With Super Bowl LVI in the books, football fans have now cheered — or booed — their way through more than four dozen editions of the NFL’s ultimate battle. But which games were worthy of cheers? And which deserved boos?
Here’s a review of every Super Bowl, from 1967 to the Los Angeles Rams’ Lombardi Trophy-hoisting moment in 2022.
The games are ordered from worst to best, based on how competitive and entertaining the play was.
Note: Teams are listed by the names they were known as at the time of their Super Bowl appearances.
56. 1993: Dallas Cowboys 52, Buffalo Bills 17
After their 15-year Super Bowl drought, the Cowboys absolutely manhandled the Bills in 1993, forcing a Super Bowl-record nine turnovers, and knocking hard-luck Buffalo QB Jim Kelly out of the game in the second quarter.
55. 2001: Baltimore Ravens 34, New York Giants 7
In a matchup of mediocre QBs — the Giants’ Kerry Collins and the Bucs’ Trent Dilfer — it was no surprise that the suffocating Ravens defense controlled the entire game. The result was another low-suspense Super Bowl.
54. 2014: Seattle Seahawks 43, Denver Broncos 8
This one was hard to watch. In the Seahawks’ first Super Bowl win, Seattle’s vaunted defense — starring the “Legion of Boom” — held Peyton Manning and the Broncos’ high-octane offense to single digits.
53. 1990: San Francisco 49ers 55, Denver Broncos 10
First-year coach George Seifert inherited quite the gold mine when he took over the 49ers from the legendary Bill Walsh.
The Niners’ offense didn’t seem to miss Walsh, either, scoring eight touchdowns in the bashing of the Broncos. All in all, it was a great game — for 49ers fans.
52. 1970: Kansas City Chiefs 23, Minnesota Vikings 7
The Chiefs defense forced five turnovers and didn’t give up a score until the second half in this one-sided tilt.
51. 1978: Dallas Cowboys 27, Denver Broncos 10
Quarterback Craig Morton and the Denver Broncos had no answers for the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys’ “Doomsday Defense” forced eight Broncos turnovers, and led the way in a game that was never close.
In a Super Bowl first, two teammates — Dallas defenders Randy White and Harvey Martin — earned MVP honors.
50. 1971: Baltimore Colts 16, Dallas Cowboys 13
Dubbed the “Blunder Bowl,” this Super Bowl featured a combined 11 turnovers by the two squads.
Despite committing seven of those turnovers, the Colts were able to outlast the Cowboys.
49. 1988: Washington Redskins 42, Denver Broncos 10
John Elway’s Denver Broncos went up 10-0 in the first quarter. But from there on, the Broncos just felt pain. Washington posted 35 points in the second quarter, and the rout was on.
With the win, Washington’s Doug Williams became the first Black starting quarterback to lead his team to a Lombardi Trophy.
48. 2019: New England Patriots 13, Los Angeles Rams 3
With Jared Goff at quarterback for the Rams, head coach Sean McVay’s offense never got off the ground — and never scored a touchdown.
New England’s defense led the way in this subpar contest, but Tom Brady did just enough to secure his sixth — and final — Super Bowl win for the Pats.
47. 1972: Dallas Cowboys 24, Miami Dolphins 3
This is another Super Bowl where defense led the way — and that’s great for defense coordinators, but not-so much for TV viewers.
In this contest, Miami’s offense managed only a field goal against the powerful Dallas defense.
46. 1984: Oakland Raiders 38, Washington Redskins 9
Marcus Allen’s exquisite 74-yard touchdown in the third quarter helped the Raiders upset the defending Super Bowl champion.
45. 1986: Chicago Bears 46, New England Patriots 10
The 1985-1986 Chicago Bears were unstoppable, but their crowning Super Bowl victory bordered on the unwatchable. The Bears — and the massive William “Refrigerator” Perry — demolished the hapless Patriots.
44. 2003: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48, Oakland Raiders 21
In this less-than-super Super Bowl, the Buccaneers’ ball-hawking defense stopped the Raiders’ high-scoring offense.
Oakland quarterback Rich Gannon threw an NFL-record five interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns.
43. 1967: Green Bay Packers 35, Kansas City Chiefs 10
Yes, this was the first Super Bowl, but it was not the best Super Bowl. Leading by four in the second half, the Packers tallied 21 unanswered points.
42. 1974: Miami Dolphins 24, Minnesota Vikings 7
The Dolphins scored 24 consecutive points to become the second squad in NFL history to win back-to-back Super Bowl championships.
41. 2016: Denver Broncos 24, Carolina Panthers 10
Although it was a matchup of quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Cam Newton, Super Bowl 50 was largely dominated by defense.
Super Bowl MVP Von Miller forced two fumbles in Peyton Manning’s final NFL game.
40. 1995: San Francisco 49ers 49, San Diego Chargers 26
In the game that got the monkey off his back, Steve Young tossed a Super Bowl-record six touchdown passes in the Niners’ victory over the Chargers. The game would rank higher here if the Chargers had made it a closer contest.
