The Super Bowl is obviously the biggest game of the NFL season, so it makes sense that a number of the championship games throughout the league's history have been iconic. Teams and players are going to do whatever it takes to get a win. This has led to some big Super Bowl moments and a number of players who had iconic careers in the big game.
The Super Bowl is more than just individual players and moments, though. The entire game has to be incredible for it to live up to the expectations of fans. Some games have exceeded expectations, and those classics will be remembered forever. Most recently, Super Bowl LVIII delivered an absolute classic, as the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers in overtime. In this article, we are ranking the 20 best Super Bowls in the history of the NFL, as there are plenty of thrillers that came down to the wire and finished as all-time classics.
HM. Super Bowl XLIV: Saints 31, Colts 17
While this game has the largest margin of victory of any game on this list, it was still a classic, and you have to take into account how the New Orleans Saints ended up with a lead. The Saints trailed by a point going into the fourth quarter, and they had already made a gutsy call when they attempted (and converted) an onside kick right after halftime.
Drew Brees helped the Saints take a lead late. But Peyton Manning was the king of the comeback, and no one thought the lead was safe. Manning started to effectively drive down the field, but surprisingly, he threw a pick-six to Tracy Porter, which was the nail in the coffin.
20. Super Bowl V: Colts 16, Cowboys 13
The first Super Bowl that happened post-merger, this game came down to the wire. The Dallas Cowboys' Craig Morton was picked off by Mike Curtis. That allowed the Baltimore Colts to get into field goal territory and set up a tie-breaking and game-winning kick by Jim O'Brien.
19. Super Bowl LVI: Rams 23, Bengals 20
Matthew Stafford had a stacked roster in his first season with the Rams, but the Bengals were going to give Los Angeles a run for their money in Super Bowl LVI. Stafford and Cooper Kupp had great chemistry all season, and that was evident with their 79-yard game-winning drive that ended with a Kupp touchdown. Los Angeles still had to get a stop, though, and Aaron Donald ended Cincinnati's championship dreams.
18. Super Bowl XXXVIII: Patriots 32, Panthers 29
The first three quarters of Super Bowl XXXVIII weren't super thrilling, but the game remained tight. There were a number of big plays in the fourth quarter, though, and the two teams combined for 37 points in the final period of play. The Patriots came out on top thanks to an Adam Vinatieri field goal kick.
17. Super Bowl III: Jets 16, Colts 7
Super Bowl III is what made the Super Bowl a big deal in the NFL. The first four Super Bowls were between the best teams from the NFL and AFL. The other three such contests pre-merger were blowout games, but the New York Jets' victory over the Colts was a closely contested game.
This wasn't the most thrilling championship, and the Jets did dominate most of the way, but it is the game that really put the Super Bowl on the map. The Colts were massive favorites going into the game, and Joe Namath's guarantee of victory before the game made the Cinderella story all the much better.
16. Super Bowl LIV: Chiefs 31, 49ers 20
This game was billed as a great offense (Kansas City Chiefs) vs. a great defense (49ers). The Chiefs' offense didn't show up for most of the game, though, as the 49ers' defense was living up to the hype. Patrick Mahomes turned things up late, though, and his team scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter en route to coming back for the win.
The game was Mahomes and the Chiefs' official arrival, and they have since turned into a dynasty with one of the best six-year runs in NFL history.
15. Super Bowl XXXII: Broncos 31, Packers 24
The Denver Broncos were long a team that couldn't win the big one. They were blown out in each of their first four Super Bowl appearances, and with John Elway getting older, they were running out of opportunities. Therefore, everyone was going to do whatever it took to win a championship, and that was evident against the Green Bay Packers.
Terrell Davis was used as a decoy despite playing through a migraine, and Elway put his body on the line on the famous helicopter run. The Packers were strong favorites going into this game, but the Broncos came out on top in the back-and-forth clash.
14. Super Bowl XLVI: Giants 21, Patriots 17
Twice, the Eli Manning-led Giants accomplished the daunting task of beating the Patriots in the championship game. As was the case in their previous matchup, the Giants had a miraculous catch late-game that led to the win. This time, it was by Mario Manningham.
13. Super Bowl XIII: Steelers 35, Cowboys 31
The Steelers won four Super Bowls with Terry Bradshaw leading the way. This was their third win, but it was the first in which Bradshaw won the MVP. This game had a famous mishap when Jackie Smith had a costly drop in the third quarter. Pittsburgh had a comfortable lead throughout the fourth quarter, and they were able to withstand a Cowboys' comeback attempt.
12. Super Bowl XLVII: Ravens 34, 49ers 31
The Har-Bowl – with Jim Harbaugh coaching the San Francisco 49ers and John Harbaugh coaching the Baltimore Ravens – will always be remembered for the power outage that caused a 34-minute delay. While that alone was memorable, the game itself was also a classic. Colin Kaepernick mounted a comeback after trailing 28-6. Many think the delay in the action caused the Ravens to go cold and allowed the 49ers to inch back.
San Francisco even had a chance to win the game, as they were at goal-to-go late in the game. Baltimore's defense, which was always elite, was able to prevent the 49ers from scoring on all four of their plays inside of the 10, and John Harbaugh forever earned bragging rights over his brother.
