Top 10 Most Unforgettable Super Bowl Games of All Time

Believe it or not, the New England Patriots were actually an underdog at one point. The Rams, dubbed The Greatest Show on Turf thanks to their high-flying offense led by Kurt Warner, were favored by 14. Although they were held in check for the majority of the game, the Rams were able to score two fourth-quarter touchdowns to tie the game at 17 with 1:30 left. That’s when Patriots coach Bill Belichick put the ball in the hands of then little-known quarterback Tom Brady. Operating with no timeouts, Brady led the Patriots into field goal range, where Adam Vinatieri nailed a 48-yard kick as time ran out to seal the win.

While this game may be best remembered for Janet Jackson’s infamous wardrobe malfunction during the halftime show, the on-field performance wasn’t so shabby either. Although the game started slowly, the two teams combined for 24 points by the end of the first half. The offense continued in the second half as both teams executed big play after big play. The Panthers were able to tie the game at 29 late in the fourth quarter, but left too much time on the clock for Tom Brady. For the second time in three years, Brady led his team down the field, setting up another game-winning field goal for Adam Vinatieri.

Like several entries on this list, this game started out slowly, with the score just 3-3 at halftime. Both teams traded scores throughout the second half, but the Bengals were able to pull ahead 16-13 thanks to a 40-yard field goal with 3:20 remaining. Things looked bleak for the 49ers when they were forced to start on their own eight-yard line. That’s when Joe Montana took over. Widely considered one of the greatest clutch quarterbacks in history, Montana led the 49ers 92 yards in less than three minutes. He eventually passed to John Taylor from 10 yards out with just 34 seconds left to secure his third Super Bowl ring.

Led by Kurt Warner, The Greatest Show on Turf seemed destined to win the Super Bowl as they jumped out to a 16-0 lead in the third quarter. However, Steve McNair and the Titans rallied back to score three straight times to tie the game at 16 with just over two minutes remaining. It didn’t take long for Warner to answer, though, connecting with Isaac Bruce for a 73-yard touchdown pass less than 20 seconds later, reclaiming the Rams’ lead. McNair rallied again, driving the Titans down to the Rams’ 10. He then hit Kevin Dyson coming across the middle, who dove for the goal line and extended his arm, only to come up one yard short as time expired.

While, at first, the score might make some fans question how this could be one of the all-time great Super Bowls, this was truly a monumental upset. The Colts, representing the NFL, came in to the game with a 13-1 record and were heavily favored over the AFL’s Jets. New York quarterback Joe Namath boldly guaranteed a victory three days before the game and delivered on his promise, as the Jets controlled the game from the outset. This was the first ever title victory by the AFL and was also the first Championship Game to officially be called the Super Bowl.

It is truly remarkable that the Buffalo Bills were able to win the AFC four straight seasons. What’s even more remarkable is that they lost all four Super Bowl appearances. Their best chance to win was their first matchup against the New York Giants, who were using a backup quarterback thanks to a season-ending injury to Phil Simms. The game saw five lead changes, with the Giants jumping ahead 20-19 late in the fourth quarter thanks to a 21-yard field goal. The Bills had a chance to win soon after, but Scott Norwood’s last-second field goal attempt went wide right.