In January 1967, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum held an event many Americans were unaware of in the moment.
The AFL-NFL World Championship Game. Later known as Super Bowl I.
That afternoon, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 35–10 in a game remembered as monumental despite being seen by most as a postseason footnote at the time.
Looking back, the season culminating in Super Bowl I is seen as a line of demarcation. The Super Bowl era.
Here at Sports Illustrated, our 37-member Blue Ribbon panel decided to embark on a challenge. Of the thousands of games played since the beginning of the 1966 season, which 50 are the most memorable?
For us, the decision was based on a series of questions and answers. Which games stick in the consciousness of the country? Which had unforgettable endings and high drama? Which were the best played and the most important? The factors abound.
Ultimately, each panelist voted for their 50 games, and then a cumulative score was reached to determine the order. What follows is our best shot at ranking the 50 most memorable games of the Super Bowl era, starting in New Orleans with the NFC title on the line.
50. Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints
Date: Jan. 24, 2010 | NFC championship game
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Superdome
Why it was memorable:
Bountygate. As the years roll on, that January night is most remembered for the vicious beating Brett Favre took and endured, all before cruelly throwing one of the most infamous interceptions in NFL history.
For Favre, it was the end of a final Super Bowl run. For the Saints, it has duality in meaning. New Orleans won in overtime and advanced to its first Super Bowl, one the Saints would win over Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. It also resulted in a year-long suspension for coach Sean Payton, who was suspended for the 2012 season after the scandal’s investigation.
Panel quote:
“Third down at the Saints’ 38-yard line with 19 seconds and a timeout to spare. Ryan Longwell had missed one field-goal attempt from beyond 40 yards all season. Favre rolled right and threw across his body into the middle of the field like a Southern Mississippi rookie. Saints cornerback Tracy Porter jumped Sidney Rice for the interception. In sudden death, Garrett Hartley sent them to their first Super Bowl, four and a half years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans.” —Tim Graham
Legend quote:
“If we win that game, and we go on to win the Super Bowl, which I think we would have, I think you’re talking about that 2009 team as one of the best teams in NFL history. … We went 6–0 to start the season, we had the 49ers game in there. That whole season was arguably one of the greatest seasons by the way we won some games. It’s another missed opportunity because I don’t think that team gets the recognition it deserves for how good it was all around because we lost that game. Nobody cares about second or third place.” —Jared Allen, former Vikings defensive end
49. Miami Dolphins at Houston Oilers
Date: Nov. 20, 1978 | Week 13
Venue: Houston Astrodome
Why it was memorable:
On a Monday night in 1978, Earl Campbell said hello to the nation. After enjoying a stellar career at the University of Texas, Campbell was drafted No. 1 by the Oilers. In his rookie season of ’78, Campbell ran for a league-best 1,450 yards, earning first-team All-Pro honors.
His national stardom, and the fascination with the Luv Ya Blue Oilers, was born against the Dolphins in primetime television. Houston won 35–30, with Campbell rushing for 199 yards and four touchdowns, including an 81-yard score to effectively end the game. It’s still widely regarded as one of the great performances in Monday Night Football history.
Panel quote:
“This was the birth of the Luv Ya Blue era in Houston featuring coach Bum Phillips, rookie running back Earl Campbell and quarterback Dan Pastorini. Even though there were eight future Hall of Famers playing and coaching, the game is remembered for Campbell’s dynamic fourth-quarter run.” —John McClain
Legend quote:
“The Luv Ya Blue was going on here with the cowboys hats and the pom-poms. It was a unique time here. Of course, Earl won the Heisman Trophy but everyone didn’t know him, especially in the NFL.” —Wade Phillips, former Oilers assistant coach
48. Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys
Date: Jan. 1, 1967 | NFL championship game
Venue: Cotton Bowl
Why it was memorable:
With Tom Landry and Vince Lombardi on the sidelines, the 1966 NFL title game turned from romp to raucous. The Packers jumped ahead 14–0 only to see Dallas fight back, ultimately earning first-and-goal at Green Bay’s 2-yard line in the waning seconds trailing by seven points.
After three plays netted zero yards, the Cowboys called a rollout for quarterback Don Meredith to the right side. Packers Hall of Fame linebacker Dave Robinson lurched into the backfield and destroyed the execution, with Meredith heaving a lame-duck interception to seal Dallas’s fate.
For the Packers, it was the second of an eventual three consecutive championships. Green Bay went on to represent the NFL in Super Bowl I, defeating the Kansas City Chiefs, 35–10.
