With Super Bowl kickoff less than two weeks away, there’s no better time to take a look back at some of the greatest Super Bowls in NFL history. There are so many great games to choose from, so narrowing the list down to 20 won’t be easy, but there are definitely some that stand out.
The NFL was formed in 1920 and up until 1933, the champion was crowned based on winning percentage during the regular season. In 1932, a tie between two teams forced a playoff game to crown the champion. The following season, the NFL played its first NFL Championship game.
The NFL Championship remained a staple of the NFL season until talks of an AFL-NFL merger started in 1966. This led to the first ever AFL-NFL Championship in 1967 between the two champions of each league – a game that officially became known as the Super Bowl in 1970.
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Remembering 20 of the Best Super Bowl Kickoff Matchups
The NFL has hosted 55 Super Bowls since 1967, with Super Bowl LVI between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals being the league’s 56th edition. In that time, we’ve seen a wide range of teams and players do what they do best on the world’s biggest stage in all of football.
Super Bowl kickoff has such a rich history and is one of the most-watched sporting events in the world. Since 2010, the event has pulled in at least 100 million TV viewers 10 times. The two times it didn’t hit the mark were in 2019 (98.2 million viewers) and 2021 (91.6 million viewers).
As we prepare ourselves for Super Bowl LVI, let’s take a moment to remember some of the great performances the football community has witnessed over the past 50+ years. There’s a lot to choose from, but we think we’ve gathered 20 of the best Super Bowl kickoff matchups ever.
20. Super Bowl VII
Super Bowl VII was played between the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins (now known as the Washington Commanders) on January 14th, 1973. The Dolphins defeated the Redskins 14-7 to capture their first of two consecutive Super Bowl wins, as well as a perfect 17-0 season.
The Dolphins scored all 14 of their points in the first half – a 28-yard touchdown pass from Bob Griese to Howard Tilley and a one-yard rushing touchdown by Jim Kiick. A 49-yard fumble return touchdown brought the Redskins within a TD, but they couldn’t complete the comeback.
19. Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV was played between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers on February 6th, 2011. The Packers defeated the Steelers 31-25 to win their first Super Bowl since 1997 and fourth Super Bowl in franchise history. The game was decided in the fourth quarter.
The Packers got off to a quick start and took a 14-0 lead into the second quarter. They extended that lead to 21-3, but the Steelers scored a TD right before halftime. Another Steelers’ TD in the third brought them within four points, but Green Bay outscored them 10-7 in the fourth quarter.
18. Super Bowl LIV
Super Bowl LIV was played between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers on February 2nd, 2020. The Chiefs defeated the 49ers 31-20 to capture their first Super Bowl since 1970 and their second Super Bowl in franchise history. Patrick Mahomes was named MVP.
The Chiefs took a 10-3 lead with nine minutes left in the second quarter, but the 49ers scored 17 unanswered points to take a 20-10 lead into the fourth quarter. That’s when the Chiefs woke up and scored 21 unanswered points in the final six minutes of the game. It was quite a turnaround.
17. Super Bowl V
Super Bowl V was played between the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Colts (now known as the Indianapolis Colts) on January 17th, 1971. The Colts defeated the Cowboys 16-13 to capture their first ever Super Bowl. It was the first Super Bowl played since the NFL-AFL merger.
The Cowboys took an early 6-0 lead with a field goal in the first and second quarter, but the Colts quickly tied it up with a 75-yard TD pass from Johnny Unitas. A Craig Mortion TD pass gave the Cowboys a 13-6 lead, but the Colts scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to win.
16. Super Bowl XLVI
Super Bowl XLVI was played between the New England Patriots and New York Giants on February 5th, 2012. The Patriots were searching for revenge against New York, who ended their perfect season in the Super Bowl four years prior. Unfortunately, Eli Manning got in the way.
The Giants took a 9-0 lead before letting the Patriots climb back to take a 10-9 lead at halftime. Another Patriots’ touchdown gave them a 17-9 lead, but two Giants’ field goals cut into that lead. With 57 seconds left, the Giants scored a touchdown and eventually won the game 21-17.
15. Super Bowl XLVII
Super Bowl XLVII was played between the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens on February 3rd, 2013. It was an eventful game that saw both teams score north of 30 points. In the end, the Ravens defeated the 49ers 34-31 in what turned out to be a back-and-forth affair.
