
doesn't mean there were no mistakes. There are always mistakes, but it was a well-officiated game." On August 6, 2010, while
visiting the Seahawks' preseason training camp for an annual rules interpretation session with the Seattle media, Leavy brought up
Super Bowl XL without being asked, and admitted to having blown calls: “It was a tough thing for me. I kicked two calls in the fourth
quarter and I impacted the game, and as an official you never want to do that. It left me with a lot of sleepless nights, and I think about
it constantly. I'll go to my grave wishing that I'd been better ... I know that I did my best at that time, but it wasn't good enough ...
When we make mistakes, you got to step up and own them. It's something that all officials have to deal with, but unfortunately when
you have to deal with it in the Super Bowl it's difficult.” Commercials As usual, the American television broadcast of the Super Bowl
showcased top commercials and commanded high prices, estimated at $2.6 million (US) for a 30-second spot. According to
Advertising Age, Anheuser-Busch was the top advertiser during the game, having purchased 10 30-second spots. The magazine
reported that other companies having purchased multiple commercial segments included Ameriquest (two), CareerBuilder.com (two),
Pepsi-Cola (four), Pizza Hut (ten, though most ran prior to kickoff), Sprint (three), Procter & Gamble (four, three for Gillette's new
Fusion razor), Warner Bros. (three), Disney (two) and GoDaddy.com (two). Three companies aired 60-second advertisements:
General Motors (for the Cadillac brand), Burger King, and Mobile ESPN (the Sports Heaven ad). Agency BBDO was the biggest
single producer of commercials, creating 19. ABC also aired several 60-second commercials for some of its shows, including Lost,
Desperate Housewives, and Grey's Anatomy. Notably, this was the first Super Bowl during which commercials, in addition to the
game itself, were broadcast in HDTV; on typical HDTV broadcasts, the commercials themselves are broadcast in standard definition.
Google Video and America Online each catalogued ads for later viewing. The USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter and ADBOWL,
which both measure viewer online reaction to all Super Bowl ads, found the Bud Light “Magic refrigerator” spot ranked as the top
spot. Gambling According to Las Vegas oddsmakers, the Steelers opened betting as a four-point favorite. As the Steelers won by
eleven points, they covered this spread.; The over-under, or expected points total, for the game, opened at 47. As the total combined
score of this game was only 31 points, the under bet won.; The money line was set at roughly +160 for the Seahawks and -180 for the
Steelers. This was just the fifth time in Super Bowl history when a lower-seeded team opened as the favorite to win; the previous
occurrences were Super Bowls XXXIX (AFC second-seeded New England Patriots were favored by seven points over NFC top-seed
Philadelphia Eagles), XXXV (AFC fourth-seeded Baltimore Ravens were favored by three points over NFC top-seed New York
Giants), XXIII (NFC second-seeded San Francisco 49ers were favored by seven points over AFC first-seed Cincinnati Bengals), and
XVII (AFC second-seeded Miami Dolphins were favored by three points over Washington Redskins). In each but the last iteration, the
lower-seeded and favored team won. This was also the second time in Super Bowl history when the favorite was a wild card team; the
first was before Super Bowl XXXV, when the Ravens were favored. It also marked the first time since that game the favorite won
against the spread. Members of the winning team each received a payment of $73,000 for playing in the game, while players on the
losing team were paid $38,000. The Green Bay Packers received $15,000 each for winning Super Bowl I in 1967; adjusted for
inflation in 2006 dollars, that sum is roughly $86,000. After having held constant at $600 for three years, the face value of the costliest
Super Bowl ticket rose to $700 for the game. On eBay, the least-desirable seats—those behind each end zone in the upper level—
fetched more than $2000 each, while top seats around the 50-yard line sold for more than $6000. Ring The ring for the Pittsburgh
Steelers was designed by Steelers owner Dan Rooney with Jerome Bettis and Ben Roethlisberger. It is crowned by five Vince
Lombardi trophies, all topped with football-shaped diamond settings to represent their five Super Bowl victories; Rooney would've
preferred the ring to focus exclusively on this team's win, but Bettis and Roethlisberger, cognizant of a tradition they couldn't help but
be reminded of, insisted that it acknowledge the legacy of those teams (indeed, during the pre-game MVP introductions, Franco Harris,
winner of the award in the Steelers' first Super Bowl victory, had waved a Terrible Towel as he walked onto the field). The base of
each trophy has the Roman numeral for their victories, with Super Bowl XL front and center. In front of the trophies is the Steelers
logo set with colored jewels to mimic the colors of the logo. On the top of the crown is "PITTSBURGH", and on the bottom is
"WORLD CHAMPIONS". One side of the ring has the Super Bowl XL logo and the score of the game.
February 4, 2007 Indianapolis Colts(AFC) vs. Chicago Bears(NFC) 29-17 IND 6 10 6 7 29 CHI 14 0 3 0 17 Stadium Dolphin
Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida MVP Peyton Manning, Quarterback, Colts Favorite Colts by 7 National anthem Billy Joel, ASL
performed by Marlee Matlin Halftime show Prince and the Florida A&M University Marching 100 Super Bowl XLI was an American
football game that featured the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football
Conference (NFC) champion Chicago Bears to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2006 season. The Colts
defeated the Bears, 29-17, overcoming a 14-6 first quarter deficit to outscore their opponent 23-3, in the last three quarters.This game,
played on February 4, 2007, at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, featured two teams ending long Super Bowl appearance
droughts. The Colts made their first appearance in a Super Bowl game since winning Super Bowl V in the 1970 NFL season during
the team's tenure in Baltimore; they moved to Indianapolis in 1984. Meanwhile, the Bears made their first appearance since winning
Super Bowl XX in the 1985 season. It was only the second time that two pre-expansion era (pre 1960) teams met in the Super Bowl.
The first was Super Bowl XIV between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Los Angeles Rams. Also, if one counts the histories of several
other franchises as part of that of the Colts, this game would be the first Super Bowl between two NFL charter members from 1920, as
the Colts' earliest ancestor, the Dayton Triangles, were part of the league's inaugural season along with the team that became the
Chicago Bears, the Decatur Staleys (the only other possible Super Bowl match-up under this criteria would be between the Colts and
the Arizona Cardinals).Colts quarterback Peyton Manning was named the game's Most Valuable Player, completing 25 of 38 passes
for 247 yards and a touchdown, with one interception for a passer rating of 81.8, which in the context of 2006 quarterback post-season
performance was slightly above the median, according to NFL.com statistics. This was Manning's first Super Bowl title after being
one of the league's most dominant quarterbacks throughout his nine-year career. It was also the first time two African-American head
coaches (Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy) were coaching in the Super Bowl, with Tony Dungy being the first to win. The tagline for the
game was, "One Game. One Dream." Background Host selection process Dolphin Stadium won the bid to host Super Bowl XLI on
September 17, 2003 after a campaign against Arizona, Tampa Bay, New York City, and Washington D.C. With this game, the Miami
Metropolitan Area tied New Orleans, Louisiana as the city to host the most Super Bowls (9). This was the fourth Super Bowl at
Dolphin Stadium, which has also been known as "Joe Robbie Stadium" and "Pro Player Stadium". The venue previously hosted Super
Bowls XXIII (broadcast on NBC), XXIX (on ABC), and XXXIII (on FOX). Super Bowls II, III, V, X, and XIII were also in Miami,
but held at the Miami Orange Bowl. In February 2006, the NFL and the South Florida Super Bowl XLI Host Committee unveiled the
slogan "one game, one dream" for the game, referring to the entire South Florida region working together to present the event. The
Super Bowl XLI logo was also unveiled, featuring the colors orange (to represent the sun) and blue (for the ocean). The "I" in the
Roman numeral "XLI" was drawn to resemble a pylon placed at each corner of an end zone because "the goal is to get to the game."
This year's logo has the same shade of orange as the logo of the host city's home team, the Miami Dolphins. The "XL" part is similar
to that of Super Bowl XL's logo. Teams Chicago Bears Chicago finished the season with an NFC best 13–3 record and advanced to
the second Super Bowl in franchise history. The team excelled on defense, ranking third in fewest points allowed (255) and second in
fewest points allowed per drive. They also ranked second in scoring (427 points), although only tenth in points per offensive drive
thanks to a league leading 65 points scored on defensive or special teams plays. The Bears offense was led by quarterback Rex
Grossman, the team's first round draft pick in 2003. Over the previous three seasons, Grossman had played in just 8 regular season
games due to injuries, but he recovered to start in all 16 games in 2006. By the end of the season, he finished with 3,193 yards and 23
touchdowns, the most by a Bears quarterback since 1995. Grossman had difficulty avoiding turnovers, however, and threw 20
interceptions and lost five fumbles during the year. In the last seven games of the season, he turned the ball over 18 times. Many fans
and sports writers expected head coach Lovie Smith to bench him at some point, but Smith insisted that Grossman would be the starter
throughout the entire season. Receivers Muhsin Muhammad (60 receptions, 863 yards, 5 touchdowns) and Bernard Berrian (51
receptions, 775 yards, 7 touchdowns) provided the main deep threat on the team, along with tight end Desmond Clark, who caught 45
passes for 626 yards and 6 touchdowns. Chicago's running game was led by running backs Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson. Jones
rushed for 1,210 yards and caught 36 passes, while Benson rushed for 647 yards and scored 6 touchdowns. Chicago's defense allowed
the 5th least total yardage, allowed less than 100 yards per game on the ground, and allowed the fewest yards per drive of any NFL
team. The line was anchored by Adewale Ogunleye, who had 6.5 sacks, and Pro Bowler Tommie Harris, who recorded 5, along with
rookie Mark Anderson, who led the team with 12 sacks. Behind them, two of the three Bears starting linebackers, Lance Briggs, and
Brian Urlacher, were selected to the 2007 Pro Bowl. In the secondary, cornerbacks Ricky Manning, Jr. and Charles Tillman each
recorded five interceptions. The loss of Harris to injury after the twelfth game of the season coincided with a decline in defensive
performance. Before his loss, the Bears allowed only two opponents to score more than twenty points (23 points to the Arizona
Cardinals in week six and 31 to the Miami Dolphins in week 9). After his injury, Chicago opponents scored more than 20 points in six
of the seven remaining games, including two of three playoff games. Only the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship game
were held below 21 points. The Bears special teams unit was considered to be the best in the league[citation needed]. This unit sent 3 players
to the Pro Bowl, including special teams ace Brendon Ayanbadejo, kicker Robbie Gould (who led all NFL kickers with 143 points),
and rookie return man Devin Hester, who gained 600 punt return yards with a 12.8 yards per return average, the second highest in the
NFL. He also set a league record with 6 touchdowns on special teams. Indianapolis Colts The Colts' first trip to the Super Bowl in 36
years set a record for longest time between appearances by a team. Their return was the culmination of a nine-year-long building
process. In 1998, they drafted quarterback Peyton Manning to lead the team. Over the next four seasons, Manning, along with other
stars such as receiver Marvin Harrison and running back Edgerrin James, turned the Colts into one of the best offensive teams in the
NFL, but the team struggled to find consistency on defense and always ended up with either a losing season or elimination from the
playoffs in the first round. In 2002, Indianapolis fired head coach Jim Mora and replaced him with Tony Dungy. Dungy had developed
one of the best defenses in the NFL while coaching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and it was hoped he could solve the Colts' defensive
problems as well. Over the next four seasons, the Colts won 48 of 64 games, but still could not find much success in the postseason. In
2002, they were blown out 41–0 in the wild card round by the New York Jets. In 2003, they won their first two playoff games behind
impressive offensive performances, and reached the AFC title game. There, they lost to the eventual champion New England Patriots
24–14, with Manning throwing four interceptions. In 2004, the Colts had one of the most spectacular offensive seasons in NFL history,
scoring 522 points and gaining 6,582 yards, while Manning set NFL records for most touchdown passes and highest passer rating. But
again the Patriots' defense (and snowy conditions) proved too formidable, as they lost 20–3 in the divisional round of the playoffs. In
2005, the Colts' defense improved, making the team the clear favorites in the NFL. They won the first 13 games of the season and
finished with a 14–2 record, while ranking second in the NFL in both points scored and fewest points allowed. But once again they
lost in the divisional round of the playoffs, this time to the #6 seeded Pittsburgh Steelers, 21–18. After another disappointing loss,
Manning had developed a reputation of being unable to make it to a championship, a reputation that followed him from college after
he was unable to win an NCAA title with the Tennessee Volunteers (who won a title the year after he graduated). The Colts lost some
key players after the 2005 season, including James, who departed the Colts for the Arizona Cardinals, and kicker Mike Vanderjagt, the
NFL's all-time leader in field goal percentage, who left for the Dallas Cowboys. Still, the Colts remained one of the AFC's top teams
in the 2006 NFL season. Manning made the Pro Bowl for the 7th time in his career, completing 362 of 555 passes for 4,397 yards and
an NFL-best 31 touchdowns, with an additional 4 rushing touchdowns and with only 9 interceptions and 15 sacks. His favorite target
was Harrison, who caught 95 passes for 1,366 yards and 12 touchdowns. Receiver Reggie Wayne was also a major deep threat with 86
receptions for 1,310 yards and 9 touchdowns. Tight ends Ben Utecht and Dallas Clark were also reliable targets, each recording over
30 receptions for over 300 yards. On the ground, rookie running back Joseph Addai led the team with 1,081 yards and a 4.8 yards-percarry average despite not starting any games in the regular season. He also caught 40 receptions for 325 yards and scored 8
touchdowns. Running back Dominic Rhodes was also a major contributor, rushing for 641 yards and catching 36 passes for 251 yards.
The offensive line was led by Pro Bowlers Jeff Saturday and Tarik Glenn. On special teams, the Colts signed kicker Adam Vinatieri to
replace Vanderjagt. While Vinatieri's career field goal percentage was lower, the Colts considered him to be an improvement because
of his reputation for making "clutch" kicks, a reputation aided by his game winning field goals in Super Bowl XXXVI and Super
Bowl XXXVIII. Indianapolis' defense ranked second in the NFL in fewest passing yards allowed. Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis
(who recorded 9.5 sacks and forced 4 fumbles) were widely considered to be among the best pass-rushing defensive ends in the NFL.
Behind them, linebacker Cato June led the team in tackles (92) and interceptions (3). The Colts' run defense, however, was a major
problem, giving up 2,768 yards on the ground, an average of 173 per game and last in the NFL. Another major issue for the Colts was
their coverage teams, as they ranked 30th out of 32 teams in average kickoff return yardage allowed and 31st in average punt return
yardage allowed. Indianapolis started out the season winning their first nine games, but ended up losing four of their next seven and
finished with a 12–4 record, giving them the #3 playoff seed. Thus, they would have to win three games to make it to the Super Bowl.
Regular season statistical comparison The chart below provides a comparison of regular season statistics in key categories (overall
rank amongst 32 teams in parentheses). Playoffs Although the Colts' rushing defense looked extremely weak during the season, it
ended up being a key factor on their road to the Super Bowl. First, Indianapolis defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 23–8, holding Chiefs
running back Larry Johnson (who rushed for 1,789 yards during the season) to just 32 yards on 13 carries. Then, they defeated the
Baltimore Ravens 15–6, winning on a playoff record-tying five field goals by Vinatieri and holding running back Jamal Lewis (who
rushed for 1,132 yards during the season) to just 53 yards. Then the Colts faced their arch-rival New England Patriots in the AFC title
game. New England jumped to an early 21–3 lead, but Indianapolis stormed back in the second half, outscoring the Patriots 32–13
with an additional field goal late in the first half. The Colts' final scoring drive did much to help Manning lose his image of always
choking in big games. With 2:22 left in the game, the Colts had the ball on their own 20-yard line trailing 34–31. On the first four
plays of the drive, Manning completed three passes, moving the ball 69 yards to the Patriots 11-yard line in just 24 seconds. Three
plays later, Addai scored a 3-yard touchdown run to put them in the lead, 38–34 with only 60 seconds left in regulation. The Patriots
responded with a drive to the Colts 45-yard line, but defensive back Marlin Jackson ended the drive with an interception to give
Indianapolis the win. This happened to be the biggest comeback in AFC-NFC Conference Championship history. Meanwhile, the
Bears started out their post-season with a 27–24 win over the Seattle Seahawks with Robbie Gould's 49-yard field goal in overtime.
One week later, they defeated the New Orleans Saints 39–14. Chicago dominated most of the game, jumping to a 16–0 early lead.
