We Ranked Every Super Bowl, From Worst to Best
What’s the worst Super Bowl of all time? What’s the best? Where does Super Bowl LV's Tom Brady-Patrick Mahomes matchup stack up? We've got answers.
We’ve reviewed and ranked every Super Bowl played to date, from the Green Bay Packers’ historic first win in 1967, to Brady's dominant, MVP performance for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021.
We’ve graded each game on its watchability: Was it a thriller? A sloppy game with a few good moments? Or, worst of all, a blowout? What are the gems -- and duds -- produced by the dynastic runs of the Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers and, well, Tom Brady, his own personal, seven-time, Super Bowl-winning self?
Here’s our worst-to-best countdown.
(Additional reporting by Lance Cartelli)
55. Super Bowl XXVII (1993): Cowboys 52, Bills 17
Following a 15-year championship drought, the Cowboys did not disappoint with a blowout of the Bills. Dallas forced a ridiculous nine turnovers, and the 'Boys sidelined Bills QB Jim Kelly in the second quarter.
But bottom line: The game was a big blowout -- and a big dud for non-Cowboys fans.
54. Super Bowl XXXV (2001): Ravens 34, Giants 7
This snoozefest of a Super Bowl featured a QB matchup of Trent Dilfer versus Kerry Collins.
Yikes! Of course: It was dominated by the vaunted Ravens defense, led by Ray Lewis.
53. Super Bowl XLVIII (2014): Seahawks 43, Broncos 8
It’s never a good start to the game when the offense begins with a safety. That’s exactly what happened when the Broncos and Peyton Manning took on the Seahawks.
In its first Super Bowl victory, the Seahawks held the high-powered Broncos offense to just single digits.
52. Super Bowl XXIV (1990): 49ers 55, Broncos 10
Rookie coach George Seifert inherited a gold mine when he took over the 49ers from Bill Walsh. The Niners' offense didn’t miss a beat without Walsh, scoring eight TDs in the bashing of the Broncos.
So basically, this is another game that was great for fans of the team that did all the scoring, but not-so great for everyone else.
51. Super Bowl IV (1970): Chiefs 23, Vikings 7
With weather playing a major factor, Super Bowl IV was dominated by defenses.
The Chiefs defense forced five turnovers and didn’t give up a score until the second half.
50. Super Bowl XII (1978): Cowboys 27, Broncos 10
The Broncos were no match for the Cowboys’ “Doomsday Defense.”
The 'Boys forced eight turnovers in this sloppy Super Bowl.
49. Super Bowl V (1971): Colts 16, Cowboys 13
Referred to as the "Blunder Bowl," Super Bowl V is remembered for its sloppy play, including a combined 11 turnovers by both teams.
Despite committing seven turnovers, the Colts snuck past the Cowboys.
48. Super Bowl XXII (1988): Redskins 42, Broncos 10
Historic game? Yup. Great game? Nope.
Promoted to starter midway through the season, Doug Williams became the first ever Black starting QB to win a Super Bowl. After trailing by 10, Williams led a 35-point second quarter as Washington never relinquished the lead.
47. Super Bowl LIII (2019): Patriots 13, Rams 3
The New England Patriots — thanks to a stingy defense and Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman — became the second franchise, behind the Pittsburgh Steelers, to win their sixth Super Bowl title.
But let's talk about the final score: a combined 16 points? Ugh.
46. Super Bowl VI (1972): Cowboys 24, Dolphins 3
The Cowboys’ impressive Super Bowl-winning run started with this decisive victory.
But the Dolphins' lack of offense dooms this game to the lower rungs of the Super Bowl ladder.
45. Super Bowl XVIII (1984): Raiders 38, Redskins 9
Despite entering as the defending Super Bowl champions, Washington never put up much of a fight against the Raiders.
The highlight of the game was Marcus Allen’s graceful 74-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
44. Super Bowl XX (1986): Bears 46, Patriots 10
The favored Bears — and its immovable defense — steamrolled the hapless Patriots, 46-10.
The most memorable moment from the game was when William “Refrigerator” Perry put the exclamation point on the victory with his earth-moving rushing touchdown.
43. Super Bowl XXXVII (2003): Buccaneers 48, Raiders 21
In the last Super Bowl played in the month of January, the Buccaneers’ speedy defense stopped the Raiders' high-octane offense.