Panel quote:
“The Packers and the Cowboys played epic championship games on the first and last days of 1967, yet the former has been overshadowed by the latter, and has almost faded from memory. It shouldn’t have. In the CBS postgame show, Frank Gifford reported that many already considered it the greatest game ever.” —Joel Bussert
Legend quote:
“They brought Bob Hayes in tight on that side [on fourth down]. When that split end comes in tight, it usually means they’re going to run an off-tackle play, and he’s supposed to block me. I knew Bob Hayes couldn’t block me. When the play was snapped, I controlled Bob Hayes, wouldn’t let him off the line. … When Hayes was struggling to get off me, the guard passed us up. As soon as he passed us up, I shed [Hayes] and went for the quarterback.” —Dave Robinson, former Packers linebacker
47. Oakland Raiders vs. Cleveland Browns
Date: Jan. 4, 1981 | AFC divisional
Venue: Cleveland Municipal Stadium
Why it was memorable:
Red Right 88. Words that will forever live in Cleveland lore.
With 2:20 remaining, the Browns trailed 14–12 in the divisional-round clash to the Raiders, who took the lead earlier in the fourth quarter. Cleveland, known in 1980 as the Kardiac Kids, marched downfield despite sub-zero temperatures.
With 49 seconds left in regulation, the Browns had second down at the 13-yard line. Instead of kicking a potential game-winning field goal, Cleveland elected to throw, and MVP quarterback Brian Sipe was intercepted in the end zone by Mike Davis.
For the Raiders, it helped propel them into the Super Bowl, where they beat the Philadelphia Eagles.
Panel quote:
“Tom Flores in his first season as head coach of the Raiders led the team to victory in what is reputedly the coldest home game in Browns history. The Raiders survived the cold and what could have been a final, potentially game-winning drive by the Browns and went on to make history as the first wild-card team to win the Super Bowl.” —Amy Trask
Legend quote:
“That game comes down to freezing cold weather. The coldest I’ve ever been. … I’ve never been on a field like that. Everything was frozen. It was all ice. I remember distinctly, it was my rookie year, and guys were putting all their stuff on. I was like, ‘You guys are a bunch of wusses. I’m going out in a T-shirt and that’s it.’ I put my T-shirt on, went out for the pregame, took four steps into that thing and said, ‘Oh my God.’ I turned around and walked back in, and said, ‘Put whatever you’ve got on!’” —Matt Millen, former Raiders linebacker
46. Oakland Raiders at San Diego Chargers
Date: Sept. 10, 1978 | Week 2
Venue: San Diego Stadium
Why it was memorable:
How often does a game inspire a rule change?
Such was the case after the Raiders defeated the Chargers in Week 2 of the 1978 season. Trailing 20–14 at San Diego’s 14-yard line with 10 seconds remaining, Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler dropped back, was hit and fumbled the ball forward. It was then knocked toward the goal line by fullback Pete Banaszak before being recovered by Hall of Fame tight end Dave Casper in the end zone. Ruled a touchdown, the Raiders won 21–20.
After the season, the NFL rewrote the rules, stating a fumble in the final two minutes couldn’t be advanced by the offensive team unless the original fumbler did so.
Panel quote:
“Now, the only player who can recover a fumble and also advance it is the player who fumbled. Oh, and Stabler? He insisted for years that he fumbled the ball, but admitted years later in an NFL Films interview that he threw the ball. Banaszak and Casper also fessed up that they deliberately directed the ball toward the end zone.” —Bob Glauber
Legend quote:
“The fact that I still remember the official’s name [Jerry Markbreit], I mean come on. We were so mad. It was so clearly an incomplete pass. Kenny [Stabler] would admit it if he was still with us. He admitted it to me, ‘Well, s--- yeah, what am I supposed to do?’ Woodrow Lowe had him. And the proof is they had to make a ruling. Give us an asterisk or something.” —Dan Fouts, former Chargers quarterback
45. Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings
Date: Jan. 17, 1999 | NFC championship game
Venue: Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Why it was memorable:
Few teams have ever been greater and failed to reach the Super Bowl than the 1998 Vikings.
Yet Minnesota fell short of its fifth Super Bowl appearance, largely because the man who couldn’t miss finally did. In the NFC title game against Atlanta, the Vikings led 27–20 with 2:11 remaining in regulation. Kicker Gary Anderson, who had been perfect on extra points and field goals that year, lined up for a 38-yard field goal from the left hash to essentially end the game.
Instead, Anderson hooked the ball wide left. The Falcons then drove down the field to tie the game before winning in overtime.
Panel quote:
“The Vikings didn’t stop the Falcons from tying the game in regulation, and then the ‘other Anderson,’ Atlanta’s Morten Andersen, kicked the game-winning 38-yard field goal, and the ‘Dirty Birds’ flew south to the Super Bowl. Was the loss all Gary Anderson’s fault? Absolutely not. They are not in this game without him. But, one great kicker missed. The other did not. And, the ‘better team’ went home …” —Charles Davis
Legend quote:
“It was a series of events that just kind of took away from the team that we were, especially at the end. We had so many players get hurt on defense. … I also remember dropping an interception in the game. At the very, very end, it was a little tough. We just had a lot of different points in that game where we could have sealed it.” —Robert Griffith, former Vikings safety
44. Philadelphia Eagles vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Date: Feb. 12, 2023; Super Bowl LVII
Venue: State Farm Stadium
Why it was memorable:
Few Super Bowls were ever more entertaining from start to finish.
