Super Bowl XXXII
Encyclopedia
Super Bowl XXXII was an American football
game played on January 25, 1998 at Qualcomm Stadium
in San Diego, California
to decide the National Football League
(NFL) champion following the 1997 regular season
. Qualcomm Stadium would also host the 1998 World Series
, becoming the only stadium to host the Super Bowl
and the World Series
in the same calendar year.
The American Football Conference
(AFC) champion Denver Broncos
(16–4) defeated the heavily favored National Football Conference
(NFC) champion and defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers
(15–4), 31–24. The Broncos' win was their first league championship after suffering four previous Super Bowl losses, and snapped a 13-game losing streak for AFC teams in the Super Bowl (the previous being the Los Angeles Raiders
win in Super Bowl XVIII
in 1984). The Broncos became just the second wild card
team to win a Super Bowl and the first since the Raiders in Super Bowl XV
. The Packers were the first team favored to win by double digits to lose a Super Bowl since Super Bowl III
.
Despite suffering a migraine headache that caused him to miss most of the second quarter, Denver running back Terrell Davis
(a San Diego native) was named Super Bowl MVP
. He ran for 157 yards, caught 2 passes for 8 yards, and scored a Super Bowl record three rushing touchdowns.
This was later featured on NFL's Greatest Games
as This One's for John.
. This was the second time San Diego hosted the game; the city previously hosted Super Bowl XXII
ten years earlier on January 31, 1988.
, XXI
, XXII
, and XXIV
. In all of those losses the Broncos never had the ability to rush well enough or score enough points to be competitive. Denver was blown out in each one, losing all 4 by a combined scoring margin of 163–50.
The last three Super Bowl losses were under starting quarterback John Elway
, whose ad-libbing skills enabled the Broncos to advance to the league's championship game in a span of 3 out of four seasons. Elway also led his team to the 1991 AFC Championship Game, but they lost in a defensive struggle to the Buffalo Bills
, 10–7.
The team's fortunes changed when Mike Shanahan
became head coach of the Broncos in 1995
. Shanahan was previously Denver's offensive coordinator
during those Super Bowl losses, but was fired in 1991
after a power struggle between him and then-head coach Dan Reeves
over the offensive personnel. Shanahan then served as the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers
from 1992
to 1994
, including the 49ers' Super Bowl XXIX
win. Under Shanahan, the San Francisco offense ranked first in the league in total yards gained for all three of his seasons there.
When Shanahan returned to the Broncos in 1995, he selected running back Terrell Davis
in the sixth round of the NFL Draft
. Davis became the cornerstone of Denver's rebuilt running game, leading the team with 1,117 rushing yards in just his rookie year. The Broncos finished the 1995 regular season with just an 8–8 record. By 1996
, the Broncos had the league's best offense, gaining 5,791 yards of total offense, and recorded the AFC's best regular season record at 13-3, but they were upset by the second-year Jacksonville Jaguars
, 30-27, in the playoffs.
During the 1997 regular season, the Broncos once again had the league's best offense with 5,872 total yards of offense, and led the league in total points scored with 472. Although they recorded a 12-4 regular season record, they finished in second place behind the 13-3 Kansas City Chiefs
in the AFC West
.
Pro Bowl
er Davis remained the team's leading rusher, recording 1,750 yards and 15 touchdowns, while also catching 42 passes for 287 yards. At 37 years old, Elway still posted a Pro Bowl season with 280 out of 502 completions for 3,635 yards, 27 touchdowns, with only 11 interceptions. He also rushed for 215 yards and another touchdown. Pro Bowl tight end Shannon Sharpe
led the team with 72 receptions for 1,107 yards. Wide receiver Rod Smith, who was not drafted by any NFL team and recorded only 22 receptions for 389 yards and 3 touchdowns in his 2 previous seasons, had a breakout year with 70 receptions for 1,180 yards and 12 touchdowns. Wide receiver Ed McCaffrey
, who played in Shanahan's 1994 49ers offense, recorded 45 receptions for 590 yards and 8 touchdowns. Denver's offensive line was led by seven-time Pro Bowl left tackle Gary Zimmerman
and Pro Bowl center Tom Nalen
.
On defense, the major acquisition to the team prior to the season was former Chiefs defensive lineman Neil Smith
. Smith had a Pro Bowl season for the 6th time in his career with 28 tackles and 8.5 sacks. Defensive end Alfred Williams
recorded 36 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery. The linebacking corps was led by veteran Bill Romanowski
, who had 55 tackles and 2 sacks, and John Mobley
, who led the team with 97 tackles while also recording 4 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 interception.
The secondary was led by veteran defensive backs Tyrone Braxton
, who led the team with 4 interceptions for 113 yards and 1 touchdown, and Steve Atwater
, who had 53 tackles, 1 sack, 2 fumble recoveries, and 2 interceptions for 42 yards and 1 touchdown. Defensive back Darrien Gordon
recorded 50 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 fumble recoveries, 4 interceptions, 64 return yards, and 1 touchdown. He also returned 40 punts for 543 yards and 3 touchdowns.
. They then repeated as NFC Central division champions, earning a 13–3 regular season record.
Quarterback Brett Favre
had another Pro Bowl season and became the first player ever to win the NFL MVP award three times, winning it for the third consecutive year. Favre lead the league with 35 passing touchdowns and completed 304 out of 513 attempts for 3,867 yards, with 16 interceptions, while ranking second on the team in rushing with 187 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver Antonio Freeman
led the team in receptions with 81 catches for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns. Wide receiver Robert Brooks
was also a major deep threat, catching 60 passes for 1,010 yards and 7 touchdowns. Pro Bowl tight end Mark Chmura
recorded 38 receptions for 417 yards and 6 touchdowns. Pro Bowl running back Dorsey Levens
led the team in rushing with 1,435 yards and 7 touchdowns, while also catching 53 passes for 373 yards and 5 touchdowns. Fullback William Henderson rushed for 113 yards and caught 41 passes for 367 yards and a touchdown.
On the Packers defense, the line was led by veteran Pro Bowler Reggie White
, who led the team with 11 sacks. Behind him, Santana Dotson
recorded 37 tackles and 5.5 sacks. In the secondary, Pro Bowl defensive back LeRoy Butler
led the team with 5 interceptions, while also adding 70 tackles. Safety Eugene Robinson
led the team with 74 tackles while also recording 2.5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, and 1 interception. Cornerback Mike Prior
recorded 4 interceptions while rookie Darren Sharper
recorded 2 of them, both of which he returned for touchdowns.
team but defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars
, 42–17, the Kansas City Chiefs
, 14–10, and the Pittsburgh Steelers
, 24–21, making Denver the fifth wild-card team to make it to the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the Packers were victorious against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
, 21–7, and the San Francisco 49ers
, 23–10.
Each player wore a Super Bowl logo patch on their jerseys
. This would become a regular practice in each Super Bowl since.
This would be the last even-numbered Super Bowl until Super Bowl XLIV
in which the game was played outdoors.
by NBC
, with play-by-play announcer Dick Enberg
and color commentator
s Phil Simms
and Paul Maguire
. Greg Gumbel
hosted all the events, and was joined by co-host Ahmad Rashad
and commentators Cris Collinsworth
, Sam Wyche
, and Joe Gibbs
. Following the game, NBC aired a special one-hour episode of 3rd Rock from the Sun
, which opened live at the game site with Gumbel playing himself before he was "attacked" by show star John Lithgow
.
This broadcast was the last for NBC as the AFC
network after 33 years (CBS
has held the AFC broadcast rights ever since), their last NFL broadcast overall until 2006
, when the they signed on to televise Sunday Night Football
, and their last Super Bowl broadcast until 2009 (Super Bowl XLIII
). This was also the last time Channel 4
in the UK
would show the Super Bowl - and their last NFL coverage until 2010 - after they had been showing the event since 1983 (Super Bowl XVII
). Only Sky Sports
would show it live until Channel 5 joined them in 2003 (Super Bowl XXXVII
). It was also the last Super Bowl to be telecast on a Televisa
-owned network in Mexico
until 2007. It was broadcast on Canal 5
. Televisa had aired the Super Bowl since Super Bowl XXII
in 1988, first on the Canal de las Estrellas
, and then on Canal 5. From 1999 to 2006 Azteca 7
would air the game. It also marked the last Super Bowl until 2007 for CTV
in Canada
after airing the NFL and the event since Super Bowl XVI
; from 1999 to 2006 the Super Bowl aired on the Global Television Network
. CTV had aired NFL football since 1970 and the Super Bowl since 1982 (Super Bowl XVI
).
and comedian
Phil Hartman
, celebrated the music and history of California. It featured performances by The 5th Dimension, Lee Greenwood
, and The Beach Boys
. Singer Jewel
later sang the National Anthem.