The Ravens got off to a hot start, outscoring the 49ers 28-6 behind three TD passes by Joe Flacco and a kickoff return touchdown to start the second half. The 49ers started to show resistance and were only down 31-29 with 10 minutes left, but didn’t have enough in the tank.
14. Super Bowl XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII was played between the Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos on January 25, 1998. The Broncos would end up getting the best of the Packers, ruining Green Bay’s chance at back-to-back titles. Terrell Davis went off for 157 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Both teams traded touchdowns in the first quarter and the Broncos took a 17-7 lead in the second quarter, but the Packers scored a touchdown before halftime. The Packers tied it up early in the second half and both teams traded touchdowns not long after, but Davis scored the winning TD late in the game.
13. Super Bowl X
Super Bowl X was played between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys on January 18th, 1976. It was a slow game for the first three quarters, but things heated up in the final 15 minutes as the Steelers defeated the Cowboys 21-17 to win their second consecutive title.
The Cowboys took a 10-7 lead into halftime, but the Steelers scored a safety with 12 minutes left, a field goal with nine minutes and seven minutes left, and a TD with 3:30 left to take a 21-10 lead. The Cowboys scored a touchdown with two minutes left, but that’s as far as they got.
12. Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII was played between the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots on February 1st, 2004. All the points were scored in the second and fourth quarters, striking an awkward balance in tempo. The Patriots came out with a 32-29 victory after a late field goal.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Patriots took a 14-10 lead at halftime behind two Tom Brady touchdown passes. They extended the lead to 21-10 to start the fourth, but the Panthers quickly answered and took a 22-21 lead halfway through the quarter. Both teams traded touchdowns to tie the game at 29-29 before a Patriots’ field goal with four seconds left gave them a win.
11. Super Bowl XIII
Super Bowl XIII was played between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys on January 21st, 1979. The Cowboys were looking for revenge after Super Bowl X, but that revenge never came. The Steelers wound up winning 35-31 to secure their third Super Bowl win in five years.
The Steelers and Cowboys traded touchdowns to open the first quarter. They did the same in the second quarter, but the Steelers would take a 21-14 lead into halftime. Pittsburgh extended the lead to 35-17 before allowing Dallas to score 14 unanswered, but the comeback wasn’t enough.
10. Super Bowl LII
Super Bowl LII was played between the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots. It was the second Super Bowl meeting between the two teams, the first coming in 2004. Despite being without their starting quarterback, the Eagles got their revenge with a 41-33 thriller of a win.
It was the Eagles’ first ever Super Bowl win as they got off to an early start, outscoring the Patriots 22-12 in the first half. New England fought back in the third quarter and took a 33-32 lead with nine minutes left, but the Eagles scored nine points in the final two minutes to win.
9. Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI was played between the St. Louis Rams and New England Patriots on February 3rd, 2002. It was Tom Brady’s first ever Super Bowl appearance in his first year as a starter. The Patriots defeated the Rams 20-17 thanks to a 48-yard field goal as time expired.
The Rams scored first with a field goal near the end of the first quarter, but New England scored 17 unanswered points in the second and third quarters to take a 17-3 lead. After allowing the Rams to tie the game with 1:30 left, Brady led a game-winning drive to snatch the victory.
8. Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII was played between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals on February 1st, 2009. It was the Cardinals’ first ever Super Bowl appearance, despite finishing the season just 9-7. The Steelers would end up winning 27-23 with a touchdown in the final minute.
The Steelers got off to a 10-0 lead and extended that lead to 20-7 heading into the fourth quarter. The Cardinals mounted a comeback and took a 23-20 lead with 2:37 left in the game. With 35 seconds left, Ben Roethlisberger threw a strike to Santonio Holmes, leading them to victory.
7. Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII was played between the San Francisco 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals on January 22nd, 1989. It was the second time the two teams were meeting in the Super Bowl, doing so in 1981 as well. The 49ers got the better of the Bengals, winning the game 20-16.
After both teams traded pairs of field goals through most of the first three quarters, it was the Bengals that scored the first touchdown thanks to a 93-yard kickoff return. Jerry Rice tied the game in the fourth quarter and Joe Montana threw another TD late in the game to win it.
6. Super Bowl III
Super Bowl III was played between the New York Jets and Baltimore Colts (now known as the Indianapolis Colts). Back then, the game was called the AFL-NFL Championship. With the Jets beating the Colts 16-7, the AFL secured its first title after the NFL won the first two Super Bowls.
