Super Bowl history lesson: Our Top 5 games, teams, upsets and much more

The Super Bowl turns 60 on Sunday.

What started as the AFL-NFL World Championship Game in 1967 and officially became known as the Super Bowl two years later has long since carved a permanent place on the calendar as the most unofficial of holidays across America.

From Tom Brady and Joe Montana to the Steel Curtain Pittsburgh Steelers, from the Doomsday defense of the Dallas Cowboys to the Team of the ‘80s 49ers – and so much more through the decades – the Super Bowl has evolved into an encyclopedia of some of sports’ greatest moments.

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Who in the Bay Area will ever forget Montana to John Taylor to beat Cincinnati in Super Bowl XXIII?

Or Steve Young’s six touchdown passes to rout the Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX?

Who can still see David Tyree pinning Eli Manning’s desperation pass against his helmet to make the impossible catch that led to the winning touchdown as the New York Giants, with a victory in Super Bowl XLII, ended New England’s bid to become the NFL’s first undefeated team since the 1972 Dolphins?

Or the Falcons blowing a 28-3 midway through the third quarter in a 34-28 overtime loss to the Patriots in Super Bowl LI?

So many games, so many stars, so many incredible memories.

With the latest edition set for Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, here is the Bay Area News Group’s top five Super Bowl games, upsets, teams, performances (offense and defense), comebacks and more:

Best games

5. Super Bowl XXIII: 49ers 20, Bengals 16

In Bill Walsh’s final game as 49ers coach, San Francisco trailed 13-6 after three quarters and 16-13 when it took over at its own 8 with 3:04 left. Montana led the Niners on a 92-yard drive, capped by his 10-yard TD pass over the middle to Taylor with 34 seconds to play.

4. Super Bowl LII: Eagles 41, Patriots 33

In a matchup between Brady and Eagles backup quarterback Nick Foles, the teams combined for a Super Bowl record 1,151 yards and one of the most memorable plays in Super Bowl history — the “Philly Special” in which tight end Trey Burton threw a 1-yard TD pass to Foles on fourth-and-goal to give the Eagles a 10-point halftime lead.

3. Super Bowl LVII: Chiefs 38, Eagles 35

In what was dubbed the Kelce Bowl – Eagles center Jason Kelce vs. his younger brother, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce – Patrick Mahomes rallied Kansas City from a 10-point halftime deficit to win on a 27-yard field goal by Harrison Butker with eight seconds left.

2. Super Bowl XIII: Steelers 35, Cowboys 31

In a rematch of Super Bowl X, Pittsburgh came out on top again as game MVP Terry Bradshaw threw for 318 yards and four touchdowns. A combined 26 future Hall of Famers were part of this heavyweight matchup (15 from the Steelers).

1. Super Bowl XLII: Giants 17, Patriots 14

New England was 2:42 from immortality – 19-0, the NFL’s first undefeated team since the ‘72 Dolphins – after Randy Moss caught a 6-yard TD pass from Brady to put New England up 14-10. But the Giants answered with a 12-play, 83-yard drive that included Manning’s miraculous completion to Tyree and then his 13-yard TD pass to Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds left.

Biggest upsets

5. Super Bowl XXXII: Broncos 31, Packers 24

The Broncos entered this game having been defeated in all four of their previous Super Bowl appearances, with each result worse than the last. They’d lost by 17, 19, 32 and 45 points. The Packers were 11 ½-point favorites. But Terrell Davis ran for 157 yards and three TDs in 30 carries as Denver finally won the big one for longtime quarterback John Elway.

4. Super Bowl XXXVI: Patriots 20, Rams 17

The “Greatest Show on Turf” – as the high-powered Rams were nicknamed – was expected to put an exclamation point on a second Super Bowl title in three years. But the 14-point underdog Patriots instead spawned a dynasty as Brady led a late drive that culminated with Adam Vinatieri’s 48-yard field goal as time expired.

3. Super Bowl XLII: Giants 17, Patriots 14

The Patriots were 12-point favorites as they marched onto the Glendale, Ariz., field on Feb. 3, 2008. But they managed just 45 yards rushing (2.8 yards per attempt) and Brady was sacked five times as the Giants won the third of their four Super Bowl titles.