To honor the 10th anniversary of the Washington Redskins
' win in Super Bowl XXII
, the only other previous Super Bowl played in San Diego, the game's MVP Doug Williams
and former head coach Joe Gibbs participated during the coin toss
ceremony. They were joined by the recently retired, longtime college football
head coach Eddie Robinson, who ran the Grambling State University Tigers
football team from 1942 until 1997.
, Smokey Robinson
, Queen Latifah
, Martha Reeves
and The Temptations
.
returned the opening kickoff 19 yards to the Green Bay 24-yard line. On the third play of the drive, quarterback Brett Favre
kept the offense on the field by completing a 13-yard pass to Freeman on third down and 9. Then running back Dorsey Levens
rushed the ball on three consecutive plays, gaining 27 yards to advance to the Denver 35-yard line. Favre finished the drive with two completions to Freeman: the first one for 13 yards and the second one a 22-yard touchdown pass to give the Packers a 7–0 lead (the Packers were the third team to take the opening kickoff down the field and score a touchdown on that drive; the other two were Miami in Super Bowl VIII
and San Francisco in Super Bowl XXIX
).
The Broncos stormed right back with a touchdown of their own. Denver running back Vaughn Hebron
returned the ensuing kickoff 32 yards to their own 42-yard line. Denver then drove to the Green Bay 46-yard line. On third down, a holding penalty on Packers defensive back Doug Evans
nullified quarterback John Elway
's incompletion and gave the Broncos a first down. On the next play, running back Terrell Davis
ran the ball 27 yards to the 14-yard line. Then after a 2-yard run by Davis, Elway scrambled 10-yards to gain a first down at the 2-yard line. Two plays later, Davis capped off the 10-play, 58-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to tie the game (this was the first Super Bowl in which both teams scored TDs on their opening drives).
On the second play of the Packers next possession, Denver defensive back Tyrone Braxton
intecepted a pass from Favre at Green Bay's 45-yard line. Aided by 5 runs by Davis for 29 yards, the Broncos marched 45 yards to score on Elway's 1-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter, taking a 14–7 lead.
Elway's touchdown play involved a fake handoff to Davis, who was previously taken out of the game during the drive because the onset of a migraine headache after being inadverdantly tripped by Leroy Butler
had severely impaired his vision. But head coach Mike Shanahan
decided to send him into the game for the third down play, believing that the Packers would not be fooled by a fake handoff without Davis on the field. Davis later said his vision was so impaired that he was afraid Elway would call an audible at the line and try to hand him the ball. Despite his blurred vision, Davis perfectly executed the play and Green Bay defenders were fooled just enough to allow Elway to score. By the second half, Davis had taken migraine medication and his vision had returned to normal, allowing him to play the rest of the game.
On the Packers ensuing possession, Broncos safety Steve Atwater
forced a fumble while sacking Favre, and defensive end Neil Smith
recovered the ball on the Packers 33-yard line. Although the Broncos were unable to get a first down, kicker Jason Elam
made a 51-yard field goal, the second longest in Super Bowl history, to increase Denver's lead to 17-7. Both teams went three-and-out on their next possessions, and Denver punter Tom Rouen
's 47-yard kick planted Green Bay at their own 5-yard line with 7:38 left in the quarter. But Green Bay stormed down the field on their ensuing drive, marching 95 yards in 17 plays and scoring with Favre's 6-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mark Chmura
with just 12 seconds left in the half. Thus by halftime, the Broncos held onto a slim 17–14 lead.
's 27-yard field goal.
Green Bay kicked off once again and Denver's offense stalled, forcing a punt, giving the Packers good field position again near their 40 yard line. But for a third consecutive time, Denver's defense forced a "three and out." On the ensuing punt, again Denver's special teams was called for an offside penalty, giving Green Bay a fresh set of downs near midfield. Once again, Denver's defense forced a "three and out" for a fourth consecutive time. Marking back to back "six and outs" by Denver's defense to begin the second half to keep the score tied at 17–17.
Later in the quarter, Green Bay punter Craig Hentrich
's 51-yard kick pinned the Broncos back at their own 8-yard line. But the Packers defense could not stop Denver as they marched on a 13-play, 92-yard drive to regain the lead. Aided by a 36-yard reception by receiver Ed McCaffrey
, the Broncos advanced to the Green Bay 12-yard line. Then on third down, Elway scrambled for an 8-yard run and dove for the first down, a play in which he was hit so hard by two Packers defenders that he spun sideways through the air (This run has been later referred to as "The Helicopter"). Many consider The Helicopter as Elway's defining career moment and the defining moment of Super Bowl XXXII. Two plays later, Davis scored another 1-yard touchdown run, giving the Broncos the lead, 24–17.
On the ensuing kick off, Denver's special teams player Detron Smith ran full speed into the wedge of the Green Bay blockers, forcing Antonio Freeman outside, to his left. Freeman was hit as he held the ball exposed running side ways and fumbled, Denver defensive back Tim McKyer
recovered the ball at the Packers 22-yard line. Immediately the Broncos tried to capitalize on the turnover by trying to throw for a touchdown, a pass intended for Rod Smith as he ran a post pattern following a fake handoff and a roll out by Elway, but Packers safety Eugene Robinson
intercepted Elway's pass in the end zone and returned it to the 15-yard line.
After the interception, the Packers marched 85 yards in just 4 plays, 3 of them receptions by Freeman, to tie it up once again 1:28 into the fourth quarter with Freeman's 13-yard touchdown catch. On the scoring play, Packers receivers Antonio Freeman and Robert Brooks ran a "criss-cross" pattern, with Antonio Freeman on the inside running towards the sidelines. Denver defensive back Darrien Gordon hesitated as to which to cover and Favre hit Freeman for the score.
Both teams' defenses tightened up, and the clubs exchanged punts twice. With Green Bay pinned at their own 10-yard line, Hentrich then kicked the ball 39 yards to the Packers 49-yard line with 3:27 left in the game. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Packers linebacker Darius Holland
committed a 15-yard facemask penalty while tackling Davis on a 2-yard run, moving the ball to the 32-yard line. Two plays later, Elway completed a 23-yard pass to fullback Howard Griffith
. A holding penalty pushed the Broncos back to the 18-yard line, but then Davis rushed 17 yards to the 1-yard line and the Broncos called a timeout. This left the Broncos facing second and goal with 1:47 left on the clock. The Packers had two timeouts remaining.
Packers coach Mike Holmgren
told his team to let the Broncos score to maximize the time the Packers would have on the clock for a potentially game-tying drive. He admitted later that he had thought that it was first and goal rather than second and goal, crucial to clock management decision making on the play. Davis did score his third rushing touchdown on second and goal, leaving 1:45 on the clock. The Broncos now had a one touchdown lead, at 31-24.
The Packers attempted one final drive to try to tie the game before the end of regulation and send the contest into overtime. Broncos coach Mike Shanahan famously instructed his defensive coordinators to keep playing the same prevent defense as the Green Bay Packers attempted to drive downfield in the final two minutes of the game. Freeman returned the Broncos' kickoff 22 yards to the 30-yard line, and the Packers advanced to the Broncos' 35-yard line with 1:04 left in the game with a pair of completions from Favre to Levens for gains of 22 and 13 yards on the next 2 plays. After a 4-yard pass to Levens, Favre's next 2 passes fell incomplete - one of them was a bullet throw to a wide open Freeman around the 15-yard line, which would have given the Packers a first down, but Freeman could not handle the pass. Then on fourth down, Denver linebacker John Mobley
broke up a pass intended for Chmura, enabling the Broncos to take the ball back and run out the clock for the victory.
held the Vince Lombardi Trophy
in the air and said, "This one's for John," referring to the fact that Elway's long quest for a Super Bowl victory was finally complete. http://www.packersnews.com/history/superbowlxxxii/0126elway.shtml
Elway finished the game with 12 out of 22 pass completions, for 123 yards and 1 interception. Elway became the sixth player to score touchdowns in three different Super Bowls, joining Lynn Swann
, Franco Harris
, Thurman Thomas, Jerry Rice
, Emmitt Smith
and Kurt Warner
.