39. 1987: New York Giants 39, Denver Broncos 20
Following New York’s first Super Bowl championship, the Giants celebrated by dousing coach Bill Parcells with Gatorade in one of the first instances of the “Gatorade shower.”
38. 1968: Green Bay Packers 33, Oakland Raiders 14
The second Super Bowl featured the NFL’s Packers blowing out the AFL’s Raiders. It gets points for being, well, only the second Super Bowl — and (a little) better than the first!
37. 1994: Dallas Cowboys 30, Buffalo Bills 13
The Cowboys routed the Bills again in the first-ever rematch of the previous year’s Super Bowl.
It was the Bills’ fourth Super Bowl loss in as many years.
36. 1985: San Francisco 49ers 38, Miami Dolphins 16
In a battle of future Hall of Fame quarterbacks, Joe Montana’s Niners dominated Dan Marino’s Dolphins to win San Francisco’s second Super Bowl.
35. 1981: Oakland Raiders 27, Philadelphia Eagles 10
Thanks to a pair of Jim Plunkett touchdown passes, the Raiders built an insurmountable lead over the favored Eagles.
34. 1977: Oakland Raiders 32, Minnesota Vikings 14
In the Vikings’ fourth Super Bowl loss, Raiders’ Ken Stabler became the first left-handed quarterback to win a Super Bowl.
33. 1975: Pittsburgh Steelers 16, Minnesota Vikings 6
In a clash of iconic defensives, the Steelers’ “Steel Curtain” battled the Vikings’ “Purple People Eaters.” The Steelers won their first of six Lombardi Trophies.
32. 1973: Miami Dolphins 14, Washington Redskins 7
With this win, the Dolphins secured the first perfect, undefeated season in the NFL’s Super Bowl era.
31. 1999: Denver Broncos 34, Atlanta Falcons 19
In John Elway’s final NFL game, the 38-year-old Broncos quarterback earned his lone Super Bowl MVP.
Denver dominated the Atlanta Falcons en route to back-to-back Super Bowl championships.
30. 2007: Indianapolis Colts 29, Chicago Bears 17
Although Bears kick returner Devin Hester took the opening kickoff for a touchdown, it wasn’t enough to hold off Peyton Manning and a Colts defense that forced five turnovers.
29. 2006: Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Seattle Seahawks 10
The Steelers became the first-ever sixth-seed to win the Super Bowl — their fifth championship in franchise history.
28. 1997: Green Bay Packers 35, New England Patriots 21
In Brett Favre’s lone Super Bowl victory, it was former Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard who stole the show with his 99-yard kick return for a touchdown.
Howard became the first special teams player to earn Super Bowl MVP honors.
27. 1992: Washington Redskins 37, Buffalo Bills 24
In Super Bowl XXVI, Washington earned the franchise’s third Lombardi Trophy, all under coach Joe Gibbs. Gibbs pulled off the hat trick with three different starting quarterbacks. In the 1992 championship, his QB was Mark Rypien, who would be named the game’s MVP.
26. 1983: Washington Redskins 27, Miami Dolphins 17
Trailing by four, Washington running back — and Super Bowl MVP — John Riggins raced 43 yards for a touchdown to take the lead over the Dolphins.
Washington scored 17 consecutive points to win the franchise’s first Super Bowl.
25. 2021: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31, Kansas City Chiefs 9
The game wasn’t close, and the Chiefs’ electric Patrick Mahomes was muted by the Bucs’ defense. Tom Brady’s pursuit of his unprecedented seventh Super Bowl ring provided what little drama Super Bowl LV had to offer.
24. 2010: New Orleans Saints 31, Indianapolis Colts 17
Tracy Porter’s 74-yard, back-breaking interception of Peyton Manning sealed the deal for the Saints’ first Super Bowl win in franchise history.
23. 1996: Dallas Cowboys 27, Pittsburgh Steelers 17
In the Cowboys’ fifth Super Bowl win, former 12th-round pick Larry Brown was named MVP after notching two second-half interceptions.
Brown became the first cornerback to be named Super Bowl MVP.
22. 1980: Pittsburgh Steelers 31, Los Angeles Rams 19
In what was practically a home game for the Rams, the Steelers scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to defeat Los Angeles.
21. 2005: New England Patriots 24, Philadelphia Eagles 21
With a hobbled Terrell Owens, the Eagles couldn’t overcome 10 fourth-quarter points from Tom Brady and the Patriots.
It was New England’s third Super Bowl victory in four seasons.
20. 2020: Kansas City Chiefs 31, San Francisco 49ers 20
Patrick Mahomes tossed two touchdown passes — including the game-winner — and ran for another in a come-from-behind victory to lead Kansas City to their first Super Bowl in 50 years.
19. 2011: Green Bay Packers 31, Pittsburgh Steelers 25
Even though they blew an 18-point lead, the Packers were too much to handle for the Steelers.
In Aaron Rodgers’ sole Super Bowl triumph, the MVP tossed three touchdown passes.
18. 1998: Denver Broncos 31, Green Bay Packers 24
On the back (and legs) of running back Terrell Davis, who suffered from migraines throughout the game, the Broncos — a double-digit underdog — won their first Super Bowl in five appearances.
