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it holds lots of soup!
:'''''Note:''' This article provides general information on the Super Bowl. For the Super Bowl game played on [[February 5]], [[2006]], see [[Super Bowl XL]].''
[[Image:Vince_Lombardi_Trophy.jpg|right|thumb|150px|The winning Super Bowl team receives the [[Vince Lombardi Trophy]].]]

In professional [[American football]], the '''Super Bowl''' is the championship game of the [[National Football League]] (NFL) in the [[United States]]. The game and its ancillary festivities constitute '''Super Bowl Sunday''' (sometimes "'''Super Sunday'''"), which over the years has almost become a ''[[de facto]]'' American national holiday.

The game began in January [[1967 in sports|1967]] as the '''AFL-NFL World Championship Game''' in which the NFL championship team played against the champion of the younger, rival [[American Football League]] (AFL) for the "World Championship of Professional Football". After both leagues merged in [[1970 NFL season|1970]], the Super Bowl became the NFL's championship game. Since then, the game has been played annually on a Sunday following the playoffs, originally early to mid-January, then late January, and in 2002, the first Sunday in February.

The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched American [[television]] broadcasts of the year, attracting many companies to spend millions of dollars on [[television commercial|commercial]]s. This has caused the starting time of the game to be pushed back later and later, to ensure the Sunday night [[prime time]] audience on the East Coast. The last true day game (which ended before local sunset) of the series was [[Super Bowl XI]] in January [[1977]].

In addition, many popular singers and musicians have performed during the Super Bowl's pre-game and [[halftime show|halftime]] ceremonies. This is the largest U.S. food consumption day next to Thanksgiving.

==History==
===Origins===
The Super Bowl was created as part of the [[AFL-NFL Merger|merger agreement]] between the [[National Football League]] (NFL) and its rival, the [[American Football League]] (AFL). After its inception in 1920, the NFL fended off several rival leagues before the AFL began play in 1960. The intense competitive war for players and fans led to serious merger talks between the two leagues in 1966.

One of the conditions of the [[AFL-NFL Merger]] was that the winners of each league's championship game would meet in a contest to determine the "world champion of football". During the discussions to iron out the details, AFL founder and [[Kansas City Chiefs]] owner [[Lamar Hunt]] had jokingly referred to the proposed interleague championship as the "Super Bowl." Hunt thought of the name after seeing his daughter playing with a toy called a [[Super Ball]]. The ball is now on display at the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in [[Canton, Ohio]]. The name was feasible because postseason [[college football]] games had long been known as "[[bowl game]]s" (the term originates from the [[Rose Bowl Game]], which was in turn named for the [[Rose Bowl (stadium)|bowl-shaped stadium]] in which it is played). Hunt only meant his suggested name to be a stopgap until a better one could be found. Not having thought of one, the owners named the contest the '''AFL-NFL World Championship Game'''. Not surprisingly, fans and media tended to use the shorter, unofficial name. Starting with the third contest in January 1969, the name "Super Bowl" became official.

After the NFL's [[Green Bay Packers]] convincingly won the first two Super Bowls, some team owners feared for the future of the merger, since many doubted that AFL teams could compete with their NFL counterparts. That all changed with perhaps the biggest upset in American sports history, the AFL's [[New York Jets]] defeat of the [[Baltimore Colts]] in [[Super Bowl III]] in Miami. One year later, the [[American Football League]]'s [[Kansas City Chiefs]] defeated the NFL [[Minnesota Vikings]] 23-7 and won [[Super Bowl IV]] in New Orleans, the last World Championship game played between the champions of two leagues.

When the NFL and AFL merged into one combined league for the [[1970 NFL season|1970 season]], three NFL teams joined the 10 AFL teams to form the [[American Football Conference]] (AFC), and the other 13 teams became the [[National Football Conference]] (NFC). Since then, the Super Bowl has featured the champions of the AFC and NFC. As of [[Super Bowl XL]], former AFL teams have won 11 Super Bowls, pre-1970 NFL teams have won 23 games, and two games have been won by teams created after 1970.

The NFL commissioner at that time, [[Pete Rozelle]], is often considered the mastermind of both the merger and the Super Bowl. His leadership guided them into the merger agreement and cemented the preeminence of the Super Bowl. The game remains his crowning achievement and was an important factor in him being selected by [[Time Magazine]] as one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century.

The winning team gets the [[Vince Lombardi Trophy]], named for the coach of the [[Green Bay Packers]], who won the first two Super Bowl games. Following his death in September [[1970]], the trophy was named the Vince Lombardi Trophy, first awarded at [[Super Bowl V]] in Miami.