He was also the Broncos second leading rusher behind Davis with 17 rushing yards and a touchdown on 5 carries. Terrell Davis is the only player to rush for three touchdowns in a Super Bowl, and the only non-49er to score three touchdowns in a Super Bowl. Roger Craig, Jerry Rice
and Ricky Watters
are the only other players to do so. Rice had 3 touchdown catches in two different Super Bowls. Davis' three touchdowns in the Super Bowl gave him a total of 48 points (8 touchdowns) during the postseason, an NFL record.
Levens was Green Bay's leading rusher with 90 rushing yards, and was their second leading receiver with 56 yards on 6 pass receptions. Both Freeman and Favre had outstanding performances for the second Super Bowl game in a row. Favre completed 25 out of 42 passes for 256 yards and 3 touchdowns, with 1 interception. Freeman caught 9 passes for 126 yards, 2 touchdowns receptions, and also gained another 104 yards on 6 kickoff returns, giving him 230 total yards, the third highest total in Super Bowl history. Freeman also tied himself for second all-time in touchdown catches in Super Bowls with three, joining Lynn Swann
, John Stallworth
and Cliff Branch
. (Jerry Rice has the most with eight). He also became just the third player to have at least 100 yards receiving in back-to-back Super Bowls, joining Rice and Stallworth.
Denver became the first team to score on four one-yard touchdown runs in a Super Bowl. The Packers also became the third, and most recent, defending Super Bowl champion to lose the Super Bowl, joining the Dallas Cowboys
(won Super Bowl XII, lost Super Bowl XIII) and the Washington Redskins
(won Super Bowl XVII, lost Super Bowl XVIII).
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
game played on January 25, 1998 at Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area....
in San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to decide the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) champion following the 1997 regular season
1997 NFL season
The 1997 NFL season was the 78th regular season of the National Football League. The Oilers relocated from Houston, Texas to Nashville, Tennessee...
. Qualcomm Stadium would also host the 1998 World Series
1998 World Series
The 1998 World Series, the 94th edition of Major League Baseball's championship series, matched the New York Yankees against the San Diego Padres . The Yankees swept the Series in four games to capture their second championship in three years, and their 24th overall...
, becoming the only stadium to host the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
and the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
in the same calendar year.
The American Football Conference
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
(AFC) champion Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(16–4) defeated the heavily favored National Football Conference
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
(NFC) champion and defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
(15–4), 31–24. The Broncos' win was their first league championship after suffering four previous Super Bowl losses, and snapped a 13-game losing streak for AFC teams in the Super Bowl (the previous being the Los Angeles Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
win in Super Bowl XVIII
Super Bowl XVIII
Super Bowl XVIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1984, at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida, deciding the National Football League champion following the 1983 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Los Angeles Raiders defeated the National Football Conference...
in 1984). The Broncos became just the second wild card
Wild card (sports)
The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:...
team to win a Super Bowl and the first since the Raiders in Super Bowl XV
Super Bowl XV
Super Bowl XV was an American football game played on January 25, 1981 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1980 regular season...
. The Packers were the first team favored to win by double digits to lose a Super Bowl since Super Bowl III
Super Bowl III
Super Bowl III was the third AFL-NFL Championship Game in professional American football, but the first to officially bear the name "Super Bowl". This game is regarded as one of the greatest upsets in sports history...
.
Despite suffering a migraine headache that caused him to miss most of the second quarter, Denver running back Terrell Davis
Terrell Davis
Terrell Lamar Davis is a former American football running back who played for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League from 1995 to 2001. Davis was drafted by the Broncos in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL Draft. Davis is the Denver Broncos all-time leading rusher, with 7,607 rushing...
(a San Diego native) was named Super Bowl MVP
Super Bowl MVP
The Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, or Super Bowl MVP, is an award presented annually to the most valuable player of the Super Bowl, the National Football League's championship game. The winner is chosen by a fan vote during the game and by a panel of 16 American football writers and...
. He ran for 157 yards, caught 2 passes for 8 yards, and scored a Super Bowl record three rushing touchdowns.
This was later featured on NFL's Greatest Games
NFL's Greatest Games
NFL's Greatest Games is a series of 90-minute television programs that air on NFL Network, ESPN and related networks. They are condensed versions of some of the most famous games in the history of the National Football League, using footage and sound captured by NFL Films, as well as original...
as This One's for John.
Background
NFL owners awarded Super Bowl XXXII to San Diego during their October 26, 1993 meeting in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. This was the second time San Diego hosted the game; the city previously hosted Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII was an American football game played on January 31, 1988 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1987 regular season...
ten years earlier on January 31, 1988.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos entered Super Bowl XXXII after suffering 4 Super Bowl losses: Super Bowls XIISuper Bowl XII
Super Bowl XII was an American football game played on January 15, 1978 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1977 regular season...
, XXI
Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI was an American football game played on January 25, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1986 regular season. The National Football Conference champion New York Giants won their first Super Bowl by defeating...
, XXII
Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII was an American football game played on January 31, 1988 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1987 regular season...
, and XXIV
Super Bowl XXIV
Super Bowl XXIV was an American football game played on January 28, 1990 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1989 regular season...
. In all of those losses the Broncos never had the ability to rush well enough or score enough points to be competitive. Denver was blown out in each one, losing all 4 by a combined scoring margin of 163–50.
The last three Super Bowl losses were under starting quarterback John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
, whose ad-libbing skills enabled the Broncos to advance to the league's championship game in a span of 3 out of four seasons. Elway also led his team to the 1991 AFC Championship Game, but they lost in a defensive struggle to the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 10–7.
The team's fortunes changed when Mike Shanahan
Mike Shanahan
Michael Edward "Mike" Shanahan is the 28th and current head coach of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Shanahan also holds the title of Vice President of Football Operations with the Redskins, giving him full control over player personnel with the team. Shanahan previously...
became head coach of the Broncos in 1995
1995 NFL season
The 1995 NFL season was the 76th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 30 teams with the addition of the Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars...
. Shanahan was previously Denver's offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
during those Super Bowl losses, but was fired in 1991
1991 NFL season
The 1991 NFL season was the 72nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXVI when the Washington Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills....
after a power struggle between him and then-head coach Dan Reeves
Dan Reeves
Daniel Edward Reeves is a former American football player and head coach. He has participated in more Super Bowls as player/assistant coach/Head Coach than anyone else...
over the offensive personnel. Shanahan then served as the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
from 1992
1992 NFL season
The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18. Both teams originally had that...
to 1994
1994 NFL season
The 1994 NFL season was the 75th regular season of the National Football League. To honor the NFL's 75th season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season...
, including the 49ers' Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX was an American football game played on January 29, 1995 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1994 regular season...
win. Under Shanahan, the San Francisco offense ranked first in the league in total yards gained for all three of his seasons there.
When Shanahan returned to the Broncos in 1995, he selected running back Terrell Davis
Terrell Davis
Terrell Lamar Davis is a former American football running back who played for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League from 1995 to 2001. Davis was drafted by the Broncos in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL Draft. Davis is the Denver Broncos all-time leading rusher, with 7,607 rushing...
in the sixth round of the NFL Draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
. Davis became the cornerstone of Denver's rebuilt running game, leading the team with 1,117 rushing yards in just his rookie year. The Broncos finished the 1995 regular season with just an 8–8 record. By 1996
1996 NFL season
The 1996 NFL season was the 77th regular season of the National Football League and the season was marked by notable controversies from beginning to end...
, the Broncos had the league's best offense, gaining 5,791 yards of total offense, and recorded the AFC's best regular season record at 13-3, but they were upset by the second-year Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 30-27, in the playoffs.
During the 1997 regular season, the Broncos once again had the league's best offense with 5,872 total yards of offense, and led the league in total points scored with 472. Although they recorded a 12-4 regular season record, they finished in second place behind the 13-3 Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
in the AFC West
AFC West
The AFC West is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference, currently comprising the Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Oakland Raiders.-History:...
.
Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
er Davis remained the team's leading rusher, recording 1,750 yards and 15 touchdowns, while also catching 42 passes for 287 yards. At 37 years old, Elway still posted a Pro Bowl season with 280 out of 502 completions for 3,635 yards, 27 touchdowns, with only 11 interceptions. He also rushed for 215 yards and another touchdown. Pro Bowl tight end Shannon Sharpe
Shannon Sharpe
Shannon Sharpe is a former American Football tight end who played for the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. Sharpe is known for his creative commentary and trash talking. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and inducted on August 6, 2011...
led the team with 72 receptions for 1,107 yards. Wide receiver Rod Smith, who was not drafted by any NFL team and recorded only 22 receptions for 389 yards and 3 touchdowns in his 2 previous seasons, had a breakout year with 70 receptions for 1,180 yards and 12 touchdowns. Wide receiver Ed McCaffrey
Ed McCaffrey
Edward Thomas McCaffrey is a former American football wide receiver who played for the New York Giants , San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos of the National Football League...
, who played in Shanahan's 1994 49ers offense, recorded 45 receptions for 590 yards and 8 touchdowns. Denver's offensive line was led by seven-time Pro Bowl left tackle Gary Zimmerman
Gary Zimmerman
Gary Wayne Zimmerman is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. Zimmerman played for the Minnesota Vikings from 1986-1992 and for the Denver Broncos from 1993-1997. He was selected to the Pro Bowl 7 times and was an All-Pro selection 8 times...
and Pro Bowl center Tom Nalen
Tom Nalen
Thomas Andrew Nalen is a former American football center who played for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League...
.
On defense, the major acquisition to the team prior to the season was former Chiefs defensive lineman Neil Smith
Neil Smith (football player)
Neil Smith is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League. He played for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1988 to 1996, the Denver Broncos from 1997 to 1999, and the San Diego Chargers in 2000...
. Smith had a Pro Bowl season for the 6th time in his career with 28 tackles and 8.5 sacks. Defensive end Alfred Williams
Alfred Williams
Alfred Williams is a former American football player. He was a linebacker and defensive end for the Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos. He finished his career with the New Orleans Saints.-College:...
recorded 36 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery. The linebacking corps was led by veteran Bill Romanowski
Bill Romanowski
William Thomas "Bill" Romanowski is a former American football player. He was born in Vernon, Connecticut. A linebacker, he graduated from Rockville High School in 1984, Boston College in 1988 , and then went on to a 16-year career in the NFL, playing for the San Francisco 49ers , Philadelphia...
, who had 55 tackles and 2 sacks, and John Mobley
John Mobley
John Ulysses Mobley is a former American Football linebacker who played eight seasons for the Denver Broncos from 1996 through 2003 in the National Football League....
, who led the team with 97 tackles while also recording 4 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 interception.
The secondary was led by veteran defensive backs Tyrone Braxton
Tyrone Braxton
Tyrone Scott Braxton is a former American football defensive back who played for the Denver Broncos for most of his career from 1987 to 1999...
, who led the team with 4 interceptions for 113 yards and 1 touchdown, and Steve Atwater
Steve Atwater
Stephen Dennis "Smiling Assassin" Atwater is a former American football player who spent most of his career playing free safety for the Denver Broncos of the NFL. Atwater and Dennis Smith made up a Broncos secondary that was known for their ferocious hits on opposing players...
, who had 53 tackles, 1 sack, 2 fumble recoveries, and 2 interceptions for 42 yards and 1 touchdown. Defensive back Darrien Gordon
Darrien Gordon
Darrien Jamal Gordon was born November 14, 1970 in Shawnee, Oklahoma) to James and Goldia Gordon. He graduated from Shawnee High School in 1989 where he was an All-State football player and two-time state champion wrestler as well as an honor student....
recorded 50 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 fumble recoveries, 4 interceptions, 64 return yards, and 1 touchdown. He also returned 40 punts for 543 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Green Bay Packers
The Packers entered the 1997 season coming off of their win in Super Bowl XXXISuper Bowl XXXI
Super Bowl XXXI was an American football game played on January 26, 1997, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1996 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers defeated the American...
. They then repeated as NFC Central division champions, earning a 13–3 regular season record.
Quarterback Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
had another Pro Bowl season and became the first player ever to win the NFL MVP award three times, winning it for the third consecutive year. Favre lead the league with 35 passing touchdowns and completed 304 out of 513 attempts for 3,867 yards, with 16 interceptions, while ranking second on the team in rushing with 187 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver Antonio Freeman
Antonio Freeman
Antonio Michael Freeman is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League, most notably for the Green Bay Packers. He attended the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, dominating his high school conference. Freeman played college football at Virginia Tech...
led the team in receptions with 81 catches for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns. Wide receiver Robert Brooks
Robert Brooks
Robert Darren Brooks is a former American football wide receiver who attended University of South Carolina and played for the Green Bay Packers and the Denver Broncos.-Early life:...
was also a major deep threat, catching 60 passes for 1,010 yards and 7 touchdowns. Pro Bowl tight end Mark Chmura
Mark Chmura
Mark William Chmura , is a former American football tight end, who played his entire career with the Green Bay Packers .-Biography:Chmura was born in Deerfield, Massachusetts, United States.-College:...
recorded 38 receptions for 417 yards and 6 touchdowns. Pro Bowl running back Dorsey Levens
Dorsey Levens
Herbert Dorsey Levens is a retired American football running back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1994 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame and later Georgia Tech.In his career, Levens also played for the...
led the team in rushing with 1,435 yards and 7 touchdowns, while also catching 53 passes for 373 yards and 5 touchdowns. Fullback William Henderson rushed for 113 yards and caught 41 passes for 367 yards and a touchdown.
On the Packers defense, the line was led by veteran Pro Bowler Reggie White
Reggie White
Reginald Howard "Reggie" White was a professional American football player. He played 15 seasons as a defensive end in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers, becoming one of the most decorated players in NFL history...
, who led the team with 11 sacks. Behind him, Santana Dotson
Santana Dotson
Santana N. Dotson was an American football defensive tackle in the National Football League. He was a part of Houston's Yates High School football team when it won the 1985 5A state championship. While at Baylor, Dotson was voted All-American in 1991...
recorded 37 tackles and 5.5 sacks. In the secondary, Pro Bowl defensive back LeRoy Butler
LeRoy Butler
LeRoy Butler, III is a former American football strong safety who played his entire career with the Green Bay Packers . He spent his childhood in Jacksonville, Florida, challenged by physical problems that forced him to wear leg braces and use a wheelchair at times while undergoing therapy...
led the team with 5 interceptions, while also adding 70 tackles. Safety Eugene Robinson
Eugene Robinson
Eugene Keefe Robinson is a former professional American football player who played free safety. He played collegiately at Colgate University...
led the team with 74 tackles while also recording 2.5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, and 1 interception. Cornerback Mike Prior
Mike Prior
Michael Robert Prior , is a former American professional football player who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 7th round of the 1985 NFL Draft. A 6'0",...
recorded 4 interceptions while rookie Darren Sharper
Darren Sharper
Darren Mallory Sharper is an American football safety who currently is a free agent. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at William & Mary....
recorded 2 of them, both of which he returned for touchdowns.
Playoffs
The Broncos entered the playoffs as a wild-cardWild card (sports)
The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:...
team but defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 42–17, the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
, 14–10, and the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, 24–21, making Denver the fifth wild-card team to make it to the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the Packers were victorious against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
, 21–7, and the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, 23–10.
Super Bowl pregame news
The Packers came into the game as 11-point favorites. First, Green Bay had a better regular season record than the Broncos, who entered the playoffs as a wild card team. Secondly, the Packers were the defending Super Bowl champions. Finally, NFC teams had a 13-game winning streak in the Super Bowl.Each player wore a Super Bowl logo patch on their jerseys
Jersey (clothing)
A jersey is an item of knitted clothing, traditionally in wool or cotton, with sleeves, worn as a pullover, as it does not open at the front, unlike a cardigan. It is usually close-fitting and machine knitted in contrast to a guernsey that is more often hand knit with a thicker yarn...
. This would become a regular practice in each Super Bowl since.
This would be the last even-numbered Super Bowl until Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
in which the game was played outdoors.