In Super Bowl LVII, the Eagles and Chiefs combined for 73 points despite Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes playing on a high ankle sprain. Although Philadelphia held a 10-point lead entering the second half, the Chiefs seized a 35–27 advantage before Eagles signal-caller Jalen Hurts tied the game with a quarterback keeper and a two-point conversion.
Ultimately, the game was decided on third-and-8 from the Philadelphia 15-yard line with 1:54 to go, when Eagles corner James Bradberry was called for holding, setting up Harrison Butker’s game-winning field goal from 27 yards out.
Panel quote:
“Despite aggravating the ankle in the second quarter, and the Chiefs down 24–14 at the half, Mahomes was never sacked in the game, able to navigate the pocket and remain upright on a grass-playing surface that was one of the worst in the history of the Super Bowl. Mahomes had two touchdown passes in the second half, and runs of 14 and 26 yards on the injured ankle to help secure the win. As courageous of a winning performance on the biggest stage as you will ever see.” —Louis Riddick
Legend quote:
“I’ll never forget, we were in church mode. That’s what we called it, where Jerick McKinnon takes a knee. He came to the huddle and put his helmet in my chest and was like ‘OB, I could have scored a touchdown in the Super Bowl, man.’ I was like ‘Bro, don’t worry about that. We’re about to get a ring.’ I’ll never forget that moment at the end of the game in the fourth quarter.” —Orlando Brown Jr., former Chiefs left tackle
43. Baltimore Ravens at Denver Broncos
Date: Jan. 12, 2013 | AFC divisional
Venue: Sports Authority Field at Mile High
Why it was memorable:
The NFL has only had six games go to double overtime in its history. This one had no business ever going past regulation.
In the 2012 divisional round, Denver led Baltimore 35–28 with just 31 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Miraculously, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco heaved a prayer to receiver Jacoby Jones, who caught the ball over the outstretched fingers of Broncos safety Rahim Moore for the game-tying, 70-yard score.
In the second extra session, Baltimore kicker Justin Tucker drilled a 47-yard field goal for the victory, helping the Ravens advance to their second consecutive conference championship. There, Baltimore beat the New England Patriots before winning Super Bowl XLVII.
Panel quote:
“This game combined five lead changes with single-digit temperatures, two overtimes and one miracle deep pass for David to slay Goliath. The Broncos were riding an 11-game winning streak. The Ravens backed into the playoffs, going 1–4 in the final month of the regular season (including a 34–17 home loss to Denver). In overtime, the first three drives ended in punts, but then a Corey Graham interception gave Baltimore the ball on the Denver 45-yard line. A few plays later, rookie Justin Tucker hit a 47-yard field goal to send Baltimore to the AFC title game.” —Aaron Schatz
Legend quote:
“To see that man catch that ball, I put my face in the sand. When the game was over I was like ‘what the freak?’ There’s no way this just happened. There’s no way this just happened. This is crazy.” —Ray Lewis, former Ravens linebacker
42. Minnesota Vikings vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Date: Jan. 11, 1970 | Super Bowl IV
Venue: Tulane Stadium
Why it was memorable:
Few games have meant more in NFL history than Super Bowl IV.
While the drama was nonexistent in a 23–7 Chiefs win over the Vikings, the context of what happened is paramount. After the New York Jets stunned the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III to give the American Football League a stunning victory, Kansas City proved the win was no fluke one season later.
Installed as a 12-point favorite, Minnesota fell behind 16–0 in the first half and never recovered. The Chiefs evened the score at 2–2 between the AFL and NFL in Super Bowls before the 1970 merger took place.
Panel quote:
“The Chiefs were smarting from their 35–10 spanking at the hands of the Packers in the first Super Bowl. When they returned three years later, the Chiefs found themselves against a Minnesota team that steamrolled the NFL on the way to a 12–2 finish and then beat the Rams and Browns in the playoffs. Kansas City didn’t even win its division, finishing second to the Oakland Raiders. The Chiefs knew they were bigger, stronger, faster and younger than the Vikings with a better quarterback and defense. With two consecutive Super Bowl victories, the AFL had achieved parity with the NFL.” —Rick Gosselin
Legend quote:
“Looking back, the best thing that ever happened was Lamar Hunt starting the AFL. I don’t think football would be where it is. The Jets won the Super Bowl, and they weren’t supposed to. … We had to put the icing on the cake in that fourth Super Bowl.” —Bobby Bell, former Chiefs linebacker
41. New York Jets at Cleveland Browns
Date: Sept. 21, 1970 | Week 1
Venue: Cleveland Municipal Stadium
Why it was memorable:
On Sept. 21, 1970, pro football and the way consumers viewed it was forever changed.
The Jets visited the Browns to open their season in the first installment of Monday Night Football. The program, which is now America’s longest running athletic prime-time event, saw Cleveland beat New York 31–21 on the back of two nonoffensive touchdowns.
