Ranking the Five Best Super Bowls of All Time

Every year, franchises across the United States battle for a shot at the Super Bowl. Should they get there, the stakes couldn’t be higher, making for some particularly dramatic games.

Whether it’s a heated rivalry coming down to one game, a series of shocking events, or an incredible underdog triumph, the Super Bowl has seen it all.

With many fans set to jump into the online betting for what will hopefully be another classic clash at Super Bowl LIX, here are the five best Super Bowls of all time to date.

Super Bowl LI (Patriots vs Falcons, 2017)

Not only did Super Bowl LI showcase the greatest comeback in the history of the Super Bowl, but it also staged the first-ever overtime in the NFL finale’s history.

The Atlanta Falcons stormed ahead to a 25-point lead by halftime, with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots seemingly done for the day. Then, they rallied.

Brady orchestrated a colossal comeback that saw him throw for a record 466 yards to claim his record-making fourth Super Bowl MVP award. With James White’s TD in overtime, the Pats won 34-28.

Super Bowl XXV (Giants vs Bills, 1991)

In a Super Bowl meet that was technically between two teams representing the same state, the high-powered, no-huddle offence of the Buffalo Bills met the time-bleeding defence of the New York Giants.

Similarly to how vaunted Buffalo’s offence is now, and why they’re an NFL betting favourite to win the Super Bowl again, the Bills were expected to work their way through the Giants.

Overall, the Bills did, being efficient with the ball. However, they were only given 20 minutes of possession. It all boiled down to a last-second 47-yard kick from Scott Norwood of the Bills. He missed, ending the game 20-19.

Super Bowl XLIX (Patriots vs Seahawks, 2014)

Producing one of the most memorable Super Bowl moments for all of the wrong reasons, the Seattle Seahawks were primed and ready to win Super Bowl XLIX powered by the ‘Legion of Boom.’

The spectacle in Arizona saw the Patriots climb back into the lead with two touchdowns in the fourth, leading 28-24 with a little over two minutes to go. The Seahawks charged up the field and made it to New England’s one-yard line.

Everyone knew the play: give the ball to Marshawn Lynch. They didn’t. Instead, Russell Wilson opted to pass, which rookie Malcolm Butler picked off and secured to win one of the best Super Bowls of all time.

Super Bowl XIII (Steelers vs Cowboys, 1979)

Hailed as the ‘Battle of Champions,’ the Pittsburgh Steelers versus the Dallas Cowboys at Super Bowl XIII pitted two persistent Super Bowl foes against each other in an incredibly close contest.

Prior, the two teams had collected two Super Bowl titles each, the Cowboys entered the game in Miami as the defending champions, and the Steelers had got the better of the Cowboys when they met at Super Bowl X in the same stadium.

Boasting Hall of Fame head coaches and quarterbacks on both sides of the pitch, seven TDs were thrown, including a 75-yarder, and the Cowboys managed to come back from 35-17 down in the fourth to narrowly miss out 35-31.

Super Bowl XLII (Giants vs Patriots, 2008)

Winning this ranking of the five best Super Bowls of all time is the classic match-up between the New York Giants and New England Patriots at Super Bowl XLII in Arizona.

Entering as the heavy favourites after becoming the first perfect team since the 1972 Dolphins, everyone expected the 2007 Patriots to win, but it was a surprisingly tight contest in which the defences were the most impactful units.

With 2:39 left on the clock, the Patriots were up 14-10. The Giants had the ball on their 17-yard line. From here, with the help of the infamous ‘Helmet Catch,’ Eli Manning would remarkably get them 17-14 up with 35 seconds left.

A great many Super Bowls can be considered for a place among the five best of all time, but here, Super Bowl XLII lands as the best for its combination of incredible moments and theatrical underdog triumph.