Television and entertainment
The game was broadcast in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, with play-by-play announcer Dick Enberg
Dick Enberg
Richard Alan "Dick" Enberg is an American sportscaster. He currently provides play-by-play for telecasts of San Diego Padres baseball on 4SD, following a long career calling various sports for such networks as NBC, CBS, and ESPN...
and color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
s Phil Simms
Phil Simms
Phillip Martin "Phil" Simms is a former American football quarterback, and currently a television sportscaster for the CBS network. After a standout career at Morehead State University, Simms was drafted in the first round by the New York Giants of the National Football League with the number...
and Paul Maguire
Paul Maguire
Paul Leo Maguire is a former American football player and current television sportscaster.-Early sports career:Maguire attended Ursuline High School in Youngstown,Ohio and was recruited to play at The Citadel by the late Al Davis who was then an assistant coach and chief recruiter...
. Greg Gumbel
Greg Gumbel
Greg Gumbel is an American television sportscaster. He is best known for his various assignments on the CBS network...
hosted all the events, and was joined by co-host Ahmad Rashad
Ahmad Rashad
Ahmad Rashād is an American sportscaster and former professional football player. An All-American running back and wide receiver from Oregon known as Bobby Moore, Rashad was the fourth overall pick in the 1972 NFL Draft, drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals...
and commentators Cris Collinsworth
Cris Collinsworth
Anthony Cris Collinsworth is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for eight seasons in the 1980s. He played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played his entire professional career for...
, Sam Wyche
Sam Wyche
Samuel David "Sam" Wyche is a former American football player and head coach, who is best known as the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL...
, and Joe Gibbs
Joe Gibbs
Joe Jackson Gibbs is a former American football coach, NASCAR Championship team owner, and two time NHRA Pro Stock team owner. He was the 20th and 26th head coach in the history of the Washington Redskins...
. Following the game, NBC aired a special one-hour episode of 3rd Rock from the Sun
3rd Rock from the Sun
3rd Rock from the Sun is an American sitcom that aired from 1996 to 2001 on NBC. The show is about four extraterrestrials who are on an expedition to Earth, which they consider to be a very insignificant planet...
, which opened live at the game site with Gumbel playing himself before he was "attacked" by show star John Lithgow
John Lithgow
John Arthur Lithgow is an American actor, musician, and author. Presently, he is involved with a wide range of media projects, including stage, television, film, and radio...
.
This broadcast was the last for NBC as the AFC
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
network after 33 years (CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
has held the AFC broadcast rights ever since), their last NFL broadcast overall until 2006
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
, when the they signed on to televise Sunday Night Football
NBC Sunday Night Football
NBC Sunday Night Football is a weekly television broadcast of Sunday evening National Football League games on NBC that began airing on Sunday, August 6, 2006 with the pre-season opening Hall of Fame Game. Al Michaels serves as the play-by-play announcer, with Cris Collinsworth as the color...
, and their last Super Bowl broadcast until 2009 (Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals to decide the National Football League champion for the 2008 season. The game was played on February 1, 2009,...
). This was also the last time Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
would show the Super Bowl - and their last NFL coverage until 2010 - after they had been showing the event since 1983 (Super Bowl XVII
Super Bowl XVII
Super Bowl XVII was an American football game played on January 30, 1983 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the strike-shortened 1982 regular season...
). Only Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
would show it live until Channel 5 joined them in 2003 (Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII was an American football game played on January 26, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 2002 regular season...
). It was also the last Super Bowl to be telecast on a Televisa
Televisa
Televisa is a Mexican multimedia conglomerate, the largest mass media company in Latin America and in the Spanish-speaking world. It is a major international entertainment business, with much of its programming airing in the United States on Univision, with which it has an exclusive contract...
-owned network in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
until 2007. It was broadcast on Canal 5
Canal 5 (Televisa Network)
Canal 5 is a television network owned by Televisa, broadcasting from Mexico City and originating from its flagship station, XHGC-TV. Most programming on this station is intended for children and young people, while at night usually features foreign drama and action series, as well a movies...
. Televisa had aired the Super Bowl since Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII was an American football game played on January 31, 1988 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1987 regular season...
in 1988, first on the Canal de las Estrellas
Canal de las Estrellas
Canal de las Estrellas is one of the cornerstone networks of Televisa, with affiliate stations all over Mexico, flagshipped at XEW-TV in Mexico City. Many of the programs of Canal de las Estrellas are seen in the United States on Univision, Telefutura, and Galavisión...
, and then on Canal 5. From 1999 to 2006 Azteca 7
Azteca 7
Azteca 7 or El 7 is a network owned by TV Azteca, with affiliate stations all over Mexico all of which are owned and operated by TV Azteca. Azteca 7 uses Mexico, Distrito Federal's XHIMT as its flagship station and its channel as part of its name. Azteca 7's programming is available in HD and is...
would air the game. It also marked the last Super Bowl until 2007 for CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
after airing the NFL and the event since Super Bowl XVI
Super Bowl XVI
Super Bowl XVI was an American football game played on January 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan to decide the National Football League champion following the 1981 regular season. It marked the first time that a Super Bowl was held at a cold-weather city...
; from 1999 to 2006 the Super Bowl aired on the Global Television Network
Global Television Network
Global Television Network is an English language privately owned television network in Canada, owned by Calgary-based Shaw Communications, as part of its Shaw Media division...
. CTV had aired NFL football since 1970 and the Super Bowl since 1982 (Super Bowl XVI
Super Bowl XVI
Super Bowl XVI was an American football game played on January 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan to decide the National Football League champion following the 1981 regular season. It marked the first time that a Super Bowl was held at a cold-weather city...
).
Pregame ceremonies
The pregame show, narrated by actorActor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
Phil Hartman
Phil Hartman
Philip Edward "Phil" Hartman was a Canadian-American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and graphic artist. Born in Brantford, Ontario, Hartman and his family moved to the United States when he was 10...
, celebrated the music and history of California. It featured performances by The 5th Dimension, Lee Greenwood
Lee Greenwood
Melvin Lee Greenwood is an American country music artist. Active since the early 1980s, he has released more than twenty major-label albums and has charted more than 35 singles on the Billboard country music charts....
, and The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
. Singer Jewel
Jewel (singer)
Jewel Kilcher , professionally known as Jewel, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, actress and poet...
later sang the National Anthem.
To honor the 10th anniversary of the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
' win in Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII was an American football game played on January 31, 1988 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1987 regular season...
, the only other previous Super Bowl played in San Diego, the game's MVP Doug Williams
Doug Williams (football player)
Douglas Lee "Doug" Williams is a former American football quarterback and head football coach of the Grambling State University Tigers...
and former head coach Joe Gibbs participated during the coin toss
Coin flipping
Coin flipping or coin tossing or heads or tails is the practice of throwing a coin in the air to choose between two alternatives, sometimes to resolve a dispute between two parties...
ceremony. They were joined by the recently retired, longtime college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
head coach Eddie Robinson, who ran the Grambling State University Tigers
Grambling State Tigers
The Grambling Tigers represent Grambling State University in NCAA intercollegiate athletics. Grambling's sports teams participate in Division I as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference...
football team from 1942 until 1997.
Halftime show
The halftime show was titled "A Tribute to Motown's 40th Anniversary" and featured Boyz II MenBoyz II Men
Boyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are the most successful R&B group of all time, having sold more than albums worldwide. In the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet, but original member Michael McCary...
, Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
, Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
, Martha Reeves
Martha Reeves
Martha Rose Reeves is an American R&B and Pop singer and former politician, and was the lead singer of the Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas. During her tenure with The Vandellas, they scored over a dozen hit singles, including "Jimmy Mack", "Dancing in the Street" and "Nowhere to Run"...
and The Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
.
1st half
Packers wide receiver Antonio FreemanAntonio Freeman
Antonio Michael Freeman is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League, most notably for the Green Bay Packers. He attended the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, dominating his high school conference. Freeman played college football at Virginia Tech...
returned the opening kickoff 19 yards to the Green Bay 24-yard line. On the third play of the drive, quarterback Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
kept the offense on the field by completing a 13-yard pass to Freeman on third down and 9. Then running back Dorsey Levens
Dorsey Levens
Herbert Dorsey Levens is a retired American football running back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1994 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame and later Georgia Tech.In his career, Levens also played for the...
rushed the ball on three consecutive plays, gaining 27 yards to advance to the Denver 35-yard line. Favre finished the drive with two completions to Freeman: the first one for 13 yards and the second one a 22-yard touchdown pass to give the Packers a 7–0 lead (the Packers were the third team to take the opening kickoff down the field and score a touchdown on that drive; the other two were Miami in Super Bowl VIII
Super Bowl VIII
Super Bowl VIII was a professional American football game played on January 13, 1974 at Rice Stadium. in Houston, Texas to decide the National Football League champion following the 1973 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Miami Dolphins defeated the National Football...
and San Francisco in Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX was an American football game played on January 29, 1995 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1994 regular season...
