Welcome, readers; this article is our attempt at ranking every Super Bowl from best to worst. It will be quite a long list, so we suggest you buckle up!
The Super Bowl has been played as the final game of the NFL since 1966, and there have been 56 Super Bowls up to the 2022 season.
Some Super Bowls have been considered the greatest games in NFL, and others failed to meet expectations.
Let us look at all the Super Bowls, from the best to the worst!
Quick Overview
Here is a quick highlight of the Super Bowl and its date.
| Super Bowls | Date |
| 1. LI | Feb 5, 2017 |
| 2. XLIX | Feb 1, 2015 |
| 3. LII | Feb 4, 2018 |
| 4. XLIII | Feb 1, 2009 |
| 5. XLII | Feb 3, 2008 |
| 6. XXV | Jan 27, 1991 |
| 7. XXIII | Jan 22, 1989 |
| 8. XXXVI | Feb 3, 2002 |
| 9. LVI | Feb 13, 2022 |
| 10. XXXII | Jan 25, 1998 |
| 11. XXXIV | Jan 30, 2000 |
| 12. XLVI | Feb 5, 2012 |
| 13. LIV | Feb 2, 2020 |
| 14. V | Jan 17, 1971 |
| 15. XLVII | Feb 3, 2013 |
| 16. XXXVIII | Feb 1, 2004 |
| 17. XIII | Jan 21, 1979 |
| 18. XXXIX | Feb 6, 2005 |
| 19. X | Jan 18, 1976 |
| 20. XLV | Feb 6, 2011 |
| 21. XIV | Jan 20, 1980 |
| 22. XVI | Jan 24, 1982 |
| 23. XXX | Jan 28, 19964 |
| 24. XVII | Jan 30, 1983 |
| 25. III | Jan 12, 1969 |
| 26. XLIV | Feb 7, 2010 |
| 27. XL | Feb 5, 2006 |
| 28. VII | Jan 14, 1973 |
| 29. IX | Jan 12, 1975 |
| 30. LIII | Feb 3, 2019 |
| 31. XLI | Feb 4, 2007 |
| 32. XXXI | Jan 26, 1997 |
| 33. 50 | Feb 7, 2016 |
| 34. XXI | Jan 25, 1987 |
| 35. XI | Jan 9, 1977 |
| 36. IV | Jan 11, 1970 |
| 37. XXVIII | Jan 30, 1994 |
| 38. XIX | Jan 20, 1985 |
| 39. XV | Jan 25, 1981 |
| 40. XXIX | Jan 29, 1995 |
| 41. XXXVII | Jan 26, 2003 |
| 42. XII | Jan 15, 1978 |
| 43. XXXIII | Jan 31, 1999 |
| 44. VI | Jan 16, 1972 |
| 45. XXVI | Jan 26, 1992 |
| 46. LV | Feb 7, 2021 |
| 47. VIII | Jan 13, 1974 |
| 48. XXII | Jan 31, 1988 |
| 49. XVIII | Jan 22, 1984 |
| 50. XXXV | Jan 28, 2001 |
| 51. XLVIII | Feb 2, 2014 |
| 52. I | Jan 15, 1967 |
| 53. XX | Jan 26, 1986 |
| 54. II | Jan 14, 1968 |
| 55. XXVII | Jan 31, 1993 |
| 56. XXIV | Jan 28, 1990 |
Ranking Every Super Bowl From Best To Worst
Our primary source of information for this article is AthlonSports.
1. Super Bowl LI
The New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons game is the best Super Bowl in our ranking. The game featured the most remarkable comeback in the game’s history by the Patriots.
Similarly, it became the first game to be decided in overtime, and the Patriots won the game with a 34-28 score.
2. Super Bowl XLIX
The Super Bowl XLIX was a game where New England Patriots won against the Seattle Seahawks with a 28-24 score.
The Patriots’ victory was their fourth overall and first since 2004’s Super Bowl XXXIX, ending a 10-year championship drought.
3. Super Bowl LII
The third greatest Super Bowl was between the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots.
Although the Eagles won the title with a 41-33 score, both teams set several Super Bowl records during the game.
4. Super Bowl XLIII
The game saw the Pittsburgh Steelers versus Arizona Cardinals fighting for the title. The Steelers won their sixth Super Bowl after defeating the Cardinals by 27-23.
Santonio Holmes marched to the field to make a perfect touchdown catch with 35 seconds left.