Two touchdown passes from Saints quarterback Drew Brees, cut the score to 16–14, but the Bears responded with 23 unanswered
points to propel them to their first Super Bowl since 1985. Thomas Jones finished the game with a franchise postseason record 123
rushing yards and two touchdowns. It was the first time since the 1996 postseason that the home team won both of the conference
championship games. The Colts were the first dome team to win the Super Bowl in an outdoor game. (The St. Louis Rams were the
first dome team to win a Super Bowl (XXXIV)). The 2006 Indianapolis Colts were the first division champion to win a Super Bowl
with four postseason wins and the second division champion (2003 Carolina Panthers) to win a conference title with three postseason
wins. For the Bears, this marked the first time that a Chicago sports team not owned by Jerry Reinsdorf had reached the finals in their
league since the Blackhawks lost in the 1992 Stanley Cup Finals. Super Bowl pre-game practices and notes The Indianapolis Colts
held pre-game practices for Super Bowl XLI at the Miami Dolphins Training Facility on the campus of Nova Southeastern University
in Davie, Florida. The Colts' "Team and Family" hotel was the Marriott Harbor Beach. At the 2007 Indianapolis 500 pre-race
ceremonies on May 27, 2007, eventual Super Bowl XLI MVP Peyton Manning stated to ABC Sports commentator Brent Musberger
that the day before the game that two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Hélio Castroneves gave a pep talk to the Colts team. The Chicago
Bears held pre-game practices for Super Bowl XLI at the Miami Hurricanes Football Facility, on the campus of the University of
Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. Chicago defensive tackle Tank Johnson was required to request a judge's order to leave the state of
Illinois due to an arrest for unlicensed ownership of six firearms and two assault rifles. On January 23, 2007, the judge granted him
permission to travel out of state to play in the Super Bowl. Chicago and Indianapolis are the two closest cities, geographically, to ever
play in a Super Bowl; at 182 miles (293 km) apart (connected by Interstate 65), they are slightly closer than New York and Baltimore,
whose teams played each other at III and XXXV). This prompted Colts coach Tony Dungy to joke to Jim Nantz, at the end of the AFC
Championship game, that the two teams should split the difference and play the game in Fort Wayne. Broadcasting United States The
game was televised in the United States by CBS in high-definition with play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz and color commentator
Phil Simms. This was the first Super Bowl announced by Nantz. Additionally, the game had Steve Tasker (Bears sideline) and
Solomon Wilcots (Colts sideline) reporting on the sidelines and Lesley Visser (Bears sideline) and Sam Ryan (Colts sideline) in the
stands. This was the first Super Bowl aired on CBS since the Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake incident three years earlier, in Super
Bowl XXXVIII; and the first since the Viacom/CBS split at the end of 2005. Extensive pre-game coverage, hosted by The NFL Today
team of James Brown, Shannon Sharpe, Boomer Esiason and Dan Marino, whose name graces the address of the game site (2269 Dan
Marino Boulevard), began at noon (US EST) with NFL Films’ “Road to the Super Bowl” year in review (narrated by Tom Selleck).
This was followed by "The Phil Simms All-Iron Team", and a four-and-a-half hour Super Bowl Today pre-game show followed by
game coverage at 6:25 PM. Other contributors to the pre-game show included Katie Couric, anchor of the CBS Evening News, Armen
Keteyian, CBS News Chief Investigative Corrrespondent, Randy Cross, who reported from Iraq where U.S. military forces played a
touch football game known as "The Baghdad Bowl" and Dick Enberg, who participated in his 12th Super Bowl telecast as a host,
play-by-play announcer, or contributor. Westwood One provided radio coverage of the event, with Marv Albert and Boomer Esiason
as announcers. The American Forces Network (AFN) provided coverage of the Super Bowl for U.S. forces stationed overseas and to
all U.S. Navy ships at sea. The opening title sequence of CBS television coverage featured the composition Lux Aeterna, by artist
Clint Mansell, in the background. Nielsen Media Research reported 93 million viewers for Super Bowl XLI, making it at the time the
fifth most watched program in U.S. television history (trailing only the M*A*S*H finale and Super Bowls XLIII, XXX, and XLII).
International The Super Bowl was broadcast live in Canada on CBS (which is available in Canada) as well as Global TV and NTV
which both took the main CBS commentary, and on the French cable channel RDS. In the United Kingdom the Super Bowl was
broadcast on ITV1, Sky Sports 1 & Sky Sports HD1 with Sky Sports taking the main CBS commentary and ITV taking the NFL
supplied international commentary feed of Spero Dedes and Sterling Sharpe. Super Bowl XLI was broadcast in over 200 countries.
Amongst the television networks who broadcast Super Bowl XLI were: Entertainment Pre-game ceremonies Before the game, Cirque
du Soleil, Romero Britto and Louie Vega performed as the pre-game act, and Billy Joel sang the National Anthem, accompanying
himself on piano. He also performed at Super Bowl XXIII, which was also played at the same venue. Joel became the second person
to sing the National Anthem twice for a Super Bowl; Aaron Neville sang the national anthem before Super Bowl XXIV, in New
Orleans, and Super Bowl XL (along with Aretha Franklin), in Detroit. Marlee Matlin and Jason Hay-Southwell performed the
National Anthem in American Sign Language. Besides participating in the CBS telecast of the pre-game show, Dan Marino also
participated in the coin toss along with Norma Hunt, the widow of Lamar Hunt, the former owner of the Kansas City Chiefs and the
man who gave the Super Bowl its name. Halftime show American singer and musician, Prince, performed in the Pepsi Super Bowl
XLI Halftime Show. The setlist for Prince's performance was a short rendition of "We Will Rock You" by Queen, his signature hit
"Let's Go Crazy", "Baby, I'm a Star", cover versions of the Creedence Clearwater Revival hit "Proud Mary", the Bob Dylan
composition "All Along the Watchtower", and the Foo Fighters song "Best of You", and in light of the conditions, he fittingly finished
the performance with another signature song, "Purple Rain" in the downpour. The 12-minute performance featured Prince
accompanied by two dancers he calls “The Twinz” and the Florida A&M University marching band, the Marching 100. Prince had
rehearsed with the drum line for a week before the performance. The performance was on a large, central stage which was shaped after
the artist's logo, and was outlined with lights. He played before 74,512 fans at Dolphin Stadium (who had been given flashlights to
point at the stage during the performance of Purple Rain). The event was carried “to the biggest audience of his life – 140 million
television viewers.” Overall, the show was energetic and quite well received by the rain-soaked audience surrounding the stage. Music
critics were extremely enthusiastic about his performance, one calling it "arguably the best halftime show in Super Bowl history", and
others saying it was one of the best ever. Following the game, however, controversy emerged about a silhouetted camera shot of
Prince, projected against a large sheet by a bright light on the other side of the performer. The controversy centered around his guitar,
which detractors claimed seemed phallic, critics stating that it "looked embarrassingly rude, crude and unfortunately placed." Though
the guitar has been considered by some an extension of a male player's sexuality (especially highlighted by such artists as Jimi
Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, and even Prince himself), supporters of Prince say that the show did not, in fact, become any more
sexually charged than usual, noting that "a guitar at waist level does look like an enormous phallus." ABC late-night talk show Jimmy
Kimmel Live responded to this mild controversy by including two satirically pixelized Super Bowl clips on its weekly segment "This
Week in Unnecessary Censorship" for the February 9, 2007 episode. The first "censored" clip was the kickoff show introduction for
CBS' coverage of the Super Bowl, with the first two letters of "kickoff" blurred out as if "jackoff" were censored, then with a clip of
the shadow of Prince playing guitar with the guitar neck blurred out as if an actual penis were being blurred. Post-game ceremonies
Former Colts and Dolphins head coach Don Shula presented the Vince Lombardi Trophy to the Colts after the game, and Peyton
Manning was named MVP. Game summary First half The Bears won the coin toss and elected to receive. For the first time in Super
Bowl history, the game was played in the rain, which was continuous throughout the game. The rain did not hinder Bears' return man
Devin Hester, who ran back the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown to give Chicago the earliest lead in Super Bowl history. The
Colts avoided kicking to Hester for the rest of the game, allowing him only one punt return, and choosing to squib kick whenever
Hester was in the deep kickoff return position. On Indianapolis' first drive of the game, defensive back Chris Harris intercepted a deep,
third-down pass from Peyton Manning and returned it 6 yards to the Bears' 35-yard line. However, Chicago could not gain a first
down on their ensuing possession and they were forced to punt. After several short runs and passes, Manning beat the Bears' defense
with a 53-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne, cutting the Bears' lead to 7–6. The touchdown occurred because of a mental error on
the Bears' secondary. Cornerback Charles Tillman passed Reggie Wayne onto Safety Daniel Manning. But Manning chose to follow
Tight End Ben Utecht over the middle, leaving Wayne all alone. The score remained the same, at 7–6, after punter/holder Hunter
Smith fumbled the snap on the extra point attempt. On the ensuing kickoff, Chicago tight end Gabe Reid fumbled Adam Vinatieri's
bouncing kickoff while being tackled by Robert Mathis; Colts linebacker Tyjuan Hagler recovered the loose ball. However, on the
next play, Indianapolis gave the ball back when running back Joseph Addai fumbled the handoff and Bears defensive end Mark
Anderson recovered it. On the first play after the turnover, Thomas Jones' 52-yard run moved the ball to the Colts' 5-yard line. Three
plays later, Rex Grossman threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to receiver Muhsin Muhammad, giving the Bears a 14–6 lead. After forcing
an Indianapolis punt, Chicago lost another turnover when Cedric Benson's fumble was recovered by Colts defensive end Dwight
Freeney on the Bears' 43-yard line. Indianapolis subsequently advanced to the 36-yard line, but decided to punt rather than risk a 53yard field-goal attempt. Following a Chicago punt, Indianapolis drove 47 yards and scored with Vinatieri's 29-yard field goal to make
the score 14–9. Chicago was forced to punt again on their next drive, and return man Terrence Wilkins returned the ball 12 yards to
his own 42-yard line. Manning started out the drive with a 22-yard completion to Marvin Harrison. His next pass went to tight end
Dallas Clark for 17 yards. Two more completions moved the ball to the Bears' 11-yard line, and then Dominic Rhodes took the ball to
the end zone with three consecutive carries, the last one a 1-yard touchdown run to give his team a 16–14 lead with 6:09 left in the
second quarter. After another Chicago punt, the Colts advanced to the Bears' 36-yard line before defensive back Charles Tillman
ended the drive by forcing and recovering a fumble from tight end Bryan Fletcher. But on the next play, Grossman fumbled a snap,
and Colts defensive lineman Raheem Brock recovered the ball. Manning then led the Colts to Chicago's 17-yard line. With two
seconds left, Vinatieri attempted a 36-yard field goal, but his kick sailed wide left, and the score remained 16–14 at halftime. Second
half Wilkins returned the second half kickoff 26 yards to the Colts's 38-yard line. On the ensuing possession, Addai rushed five times
for 25 yards and caught four passes for 19 yards as the Colts drove 56 yards in 13 plays and scored with a 29-yard field goal from
Vinatieri, increasing their lead to 19–14. On the Bears' next drive, Jones started out with a 14-yard run, and then Muhammad caught a
9-yard pass, bringing up second down and one on the Colts' 45-yard line. But on the next play, Grossman was sacked for an 11-yard
loss by Anthony McFarland. Then, on third down, he fumbled the snap. Grossman recovered the fumble himself, but the Bears were
forced to punt, and Wilkins returned the ball 12 yards to the Colts' 36-yard line. Rhodes then gained 52 yards on four carries, with a
facemask penalty adding another 10. Chicago managed to halt the drive at their own 2-yard line, but Vinatieri kicked his third field
goal to make the score 22–14. Chicago tight end John Gilmore picked up Vinatieri's bouncing kickoff and returned it 9-yards to his
own 45-yard line, with an Unnecessary Roughness penalty on Mathis adding another 15 yards and giving the Bears a first down on the
Colts' 40-yard line. Chicago could only gain 14 yards on their ensuing possession, but it was enough for Robbie Gould to make a 44yard field goal, cutting the score to 22–17. After an Indianapolis 7-play drive ended in a punt, Chicago started on their own 20-yard
line with 13:38 left in the game. But four plays later, Colts defensive back Kelvin Hayden intercepted a pass intended for Muhammad
and returned it 56 yards for a touchdown. From that point on, the Colts took over the game. Four plays after the ensuing kickoff, Colts
defensive back Bob Sanders intercepted Grossman's pass and returned it 38 yards to the Bears 41-yard line. Chicago's defense
eventually forced a punt, but Smith's 32-yard kick pinned the Bears back at their own 8-yard line. The Bears drove to their own 47, but
on a fourth down conversion attempt, tight end Desmond Clark dropped a potential first down reception after being leveled by
defensive back Matt Giordano. The Colts subsequently called eight consecutive Dominic Rhodes runs before turning the ball over on
downs themselves, leaving only 1:42 remaining in regulation. Five plays later, the game was over. Final statistics Overview This was
the third Super Bowl to have two players rush for more than 100 yards as Dominic Rhodes had 113 for the Colts and Thomas Jones
had 112 for the Bears. Tony Dungy is the third man to win the Super Bowl as a head coach as well as a player, following Tom Flores
and Mike Ditka. For the Colts, Rhodes rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown, while also catching an 8-yard reception. Addai rushed
for 77 yards and caught 10 passes (a Super Bowl record for running backs) for 66 yards. Wilkins returned four kickoffs for 89 yards
and 3 punts for 42 yards. Adam Vinatieri became the first kicker ever to play in five Super Bowls and the first to win four Super Bowl
rings. Vinatieri's three field goals and two extra points gave him a total of 49 points for the entire 2006 post-season, an NFL record.
The Colts' win was the first major professional championship for Indiana since the Indiana Pacers' ABA title in the 1972–73 season.
Hester's touchdown for the Bears on the opening kickoff was the first one in Super Bowl history, and the eighth kick return for a
touchdown in a Super Bowl; only two of the eight teams who did this went on to win the game (the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl
XXXI and the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV). Hester's return also kept a streak alive for there being a kickoff return for a
touchdown in each Super Bowl played at Dolphin Stadium. Hester's and Wayne's touchdowns in the first quarter marked the first time
in Super Bowl history, the first two touchdowns were scored by players from the same college (University of Miami). Jones was the
Bears' top rusher with 112 yards, while also catching four passes for 18 yards. Desmond Clark was the Bears top receiver with six
receptions for 64 yards. Grossman completed 20 of 28 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown, with two interceptions, leaving him with
a QB rating of 68.3 for the game. Muhsin Muhammad became the third player ever to score a touchdown in the Super Bowl for two
different teams, joining Ricky Proehl and Jerry Rice. Commercials Advertising rates were reported as being slightly higher than in the
year before, with CBS confirming a price of $2.6 million for some 30-second spots, compared with $2.5 million during Super Bowl
XL. However, CNN reported that after discounts, the average price is likely closer to $1.8 to $2 million. Familiar advertisers in recent
years such as Anheuser-Busch, CareerBuilder, General Motors and Coca-Cola bought multiple advertising spots, and other popular
advertisers like Go Daddy and Emerald Nuts had commercials this year. The only major hype related to commercials in the months
leading up to Super Bowl XLI involved various campaigns to allow consumers to be involved in the creation of Super Bowl ads,
inspired by consumer-generated content sites like YouTube. Frito-Lay announced a campaign in September 2006 to allow the public
to submit ads for their Doritos brand and vote on the best one, which aired during the Super Bowl. Doritos actually aired two of the
ads due to a close voting margin; the winning ad (featuring a chance meeting with a man and a woman that feature the qualities of
Doritos) aired in the first quarter, while a second (with a checkout lady overly enamored with the product) aired in the second quarter.