).
The Broncos stormed right back with a touchdown of their own. Denver running back Vaughn Hebron
Vaughn Hebron
Vaughn Harlen Hebron is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos.-Early life:...
returned the ensuing kickoff 32 yards to their own 42-yard line. Denver then drove to the Green Bay 46-yard line. On third down, a holding penalty on Packers defensive back Doug Evans
Doug Evans (American football)
Douglas Edwards Evans is a former American football cornerback and safety in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 6th round of the 1993 NFL Draft out of Louisiana Tech. Evans also played for the Carolina Panthers, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Detroit...
nullified quarterback John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
's incompletion and gave the Broncos a first down. On the next play, running back Terrell Davis
Terrell Davis
Terrell Lamar Davis is a former American football running back who played for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League from 1995 to 2001. Davis was drafted by the Broncos in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL Draft. Davis is the Denver Broncos all-time leading rusher, with 7,607 rushing...
ran the ball 27 yards to the 14-yard line. Then after a 2-yard run by Davis, Elway scrambled 10-yards to gain a first down at the 2-yard line. Two plays later, Davis capped off the 10-play, 58-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to tie the game (this was the first Super Bowl in which both teams scored TDs on their opening drives).
On the second play of the Packers next possession, Denver defensive back Tyrone Braxton
Tyrone Braxton
Tyrone Scott Braxton is a former American football defensive back who played for the Denver Broncos for most of his career from 1987 to 1999...
intecepted a pass from Favre at Green Bay's 45-yard line. Aided by 5 runs by Davis for 29 yards, the Broncos marched 45 yards to score on Elway's 1-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter, taking a 14–7 lead.
Elway's touchdown play involved a fake handoff to Davis, who was previously taken out of the game during the drive because the onset of a migraine headache after being inadverdantly tripped by Leroy Butler
LeRoy Butler
LeRoy Butler, III is a former American football strong safety who played his entire career with the Green Bay Packers . He spent his childhood in Jacksonville, Florida, challenged by physical problems that forced him to wear leg braces and use a wheelchair at times while undergoing therapy...
had severely impaired his vision. But head coach Mike Shanahan
Mike Shanahan
Michael Edward "Mike" Shanahan is the 28th and current head coach of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Shanahan also holds the title of Vice President of Football Operations with the Redskins, giving him full control over player personnel with the team. Shanahan previously...
decided to send him into the game for the third down play, believing that the Packers would not be fooled by a fake handoff without Davis on the field. Davis later said his vision was so impaired that he was afraid Elway would call an audible at the line and try to hand him the ball. Despite his blurred vision, Davis perfectly executed the play and Green Bay defenders were fooled just enough to allow Elway to score. By the second half, Davis had taken migraine medication and his vision had returned to normal, allowing him to play the rest of the game.
On the Packers ensuing possession, Broncos safety Steve Atwater
Steve Atwater
Stephen Dennis "Smiling Assassin" Atwater is a former American football player who spent most of his career playing free safety for the Denver Broncos of the NFL. Atwater and Dennis Smith made up a Broncos secondary that was known for their ferocious hits on opposing players...
forced a fumble while sacking Favre, and defensive end Neil Smith
Neil Smith (football player)
Neil Smith is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League. He played for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1988 to 1996, the Denver Broncos from 1997 to 1999, and the San Diego Chargers in 2000...
recovered the ball on the Packers 33-yard line. Although the Broncos were unable to get a first down, kicker Jason Elam
Jason Elam
Jason Elam is a retired American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Hawaii....
made a 51-yard field goal, the second longest in Super Bowl history, to increase Denver's lead to 17-7. Both teams went three-and-out on their next possessions, and Denver punter Tom Rouen
Tom Rouen
Thomas Francis Rouen is an American football punter who is currently a free agent. He last played for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League in the 2005 season.-Early life:...
's 47-yard kick planted Green Bay at their own 5-yard line with 7:38 left in the quarter. But Green Bay stormed down the field on their ensuing drive, marching 95 yards in 17 plays and scoring with Favre's 6-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mark Chmura
Mark Chmura
Mark William Chmura , is a former American football tight end, who played his entire career with the Green Bay Packers .-Biography:Chmura was born in Deerfield, Massachusetts, United States.-College:...
with just 12 seconds left in the half. Thus by halftime, the Broncos held onto a slim 17–14 lead.
2nd half
Green Bay kicked to Denver to start the 2nd half. On the first play after the second half kickoff, Green Bay defensive back Tyrone Williams forced and recovered a fumble from Davis at the Broncos 26-yard line. Green Bay's offense took possession deep in Denver territory, but Denver's defense forced a "three and out." However, Denver was called for an offside penalty on the field goal attempt following the three and out, giving Green Bay a new set of downs. Green Bay had 1st and 10 inside the Broncos twenty yard line, but again, Denver forced a second consecutive "three and out" and Green Bay had to settle for field goal from the 9-yard line. This series marked a "six and out" forced by Denver's Defense, tying the game at 17–17 on Ryan LongwellRyan Longwell
Ryan Walker Longwell is an American football placekicker for the Minnesota Vikings in the National Football League. After playing college football for the California Golden Bears, he started his professional football career with the San Francisco 49ers, but never played a game for the franchise...
's 27-yard field goal.
Green Bay kicked off once again and Denver's offense stalled, forcing a punt, giving the Packers good field position again near their 40 yard line. But for a third consecutive time, Denver's defense forced a "three and out." On the ensuing punt, again Denver's special teams was called for an offside penalty, giving Green Bay a fresh set of downs near midfield. Once again, Denver's defense forced a "three and out" for a fourth consecutive time. Marking back to back "six and outs" by Denver's defense to begin the second half to keep the score tied at 17–17.
Later in the quarter, Green Bay punter Craig Hentrich
Craig Hentrich
Craig Hentrich is a former American football punter. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.Hentrich has also played for the Green Bay Packers and Tennessee Titans....
's 51-yard kick pinned the Broncos back at their own 8-yard line. But the Packers defense could not stop Denver as they marched on a 13-play, 92-yard drive to regain the lead. Aided by a 36-yard reception by receiver Ed McCaffrey
Ed McCaffrey
Edward Thomas McCaffrey is a former American football wide receiver who played for the New York Giants , San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos of the National Football League...
, the Broncos advanced to the Green Bay 12-yard line. Then on third down, Elway scrambled for an 8-yard run and dove for the first down, a play in which he was hit so hard by two Packers defenders that he spun sideways through the air (This run has been later referred to as "The Helicopter"). Many consider The Helicopter as Elway's defining career moment and the defining moment of Super Bowl XXXII. Two plays later, Davis scored another 1-yard touchdown run, giving the Broncos the lead, 24–17.
On the ensuing kick off, Denver's special teams player Detron Smith ran full speed into the wedge of the Green Bay blockers, forcing Antonio Freeman outside, to his left. Freeman was hit as he held the ball exposed running side ways and fumbled, Denver defensive back Tim McKyer
Tim McKyer
Timothy Bernard McKyer is a former professional American football player who was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round of the 1986 NFL Draft. A 6'0", 174-lb. cornerback from the University of Texas at Arlington, McKyer played in 12 NFL seasons for 7 different teams from 1986 to 1997...
recovered the ball at the Packers 22-yard line. Immediately the Broncos tried to capitalize on the turnover by trying to throw for a touchdown, a pass intended for Rod Smith as he ran a post pattern following a fake handoff and a roll out by Elway, but Packers safety Eugene Robinson
Eugene Robinson
Eugene Keefe Robinson is a former professional American football player who played free safety. He played collegiately at Colgate University...
intercepted Elway's pass in the end zone and returned it to the 15-yard line.