2. Super Bowl IV: Chiefs 23, Vikings 7

The Vikings were picked to win by 13 ½ points in the final Super Bowl before the AFL-NFL merger later in 1970. But Hank Stram’s Chiefs showed that the Jets’ win in Super Bowl III was no fluke as Kansas City took charge with the coach’s iconic “65 Toss Power Trap” play that accounted for the AFL team’s first touchdown.

1. Super Bowl III: Jets 16, Colts 7

The Jets were given no chance to beat the Colts at the Orange Bowl in Miami as oddsmakers made them 18-point underdogs. But quarterback Joe Namath believed, predicting a victory that he turned into reality. He passed for 206 yards and Matt Snell ran for 121 yards and a TD.

Strongest teams

5. 1992 Cowboys

The first of the great Cowboys teams of the 1990s won an epic NFC championship game over the 49ers at Candlestick Park and then walloped Buffalo 52-17 in Super Bowl XXVII at the Rose Bowl behind four TD passes from Troy Aikman and nine turnovers by the Bills.

4. 1978 Steelers

Pittsburgh was already a two-time Super Bowl champ before 1978. But this version added offensive firepower to go with the Steel Curtain defense of Mean Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, etc. The result was the Steelers’ third of four Super Bowl titles in the ‘70s.

3. 1985 Bears

On the short list of greatest defenses of all time. Buddy Ryan’s innovative “46” defense dominated opponents as the Bears allowed just 198 points during a 15-1 regular season and shuffled to the championship, dominating New England 46-10 in Super Bowl XX.

2. 1984 49ers

If not for a 20-17 loss to the Steelers at Candlestick Park in Week 7, this team would have been perfect. They beat the Giants in the divisional round, routed the Bears 23-0 for the NFC title and were too much for Dan Marino’s Dolphins in the Super Bowl at Stanford, winning 38-16.

1. 1972 Dolphins

The only undefeated team in the NFL’s modern era, Miami led the league in fewest points allowed (171) and points scored (385). The Dolphins went 14-0 in the regular season and beat the Browns and Steelers in the playoffs and Washington in the Super Bowl.

Comebacks

5. Super Bowl XLIV: Saints 31, Colts 17

The Colts led 10-0 after one quarter and 10-6 at halftime. They still led 17-16 after three quarters before a Drew Brees TD pass and Tracy Porter’s 74-yard pick-six flipped the scoreboard.

4. Super Bowl LVIII: Chiefs 25, 49ers 22, OT

Four years after a crushing Super Bowl loss to KC, the 49ers roared to a 10-0 lead and reclaimed the advantage on Jake Moody’s 53-yard field goal with 1:53 left. But in a game remembered for Dre Greenlaw’s Achilles injury while running onto the field in the second quarter, the Chiefs won in OT.

3. Super Bowl XLIX: Patriots 28, Seahawks 24

A short field goal by Stephen Hauschka and a 3-yard TD pass from Russell Wilson to Doug Baldwin gave Seattle a 10-point lead after three quarters. We all know how it turned out. Brady threw two TD passes and Seattle, instead of handing the ball to Marshawn Lynch from the 1, called a slant pass to Ricardo Lockette that Malcolm Butler intercepted to clinch the victory for New England.

2. Super Bowl LIV: Chiefs 31, 49ers 20

This one stings the 49ers’ faithful, who were a half quarter from a long-awaited celebration. The 49ers led 20-10 midway through the final period. What could go wrong? Three KC touchdowns over the final 6:13 is what went wrong. Party spoiled.

1. Super Bowl LI: Patriots 34, Falcons 28, OT

Is it a coincidence, bad luck or something else that Kyle Shanahan was on the losing end of three of these comebacks? This one was the mother of all rallies. Then the Falcons’ offensive coordinator, Shanahan’s team led 28-3 in the third quarter. But Brady & Co. stormed back – partly due to Atlanta’s inability to burn clock – and won in OT.

Individual performances (offense)

5. Tom Brady, Patriots

Passed for a Super Bowl-record 505 yards, to go with three touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough to prevent backup QB Nick Foles and the Eagles from a 41-33 win in Super Bowl LII.

4. Jerry Rice, 49ers

Finished with a Super Bowl-record 215 receiving yards on 11 catches with one touchdown and was named game MVP as the 49ers rallied to edge the Bengals 20-16 in Super Bowl XXIII.