Yet, the outcome pales in comparison to the meaningfulness of the moment. NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle and ABC took a chance on a new venture and created a cultural phenomenon, spearheaded by broadcaster Howard Cosell throughout the 1970s and early ’80s.
Panel quote:
“What did my father just say? That there was a football game on TV that night and we could stay up and watch it! Monday Night Football changed everything. I was 14 years old. The Beatles on Ed Sullivan. Neil Armstrong on the moon. This was The Holy Grail. The sports messiah himself, Joe Namath, playing under the lights on my color wood-framed Magnavox television set in our living room. We crawled up on the carpet and never looked back. I never got to say this then, but let me say it now, ‘Roone Arledge, you mad genius, thank you.’” —Sal Paolantonio
Legend quote:
“I blew it. I had Emerson Boozer running across the middle and I threw the damn ball a little behind him and it was intercepted, and that was that. We lost. If I hit Boozer on that play, we were going to win the game. As far as playing on Monday night, it was kind of squirrely. I had never played a football game on Monday night, whether it was junior high, high school, college or whatever. And it was exciting, to think it was the only game on. Monday Night Football, yeah man, up in Cleveland, and I blew it.” —Joe Namath, former Jets quarterback
40. Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Bears
Date: Dec. 31, 1988 | NFC divisional
Venue: Soldier Field
Why it was memorable:
Anyone who saw this game will never forget it. The problem? Almost nobody saw it.
On New Year’s Eve 1988, the Bears hosted the Eagles in the divisional round. Chicago took an early 17–9 lead at halftime before a fog bank rolled in off Lake Michigan, settling directly over the field. With almost zero visibility, the game was controversially continued, with Chicago holding on for a 20–12 victory. The game also featured the subplot of Mike Ditka and former Bears defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan meeting to rekindle their fiery rivalry.
Despite the impossible conditions, Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham managed to amass 407 passing yards.
Panel quote:
“It was a sweet victory for Bears coach Mike Ditka over Ryan, his former defensive coordinator and frequent antagonist while working together during the 1985 Super Bowl season. The Eagles tried to shrug off the loss, noting that Cunningham and much of the core of the team was young, but that group’s high expectations for the future were to go unrealized.” —Les Bowen
Legend quote:
“While I was playing, you could see within five yards, 20 feet, 30 feet pretty good. But outside of that, then it would remind you of an old horror movie where the monster and wolf man would go into the fog bank and disappear. That’s what it was. When you’re playing, typically in the course of the game you’d have a certain confidence of how things were going to go. That we were going to control what we wanted to control. I didn’t have that. It was almost like ‘wow, what could happen next?’” —Dan Hampton, former Bears defensive tackle
39. Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Rams
Date: Nov. 19, 2018; Week 12
Venue: L.A. Memorial Coliseum
Why it was memorable:
The combatants were a combined 18–2 entering the evening. On national television, they combined for 105 points in the highest-scoring Monday Night Football game of all time.
The Rams won 54–51 in front of their home fans after devastating wildfires in California throughout the prior week. In the game, Los Angeles quarterback Jared Goff threw for 413 yards and four touchdowns, while Chiefs’ signal-caller Patrick Mahomes accounted for 478 passing yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions.
All told, the teams combined for 1,001 total yards of offense, with a staggering 35 points coming in the fourth quarter to decide the outcome.
Panel quote:
“The 2018 Rams–Chiefs thriller on Monday Night Football was not the most important game in NFL history. But it’s among the best-played games of football we’ve seen over that time. The play on the field, and the talent on the sideline—which included Andy Reid, Sean McVay, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Aaron Donald, Tyreek Hill and Todd Gurley, all at or near the top of their games—provided that. This game, in which the teams combined for 105 points with the help of a few defensive scores, exceeded our expectations.” —Steven Ruiz
Legend quote:
“It wasn’t just trading blows and big plays. There were the elements of possession changes and touchdowns off of defense. You kind of got everything thrown at you that you could, and you felt individually we can keep going on offense if we keep making plays and don’t let them get to us. It was a weird combination of a traditional shootout but also a funky game where the ball changes hands and you have strange things happening.” —Mitchell Schwartz, former Chiefs right tackle
38. New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers
Date: Jan. 20, 1991; NFC championship game
Venue: Candlestick Park
Why it was memorable:
For the Niners, a three-peat was on the line. For the Giants, it was a chance to pull a massive upset.
At Candlestick Park, one of the hardest-hitting games in NFL history broke out, with the Giants trailing 13–12 into the waning minutes of regulation. After Joe Montana was knocked out of what ended up being his final career start for San Francisco, running back Roger Craig fumbled with New York linebacker Lawrence Taylor recovering.
On the final play, Matt Bahr drilled his fifth field goal, a 42-yarder, to send the Giants to Super Bowl XXV behind backup quarterback Jeff Hostetler.