5. Super Bowl XLII
Held at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, the New York Giants and New England Patriots went head-on-head.
Super Bowl XLII is considered one of the biggest upsets in professional sports history. The Giants stood victorious with a 17-14 score.
6. Super Bowl XXV
It was a game between the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills. It saw two franchises from the same state in the finals for the first time.
As the Giants set a record-holding possession of the ball in the Super Bowl, it also became the only game to be decided by one point after the Giants won the game with a 20-19.
7. Super Bowl XXIII
The San Francisco 49ers versus Cincinnati Bengals Super Bowl XXIII is the seventh-best Super Bowl on this list. The game saw the 49ers’ game-winning drive in the fourth quarter.
Similarly, the game saw the first halftime tie in the history of the Super Bowl. The 49ers took home the Vince Lombardi trophy after winning the match by 20-16.
8. Super Bowl XXXVI
The game was New England Patriots versus St. Louis Rams for the 2001 season final. It was the first Super Bowl to be played in February.
The game saw the biggest upset in Super Bowl history since the merger of AFL-NFL. It is one of the historically significant Super Bowls as the New England Patriots dynasty was launched.
9. Super Bowl LVI
For the Super Bowl LVI, Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals competed for the title.
The game saw three lead changes and a game-winning touchdown by the Rams.
10. Super Bowl XXXII
Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers played a close game to win the Super Bowl XXXII title. Broncos’ Terrell Davis made a Super Bowl record of three rushing touchdowns.
The Broncos took the Vince Lombardi trophy after winning the game by 31-24.
11. Super Bowl XXXIV
St. Louis Rams and Tennesse Titans returned to the postseason for the Super Bowl XXXIV after relocation and struggles.
The game saw the then-largest deficit erased in the Super Bowl after the Titans responded to the 16-0 lead of the Patriots. However, the Patriots won the title by 20-17.
12. Super Bowl XLVI
During the Super Bowl XLVI, the New York Giants set a new record for the lowest regular season record by a Super Bowl champion.
The Giants won the game by 21-17 against the Patriots after Ahmad Bradshaw made a game-winning touchdown with 57 seconds remaining for the game to end.
13. Super Bowl LIV
As Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers went back and forth to win the title, Super Bowl LIV is the 13th-best Super Bowl on our list.
Chiefs won the Super Bowl with a 31-20 score, their first since Super Bowl IV and after the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.
14. Super Bowl V
Super Bowl V was the first Super Bowl after the completion of the AFL-NFL merger. Also named the “Blunder Bowl” or “Blooper Bowl,” it was Baltimore Colts versus Dallas Cowboys.
There were many blunders, missed opportunities, and penalties in the game. The Colts eventually became the winner with a 16-13 score.
15. Super Bowl XLVII
The Baltimore Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers to become the winner of Super Bowl XLVII.
The Ravens were leading the game in the third quarter when the lights went out in the stadium. They continued their momentum after the lights came back and won by 34-31.
16. Super Bowl XXXVIII
The Super Bowl XXXVIII was the-then most watched Super Bowl, where the New England Patriots faced off against the Carolina Panthers.
The game is considered one of history’s most well-played and thrilling Super Bowls. The Patriots came out victorious with a 32-29 record.
17. Super Bowl XIII
The Super Bowl XIII was the first Super Bowl to feature a rematch of previous teams, Pittsburgh Steelers versus Dallas Cowboys.
The Cowboys scored two touchdowns in the final minutes but could not win. The Steelers took the Vince Lombardi trophy after winning by 35-31.
18. Super Bowl XXXIX
The New England Patriots versus Philadelphia Eagles game in the Super Bowl XXXIX was close.
Although the Eagles could cut the deficit to 24-21 with 1:48 minutes remaining in the game, the Patriots won the Super Bowl XXXIX title.
19. Super Bowl X
The Super Bowl X featured Pittsburgh Steelers versus Dallas Cowboys game. The game featured a contrast of the playing styles of both teams.
Although the Cowboys could cut the deficit late in the game, the Steelers won the title and added the second Super Bowl to the franchise’s name.
20. Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV was the game featuring Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers; both the teams were title-abundant franchises.
The Packers dominated the game since the beginning, but the Steelers would not go down quietly. The Packers eventually won the match by a 31-25 margin.
21. Super Bowl XIV
The Super Bowl XIV saw a close game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Rams for most of the game.
The Steelers were the defending champions of Super Bowl XIII. They could defend the championship successfully and win Super Bowl XIV by a 31-19 score.
