As South Florida prepares to host Super Bowl LIV, here’s a look back at the 10 previous Super Bowls played in the region.
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Super Bowl II
Miami Orange Bowl | Miami
Jan. 14, 1968
Green Bay Packers 33, Oakland Raiders 14
The first Super Bowl played in South Florida was just the second one ever played.
Led by legendary head coach Vince Lombardi, whose name would later be associated with the trophy awarded to the Super Bowl champion, Green Bay dominated Oakland throughout much of the game on the way to a 33-14 victory. It was the second straight Super Bowl victory for the Packers, who defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10 in the inaugural game.
Green Bay kicker Don Chandler made four field goals, including three in the first half, and cornerback Herb Adderley had a 60-yard interception return for a touchdown. Quarterback Bart Starr was once again named Super Bowl MVP, completing 13 of 24 pass attempts for 202 yards and a touchdown.
Super Bowl III
Miami Orange Bowl | Miami
Jan. 12, 1969
New York Jets 16, Baltimore Colts 7
This remains the only Super Bowl to be played in back-to-back years at the same venue in the same city.
The Colts, led by future Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula, were an 18-point favorite headed into the game, but Jets quarterback Joe Namath delivered on his promise -- guaranteeing a victory three days earlier at the Miami Touchdown Club -- and led New York to a stunning 16-7 upset.
Despite not throwing for or scoring a touchdown, Namath was the game’s MVP, completing 17 of 28 attempts for 206 yards.
Baltimore quarterback Earl Morrall threw three interceptions before being replaced by Johnny Unitas, who led the Colts to their lone touchdown in the final few minutes. But it was too little too late for Baltimore.
Super Bowl V
Miami Orange Bowl | Miami
Jan. 17, 1971
Baltimore Colts 16, Dallas Cowboys 13
For the third time in four years, Miami was host to professional football’s biggest stage.
This time, Baltimore made amends for its showing in Miami two years earlier, defeating Dallas 16-13. It wasn’t pretty, with both teams combining for a Super Bowl-record 11 turnovers, including five in the fourth quarter. The seven turnovers by the Colts remain the most committed by a Super Bowl champion.
Rookie kicker Jim O’Brien made a 32-yard field goal with five seconds left to seal the victory for Baltimore.
The game was also the first Super Bowl played in the post-merger era. The first four Super Bowls pitted the NFL champion against the AFL (precursor to the AFC) champion. Beginning with the 1970 season, the game showcased the AFC and NFC champions.
Super Bowl X
Miami Orange Bowl | Miami
Jan. 18, 1976
Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Dallas Cowboys 17
This remains the coldest Super Bowl in South Florida to date, with a game time temperature of 57 degrees.
Trailing 10-7 in the fourth quarter, the Steelers rallied to score 14 unanswered points, including a 64-yard touchdown from quarterback Terry Bradshaw to wide receiver Lynn Swann, giving Pittsburgh a 21-10 lead.
Dallas cut the score with a 34-yard touchdown from quarterback Roger Staubach to receiver Percy Howard late in the game, but Pittsburgh safety Glen Edwards prevented the Cowboys from rallying, intercepting a tipped pass in the end zone as time expired to preserve a 21-17 victory.
Super Bowl XIII
Miami Orange Bowl | Miami
Jan. 21, 1979
Pittsburgh Steelers 35, Dallas Cowboys 31
This was the final Super Bowl played at the old Orange Bowl and the first Super Bowl played since the NFL expanded to 16 regular-season games.
Dallas was a regular fixture in Miami during the 1970s, appearing in all three South Florida Super Bowls of the decade. It was also the decade in which South Florida hosted the most Super Bowls.
The Orange Bowl was unkind to the Cowboys, who lost all three games in the same stadium.
Dallas only trailed 21-17 at the end of the third quarter, but it must have felt like déjà vu for Cowboys fans when Pittsburgh scored two touchdowns in a span of 19 seconds in the fourth quarter to take a 35-17 lead. Quarterback Roger Staubach threw a pair of late touchdown passes to cut the score to 35-31, but the Cowboys failed to recover an onside kick attempt, allowing the Steelers to run out the clock.
Super Bowl XXIII
Joe Robbie Stadium | Miami
Jan. 22, 1989
San Francisco 49ers 20, Cincinnati Bengals 16
After a 10-year hiatus, the Super Bowl returned to South Florida, this time at a new stadium.