Panel quote:
“It was telling that the Bill Parcells–coached Giants, quarterbacked by backup Jeff Hostetler, didn’t even score a touchdown in winning the gritty NFC title game. No, this war was won because the physical New York defense set the tone again by essentially punching the 49ers in the mouth. No play epitomized that theme more than the gruesome blind-side sack by Leonard Marshall that knocked star quarterback Joe Montana out of the game in the fourth quarter. Yet, even with Montana’s last-minute magic taken off the board, the 49ers still had a chance until … Roger Craig’s fumble.” —Jarrett Bell
Legend quote:
“We knew it was going to be a battle. That Giants’ defense was on par with the ’85 Bears and ’86 Giants. In spite of Joe [Montana] going down, we still put ourselves in position to have that game in hand. It was won unless we turned the ball over. From an organization standpoint, we were as mentally tough and focused as I’ve ever seen a team. I was in San Francisco for 11 years, but that specific team and that group of guys had a remarkable ability to not be distracted, to focus.” —Brent Jones, former 49ers tight end
37. San Diego Chargers at Cincinnati Bengals
Date: Jan. 10, 1982 | AFC championship game
Venue: Riverfront Stadium
Why it was memorable:
The Freezer Bowl. By wind chill, the 1981 AFC championship game remains the coldest game ever played at -59 degrees.
While the weather was brutal for all, the Chargers were coming off a hot, humid evening the week prior, beating the Dolphins in what became known as the Epic in Miami, 41–38 in overtime. In short, San Diego saw a temperature change of 85 degrees between the two games.
Cincinnati ultimately survived the elements, winning 27–7 to advance to Super Bowl XVI. The Air Coryell Chargers never got as close to Super Sunday again.
Panel quote:
“That Chargers team, with Dan Fouts throwing darts to Wes Chandler, Charlie Joiner and Kellen Winslow, was not built for playing inside a meat freezer. The Bengals, coached by Ice Bowl veteran Forrest Gregg, took the wind and kicked off to begin both halves, and Ken Anderson played with unflappable composure, as Cincinnati braved the elements to earn its first trip to the Super Bowl.” —Michael MacCambridge
Legend quote:
“Any quarterback will tell you that it’s wind that affects you more than anything. Regardless of the temperature. It’s a weird-shaped ball we’re trying to throw, and if you don’t throw it with a perfect spiral, you’re losing control. Even at times if you throw a good spiral with wind, it can go out of control. For me, that was the issue in Cincinnati more than the cold. If you examine Kenny [Anderson], he throws tight spirals all the time. I don’t. His performance, to me, was amazing.” —Dan Fouts, former Chargers quarterback
36. Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants
Date: Nov. 19, 1978 | Week 12
Venue: Giants Stadium
Why it was memorable:
For most of the 1960s and ’70s, both the Eagles and Giants had been laughingstocks. By ’78, Philadelphia was making itself into a playoff contender.
At 6–5, the Eagles faced a virtual must-win game at Giants Stadium against a poor New York squad. However, with under a minute remaining, the Giants had the ball and a 17–12 lead with Philadelphia unable to stop the clock.
Then, the Miracle at the Meadowlands. Giants quarterback Joe Pisarcik botched the handoff to legendary fullback Larry Csonka. The ball bounced off Csonka, then the turf, and into the hands of Eagles corner Herman Edwards, who ran 26 yards for the winning score. Philadelphia transformed the good fortune into its first playoff berth since 1960.
Panel quote:
“The Miracle at the Meadowlands saved the Eagles. Without Herm Edwards’s fumble recovery for a touchdown, the Eagles would not have reached the playoffs in 1978. The Dick Vermeil–Ron Jaworski era might never have gotten off the ground. Without that burst of success, cash-strapped Eagles owner Leonard Tose might have moved the franchise to Phoenix, something he tried to do anyway in the late 1980s. The Arizona Eagles? Philly sports fans deprived of football for a few years, then asked to embrace the Cardinals or Rams? Cue the mushroom cloud.” —Mike Tanier
Legend quote:
“The players involved in making that play, I think of them. Number one, Frank Lemaster, who was part of creating the fumble, he’s passed away. When I think of the Miracle at the Meadowlands … I think about Herman Edwards, coming off the corner and scooping up the ball. I think more about the players involved in the play, than I do the actual play.” —Dick Vermeil, former Eagles coach
35. New England Patriots at Kansas City Chiefs
Date: Jan. 20, 2019 | AFC championship game
Venue: Arrowhead Stadium
Why it was memorable:
When Patrick Mahomes retires, he may be considered the greatest quarterback to ever play. If so, he’ll have taken the mantle from Tom Brady.
In 2018, the two hooked up for one of the greatest playoff games of all time. After trailing 14–0 at halftime, Mahomes led the Chiefs to 31 second-half points, including a last-second field goal to send the game to overtime. There, Brady and the Patriots won the toss and never relinquished the ball, earning a third consecutive trip to the Super Bowl.
The evening marked the first postseason game of two between Brady and Mahomes, both won by the former.