===Television coverage===
By any measure, the Super Bowl is one of the most watched television programs of the year. The game tends to have high [[Nielsen Ratings|Nielsen television ratings]] which usually come in around a 40 rating and 60 share (''i.e.,'' on average, 40 percent of all U.S. households, and 60 percent of all homes tuned into television during the game). This means that on average, 80 to 90 million [[United States|Americans]] are tuned into the Super Bowl at any given moment. It is also estimated that 130-140 million tune into some part of the game.

There is a popular [[urban myth]] regarding the Super Bowl — that the game is watched in 234 countries by 1 billion people [http://voanews.com/english/2006-02-03-voa5.cfm], a fact unlikely to be true considering the time of the event, and the lack of popularity American Football has outside of the United States. In actual fact, [[Super Bowl XXXIX]] in 2005 was watched by 93 million viewers in total, of which 98 percent were in North America [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/steve_rushin/02/03/rushin0206/]. Approximately half of the remaining 2 million worldwide viewers watched from the [[United Kingdom]]. [http://www.nfleurope.com/news/archive/02062003_sb]

The highest rated game according to Nielsen was [[Super Bowl XVI]] in 1982 which was watched in 49.1% of households (73 share) or 40,020,000 households at the time. Super Bowl XVI is #4 on Nielsen's list of top-rated programs of all time, and 3 other Super Bowls (XII, XVII, XX) made the top 10. [http://history.acusd.edu/gen/recording/tv-toprated.html] Although the proliferation of cable and satellite television has undercut broadcast ratings somewhat in recent years, the game is still so popular that a number of networks actually schedule original programming, such as independently produced halftime entertainment, during the game, simply to take advantage of a large audience already in front of the television.

Following [[Apple Computer]]'s [[1984 (television commercial)|1984 commercial]] introducing the [[Apple Macintosh]] computer, directed by [[Ridley Scott]], the broadcast of the Super Bowl became the premier showcase for [[high concept]] or simply extravagantly expensive commercials. Famous commercial campaigns include the [[Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)|Budweiser]] "Bud Bowl" campaign, and the 1999 and 2000 [[dot-com]] ads. Prices have increased each year, with reports citing a record $2.5 million (US) for a 30 second spot during [[Super Bowl XL]] in 2006. Many people tune in to the Super Bowl solely to watch [[Advertising in the Super Bowl|the very creative commercials.]]

In recent years, the NFL has denied the [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]] Convention and Visitors Authority the opportunity to run Super Bowl ads for the city as a tourist destination. The ban includes the game, as well as the pre-game and post-game shows. Many groups are denied the chance to run Super Bowl ads on various grounds, but Las Vegas is the only city to be denied in such a fashion; the NFL has stated that it does not want the Super Bowl to be associated with the perception of Las Vegas as a gambling mecca. If the television show ''[[Las Vegas (TV series)|Las Vegas]]'' stays on the air when [[National Broadcasting Company|NBC]] gets their next Super Bowl Broadcast (which will be [[Super Bowl XLIII]] in 2009), they may not be allowed to promote the series during the entire block of programming. [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2005-08-04-las-vegas-ads_x.htm]

====Coverage by American television networks====
{{main|List of Super Bowl broadcasters}}
:''Includes future games.''
{| class="wikitable"
!Network || Games || Games covered
|-
|[[NBC]] || 17 || [[Super Bowl I|I]], [[Super Bowl III|III]], [[Super Bowl V|V]], [[Super Bowl VII|VII]], [[Super Bowl IX|IX]], [[Super Bowl XI|XI]], [[Super Bowl XIII|XIII]], [[Super Bowl XV|XV]], [[Super Bowl XVII|XVII]], [[Super Bowl XX|XX]], [[Super Bowl XXIII|XXIII]], [[Super Bowl XXVII|XXVII]], [[Super Bowl XXVIII|XXVIII]], [[Super Bowl XXX|XXX]], [[Super Bowl XXXII|XXXII]], ''[[Super Bowl XLIII|XLIII]]'', ''[[Super Bowl XLVI|XLVI]]''
|-
|[[CBS]] || 17 || [[Super Bowl I|I]], [[Super Bowl II|II]], [[Super Bowl IV|IV]], [[Super Bowl VI|VI]], [[Super Bowl VIII|VIII]], [[Super Bowl X|X]], [[Super Bowl XII|XII]], [[Super Bowl XIV|XIV]], [[Super Bowl XVI|XVI]], [[Super Bowl XVIII|XVIII]], [[Super Bowl XXI|XXI]], [[Super Bowl XXIV|XXIV]], [[Super Bowl XXVI|XXVI]], [[Super Bowl XXXV|XXXV]], [[Super Bowl XXXVIII|XXXVIII]], ''[[Super Bowl XLI|XLI]]'', ''[[Super Bowl XLIV|XLIV]]''
|-
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] || 7 || [[Super Bowl XIX|XIX]], [[Super Bowl XXII|XXII]], [[Super Bowl XXV|XXV]], [[Super Bowl XXIX|XXIX]], [[Super Bowl XXXIV|XXXIV]], [[Super Bowl XXXVII|XXXVII]], [[Super Bowl XL|XL]]
|-
|[[Fox Broadcasting Company|FOX]] || 6 || [[Super Bowl XXXI|XXXI]], [[Super Bowl XXXIII|XXXIII]], [[Super Bowl XXXVI|XXXVI]], [[Super Bowl XXXIX|XXXIX]], ''[[Super Bowl XLII|XLII]]'', ''[[Super Bowl XLV|XLV]]''
|}