The five finalists each received $10,000 in this contest. General Motors announced a similar contest, open only to college students, for
their Chevrolet brand; however, the ad would be produced professionally based on ideas suggested by the public. The winning ad
featured men gathering around an HHR model with women in it and stripping off their clothes and giving it a car wash. The NFL itself
advertised a similar contest to generate suggestions for a commercial promoting the league, with the winning concept featuring fans'
disappointment that their teams' season was over. The annual USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter survey chose a Budweiser ad
featuring crabs worshiping an ice chest with that particular beer inside as the top ad of Super Bowl XLI, followed by another Bud
commercial featuring a stray dog with mud spots climbing onto the brewery's trademark Clydsedale-drawn wagon in a parade. In all,
Anheuser-Busch took seven of the top ten spots in the annual survey, sweeping the top three spots. A YouTube user survey chose the
Doritos "Snack Hard" ad (produced for the incredible price of $12, the cost of three bags of the snack product) as their top ad, that ad
finished fourth in the USA Today survey. ADBOWL results were slightly different with only 6 of Anheuser-Busch’s ads finishing in
the top ten. The highest ranked being the Bud Light “Rock, Paper, Scissors” spot. Also in the top ten were Blockbuster Video’s
“Mouse,” Doritos’ “Car Wreck,” GM’s “Robot” and Taco Bell’s “Lion’s Talk ‘Carne’.” One ad that drew criticism from the gay
community was for the Snickers candy bar featuring two men accidentally "kissing" each other after sharing the product in question,
then proceeded to rip chest hairs as a manly act as homophobic. The ad proved to be controversial, and the ad was cancelled the next
day by Masterfoods USA (Mars, Incorporated's snack food division), and three other versions were deleted from the snickers.com web
site. The ad was ninth in the USA Today ad survey, and according to a Masterfoods publicist, not intended to harm anyone. A
different ad for General Motors featured a laid off assembly line robot contemplating suicide, which drew criticism from the American
Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The group asked for an apology from GM, and that the ad be taken off the air and the company's
website. The suicide scene was replaced with a scene of the robot watching a car being crushed at a junkyard when it was shown again
during the 79th Academy Awards on February 25. Controversies prohibiting fan parties and presentations Prohibiting tailgating The
NFL upset many fans by banning the traditional practice of tailgating at Super Bowl XLI. Originally, spokesmen for Dolphin Stadium
announced that tailgating would be permitted as usual, however the NFL quickly contradicted this statement announcing an NFL
owner-imposed ban on all tailgating and non-ticketed fans were forbidden within a two-block-radius of the stadium. Prohibiting
church display The NFL upset a large number of fans by threatening churches with lawsuits if they had Super Bowl parties. National
Football League assistant counsel Rachel L. Margolies sent a letter to the Fall Creek Baptist Church in Indianapolis, ordering the
church to cancel its party and remove the trademarked Super Bowl name from its website. She said that the church could not use the
words "Super Bowl" as it violates trademark law, could not charge admission as that violates copyright law, could not use its
projection screen (only one television could be used and it could not be over 55 inches), and could not "promote a message" in
connection with the game. Regarding the last point, the Fall Creek Baptist church planned to also show an extra video to highlight the
Christian testimonies of Colts coach Tony Dungy and Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith. "While this may be a noble message,"
Rachel L. Margolies wrote, "we are consistent in refusing the use of our game broadcasts in connection with events that promote a
message, no matter the content." Sports bars nationwide were allowed to show the game, as are businesses that televise sports as part
of their everyday operations because they don't charge admission and they leave the message the NFL intended intact. The
Indianapolis Star picked up the story, and soon pastors across the U.S. were working to cancel their parties. Immediately the NFL
received a backlash of bad publicity, with indignant football fans in constant sarcasm (akin to rules imposed about on-field behavior
i.e. taunting opposition teams) referring to the NFL as the "No Fun League." For example, the enforcement of this policy earned the
NFL a "Worst Person in the World" silver on the February 2, 2007 edition of Countdown with Keith Olbermann. After a long series of
bad press, the NFL issued a written statement clarifying their policy, saying that they did not object to churches hosting Super Bowl
parties so long as they did not charge admission and showed the game on "a television of the type commonly used at home". This
statement did not attempt to forbid coordination of any other message with the game, something typically done by churches, nor did it
attempt to forbid the use of the term "Super Bowl."
February 3, 2008 NY Giants(NFC) vs. New England Patriots(AFC) 17-14 NYG 3 0 0 14 17 NE 0 7 0 7 14 Stadium University of
Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona MVP Eli Manning, Quarterback Favorite Patriots by 12 National anthem Jordin Sparks Halftime
show Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Super Bowl XLII was an American football game that featured the National Football
Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to
decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2007 season. In one of the largest upsets in sports history, the wild-card
Giants (14–6) won 17–14 over the previously undefeated Patriots (18–1). In doing so, the Giants became the first NFC wild card team
to win a Super Bowl. They also became the fifth wild card seed from either conference, the fourth in eleven years, and second in three
years, to earn an NFL championship. The victory marked the franchise's seventh NFL championship and third Super Bowl win—New
York's first title since Super Bowl XXV in January 1991. The Giants head coach was Tom Coughlin. The Patriots were coached by
Bill Belichick. The slogan for Super Bowl XLII was "Who Wants It More?"The game, held on February 3, 2008 at University of
Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, was a rematch of the final game of the regular season. In that game, the Patriots won 38–35 to
complete the first perfect regular season since the 1972 Miami Dolphins team, and the first one since the league expanded to a 16game regular season schedule in 1978. Thus, New England entered Super Bowl XLII as 12-point favorites. Background Host
selection process As is always the case, the league considered several other cities before settling on the Phoenix area. In this case, the
process was of special interest because the league considered holding Super Bowl XLII in New York City or Washington, D.C. as a
symbol of the recovery from the September 11 attacks. New York City's bid did not go far. Aside from the obvious climatic concerns,
there were issues with finding a suitable stadium. Proposed renovations to the 1970s-vintage Giants Stadium were still being disputed
amongst the various parties. (Giants Stadium lacked a roof, as did both of New York City's baseball stadiums.) Also, the City of New
York and the New York Jets failed to make a deal to build a new West Side Stadium (which, according to the initial plans, would have
been built with a roof.) During the years since the Super Bowl XLII bid fell through, Giants Stadium has been demolished. Its
replacement, New Meadowlands Stadium, bid for and was awarded Super Bowl XLVIII. Washington DC's bid proved to be more
viable. The DC area had a relatively new (albeit roofless) stadium, FedEx Field, and DC's winter weather (although still potentially
problematic) is milder than New York's. In the end, the process boiled down to three finalists: Washington, DC; Phoenix; and Tampa.
NFL owners finally chose what is now known as University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona as the site for Super Bowl XLII
during their October 2003 meeting in Chicago, Illinois. In subsequent years, Raymond James Stadium in Tampa was chosen as the site
for Super Bowl XLIII and the West Side Stadium was briefly designated as the venue for Super Bowl XLIV. (However, Super Bowl
XLIV was moved to Miami when it became clear that the new stadium in New York City would not be built in time for the February
2010 game.) Venue University of Phoenix Stadium during Super Bowl XLII game day February 3, 2008. The kickoff for the game
was at 4:32 p.m. MST (23:32 UTC). This was the first time a Super Bowl was played on a retractable natural-grass field surface; the
University of Phoenix Stadium's removable surface is unique among American sports venues. This was the second Super Bowl played
in a retractable-roof stadium (with the first being Reliant Staidum in Houston for Super Bowl XXXVIII) (designed by Peter Eisenman
and HOK Sport). During the regular season, the home team decides 90 minutes before kickoff whether the roof would be open or
closed, and an open roof must remain open unless weather conditions get worse. However, as a neutral site, the NFL controls the
option to open or close without any restrictions. The first time this was employed was in Super Bowl XXXVIII at Reliant Stadium; the
roof was open for pregame and halftime shows and closed during the game. Because there was rain in the forecast for Super Bowl
XLII, the roof was closed for the entire day's activities. During a February 6, 2007 ceremony with Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano,
the NFL and the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee unveiled the slogan "Who Wants It More?" along with its mascot "Spike the
Super Ball" (an anthropomorphized football with sunglasses and sneakers) and a large "Super Bowl XLII Countdown Clock" at
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The Super Bowl XLII logo was also unveiled, featuring the shape of the state of Arizona in
red. The two horizontal white stripes in the middle represent the vertical lines on the University of Phoenix Stadium. The turquoise
Roman numerals represent the Native American culture of Arizona. The red star represents the AFC and the blue star represents the
NFC. Teams New England Patriots By the time the Patriots arrived at Super Bowl XLII, not only were they competing in their fourth
Super Bowl since the 2001 season, they were already billed as one of the greatest teams in NFL history. They compiled a perfect 16-0
record (the first team to go undefeated in a 16 game regular season—the NFL expanded the regular season to 16 games in 1978), and
set NFL records with 589 points scored (an average of 36.8 points per game), 75 total touchdowns, and a net differential of +315
points (they gave up 274 points, fourth best in the league). Some experts have suggested that the Patriots' 16-0 record is the
culmination of a larger trend towards better records for top NFL teams since the league realignment in 2002. The team was led by
quarterback Tom Brady who won his first NFL MVP & NFL Offensive MVP award, throwing for a career high 4,806 yards and an
NFL record 50 touchdowns (22 more than his previous best season), and just eight interceptions. His passer rating of 117.2 was the
second-highest season rating in NFL history. One often-cited reason for Brady's improved numbers was the acquisition of receivers
Randy Moss and Wes Welker. The Patriots acquired Moss, a nine-year veteran, from the Oakland Raiders for a fourth-round pick in
the 2007 NFL Draft after Moss had, statistically, the worst year of his career (with 42 receptions for 553 yards and three touchdowns).
With the Patriots, though, Moss caught 98 receptions for 1,493 yards and an NFL record 23 touchdowns, and was selected a first-team
All Pro. The Patriots also gave the Miami Dolphins second- and seventh-round picks for Welker; Welker tied for the league lead with
112 receptions for 1,175 yards and 8 touchdowns and was named a second-team All Pro. Welker and Moss both earned votes for
Offensive Player of the Year. Other major contributors to the Patriots' passing game included Donté Stallworth, who added 697 yards
and three touchdowns, and tight end Benjamin Watson, whose 36 receptions totaled 389 yards and six touchdowns. Running back
Laurence Maroney was the Patriots' top rusher with 835 yards and six touchdowns, while Sammy Morris added 385 yards & 3 TDs,
and Kevin Faulk had 265 yards. (Morris ended up on injured reserve midway through the season, and thus could not play in the Super
Bowl.) Faulk was also a reliable receiver out of the backfield, catching 47 passes for 383 yards and a touchdown. The Patriots also had
an offensive line that featured three players selected to the Pro Bowl, guard Logan Mankins, tackle Matt Light, and center Dan
Koppen. The Patriots defensive line was led by nose tackle Vince Wilfork, who was selected to his first Pro Bowl; he was also fined
four times during the season for unnecessary roughness. The Patriots also had a set of veteran linebackers who had a combined 16 Pro
Bowl selections. Outside linebacker Mike Vrabel had, statistically, the best season of his career to date. He led the team in sacks with
a career high 12.5, while also forcing five fumbles and earning his first Pro Bowl selection. Adalius Thomas, an off-season signing
from the Ravens, recorded six sacks. Junior Seau, who had been selected to the Pro Bowl 12 times during his career but had never
won a Super Bowl, returned for his 18th season and got 74 tackles with 3½ sacks. Tedy Bruschi recorded 92 tackles and two sacks.
The Patriots secondary featured another player selected to the Pro Bowl, cornerback Asante Samuel, who led the team with six
interceptions. New York Giants Unlike the Patriots, the Giants began the season with low expectations since their star running back,
Tiki Barber, had retired. The Giants had lost in the NFC Wild Card round in each of the previous two seasons and had not won a
playoff game in seven years. Quarterback Eli Manning, the younger brother of Super Bowl XLI MVP quarterback Peyton Manning,
had struggled to find consistency. In his three seasons as a starter, he had completed less than 54% of his passes with a career passer
rating of 73.4. While generally regarded as a solid quarterback, he had been unable to achieve the same level of success as fellow 2004
draftees Philip Rivers (for whom he was traded) and Ben Roethlisberger, the latter of whom had already won a Super Bowl (Super
Bowl XL). By the 2007 season, many sports writers were starting to question if Eli would ever live up to the expectations of someone
selected with the first overall pick in a draft. The criticism of Manning intensified as the Giants lost the first two games of the regular
season, before recovering with six consecutive wins and finished the year with 10 wins, despite the loss of running back Derrick Ward,
defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka, and four-time Pro Bowl tight end Jeremy Shockey to injury. Despite the injuries, Manning led the
Giants to three road playoff wins without throwing a single interception. Their three playoff wins gave them an NFL record 10
consecutive wins on the road. The Giants finished the season with a franchise-low 77 penalties, after setting a franchise record two
years before with 146. Manning finished the 2007 season with 3,336 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions. His main target,
Plaxico Burress, caught 70 passes for 1,050 yards and 12 touchdowns. Amani Toomer, the Giants all-time leading receiver and one of
only two players remaining from their last Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XXXV, was also a reliable target with 59 receptions
for 760 yards, while Shockey contributed 57 receptions for 619 yards and 3 touchdowns before suffering a season-ending injury in
week 15. The Giants' ground game was led by running back Brandon Jacobs, who at 6'4" (193 cm) and 264 pounds (118 kg), was one
of the largest starting halfbacks in the NFL. He finished the season with 1,009 yards and an average of five yards per carry, while also
catching 23 passes despite starting only nine games. The Giants had a defensive line that was led by defensive ends Osi Umenyiora
(the lone Pro Bowl representative on the team, the fewest a Super Bowl team has ever had), Michael Strahan, and Justin Tuck.
Umenyiora led the defense with 13 sacks and five forced fumbles. Strahan, another veteran from the Giants' last Super Bowl
appearance in 2000, had nine sacks, giving him a career total of 141.5 and breaking the franchise record held by Lawrence Taylor.
Tuck recorded ten sacks and 48 solo tackles. In the secondary, cornerback Sam Madison and safety Gibril Wilson led the team with
four interceptions each. Cornerback R. W. McQuarters had no interceptions during the season, but he had been effective in the
playoffs, with interceptions in each of their first three post-season games. Punter Jeff Feagles played in his first Super Bowl after 20
years in the NFL. This was also the last game for Giants athletic trainer John Johnson having been with the team for 60 years. Strahan
and Toomer were the only Giants remaining from the franchise's last Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XXXV. The Giants
became only the fourth team to win the Super Bowl without playing a single home game in the preceding playoffs. They joined the
Green Bay Packers (who won Super Bowl I against the Kansas City Chiefs), the Kansas City Chiefs (who won Super Bowl IV against
the Minnesota Vikings) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (who won Super Bowl XL against the Seattle Seahawks) in accomplishing this feat.
However, Green Bay had to win two games, Kansas City three, and Pittsburgh and the Giants, four, in order to accomplish this. The
Giants were the only NFC team to make multiple Super Bowl appearances in the 2000 decade. Starting with the Rams' appearance in
2001, nine different NFC teams represented the conference in the last nine seasons of the decade (Rams, Bucaneers, Panthers, Eagles,
Seahawks, Bears, Giants, Cardinals, and Saints). Playoffs The Patriots continued to set NFL records on their road to the Super Bowl.
First, Brady set the NFL record for completion percentage in a single game (92.9%) with 26 of 28 completions for 268 yards and three
touchdowns in their 31–20 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the divisional round, while safety Rodney Harrison tied an NFL
record by recording an interception in his fourth consecutive postseason game. One week later, the Patriots defeated the San Diego
Chargers 21–12. Although Brady threw three interceptions in the game, the Patriots defense forced two turnovers and limited San
Diego to four field goals, while Maroney rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown for the second game in a row. Meanwhile, the Giants
became the first NFC team (third overall) ever to advance to the Super Bowl by winning three playoff games on the road. After
beating the fourth-seeded Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24–14, the Giants upset the top-seeded Dallas Cowboys 21–17 when McQuarters
intercepted a pass from Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo in the end zone as time expired. They advanced to the Super Bowl with a
23–20 overtime win over the second-seeded Green Bay Packers in the third coldest game of all-time (-1°F at kickoff, -24°F wind chill)
with an interception by Corey Webster that set up Lawrence Tynes's game-winning 47-yard field goal. The field goal was the longest
by a visiting kicker in Lambeau Field postseason history. This would also mark the last time Brett Favre played for the Packers.Pregame notes New England was heavily favored to win the game and become the first NFL team to go through a 16-game season and
postseason undefeated. However, others predicted that the Giants could accomplish a win. New York's record of 10 consecutive road
wins included five teams favored to beat them. This included their playoff wins against the Cowboys (who had defeated New York
twice in the regular season) and Packers (who had beaten them in week 2). The Patriots and Giants had played against each other in
the last week of the regular season. Due to the Patriots' quest for an undefeated season, this game was one of the most heavily watched
games in league history. NFL Network was originally scheduled to air the game as part of their Saturday Night Football coverage,
with WCVB and WWOR carrying the game locally in Boston and New York. Shortly before the game was scheduled to air CBS and
NBC bought broadcast rights to the game and NFL Network's broadcast was carried by both networks, marking the first time in NFL
history that an NFL game was carried on three broadcast networks at the same time. As they were favored to do, the Patriots won the
game to finish the regular season undefeated, but it was a close and competitive game, with both teams playing their starters for all 60
minutes. New England won, 38–35, by overcoming a 12-point deficit in the third quarter, the largest deficit they had faced all season.
"There is nothing but positives," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said after the game. "I told the players in playing this game everything
would be positives, there would be no negatives and that is how I feel. I don't know any better way to be prepared for the playoffs than
to go against a team that was 15–0." This would be the third time in the Giants' four Super Bowl appearances that they had previously
played their eventual AFC opponent during that year's regular season. Both of the prior occasions saw the Giants beat said opponents
in the Super Bowl (defeating Denver in Super Bowl XXI and Buffalo in Super Bowl XXV, the latter after Scott Norwood's infamous
missed field goal in the final seconds of regulation). For the third consecutive year, the arrival dates for the teams were staggered, with
the Patriots arriving on Sunday, January 27 (corresponding to the traditional day that teams arrive for the game with the two-week
break) and the Giants waiting to come in until Monday, January 28. A report filed by ESPN's Rachel Nichols suggested that the Giants
stayed to practice more of their game plan in their home facility before arriving at the Super Bowl. By electing to stay back at home
the Giants chose to follow a tactic that the previous two Super Bowl champions, the Indianapolis Colts (before Super Bowl XLI) and
the Pittsburgh Steelers (before Super Bowl XL), had employed. The Patriots practiced at Sun Devil Stadium on the campus of Arizona
State University, while the Giants practiced at the Arizona Cardinals' practice facility, both of which are located in Tempe.
