The Super Bowl is the biggest single game in all of sports, so it makes sense that there are tons of massive moments and iconic plays that have occurred in the NFL's championship game, as intensity is always turned up a notch. With the Super Bowl about to have its 58th edition, it can be hard to keep track of all of the memorable moments, regardless of how jaw-dropping they were. In order to jog your memory and get your football juices flowing before the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers, we decided to rank the biggest moments in Super Bowl history.
20. Marcus Allen's 74-yard run
Marcus Allen has the second most rushing yards in a single Super Bowl game ever. A good chunk of those came on an iconic 74-yard run. Allen's rush originally looked like he'd be stopped for negative gain, but instead, the Los Angeles Raiders running back turned around and was able to outrun the entire Washington Redskins defense.
19. Lynn Swann's acrobatic catch
In Super Bowl X, Lynn Swann had four incredible catches for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The best of the bunch was a 53-yarder in which Swann leaped in the air and juggled the ball in mid-air before coming down with it. Swann's heroics earned him the MVP for the game.
18. James Harrison's 99-yard interception
Gaining momentum before halftime is an important thing in football. James Harrison did just that for the Steelers against the Arizona Cardinals when he returned an interception that he caught on the goal line 99 yards as time expired in the first half.
17. First play safety
The Seattle Seahawks vs. Denver Broncos game in Super Bowl XLVIII was never close, and that started from the first play of the game. Twelve seconds into the contest, Manny Ramirez snapped the ball over Peyton Manning's head, which forced a safety on the first play of the game and the quickest score in Super Bowl history. This created positive momentum for the Seahawks for the rest of the game, and their great defense was able to dominate the rest of the time despite the fact that Denver had a historically great offense.
16. Desmond Howard goes 99 yards
Desmond Howard only played one season with the Green Bay Packers, but he made the most of it. In Super Bowl XXXI, Howard returned a kickoff 99 yards for a score, which led to him eventually being named MVP of the game.
15. Adam Vinatieri's game-winner
The 21st-century New England Patriots are the greatest dynasty in the history of the NFL. They won six of the nine Super Bowls they went to during that time, and Adam Vinatieri can largely be credited with starting the dynasty. He hit the game-winning kick in Super Bowl XXXVI. The 48-yarder set the Patriots down a course of domination that may never be matched.
14. Surprise onside kick
The New Orleans Saints were down 10-6 at the start of the second half to the Indianapolis Colts, so Sean Payton decided to catch Indianapolis off guard and go for an onside kick. The decision worked and changed the momentum of Super Bowl XLIV.
13. John Riggins on fourth and one
Down to the Miami Dolphins and faced with fourth down, the Redskins only needed one yard to pick up a first down. They got much more than that, though, as John Riggins ran 57 yards to score the go-ahead touchdown.
12. Manning to Manningham
What is a New York Giants vs. Patriots Super Bowl without an iconic catch from an Eli Manning throw? While Mario Manningham's catch isn't as memorable as David Tyree's, it was still a legendary and impressive play nonetheless.
11. Tracy Porter's interception
Peyton Manning rarely made mistakes in the clutch, but he did just that in Super Bowl XLIV. Manning threw an interception to the Saints' Tracy Porter with just over three minutes left in the game. That pick-six ended up being the nail in the coffin.
10. John Elway's helicopter run
The Broncos struggled in the Super Bowl for years. In fact, they were blown out in the big game in each of their first four appearances, three of which had John Elway manning the quarterback position. Elway was going down as one of the greatest quarterbacks ever, but by age 37, he still didn't have a title to his name. He was going to do whatever it took to win in Super Bowl XXXII, though.
That proved true when Elway put his body on the line in the third quarter of a tie-ball game against the Packers. Elway went airborne to get a first down, and his body was spun around like helicopter blades, but it was enough to extend the drive and give the Broncos the momentum to win the game.
9. Jermaine Kearse's tip drill
The Seahawks ended up losing Super Bowl XLIX, which prevents Jermaine Kearse's incredible catch from ranking any higher, but this play had the makings to be arguably the biggest play in the history of the championship game. The Seahawks trailed the Patriots 28-24 with just over a minute to play.