The television network showing the game changes from year to year. In the United States it is currently shared among three of the four major television networks: [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], [[CBS]], and [[Fox Broadcasting Company|FOX]]. [[Super Bowl XXXVIII]] was shown on CBS, [[Super Bowl XXXIX]] was shown on FOX, and [[Super Bowl XL]] was shown on ABC, which will be the final NFL game broadcast on that network for the foreseeable future.

With the new television contracts beginning in 2006, [[NBC]], which last telecast [[Super Bowl XXXII]] in 1998, will take ABC's place in the network rotation starting with [[Super Bowl XLIII]] in 2009.

===Entertainment===
Because of the large number of viewers that the Super Bowl generates, a number of popular singers and musicians have performed during its pregame ceremonies, the [[halftime show]], or even just singing the national anthem of the United States, "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]". [[Super Bowl XL]] in 2006 featured [[Stevie Wonder]], [[Joss Stone]], and [[John Legend]] during the pregame ceremonies; [[Aaron Neville]], [[Aretha Franklin]], and [[Dr. John]] performed the national anthem; and [[The Rolling Stones]] played during the halftime show.

In [[2004]], it was during halftime at [[Super Bowl XXXVIII]] that [[Janet Jackson]] had her now-infamous [[wardrobe malfunction]] after [[Justin Timberlake]] "accidentally" ripped off a piece of her top, exposing her right breast with a star-like ring surrounding the nipple. Many conspiracy theorists think that this was done intentionally to get everyone's attention, possibly so that Janet could get the attention away from her brother [[Michael Jackson]], who was facing child molestation charges at the time. It also didn't help matters that the game was airing on [[CBS]], and their then-corporate sister company within [[Viacom]], [[MTV]], produced the halftime show. The NFL, embarrassed from the incident, permanently banned MTV from doing another halftime show in any capacity. This also led to the [[FCC]] cracking down on [[indecency]] and fining CBS $225,000 for the incident, as well as fining each of CBS's then twenty owned and operated stations.

===Venue===
The location of the Super Bowl is chosen by the NFL well in advance, usually 3 to 5 years before the game. Cities compete to host the game in a selection bidding process similar to ones used by the [[Olympic Games]] and soccer's [[Football World Cup|World Cup]].

Over half of the Super Bowls have been played in one of the following three cities: [[New Orleans, Louisiana]] (9 times), [[Miami, Florida]] (8 times) and the [[Greater Los Angeles Area]] (7 total, 5 times at [[Pasadena, California|Pasadena]]'s [[Rose Bowl (stadium)|Rose Bowl stadium]] and twice at the [[Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum]]). Miami has been selected to host two future games: [[Super Bowl XLI]] in 2007 and [[Super Bowl XLIV]] in 2010. After [[Hurricane Katrina]] damaged the [[Louisiana Superdome]] and the city, the game might never return to New Orleans. The last time the Los Angeles area hosted the game was [[Super Bowl XXVII]] in 1993; the area is currently not considered a possible venue after the league's two teams vacated the city in 1995: the [[Oakland Raiders|Raiders]] moved back to [[Oakland, California]], and the [[St. Louis Rams|Rams]] moved to [[St. Louis, Missouri]].

Coincidentally, no NFL team has ever played the Super Bowl on its own home turf. However, [[Super Bowl XIV]] (which involved the then-[[St. Louis Rams|Los Angeles Rams]]) was played at nearby Pasadena's Rose Bowl stadium; and [[Super Bowl XIX]] (which involved the [[San Francisco 49ers]]) was played at the nearby [[Stanford Stadium]] on the [[Stanford University]] campus in [[Palo Alto, California|Palo Alto]]. Neither of these stadiums has ever been a home to an NFL team.