Oakland QB Rich Gannon tossed an NFL-record five interceptions, three of which were returned for TDs.
42. Super Bowl I (1967): Packers 35, Chiefs 10
The first Super Bowl was a competitive affair between the NFL's Packers and the AFL's Chiefs -- until, that is, the second half.
Leading by four, Green Bay scored 21 consecutive points after halftime to win the inaugural Super Bowl.
41. Super Bowl VIII (1974): Dolphins 24, Vikings 7
The Dolphins became just the second team in NFL history to win back-to-back Super Bowl championships, defeating the Vikings, thanks to 24 unanswered points.
Larry Csonka was named the Super Bowl MVP, becoming the first running back in league history to win the award.
40. Super Bowl 50 (2016): Broncos 24, Panthers 10
Despite being billed as Cam Newton versus Peyton Manning, Super Bowl 50 came down to the defense. Super Bowl MVP Von Miller proved to be unblockable as the suffocating Broncos defense stopped Newton and the Panthers.
In his final game, Manning won his second Super Bowl title.
39. Super Bowl XXIX (1995): 49ers 49, Chargers 26
Steve Young finally go the monkey off his back by winning this championship.
He tossed a Super Bowl-record six touchdown passes in this massacre of the Chargers.
38. Super Bowl XXI (1987): Giants 39, Broncos 20
In the Giants’ first Super Bowl victory, New York scored 26 unanswered points in the second half to pull away from the Broncos.
After the game, the Giants celebrated with the one of the first instances of the “Gatorade shower.”
37. Super Bowl II (1968): Packers 33, Raiders 14
The second Super Bowl featured the NFL’s Packers—coming off the “Ice Bowl”—against the AFL’s Raiders.
Vince Lombardi’s Packers blew out the Raiders, and Bart Starr was named Super Bowl MVP.
36. Super Bowl XXVIII (1994): Cowboys 30, Bills 13
In the first-ever rematch of the previous year’s Super Bowl, the Cowboys again defeated the Bills.
In its fourth consecutive Super Bowl appearance, the Bills were unable to win a championship.
35. Super Bowl XIX (1985): 49ers 38, Dolphins 16
In a battle of two future Hall of Fame QBs, Joe Montana’s 49ers soundly defeated Dan Marino’s Dolphins.
Montana, who accounted for four TDs, led the Niners to a second Super Bowl victory.
34. Super Bowl XV (1981): Raiders 27, Eagles 10
The Raiders jumped out to a quick 14-point lead behind Jim Plunkett’s pair of touchdown passes. Future Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Ted Hendricks contributed three tackles.
In the end, the underdog Raiders hoisted the Lombardi Trophy just five days after the end of the 1979-1981 Iran hostage crisis.
33. Super Bowl XI (1977): Raiders 32, Vikings 14
Ken Stabler became the first left-handed QB to win a Super Bowl, following the Raiders’ demolition of the Vikings.
This was Minnesota’s fourth Super Bowl appearance without a victory.
32. Super Bowl IX (1975): Steelers 16, Vikings 6
In a battle of awesome defensive nicknames, the Vikings’ “Purple People Eaters” clashed with the Steelers’ “Steel Curtain.”
Pittsburgh won the first of its six Super Bowls that year.
31. Super Bowl VIII (1973): Dolphins 14, Redskins 7
Low-scoring games aren't our favorites, but we can make an exception for perfection.
After defeating Washington, the Dolphins became the first and only team of the Super Bowl era to complete an undefeated season.
30. Super Bowl XXXIII (1999): Broncos 34, Falcons 19
In the final game of his Hall of Fame career, John Elway led the Broncos to its first back-to-back Super Bowl titles.
Elway, who passed for 336 yards and a touchdown, collected his lone Super Bowl MVP that year.
29. Super Bowl XLI (2007): Colts 29, Bears 17
Devin Hester’s opening kickoff return for a touchdown wasn’t enough to hold off the Colts, resulting in Peyton Manning’s first Super Bowl victory.
Although Manning won Super Bowl MVP, the Colts defense also had a strong day, forcing five turnovers.
28. Super Bowl XL (2006): Steelers 21, Seahawks 10
The Steelers defied the odds to become the first sixth-seed to ever win the Super Bowl.
In the victory over the Seahawks, the Steelers earned its fifth Super Bowl championship.
