The Super Bowl following the 2014 season ended with one of the most dramatic finishes in NFL history, as the New England Patriots edged the Seattle Seahawks 28–24. But not every NFL title game has been as competitive as Super Bowl XLIX.
As the Seahawks and Patriots face off once again in Super Bowl LX on Sunday (6:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock), it’s worth revisiting some of the most one-sided Super Bowls of all time.
What was the biggest blowout in Super Bowl history?
The largest margin of victory in Super Bowl history came in Super Bowl XXIV on Jan. 28, 1990, the culmination of the 1989 season, when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Denver Broncos 55-10.
San Francisco capped a dominant season with its 17th win, repeated as Super Bowl champions and captured its fourth Lombardi Trophy — tying the Pittsburgh Steelers at the time for the most titles in league history. (The Steelers and Patriots are currently tied for the most Super Bowl wins with six apiece.)
Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana, who earned Super Bowl MVP honors, was nearly flawless. He completed 22 of 29 passes for 297 yards and five touchdowns without an interception, leading the 49ers wire to wire.
What are the five largest margins of victory in Super Bowl history?
The 49ers’ 45-point rout in Super Bowl XXIV remains the most lopsided result the game has seen, but it’s far from the only Super Bowl blowout.
Behind their legendary defense, the Chicago Bears dominated the Patriots 46–10 in Super Bowl XX on Jan. 26, 1986. The Bears recorded seven sacks — still a Super Bowl record (tied with three other teams) — underscoring their defensive dominance (h/t Statmuse).
In Super Bowl XXVII on Jan. 31, 1993, the Dallas Cowboys crushed the Buffalo Bills 52–17 in a game defined by turnovers and injuries. Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly exited early with a right knee injury, and Buffalo committed a Super Bowl–record nine turnovers, suffering its third consecutive loss in the game.
The Seattle Seahawks captured their first Lombardi Trophy with a 43–8 dismantling of the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII on Feb. 2, 2014. The victory stands as the largest margin of victory by a Super Bowl underdog.
In Super Bowl XXII on Jan. 31, 1988, Washington defeated the Broncos 42–10, as quarterback Doug Williams earned MVP honors and became the first African American quarterback to start — and win — a Super Bowl.
Has any Super Bowl team been shut out?
No team has ever been shut out in the Super Bowl, though two franchises have been held to just three points. The Cowboys defeated the Miami Dolphins 24–3 in Super Bowl VI on Jan. 16, 1972, limiting Miami to only 185 yards of offense.
More recently, the Patriots secured the final championship of Tom Brady’s New England career with a 13–3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII on Feb. 3, 2019 — a game that still holds the distinction of the lowest combined score in Super Bowl history.
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