Russell Wilson threw a pass along the sideline to Kearse, but the ball was tipped. It seemed like the defense would definitely get a huge stop, but the ball bounced off of Kearse's knee, allowing him to tip the ball to himself again for an unbelievable catch. Seattle now had a first-and-goal situation, but Wilson ended up throwing an interception to Malcolm Butler. Butler's interception ranks even higher on this list, so Kearse's catch was both one of the biggest Super Bowl plays ever and directly led to another one of the biggest moments in Super Bowl history.
8. Philly Special
There aren't many things cooler in sports than a trick play, but you rarely see them in the biggest moments because of how risky they are. On fourth down at the end of the first half, the Eagles ran a trick play that saw their tight end — Trey Burton — throw a touchdown pass to their quarterback — Nick Foles. It was a gutsy call that paid off, as the Eagles beat the Patriots in Super Bowl LII. The trick play will forever be known as the “Philly Special.”
7. Mike Jones' tackle
The biggest tackle in Super Bowl history was made by Mike Jones of the St. Louis Rams. The Tennessee Titans' Kevin Dyson caught the ball on the last play of the game. The receiver stretched his arm out for the must-needed score, but Jones was able to pull him down a yard shy of the end zone, and the Rams won the game.
6. Santonio Holmes' toe drag
A couple of the legendary catches on this list required a little bit of luck, but Santonio Holmes' catch in Super Bowl XLIII was something that receivers practice a lot. His toe-dragging catch on a Ben Roethlisberger pass to the corner of the end zone was executed perfectly, though. There wasn't an inch to spare, and the touchdown grab gave Pittsburgh the victory over the Cardinals.
5. Wide right
A lot of the plays on this list were massive plays that led to that player's team winning the game. Scott Norwood is remembered for a play that lost his team the game, though. Super Bowl XXV was the first of four consecutive championships the Buffalo Bills appeared in. They were a dominant team, and all they needed was for their kicker to knock in a 47-yarder for them to win their first Lombardi Trophy.
Unfortunately, Norwood missed wide and to the right. The Bills lost by one point, and the team never got that close to glory again. The missed kick directly contributed to a feeling that Buffalo couldn't win the big one, and that proved true with the team losing the next three consecutive Super Bowls.
4. Joe Montana to John Taylor
Many consider Super Bowl XXIII to be the greatest comeback in NFL history. Joe Montana orchestrated a 92-yard drive to beat the Cincinnati Bengals, and it was capped off by an iconic game-winning touchdown catch by John Taylor. The entire drive was memorable, but the touchdown catch itself was the biggest moment that sticks out from that Super Bowl. Joe Montana was one of the best players in Super Bowl history, so it makes sense he was also on this list.
3. Malcolm Butler's goal-line interception
The best defensive play in Super Bowl history was made by Malcolm Butler when the Patriots' cornerback picked off Russell Wilson on the goal line. There were only 26 seconds left in the game, and the Seahawks were on second down. A Seattle score that seemed inevitable would have given the Patriots a loss, but Butler saved the day, and fans will forever question Pete Carroll's decision not to run the ball with Marshawn Lynch.
2. Julian Edelman's deflected catch
Many fans consider the greatest NFL championship game ever to be Super Bowl LI. It is the only Super Bowl to go to overtime, and it was definitely the best comeback in the history of the NFL. The Patriots trailed the Falcons 28-3 at one point, but they slowly started to chip away. With just under two minutes left, they were still down by a score of 28-20. Tom Brady threw a pass intended for Julian Edelman that was nearly picked off by Robert Alford.
Instead, the Falcons' cornerback tipped the ball up, and Edelman somehow readjusted and dove for the ball, catching it in between the Falcons' player's feet. It was an incredible display of coordination, athleticism, and even a little luck. Most of all, it allowed the Patriots to eventually tie the game up before quickly winning it in overtime.
1. David Tyree's helmet catch
The most iconic play in football's most important game. David Tyree's catch in Super Bowl XLII will never be forgotten. The Giants trailed the undefeated Patriots by four points with 1:15 to go in the fourth quarter. It was third and five, and Eli Manning scrambled like a madman while breaking a number of sack attempts in the process before he was able to heave a prayer in Tyree's direction. The receiver leaped for the ball and miraculously pinned it against his helmet for the catch. New York would go on to score to finalize the greatest underdog victory in the history of the Super Bowl and the biggest moment in Super Bowl history.
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