27. Super Bowl XXXI (1997): Packers 35, Patriots 21
In Brett Favre’s one and only Super Bowl victory, Desmond Howard ended up stealing the show with his 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
Howard became the first special teams player to be named the Super Bowl MVP.
26. Super Bowl XXVI (1992): Redskins 37, Bills 24
Washington coach Joe Gibbs notched his third Super Bowl title.
He did so with his third different starting QB.
25. Super Bowl XVII (1983): Redskins 27, Dolphins 17
Down four, Washington running back—and Super Bowl MVP—John Riggins rumbled 43 yards for a TD to take the lead.
The Super Bowl victory was Washington’s first.
24. Super Bowl XLIV (2010): Saints 31, Colts 17
In New Orleans' first Super Bowl appearance, the underdog Saints handed Manning and the Colts a heartbreaking loss.
New Orleans’ first championship was clinched by Tracy Porter’s 74-yard pick six.
23. Super Bowl XXX (1996): Cowboys 27, Steelers 17
In the Cowboys’ fifth Super Bowl victory, Larry Brown — a 12th-round pick — earned MVP honors after recording two second-half interceptions.
He was the first cornerback to be named MVP of the Super Bowl.
22. Super Bowl XXIV (1980): Steelers 31, Rams 19
Real Rams fans won’t like this game.
In what was practically a home game, the Los Angeles Rams — playing in the Rose Bowl — kept it close for three quarters before the Steelers pulled away with a John Stallworth TD.
21. Super Bowl XXXIX (2005): Patriots 24, Eagles 21
It took three NFC Championship Game losses for the Eagles to finally make the Super Bowl. Unfortunately for Philadelphia, the Eagles had to face Tom Brady and the Patriots.
And with a hobbled Terrell Owens, the Eagles came up just short. It was the Patriots’ third Super Bowl championship in four seasons.
20. Super Bowl LIV (2020): Chiefs 31, 49ers 20
Kyle Shanahan cannot be trusted with a lead in the Super Bowl. Despite trailing by 10 in the fourth quarter, Patrick Mahomes led the Kansas City Chiefs to a comeback victory over Shanahan's San Francisco 49ers.
The Super Bowl 54 win is the Chiefs' first championship since 1969.
19. Super Bowl XLV (2011): Packers 31, Steelers 25
After storming back from a 21-3 deficit, the Steelers were unable to fend off the feisty Packers.
Somehow, it’s Aaron Rodgers’ only Super Bowl victory.
18. Super Bowl XXXII (1998): Broncos 31, Packers 24
Led by Super Bowl MVP Terrell Davis, who was suffering migraines throughout the game.
The Broncos finally earned its first Lombardi Trophy, following four Super Bowl losses.
17. Super Bowl XVI (1982): 49ers 26, Bengals 21
Following three Cincinnati first-half turnovers, the 49ers took a 20-0 lead into halftime. As the Bengals came clawing back, Cincinnati was ultimately stopped by the Niners’ goal-line stand in the third quarter.
It was the first Super Bowl victory for the 49ers.
16. Super Bowl XLVI (2012): Giants 21, Patriots 17
Five years after spoiling the New England’s perfect season, the Giants defeated the favored Patriots again.
Eli Manning led a game-winning drive that included a pinpoint throw to Mario Manningham and a touchdown to Ahmad Bradshaw.
15. Super Bowl X (1976): Steelers 21, Cowboys 17
Although the Cowboys became the first NFC wild-card team to make the Super Bowl, Dallas ran out of steam after surrendering 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to the defending Super Bowl champions.
As time expired, Steelers safety Glen Edwards nabbed a game-clinching interception.
14. Super Bowl XIII (1979): Steelers 35, Cowboys 31
In the first ever Super Bowl rematch, the Steelers held off a late fourth-quarter charge from Cowboys.
This was became the third of sixth Super Bowl title.
13. Super Bowl III (1969): Jets 16, Cowboys 9
Although this was a low-scoring affair, Super Bowl III helped turn the big game into what it is today.
The Jets pulled off arguably the biggest upset in NFL history, following Joe Namath’s famous guarantee.
12. Super Bowl XLVII (2013): Ravens 34, 49ers 31
Dubbed the “Harbaugh Bowl”—the first Super Bowl to feature brothers coaching against each other—John Harbaugh’s Ravens soared to a 28-6 lead over Jim Harbaugh’s 49ers.