22. Super Bowl XVI
Super Bowl XVI was the first Super Bowl to be held in the cold-weather city where the San Francisco 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals faced off.
Although a close game, the 49ers’ defense and field goals ultimately made them the winner. The 49ers won by 26-21 score.
23. Super Bowl XXX
When Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers entered Super Bowl XXX, it was their fifth rematch in the Super Bowl.
The Cowboys took the Super Bowl XXX championship after defeating their longtime rival with a 27-17 score.
24. Super Bowl XVII
The game was a rematch of Super Bowl VII, where the Washington Redskins faced off against the Miami Dolphins. The Redskins took the lead in the second half after scoring 17 unanswered points.
Although the Dolphins were able to cut the deficit, the Redskins won the game with a 27-17 score.
25. Super Bowl III
It was the first NFL championship game that officially bore the trademark “Super Bowl.” It is regarded as one of the greatest upsets in American football and sports history.
The game was between the New York Jets and the Baltimore Colts, where the Jets controlled most of the game. The Jets won the Super Bowl with a 16-7 lead.
26. Super Bowl XLIV
New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts competed for the title in the Super Bowl XLIV. The Saints were behind the Colts by 10-6 at halftime.
However, the Saints turned the game after getting their first lead with a 16-yard touchdown reception by Pierre Thomas and won the game with a 31-17 score.
27. Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks. The officiating during the match is one of the league’s top ten controversial calls.
The Steelers had a lead of 14-3 in the third quarter, and the game eventually went to the Steelers with a 21-10 score.
28. Super Bowl VII
For the Super Bowl VII champions, it was Miami Dolphins versus Washington Redskins. The dolphins dominated most of the game, but it is the second-lowest-scoring Super Bowl.
The Dolphins won the title with a 14-7 score and became the first and only team to complete a perfect undefeated season.
29. Super Bowl IX
Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings were the teams fighting for Super Bowl IX. The first half of the game saw a defensive struggle from both teams with a lone score.
The Steelers got a lead on the second-half kickoff, which the Vikings cut by 9-6 in the fourth quarter. The Steelers eventually won the Super Bowl IX title with a 16-6 score.
30. Super Bowl LIII
The match between the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams was the lowest-scoring game in Super Bowl history.
The Patriots won the Super Bowl LIII with a 13-3.
31. Super Bowl XLI
The Super Bowl XLI was the first rainy Super Bowl. The Indianapolis Colts cut the 14-6 score deficit and outscored the Chicago Bears in the last three quarters.
The Colts took home the Lombardi trophy with a 29-17 score.
32. Super Bowl XXXI
The Green Bay Packers had scored 17 unanswered points in the second quarter. However, the New England Patriots cut the deficit to 27-21 in the third quarter.
The Patriots could not make any more scores, while the Packers won the Super Bowl XXXI title with a 35-21 score.
33. Super Bowl 50
Super Bowl 50 was the event’s golden anniversary and became one of the most defensive matches in history.
The Denver Broncos took an early lead that Carolina Panthers could not catch up. The Broncos won the golden anniversary game 24-10.
34. Super Bowl XXI
The Super Bowl XXI featured New York Giants versus Denver Broncos. The first quarter saw a tight game in the first half.
However, Broncos lost their momentum, and the Giants took home the title with a score of 39-20
35. Super Bowl XI
Super Bowl XI featured a game between Oakland Raiders and Minnesota Vikings. The Raiders took an early lead with a 16-0 score a halftime.
On the other hand, the Vikings cut the score deficit to 14, and the Raiders won the game by 32-14.
36. Super Bowl IV
The Super Bowl IV was the first game where a head coach, Hank Stram, wore a microphone. The game featured Kansas City Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings.
The Chiefs dominated the game and gave the Vikings little chance to score. The Chiefs won Super Bowl IV with a score of 23-7.
37. Super Bowl XXVIII
Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills featured in Super Bowl XXVIII is the only match where the same two teams played in consecutive Super Bowls games.
The Cowboys took the lead of 13-6 at halftime and scored 24 unanswered points during the second half. The Bills could not catch up and lost the game by 30-13.
38. Super Bowl XIX
The game featuring the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins became a battle between two great quarterbacks, Dan Marino of the Dolphins and Joe Montana of the 49ers.
The 49ers won the Super Bowl XIX title with a 38-16 score and set a Super Bowl record with 537 yards.