After the interception, the Packers marched 85 yards in just 4 plays, 3 of them receptions by Freeman, to tie it up once again 1:28 into the fourth quarter with Freeman's 13-yard touchdown catch. On the scoring play, Packers receivers Antonio Freeman and Robert Brooks ran a "criss-cross" pattern, with Antonio Freeman on the inside running towards the sidelines. Denver defensive back Darrien Gordon hesitated as to which to cover and Favre hit Freeman for the score.
Both teams' defenses tightened up, and the clubs exchanged punts twice. With Green Bay pinned at their own 10-yard line, Hentrich then kicked the ball 39 yards to the Packers 49-yard line with 3:27 left in the game. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Packers linebacker Darius Holland
Darius Holland
Darius Jerome Holland is a former American football defensive tackle who played ten seasons in the US National Football League. He went to Mayfield High School in Las Cruces, New Mexico and the University of Colorado at Boulder. His nickname with the Packers was 'Dirty D'....
committed a 15-yard facemask penalty while tackling Davis on a 2-yard run, moving the ball to the 32-yard line. Two plays later, Elway completed a 23-yard pass to fullback Howard Griffith
Howard Griffith
Howard Griffith is a retired American football fullback who spent 11 seasons in the NFL . While at the University of Illinois, Howard set the NCAA record for touchdowns in a game with eight. It occurred on September 8, 1990 against Southern Illinois University...
. A holding penalty pushed the Broncos back to the 18-yard line, but then Davis rushed 17 yards to the 1-yard line and the Broncos called a timeout. This left the Broncos facing second and goal with 1:47 left on the clock. The Packers had two timeouts remaining.
Packers coach Mike Holmgren
Mike Holmgren
Michael George Holmgren is a former professional football coach and current President of the Cleveland Browns. He served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1992 to 1998, and the Seattle Seahawks from 1999 to 2008...
told his team to let the Broncos score to maximize the time the Packers would have on the clock for a potentially game-tying drive. He admitted later that he had thought that it was first and goal rather than second and goal, crucial to clock management decision making on the play. Davis did score his third rushing touchdown on second and goal, leaving 1:45 on the clock. The Broncos now had a one touchdown lead, at 31-24.
The Packers attempted one final drive to try to tie the game before the end of regulation and send the contest into overtime. Broncos coach Mike Shanahan famously instructed his defensive coordinators to keep playing the same prevent defense as the Green Bay Packers attempted to drive downfield in the final two minutes of the game. Freeman returned the Broncos' kickoff 22 yards to the 30-yard line, and the Packers advanced to the Broncos' 35-yard line with 1:04 left in the game with a pair of completions from Favre to Levens for gains of 22 and 13 yards on the next 2 plays. After a 4-yard pass to Levens, Favre's next 2 passes fell incomplete - one of them was a bullet throw to a wide open Freeman around the 15-yard line, which would have given the Packers a first down, but Freeman could not handle the pass. Then on fourth down, Denver linebacker John Mobley
John Mobley
John Ulysses Mobley is a former American Football linebacker who played eight seasons for the Denver Broncos from 1996 through 2003 in the National Football League....
broke up a pass intended for Chmura, enabling the Broncos to take the ball back and run out the clock for the victory.
Post-game
During the post-game victory celebration, Broncos owner Pat BowlenPat Bowlen
Patrick Dennis Bowlen is the Majority Owner, President, and Chief Executive Officer of the Denver Broncos. The Bowlen Family, including his two brothers and sister, purchased the team from Edgar Kaiser in 1984 and saved the team from possible bankruptcy.-Biography:Pat's father, Paul D...
held the Vince Lombardi Trophy
Vince Lombardi Trophy
The Vince Lombardi Trophy is the trophy awarded each year to the winning team of the National Football League's championship game, the Super Bowl.-History:...
in the air and said, "This one's for John," referring to the fact that Elway's long quest for a Super Bowl victory was finally complete. http://www.packersnews.com/history/superbowlxxxii/0126elway.shtml
Elway finished the game with 12 out of 22 pass completions, for 123 yards and 1 interception. Elway became the sixth player to score touchdowns in three different Super Bowls, joining Lynn Swann
Lynn Swann
-Collegiate:Swann attended the University of Southern California, where he was an All-American on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the 1972 undefeated and national championship season. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He...
, Franco Harris
Franco Harris
Franco Harris is a former American football player. He played his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks.In the 1972 NFL Draft he was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round, the 13th selection overall...
, Thurman Thomas, Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
, Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
and Kurt Warner
Kurt Warner
Kurtis Eugene "Kurt" Warner is a retired American football player. He played quarterback for three National Football League teams: the St. Louis Rams, the New York Giants, and the Arizona Cardinals. He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1994 after playing...
.
He was also the Broncos second leading rusher behind Davis with 17 rushing yards and a touchdown on 5 carries. Terrell Davis is the only player to rush for three touchdowns in a Super Bowl, and the only non-49er to score three touchdowns in a Super Bowl. Roger Craig, Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
and Ricky Watters
Ricky Watters
Richard "Ricky" James Watters is a former American football running back who played for the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. Watters played college football at the University of Notre Dame where he played wide receiver on the...
are the only other players to do so. Rice had 3 touchdown catches in two different Super Bowls. Davis' three touchdowns in the Super Bowl gave him a total of 48 points (8 touchdowns) during the postseason, an NFL record.
Levens was Green Bay's leading rusher with 90 rushing yards, and was their second leading receiver with 56 yards on 6 pass receptions. Both Freeman and Favre had outstanding performances for the second Super Bowl game in a row. Favre completed 25 out of 42 passes for 256 yards and 3 touchdowns, with 1 interception. Freeman caught 9 passes for 126 yards, 2 touchdowns receptions, and also gained another 104 yards on 6 kickoff returns, giving him 230 total yards, the third highest total in Super Bowl history. Freeman also tied himself for second all-time in touchdown catches in Super Bowls with three, joining Lynn Swann
Lynn Swann
-Collegiate:Swann attended the University of Southern California, where he was an All-American on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the 1972 undefeated and national championship season. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He...
, John Stallworth
John Stallworth
Johnny Lee Stallworth is a former American football wide receiver who played fourteen seasons in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at Alabama A&M, and was the Steelers' fourth-round draft pick in 1974. Stallworth played in six AFC championships,...
and Cliff Branch
Cliff Branch
Cliff Branch is a retired American football wide receiver who spent his entire 14-year NFL career with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, winning three Super Bowl rings in Super Bowl XI, Super Bowl XV and Super Bowl XVIII...
. (Jerry Rice has the most with eight). He also became just the third player to have at least 100 yards receiving in back-to-back Super Bowls, joining Rice and Stallworth.
Denver became the first team to score on four one-yard touchdown runs in a Super Bowl. The Packers also became the third, and most recent, defending Super Bowl champion to lose the Super Bowl, joining the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
(won Super Bowl XII, lost Super Bowl XIII) and the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
(won Super Bowl XVII, lost Super Bowl XVIII).
