Ranking 10 best Super Bowls of all time: From '28-3' to Giants' helmet catch

Ralph Vacchiano

NFL Reporter

The last time the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs played in the Super Bowl, it was a classic. It was filled with drama, big plays, lots of offense, and it came down to a field goal in the final seconds of the game.

It was easily one of the best Super Bowls of all time.

So can they do it again in Super Bowl LIX?

It’ll take quite a performance for that to happen, because there have been a lot of incredible Super Bowls over the past 58 years. Here’s a look at 10 of the best, with two “honorable mentions” that just missed the cut:

HM. Super Bowl XLVII: Ravens 34, 49ers 31

This might not have been the wildest game in Super Bowl history, but it certainly turned into one of the most memorable Super Bowl events. Billed as the “Harbaugh Bowl” — with John coaching the Ravens and his brother Jim coaching the 49ers — their family reunion was interrupted by a blackout in the Louisiana Superdome early in the second half.

Those 34 minutes of (partial) darkness became an international story, and it almost overshadowed what turned into a thrilling game. The Ravens led 28-6 when the lights went out. But when they flicked back on, something turned on for the 49ers, too. San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick quickly led them to 17 unanswered third quarter points to make it a 28-13 game.

The 49ers still trailed by five points when Kaepernick drove them all the way to the Baltimore 5 with two minutes remaining. But the Ravens defense, led by Hall of Famer Ray Lewis in his final career game, forced three incompletions to seal the win.

HM. Super Bowl XXXVI: Patriots 20, Rams 17

Nobody saw Tom Brady coming at this point.

This emotional game, played in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, was all about Kurt Warner and St. Louis’ “Greatest Show on Turf.” And the Rams’ offense was electric. Warner threw for 365 yards and St. Louis outgained the Patriots 427 yards to 267.

But thanks to three Rams turnovers — including an interception that was returned 47 yards for a touchdown by Pats cornerback Ty Law — New England held an improbable 17-3 lead as the fourth quarter began. That’s when Warner and his offense finally got going. The Rams quarterback ran for a 2-yard touchdown and then threw a 26-yard touchdown to Ricky Proehl with 1:30 remaining to tie the game at 17-17.

That’s where the legend of Brady was born. Starting at the Patriots’ own 17 with 1:21 to go, the first-year starter, then just 24 years old, calmly completed 5 of 8 passes for 53 yards to get New England into field-goal range. That’s where another soon-to-be-legend, kicker Adam Vinatieri, kicked a 48-yard field goal as time expired to give Brady his first Super Bowl ring.

10. Super Bowl XLIX: Patriots 28, Seahawks 24

The Seattle Seahawks were the reigning Super Bowl champions, and coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Russell Wilson were eyeing a career-defining repeat. And when the fourth quarter began with Seattle leading 24-14, it looked like it was right within their grasp.

But as usual, Tom Brady wasn’t done. He threw his third and fourth touchdown passes of the game in the final eight minutes, including a 3-yarder to Julian Edelman with 2:02 remaining to give the Patriots the lead.

Wilson, though, seemed ready for some Super Bowl magic. He quickly marched the Seahawks downfield with the help of a circus catch by Jermaine Kearse that went for 33 yards to the Patriots’ 5. One play after that, Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch powered his way to the 1. And rather than call a timeout, the Patriots let the clock run down to 26 seconds.

The entire world, at that point, was expecting Wilson to hand the ball off to Lynch, who had 24 carries for 102 yards and a touchdown on the game, for a game-winning touchdown run. Instead, Carroll and offensive coordinator Darrel Bevell made the most shocking playcall in Super Bowl history — a quick pass to the right to Ricardo Lockette on an inside slant.

But Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler read it and stepped in front Lockette to pick off Wilson’s pass and end the game.

9. Super Bowl XXV: Giants 20, Bills 19

The Buffalo Bills looked like a juggernaut during the regular season with their seemingly unstoppable no-huddle offense. They had even just crushed the Raiders in the AFC Championship Game 51-3.

But Bill Parcells, and his defensive coordinator Bill Belichick, came up with the perfect plan to stop Buffalo — a game plan that literally ended up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Giants ran a conservative, run-based offense on the back of running back O.J. Anderson, determined to keep the ball out of the Bills’ hands. And on defense, they pounded the Bills receivers, hitting them often at the line of scrimmage, to disrupt the timing of their quick-strike passing attack.