11. Super Bowl XXXVI: Patriots 20, Rams 17
This was the game that started the Patriots dynasty and Tom Brady's legacy as the G.O.A.T. The Patriots weren't the powerhouse we have come to know at this point, and they were actually underdogs in this game. The Patriots' brilliance started to shine through early, though, and New England built up a 17-3 lead.
The Rams rallied and were able to tie the game, though. Brady had an incredible final drive, and he set Vinatieri up for a 48-yard field goal. The league's eventual all-time leading scorer hit the kick and thrust the Patriots onto a trajectory of sustained dominance.
10. Super Bowl LVII: Chiefs 38, Eagles 35
Last year's Super Bowl was an absolute shootout. The 73 combined points were the third most in the history of the game, as the two teams went back-and-fourth and both capitalized on most of their opportunities throughout the game. The Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles combined for seven touchdowns and over 600 yards of total offense.
9. Super Bowl XXXIV: Rams 23, Titans 16
Super Bowl XXXIV featured the St. Louis Rams, who were known as the “Greatest Show on Turf” because of their high-octane offense. The first three quarters of this game were somewhat underwhelming, but things took off in the final quarter of play. The Titans scored 10 late points to tie the game, but Kurt Warner quickly answered and re-took the lead with a touchdown pass to Isaac Bruce. The Titans got the ball back and started on what looked like a potential game-winning drive.
The Rams were known for their offense, but it was the defense that came up clutch. Steve McNair threw the ball to Kevin Tyson, but Mike Jones was there to wrap up the receiver. Tyson reached for the goal line, but he came up short, and the play became known as “The Tackle.”
8. Super Bowl XXV: Giants 20, Bills 19
The Buffalo Bills lost four straight Super Bowls in the early '90s. This was the first of that losing streak, and it was also the closest they ever got to glory. The Giants' strategy in this game was to limit Buffalo's time of possession, and it actually worked. The Bills still had a chance to win the game, though, but Scott Norwood missed the go-ahead kick wide right as time expired.
7. Super Bowl XLIX: Patriots 28, Seahawks 24
The Seattle Seahawks were trying to become back-to-back champions in Super Bowl XLIX, but they had to take on Tom Brady and the Patriots. The Legion of Boom was one of the best defensive units ever, and they did everything they could to slow down the Patriots and allow the offense a chance to win the game. Seattle seemed like they would do that, as an incredible catch by Jermaine Kearse put the Seahawks in goal-to-go territory.
Handing the ball off to Marshawn Lynch, who was nicknamed “Beast Mode,” seemed like an easy call. Instead, Pete Carroll opted for a pass. Russell Wilson threw the ball toward Ricardo Lockette, but Malcolm Butler intercepted it, and New England walked away with yet another Lombardi Trophy.
6. Super Bowl XXIII: 49ers 20, Bengals 16
The 49ers broke the Cincinnati Bengals hearts for a second time in Super Bowl XXIII. This game is remembered for the iconic 92-yard orchestrated by Joe Montana that ended with a John Taylor score and 49ers victory.
5. Super Bowl LVIII: Chiefs 25, 49ers 22
The most recent entry on this list, this season's Super Bowl delivered in a big way. For the second time in five seasons, the Chiefs broke the 49ers' heart, and they did it in only the second Super Bowl to go to overtime. San Francisco limited the Chiefs' offense for most of the game, but like he tends to do, Patrick Mahomes took over late.
Mahomes orchestrated a 13-play, 75-yard drive in overtime under new postseason overtime rules that ended with a Mecole Hardman game-winning touchdown. This game also saw a record-breaking 57-yard field goal, a botched punt, and a receiver throwing a touchdown pass. The Mahomes to Travis Kelce pairing was inevitable, though. The win made the Chiefs the first back-to-back champions in 19 years and cemented the team as a dynasty.
4. Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers 27, Cardinals 23
Because there were two iconic plays on top of a crazy finish in this matchup up between the Steelers and Arizona Cardinals, Super Bowl XLIII ranks as one of the best championship games ever. James Harrison returned an interception 99 yards at the end of the first half, and Santonio Holmes had a toe-dragging, game-winning catch in the corner of the end zone for the Steelers.
3. Super Bowl LII: Eagles 41, Patriots 33
The Philadelphia Eagles were never even supposed to be in Super Bowl LII because their starting quarterback was out for the season with an injury. Nick Foles was the backup who was forced into action. Foles delivered on the biggest stage with 373 passing yards and three passing touchdowns. He was even on the receiving end of the Philly Special.
2. Super Bowl LI: Patriots 34, Falcons 28
Super Bowl LI was the first version of the game to ever go to overtime. The Atlanta Falcons dominated most of the game and went up by a score of 28-3. New England was even down 28-9 with only 10 minutes left. You can never count out Brady, though. James White went off, and Julian Edelman had a miraculous catch. It led to the Patriots tying the game up and forcing overtime, where Atlanta had no chance.
1. Super Bowl XLII: Giants 17, Patriots 14
The most memorable Super Bowl ever was Super Bowl XLII. The Patriots, in the midst of a dynasty, were undefeated going into this game, and no one gave the Giants a chance. The greatest moment in Super Bowl history, a miraculous helmet catch by David Tyree, led to the greatest upset in NFL history.
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