While most of the time, Super Bowls at least come close to living up to all of the hype, what have been the best Super Bowl games ever played?
With more than 50 to choose from, it’s not easy separating the good Super Bowls from the best Super Bowls that will long be remembered. But thinking about that made us want to rank the best Super Bowl games ever.
Best Super Bowl games ever
Obviously, there are several classic Super Bowls that will never be forgotten. However, limiting our list to the 10 most entertaining Super Bowls of all time was difficult. We had to leave some great games off of the list. With that in mind, here is our ranking of the 10 best Super Bowls ever played.
10. Super Bowl XXXVI – Patriots 20, Rams 17
This was New England’s first-ever Super Bowl, and it was surely a memorable one. Keep in mind the Rams had MVP Kurt Warner and Offensive Player of the Year Marshall Faulk leading a potent offense.
However, the New England defense held the Rams in check for most of the game. That helped to set up a little-known quarterback named Tom Brady to lead the Patriots on a late drive that ended with the game-winning field goal. It was a stunning result with the Rams favored by 14 points. It also helped to launch arguably the greatest dynasty in NFL history.
9. Super Bowl XXV – Giants 20, Bills 19
Out of Buffalo’s four straight Super Bowl losses, this is surely the most painful. They were favored by a touchdown and had the benefit of facing Jeff Hostetler, who was New York’s backup at the start of the season.
But the Bills were never able to put away the G-Men, eventually falling behind twice. However, the Bills appeared to have the game won Scott Norwood stepped up to kick a field goal in the final seconds. But the 47-yard field goal sailed wide right, crushing the Bills in what is their best opportunity to date of winning the Super Bowl.
8. Super Bowl XXXII – Broncos 31, Packers 24
Few gave the Broncos much of a chance in this game, as Denver was an 11-point underdog against the reigning champs. But the fifth time ended up being the charm for the Broncos. John Elway started three of Denver’s four previous Super Bowl losses but finally got his first in this game.
While Terrell Davis did most of the damage, rushing for 157 yards and three touchdowns, Elway made some clutch plays as well, especially the famous “Helicopter” play when he took a hit and spun in the air while scrambling for a first down. In the end, the Broncos did enough to give Elway his ring, a feat they managed to repeat the following year.
7. Super Bowl XXIII – 49ers 20, Bengals 16
The Bengals waited seven years to redeem themselves after a Super Bowl loss to the 49ers. Cincinnati was close to getting that redemption, taking a 13-6 lead late in the third quarter when Stanford Jennings returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown.
However, they couldn’t stop Joe Montana from throwing two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, including one to John Taylor that came on the back end of an 11-play, 92-yard drive that began with just 3:10 left on the clock. It was one of the greatest last-minute drives in Super Bowl history and makes this game one of the best Super Bowls ever played.
6. Super Bowl LII – Eagles 41, Patriots 33
It’s still hard to believe that this game actually happened. Nick Foles, perhaps the least likely Super Bowl MVP ever, is the one who ended up preventing the Patriots from perhaps winning three straight Super Bowls.
From an entertainment standpoint, this game had it all, from Tom Brady’s 505 passing yards to the Philly Special to a back-and-forth game that ended with 74 total points. It also gave Philadelphia a long-awaited championship in a dramatic and unlikely fashion.
5. Super Bowl XLII – Giants 17, Patriots 14
This game will surely go down as one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history. Not only was New England favored by 12 points but the Patriots entered the game a perfect 18-0. The Patriots were one win away from immortality and facing a team that didn’t even win its division.
But after challenging the Pats in Week 17, the Giants knew they could compete and didn’t back down. After a largely ugly game that New England led 7-3 heading into the fourth quarter, things finally picked up.
Of course, the highlight of the game was when Eli Manning escaped what looked like a sack and chucked the ball to David Tyree, who pinned the ball against his helmet while falling to the ground to make a game-saving catch. That play set up the last-minute touchdown by Plaxico Burress, giving the Giants a most unlikely Super Bowl win.
4. Super Bowl XLIII – Steelers 27, Cardinals 23
This game had far too many magical moments not to be considered among the best Super Bowls of all time. One that stands out is the 100-yard pick-six by James Harrison right before halftime to put the Steelers in control at the midway point. But despite the Cardinals trailing 20-7 heading into the fourth quarter, former Super Bowl MVP Kurt Warner threw two touchdown passes to Larry Fitzgerald, helping Arizona take a 23-20 lead.
But the Steelers had the last magic moment of the night, as Ben Roethlisberger threw a pass with pinpoint accuracy to Santonio Holmes at the back of the end zone for the game-winning score with just 35 seconds left.
3. Super Bowl XIII – Steelers 35, Cowboys 31
In the middle of Pittsburgh’s 1970s dynasty, the Cowboys gave their rivals all that they could handle in this memorable Super Bowl. At least it’s memorable for older NFL fans. The game went back and forth for three quarters with Dallas benefitting from a defensive score in the second quarter.
Even after the Steelers pulled away to take a 35-17 lead, the Cowboys stormed back late, scoring two touchdowns with a successful onside kick in between, adding to the drama. However, Dallas, couldn’t get a second onside kick to bounce its way, giving the Steelers a close win in a game between two teams both trying to win their third Super Bowl.
2. Super Bowl XLIX – Patriots 28, Seahawks 24
Thanks to a dramatic ending, this is undoubtedly one of the best Super Bowl games ever. Despite a scoreless first quarter, the Pats and Seahawks went back and forth all game. Seattle entered the fourth quarter with a 10-point lead, only for Tom Brady to throw two touchdown passes in the final eight minutes to put New England ahead.
Russell Wilson and the Seahawks responded and were literally one yard away from winning back-to-back Super Bowls in the closing seconds. But rather than trusting Marshawn Lynch to run the ball into the end zone from one yard out, the Seahawks decided to throw the ball. Malcolm Butler jumped the route, intercepting Wilson to seal New England’s fourth Super Bowl of the 21st century.
1. Super Bowl LI – Patriots 34, Falcons 28
Depending on your perspective, this was either the greatest comeback or the greatest collapse in Super Bowl history. Either way, it’s hard to deny that this was one of the most entertaining Super Bowls.
As most fans will remember, the Falcons built a 28-3 lead by the middle of the third quarter and looked poised to coast to a victory, handing the Patriots a humiliating loss in the process.
However, most fans could have also predicted that Tom Brady and company wouldn’t go down without a fight, even after Brady threw a pick-six earlier in the game. In a span of roughly 17 minutes, New England scored 25 unanswered points to tie the game and force overtime, capped by a 91-yard drive and a two-point conversion with less than a minute left.
The Patriots got the ball first in overtime and proceeded to score a touchdown on that drive to complete the comeback/collapse.