A potential venue currently must meet these qualifications in order to be a Super Bowl host: {{citation needed}}
*Average high temperature of at least 50 degrees in February
*Stadium with greater than 70,000 seats
*Space for 10 photo trailers and 40 television trucks
*600,000 square feet of exhibit space for fan events
*Large, high-end hotel for teams and NFL
*50,000 square feet of space for news media ("Radio Row")
*Enough "quality" hotel rooms within a one-hour drive for 35% of the stadium's capacity
*Separate practice facilities for each team
*250 buses for NFL use
*Three golf courses for the NFL's annual charity golf tournament

Exceptions are at the discretion of the NFL. For instance, cruise ships made up the discrepancy in hotel rooms for [[Jacksonville, FL|Jacksonville]] in [[Super Bowl XXXIX]] and cold-weather cities such as [[Minneapolis]] and [[Detroit]] have been awarded Super Bowls because the stadium had a roof.

The designated "[[home team]]" alternates between the NFC team in odd-numbered years (the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] in [[Super Bowl XXXIX|2005]]), and the AFC team in even-numbered years (the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] in [[Super Bowl XL|2006]]). The home team is given the choice of either wearing their colored [[Jersey (clothing)|jerseys]] or their white ones; this started with [[Super Bowl XIII]]. Prior to that, the home team always wore the dark jerseys. The [[Dallas Cowboys]] wore their rarely used blue uniform tops in [[Super Bowl V]], and lost to the then-[[Indianapolis Colts|Baltimore Colts]], which has led to the widely held belief that the Cowboys do not play well in their blue shirts. While most home teams in the Super Bowl choose to wear their colored jerseys, only the Cowboys in [[Super Bowl XIII|XIII]] and [[Super Bowl XXVII|XXVII]], the [[Washington Redskins]] in [[Super Bowl XVII|XVII]], and the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] in [[Super Bowl XL]] have worn white as the home team.

===Trivia===
* The Super Bowl uses [[Roman numerals]] to identify each game, rather than the year it was held. The [[NFL]] season spreads over two calendar years, so identifying the games by the year of the Super Bowl could cause some confusion. For example, the [[New England Patriots]], winners of [[Super Bowl XXXIX]] are the champions of the [[2004 NFL season]], even though the championship game was played in February 2005.
* In 1994, the 49ers became the first team to wear a [[throwback uniform|throwback jersey]] during the Super Bowl. Since it was the league's 75th season, every team wore a throwback jersey during the season and San Francisco decided to continue to wear their jerseys all the way through the playoffs and into [[Super Bowl XXIX]]. The jerseys they wore paid tribute to the 1957 team.
* In 2000, the [[St. Louis Rams]] were the first NFL team who plays their home games in a fully enclosed stadium, the [[Edward Jones Dome]], to win the Super Bowl.
* In the months leading up to [[Super Bowl XXX]] (or Super Bowl ''Thirty''), some Internet [[proxy server]]s were blocking the web site for the upcoming event. Many [[proxy server]]s' [[internet filter|filters]] were configured to block the [[text string]] "[[XXX]]" whenever occurring to prevent access to [[pornography]]. As a result, additional settings were necessary to grant exceptions for other uses of "XXX".
* [[Super Bowl XXXVI]] was originally scheduled to be played on [[January 27]], [[2002]]. But the game was moved back one week to [[February 3]], [[2002]] because of the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]]. This was the first Super Bowl to be played in February. With the exception of [[Super Bowl XXXVII]] on [[January 26]], [[2003]], all of the succeeding Super Bowls have been scheduled for February. Also, because of the attacks, the Super Bowl is now a [[National Special Security Event]] (NSSE).
* Super Bowl XXXVI was also the first Super Bowl to be decided by a score on the last play of the game. The winning play was a 48-yard field goal kicked by [[Adam Vinatieri]] of the [[New England Patriots]] to lift them to a 20-17 victory over the [[St. Louis Rams]].
* [[Super Bowl XXXIX]] was the first such game to be tied after three quarters of play.
* The [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] were the first [[American Football Conference|AFC]] team to ever win a Super Bowl ([[Super Bowl XL|XL]]) that was broadcast on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] (The NFC is currently 6-1). Previously, the closest an AFC team had come to winning the Super Bowl on that network was when the [[Buffalo Bills]] lost to the [[New York Giants]] 20-19 in [[Super Bowl XXV]].
* The NFC won 13 Super Bowls in a row from 1985 to 1997, starting with [[Super Bowl XIX]]. The AFC broke the streak in 1998 in [[Super Bowl XXXII]] when [[Denver Broncos|Denver]] beat the defending champion [[Green Bay Packers|Packers]].
* The last Super Bowl to start at 3:30 p.m. [[North American Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern Standard Time]] was [[Super Bowl XI]] which was played in Pasadena. This is also the last Super Bowl which was played outside to not end in [[dusk]]. Since the early 1980s Super Bowls have been starting at around 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The kickoff has been since moved back to 6:30 p.m. Eastern starting with [[Super Bowl XXXVII]].
* Overall, nine teams have advanced to the Super Bowl after entering the playoffs as [[wild card (sports)|wild card]] teams (teams that entered the playoffs without winning its [[Division (sport)|division]]). They include the [[Kansas City Chiefs]] in [[Super Bowl IV]], the [[Dallas Cowboys]] in [[Super Bowl X]], the [[Oakland Raiders]] in [[Super Bowl XV]], the [[New England Patriots]] in [[Super Bowl XX]], the [[Buffalo Bills]] in [[Super Bowl XXVII]], the [[Denver Broncos]] in [[Super Bowl XXXII]], the [[Tennessee Titans]] in [[Super Bowl XXXIV]], the [[Baltimore Ravens]] in [[Super Bowl XXXV]], and the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]], the only sixth-seeded team to make it, in [[Super Bowl XL]]. Wild card teams are 5-4 in the Super Bowl, with the Chiefs, Raiders, Broncos, Ravens, and Steelers winning their respective games.
* Super Bowl Indicator, an indicator based on the belief that a Super Bowl win for a team from the old AFL (AFC division) foretells a decline in the stock market for the coming year, and that a win for a team from the old NFL (NFC division) means the stock market will be up for the year. This indicator has been surprisingly accurate (around 85% correct) over the past years
* The infamous [[I'm Going to Disney World!|"I'm Going to Disney World!"]] [[Advertising campaign]] did not take place at [[Super Bowl XXXIX]] for the first time since it started at [[Super Bowl XXI]], although Disney did run an ad several times during the game showing several players from both teams practicing the catch-phrase.