And it all worked. The Giants held onto the ball for 40:33. Anderson ran for 102 yards. And Bills quarterback Jim Kelly threw for only 212 yards, which included one 61-yard pass to James Lofton. Yet the game still came down to a 47-yard field goal attempt by Bills kicker Scott Norwood with eight seconds to play.

That kick infamously sailed wide right.

8. Super Bowl XXXIV: Rams 23, Titans 16

It had been nearly a decade since a Super Bowl game had come down to the wire, and this one didn’t look like it was headed that way. The Rams, running their famed “Greatest Show on Turf” offense, held a 16-0 lead late in the third quarter, and it seemed to be only a matter of time before they pulled away.

But even with Kurt Warner throwing for 414 yards and Isaac Bruce catching six passes for 162 yards, the Titans hung around long enough to claw back. They even tied the game on a 43-yard Al Del Greco field goal with 2:12 to play.

One play later, Warner hit Bruce for a 73-yard touchdown, but even that wasn’t enough to put the Titans away for good. Tennessee drove right back down the field and was perched at the Rams’ 10 with six seconds to go. That’s when Titans quarterback Steve McNair threw to Kevin Dyson over the middle, and he appeared to be headed in for the game-tying touchdown. But Rams linebacker Mike Jones managed to grab Dyson by his legs. And as Dyson fell to the ground, he reached out with the ball just one yard short of the end zone — perhaps the most dramatic ending in Super Bowl history.

7. Super Bowl LVIII: Chiefs 25, 49ers 22 (OT)

The Kansas City Chiefs had already won two Super Bowls in the previous four years, but they knew winning two back-to-back would bring the franchise to another level. And they didn’t just have to mount a dramatic comeback to do it. They had to do it twice — including in overtime.

Trailing 19-16 with 1:53 remaining, MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes went to work. He led the Chiefs on an 11-play, 64 yard drive that ended with a game-tying, 29-yard field goal by Harrison Butker that sent the game to overtime.

But the 49ers struck first in overtime, winning the coin toss and moving right down the field for a 27-yard Jake Moody field goal. But Mahomes, who threw for 33 yards and ran for 66, wasn’t quite done. He went on a tear, going 8 for 8 for 42 yards and running twice for 27 yards, marching the Chiefs right down the field. And when he hit Mecole Hardman for a 3-yard touchdown, Kansas City had completed the first overtime comeback in Super Bowl history.

And the Chiefs became just the ninth team in NFL history to win back-to-back Super Bowls.

6. Super Bowl LII: Eagles 41, Patriots 33

It was shocking enough that the Eagles even reached this game behind backup quarterback Nick Foles. But what Foles and the Eagles did in the Super Bowl was an even bigger shocker: Foles threw for 373 yards and three touchdowns. And despite Tom Brady’s Super Bowl record 505 passing yards, the Eagles led this game almost the entire way.

Part of that lead was built late in the first half on the play that everyone remembers — The Philly Special. It was a direct snap to running back Corey Clement, who pitched the ball to tight end Trey Burton, who then threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Foles for a 22-12 lead.

But the most interesting part of the game took place later, after Brady threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski with 9:22 to play, giving New England its first lead of the game, 33-32. Foles followed that with a 14-play, 75-yard, 7:01 drive that included converting a fourth-and-1 from the Eagles’ own 45, and ended with an 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Zach Ertz with 2:21 to go.

That would’ve been more than enough time for Brady, but a strip sack by defensive end Brandon Graham two plays later got the Eagles the ball back and allowed them to grind the clock down and add a field goal to seal the win.

5. Super Bowl LVII: Chiefs 38, Eagles 35

Jalen Hurts dazzled with nearly 400 yards of offense and four touchdowns for the Philadelphia Eagles, but it was Patrick Mahomes who took over the game down the stretch.

Mahomes threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter and sparked the game-winning field goal drive with a 26-yard run despite playing a sprained right ankle. And the Chiefs capped a 24-point second half with a 27-yard field goal by Harrison Butker with eight seconds to go.

Up until that moment, it looked like Hurts might be the star. He threw for 304 yards and ran for 70 more. And when he ran for his third touchdown of the game with 5:15 to go, the game was tied 35-35.

The Eagles might have had time for a dramatic comeback of their own after they appeared to stop the Chiefs go-ahead drive with 1:48 remaining. But cornerback James Bradberry was called for defensive holding, keeping the K.C. drive alive and allowing them to run down most of the rest of the clock.

4. Super Bowl XIII: Steelers 35, Cowboys 31

From the front offices down to the playing field, this may have been the biggest all-star game in NFL history. It featured 26 future Hall of Famers, including 18 players (11 Steelers and seven Cowboys).