The game helped bring Joe Namath further into the spotlight as he lived up to his ‘Broadway Joe’ moniker. The Jets dominated most of the game and had a 16-0 shutout until the Colts scored a touchdown with three minutes remaining. Joe Namath threw for 206 yards.
5. Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV was played between the St. Louis Rams (now the Los Angeles Rams) and Tennessee Titans on January 30th, 2000. The Rams ended up beating the Titans 23-16 en route to their first and only Super Bowl win in franchise history. It was certainly a nail-biting thriller.
The Rams looked like they had it in the bag, securing a 16-0 lead with seven minutes left in the third quarter. Thanks to two touchdowns by Eddie George, the Titans tied the game up at 16-16 with two minutes left. Not even 20 seconds later, the Rams scored a 73-yard TD pass to win.
4. Super Bowl XLIX
Super Bowl XLIX was played between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots on February 1st, 2015. The game ended up bringing in over 114 million TV viewers, a record that still stands today. For reference, the most recent Super Bowl had 91.63 million TV viewers.
After a scoreless first quarter, both teams picked it up in the second with a 14-14 tie at halftime. The third quarter belonged to the Seahawks, scoring 10 unanswered points. The fourth quarter belonged to the Patriots, scoring two touchdowns in the final eight minutes to win the game.
3. Super Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXV was played between the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills on January 27th, 1991. It was the first of four consecutive Super Bowl appearances for Buffalo, though they didn’t win any of them. The Giants took this game 20-19 in a completely heartbreaking fashion.
The game was pretty even throughout. They were tied 3-3 at the end of the first quarter and Buffalo had a slight 12-10 lead over the Giants at halftime. Both teams traded touchdowns in the second half, giving Buffalo a 19-17 lead before the Giants hit a field goal with eight minutes left. Buffalo had a chance to win the game as time expired, but missed the field goal wide right.
2. Super Bowl LI
Super Bowl LI was played between the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots on February 5th, 2017. The Patriots would get the best of the Falcons with a 34-28 win in overtime – largely thanks to a three-touchdown performance by James White. It was a highly intense game.
The Falcons came out of the gate firing on all cylinders. They scored 21 unanswered points to start the game and had a 21-3 lead at halftime. They further extended that lead to 28-3 in the third quarter before allowing New England to put together the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history. They scored a remarkable 31 unanswered points in the final 17 minutes of play.
1. Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was played between the New York Giants and New England Patriots on February 3rd, 2008. It was the first of two Super Bowl meetings between the two teams. Coming into this game, Brady had never lost in the Super Bowl. Eli Manning apparently had the answer.
The Patriots held a 7-3 lead at halftime in what was a fairly uneventful game. That continued with a scoreless third quarter, but things got interesting in the fourth quarter. The Giants scored a TD early in the quarter and while the Patriots answered late in the quarter, the Giants would score a touchdown with 35 seconds left to win the game – a similar ending to Super Bowl XLVI.
Are You Ready for Super Bowl Kickoff in 2022?
Super Bowl LVI is less than two weeks away and is set to be an exciting one as it features two teams no one expected to be in this position at this point of the season. The Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals fought hard to be here, so you know they’re leaving it all on the field.
Super Bowl kickoff is set for a 6:30PM ET start on February 13, 2022 in SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Although it’s where the Rams play their home games, they will be acting as the away team in the Super Bowl. The game will be available on NBC for those with cable.
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The Los Angeles Rams enter Super Bowl LVI as the favorites, but no one is ready to count the Cincinnati Bengals out. They’ve been tested greatly this postseason and have a knack for coming up big in clutch moments. That’s what makes the Super Bowl this year one to watch.
Is This It for Tom Brady? A Look Back at 10 Tom Brady Super Bowls
Anyone that’s been following the NFL the past two decades has seen their fair share of Tom Brady Super Bowls. Ever since he was named the New England Patriots’ starting quarterback, he has put his team in a position to win every single time he steps foot on the football field.
For some people, Tom Brady Super Bowls are the only thing you look forward to every year. For others, Tom Brady Super Bowls are your worst nightmare and it’s the last thing you want to witness every year – if you want your team to win it all, you’ll likely need to get through him.
Let’s be honest, Tom Brady is statistically the greatest quarterback in NFL history and there’s no real comparison. He’s the all-time leader in passing yards, completions, passing touchdowns, and wins by a quarterback, but it’s the postseason where Tom Brady’s legacy really took shape.
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How Many Super Bowls Has Tom Brady Appeared In?