====Post-Super Bowl loss jinx====
Commentators and sports analysts note a tendency for teams that have made it to the Super Bowl and lost, to collapse the following season. The season after a Super Bowl loss, a team usually returns with a losing, or mediocre at best, record. This effect can be traced to the loss of momentum a team has built up, accumulating injuries, losing successful free agents between seasons, and the aging of talented players.

There are notable exceptions to this pattern, such as the [[Buffalo Bills]] who went to the Super Bowl and lost four years in a row, from [[Super Bowl XXV|XXV]] to [[Super Bowl XXVIII|XXVIII]].

The most recent is the [[Philadelphia Eagles]], who lost [[Super Bowl XXXIX]] to the [[New England Patriots]] in the 2004 season (played on [[February 6]], [[2005]]), who posted a 6 wins, 10 losses, no ties record in [[2005 NFL season|the 2005 season]]. The worst scenario was with the [[Oakland Raiders]]. Following their 48-21 loss to the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] in [[2003]], the Raiders posted a 4 wins, 12 losses, no ties record in the [[2003 NFL season]], the worst post-Super Bowl record, and as of the end of the [[2005 NFL season]], have not recovered.

==Game history==
{{see|List of Super Bowl champions}}
[[Image:Stamp-ctc-first-super-bowl.jpg|right|thumb|150px|The first Super Bowl was played in 1967, as commemorated by this stamp issued in 1999 by the United States Postal Service featuring the ticket for that first game.]]

===Notable Super Bowl games===
{{POV-section}}
* [[Super Bowl I]]: In the first matchup of the AFL and NFL champions, the NFL's [[Green Bay Packers]], led by coach [[Vince Lombardi]] and [[quarterback]] [[Bart Starr]], defeat the Kansas City Chiefs, 35-10. The Packers outscore the Chiefs 21-0 in the second half after struggling in the first half. Only 61,946 attend the game at the [[Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum]], making it the only non-sellout Super Bowl. The game is also notable as it was broadcast on both [[NBC]] and [[CBS]].
* [[Super Bowl III]]: Speaking to the press in the week before the game, [[New York Jets]] quarterback [[Joe Namath|"Broadway" Joe Namath]] guarantees a victory over the [[Baltimore Colts]]. The Jets defeat the Colts, 16-7.
* [[Super Bowl VII]]: Coach [[Don Shula]] and the [[Miami Dolphins]] complete the only undefeated season in NFL history, defeating the [[Washington Redskins]] 14-7.
* [[Super Bowl XIII]]: The [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] defeat the [[Dallas Cowboys]] 35-31 in the second Super Bowl matchup between the two teams. This game decided which of these two teams would be the first NFL team to win three Super Bowls. It marks one of the Steelers' four Super Bowl titles obtained during the 1970s.