3. Phil Simms, Giants

Completed a Super Bowl-record 88 percent of his passes (22 of 25) for 268 yards and three touchdowns as the Giants crushed the Broncos 39-20 in Super Bowl XI.

2. Joe Montana, 49ers

In a 55-10 rout of the Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV, Montana passed for 297 yards and five touchdowns.

1. Steve Young, 49ers

Threw what remains a Super Bowl-record six touchdown passes to lead the 49ers to a 49-26 rout of the Chargers in SB XXIX.

Individual performances (defense)

5. Chuck Howley, Cowboys

The only player from the losing side to be named game MVP. He intercepted two passes and forced a fumble in Dallas’ 16-13 loss to the Colts in Super Bowl V.

4. Larry Brown, Cowboys

Picked off two passes in the second half, leading to Dallas touchdowns, and was named game MVP as the Cowboys beat the Steelers 27-17 in Super Bowl XXX.

3. Rod Martin, Raiders

Intercepted a Super Bowl-record three passes from Ron Jaworski as the Raiders defeated the Eagles 27-10 in SB XV.

2. Malcolm Smith, Seahawks

Finished with 10 tackles, a pass deflection, a fumble recovery and an interception that he returned for a touchdown, earning game MVP honors as Seattle routed Denver 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII.

1. Von Miller, Broncos

In the last Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium, 10 years ago, the Denver linebacker was named game MVP after contributing 2.5 sacks, six tackles, two forced fumbles and two QB hurries in a 24-10 victory over Carolina.

Heartbreakers

5. Jackie Smith, Cowboys

In the final game of his Hall of Fame career, the Dallas tight end was wide open in the middle of the end zone when he dropped a third-quarter pass from Roger Staubach in Super Bowl XIII. “He’s got to be the sickest man in America,” broadcaster Verne Lundquist said. The Steelers won 35-31.

4. Colin Kaepernick, 49ers

With the 49ers trailing 34-29 late in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLVII, Kaepernick threw three consecutive incomplete passes to Michael Crabtree from the Baltimore 5-yard line, ending the 49ers’ comeback hopes as the Ravens won the “Harbaugh Bowl” 34-31.

3. Kevin Dyson, Titans

Dyson was headed toward the end zone after catching a pass from the Rams’ 10-yard line on the final snap of Super Bowl XXXIV. But linebacker Mike Jones tackled Dyson 1 yard from the goal line. The Rams won 23-16.

2. Russell Wilson, Seahawks

As noted earlier, the Seahawks could have handed the ball to Lynch 1 yard from a winning TD. But instead watched Wilson’s pass get intercepted.

1. Scott Norwood, Bills

In the first of Buffalo’s four consecutive Super Bowl losses, Norwood’s field goal attempt from 47 yards out with eight seconds left sailed wide right, giving the Giants a 20-19 victory in SB XXV.

Gaffes

5. Leon Lett’s missed TD, Cowboys

The Cowboys were already celebrating a rout of the Bills in Super Bowl XXVII when the Dallas defensive tackle returned a fumble for what would have been an exclamation-point TD. But Lett celebrated early and Buffalo receiver Don Beebe knocked the ball loose, preventing a score.

4. Manny Ramirez’s snap, Broncos

On the first snap of Super Bowl XLVIII, the Denver center snapped the ball before quarterback Peyton Manning was ready, resulting in a safety that symbolized what was to come. Seattle rolled 43-8.

3. Superdome’s electrical relay device

The lights went out in the third quarter of Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans between the 49ers and Ravens, causing a 34-minute delay.

2. Garo Yepremian’s pass, Dolphins

After having his 42-yard field goal attempt blocked in the late stages of Super Bowl VII, the kicker picked up the ball and hopelessly tried to pass it. Washington’s Mike Bass returned the fumble 49 yards for a TD. Miami held on to win 14-7 to complete its perfect season.

1. Thurman Thomas’ helmet, Bills

Someone in Harry Connick Jr.’s crew moved Thomas’ helmet from its spot on the 34-yard line before the crooner sang the national anthem – and didn’t return it. Unable to find the helmet, the star running back missed the Bills’ first two plays, setting the tone for a 37-24 loss to Washington in Super Bowl XXVI.