Tom Brady has been in the league since 2000 and has been a starting quarterback since 2001. In his 22 seasons – 20 with the New England Patriots and two with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Brady has appeared in a record 10 Super Bowls. That’s right, 10 Tom Brady Super Bowls.
Not only has Tom Brady appeared in 10 Super Bowls since 2001, but he has won seven of them – that’s more than any other franchise in NFL history. For reference, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Patriots both have six Super Bowl wins since 1970. Tom Brady has seven wins since 2001.
There’s no denying Tom Brady’s greatness. Whether you like him or not, whether you’re sick of seeing Tom Brady Super Bowls or not, he’s the greatest player the NFL has ever seen. With that said, his career won’t last forever and many are wondering if the 2021-22 season was his last.
While we won’t see him in the Super Bowl this season and we don’t know what the future holds for Tom Brady, let’s take a moment to appreciate and reminisce about the 10 Tom Brady Super Bowls we had the opportunity to witness these past 22 years – it’s been exciting to watch!
1. Super Bowl XXXVI vs. Rams
Stats: 16/27, 145 yards, 1 touchdown, 3 rushing yards
Outcome: W, 20-17
In what was Tom Brady’s first year as starting quarterback, he gave everyone a taste of what was to come throughout his career. The New England Patriots finished the regular season 11-5, despite starting the year 1-3. Brady had 2,843 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
They entered the postseason with a first round bye and just barely got past the Oakland Raiders in the divisional round, winning 16-13 in overtime. A 24-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers earned them a spot in the Super Bowl against the St. Louis Rams, who finished the year 14-2.
The Rams scored first with a field goal in the first quarter, taking an early 3-0 lead. The second and third quarters belonged to the Patriots, who scored 17 unanswered points to take a 17-3 lead. St. Louis then scored 14 unanswered to tie the game with the just 1:30 left in the game.
Tom Brady had 53 passing yards in the final 1:30, setting up the Patriots for a game-winning field goal as time expired. Brady finished the game with 145 passing yards and one touchdown – an eight-yard strike to David Patten. It was Tom Brady’s first Super Bowl appearance and win.
2. Super Bowl XXXVIII vs. Panthers
Stats: 32/48, 354 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception, 12 rushing yards
Outcome: W, 32-29
Tom Brady and the New England Patriots didn’t make it to the Super Bowl during the 2002-03 season, but they were back at it for the 2003-04 season. They finished the regular season with the NFL’s best record at 14-2 and Brady had 3,620 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
The Patriots entered the postseason with another first round bye and got better as the playoffs unfolded. They beat the Tennessee Titans 17-14 in the divisional round and the Indianapolis Colts 24-14 in the conference round before meeting the Carolina Panthers in the Super Bowl.
It was an interesting Super Bowl to say the least. There were no points scored in the first quarter, but both teams opened things up in the second as the Patriots took a 14-10 halftime lead. After scoring no points in the third, both teams traded big shots in the fourth quarter.
The Panthers eventually tied the game up at 29 with just over a minute left, but Tom Brady set his team up for a game-winning field goal with four seconds left. Once again, Brady and the Patriots won with a last-second field goal. It was Brady’s second appearance and second win.
3. Super Bowl XXXIX vs. Eagles
Stats: 23/33, 236 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 fumble
Outcome: W, 24-21
Looking to repeat as Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots went 14-2 for the second consecutive season with Tom Brady at the helm. Brady finished the year with 3,692 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. The Patriots were nearly unstoppable.
After a first round bye, New England defeated the Indianapolis Colts 20-3 and the Pittsburgh Steelers 41-27 en route to their second straight Super Bowl appearance – this time against the Philadelphia Eagles. This was also Brady’s second year being selected to the Pro Bowl.
The Super Bowl was a lot like the previous two Tom Brady Super Bowls. There were no points scored in the first quarter, but both teams kicked it up a notch in the second. The Eagles scored first and took a 7-0 lead, but Brady tied it up before halftime with a TD pass to David Givens.
Both teams traded shots in the third quarter, tying the game at 14 at the start of the fourth. New England outscored the Eagles 10-7 in the fourth quarter as the Patriots repeated as Super Bowl champions. It was the third time Brady and the Patriots won the Super Bowl by three points.