* [[Super Bowl XVII]]: After the spending the entire game trailing the [[Miami Dolphins]], the [[Washington Redskins]] were faced with fourth down and one to go on Miami 42 yard line. In the fourth quarter, in one of the most dramatic runs in Super Bowl history, MVP John Riggins ran for the first down, broke a tackle from Miami cornerback Don McNeal and ran 43 yards for a touchdown giving the Redskins a lead they never relinquished

* [[Super Bowl XX]]: After the [[New England Patriots]] (in their first Super Bowl) take a 3-0 lead on a [[field goal]], the [[Chicago Bears]] (also in their first SB) played dominant offense and defense to take the game 46-10. MVP Richard Dent led a Bears defense that limited New England to 7 rushing yards.
* [[Super Bowl XXI]]: [[New York Giants]] quarterback [[Phil Simms]] completes 22 of 25 passing attempts, including all 10 of his attempts in the second half as New York defeats Denver 39-20. Simms is the games MVP with a Super Bowl completion record of 88.0%.
* [[Super Bowl XXII]]: [[Washington Redskins]] after trailing 10-0 MVP quarterback [[Doug Williams]], the first African-American quarterback to start a Superbowl, throws for 4 touchdowns in one quarter which leads to a 42 unanswered points and a rout of Denver.
* [[Super Bowl XXIII]]: [[San Francisco 49ers]] quarterback [[Joe Montana]] leads a 92 yard fourth quarter drive, as the 49ers score the game-winning touchdown with 34 seconds left and defeat the [[Cincinnati Bengals]] 20-16.
* [[Super Bowl XXIV]]: The [[San Francisco 49ers]] defeat the [[Denver Broncos]] 55-10, the largest margin of victory in Super Bowl history. The 55 points are the most scored by any team in a Super Bowl. As a result of this game, Joe Montana, San Francisco's quarterback became the first player to ever win three Superbowl MVPs.
* [[Super Bowl XXV]]: As time expires, the [[Buffalo Bills]]' [[Scott Norwood]] attempts a 47-yard field goal but misses wide to the right, and the [[New York Giants]] win 20-19. A game with no turnovers by either team and only one 5 yard penalty, it remains the only Super Bowl to be decided by a single point.
* [[Super Bowl XXX]]: The [[Dallas Cowboys]] make a record 8th Super Bowl appearance, winning 27-17 over the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]], and become the first NFL team to win 3 Super Bowls in a 4 year span. The victory also tied the Cowboys with the [[San Francisco 49ers]] for the most Super Bowl victories (5). The Cowboys' [[Charles Haley]] became the first player to win 5 Super Bowls, after winning two with San Francisco (XXIII and XXIV) and two with Dallas (XXVII and XXVIII). Shades of Super Bowl XIII, this game decided which of these two teams would be the first to win five Super Bowls and thus be the second NFL team to do so.
* [[Super Bowl XXXII]]: After four superbowl losses, the [[Denver Broncos]] win their first title, defeating the defending champion [[Green Bay Packers]] 31-24 and becoming the first AFC Super Bowl champion in 14 years. Denver will also win the Super Bowl XXXIII against Atlanta.
* [[Super Bowl XXXIV]]: In a classic game, the [[Tennessee Titans]], down 16-0 to the [[St. Louis Rams]], rallied behind [[quarterback]] Steve McNair and [[running back]] Eddie George to tie the game at 16-16. After the Rams score a 73 yard touchdown to lead 23-16, the Titans drive, and in a close finish, [[wide receiver]] [[Kevin Dyson]] catches a short pass but is tackled by linebacker Mike Jones at the 1 yard line as he stretches for the end zone with no time left on the clock, and the Rams hold on to win 23-16.
* [[Super Bowl XXXVI]]: [[Placekicker]] [[Adam Vinatieri]] kicks a 48-yard field goal as time expires to lift the [[New England Patriots]] to a 20-17 victory over the Rams, and the first of 3 Super Bowl wins in four years. Two years later, Vinatieri would kick another game-winning field goal at the end of [[Super Bowl XXXVIII]] to defeat the [[Carolina Panthers]].
* [[Super Bowl XXXIX]]: The [[New England Patriots]] win their third Super Bowl in four years when they defeat the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] 24-21 in [[Jacksonville, Florida]]. All three of New England's Super Bowl victories have been decided by three points. The Eagles had a chance to win the game on their final drive, but a New England interception ended the game.
* [[Super Bowl XL]]: The [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] win over the [[Seattle Seahawks]]. This was the first Super Bowl appearance for the Seahawks. Firsts for the Steelers included: first AFC team to win five Super Bowls; first sixth seed to advance to the Super Bowl; first winners not to get a first down in the first quarter; and first [[AFC]] team to win a Super Bowl aired by the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]. [[Ben Roethlisberger]] became the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl. Completing 9 of 21 passes for 123 yards with 2 interceptions, his passer rating (22.6) was the lowest of any winning quarterback. Steelers head coach, [[Bill Cowher]], won his first Super Bowl.