Panel quote:
“This was the passing of the torch that didn’t pass. The 12–4 Chiefs were the best team in the NFL during the regular season. The 11–5 Patriots were still strong but had suffered a couple of demoralizing defeats in December. Yet in overtime, a 75-yard drive including three different third-and-10 completions from Brady sent the Patriots to yet another Super Bowl. New England’s win postponed the crowning of the Chiefs as the new kings of the NFL —for one more season.” —Aaron Schatz
Legend quote:
“My takeaway from that one is, this wasn’t the Dee Ford game. We scored zero points in the first half. We don’t score any points and it ends up being a tie game going into overtime. I feel like the offense kind of let the team down in that regard. I hate when people put it in those terms, because we didn’t do our part in that first half.” —Mitchell Schwartz, former Chiefs right tackle
34. Washington vs. Miami Dolphins
Date: Jan. 14, 1973 | Super Bowl VII
Venue: L.A. Memorial Coliseum
Why it was memorable:
Perfection. The 1972 Dolphins were attempting to accomplish a feat no team had ever achieved by finishing an NFL season without a loss or tie.
By beating Washington 14–7, Miami did exactly that. It remains a feat unmatched, only seriously challenged by the 2007 New England Patriots, who finished the regular season 16–0 but lost in the Super Bowl to the Giants.
While the game wasn’t eventful, the moment matters more than 50 years later. The Dolphins are still seen as one of the most iconic teams of all time, a unit that must be brought up when discussing NFL history.
As for Washington, it was a defeat which extended its 30-year championship drought. Ironically, that would end a decade later, when Washington defeated the Dolphins in Super Bowl XVII.
Panel quote:
“With barely two minutes to go and leading 14–0, Miami kicker Garo Yepremian attempted a win-securing 42-yard field goal. It was blocked and somehow ended up back in the hands of the flustered kicker who then threw possibly the ugliest pass in Super Bowl history. It ended up in the awaiting arms of [Washington]defender Mike Bass who returned it 49 yards for a touchdown. Down by seven, [Washington] got one final possession that ended with a quarterback sack and a perfect 17–0 season for the Dolphins.” —Joe Horrigan
Legend quote:
“After the game, when Jake Scott was awarded the MVP trophy, he took it and laid it down, and stood back up on the bench. He put the ball to the side, that was secondary. He stood up on the bench, looked at us all and said ‘I don’t think any of us realize what we just did.’” —Larry Csonka, former Dolphins fullback
33. Dallas Cowboys vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Date: Jan. 18, 1976 | Super Bowl X
Venue: Orange Bowl
Why it was memorable:
Much like their encounter a few years later, this Super Bowl between the Steelers and Cowboys is remembered for great plays and greater players.
Swann was essentially Pittsburgh’s entire passing attack, with quarterback Terry Bradshaw throwing for only 48 yards on five completions to everyone else.
Panel quote:
“If you’re counting down the most memorable clips in NFL Films history, Lynn Swann levitating over Cowboys cornerback Mark Washington and tipping a pass to himself in midair might be No. 1. Swann had a great career but this was his signature game, with 161 yards, some enduring highlights and a Super Bowl MVP award. The Steelers held off the Cowboys in the fourth quarter, winning their second straight Super Bowl and taking a huge step toward becoming the dynasty of the 1970s.” —Frank Schwab
Legend quote:
“That game was special to me because it was personal. My number was 75 and that was 1975. I had an injury that was affecting my play, and I don’t know if I stayed in the game and they hadn’t replaced me. I know we wouldn’t have gotten the kind of pressure that we did. Steve Furness came in and he got an (unofficial) sack, and he got a lot of pressure.” —Joe Greene, former Steelers defensive tackle
32. New Orleans Saints vs. Minnesota Vikings
Date: Jan. 14, 2018 | NFC divisional
Venue: U.S. Bank Stadium
Why it was memorable:
Throughout most of their history, the Vikings have been on the wrong side of classic moments. On this night, however, they flipped the script.
After leading 17–0 late in the third quarter, Minnesota watched as the Saints rallied back, taking a 21–20 lead with 3:01 remaining. After both teams traded field goals, the Vikings had possession, down 24–23, with 10 seconds left from their own 39-yard line.
Incredibly, quarterback Case Keenum found receiver Stefon Diggs along the sideline between two defenders, who caught the ball and raced into the end zone for a game-winning, walk-off touchdown known as the Minneapolis Miracle.
Panel quote:
“It's hard to forget the Minneapolis Miracle because it was truly miraculous. When Case Keenum threw to Stefon Diggs from his own 39, he couldn't have envisioned the Saints whiffing on a hit, allowing Diggs to run free for a touchdown as time expired. It was a great game before that, and the last play made it legendary”. —Frank Schwab
Legend quote:
“That’s the last win of my career. It was one of the biggest plays in football (history). That game made your list because of this. That led to my retirement. It was an incredible way to go out and cap a 13-year career. When you’re running down the field, you don't know who to hug, should you cry? You don’t know what to do. It was everything you want from sports in the way it moves you. It’s hard to get that anywhere else in life.” —Joe Berger, former Vikings guard
31. Green Bay Packers vs. Denver Broncos
Date: Jan. 25, 1998 | Super Bowl XXXII
Venue: Qualcomm Stadium
Why it was memorable:
This one’s for John. After 14 seasons of coming up empty, including a brutal defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the prior season’s divisional round, John Elway and the Broncos finally broke through.