Broadcasting Television United States The game was telecast in the United States on the Fox network in 720p high definition
resolution. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman called the game, while Pam Oliver (Giants) and Chris Myers (Patriots) were the sideline
reporters. This Super Bowl had an unprecedented nine hours of game-related coverage prior to kickoff on game day. Fox News started
the coverage on the Fox network at 9:00 a.m. ET. Official pre-game coverage began at 2:00 p.m. ET, and was handled by the Fox
NFL Sunday pregame show team led by Curt Menefee, joined by Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, and Jimmy Johnson. Jillian Reynolds
served as Weather and Entertainment Reporter for the pre-game show. In addition Frank Caliendo appeared in various comedic skits
and Ryan Seacrest provided coverage of celebrity arrivals to the game site. This was the first Fox Super Bowl not to be hosted by
James Brown, who had returned to CBS after the 2005 season. The official game broadcast began at 6:00 p.m. ET, with kickoff at
6:32 PM EST. NFL Network had extensive post-game coverage. The Giants became the fifth team to win Super Bowls on three
different networks (CBS-XXI, ABC-XXV and Fox). The Patriots were in their fourth (of a possible fifth) Super Bowl televised by Fox
(the others being XXXI, XXXVI, XXXIX; the Patriots did not advance to Super Bowl XXXIII and their Super Bowl XXXVIII win
was carried on CBS). The telecast was the most watched Super Bowl until Super Bowl XLIII, with an average of 97.5 million viewers
in the United States (a title which Super Bowl XLV now holds with an average of 111 million viewers) and 148.3 million total
viewers watching some part of the game. The broadcast achieved the highest Nielsen ratings (43.3) for the game since Super Bowl
XXXIV. It was also the second (now fifth) most watched TV program of all time in the United States. Commercials The scheduled
date for Super Bowl XLII was two days before Super Tuesday (Tuesday, February 5), the date in which 24 states held their
presidential primaries, state conventions or caucuses. As such, some presidential hopefuls had considered purchasing Super Bowl ads.
An adviser to Republican presidential candidate John McCain said that the football audience is "a very ripe and timely target."
However, Fox Television nixed the prospect of any political ads, citing equal time regulations and the fact that the ad space had
already sold out before any candidates had asked for it. Instead, candidates purchased advertising time before or after the game or in
two dozen local markets. For this game Fox pulled in $250 million in revenue from the ads. One of sixty-three thirty-second spots
among thirty-seven different advertisers cost an estimated $2.7 million (excluding production costs), up from $2.6 million in 2007.
However, advertisers are usually offered discounted rates below the official one. Cars.com, which had yet to buy a Super Bowl Ad,
made an early announcement that it would purchase two spots. Five automobile companies advertised during Super Bowl XLII: Audi,
General Motors, Hyundai, Nissan, and Toyota. Audi took the opportunity to pay homage to the decapitated horse's head scene from
The Godfather using the front of a Rolls-Royce, while Hyundai, initially hesitant to air their spots, eventually gave the green light to
their first Super Bowl commercials since 1989. Throughout the NFL and United Way’s history, the two organizations have aired
commercials highlighting how they work together bettering communities around the US. This year the United Way launched a youth
fitness campaign through mobile donations with a 10-second spot running during the first half of the Super Bowl. The campaign asked
viewers to donate $5 by texting “FIT” to ‘UNITED’ (864833). The commercial featured the voice of Tom Brady, and was the first
national text message donating campaign to launch from mGive and Mobile Accord. Following up on its Super Bowl XLI ad, which
was one of several fan-created ads that year, the Doritos brand used its spot to air a brief performance by Kina Grannis, winner of an
online contest that included a recording contract with Interscope Records. Other ads that aired were: Under Armour's new "Prototype"
cross-training shoe; Vitamin Water's new G2 low-calorie sports drink featuring Derek Jeter, Peyton Manning, and Bill Parcells;
Victoria's Secret; and Salesgenie.com. All but the G2 ad were done in-house. They joined Super Bowl regulars such as Pepsi-Cola,
which featured Justin Timberlake in his continuing rebound from the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy four years
earlier, being dragged through all sorts of situations to promote a rewards program started by Pepsi, a Diet Pepsi Max commercial
inspired by the Saturday Night Live "Roxbury" skits (including the iconic sketch theme "What Is Love?" by Haddaway and a cameo
by Chris Kattan telling them to "stop it") and a SoBe Life Water spot featuring Naomi Campbell and 30 CGI lizards performing the
Michael Jackson Thriller dance. Other returnees included GoDaddy.com (with World Wrestling Entertainment diva and spokesperson
Candice Michelle along with IndyCar driver Danica Patrick); Coca-Cola spoofing balloons in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
(including a fictional Stewie Griffin balloon; the commercial, titled "It's Mine" won a Cannes Advertising Award and was also
nominated for an Emmy Award as Best Animated Commercial plus a snippet of the ad appeared in an actual Macy's commercial
celebrating their 150th Anniversary that premiered during the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards in September), as well as its Glacéau
Vitaminwater brand featuring Shaquille O'Neal as a jockey; CareerBuilder.com; Planters with an Ugly Betty inspired female using
their cashews as a sexually arousing perfume; and seven major Hollywood movie studios promoting blockbuster releases. The winners
of the 20th annual USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter were: 1) Anheuser-Busch's Budweiser brand, featuring a tribute to the Oscar
winning Best Picture Rocky: a Clydesdale who narrowly missed the team that pulls the beer's iconic wagon is inspired by a personal
trainer — the wagon's dalmatian. 2) A CGI FedEx ad featuring gigantic carrier pigeons gone wrong. 3) Another computer animated ad
from tire manufacturer Bridgestone, with a collection of computer generated screaming animals in a forest as an oncoming car
approached a squirrel. 4) A Doritos ad from last year's amateur contest called "Mousetrap", where a person dressed in a mouse
costume attacks a man who places a small piece of the tortilla chip on said device. 5) A Bud Light ad with a fire-breathing date gone
awry. Users of YouTube in their survey chose: 6) Tide-To-Go's "Interview", with a prospective employee getting talked down by a
stain. 7) The Budweiser Clydesdale training montage. 8) SoBe's aforementioned "Thrillilicious" ad. 9) The Bridgestone screaming
animals. 10) E-Trade's ad showing a baby trading stocks online. ADBOWL results reflected the following ranking: 11) Budweiser:
Clydesdale – Team 12) Bridgestone Tires: Scream 13) Coca-Cola: It’s Mine 14) FedEx: Carrier Pigeons 15) Pepsi: Magnetic
Attraction w/ Justin Timberlake. The NFL itself ran an ad following the third quarter's completion, featuring the winner of a fan vote
in an online contest. The idea was to emphasize the personalities of NFL players. The winning ad featured Houston Texans teammates
and former San Diego State Aztecs Ephraim Salaam and Chester Pitts. The commercials aired during Super Bowl XLII were made
available online after the game on MySpace, as advertised by Fox during the game. Eels attempted to run a one-second edit of their
seven-second ad to promote the compilation Useless Trinkets, but were denied by the National Football League. Lead singer E
reported: In the end we were told that the NFL would have to find 29 other advertisers to buy 1 second spots to fill a standard 30
second advertising slot and that they do not sell advertising time by the second. They also noted that a rapid fire 30 second segment of
thirty 1 second commercials could cause people with certain medical conditions to have seizures and that it was against network
regulations. PETA had an ad ready claiming that, "Vegetarians have better sex." It was rejected and never shown on TV because it
was too risque. International Outside North America, Super Bowl XLII was distributed by the NFL and NFL International. Overall,
the game was available to an estimated potential audience of one billion viewers within 223 countries and territories. However,
viewing figures outside North America rose only marginally on previous years with an estimated 10 million people tuning in from
outside the USA, Canada and Mexico for an overall global audience in the region of 114 million. Dick Stockton and Sterling Sharpe
were the announcers for the International broadcast. United Kingdom The BBC acquired the rights in the United Kingdom. The game
aired live on BBC Two, carrying the NFL International feed, ending ITV Sport's coverage, which began in 2005. The game was also
subsequently available on the BBC's on demand service, iPlayer. Sky Sports broadcast the game in both standard and high definition
using Fox's feed and announcers. Internet broadcast streams Independent Phoenix television station KTVK broadcast a live video
stream from a Webcam located outside of the University of Phoenix Stadium. The camera provided millions of Internet users from
around the world a chance to peer in on pre- and post-game activities, watching thousands of spectators file into and out of the stadium
on Sunday, February 3. The Stadium Cam broadcast from Friday, February 1 to Monday, February 4, 2008 on the station's website.
NFL.com's "NFL.com/live" carried its own coverage of Super Bowl events leading up to and after the game, mostly simulcasting NFL
Network. Radio On radio, Westwood One had the national broadcast rights to the game in the United States and Canada; Marv Albert
and Boomer Esiason served as the announcing team for that network. The game was carried on BBC Radio 5 Live in the United
Kingdom with Arlo White commentating. Sirius Satellite Radio carried twelve feeds in eight languages in the United States. The
following language feeds were offered: Westwood One (American English); Univision Radio/United Stations (Mexican Spanish,
U.S.) ; New England Patriots Radio Network; New York Giants Radio Network; BBC Radio 5 Live (British English); NHK Japan
(Japanese); NTV Plus (Russian); SMG (Mandarin Chinese); FieldPass, the subscription Internet radio service provided by the league
at NFL.com, carried most of these feeds, with select international feeds for free.; Locally, Gil Santos and Gino Cappelletti called the
game for the Patriots on WBCN radio, and Bob Papa, Dick Lynch, and Carl Banks called the Giants' radio broadcast on WFAN-AM.
By NFL rules, only WBCN, WFAN, Sirius and FieldPass carried the teams' local broadcasts, and affiliate stations instead carried the
Westwood One feed. WBCN, WFAN, and Westwood One are all owned by CBS Radio. DVD The official DVD of the Super Bowl
was released on February 26, 2008. The DVD covered the entire 2007 New York Giants season, as well as special features including
the NFL Network post game commentary, the halftime show in its entirety, the Media Day highlights, the NFC Divisional Game and
NFC Championship Game highlights, profiles on Mathias Kiwanuka and Tom Coughlin, and features on Eli Manning and Michael
Strahan. The New York Giants: Road to Super Bowl XLII was released on June 3, 2008. It was a 5 disc set that featured the full
broadcasts of the last game of the regular season and all four playoff games. On August 26, 2009 New York Giants 10 Greatest Games
was released, in which Super Bowl XLII was included as well. Entertainment Pre-game ceremonies Willie Nelson performed for a
NFL-sponsored pre-game tailgate party, singing a duet with Sara Evans of his song "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be
Cowboys" as part of Fox's pre-game show. This year's Super Bowl entertainment had many connections to Fox's series American Idol.
On August 16, both the NFL and Fox confirmed that Idol host Seacrest would serve as emcee for the pre-game show, with Alicia
Keys as the primary performer; as she sung a medley of her songs, including... "Go Ahead", "Fallin'", "If I Ain't Got You", "Teenage
Love Affair", and "No One" as the final performance. Idol Season Six winner Jordin Sparks, herself a native of Glendale and daughter
of former New York Giants cornerback Phillippi Sparks, performed the National Anthem, while Phoenix College professor and
theatrical interpreter A Dreamer interpreted it into American Sign Language. The anthem was followed by a flyover from the U.S.
Navy precision flying team, the Blue Angels. In addition, judge Paula Abdul premiered her first music video in over a decade, Dance
Like There's No Tomorrow, which she made with fellow judge Randy Jackson as part of Fox's pregame coverage to kickoff her
official comeback. The coin toss ceremony posthumously honored Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach Bill Walsh, who died on July
30, 2007. His former players Ronnie Lott, Jerry Rice and Steve Young joined Walsh's children, Craig and Elizabeth, at the ceremony.