17. 1982: San Francisco 49ers 26, Cincinnati Bengals 21
Despite a 20-point halftime deficit, the Bengals came clawing back against the 49ers. The Niners needed a goal-line stand to win their first Super Bowl in franchise history.
16. 2012: New York Giants 21, New England Patriots 17
Five years after spoiling the Patriots’ perfect season in 2007, Eli Manning and the Giants upset the Patriots again, thanks to a miraculous Mario Manningham catch.
15. 1976: Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Dallas Cowboys 17
The Steelers’ 14 straight points — including Lynn Swann’s 64-yard touchdown — were enough to hold off the Cowboys in this Super Bowl.
Dallas’ comeback attempt was quickly squashed by Steelers safety Glenn Edwards’ interception in the end zone as time expired.
14. 1979: Pittsburgh Steelers 35, Dallas Cowboys 31
In the first rematch in Super Bowl history, Terry Bradshaw tossed four touchdowns, and the Steelers held off a late fourth-quarter comeback attempt.
The Cowboys became the first franchise in Super Bowl history to score 30 points in a losing cause.
13. 1969: New York Jets 16, Baltimore Colts 7
Led by Joe Namath and his famous guarantee, the AFL’s Jets scored one of the biggest upsets in history with the victory over the NFL’s Baltimore Colts.
12. 2013: Baltimore Ravens 34, San Francisco 49ers 31
Nicknamed the “Harbaugh Bowl” — the first Super Bowl to feature a pair of brothers coaching against each other — John Harbaugh’s Ravens soared to a 28-6 lead over Jim Harbaugh’s 49ers.
After a 34-minute blackout following Beyoncé’s halftime show, the Niners’ electric comeback came within yards of a Super Bowl-winning touchdown.
11. 2022: Los Angeles Rams 23, Cincinnati Bengals 20
In the closest Super Bowl, score-wise, in nearly a decade, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford connected with receiver Cooper Kupp for a go-ahead touchdown pass with 1:25 left in the game.
The Rams defense sealed the franchise’s first Los Angeles-era title (and second overall) with a fourth-down stop as the clock ran down to about 40 seconds.
Kupp was named the game’s MVP.
10. 2002: New England Patriots 20, St. Louis Rams 17
Who would’ve thought a relatively unknown quarterback could defeat an offensive juggernaut? But somehow Tom Brady was able to outscore the vaunted Rams’ “Greatest Show On Turf” offense.
After blowing a 14-point lead, the Patriots — with 90 seconds remaining — got into field-goal range for Adam Vinatieri to kick the game-winning field goal.
It was the Brady and Bill Belichick’s first time hoisting the Lombardi Trophy together.
9. 2000: St. Louis Rams 23, Tennessee Titans 16
Despite blowing a 16-point lead, the Rams took a late lead on a 73-yard Isaac Bruce touchdown — but this Super Bowl was far from over.
With time expiring, Titans receiver Kevin Dyson was tackled one yard shy of the goal line.
Rams quarterback Kurt Warner won the MVP and Super Bowl MVP that season.
8. 1989: San Francisco 20, Cincinnati Bengals 16
Down three, Joe Montana drove the 49ers 92 yards down the field for a game-winning touchdown by John Taylor. Jerry Rice, Taylor’s teammate and fellow WR, was named MVP.
7. 2004: New England Patriots 32, Carolina Panthers 29
This is not a typo: Jake Delhomme almost beat Tom Brady in a Super Bowl. But it was Vinatieri, once again, who was the hero, kicking the game-winning field goal.
6. 1991: New York Giants 20, Buffalo Bills 19
Decided by only one point, this nail-biter came down to Scott Norwood’s would-be game-winning field goal that would famously miss wide right.
5. 2008: New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14
Trailing by four, Eli Manning somehow escaped pressure to find David Tyree (or, more accurately, his helmet) for one of the best catches of all time.
The Giants would go on to beat the undefeated Patriots, ending their quest to be the first team to go 19-0 in NFL history.
4. 2009: Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Arizona Cardinals 23
After an astonishing 100-yard interception return for a touchdown by James Harrison to end the first half, the Steelers stormed out to a 10-point lead that quickly disappeared.
Larry Fitzgerald’s 64-yard touchdown gave the Cardinals the late lead, but Roethlisberger hit Santonio Holmes for a toe-tapping, game-winning touchdown catch.
3. 2015: New England Patriots 28, Seattle Seahawks 24
In a back-and-forth affair between the Patriots and Seahawks, Seattle was one measly yard away from glory.
But then the ‘Hawks — rather than run the ball with Marshawn Lynch — inexplicably decided to throw a pass that was intercepted by the Patriots’ Malcolm Butler.
2. 2018: Philadelphia Eagles 41, New England Patriots 33
Led by backup quarterback — and unlikely Super Bowl MVP — Nick Foles, the Eagles pulled off the unbelievable upset of the Patriots, winning their first Super Bowl in franchise history.
1. 2017: New England Patriots 34, Atlanta Falcons 28
In the first Super Bowl to ever go to overtime, the Falcons famously blew a 28-3 lead to Brady and the Patriots.
New England scored 31 straight points to lead the Patriots to the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history.
