The Super Bowl is the final game of the NFL playoffs, pitting the winner of the American Football Conference against the winner of the National Football Conference. The NFL championship is decided in a single game. The winning team gains the Vince Lombardi trophy, signifying the best football team in the United States.
Origin and Growth
In 1966, the American Football League merged with the National Football League to form the modern NFL. Out of this merger came the Super Bowl. The first Super Bowl was played in 1967, and the Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 35-10, in front to 60 million television viewers. Green Bay repeated as Super Bowl champion the following year. Some 106 million viewers watches Super Bowl XLV in 2010, making it the top-rated telecast in U.S. television history, according to the Huffington Post..
Records
As of 2010, the Pittsburgh Steelers had won six Super Bowls, more than any other team. The Dallas Cowboys hold the record for the most Super Bowl appearances at eight. The San Francisco 49ers beat the Denver Broncos, 55-10, to win Super Bowl XXIV, setting records for most points scored, most touchdowns and highest margin of victory. The 49ers have won all five of their Super Bowl appearances.
Best and Worst Teams
The best team ever to play in the Super Bowl may have been the 1989 San Francisco 49ers, who thrashed the Denver Broncos, 55-10. Another leading candidate might be the 1985 Chicago Bears, who finished the season 15-1 after defeating the New England Patriots, 46-10. The 1972 Miami Dolphins were the only undefeated team to win the Super Bowl. The Dolphines finished 13-0, but won all three playoff games by a touchdown or less, according to ESPN.com. Among the worst Super Bowl Teams, the 1979 Los Angeles Rams finished the regular season at 7-6, and lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl. More recently, the 2008 Arizona Cardinals finished the regular season at 9-7, also losing to the Steelers in the Super Bowl.
Interesting Facts
The Super Bowl has never had a shotout. Three teams have lost four Super Bowls -- the Denver Broncos, the Buffalo Bills and the Minnesota Vikings. Among those teams, only Minnesota failed to lead a Super Bowl game at any point. The Super Bowl has not featured dramatic comebacks, either. No team has ever come back from more than 10 points behind to win.
Member Comments