The Giants entered University of Phoenix Stadium first, to "Stronger" by artist Kanye West. The Patriots entered last, as they were the
"home" team, to "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne. Halftime As is always the case, several big names were mentioned as possible
performers for the halftime show before a final choice (i.e., Tom Petty) was announced. The halftime entertainer selection process in
late 2007 was not unusual: however, since the site selection process four years earlier was of special interest, it is necessary to also
mention some of the acts who might have performed, but did not do so. According to the entertainment publication Variety, a wish list
of potential halftime performers was developed by the NFL. Among those on the wish list were Bruce Springsteen (who performed
during halftime at Super Bowl XLIII the following year), Norah Jones and the Eagles. In addition, interest in the slot was expressed by
Bon Jovi, who had planned to open the U.S. leg of their Lost Highway Tour with a performance during the halftime show. According
to Rolling Stone, the engagement was actually offered to the Eagles by the NFL, but the offer was turned down. Then, on December 2,
2007, it was officially announced that the halftime entertainment would be provided by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. The songs
“American Girl”, “I Won't Back Down”, “Free Fallin'”, and “Runnin' Down a Dream” were performed by the band to kick off their
2008 world tour. Bridgestone served as the halftime show sponsor. The halftime show itself, produced by Don Mischer and White
Cherry Entertainment in association with NFL Network, was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2009. Post-game ceremonies
FormerRedskins quarterback Doug Williams, MVP in Super Bowl XXII, commemorating the twentieth anniversary of becoming the
first African American quarterback to lead a team to victory in the Super Bowl, took part in the Vince Lombardi Trophy presentation
ceremony after the game. Eli Manning was awarded the Pete Rozelle Trophy for being named MVP, and also received the keys to a
2009 Cadillac Escalade hybrid SUV. Though not the only brothers to play in a Super Bowl, Eli Manning and Peyton Manning (Super
Bowl XLI) are the first brothers to be named Super Bowl MVPs (doing so in successive years). After the game, New York City
erupted in celebration, with the sounds of cheers and honking horns echoing through city streets. Crowds of elated New Yorkers,
surprised by their team's unexpected victory, packed Second Avenue in Manhattan, stalling traffic around Manhattan. Times Square
was swarmed with celebrating Giants fans well past midnight; similar celebrations arose throughout Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx,
Staten Island, Long Island, Westchester County, Fairfield County, and North Jersey, where the Giants play their home games. New
York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, witnessing the first New York sports team championship victory as mayor, praised the hometown
team's upset victory, saying; "New York has come back many times in the past, and Big Blue proved tonight that you should never,
ever, count us out." Many New Yorkers polled the Giants' win to be among the most satisfying championship victories in New York
sports history. There were also a series of firsts with the championship, not just for the Giants, but also for the city of New York and
the New York metropolitan area. Those firsts were: Giants: Super Bowl championship since Super Bowl XXV in 1991.; City of New
York: Super Bowl championship since the Giants won Super Bowl XXV in 1991.;Major professional sports championship since: The
Yankees won the 2000 World Series., This was also the first championship for a team other than the Yankees since the Rangers won
the 1994 Stanley Cup., The city of New York had its first major professional sports championship since September 11, 2001.; New
York Metropolitan area: Super Bowl championship since the Giants win in 1991. Major professional sports championship since the
New Jersey Devils won the 2003 Stanley Cup. On the following Tuesday, February 5, New York City hosted for the Giants a tickertape parade up Broadway in Lower Manhattan. It was the first along the famed "Canyon of Heroes" since the New York Yankees won
the 2000 World Series, and the Giants' first parade in New York. (Because of acrimonious relations at that time between New York
City and the state of New Jersey, the team chose not to participate in a Manhattan parade for its Super Bowl XXI championship in
1987, but instead held a "Victory Rally" at Giants Stadium in The Meadowlands. After their Super Bowl XXV championship in 1991,
then-owner Wellington Mara chose not to hold any celebrations due to the Gulf War.) After six years in office, Bloomberg became the
14th consecutive mayor of New York City to preside over a ticker-tape parade. (In contrast, his predecessor, Rudy Giuliani presided
over his first ticker-tape parade just five months after becoming mayor, after the Rangers won the Stanley Cup) Also attending were
New York Governor Eliot Spitzer and Senator Chuck Schumer. Spitzer also announced the availability of a New York Giants Super
Bowl XLII Champions custom license plate and issued a proclamation declaring the day "New York Giants Super Bowl Champions
Day" throughout the state of New York. Following the parade, the Giants held two victory rallies: one at New York's City Hall and
another one two hours later at Giants Stadium in the New Jersey Meadowlands. Avoided shooting incident After the game, federal
authorities revealed Kurt William Havelock, a would-be bar owner angry at being denied a liquor license, had threatened to shoot
people at the Super Bowl and drove to within sight of the stadium. Havelock had sent letters to the media, vowing to "shed the blood
of the innocent." After buying an AR-15 rifle and 200 rounds of ammo, he drove to the stadium and then changed his mind. After
calling some family members, Havelock turned himself in to the police. Game summary After scoring a combined 73 points in their
regular season meeting, the teams scored a mere 10 points by the end of the third quarter, with the Patriots leading 7–3. The Patriots'
record-setting offense gave up five sacks and one lost fumble, while the Giants' offense managed only five first downs in the second
and third quarters. Yet in the fourth quarter, quarterback Eli Manning threw two touchdown passes, including the winning drive that
culminated with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds remaining. After calling tails to win the coin toss, the
Giants started the game with the longest drive in Super Bowl history, a 16-play, 77-yard march that consumed 9 minutes, 59 seconds
and featured four third-down conversions, the most ever on a Super Bowl opening drive. But New England halted the drive at their
own 14-yard line, forcing the Giants to settle for a 32-yard field goal from Lawrence Tynes that gave New York a 3–0 lead. New
England then responded with its own scoring drive as Laurence Maroney returned the kickoff 43 yards to the Patriots' 44-yard line,
after which he rushed twice for 15 yards. Quarterback Tom Brady then completed three passes for 23 yards, but after two incomplete
passes, New England was faced with 3rd-and-10 on the Giants' 17. However, on that play, New York linebacker Antonio Pierce
committed pass interference by striking the helmet of tight end Benjamin Watson in the end zone, giving New England 1st-and-goal at
the 1. This set up a Maroney 1-yard touchdown run two plays later, the first play of the second quarter, for a 7–3 lead. The two teams
each only had one drive in the entire opening quarter, a Super Bowl record. It was the first Super Bowl since Super Bowl XXXIII in
which both teams scored on their initial possession of the game. On the Giants first drive of the second quarter, on 3rd-and-7, receiver
Amani Toomer caught in a deep pass from Manning along the left sideline while dragging his feet in-bounds for a 38-yard gain,
moving the ball to the Patriots' 19. But three plays later, Manning threw a pass that bounced out of the arms of rookie receiver Steve
Smith and into the hands of cornerback Ellis Hobbs for an interception. The Patriots' ensuing drive resulted in a three-and-out as on
3rd-and-1 James Butler and Michael Strahan tackled Maroney for a two-yard loss and New England was forced to punt. Then on the
Giants' next drive, rookie running back Ahmad Bradshaw fumbled a Manning hand-off and it looked as though Patriots' linebacker
Pierre Woods had recovered the ball at the Giants' 30. But after the officials picked through the pile, it was determined that Bradshaw
had made the recovery. The Giants maintained possession and wound up punting. New England's next drive ended with consecutive
Giants' sacks, the first by linebacker Kawika Mitchell, the second by end Justin Tuck. On the Giants' following drive, New York
moved the ball to the New England 25, but linebacker Adalius Thomas sacked Manning and forced a fumble. Smith recovered the ball,
however Bradshaw was penalized for illegally batting the ball forward before the recovery. The penalty pushed the Giants out of field
goal range, and following an incompletion, they were forced to punt. After the punt, two 18-yard receptions by Moss and Donté
Stallworth moved the ball to the Giants' 44. But with 22 seconds left before halftime, Brady fumbled while being sacked by Tuck and
defensive end Osi Umenyiora recovered the ball. The game then went to halftime with the Patriots leading 7–3. On the first drive of
the second half, New England had a 4th-and-2 and chose to punt. However, after the play had been run, Patriots' head coach Bill
Belichick challenged that New York had too many players on the field and replay confirmed that was the case as Giants linebacker
Chase Blackburn was unable to get to the sidelines as the ball was being snapped. Therefore, referee Mike Carey reversed the play,
and the Giants were penalized 5 yards for having too many players on the field, giving the Patriots a first down. The Patriots then
drove to the Giants' 25, but Strahan sacked Brady for a 6-yard loss on third down. Then on 4th-and-13, with the ball on the Giants' 31,
Belichick decided against a long field goal attempt by Stephen Gostkowski (which would have been a 49-yard attempt, near
Gostkowski's season long of 50 yards) and tried to pick up a first down instead. Brady's pass to Jabar Gaffney was incomplete as it
went out of the back of the end zone and the Giants took over on downs. On the Giants' first drive of the fourth quarter, Manning
completed a 45-yard pass to rookie tight end Kevin Boss. Following three runs by Bradshaw and a 17-yard reception by Smith on
third down, Manning finished the 7-play, 80-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown pass to David Tyree, giving New York a 10–7 lead
with 11:05 left in the game. The touchdown was a perfect example of arm strength. Any less velocity and Manning's pass would have
been tipped or intercepted by Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel. Instead, the Giants had the lead deep into Super Bowl XLII. After
consecutive three-and-outs by the Patriots and Giants, New England got the ball at its own 20 with 7:54 to play. Brady then completed
a 5-yard pass to Wes Welker and a 10-yard pass to Moss, followed by a 9-yard run by Maroney to give the Patriots a first down at
their own 44. Brady followed with a 13-yard pass to Welker, a four-yard completion to Kevin Faulk, and then a 10-yard pass to
Welker for a first down at the Giants' 29. After that, Brady found Moss for an 11-yard completion and Faulk for a 12-yard completion
and New England now had 1st-and-goal from the Giants' 6. Following two incomplete passes, New York cornerback Corey Webster
slipped while backing into coverage, leaving Moss wide open in the end zone where Brady found him for a touchdown to give New
England a 14–10 lead with 2:42 left in the game.
On the ensuing kickoff, Raymond Ventrone tackled Domenik Hixon after a 14-yard return, giving New York the ball on their own 17
with 2:39 left and three timeouts remaining. Following two receptions by Toomer for 20 yards, Brandon Jacobs kept the drive going
with a 2-yard run on 4th-and-1. Two plays later, on 2nd-and-5, Patriots' cornerback Asante Samuel had a potential interception on a
ball intended for Tyree that would have potentially ended the game go off his hands and out of bounds to stop the clock with 1:15
remaining. On the next play, 3rd-and-5 from the New York 44-yard line, Manning found himself in trouble as the Patriots' pass rush
got to him quickly after the snap. He eluded Adalius Thomas, who missed Manning despite having the clearest shot at him, and then
broke free from the grasp of Jarvis Green and Richard Seymour, both of whom had Manning by the jersey. Manning then righted
himself and threw the ball toward the middle of the field, where Tyree and Rodney Harrison went up for the ball. Tyree made a
leaping one-handed catch, outjumping Harrison, and maintained possession by pinning the ball against his helmet as he fell to the
ground. The amazing play went for 32 yards and kept the drive alive. Three plays later, on 3rd-and-11, Manning found a wide-open
Smith for a 12-yard gain to the New England 13, who stepped out of bounds to stop the clock. On the next play, the Giants sent four
receivers into the pattern while the Patriots sent six pass rushers after Manning and flipped four pass defenders to the right side of the
field—resulting in Patriots' cornerback Ellis Hobbs being isolated on the left side to cover Giants' wide receiver Plaxico Burress oneon-one. Hobbs bit on a fake slant inside (a "slant-and-go" or "SluGo" route) and Manning lofted a pass to the end zone where Burress
caught the ball for a touchdown to complete the 12-play, 83-yard drive and give the Giants a 17–14 lead with 35 seconds left. New
England began its next possession on its own 26 with 29 seconds remaining and three timeouts, but the Giants' defense didn't allow a
single yard, forcing an incompletion on first down, a 10-yard sack by rookie lineman Jay Alford on second down, and then two deep
incomplete attempts to Moss, the first that was broken up by Webster, and the second of which, on 4th-and-20, was broken up by
Giants' safety Gibril Wilson and caused a turnover on downs with two seconds remaining. After the incompletion, it appeared that the
officials would run out the clock, as it briefly read zero, before one second was re-added. and coaches, players, reporters, and fans
crowded the field as if the game had ended. Belichick hugged Giants' Coach Tom Coughlin at midfield, then left for the locker room.
This early departure was later criticized by some sportswriters. Other reporters took no issue with Belichick's actions because A) he
didn't snub the winning coach as he left the field and B) it had appeared that the game was over, with many players and coaches either
celebrating (New York) or filtering towards the exits (New England); it took several minutes to clear the field, bring the Giants'
offense and Patriots' defense back on the field, and have Manning take a knee, finally allowing the clock to expire and sealing the
historic Super Bowl XLII championship for the Giants. Statistics Overview Manning completed 19 of his 34 passes for 255 yards,
including a mark of 9-of-14 for 152 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, to be named the game's Most Valuable Player.
Manning also became the first quarterback to throw two go-ahead touchdowns in the fourth quarter of a Super Bowl. Toomer was the
Giants' leading receiver, with 6 catches for 84 yards, and Bradshaw and Jacobs rushed for 45 and 42 yards, respectively. Burress had
only 2 receptions for 27 yards, but one of those was the game winning touchdown with 35 seconds left. The Patriots' offense recorded
274 total yards to the Giants' 338. While he never scored, Welker tied a Super Bowl record with 11 receptions for 109 yards. Moss had
five catches for 62 yards and a touchdown, and Maroney rushed for 36 yards and a TD. Brady completed 29 of his 48 passes for 266
yards and a touchdown. Brady's 29 completions gave him a career total of 100 in his four Super Bowls, surpassing the previous record
for Super Bowl completions that was held by Joe Montana at 83. Justin Tuck and Adalius Thomas were the top defensive performers
for the Giants and Patriots, respectively, as each recorded five solo tackles, two sacks, and one forced fumble. Records With this game,
the Giants set a record with an unprecedented 11 consecutive victories away from home in a single season. The Giants' matchup in
Week 8 vs. the Miami Dolphins in London was an official Giants road game because it was originally scheduled to be played at
Dolphin Stadium. The Giants were also officially classified as the "road" team for Super Bowl XLII based on the annual Super Bowl
rotation where the NFC champions serve as the away team in even-numbered years. Also note that the Week 5 game vs. the New
York Jets was considered a "home" game for the Giants. Patriots receiver Wes Welker tied the record for most catches in a Super
Bowl, with 11. Welker was the fourth player to record 11 receptions in a Super Bowl, following Dan Ross of the Cincinnati Bengals in
Super Bowl XVI, Jerry Rice of the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIII, and Deion Branch of the Patriots in Super Bowl
XXXIX. With his 4th-quarter touchdown pass to Moss, Brady became just the third quarterback with a touchdown pass in four
different Super Bowls, joining Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw. He also became the sixth quarterback to start at least four Super
Bowls, joining Montana, Bradshaw, Roger Staubach, Jim Kelly and John Elway. The Giants opening drive consumed 9 minutes and
59 seconds, making it the longest drive in Super Bowl history. The drive was 27 seconds longer than the previous record, which the
Giants had set in Super Bowl XXV against the Buffalo Bills. Due to the length of the Giants' opening drive (which itself contained a
record 4 third-down conversions), the first quarter featured only two possessions, a record for an opening quarter. The three lead
changes in the fourth quarter were also a Super Bowl record. Officials: Mike Carey was chosen to be the head referee for this game,
marking the first time that a black man has been chosen to be the head official in a Super Bowl. Carey also refereed the last game
between the Giants and Patriots. The full officiating crew was: Referee: Mike Carey #94 Umpire: Tony Michalek #115 Head
Linesman: Gary Slaughter #30 Line Judge: Carl Johnson #101 Field Judge: Boris Cheek #41 Side Judge: Larry Rose #128 Back Judge:
Scott Helverson #93 Replay Official: Ken Baker Video Operator: Jim Grant Effect of Yankees—Red Sox rivalry Because the teams
were from New York City and Boston, which are approximately three and a half hours apart by car, the Super Bowl played out the
fierce rivalry between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox in Major League Baseball, games of which are often televised
by Fox. Both teams fans wore Yankees and Red Sox hats and showed off Fenway Park and Mickey Mantle T-shirts. Patriots fans said
that they had no natural hatred for the Giants. Many old-time New Englanders, in fact, grew up rooting for the Giants before Boston
got its AFL franchise in 1960, and are more accustomed to rooting against the Jets. Giants fans, however, discussed their great hatred
for the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles, rivalries due to history and division status. Many Giants fans also wore hats and
shirts of the New York Mets and the New York Rangers, as part of discussing their hatred for the Eagles, as all three teams have
intense rivalries with Philadelphia. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who spends much of his free time in Manhattan, was once
famously photographed in a Yankees hat. Before the game, Patriots fans said that wanted to continue the trademark "Yankees Suck!"
chant, which began after they won Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002, while Giants fans wanted revenge for 2004, when the Red Sox came
back from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Yankees in the ALCS en route to winning the World Series. The post-game celebrations even
played out the rivalry, but to a lesser extent. Giants fans called it revenge for the Red Sox coming back from 3-0 down to beat the
Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series, en route to ending the Curse of the Bambino. In response to Patriots fans
chanting "Yankees suck!" when celebrating their victory in Super Bowl XXXVI, Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe wrote "Can
you imagine a Giants or Jets celebration in New York City in which a New York player would take the time to chant, 'Red Sox suck?'"
He referred for retaliation for the "Yankees suck!" chants. However, during the parade and rallies, Giants players and fans did infact
chant "Red Sox suck!" or "Boston sucks!" even though they would direct derogatory chants at Philadelphia, playing out the New York
– Philadelphia rivalry, as part of discussing their hatred for the Eagles (for example, the rivalries between the New York Mets and the
Philadelphia Phillies in Major League Baseball and the New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers in the National Hockey
League). Giants fans did, however, chant "18 and 1" in reference to the Patriots' final record (18-1).
February 1, 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers(AFC) vs. Arizona Cardinals(NFC) 27-23 PIT 3 14 3 7 27 ARZ 0 7 0 16 23 Stadium Raymond
James Stadium, Tampa, Florida MVP Santonio Holmes, Wide receiver Favorite Steelers by 7 National anthem Jennifer Hudson
Halftime show Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game pitting the American
Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Arizona
Cardinals to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2008 season. The game was played on February 1, 2009, at
Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The Steelers (15-4) defeated the Cardinals (12-8) by a score of 27-23, earning their sixth
Super Bowl win, which gave Pittsburgh the record for most Super Bowl wins and moved them ahead of the San Francisco 49ers and
Dallas Cowboys, whose shared record of five they had tied three years prior following their win in Super Bowl XL. Steelers receiver
Santonio Holmes, who caught 9 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown, including 4 for 71 on their final scoring drive, was named
Super Bowl MVP. He was the third Steelers receiver ever to win the award, following Lynn Swann and Hines Ward.The Cardinals
entered the game seeking their first NFL title since 1947, the longest championship drought in the league. The club became an
unexpected winner during the season and the playoffs with the aid of head coach Ken Whisenhunt, who was the Steelers' offensive
coordinator in Super Bowl XL, and the re-emergence of quarterback Kurt Warner, who was the Super Bowl MVP in Super Bowl
XXXIV with his former team, St. Louis Rams.Despite the global financial crisis and limited amount of ancillary festivities that are
normally held before the game, the NBC television network broadcast attracted an average U.S. audience of 98.7 million viewers,
making it the most-watched Super Bowl in history to that point (now third behind Super Bowl XLV and Super Bowl XLIV).
Background Host selection process Tampa was selected for the game site on May 25, 2005, beating out three other finalists: Atlanta,
Houston, and Miami. Super Bowl XLIII was the second Super Bowl at this venue and the fourth overall in that city. In February 2008,
the Tampa Bay Super Bowl Host Committee unveiled the Super Bowl XLIII logo, featuring an abstract representation of a football
stadium, with blue and green colors representing the regional waterways and landscapes of Tampa Bay. Eight yards of playing field
are shown, alluding to the game's status as the championship of the 2008 NFL season. In a tradition starting with the Super Bowl XL
logo, two stars — one red, representing the AFC, and one blue, representing the NFC — are flanked on either side of the Super Bowl
XLIII logo. The tagline for Super Bowl XLIII as well as the 2008 NFL season is "Believe In Now". Teams The seeds of Super Bowl
XLIII can be traced back to the end of the 2006 season. After winning Super Bowl XL in 2005, the Pittsburgh Steelers fell to an 8–8
record the following year. At the end of 2006, Bill Cowher ended his 15-year tenure as their head coach, leaving with a 149–90–1
regular season record and a 12–9 record in the playoffs. Both offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt and assistant head coach Russ
Grimm were widely considered the front-runners to succeed Cowher in Pittsburgh. Without waiting to see if Pittsburgh would hire him,
however, Whisenhunt accepted the head coaching job with the Arizona Cardinals, a team that held the second longest championship
drought in U.S. sports (1947, with only the Chicago Cubs last winning their championship in 1908) and had never advanced to the
Super Bowl in their franchise history. The Steelers then passed over Grimm and instead hired Minnesota Vikings defensive
coordinator Mike Tomlin. Once Tomlin was hired by the Steelers, Grimm joined Whisenhunt in Arizona in the same position as
assistant head coach as he had in Pittsburgh, and the two of them began to remodel the perennial losing club into a winner like the
Steelers. Of historical note the game matched up two franchises previously merged into a single team, "Card-Pitt", for the 1944 season
in response to the depleted rosters during World War II. Pittsburgh was going for its sixth Super Bowl win, which would place it in
sole possession of the record for most Super Bowl wins, while the Cardinals were seeking their first league title since 1947 and only
the second undisputed league championship in their history. (The then-Chicago Cardinals were named the NFL champions in 1925 for
finishing with the best record, but also because the Pottsville Maroons had been fined and suspended for playing a game against the
Notre Dame football team in another NFL franchise's territory.) It was the third Super Bowl in history to feature two pre-expansion era
(pre-1960) teams, joining Super Bowl XIV (Steelers vs. Los Angeles Rams, the latter of which coincidentally also went 9-7 in the
regular season) and Super Bowl XLI (Indianapolis Colts vs. Chicago Bears). This game also featured the oldest franchise in the NFC
playing the oldest franchise in the AFC. The Cardinals were founded in 1898 as an independent amateur team in Chicago. The
Steelers, founded in 1933 as the Pittsburgh Pirates, are one of only three AFC teams that pre-date the 1960 NFL season. The Cardinals
and Steelers played each other twice per season from 1960 through 1969, first in the Eastern Division (1960–66), then in the Century
Division of the Eastern Conference (1967–69). It also was the first time that two quarterbacks who previously started for a Super Bowl
winning team (Kurt Warner and Ben Roethlisberger) opposed one another since Jim Plunkett's Los Angeles Raiders defeated Joe
Theisman's Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII. Warner started for the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV and Super
Bowl XXXVI, winning the first and losing the second one, while Roethlisberger was the winning quarterback in Super Bowl XL.
