These 10 games were memorable for more than just the commercials and the halftime show. Here's our ranking of the best Super Bowls.
The Super Bowl is more than just a sporting event in the United States — it's a cultural spectacle. With more than 100 million viewers tuning in every year, any close and competitive game on the sport’s biggest stage is likely to be remembered for decades. In the spirit of celebrating the most epic battles, we'll count down the 10 best Super Bowls of all time. Forgive us for our recency bias.
10 Best Super Bowls of All Time Ranked
1. Super Bowl LI: Patriots vs. Falcons
When choosing the best Super Bowl ever, how can you select anything other than the first Super Bowl to go to overtime? Super Bowl LI saw the New England Patriots come back from a 28-3 deficit (in the late 3rd quarter) to win via a walk-off touchdown. In a game ranked as one of the greatest games in NFL history by the NFL, Julian Edelman’s miraculous catch is remembered for keeping the Patriots’ hopes alive, but a lot of other things had to go right for the Patriots to complete their miracle comeback in that all-time classic.
2. Super Bowl LVIII: Chiefs vs. 49ers
The next best Super Bowl on our list was the only other edition of the game to go to OT, when the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in 2024. Just as Tom Brady seized his opportunity to march down the field and win a championship against the Falcons, Patrick Mahomes did the same overtime trick to the Niners, calming leading the Chiefs on a 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to seal the game with a short touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman.
3. Super Bowl XLII: Giants vs. Patriots
The New England Patriots entered Super Bowl XLII as heavy favorites in a game that could have completed a perfect season. But it was Eli Manning and the upstart New York Giants that walked out of Glendale, Arizona with the Lombardi Trophy. David Tyree’s “helmet catch” will forever be on the short list of greatest Super Bowl plays, while the Giants fearsome pass rush gave Tom Brady fits throughout that iconic upset.
4. Super Bowl XLIX: Patriots vs. Seahawks
All the Seattle Seahawks had to do was score from the 1-yard line to take a late lead that likely would have sealed a victory in Super Bowl XLIX. Instead of handing the ball to star running back Marshawn Lynch to gain that yard, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll elected to throw a slant, which was intercepted by Malcolm Butler at the goal line. New England took a knee on the ensuing play, won another championship, and Seattle fans will spend the rest of eternity wondering about what could have been.
5. Super Bowl XXXIV: Rams vs. Titans
Very few players have experienced bigger differences between college and pro football than Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair, who went from a small school in Alcorn State all the way to the cusp of Super Bowl glory. And while McNair gave everything he had in an attempt to tie Super Bowl XXXIV on the game’s final possession, his completed pass to Kevin Dyson left Tennessee one yard short of the end zone as time expired. Instead, it was Kurt Warner and the St. Louis Rams celebrating a championship in one of the most suspenseful Super Bowls ever played.
6. Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers vs. Cardinals
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals exchanged a barrage of spectacular plays that made their Super Bowl encounter one to remember. James Harrison’s 100-yard pick-six to end the first half and Larry Fitzgerald’s 64-yard touchdown in the game’s waning minutes were magical moments. But it was Santonio Holmes’ incredible toe-tap TD in the back corner of the end zone that won this Super Bowl for the Steelers in the last minute, concluding a high-drama game that was unpredictable from start to finish.
7. Super Bowl LII: Eagles vs. Patriots
Super Bowl LII between the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots featured video game-like numbers for both offenses. The two teams combined for more 1,100 yards of total offense, though it was a late defensive play that won the game for the Eagles. Brandon Graham’s strip-sack of Tom Brady allowed the Eagles to take enough time off the clock to prevent another late Super Bowl comeback from Brady and the Patriots, as Philly prevailed in a 41-33 thriller.
8. Super Bowl XXV: Bills vs. Giants
Two New York teams (or one New York team and one New Jersey team, technically speaking) met in Super Bowl XXV. The Bills and Giants were known for very different styles of football, as the Bills grabbed headlines with their high-powered offense and the Giants bent teams to their will on defense. It was the G-Men whose style of play won out in this one-point heart stopper, forever immortalized — in infamy for Bills fans — when Scott Norwood’s game-winning 47-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right in one of the most unforgettable finishes in Super Bowl lore.
