History of the Super Bowl

1 of 16

Super Bowl I, a 35-21 win by the Green Packers over the Kansas City Chiefs on Jan. 15, 1967, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, wasn't known as "the Super Bowl" at the time, but rather was referred to as the First AFL-NFL World Championship Game.

(AP)

Tweet Share on Facebook

2 of 16

Super Bowl III was a major upset, as "Broadway Joe" Namath and the New York Jets beat the heavily favored (18 points) Baltimore Colts, 16-7, on Jan. 12, 1969, at the Orange Bowl in Miami.

(AP)

Tweet Share on Facebook

3 of 16

Super Bowl VII, played on Jan. 14, 1973, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, topped off the only perfect season in NFL history, as the Miami Dolphins, led by quarterback Bob Griese, defeated the Washington Redskins to go 17-0 on the season.

(AP)

Tweet Share on Facebook

4 of 16

The second half of the '70s was dominated by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who won four championships in six seasons. In Super Bowl XIII, played on Jan. 21, 1979, quarterback Terry Bradshaw led the team against the Dallas Cowboys, earning his third ring with a 35-31 victory at Miami's Orange Bowl.

(AP)

Tweet Share on Facebook

5 of 16

The 1985 Chicago Bears (AKA "Da Bears") are remembered for their hit song "The Super Bowl Shuffle" as well as their stingy defense. The team topped off their 15-1 regular season record with a 46-10 drubbing of the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX played on Jan. 26, 1986, at the Superdome in New Orleans. Coach Mike Ditka was carried off the field by several players, including William "Refrigerator" Perry.

(Phil Sandlin/AP)

Tweet Share on Facebook

6 of 16

In Super Bowl XXII, Doug Williams became the first African American quarterback to play in a Super Bowl when he led the Redskins against season MVP John Elway and the Denver Broncos, 42-10, on Jan. 31, 1988, at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego.

(Rick Stewart /Allsport; George Rose/Getty Images)

Tweet Share on Facebook

7 of 16

The '80s were dominated by Joe Montana and the 49ers. In Super Bowl XXIV, played on Jan. 28, 1990, Jerry Rice and company dominated the Denver Broncos in the most lopsided Super Bowl in NFL history, earning Montana his fourth ring in a 55-10 victory at the Superdome in New Orleans.

(Rick Stewart /Allsport; George Rose/Getty Images)

Tweet Share on Facebook

8 of 16

The most lopsided Super Bowl in history was followed by the tightest, as the New York Giants beat the favored Buffalo Bills 20-19 in Super Bowl XXV at Tampa Stadium on Jan. 27, 1991. That event was also notable for being played during the Persian Gulf War; Whitney Houston's rendition of the "Star-Spangled Banner" is often cited as one of the best.

(Ron Heflin/AP)

Tweet Share on Facebook

9 of 16

The Dallas Cowboys, led by Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin, won three Super Bowls in four seasons in the early '90s. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bills and quarterback Jim Kelly lost the big game four times in four seasons, including two in a row to the Cowboys (Super Bowl XXVII in 1993 by a score of 52-17 and Super Bowl XXVIII in 1994, shown here, by a score of 30-13).

(Bob Galbraith/AP; Doug Mills/AP)

Tweet Share on Facebook

10 of 16

In his 15th season in the NFL, Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway finally won his first ring in Super Bowl XXXII, topping reigning champs Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers 31-24 on Jan. 25, 1998, at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. The Broncos won again the following year against the Atlanta Falcons, and Elway at the age of 38 was the oldest quarterback to ever win a Super Bowl.

(Doug Collier/AFP/Getty Images)

Tweet Share on Facebook

11 of 16

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kevin Dyson tries but fails to get the ball into the end zone as he is tackled by St. Louis Rams' Mike Jones at the 1-yard line on the final play of Super Bowl XXXIV on Jan. 30, 2000, in Atlanta. The Rams won 23-16, and the play became known as simply "The Tackle".

(John Gaps III/AP)

Tweet Share on Facebook

12 of 16

Super Bowl XXXVI ended with a game-winning 48-yard field goal by New England Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri in the final seconds against the St. Louis Rams on Feb. 3, 2002, at the Superdome in New Orleans. It marked the first of three championships in four seasons for the team led by Tom Brady, who was named MVP in the 20-17 win. The game is also remembered for U2's halftime show tribute to 9/11 victims.

(Michael Conroy/AP; Amy Sancetta/AP)

Tweet Share on Facebook

13 of 16

New York Giants receiver David Tyree holds on by his fingertips to a 32-yard pass from Eli Manning as New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison pulls him down during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLII on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2008 in Glendale, Ariz. The play is often referred to as "The Helmet Catch". The Giants won 17-14, ruining the Patriots' chances for a perfect season.

(Andy Lyons/Getty Images; Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Tweet Share on Facebook

14 of 16

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees holds his son Baylen after being named MVP of Super Bowl XLIV on Feb. 7, 2010, in Miami. The Saints beat Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts 31-17, a symbolic victory as five years earlier, the team had been displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

(Mark J. Terrill/AP; Chuck Burton/AP)

Tweet Share on Facebook

15 of 16

In Super Bowl XLV on Feb. 6, 2011, the team with the most championships in the history of professional football (Green Bay Packers) beat the winningest team in Super Bowl history (Pittsburgh Steelers), 31-25, in the home stadium of another perennial winner (The Dallas Cowboys).

(Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Tweet Share on Facebook

16 of 16

Tom Brady looks down field as his Hail Mary pass is broken up in the final seconds of Super Bowl XLVI at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Feb. 5, 2012. Eli Manning and the Giants beat the Patriots in the big game for the second time in five seasons, 21-17.

(Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Tweet Share on Facebook

More Galleries

See All Galleries

US News & World Report

History of the Super Bowl

More Galleries

Sports

Latest Galleries