39. Super Bowl XV
Oakland Raiders and Philadelphia Eagles squared off in the Super Bowl XV. The Raiders took an early lead of 14-0 in the first quarter.
The final score showed the Raiders’ lead of 27-10, and they won their second Super Bowl title.
40. Super Bowl XXIX
The Super Bowl XXIX was the first game in Super Bowl history where both teams made all their scores in the fourth quarter.
The San Francisco 49ers defeated San Diego Chargers by 49-26 and became the first to win five Super Bowl titles.
41. Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII is often called the “Gruden Bowl” and “Pirate Bowl.” It was the league’s best offense, Oakland Raiders, versus the league’s best defense, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The defense won over the offense, and the Buccaneers became the champion with a 48-21 score.
42. Super Bowl XII
Super Bowl XII featured Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos. The Cowboys’ defense dominated the whole game, and Broncos had little opportunity to score.
It was the first, and only time two players won the Super Bowl MVP. The Cowboys became the champions with a 27-10 score.
43. Super Bowl XXXIII
The defending Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos entered Super Bowl XXXIII against Atlanta Falcons.
The Broncos successfully defended the championship with a 34-19 score.
44. Super Bowl VI
The Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins faced off in the coldest Super Bowl ever. The Cowboys dominated the whole game and set several Super Bowl records.
The Cowboys became the Super Bowl VI champion with a 24-3 score.
45. Super Bowl XXVI
The Super Bowl XXVI featured the Washington Redskins and the Buffalo Bills.
Both teams had finished the regular season with the best records, but the Redskins came on top and defeated the Bills with a score of 37-24.
46. Super Bowl LV
The Super Bowl LV was held with limited seating due to COVID-19 protocols. The game featured Kansas City Chiefs versus Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The game had a record eight penalties for 95 yards in the first half. The Chiefs lost the match by double-digits to the Buccaneers.
47. Super Bowl VIII
Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings fought to grab the title of Super Bowl VIII. The Dolphins dominated the whole game to score 24 unanswered points in the first three quarters.
The Vikings cut the score deficit by 7, but the Dolphins took home the championship with a 24-7 win.
48. Super Bowl XXII
The Super Bowl XXII was the first game to be won by the first African American starting quarterback, Dough Willams.
The Washington Redskins stood victorious against Denver Broncos with a 42-10 score.
49. Super Bowl XVIII
The Super Bowl XVIII featured the Los Angeles Raiders and Washington Redskins competing for the title.
The Redskins were the defending champions, but eventually, the Raiders defeated them by a 38-9 score.
50. Super Bowl XXXV
The game is best known for being the seventh Super Bowl game with the largest margin of victory. Super Bowl XXXV featured Baltimore Ravens and New York Giants.
The Ravens defeated the Giants by a massive 34-7 score.
51. Super Bowl XLVIII
The Seattle Seahawks versus Denver Broncos made a record as the third-largest margin of victory in the Super Bowl. The Seahawks led the game by 22-0 at halftime.
The Broncos lost the Super Bowl XLVIII title by 43-8.
52. Super Bowl I
Next, we have the first Super Bowl featuring the Kansas City Chief and Green Bay Packers. The Packers won the game with a 35-10 score.
The game’s outcome was already expected by many fans and sportswriters who argued that the team older than the NFL was vastly superior.
53. Super Bowl XX
The Super Bowl XX commemorated the 20th Super Bowl, where previous Super Bowl MVPs were honored. The New England Patriots and Chicago Bears fought for the title.
At the time, the Patriots broke the record for the quickest lead. However, the Bears won the champions with a vast difference of 46-10.
54. Super Bowl II
The second Super Bowl in the league is considered one of the worst games where the Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers faced off each other.
Similar to the first game, the result was expected. The team in NFL was already vastly superior to the AFL team, and the Packers won the title with a 33-14 margin.
55. Super Bowl XXVII
Super Bowl XXVII, which featured Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills, is considered one of the worst in NFL history.
The Bills became the first team to lose three consecutive Super Bowls after the Cowboys won with a 52-17 score.
56. Super Bowl XXIV
Considered one of the worst Super Bowl games, Super Bowl XXIV is the worst game on our ranking. It is the most lopsided in the history of the Super Bowl.
The San Francisco 49ers won the championship against the Broncos with a 55-10 score. The difference remains the largest in total offense yardage in Super Bowl.
Conclusion
So this was our ranking of every Super Bowl from best to worst. Do let us know which one, in your opinion, is the best and which one is the worst!