Pittsburgh Steelers Under Tomlin's first season as head coach, the Steelers improved to a 10–6 record in 2007. Pittsburgh then finished
the 2008 season with the second best record in the AFC at 12–4, making the playoffs for the sixth time in the last eight seasons, and
went on to earn their seventh Super Bowl trip in franchise history, breaking a three-way tie with the New England Patriots and Denver
Broncos for second most Super Bowl appearances and most Super Bowl appearances by an AFC team. By advancing to Super Bowl
45 the Steelers became tied with the Dallas Cowboys for most Super Bowl appearances ever (8).
The Steelers excelled on defense and led the NFL in fewest points (13.9) and yards (237.2) allowed per game, while also ranking
second in sacks with 51. Up front, their line was anchored by defensive end Aaron Smith, who recorded 60 tackles and six sacks.
Behind him two of the Steelers starting linebackers ranked among the top-ten sack leaders in the NFL, LaMarr Woodley (11.5 sacks)
and Pro Bowler/NFL Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison (16 sacks). Pro Bowl linebacker James Farrior was also a big
contributor, recording 3.5 sacks and leading the team with 133 tackles. The Steelers secondary was led by pro bowl safety Troy
Polamalu, who ranked second in the NFL with a career-high seven interceptions. For the fifth year in a row the Steelers offense was
led by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who finished the season with 3,301 passing yards and 17 touchdowns, with 15 interceptions.
His top target was the Steelers all-time receiving leader Hines Ward, who recorded his fifth 1,000-yard season with 81 receptions for
1,043 yards and seven touchdowns. Other reliable receiving options included Santonio Holmes (55 receptions for 821 yards), Nate
Washington (40 receptions for 631 yards), and tight end Heath Miller (48 receptions for 514 yards). The Steelers ground game was led
by two-time pro bowl running back Willie Parker, who had rushed for over 1,200 yards in each of his previous three seasons. Injuries
in 2008 limited him to 791 yards in 11 games, but running back Mewelde Moore proved to be a solid replacement, rushing for 588
yards and catching 40 passes for 320 yards. For their efforts, Tomlin won the 2008 Motorola Coach Of The Year Award and Harrison
was named the 2008 GMC Sierra Defensive Player Of The Year. The Steelers rolled into the post-season as the AFC's second seed,
behind only the Tennessee Titans, who would finish 13–3 but lose in their divisional playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Arizona Cardinals Under Whisenhunt's first season as head coach, the Cardinals finished with an 8–8 record in 2007. Arizona then
finished the 2008 season with a 9–7 record and went on to earn their first trip to the Super Bowl in franchise history, becoming only
the second NFL team to do so with nine wins. One reason for Arizona's success was the re-emergence of 37-year old quarterback Kurt
Warner. After going undrafted and spending a few years in the Arena Football League, Warner became the St. Louis Rams starting
quarterback in 1999 due to a pre-season injury of starter Trent Green. He went on to lead the Rams to two Super Bowls and one Super
Bowl win (in which Warner was named MVP), while also winning two NFL MVP awards. But in 2002, Warner's production was
drastically reduced by injuries and he soon lost his starting job to Marc Bulger. He eventually left the team to join the New York
Giants, but once again he lost his starting job (replaced by an ineffective Eli Manning) and signed on with the Cardinals in 2005. For
the third time, Warner lost his starting job due to mediocre performances and injuries. After the season, Arizona selected Heisman
winning quarterback Matt Leinart with their first round draft pick. This, combined with another mediocre performance in the 2006
season, appeared to severely limit Warner's chances of ever being a permanent starter on the team. However, early in the 2007 season,
Warner was thrust into the starting lineup to replace an injured Leinart, and by the end of the team's season, he had re-emerged as one
of the top quarterbacks in the league, throwing 27 touchdown passes with a passer rating of 89.8. With his starting job on the team
more secure, Warner posted one of his best seasons in 2008, throwing for 4,583 yards and 30 touchdowns, with only 14 interceptions,
giving him an NFC best 96.9 rating. His top targets were receivers Larry Fitzgerald (96 receptions, 1,431 yards, 12 touchdowns),
Anquan Boldin (89 receptions, 1,038 yards, 11 touchdowns), and Steve Breaston (77 receptions, 1,006 yards, three touchdowns, 904
special teams return yards), who made the Cardinals the fifth team ever to feature three players with over 1,000 receiving yards. The
Cardinals ground game was led by veteran running back Edgerrin James and rookie Tim Hightower. James led the team with 514
yards, while Hightower rushed for 399 and scored 10 touchdowns. He was also a reliable target out of the backfield, catching 34
passes for another 237 yards. Overall, Arizona's offense ranked fourth in yards per game (365.8) and third in scoring (422 points) in
2008. The Cardinals defense, however, had played inconsistently during the regular season, ranking just 28th in points allowed. Up
front their line was anchored by defensive lineman Bertrand Berry, who recorded five sacks and forced two fumbles, along with tackle
Darnell Dockett, known for his ability to blow up running plays. Linebacker Karlos Dansby was also a solid contributor, recording
four sacks, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles, while also leading the team with 119 tackles. The Cardinals secondary was led
by rookie cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (who led the team with four interceptions) and Pro Bowl safety Adrian Wilson
(fourth on the team in tackles, 75). Playoffs Arizona advanced to the Super Bowl by beating the fifth-seeded Atlanta Falcons 30–24,
the second-seeded Carolina Panthers, 33–13, and the sixth-seeded Philadelphia Eagles, 32–25. Warner played exceptionally well in
those games, throwing for a total of 661 yards and eight touchdowns, with only two interceptions, giving him a rating of 112.1. The
Cardinals also got a big performance out of Larry Fitzgerald, who caught 23 passes for a postseason record 419 yards and five
touchdowns. Meanwhile, Arizona's 28th-ranked defense showed major improvement in the postseason, forcing twelve turnovers in
their three games. This included five interceptions and one fumble from Carolina's pro bowl quarterback Jake Delhomme in the
divisional round. The Cardinals became the third NFL team to advance to the Super Bowl after winning three playoff games despite
winning its division; the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII and the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI were the other two.
In addition, they would become the first team to advance to the Super Bowl as both a division winner and a No. 4 seed. The Baltimore
Ravens were the last No. 4 seed to advance to a Super Bowl before this game, as they were the No. 4 seed in the AFC when they went
on to win Super Bowl XXXV, but were a wild-card team before the 2002 realignment gave each conference four divisions. Pittsburgh
began their Super Bowl run with a 35–24 win over the fourth-seeded San Diego Chargers, gaining 342 yards, avoiding any turnovers,
holding the ball for 36:30 (including for 14:43 in the third quarter alone, an NFL record for a single quarter), and scoring a touchdown
in every quarter. Also, Parker appeared to be fully recovered from his regular season injuries, as evidenced by his career postseason
high 147-yard, two–touchdown performance against the Chargers. Pittsburgh then went on to beat, for the third time in the season,
their AFC North division arch rivals, the sixth-seeded Baltimore Ravens, 23–14, holding them to 184 yards and forcing five turnovers.
Super Bowl pre-game notes The AFC Champion Steelers stayed at the InterContinental Tampa and held their pre-game practices at
the training facility of the University of South Florida Bulls. The NFC Champion Cardinals were based at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay
and held their practices at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' training facility. Both teams arrived in the Tampa area on Monday, January 26.
Also on January 26, the NFL announced that the Super Bowl game would be one of the safest places in the United States during game
time. Personnel from over 20 different federal agencies were on site to assist in protecting players and fans. Pittsburgh entered the
game as seven-point favorites over Arizona. Major factors for this included the view that the Steelers' defense was better compared to
the that of the Cardinals and the feeling that the AFC was an overall better conference than the NFC. The Cardinals were the
designated "home team," as was the case for all NFC champions in odd numbered Super Bowls. Arizona wore their red jerseys, which
it has done at home since moving into University of Phoenix Stadium in 2006 after predominantly wearing their white jerseys at home
for their first 18 years in Arizona to combat the intense heat of September and October. As a result, the Steelers wore white jerseys for
their second consecutive Super Bowl. Pittsburgh improved to 3–0 lifetime wearing white jerseys in the Super Bowl after the victory in
Super Bowl XLIII (Pittsburgh would eventually lose to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV while wearing white jerseys). The
other two times the team wore white was as the "visiting team" against the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IX (during a time when
the designated "home" team was required to wear their team colored jerseys) and against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL
despite being the "home team" that season but having road success in the playoffs. In addition, teams wearing white jerseys in the
Super Bowl extended their winning streak to five games, dating back to Super Bowl XXXIX, currently the longest such streak
between white and team colored jerseys in Super Bowl history. Pittsburgh also improved to 3-0 lifetime against NFC West Division
teams in the Super Bowl, having previously beaten the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl XIV and the Seahawks in XL. Another pregame storyline involved backup Steelers tight end/fullback Sean McHugh. McHugh, who spent the past three seasons with the Detroit
Lions, made that team's 53-man roster at the end of the preseason, only to be released 24 hours later alongside linebacker Anthony
Cannon in order for the Lions to make room for linebacker Ryan Nece and running back Marcus Thomas. The Steelers promptly
signed McHugh after the team traded center Sean Mahan back to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for a draft pick before the
start of the season. The subsequent media attention surrounding McHugh had to do with him being deemed not good enough for the
Lions (a team that would finish 0-16, the NFL's first imperfect season since the expansion 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers), but good
enough for a Super Bowl team such as the Steelers and being a valuable blocker for Ben Roethlisberger and Willie Parker. McHugh
himself had mixed feelings about the situation, feeling bad for his former Lions teammates, but also feeling it's a little payback for the
Lions for releasing him in the first place. McHugh would play in the Super Bowl as a blocker, much like his regular season role. The
Cardinals became the second team to have their city/state location painted in their end zone for a Super Bowl, as their end zone read
Arizona Cardinals. In Super Bowl XL, the Seattle Seahawks became the first team to have this, as their end zone read Seattle
Seahawks. For all other Super Bowl teams, end zones have just featured the team nickname. Economic effects With all the cutbacks
resulting from the severe economic downturn in the United States, the game was dubbed "The Recession Bowl." Restaurants were
slow in business and many parties, including parties hosted by Playboy and Sports Illustrated were canceled. There were also 200
fewer sports journalists covering the game than at Super Bowl XLII the previous year. According to the online broker StubHub,
tickets with a face value of $500 changed hands the week of the Super Bowl for an average $2,500 – a 40% drop from Super Bowl
XLII in 2008 and 16% lower than Super Bowl XL in 2006. Ford, Chrysler and General Motors, the Big Three automobile makers,
decided not to purchase television advertisements following the three companies' business struggles in 2008 and early 2009.
Broadcasting Television United States The game was televised live in the United States on NBC, the network's first Super Bowl
broadcast since Super Bowl XXXII at the end of the 1997 season, and was available in 1080i high definition. Play-by-play announcer
Al Michaels and color commentator John Madden were in the booth, with Andrea Kremer and Alex Flanagan serving as sideline
reporters. The pre-game show – a record five hours long – was hosted by the Football Night in America team headed by Bob Costas,
and preceded by a two-hour special edition of Today hosted by the regular weekday team live from Tampa and the NFL Films –
produced Road to the Super Bowl. Matt Millen was part of the coverage as a studio analyst. The Today contribution included portions
of a taped interview with President Obama and pictures of troops viewing the proceedings in Iraq. John Madden was the first person to
have announced a Super Bowl for each of the four major U.S. television networks, having called five Super Bowls for CBS, three for
Fox, and two for ABC prior to joining NBC in 2006. Meanwhile, Al Michaels was the third man to do play-by-play for a Super Bowl
on NBC television (following in the footsteps of Curt Gowdy and Dick Enberg). Also, Michaels became the second person (after Pat
Summerall on CBS and Fox) to be the lead Super Bowl play-by-play announcer for two different major U.S. networks (ABC and
NBC). This would prove to be the final game Madden would call, as he announced his retirement from broadcasting on April 16, 2009.
The Super Bowl was one of two major professional sports championship series NBC broadcast in 2009, as they would also broadcast
the Stanley Cup Finals. Both championship series involved teams from Pittsburgh winning championships. Mike Emrick, Ed Olczyk,
and Pierre McGuire mentioned this when they called the Stanley Cup Finals. Super Bowl XLIII was the final Super Bowl to air in the
analog television format in the United States before the nationwide digital television transition. The transition, originally scheduled for
February 17 was pushed back to June 12, the same day the Penguins won the Stanley Cup. With an average U.S. audience of 98.7
million viewers (and an estimated total viewership of 151.6 million), this was the third most watched Super Bowl in history, and the
fourth most watched U.S. television program of any kind, trailing only Super Bowl XLV in 2011, which drew an average audience of
111 million; Super Bowl XLIV in 2010, average audience 106.5 million; and the final episode of M*A*S*H in 1983, average
audience 106 million. However, the national Nielsen rating of 42.0 was lower than the 43.3 rating for the previous year's game. The
telecast drew a 53.6 rating in Pittsburgh and a 47.5 rating in Phoenix, first and ninth respectively among local markets. In Tucson,
Arizona and surrounding areas, the analog but not digital feed of the Comcast cable service was interrupted by an unknown party,
when 30 seconds from Playboy Enterprises-owned adult cable television channel Shorteez was broadcast to homes just after Larry
Fitzgerald scored his fourth quarter touchdown to give the Cardinals a 23-20 lead. Minutes before this occurred, 10 seconds of an end
credit segment from ClubJenna, another Playboy-owned channel, was shown. Comcast offered a $10 credit for customers who
claimed to have seen the incident, and the Federal Communications Commission announced that it would investigate the cause of the
incident. On February 4, 2011, Tucson Police and the FBI arrested Frank Tanori Gonzalez on suspicion of fraud and computer
tampering in connection with the porn incident. The telecast was also carried to U.S. service personnel stationed around the globe via
the American Forces Network. Commercials In addition to featuring the game's first 1-second TV ad (courtesy of Miller High Life),
Super Bowl XLIII marked the first time that a 30-second commercial time slot cost up to US $3 million for the airtime alone,
excluding production and talent costs. Many traditional advertisers, such as Anheuser-Busch and PepsiCo, bought multiple ads at
discounted rates. None of the "Big Three" U.S. automakers (General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler) ran advertisements during the game.
A short trailer for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen premiered during the Super Bowl, a debut which director Michael Bay first
revealed would occur in January. A preview of the upcoming Star Trek film also premiered during the game. However, with the weak
economy, NBC was thought to have turned to companies already buying ad time for an additional purchase or two as set by the Los
Angeles-based Forza Migliozzi agency, which would have eight advertisers simultaneously in one 30-second ad. SoBe and
DreamWorks Animation aired a 3-D trailer for the upcoming film Monsters vs. Aliens, along with a 3-D ad for Sobe Life Water that
featured Ray Lewis and Todd Light dancing Swan Lake (renamed Lizard Lake for this ad), as well as the promo for the upcoming
episode of Chuck in 3D. About 150 million "ColorCode 3-D" glasses were given away at grocery stores across the country for the ad.