9. Super Bowl XXIII: Bengals vs. 49ers
The Cincinnati Bengals held a 13-6 lead going into the final quarter of Super Bowl XXIII against the San Francisco 49ers. After being held without a touchdown for the first three quarters of play, the normally potent Niners offense sprang to life in the fourth quarter. Joe Montana threw two touchdown passes in the last 15 minutes, including the game-winner to John Taylor with 34 seconds to play. Montana's legendary 92-yard touchdown drive to seal the deal puts this game comfortably into our top-10 Super Bowls of all-time.
10. Super Bowl XXXVI: Rams vs. Patriots
Rounding out our top 10 is Super Bowl XXXVI between the then-St. Louis Rams and the New England Patriots. This was the first Super Bowl of the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady era in New England, which jump-started one of the great dynasties in the history of the sport. Despite coming in as two-touchdown underdogs, the Patriots held the Rams’ “Greatest Show on Turf” offense to just 17 points, while Adam Vinatieri nailed a game-winning field goal as time expired to complete the upset.
Honorable Mentions:
- Super Bowl XIII: Dallas Cowboys 35, Pittsburgh Steelers 31 - two of the most popular franchises in the NFL went down to the final play in a game of non-stop action.
- Super Bowl III: New York Jets 16, Baltimore Colts 7 - "Broadway Joe" Namath's famous guarantee of a win put the AFL's Jets on the map.
- Super Bowl XXXII: Denver Broncos 31, Green Bay Packers 24 - After losing in his first three Super Bowl appearances, John Elway finally got the Broncos over the hump, highlighted by his airborne TD run that defined toughness.
Is Super Bowl History Important for Fantasy Football?
When it comes to playing fantasy football, understanding past Super Bowls can offer valuable insight. For teams that have been to the Super Bowl recently, how players performed on that stage can help you make smarter draft decisions or lineup calls in DFS contests. This is especially true if you notice that a player has produced above or below their typical levels in Super Bowls past. The clutch factor is real.
Knowing which teams play more conservatively and which play more aggressively on fourth downs, while considering how those strategies will be modified for the Super Bowl, could put you in a position to make smarter DFS picks on gameday.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the best Super Bowl ever?
While not everyone will agree on which Super Bowl was the best ever, our pick is Super Bowl LI between the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons, the first Super Bowl to go to overtime. The Patriots won the game 34-28.
What was the worst Super Bowl ever?
There are several contenders for the worst Super Bowl ever played, due primarily to their lopsided results. They include:
- Super Bowl XXIV: The San Francisco 49ers dominated the Denver Broncos from start to finish, winning 55-10 in what became the largest ever Super Bowl margin of victory.
- Super Bowl XXXV: This game began with five consecutive punts and ended with the Baltimore Ravens routing the New York Giants 34-7.
- Super Bowl XLVIII: The Seattle Seahawks asserted dominance early and often over the Denver Broncos and QB Peyton Manning, racing to a 36-0 lead and eliminating any drama on the way to a 43-8 laugher.
Which teams have played in the most exciting Super Bowls?
It all depends on whom you ask, but when ranking entertaining Super Bowl participants, there are a few teams that have made a habit of playing in thrilling editions of the game. The New England Patriots have played in 11 Super Bowls — most of any team — with eight of them decided by one possession. The Philadelphia Eagles have only played in the big game four times, but the last three were nail biters. In terms of consistency of close games, no one tops the Pittsburgh Steelers, who've played in eight Super Bowls all of which were decided by 12 points or less.
Which players have had the best Super Bowl performances?
Among the standout individual performances in Super Bowl history are Jerry Rice’s 215 receiving yards for the 49ers in Super Bowl XXIII, Joe Montana's 331 passing yards, 59 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns in Super Bowl XIX, and Terrell Davis’ 157-yard rushing performance in Super Bowl XXXII.
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