4. Super Bowl XLII vs. Giants
Stats: 29/48, 266 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 fumble
Outcome: L, 14-17
The 2007 New England Patriots are regarded as one of the greatest teams in NFL history. They finished the regular season a perfect 16-0 and Tom Brady earned his first MVP award with 4,806 yards, 50 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. He was also selected to his first All-Pro team.
Brady and the Patriots were looking to achieve something no other team has – a 19-0 season. They would need to win the Super Bowl, which they had an opportunity to do after defeating Jacksonville Jaguars and San Diego Chargers in the divisional and conference rounds.
They were matched up with Eli Manning and the New York Giants, the heavy underdogs. Much like other Tom Brady Super Bowls, it was a slow start for both teams. The Giants opened up the scoring with a field goal in the first and the Patriots responded with a touchdown in the second.
The Patriots held onto their 7-3 lead after a scoreless third quarter, which is when things got interesting. Both teams traded shots in the fourth, putting the Patriots up 14-10 late in the game. Unfortunately, the Giants scored a TD with 35 seconds left and won the game 17-14.
It was Brady’s fourth Super Bowl appearance, but first loss as he fell to 3-1 in the Super Bowl.
5. Super Bowl XLVI vs. Giants
Stats: 27/41, 276 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception
Outcome: L, 17-21
At this point, Tom Brady hadn’t been to the Super Bowl in three seasons and the Patriots were coming off yet another 14-2 season. They entered the 2011-12 season with high hopes and finished an impressive 13-3. Brady threw for 5,235 yards, 39 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
The Patriots had a first round bye and came out the gates swinging in the divisional round with a 45-10 victory over the Denver Broncos. They faced some resistance against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game, but won 23-20 to advance to the Super Bowl.
There, they were met by a familiar team in the New York Giants. It was the perfect rematch and the Giants started the game off on the right foot, taking a 9-0 lead into the second quarter. The Patriots stepped it up a bit in the second, scoring 10 unanswered points to take the lead at half.
The Patriots opened the third quarter with a touchdown, but the Giants climbed back with two field goals before the start of the fourth – New England had a 17-15 lead. Not much happened in the fourth quarter, but the Giants found a way to score a TD with 57 seconds left to win 17-21.
The Giants once again ended Brady’s chance at a fourth Super Bowl win as he fell to 3-2 in such games.
6. Super Bowl XLIX vs. Seahawks
Stats: 37/50, 328 yards, 4 touchdowns, 2 interceptions
Outcome: W, 28-24
Tom Brady hadn’t been to the Super Bowl in two seasons and hadn’t won a Super Bowl since the 2004 campaign – which was 10 years ago at this point. Nonetheless, they once again won the AFC East with a 12-4 record behind Brady’s 4,109 yards, 33 touchdowns, and nine picks.
They faced a tough matchup against the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round, but prevailed with a 35-31 win. The AFC Championship Game went better as they obliterated the Indianapolis Colts 45-7, earning themselves a Super Bowl appearance against the Seattle Seahawks.
Both teams failed to score in the first quarter as the game stayed knotted up at 0. Things started heating up in the second quarter as both teams scored two touchdowns before halftime, bringing the game to 14-14. The Seahawks proceeded to pull away in the third, taking a 24-14 lead.
The fourth quarter was all Patriots as Tom Brady threw two touchdown passes – one to Danny Amendola and one to Julian Edelman – to win the game 28-24. It was quite the comeback and was decided by the infamous run – instead of a pass – by the Seahawks at the goal line.
This was Brady’s sixth Super Bowl appearance, fourth Super Bowl win, and first win in 10 years.
7. Super Bowl LI vs. Falcons
Stats: 43/62, 466 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception, 15 rushing yards
Outcome: W, 34-28 (OT)
The New England Patriots finished the 2016-17 season with a 14-2 record, once again at the top of the AFC East. Tom Brady had yet another productive year with 3,554 yards, 28 touchdowns, and just two interceptions – despite missing the first four games of the year due to suspension.
Tom Brady entered the postseason with a first round bye and had an easy 34-16 victory against the Houston Texans in the divisional round. The AFC Championship Game vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers was just as easy with the Patriots winning 36-17 to advance to the Super Bowl.
Tom Brady and the Patriots were matched up against Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons for Super Bowl LI. Atlanta came out swinging in the second quarter and took a commanding 21-3 lead into halftime after a scoreless first quarter. The lead grew to 28-3 in the third quarter.
That’s when the Patriots came alive and put together the greatest comeback in playoff history. They scored 25 unanswered points in the third and fourth quarter to bring the game to overtime, where they scored a touchdown to win 34-28. It was Brady’s fifth career Super Bowl victory.