Entering Super Bowl XXXII, Denver was an 11-point underdog against the defending champion Packers. Additionally, the NFC hadn’t lost a Super Bowl since the 1983 season, with the Broncos enduring three of those AFC defeats.
The game was marked by many great players, but is best remembered for Elway’s helicopter run on third-and-6 with the game tied late in the third quarter. Denver won 31–24, capturing its first championship.
Panel quote:
“The Broncos were blown out in their first four Super Bowl appearances, three of those with John Elway as their quarterback. But Elway and the Broncos did what they had never done previously. Running back Terrell Davis battled a migraine, which caused him to miss the second quarter, but he still ran for 157 yards and three touchdowns to earn MVP honors. After accepting the Lombardi Trophy, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen raised it and yelled, ‘This one’s for John.’” —Charean Williams
Legend quote:
“There were so many guys that were able to pull it together and accept the moment, and be present, and want it. So many times when you’re watching professional athletes, you’re watching guys that are in the moment and don’t know they’re in the moment. Or watching a guy that can’t handle the moment, but then you watch guys in the moment that thrive in the moment. We had a team of guys that knew we were in the moment because of our loss to Jacksonville the year before, and we wanted to thrive.” —Alfred Williams, former Broncos defensive lineman
30. Miami Dolphins at Oakland Raiders
Date: Dec. 21, 1974 | AFC divisional
Venue: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Why it was memorable:
Few games have ever had the buildup of this classic, and then managed to deliver. The Sea of Hands Game was that and more.
The Dolphins were two-time defending champions looking to three-peat, while the Raiders were considered the only team capable of beating them. On the first play, Miami receiver Nat Moore returned the opening kickoff for an 89-yard touchdown, setting a wild tone that would persist all afternoon.
Trailing 26–21 with 35 seconds left, future Hall of Fame quarterback Ken Stabler was flushed from the pocket, and while being sacked, flipped the ball into the end zone where running back Clarence Davis caught it among a gaggle of Dolphins defenders.
Oakland’s win dethroned Miami, which has yet to win another championship.
Panel quote:
“Many people considered this playoff game to be the ‘real’ Super Bowl of the 1974 season. It didn’t turn out that way, but the drama was real. There were six lead changes, the last two coming in the final 2:08. In the final moments, Stabler led a 68-yard drive, the final eight yards coming as the lefthanded Stabler scrambled to his left, was caught from behind, but managed to fling the ball before hitting the ground. Davis emerged from the ‘sea of hands’ with the ball and a place in NFL history.” —Jason Cole
Legend quote:
“That game just came down to attrition. At some point, it was the last man standing. There were a lot of injuries during that game. We lost some of our key people. … It came down to both teams making plays and who was going to have the ball at the end of the game with enough time to go down and score.” —Nat Moore, former Dolphins receiver
29. Oakland Raiders at Baltimore Colts
Date: Dec. 24, 1977 | AFC divisional
Venue: Baltimore Memorial Stadium
Why it was memorable:
The Raiders were defending champions trying desperately to stay on top despite an aging core. As for Baltimore, the Colts had won their third consecutive AFC East title but were looking for their first postseason victory of the Bert Jones era.
Buoyed by two nonoffensive touchdowns, the Colts led 31–28 late before the Raiders sent the game to overtime on an Errol Mann field goal, set up by tight end Dave Casper making a terrific over-the-shoulder catch known as the Ghost to the Post.
The contest continued into the second overtime, where Casper caught his third touchdown, giving Oakland a 37–31 victory.
Panel quote:
“The entire 1977 divisional round game in Baltimore was a gem … as the nine lead changes indicate. In a showdown between Ken Stabler and Jones, the Raiders helped the home team stick around with four turnovers. Nevertheless, the defending champs survived the 1976 MVP Jones, do-it-all running back Lydell Mitchell and their talented pals, closing the book on Baltimore’s three-year run as the AFC East’s top team.” —Dave Dameshek
Legend quote:
“I never saw it before. It was like an outfielder in baseball. They run back there, they stick up their mitt and make the catch. [Casper] ran down the middle of the field and adjusted to Kenny [Stabler], because Kenny was dancing around back there. He made an unbelievable catch, which now everybody does. That was the start of the two-hand, over-the-shoulder [catch]. It was an amazing thing. He was probably 250 pounds, he was no little guy. To get his body to do what it did was amazing.” —Phil Villapiano, former Raiders linebacker
28. Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos
Date: Jan. 17, 1988 | AFC championship game
Venue: Mile High Stadium
Why it was memorable:
The Fumble. For Browns fans, it remains one of the most painful moments of a franchise littered with them. For the Broncos, it was their second consecutive triumph over Cleveland in an AFC title game, with both ending in euphoria.