===Trends===
Super Bowl wins and losses tend to cluster around a few head coaches. Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers won the first two. [[Don Shula]] coached two different teams: a loss with the [[Baltimore Colts]] and two wins and three losses with the [[Miami Dolphins]]. [[Tom Landry]] also coached two winners and three losers with the [[Dallas Cowboys]]. [[Chuck Noll]] won four in the 1970's with the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]]. [[Bill Walsh]] won three with the [[San Francisco 49ers]]. [[Joe Gibbs]] also won three Super Bowls with the [[Washington Redskins]]. And recently, [[Bill Belichick]] won three with the Patriots.

[[Don Shula]], [[Bill Parcells]], [[Dan Reeves]], [[Dick Vermeil]], and [[Mike Holmgren]] all took more than one team to the Super Bowl. [[Bud Grant]] coached four Vikings losses in the 1970s, [[Marv Levy]] coached four consecutive losses with the [[Buffalo Bills]] in the 1990s, and [[Dan Reeves]] coached four losses between two teams (three with the [[Denver Broncos]] and one with the [[Atlanta Falcons]]).

==Super Bowl appearances==
{| class="wikitable"
!Num!!Team!!W!!L!!PCT!!Notes
|-
|align="center"|8||[[Dallas Cowboys]]||align="center"|5||align="center"|3||align="right"|.625||
|-
|align="center"|6||[[Pittsburgh Steelers]]||align="center"|5||align="center"|1||align="right"|.833||
|-
|align="center"|6||[[Denver Broncos]]||align="center"|2||align="center"|4||align="right"|.333 ||
|-
|align="center"|5||[[San Francisco 49ers]]||align="center"|5||align="center"|0||align="right"|1.000 ||
|-
|align="center"|5||[[Oakland Raiders]]||align="center"|3||align="center"|2||align="right"|.600||one win as [[Oakland Raiders|Los Angeles Raiders]]
|-
|align="center"|5||[[Washington Redskins]]||align="center"|3||align="center"|2||align="right"|.600||
|-
|align="center"|5||[[New England Patriots]]||align="center"|3||align="center"|2||align="right"|.600||
|-
|align="center"|5||[[Miami Dolphins]]||align="center"|2||align="center"|3||align="right"|.400||
|-
|align="center"|4||[[Green Bay Packers]]||align="center"|3||align="center"|1||align="right"|.750||
|-
|align="center"|4||[[Buffalo Bills]]||align="center"|0||align="center"|4||align="right"|.000||
|-
|align="center"|4||[[Minnesota Vikings]]||align="center"|0||align="center"|4||align="right"|.000||
|-
|align="center"|3||[[New York Giants]]||align="center"|2||align="center"|1||align="right"|.667||
|-
|align="center"|3||[[St. Louis Rams]]||align="center"|1||align="center"|2||align="right"|.333||one loss as [[St. Louis Rams|Los Angeles Rams]]
|-
|align="center"|2||[[Kansas City Chiefs]]||align="center"|1||align="center"|1||align="right"|.500||
|-
|align="center"|2||[[Indianapolis Colts|Baltimore Colts]]||align="center"|1||align="center"|1||align="right"|.500||now [[Indianapolis Colts]]
|-
|align="center"|2||[[Cincinnati Bengals]]||align="center"|0||align="center"|2||align="right"|.000||
|-
|align="center"|2||[[Philadelphia Eagles]]||align="center"|0||align="center"|2||align="right"|.000||
|-
|align="center"|1||[[Baltimore Ravens]]||align="center"|1||align="center"|0||align="right"|1.000||
|-
|align="center"|1||[[Chicago Bears]]||align="center"|1||align="center"|0||align="right"|1.000||
|-
|align="center"|1||[[New York Jets]]||align="center"|1||align="center"|0||align="right"|1.000||
|-
|align="center"|1||[[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]]||align="center"|1||align="center"|0||align="right"|1.000||
|-
|align="center"|1||[[Atlanta Falcons]]||align="center"|0||align="center"|1||align="right"|.000||
|-
|align="center"|1||[[Carolina Panthers]]||align="center"|0||align="center"|1||align="right"|.000||
|-
|align="center"|1||[[San Diego Chargers]]||align="center"|0||align="center"|1||align="right"|.000||
|-
|align="center"|1||[[Seattle Seahawks]]||align="center"|0||align="center"|1||align="right"|.000||
|-
|align="center"|1||[[Tennessee Titans]]||align="center"|0||align="center"|1||align="right"|.000||
|}