Box score
Starting lineups
Source:| Denver | Position | Green Bay |
|---|---|---|
| OFFENSE | ||
| Ed McCaffrey Ed McCaffrey Edward Thomas McCaffrey is a former American football wide receiver who played for the New York Giants , San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos of the National Football League... |
WR | Robert Brooks Robert Brooks Robert Darren Brooks is a former American football wide receiver who attended University of South Carolina and played for the Green Bay Packers and the Denver Broncos.-Early life:... |
| Gary Zimmerman Gary Zimmerman Gary Wayne Zimmerman is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. Zimmerman played for the Minnesota Vikings from 1986-1992 and for the Denver Broncos from 1993-1997. He was selected to the Pro Bowl 7 times and was an All-Pro selection 8 times... |
LT | Ross Verba Ross Verba Ross Robert Verba is an American professional football player currently is a free agent. A 6'4", 305-lb... |
| Mark Schlereth Mark Schlereth Mark Frederick Schlereth is a former professional football player and current television sportscaster. Schlereth played guard in the NFL for 12 seasons with the Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos. He is currently a football analyst for ESPN on NFL Live, Sportscenter, and other programs... |
LG | Aaron Taylor |
| Tom Nalen Tom Nalen Thomas Andrew Nalen is a former American football center who played for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League... |
C | Frank Winters Frank Winters Frank Mitchell Winters is a former American football center in the National Football League for the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Green Bay Packers... |
| Brian Habib Brian Habib Brian Habib is a former professional American football player who played offensive lineman for 11 seasons for the Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, and Seattle Seahawks. He currently is an offensive line coach for Del Norte High School in Poway, CA... |
RG | Adam Timmerman Adam Timmerman Adam Larry Timmerman is a former American football guard in the National Football League. He played for the Green Bay Packers and St. Louis Rams between 1995 and 2006... |
| Tony Jones Tony Jones (football player) Tony Edward Jones is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League who played from 1988-2000. He started Super Bowl XXXII and Super Bowl XXXIII with the Denver Broncos. He was inducted into the Franklin County Sports Hall of Fame as a charter member on July 17,... |
RT | Earl Dotson Earl Dotson Earl Christopher Dotson was an offensive tackle in the NFL. He played for the Green Bay Packers for 10 seasons. He started in Super Bowl XXXI and XXXII.He played college football at Texas A&M–Kingsville.... |
| Shannon Sharpe Shannon Sharpe Shannon Sharpe is a former American Football tight end who played for the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. Sharpe is known for his creative commentary and trash talking. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and inducted on August 6, 2011... |
TE | Mark Chmura Mark Chmura Mark William Chmura , is a former American football tight end, who played his entire career with the Green Bay Packers .-Biography:Chmura was born in Deerfield, Massachusetts, United States.-College:... |
| Rod Smith | WR | Antonio Freeman Antonio Freeman Antonio Michael Freeman is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League, most notably for the Green Bay Packers. He attended the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, dominating his high school conference. Freeman played college football at Virginia Tech... |
| John Elway John Elway John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos... |
QB | Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota... |
| Terrell Davis Terrell Davis Terrell Lamar Davis is a former American football running back who played for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League from 1995 to 2001. Davis was drafted by the Broncos in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL Draft. Davis is the Denver Broncos all-time leading rusher, with 7,607 rushing... |
RB | Dorsey Levens Dorsey Levens Herbert Dorsey Levens is a retired American football running back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1994 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame and later Georgia Tech.In his career, Levens also played for the... |
| Howard Griffith Howard Griffith Howard Griffith is a retired American football fullback who spent 11 seasons in the NFL . While at the University of Illinois, Howard set the NCAA record for touchdowns in a game with eight. It occurred on September 8, 1990 against Southern Illinois University... |
FB | William Henderson |
| DEFENSE | ||
| Neil Smith | LE | Reggie White Reggie White Reginald Howard "Reggie" White was a professional American football player. He played 15 seasons as a defensive end in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers, becoming one of the most decorated players in NFL history... |
| Keith Traylor Keith Traylor Byron Keith Traylor is an American football nose tackle who is currently retired. He was originally drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1991 NFL Draft... |
LDT | Gilbert Brown Gilbert Brown Gilbert Jesse Brown, is a former nose tackle who played for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . Brown played 125 Packers games recording 292 tackles and seven sacks. Nicknamed "The Gravedigger," in honor of his celebratory dance following a thunderous tackle, Brown played in... |
| Maa Tanuvasa Maa Tanuvasa Maa Tanuvasa is a former American football defensive end, mainly for the Denver Broncos. He played nine years in the National Football League, winning two Super Bowl championships as a main component of the Broncos defense.- High school and college years :Tanuvasa was an Interscholatic All-Star... |
RDT | Santana Dotson Santana Dotson Santana N. Dotson was an American football defensive tackle in the National Football League. He was a part of Houston's Yates High School football team when it won the 1985 5A state championship. While at Baylor, Dotson was voted All-American in 1991... |
| Alfred Williams Alfred Williams Alfred Williams is a former American football player. He was a linebacker and defensive end for the Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos. He finished his career with the New Orleans Saints.-College:... |
RE | Gabe Wilkins Gabe Wilkins Gabriel Nicholas Wilkins is a former American Football defensive end who played for the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers in a six year career that lasted from 1994 to 1999 in the National Football League.... |
| John Mobley John Mobley John Ulysses Mobley is a former American Football linebacker who played eight seasons for the Denver Broncos from 1996 through 2003 in the National Football League.... |
LOLB | Seth Joyner Seth Joyner Seth Joyner is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Arizona Cardinals, Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos. Joyner graduated from Spring Valley High School.-Professional career:Joyner was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the... |
| Allen Aldridge Allen Aldridge (linebacker) Allen Ray Aldridge Jr. is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft... |
MLB | Bernardo Harris Bernardo Harris Bernardo Harris is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He attended Chapel Hill High School, graduating in 1990. He was recruited by Mack Brown to play at the University of North Carolina and graduated in 1994. After not being drafted, he was signed as a free... |
| Bill Romanowski Bill Romanowski William Thomas "Bill" Romanowski is a former American football player. He was born in Vernon, Connecticut. A linebacker, he graduated from Rockville High School in 1984, Boston College in 1988 , and then went on to a 16-year career in the NFL, playing for the San Francisco 49ers , Philadelphia... |
ROLB | Brian Williams |
| Ray Crockett Ray Crockett Donald "Ray" Crockett is a former American football player in the National Football League. He earned two Super Bowl rings with the Denver Broncos as a cornerback. Ray played his high school football at Duncanville High School... |
LCB | Doug Evans Doug Evans (American football) Douglas Edwards Evans is a former American football cornerback and safety in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 6th round of the 1993 NFL Draft out of Louisiana Tech. Evans also played for the Carolina Panthers, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Detroit... |
| Darrien Gordon Darrien Gordon Darrien Jamal Gordon was born November 14, 1970 in Shawnee, Oklahoma) to James and Goldia Gordon. He graduated from Shawnee High School in 1989 where he was an All-State football player and two-time state champion wrestler as well as an honor student.... |
RCB | Tyrone Williams |
| Tyrone Braxton Tyrone Braxton Tyrone Scott Braxton is a former American football defensive back who played for the Denver Broncos for most of his career from 1987 to 1999... |
SS | LeRoy Butler LeRoy Butler LeRoy Butler, III is a former American football strong safety who played his entire career with the Green Bay Packers . He spent his childhood in Jacksonville, Florida, challenged by physical problems that forced him to wear leg braces and use a wheelchair at times while undergoing therapy... |
| Steve Atwater Steve Atwater Stephen Dennis "Smiling Assassin" Atwater is a former American football player who spent most of his career playing free safety for the Denver Broncos of the NFL. Atwater and Dennis Smith made up a Broncos secondary that was known for their ferocious hits on opposing players... |
FS | Eugene Robinson Eugene Robinson Eugene Keefe Robinson is a former professional American football player who played free safety. He played collegiately at Colgate University... |
Officials
- Referee: Ed HochuliEd HochuliEdward G. Hochuli is an attorney for the firm of Jones, Skelton & Hochuli, P.L.C. since 1983, and better known as an American football official in the National Football League since the 1990 NFL season. His uniform number is 85...
(#85) - Umpire: Jim QuirkJim QuirkJim Quirk Sr. was an American football official in the National Football League from the 1988 NFL season to the 2008 NFL season. Quirk, who wore uniform number 5, was notable for his hustle between plays on the football field, resulting in the length of games being shortened...
(#5) - Head Linesman: John Schleyer (#21)
- Line Judge: Ben Montgomery (#117)
- Field Judge: Don Dorkowski (#113)
- Side Judge: Doug Toole (#4)
- Back Judge: Paul Baetz (#22)
- Alternate Referee: Dick HantakDick HantakDick Hantak was an American football official in the National Football League for 25 years between 1978 and 2003. He began his NFL officiating career as a back judge and became a referee eight years later...
(#105) - Alternate Umpire: Ed CoukartEd CoukartEd Coukart was an American football official in the National Football League from the 1989 to 2005 NFL season. He served as an umpire and officiated in Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003 and selected as an alternate for Super Bowl XXXII in 1998. Coukart wore the uniform number 71.A native of Shadyside,...
(#71)
External links
- Super Bowl official website
- The Sporting News: History of the Super Bowl (Last accessed December 4, 2005)
- http://www.pro-football-reference.com - Large online database of NFL data and statistics
- Super Bowl play-by-plays from USA TodayUSA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
(Last accessed September 28, 2005) - All-Time Super Bowl Odds from The Sports Network (Last accessed October 16, 2005)
- Terrell Davis' reflections on the game at Super Bowl.com