For the Browns, the game was about running back Earnest Byner, who lost the fumble trailing 38–31 with 1:12 remaining in regulation, with Denver recovering at its 2-yard line. However, Byner was largely the reason for Cleveland being in the game, totaling 187 yards from scrimmage with two touchdowns.
The two teams would meet for a third round in the AFC championship game two years later, with Denver winning once again.
Panel quote:
“What could the Broncos and Browns do for an encore to ‘The Drive?’ A year later, they put on another classic on the same AFC championship stage … this time in the rarefied air of Mile High Stadium. Maybe we shouldn’t have been surprised. Coaches Dan Reeves and Marty Schottenheimer are two of only 10 men to have won 200 games. Here came the Browns, in large part due to Earnest Byner, who scored two touchdowns and picked up close to 200 yards running and receiving. Unfortunately for him, very little of that is remembered.” —Chris Berman
Legend quote:
“From the sideline, I’m thinking ‘please score and give us some time.’ I always felt like we could score if we had more than 30 or 40 seconds on the clock. I believe everybody on the team felt that way. That’s what I was thinking. As (Byner) is crossing the goal line, I already had my helmet on. As he crossed, I’m thinking ‘here we go’ and then the ball’s out!” —Mark Jackson, former Broncos receiver
27. Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings
Date: Dec. 28, 1975 | NFC divisional
Venue: Metropolitan Stadium
Why it was memorable:
We can thank this game for the Hail Mary.
Entering as an eight-point favorite, the 12–2 Vikings hosted the wild-card Cowboys with Minnesota launching a playoff run aimed at reaching its third Super Bowl in as many years. Leading 14–10 inside the two-minute warning, the Vikings appeared safe from an upset.
However, Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach converted a fourth-and-17 to midfield. Then, with 32 seconds remaining, Staubach pumped left and heaved right, miraculously finding receiver Drew Pearson for a 50-yard, game-winning touchdown.
Dallas went on to Super Bowl X, while Minnesota would have to wait a year before returning to Super Sunday.
Panel quote:
“Roger Staubach should have tried to copyright the phrase ‘Hail Mary,’ but the Dallas quarterback didn’t immediately realize what he’d done in describing his 50-yard touchdown pass to Drew Pearson in the final minute, giving the Cowboys a 17–14 divisional-round upset win over the Vikings. Minnesota fans have become accustomed to this sort of luck over the decades. Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton learned after the game that his father, watching from home, had suffered a heart attack and died.” —Les Bowen
Legend quote:
“We knew if we worked on [Vikings safety] Nate Wright, even though they were in a prevent defense at that time, if you came in his area, he’d pick you up in man. The counter routes worked on Nate Wright. … Roger (Staubach) says ‘Drew, what do ya got?’ I said ‘let’s take some shots at the end zone.’ He said ‘fine, line up on Nate Wright and instead of running a post-corner, run a turn-in and a take-off.” —Drew Pearson, former Cowboys receiver
26. Dallas Cowboys vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Date: Jan. 21, 1979 | Super Bowl XIII
Venue: Orange Bowl
Why it was memorable:
In the 58-year history of the Super Bowl, it’s arguable none have ever had more stars with two larger fan bases so invested.
Luckily for football, the game lived up to the billing. For the first time in his Hall of Fame career, Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw for more than 300 yards, helping him earn MVP honors. For Pittsburgh, the 35–31 victory not only gave it a third championship in five years, but also established the Steelers as both a dynasty and the team of the 1970s.
Super Bowl XIII is also remembered for multiple iconic plays, including Jackie Smith’s infamous drop and Lynn Swann’s leaping touchdown grab.
Panel quote:
“No flowery language required to sell the significance of this one: Just take a look at the principles in any Super Bowl XIII play from the line of scrimmage and you’ll see a total of 17 Hall of Famers. Though the game’s first half still stands as arguably the best in the big game’s history, both quarterbacks were able to sustain high-end performances for the full 60 minutes of this heavyweight bout. Had Roger Staubach been able to scratch just one more late drive, America’s Team would be called the 20th century’s greatest dynasty. Instead, that moniker belongs to the Steelers.” —Dave Dameshek
Legend quote:
“The interesting thing is you have to understand Franco. He was a very quiet guy. Franco never really said a lot. … He came into the huddle very quietly and all he said with great intensity was ‘give me the ball. Give me the ball. Bradshaw, give me the ball.’ I never heard that from him. And Terry does, and Franco scores from 22 yards out. Franco doesn’t get pissed, but he was reacting to the intimidation the Cowboys were trying to do.” —Rocky Bleier, former Steelers running back
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Revealing the NFL’s 50 Most Memorable Games: Nos. 50–26.