==Teams with no Super Bowl appearances==
*[[List of NFL champions|NFL league champions]] prior to [[Super Bowl I]]
**[[Arizona Cardinals]] - NFL champions in [[1925 NFL season|1925]] and [[1947 NFL season|1947]]
**[[Cleveland Browns]] - NFL championship in [[1950 NFL season|1950]], [[1954 NFL season|1954]], [[1955 NFL season|1955]], and [[1964 NFL season|1964]] <br><small>(This refers to the team that the league officially views as one continuous franchise that began in 1946 but suspended operations from 1996-1998, and resumed play in 1999.)</small>
**[[Detroit Lions]] - NFL championship in [[1935 NFL season|1935]], [[1952 NFL season|1952]], [[1953 NFL season|1953]], and [[1957 NFL season|1957]]

*[[Houston Texans]]
*[[Jacksonville Jaguars]]
*[[New Orleans Saints]]

==Super Bowl winners==
[[Image:Super_bowl_XI_ticket_and_ring.jpg|thumb|250px|right|The Super Bowl ring and ticket for [[Super Bowl XI]]. A Super Bowl ring is given to each member of the winning team to commemorate their Super Bowl victory.]]

:''Note: Ties are sorted in alphabetical order''
{|class="wikitable"
|5||[[Dallas Cowboys]]
|-
|5||[[Pittsburgh Steelers]]
|-
|5||[[San Francisco 49ers]]
|-
|3||[[Green Bay Packers]]
|-
|3||[[New England Patriots]]
|-
|3||[[Oakland Raiders]] (one win as [[Oakland Raiders|Los Angeles Raiders]])
|-
|3||[[Washington Redskins]]
|-
|2||[[Denver Broncos]]
|-
|2||[[Miami Dolphins]]
|-
|2||[[New York Giants]]
|-
|1||[[Baltimore Ravens]]
|-
|1||[[Chicago Bears]]
|-
|1||[[Indianapolis Colts]] (won as [[Baltimore Colts]])
|-
|1||[[Kansas City Chiefs]]
|-
|1||[[New York Jets]]
|-
|1||[[St. Louis Rams]]
|-
|1||[[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]]
|}

==See also==
* [[Super Bowl MVP]]
* [[National Football League championships]]
* [[List of National Football League franchise post-season droughts]]
* [[List of sporting events]]
* [[Super Bowl Halftime Shows]]
* [[National Football League lore]]
* [[carioca bowl|Carioca Bowl]]
* [[Advertising in the Super Bowl]]
* [[Grey Cup]] - [[Canadian Football League]]

==References==
* [http://www.superbowl.com/ Super Bowl's website]
* ''NFL Record and Fact Book''(ISBN 193299436X)
* ''Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League'' (ISBN 0062701746)
* ''The Sporting News Complete Super Bowl Book 1995'' (ISBN 089204523X)
* ''The Super Bowl: An Official Retrospective with DVD''. Ballantine Books, 2005 (ISBN 0345487192)
* MacCambridge, Michael. ''America's Game''. Random House, 2004. (ISBN 0375504540)
* http://www.pro-football-reference.com - Large online database of NFL data and statistics
*[http://nflhistory.net/ The NFL History Network] - includes a large database of historic NFL box scores
* Chris Jones (2 Feb 2005). "NFL tightens restrictions on Super Bowl advertisements". ''Las Vegas Review-Journal''.
* John Branch (4 Feb 2006). "Build It and They Will Come". ''New York Times''.
* [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/super/superbowl-plays.htm Super Bowl play-by-plays] from [[USA Today]] (Last accessed September 28, 2005)
* [http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.asp?c=sportsnetwork&page=nfl/superbowl/2005/superbowl-alltime-odds.htm All-Time Super Bowl Odds] from The Sports Network (Last accessed October 16, 2005)
*[http://espn.go.com/page2/s/superbowlmoments100.html 100 Greatest Super Bowl Moments] by Kevin Jackson, Jeff Merron, and David Schoenfield; espn.com (Last accessed October 31, 2005)
*[http://www.superbowl.com/history/rings Super Bowl Rings] A gallery of Super Bowl winners' Championship rings
*[http://sports.bestbetting.com/futures/nfl/superbowl-xl/winner Superbowl odds] Latest Odds from selection of sportsbooks

==External links==
*[http://www.mmbolding.com/BSR/Index.html Super Bowl Editorial Art and Graphics]
*{{dmoz|Sports/Football/American/NFL/Super_Bowl/|Super Bowl}}
*[http://medialit.med.sc.edu/super_bowl.htm Using Super Bowl Ads In The Classroom]


{{SuperBowl}}
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[[Category:American football competitions]]
[[Category:American football]]
[[Category:National Football League]]
[[Category:Super Bowl|**]]

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Revision as of 19:53, 8 February 2006

it holds lots of soup!

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