Hyundai also advertised its new Genesis Coupe in two 30-second commercials. All advertising slots were sold out one day before the
game, resulting in sales of $206 million. The top five ads as chosen by the USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter were: 1) Doritos' fanmade ad about "free Doritos" being seen in a "crystal ball", with different results for two co-workers. Joseph and Dave Herbert from
Batesville, Indiana, creators of the ad, won US $1,000,000; 2) Budweiser's Clydesdale love affair with a dancing horse; 3) Another
Budweiser ad seeing another Clydesdale playing fetch showing off after the beer wagon's Dalmatian fetches a small stick; 4) A
Bridgestone ad with Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head driving in a toy car on a twisty road; 5) Another Doritos ad that shows the power of
crunch with a woman being stripped down to her underwear, free money from an ATM and a policeman being turned into a monkey.
YouTube's top five in "Ad Blitz 2009" also saw the two Doritos ads finish first and fifth. The middle three featured E*Trade's Singing
Baby ad, CareerBuilder.com's "The Official 2009 Super Bowl Commercial" and Pepsi Max's "I'm Good" finish second through fourth
respectively. ADBOWL results reflected the following ranking: 1) Bridgestone: Taters 2) Bridgestone: Hot Item 3) Doritos: Crystal
Ball 4) Coca-Cola: Heist Pepsi Max: I’m Good An international feed featured Bob Papa and Sterling Sharpe announcing, and was
seen in 230 countries (including Antarctica) over 61 networks and 34 languages. ESPN Latin America also broadcasted across Latin
America. Radio On radio, Westwood One had the national English-language broadcast rights to the game in the United States and
Canada. It was only made available to local affiliates as part of a 57-game package of regular season and post-season games. Stations
were not allowed to stream the broadcast on their web sites. Marv Albert and Boomer Esiason called the game for the network. The
teams' flagship stations also carried the game with their respective local announcers: WDVE-FM and WBGG-AM in Pittsburgh (with
Bill Hillgrove and Tunch Ilkin announcing), and KTAR-AM/FM in Phoenix (with Dave Pasch and Ron Wolfley announcing).
Univision Radio/United Stations carried a Spanish-language feed for Hispanophone American listeners (with Clemson Smith-Muñiz
and David Crommett announcing). Sirius XM Satellite Radio carried 13 game feeds in ten languages to Sirius subscribers, as well as
to XM subscribers with the "Best of Sirius" package. In addition to the four US feeds mentioned above, Sirius carried the following
international feeds: FieldPass, the subscription Internet radio service provided by the league at NFL.com, carried most of these feeds,
with select international feeds for free. Due to contractual restrictions, only Sirius XM and FieldPass were permitted to carry the local
team broadcasts along with WDVE, WBGG, and KTAR, with the teams' other network radio affiliates instead carrying the Westwood
One feed. Entertainment and other ceremonies Pregame Journey performed during the pre-game show, and Jennifer Hudson sang
"The Star-Spangled Banner" (arranged by Chris Walden) in her first public appearance since the murder of her nephew, brother and
mother. Hudson became the second consecutive alumna from the American Idol television series to perform the national anthem at a
Super Bowl (Jordin Sparks sang the anthem at Super Bowl XLII). The national anthem was translated into American Sign Language
by Kristen Santos. Following the anthem, the U. S. Air Force Thunderbirds performed a fly-over. John Legend performed a short
concert several hours before the game, while Faith Hill performed "America the Beautiful" prior to Hudson's performance of the
national anthem. Also, the crew of US Airways Flight 1549 were recognized on field for their actions. The NFL saluted four decades
of champions during the coin toss ceremony and the Vince Lombardi Trophy presentation. The coin toss featured Roger Craig (Super
Bowl XXIII, 1989), John Elway (Super Bowl XXXIII, 1999) and Lynn Swann (Super Bowl XIII, 1979). Roger Craig followed last
year's participants and fellow San Francisco 49ers Craig Walsh (son of Bill Walsh), Ronnie Lott, Jerry Rice and Steve Young. General
David Petraeus performed the actual coin toss. The Steelers called tails, but it landed on heads, so the Cardinals won the toss. Arizona
deferred their choice to the second half, and the Steelers chose to receive, making it the first time in Super Bowl history that the coin
toss winner kicked off to start the game. (The NFL had just changed the rule before the start of the season allowing the team that wins
the coin toss to defer the choice to the second half, similar to that in college football and Canadian football.) By winning the toss, the
Arizona Cardinals were the twelfth consecutive coin toss winner from the NFC, dating back to Super Bowl XXXII. Joe Namath
(Super Bowl III, 1969) participated in the Vince Lombardi Trophy presentation and he previously participated in the coin toss in
Super Bowl XXVIII. Coincidentally, Namath—a native of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh—ultimately handed the trophy
to his hometown team. The Steelers entered Raymond James Stadium first, to "Right Here, Right Now" by Fatboy Slim. The
Cardinals entered last, as they were the "home" team, to "Ignition" by tobyMac. Halftime The Super Bowl XLIII halftime show,
which was sponsored by Bridgestone for the second consecutive year, featured Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, with The
Miami Horns and a gospel choir. Their halftime performance consisted of these songs in the following order: 1) "Tenth Avenue FreezeOut" 2) "Born to Run" 3) "Working on a Dream" 4) "Glory Days" Each of the numbers had at least one verse removed, in order to fit
the overall performance in the intended 12-minute time limit. Springsteen had turned down numerous invitations to play at the Super
Bowl before this one, unsure of its legitimacy, but finally accepted after realizing the prestige value. Bruce Springsteen stated in an
interview with Bob Costas, he would like Coldplay to perform the halftime show next year. Bob Costas also said that he assumed
Bruce was too old to do certain moves that he used to do, such as jumping on pianos, etc. Springsteen assured him that was not the
case and, to prove him wrong, he jumped on the piano during the opening number while pumping up the crowd. Home video The
Steelers 2008 season/Super Bowl XLIII championship home video went on sale on DVD on February 24, 2009. One week later on
March 3, it was released on Blu-ray Disc, making it the first NFL Films home video release to be on Blu-ray Disc. The Blu-ray copy
was "officially" sold exclusively through Amazon.com, though it was also available through the Sports Illustrated Super Bowl offer,
and has since been made available at other retailers. Among its exclusive content included having most of the features in highdefinition video as well as the NFL on Fox fourth-quarter coverage of the Steelers matchup against the Dallas Cowboys at Heinz Field
in its entirety. The matchup, which took place during Week 14 and renewed the rivalry the two teams had in the 1970s & 1990's, saw
the Steelers come back from a 4th quarter ten point deficit to win 20-13. The New York Giants 2007 season/Super Bowl video was
only released on DVD the previous year despite the fact that Toshiba dropped support of HD DVD (the primary rival of Blu-ray) just
two weeks after Super Bowl XLII. Game summary Pittsburgh took the opening kickoff and moved down the field on a 71-yard
scoring drive, with Ben Roethlisberger completing a 38-yard pass to Hines Ward and a 21-yard strike to Heath Miller, putting the ball
at the Arizona 1-yard line. On third down, Roethlisberger appeared to score on a quarterback scramble, but it was overruled by a
replay challenge, which determined that he was down before the ball crossed the goal line. Rather than make another attempt at a
touchdown, Pittsburgh settled for a Jeff Reed 18-yard field goal to take the 3–0 lead. The Steelers quickly forced an Arizona punt and
then drove back down the field for what would turn into more points. On the first play of their drive, Roethlisberger completed a 25yard pass to Santonio Holmes. Following three more completions to Miller for 26 yards and another one to Holmes for 7, reserve
running back Gary Russell went into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown run to make the score 10–0 on the second play of the
second quarter. They became the first team to score on its first two drives since the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXII. On
defense, Pittsburgh held Arizona to just one drive and one first down in the first quarter, while gaining 135 yards. The Cardinals got
going for the first time midway through the second quarter as a 45-yard completion from Kurt Warner to Anquan Boldin moved the
ball to the Steelers' 1-yard line. On the next play, Warner nearly fell over after taking the snap, but he regained his balance and threw a
1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Ben Patrick. After an exchange of punts, Roethlisberger threw a pass that was tipped at the line of
scrimmage and intercepted by linebacker Karlos Dansby at the Steelers 34-yard line with 2:46 left in the half. Seven plays later, the
Cardinals drove to a first down on the Pittsburgh 1-yard line. But with 18 seconds left, Warner's pass was intercepted in the end zone
by linebacker James Harrison, who then took off down the sideline for the longest play in Super Bowl history, a 100-yard return for a
touchdown, increasing the Steelers' lead to 17–7 at halftime. A booth review was called to verify that Harrison had broken the plane,
as he was tackled at the goal line, and the ruling stood. The official NFL Films footage for the game showed that Larry Fitzgerald was
about to tackle Harrison at Arizona's 30-yard line, but teammate Steve Breaston was illegally standing inside the sideline area and
blocked Fitzgerald's path, allowing Harrison to get enough distance that he could cross the goal line when Fitzgerald caught up to him
at the return's end.
After forcing a punt, the Steelers started off the third quarter with another long scoring drive. Aided by three personal foul penalties
against Arizona, they moved the ball 79 yards in 14 plays and took 8:39 off the clock. However, they were unable to get into the end
zone, despite two first downs inside the Cardinals 10 (a penalty against Arizona on a Steelers field goal attempt gave them another
chance), and they had to settle for another Reed field goal to give them a 13-point lead, 20–7. After a few more punts, Warner led the
Cardinals down the field on an eight-play, 87-yard scoring drive that took 3:57 off the clock, utilizing a no huddle offense. With 7:33
left in the game, Warner threw a high floating pass to Fitzgerald, who made a leaping catch through tight coverage by Ike Taylor for a
touchdown, making the score 20–14. Later on, Ben Graham's 34-yard punt pinned the Steelers back at their own 1-yard line. Two
plays later on third down and 10, Roethlisberger threw a 20-yard pass to Holmes, but center Justin Hartwig was called for holding in
the end zone, which not only nullified the catch, but gave the Cardinals a safety, raising the score to 20–16. Steelers coach Mike
Tomlin later stated that losing the two points didn't faze him, as it didn't change how the Steelers called plays for the rest of the game
on either defense or offense. Taking over on their own 36 after the free kick, Arizona took two plays to score, as Warner threw a pass
to Fitzgerald on a post route. Fitzgerald caught the ball without breaking stride and took off down the middle of the field past the
Steelers secondary for a 64-yard touchdown reception, giving Arizona their first lead of the game, 23–20. 1) Pittsburgh got the ball
back on their own 22-yard line with 2:37 left in the game and two timeouts remaining. On their first play, a holding penalty pushed
them back 10 yards. Roethlisberger then completed two passes to Holmes for 27 yards. After an 11-yard reception by Nate
Washington and a 4-yard run by Roethlisberger, he completed a 40-yard pass to Holmes at the Cardinals 6-yard line. Two plays later,
Holmes caught a pass in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown, managing to land with his toes inbounds before falling out of
bounds. After a booth review, the touchdown pass stood. Reed's ensuing extra point made the score 27–23 with 35 seconds remaining.
Following the ensuing kickoff, Warner completed a 20-yard pass to Fitzgerald and a 13-yarder to J. J. Arrington, moving the ball to
the Steelers 44. With 18 seconds left, Warner prepared to attempt a Hail Mary pass, but linebacker LaMarr Woodley forced a fumble
while sacking Warner. Defensive end Brett Keisel recovered the fumble, giving the ball back to Pittsburgh with five seconds left.
Many viewers incorrectly assumed that the play had not been reviewed for a possible incomplete pass, but NFL Head of Officiating
Mike Pereira later explained that it actually was reviewed, unnoticed by the public. It was the first and only time that a Super Bowl
that Kurt Warner was involved in was not decided on the final play of the game. Roethlisberger took a knee, sealing the Steelers' NFL
record sixth Super Bowl title. Statistics In Super Bowl XLIII, Arizona and Pittsburgh combined for the fewest rushing attempts (38)
and the fewest rushing yards (91) in Super Bowl history. The Cardinals outgained the Steelers in both passing yards (374 to 234) and
total yards (407 to 292), but were flagged for 11 penalties for 106 yards. Arizona's safety in the fourth quarter was only the sixth one
scored in Super Bowl history, the first since Super Bowl XXV. Warner completed 31 of 43 passes for 377 yards and three touchdowns,
with one interception. His 377 yards was the second most in Super Bowl history behind his own record of 414 yards in Super Bowl
XXXIV (Warner also holds the third place record with 365 yards in Super Bowl XXXVI). With the three highest totals in Super Bowl
history, he passed Joe Montana for most career yards in Super Bowl history with 1,156 (Montana threw for 1,142 yards in four games).
He became the fifth quarterback in Super Bowl history to throw three touchdown passes in defeat (the others being Roger Staubach,
Brett Favre, Jake Delhomme, and Donovan McNabb). He also became the first quarterback in Super Bowl history to have a pass
intercepted and returned for a touchdown in two different Super Bowls and is also the second quarterback to throw a fourth-quarter
touchdown in three different Super Bowls (Terry Bradshaw threw a fourth-quarter touchdown in all four of his Super Bowls).
Warner's top target was Fitzgerald, who caught seven passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns. Fitzgerald set a single postseason
record with seven touchdown receptions, passing Jerry Rice, who had six in the 1988 postseason. Fitzgerald as well as Holmes each
had 100 yards receiving, marking the fourth time in Super Bowl history, one player from each team had over 100 yards in a Super
Bowl. Michael Irvin and Andre Reed were the first in Super Bowl XXVII, followed by Deion Branch and Muhsin Muhammad in
Super Bowl XXXVIII and Branch again a year later along with Terrell Owens in Super Bowl XXXIX. Roethlisberger completed 21 of
30 passes for 256 yards and a touchdown, with one interception. Woodley had two sacks and a forced fumble, thus he continued
setting NFL play-off records for consecutive multiple sack games by a player with 4. Arizona defensive tackle Darnell Dockett had all
of Arizona's three sacks, tying the Super Bowl record set by Reggie White in Super Bowl XXXI. Harrison's 100-yard interception
return was the longest play of any kind in a Super Bowl. With this victory, the Steelers became the first team to win three Super Bowls
in the same state. Their victories in Super Bowls X and XIII were both at the Miami Orange Bowl. Statistical comparison Post-game
riots In Pittsburgh, mostly in the Oakland neighborhood, riots broke out on the streets after the Steelers' victory. Rioters—mostly
college students—caused about $150,000 in estimated damages. More than 60 people were arrested during and after the rioting, and at
least two students were suspended. Two of the Steelers' former homes, Forbes Field and Pitt Stadium, were in the Oakland
neighborhood. Ring 1) The ring for the Pittsburgh Steelers was designed and made by Jostens working with Dan Rooney and Art
Rooney II. The designs were also shown to James Farrior, Hines Ward, Ben Roethlisberger and James Harrison before a final decision
was made.
February 7, 2010 New Orleans Saints(NFC) vs. Indianoplis Colts(AFC) 31-17 NO 0 6 10 15 31 IND 10 0 7 0 17 Stadium Sun Life
Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida MVP Drew Brees, Quarterback Favorite Colts by 4½ National anthem Carrie Underwood Halftime
show The Who Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion
Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League
(NFL) champion for the 2009 season. The Saints (16–3) defeated the Colts (16–3) by a score of 31–17, earning their first Super Bowl
win. New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, who completed 32 of 39 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns, was named the Super
Bowl MVP. His 32 completions tied a Super Bowl record set by Tom Brady in Super Bowl XXXVIII. With the victory, the Saints
became the fourth team to win in their only Super Bowl appearance after the New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay
Buccaneers.The game was played at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida on February 7, 2010 for the fifth time (and in South
Florida for the tenth time), the latest calendar date for a Super Bowl yet. The game was the Saints' first Super Bowl appearance and the
fourth for the Colts franchise. All four of the Colts' Super Bowl games have been played in Miami, with their first two games in the
former Miami Orange Bowl and the last two in the current Miami stadium (which has changed names several times since its opening,
most recently in January 2010).The Saints entered the game with a 13–3 record for the 2009 regular season, compared to the Colts'
14–2 record. In the playoff games, both teams placed first in their respective conferences. It was the first time since Super Bowl
XXVIII (16 years previously) that both number one seeds have reached the Super Bowl. The Colts entered the Super Bowl off of 20–3
and 30–17 victories (over the Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets, respectively), while the Saints advanced with scores of 45–14 and
31–28 (in overtime), defeating last year's runners up the Arizona Cardinals in their first game and the Minnesota Vikings in the second.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, as defending champions, failed to make the playoffs based on tiebreakers. The Saints' head coach was Sean
Payton, having joined from the Dallas Cowboys in 2006, while opposing head coach Jim Caldwell was appointed the Colts' head
coach in 2009, having joined them in 2002 as assistant head coach.It was the tenth time the Super Bowl has been held in Miami at the
home stadium of the Miami Dolphins: the now-Sun Life Stadium had hosted four previous Super Bowls (XXIII, XXIX, XXXIII, and
XLI) and five were played in the Dolphins' now demolished former home, the Miami Orange Bowl (II, III, V, X, XIII). The game was
broadcast live on CBS, with the National Anthem sung by Carrie Underwood and the halftime show that featured the British rock
band The Who. The tagline for the game was, "Own The Moment." Background Host selection process The league initially voted on
March 23, 2005, that New York City host the game, contingent on the completion of the proposed West Side Stadium being built for
the New York Jets by 2008. After New York state government officials declined to approve $400 million for the stadium, the NFL
decided to reopen the bidding for the game's site. The league reconsidered the other, unsuccessful candidates for Super Bowl XLIII:
Atlanta, Houston, and Miami. On October 6, 2008, the league selected Miami as the host city.