After a blackout following Beyonce’s electric halftime show, the Niners nearly dug themselves out of a hole, coming within yards—or a timeout—of a game-winning touchdown.
11. Super Bowl XXXVI (2002): Patriots 20, Rams 17
After storming to a 17-3 lead, the Patriots squandered its two-score lead in the fourth quarter to the 14-2 Rams. With 90 seconds remaining and no timeouts, the legend of Brady grew when he led the Pats into field-goal range.
Adam Vinatieri knocked in a game-winning 48-yard field goal as time expired.
10. Super Bowl XXXIV (2000): Rams 23, Titans 16
In a matchup between the Rams’ “Greatest Show on Turf” offense and Steve McNair and the Titans, it came down to only one yard. With time expiring, Mike Jones (who?) tackled Tennessee’s Kevin Dyson a yard shy of the goal line.
Rams QB Kurt Warner won the MVP and Super Bowl MVP that year.
9. Super Bowl XXIII (1989): 49ers 20, Bengals 16
Seven seasons after the Niners beat the Bengals in Super Bowl XVI, the result was another closely-contested win for the 49ers.
Trailing by three, Montana led the Niners on a 92-yard game-winning drive, capped off by John Taylor’s touchdown catch.
8. Super Bowl XXXVIII (2004): Patriots 32, Panthers 29
In what could’ve been a complete shocker, Jake Delhomme almost beat Brady in a Super Bowl.
Vinatieri saved the day once again with a game-winning last-minute 41-yard field goal, earning the Patriots its second title in three years.
7. Super Bowl LV (2021): Buccaneers 31, Chiefs 9
We've got seven reasons to put Tom Brady's seventh Super Bowl win at No. 7: (1-7) Tom Brady won again. It was his fourth ring in seven years for two different teams. Amazing.
Brady's drive to a historic win kept this one-sided game watchable to the end. The game also gets points for being played at all: Somehow, someway, the NFL managed to pull off a season -- and the big game -- during a pandemic.
6. Super Bowl XXV (1991): Giants 20, Bills 19
The 25th Super Bowl was the most tightly contested one in NFL history.
Decided by one point, Super Bowl XXV came down to Scott Norwood’s field goal that would famously miss wide right.
5. Super Bowl XLII (2008): Giants 17, Patriots 14
This Super Bowl was clearly one for the ages. Following a Houdini act by Eli Manning, the Giants QB escaped pressure to find David Tyree and his helmet.
The catch – possibly the most important reception of all time — helped lead the underdog Giants past the 18-0 Patriots, ending New England's quest for undefeated immortality.
4. Super Bowl XLIII (2009): Steelers 27, Cardinals 23
Following an incredible 100-yard interception return for a touchdown by James Harrison to end the first half, the Steelers jumped out to a 10-point lead that quickly dissolved.
Larry Fitzgerald’s 64-yard touchdown gave the Cardinals the late lead, but Ben Roethlisberger stormed back by hitting Santonio Holmes for a toe-tapping touchdown catch. The victory gave the Steelers its NFL-record sixth Super Bowl.
3. Super Bowl XLIX (2015): Patriots 28, Seahawks 24
It's often forgotten that the patriots were trailing by ten points with only nine minutes left in the 4th quarter, and Tom Brady managed to lead the team to two touchdowns against the menacing Seahawks defense.
That said, the third-ranked Super Bowl on this ranking was defined by the Seahawks’ refusal to run the ball from the goal line, while Malcolm Butler became a Super Bowl hero with his game-clinching interception of Russell Wilson.
2. Super Bowl LII (2018): Eagles 41, Patriots 33
The Eagles came into this Super Bowl against the favored Patriots without their star QB and left tackle, but that didn’t slow down Philadelphia’s high-powered offense.
Backup QB Nick Foles accounted for four touchdowns in the Eagles’ first Super Bowl victory in franchise history.
1. Super Bowl LI (2017): Patriots 34, Falcons 28
In the first Super Bowl to ever go to overtime, the Falcons blew a 28-3 lead to Tom Brady and the Patriots.
Tommy Terrific, who won his four Super Bowl MVP, led the Pats to a 25-point comeback, the largest in Super Bowl history.