Hours before kickoff, the NFL announced that Bengals running back Stanley Wilson was barred from playing in the Super Bowl. Wilson, who missed the 1985 and 1987 seasons after admitted problems with cocaine, had been found disoriented on the eve of the game and disappeared as team officials tried to move him to a hotel away from the other players.
Tied 3-3 at halftime and trailing 16-13 late in the fourth quarter, the 49ers got the football with 3:10 left on the clock and scored the game-winning touchdown on a 10-yard pass from quarterback Joe Montana to wide receiver John Taylor with just 34 seconds remaining, lifting San Francisco to a 20-16 victory.
San Francisco receiver Jerry Rice was named Super Bowl MVP, hauling in 11 catches for a Super Bowl-record 215 yards and one touchdown.
It was the final Super Bowl played on the second-to-last Sunday in January.
Super Bowl XXIX
Joe Robbie Stadium | Miami
Jan. 29, 1995
San Francisco 49ers 49, San Diego Chargers 26
The 49ers must have enjoyed playing in South Florida, beating the Chargers 49-26 to become the first team to win five Super Bowls (and second at Joe Robbie Stadium).
Now with quarterback Steve Young at the helm of the offense, San Francisco raced out to a 28-10 lead at halftime and led 42-10 late in the third quarter before San Diego scored again on a 98-yard kickoff return by Andre Coleman.
Young threw for a Super Bowl-record six touchdowns on his way to being named Super Bowl MVP.
Super Bowl XXXIII
Pro Player Stadium | Miami
Jan. 31, 1999
Denver Broncos 34, Atlanta Falcons 19
This Super Bowl is perhaps best-remembered as the final game of Broncos quarterback John Elway’s 16-year NFL career.
Denver defeated Atlanta 34-19 to win back-to-back Super Bowls. The Falcons scored first on a 32-yard field goal by veteran kicker Morten Andersen in the first quarter, but it would be the last time Atlanta led all game. The Broncos went ahead 17-6 at halftime and led 31-6 midway through the fourth quarter before Atlanta got on the scoreboard twice more in the closing minutes.
Elway became, at the time, the oldest player to win Super Bowl MVP when the 38-year-old completed 18 of 29 pass attempts for 336 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for a 3-yard score in the fourth quarter.
NFL owners originally voted to play the Super Bowl at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, but it was rescinded amid uncertainty regarding $26 million in promised renovations to the stadium.
Super Bowl XLI
Dolphin Stadium | Miami Gardens
Feb. 4, 2007
Indianapolis Colts 29, Chicago Bears 17
This was the first South Florida Super Bowl to be played in February.
It was also a super soaker. In the first Super Bowl played throughout a steady rain, the Colts overcame a 14-6 deficit in the first quarter and outscored the Bears 23-3 the rest of the way en route to a 29-17 victory.
The win gave Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning his first Super Bowl championship. Manning was Super Bowl MVP, completing 25 of 38 pass attempts for 247 yards and a touchdown.
Although it was the fourth Super Bowl played at the stadium, the game was the first since having a Miami Gardens postal address affixed to it. The three previous games at the stadium were referred to as being played in “Miami” (which was actually unincorporated Miami-Dade County). Despite a push from the mayor of Miami Gardens, which was incorporated in 2003, to proclaim the Super Bowl as being played in the city, promotional material released by the NFL simply referred to it as “South Florida.”
Super Bowl XLIV
Sun Life Stadium | Miami Gardens
Feb. 7, 2010
New Orleans Saints 31, Indianapolis Colts 17
Peyton Manning and the Colts were back in South Florida, but the result was different.
New Orleans captured its first Lombardi Trophy, rallying to beat Indianapolis 31-17. The Saints trailed 10-6 at halftime and 17-13 midway through the third quarter before scoring 18 unanswered points, including cornerback Tracy Porter's 74-yard interception return for a touchdown, to clinch the win.
Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who four years earlier elected to sign with New Orleans after being passed over by Miami, was the Super Bowl MVP, completing 32 of 39 pass attempts for 288 yards and two touchdowns.
NFL owners initially awarded the Super Bowl to a proposed new stadium in New York City, but when state officials declined to approve the $400 million price tag, league owners voted to reopen the bidding, ultimately selecting South Florida for a record-tying 10th time (along with New Orleans).