With Tampa as the host of Super Bowl XLIII, Super Bowl XLIV marked the third time that consecutive Super Bowls have been
played in the same state. Super Bowls II and III were both played at the Orange Bowl. Super Bowls XXI and XXII were both played
in California: XXI at Pasadena's Rose Bowl Stadium and XXII at San Diego's Jack Murphy Stadium. Miami became the first city to
host two Super Bowls designated as a National Special Security Event (NSSE). In the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks,
every Super Bowl since Super Bowl XXXVI has been designated as an NSSE. Super Bowl XLI was Miami's first Super Bowl
designated as an NSSE. Pro Bowl changes The 2010 Pro Bowl was played on January 31, during the off-week between the
conference championships and the Super Bowl, breaking with the precedent of scheduling the game for the Sunday after the Super
Bowl. The game also changed venues from Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii, where it had been held since 1979, to Sun Life
Stadium in Miami (the same city and stadium hosting the Super Bowl itself). A total of 14 players from the Super Bowl participants –
seven each from the Colts and the Saints – did not play in the Pro Bowl. The new schedule took advantage of the bye week given to
the conference champions to rest and prepare for the Super Bowl. The NFL has indicated this may not be a permanent transition, and
has discussed a possible rotating location for the Pro Bowl in the future. The game will return to Hawaii in 2011 and 2012, however.
The move also meant that the Pro Bowl, which was won by the AFC by a score of 41–34, would avoid competing against the 2010
NBA All-Star Game, the second full day of competition in the 2010 Winter Olympics, and the 52nd running of the Daytona 500, as
would have been the case had the game been played on February 14 per its traditional post-Super Bowl scheduling. Teams New
Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints finished the season with an NFC best 13–3 record and went on to advance to the first Super
Bowl in their 43 years as an NFL team. After joining the NFL in 1967, it took them 21 years to record their first winning season and
another 13 years after that to win their first playoff game. Five years later, the New Orleans area suffered another setback when the
Louisiana Superdome was devastated with the rest of the city by Hurricane Katrina, forcing them to play all of their home games in
2005 elsewhere as they finished with a 3–13 record (see Effect of Hurricane Katrina on the New Orleans Saints). But in the offseason,
the team's fortunes began to turn. First, they signed pro bowl quarterback Drew Brees, who would go on to throw for more passing
yards than any other quarterback over the next four seasons. They also drafted multi-talented Heisman Trophy winning (since vacated)
running back Reggie Bush, receiver Marques Colston, and guard Jahri Evans, three players who would become major contributors on
the Saints' offense. The following season, New Orleans improved to 10–6 and advanced to the NFC title game for the first time, which
they lost to the Chicago Bears. Although they failed to make the playoffs over the next two seasons, they continued to sign new talent,
and by 2009 they were ready to make another run at the Super Bowl. The Saints' offense led the NFL in scoring, averaging just under
32 points per game. Brees finished the season as the NFL's top rated quarterback (109.6), completing an NFL-record 70.6% of his
passes for 4,338 yards and 34 touchdowns, with just 11 interceptions. His top target was Colston, who caught 70 passes for 1,074
yards and 9 touchdowns, but he had plenty of other weapons, such as receivers Devery Henderson (51 receptions) and Robert
Meachem (45), along with tight ends Jeremy Shockey (48) and Dave Thomas (35). The ground attack was led by running backs Pierre
Thomas and Mike Bell. Thomas rushed for 793 yards and caught 39 passes for 302, while Bell added 654 yards on the ground. Bush
was also a major contributor, rushing for 390 yards (with a 5.6 yards per carry average), catching 47 passes for 335 yards, and adding
another 130 yards returning punts. New Orleans also had a strong offensive line with three Pro Bowl selections: guard Jahri Evans,
center Jonathan Goodwin, and tackle Jon Stinchcomb Defensive lineman Will Smith led the team in sacks with 13. Another big
weapon on defense was linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who led the team with 87 tackles and intercepted three passes. The Saints'
secondary was led by 12-year veteran safety Darren Sharper, who recorded 9 interceptions and set an NFL record by returning them
for 376 yards and three touchdowns. Cornerback Tracy Porter was also effective, recording 49 tackles and 4 picks with one
touchdown. Like the Colts, the Saints also started out the season strong, winning their first 13 games. But then they became the first
13–0 team ever to lose their last three games of the year. After losing their next game to the Dallas Cowboys 24–17, they suffered a
narrow loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (20–17 in overtime) after Garrett Hartley missed a potential game winning field goal, and
then closed out the season with a 23–10 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Still, they clinched the #1 NFC playoff seed and scored 76
points in their two playoff wins en route to their first ever Super Bowl. Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis had the NFL best 14–2 record,
winning seven games by less than a touchdown, on their way to earning their second Super Bowl appearance in the last four years.
Once again, the Colts boasted a powerful offense led by 10-time Pro Bowl quarterback Peyton Manning, who threw for 4,500 yards
and 33 touchdowns during the season, with only 16 interceptions, earning him a 99.9 passer rating and a league record fourth National
Football League Most Valuable Player Award. Under the protection of Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday and the rest of the line, Manning
had been sacked just 13 times during the regular season, the fewest in the NFL. His top targets were veteran receiver Reggie Wayne
and tight end Dallas Clark, who both recorded 100 receptions and 10 touchdowns. Wayne led the team with 1,260 yards, while Clark
was second with 1,106. Manning also had other reliable targets, such as recently acquired receivers Austin Collie (60 receptions for
676 yards and 7 touchdowns) and Pierre Garçon (47 receptions for 765 yards and 4 touchdowns). Running back Joseph Addai led the
Colts' ground game with 821 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, while also catching 51 passes for another 336 yards and 3 scores.
Indianapolis' defensive line was led by Pro Bowl defensive ends Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney. Freeney led the team with 13.5
sacks, while Mathis added 9.5 sacks and forced 5 fumbles. Behind them, the Colts had a solid corps of linebackers featuring Clint
Session and Gary Brackett, who each recorded 80 tackles. Pro Bowl safety Antoine Bethea led the secondary with 70 tackles and four
interceptions. Under their new coach Jim Caldwell, the Colts started off the season with 14 consecutive wins before suffering their
first loss to the New York Jets, 29–15, a game in which Caldwell made the controversial decision to rest his starters after the team
took a slim lead rather than keep them in to play for a chance at a 16–0 season. Indianapolis finished the season at 14–2 following a
loss to the Buffalo Bills, in which they rested their starters and went on to advance to the Super Bowl, making them perfect in all their
games in which their starters played all four quarters. Caldwell led the Colts to the Super Bowl the season after Tony Dungy retired,
just like in Tampa Bay when Jon Gruden led the Bucs to Super Bowl XXXVII after Dungy was fired. Senior offensive line coach
Howard Mudd retired following the game. Playoffs Indianapolis' first opponent was the Baltimore Ravens, a 9–7 squad that had
advanced to the divisional round by blowing out the New England Patriots 33–14, forcing four turnovers from their all-pro
quarterback Tom Brady. Against the Colts however, all they could manage was a field goal on their opening drive. Indianapolis built
up a 17–3 first half lead with a Matt Stover field goal and Manning's touchdown passes to Wayne and Collie. In the second half, the
Colts survived two interceptions from Baltimore safety Ed Reed on one drive, one of which Reed fumbled, and the other which was
called back by a penalty. Stover, who spent 18 years with the Modell franchise, finished the drive with his second field goal to make
final score 20–3, as their defense put the game away by forcing two consecutive turnovers. Their next opponent was the Jets, who had
made the playoffs in part due to Caldwell's decision to bench his starters in their Week 16 meeting. This time, the Colts would have to
mount a comeback, as New York built up a 17–6 first half lead. Yet Indianapolis would step up to the challenge, scoring 24
unanswered points. First, Manning completed three passes to Collie for 80 yards, the last one a 16-yard touchdown completion to cut
the score to 17–13 at the end of the half. Manning added two more touchdown passes in the second half, one to Garçon and one to
Clark, and Stover added a 21-yard field goal to close out the scoring. Manning finished the game with 377 passing yards and three
touchdowns, while Garçon and Collie had over 100 receiving yards each. Meanwhile, New Orleans started off their playoff run with a
dominating 45–14 win over the defending NFC champion Arizona Cardinals. Arizona was coming off a 51–45 overtime win over the
Green Bay Packers in which they racked up 531 yards against a defense ranked second in the league in total yards allowed. However,
although Arizona scored on their first play of the game, New Orleans dominated the Cardinals with 35 points in the first half. First,
Lynell Hamilton scored on a 1-yard run. Then, Sharper recovered a fumble from Arizona, setting up Brees' touchdown pass to
Shockey. Following a punt, Bush scored on a franchise playoff record 46-yard run. In the second quarter, Brees added two more
touchdown passes, one to Henderson on a flea flicker and the other to Colston that was set up by a Will Smith interception, giving
them a 35–14 first half lead before adding 10 more points in the second half on a Hartley field goal and Bush's 83-yard punt return.
Bush racked up 217 all-purpose yards, while Brees threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns. Their opponent in the NFC
championship game was the Minnesota Vikings, led by 11-time Pro Bowl quarterback Brett Favre, who had thrown four touchdown
passes in their divisional round win over the Dallas Cowboys. Even though the Saints' offense could only muster 257 total yards, their
defense made up for it by forcing five turnovers. Additionally, the Saints outgained the Vikings in punt and kickoff return yards 166 to
50. The key play of the game occurred late in the fourth quarter with the score tied 28–28 and the Vikings driving for a potential
game-winning field goal. With less than a minute left, they reached the Saints 33-yard line. But after two runs for no gain and a
penalty that pushed them back to the 38, Porter picked off a pass from Favre to send the game into overtime. After New Orleans won
the coin toss, Pierre Thomas' 40-yard kickoff return set up a 10-play, 39-yard drive that ended with a game winning 40-yard field goal
by Hartley, sending the Saints to their first ever Super Bowl. This is the first Super Bowl matchup in which both teams had a firstround bye since Super Bowl XXXIX. All four of the Super Bowls in between had one team that played all three rounds (two of which
were wild-card teams), with three of those teams (including the Colts in Super Bowl XLI) winning it all. Broadcasting Television
United States The game was televised live in the United States on CBS, capping the network's 50th season of NFL coverage (1956–93;
1998–present). This was the 17th Super Bowl telecast for CBS, the largest total among the "big four" US television networks. CBS
had also broadcast the previous Super Bowl held in South Florida (XLI). Play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz and color commentator
Phil Simms were in the broadcast booth, with Steve Tasker and Solomon Wilcots serving as sideline reporters. The game was
preceded by The Super Bowl Today, a four-hour pregame show hosted by James Brown and featuring analysts Dan Marino, Boomer
Esiason, Shannon Sharpe and Bill Cowher along with several other commentators, which started at 2 pm US EST. A kickoff show for
the game aired from 6 pm US EST to 6:28 pm US EST. With an average US audience of 106.5 million viewers, this was the second
most-watched Super Bowl, trailing only the 111 million viewers for Super Bowl XLV the following year, as well as the most-watched
program of any kind in American television history, beating the 27-year-long record previously held by the final episode of M*A*S*H,
"Goodbye, Farewell and Amen", watched by 105.97 million viewers. An estimated 153.4 million total viewers watched all or part of
the game. The game drew a national Nielsen rating of 45.0 with a 68 share, the highest for a Super Bowl since Super Bowl XXX in
1996 (46.0/68). The telecast drew a 56.3 rating in New Orleans and a 54.2 rating in Indianapolis, first and fourth respectively among
local markets. Commercials Notable returnees and absences Perennial Super Bowl advertisers Anheuser–Busch InBev and
CareerBuilder stated their commitment to advertise in Super Bowl XLIV, showing eight and two different spots during the game,
respectively. A 30-second spot cost US $2.8 million[citation needed] with several advertisers getting discounts, down from last year's
$3 million.[citation needed] All advertising slots were sold out on February 1, 2010, six days before the game. Pepsi-Cola had previously
stated their commitment to advertise, but then said they would not be buying any commercial time, marking the first time in 23 years
that Pepsi did not run an ad during the Super Bowl itself. FedEx also stated that they would not buy ad time. Both Pepsi and FedEx are
official NFL sponsors. Coca-Cola and Dr Pepper Snapple Group capitalized on Pepsi's absence by buying ads in the game; Dr
Pepper's ad featured KISS performing "Calling Dr. Love," while one of Coca-Cola's three ads featured Montgomery Burns (of The
Simpsons) losing everything he owns. Also for the second straight year, one of the Big Three American automobile makers —
General Motors — did not have a commercial in the game. Ford had one commercial for the Ford Edge featuring Mike Rowe.
Chrysler's Dodge brand did advertise this year for its Dodge Charger, narrated by Michael C. Hall. What aired Frito-Lay's Doritos
brand, in turn owned by PepsiCo, had four consumer-created advertisements scheduled. The first three ads – running in the first
quarter – featured a sly dog using an anti-bark collar to his advantage to steal a man's Doritos, a fast-handed boy defending his Doritos
and his mother from a potential suitor, and a man faking his death for free Doritos. The fourth ad, featuring an angry gym rat who was
overprotective for his Doritos being stolen, aired in the fourth quarter. Had three of the ads topped the USA Today Super Bowl Ad
Meter rankings, the commercial's creators would have won a total of US $5 million ($1 million for first, $600,000 for second and
$400,000 for third, plus a $1 million bonus for each of the three finalists). The previous year, Joe and David Herbert's "Free Doritos"
ad topped the survey and won $1 million. The United States Census Bureau spent $2.5 million on a 30-second spot, directed by noted
independent filmmaker Christopher Guest, for the 2010 United States Census, which urged Americans to answer its questionnaires
that will be sent out in the next few weeks. McDonald's aired a commercial, updating a famous ad from the early 1990s, in which
NBA superstars LeBron James and Dwight Howard (replacing Michael Jordan and Larry Bird) play an otherworldly game of H-O-RS-E, with a McDonald's lunch going to the winner – however, they soon look over and see that Bird has helped himself to it. Mars
Chocolate returned three years after its controversial Snickers ad that was protested by gay groups with two men kissing one another
that was pulled one day following the game (see Super Bowl XLI: Commercials). The commercial – winner of the annual Ad Meter
survey – featured veteran actors Betty White and Abe Vigoda playing full-contact backyard football. The rest of the Top Five: 2. The
aforementioned Doritos' amateur ad featuring a dog strapped to an anti-bark collar getting revenge on a teasing man. 3. A Bud Light
ad with a house completely made of beer cans of the sponsor's product. 4. A Budweiser ad featuring the relationship between a
Clydesdale and a Longhorn steer. 5. Coca Cola's man walking through an African savanna in the middle of the night. The YouTube
Top Five of their "2010 Ad Blitz" were: 1) Another Doritos ad that showed a kid slapping his mom's suitor. 2) E-Trade's baby with his
girlfriend. 3) The Doritos dog collar ad. 4) The Snickers Betty White/Abe Vigoda ad. 5) The Doritos commercial with the gym rat.
ADBOWL results reflected the following ranking: 1) Snickers: You’re Not You – Betty White & Abe Vigoda 2) Doritos: House Rules
3) Volkswagen: “Punch Dub” Game 4) Google: Parisian Love 5) Doritos: Underdog Internet domain registrar GoDaddy, which
created a racy ad the year after the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy, bought two ads in the Super Bowl for the sixth
consecutive year. Advertising Age reported that Paramount Pictures bought a Super Bowl spot for the upcoming films Iron Man 2 and
The Last Airbender. A trailer for the HBO miniseries The Pacific was also aired. Other advertisers for 2010 included Homeaway Inc.,,
paying tribute to National Lampoon's Vacation with their stars Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo, and Diamond Foods, who
returned to promote both its Emerald Nuts brand and Pop Secret popcorn, which they bought from General Mills two years before.
Boost Mobile aired a special ad, celebrating the 25th Anniversary of The Super Bowl Shuffle, featuring many of the 1985 Chicago
Bears to advertise their US $50 per month service. Also, in a CBS-produced promo for the Late Show with David Letterman, the
eponymous host and his longtime talk show rival, Jay Leno, appeared together with Oprah Winfrey. Controversies Three advertisers
in particular raised eyebrows with their choice to advertise during the Super Bowl. One new advertiser, Focus on the Family, aired a
commercial featuring 2007 Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow and his mother that elicited critic