8. Super Bowl LII vs. Eagles
Stats: 28/48, 505 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 fumble, 6 rushing yards
Outcome: L, 33-41
The Patriots were hot coming off their Super Bowl win the previous season. They knew they could run it back like they did in 2004 and 2005. Brady finished the year with 4,577 yards, 35 touchdowns, and just 8 interceptions en route to his third and most recent MVP finish.
As for New England, they finished the regular season 13-3 at the top of the AFC East. After a first round bye, they defeated the Tennessee Titans 35-14 in the divisional round and the Jacksonville Jaguars 24-20 in the AFC Championship Game to advance to the Super Bowl.
Waiting for them at Super Bowl LII were Nick Foles and the Philadelphia Eagles – ready for their revenge. The game started off in favor of the Eagles as they took a 9-3 lead at the end of the first quarter. That lead grew to 22-12 by halftime, putting the Eagles in the driver’s seat.
This was the Patriots, though. They started to mount a comeback and were down as little as 26-29 at the start of the fourth quarter. New England eventually took the lead with less than 10 minutes left, but the Eagles scored nine points in the final two minutes to win 41-33.
Philadelphia got their revenge, the Patriots didn’t repeat, and Tom Brady fell to 5-3 in the Super Bowl.
9. Super Bowl LIII vs. Rams
Stats: 21/35, 262 yards, 1 interception, 1 fumble
Outcome: W, 13-3
The 2018 regular season didn’t go as well as some of the other seasons we’ve discussed up to this point. The Patriots finished the year 11-5, but it was enough to win the AFC East and a first round bye in the playoffs. Brady finished with 4,355 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
Tom Brady faced quite a bit of resistance in the divisional and conference rounds. He ended up getting the best of the Los Angeles Chargers 41-28 and then squeezed past the Kansas City Chiefs 37-31 in overtime. It was the New England Patriots’ third-straight trip to the Super Bowl.
The Rams were ready to get their revenge on Tom Brady after he defeated them in his first Super Bowl appearance in 2001. Unfortunately, that never happened as the Patriots outlasted LA with a score of 13-3. Among Tom Brady Super Bowls, this one had the lowest score.
Both teams failed to score in the first quarter and the Patriots were the only team to score in the second quarter – a field goal. The Rams responded with a field goal in the third, but allowed the Patriots to score 10 unanswered in the fourth to secure Brady’s sixth career Super Bowl win.
10. Super Bowl LV vs. Chiefs
Stats: 21/29, 201 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 fumble
Outcome: W, 31-9
The 2020 regular season was a weird one as it was the first year since 1999 that the New England Patriots didn’t have Tom Brady on their roster. Instead, Brady made the transition and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the offseason. It completely rattled the entire league.
The Buccaneers finished the year with an 11-5 record and reached the playoffs for the first time since 2007. Brady had 4,633 yards, 40 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in his first year with the team. For the first time on this list, Brady didn’t have a first round bye to start the playoffs.
After defeating the Washington Football Team, New Orleans Saints, and Green Bay Packers, the Bucs earned a spot in the Super Bowl – becoming the first team to host their own Super Bowl (it took place in Tampa Bay). They were matched up against the very hot Chiefs.
Apparently the stage was too bright for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. The Buccaneers had a 21-6 lead at halftime and continued to pour it on in the second half. They won the game 31-9 and prevented Mahomes from touching the endzone. It’s a game that cemented Brady’s legacy.
With seven Super Bowl wins, Tom Brady not only has more than any other player, but more than any other franchise in NFL history.
Will We See Any More Tom Brady Super Bowls in the Future?
Much like we do every year, it’s time to sit and wonder whether or not we’ll see Tom Brady in the NFL next year. At 44 years old, he’s as old as some of the head coaches today and while he can still win at the NFL level, it’s clear that Tom Brady and his body aren’t getting any younger.
With that said, it might be hard for Tom Brady to turn down another shot at a Super Bowl next season – especially with how the 2021-22 season ended. The Buccaneers were 13-4 in the regular season and lost to the Los Angeles Rams (of all teams) in the divisional round.
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It would be a lot easier for Brady to hang ‘em up at season’s end if he had won the Super Bowl – or at least made an appearance. For now, he’s stuck mulling over his options. Personally, I’d say Brady returns next season for one final go at 45 years old – but don’t hold that against me.
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