And the greatness was evident. Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw for 318 yards and four touchdowns. His top receivers, Lynn Swann and John Stallworth, combined for 10 catches and 239 yards. Roger Staubach threw three touchdown passes for the Cowboys. Running back Tony Dorsett had 140 total yards.

It got wild in the fourth quarter, too. The Steelers had a 21-17 lead when the period began and seemingly blew the game open on a Franco Harris touchdown run and a Swann touchdown catch. The Steelers were even celebrating on the sidelines, up 35-17 with fewer than seven minutes to play.

But the Cowboys weren’t done. They scored on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Staubach to Billy Joe DuPree with 2:27 remaining, then recovered the onside kick and scored again on a 4-yard Butch Johnson touchdown run with 22 seconds to play.

But that’s as close as the Cowboys got. They tried one more onside kick, but this time the Steelers recovered for the win.

3. Super Bowl LI: Patriots 34, Falcons 28

It was the first overtime game in Super Bowl history, won when the Patriots took the opening kickoff and marched right down the field for a two-yard touchdown run by James White.

But that’s not why this game is remembered.

The story of this game was the 28-3 lead the Atlanta Falcons held over the Patriots dynasty. They were well on their way to beating Tom Brady and Bill Belichick when Matt Ryan threw his second touchdown pass to open that lead with 8:31 left in the third.

But the final 23:31 were the stuff of nightmares in Atlanta. The Patriots scored three touchdowns and a field goal on their next four possessions, while the Falcons kept giving the ball back. Their worst moment came on a third-and-1 with 8:31 left in the game and Atlanta still leading 28-12. Rather than running for a first down, offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan called a pass play that resulted in a sack and fumble, leading to another Patriots score.

They ended up tying the game on a White touchdown run with 57 seconds remaining. Once the Pats won the overtime coin toss, the Falcons’ inglorious place in history was secured.

2. Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers 27, Cardinals 23

It was a game many thought would be the perfect bookend to Kurt Warner’s Hall of Fame career, but it turned on two iconic plays by Pittsburgh players.

The first came after Warner had driven the Cardinals to the Steelers’ 1-yard line with 18 seconds left in the first half and seemed to be on the verge of giving Arizona a halftime lead. But when he tried to hit receiver Anquan Boldin in the end zone, Steelers linebacker James Harrison picked the ball off at the goal line and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown — then the longest play in Super Bowl history — increasing Pittsburgh’s lead to 17-7.

Warner rallied the Cards back, though, and when he hit Larry Fitzgerald for a 64-yard touchdown with 2:37 to go, Arizona had a 23-20 lead. But the Steelers weren’t done. Ben Roethlisberger led them back down the field, and with 35 seconds left he found Santonio Holmes in the back corner of the end zone. Holmes made arguably the greatest catch in Super Bowl history, reaching out of bounds for the ball while somehow keeping his toes just inside the white lines.

1. Super Bowl XLII: Giants 17, Patriots 14

For sheer drama it’s hard to beat the upstart Giants, who entered the 2007 playoffs with no expectations, going up against an 18-0 Patriots team trying to complete the NFL’s second undefeated season ever and seeking New England’s fourth Super Bowl championship in seven years. Tom Brady was already considered by many to be the greatest quarterback of all time. Eli Manning was less than three months removed from nearly being run out of New York.

So of course it was Manning who delivered the game-winning drive in the final minutes. Of course, he did it with one of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history — when he literally pulled himself out of the grasp of two Patriots defenders and heaved the ball 32 yards downfield to fourth receiver David Tyree, who made a leaping, one-handed catch by pinning the ball against his helmet. And of course Manning finished the drive by hitting Plaxico Burress for a game-winning touchdown pass with 35 seconds remaining for perhaps the most improbable Super Bowl upset of all time.

Other memorable Super Bowls:

Super Bowl X: Steelers 21, Cowboys 17
On the final play, Steelers DB Glen Edwards picked off Roger Staubach.

Super Bowl XLVI: Giants 21, Patriots 17
Eli Manning beats the Patriots with another game-winning drive.

Super Bowl XXIII: 49ers 20, Bengals 16

The berth of “Joe Cool,” as Joe Montana leads an 11-play, 92-yard drive in the final minutes for a game-winning touchdown pass to John Taylor with 34 seconds to go.

Super Bowl XXXVIII: Patriots 32, Panthers 29
The teams exploded for 37 points in the fourth quarter.

Super Bowl III: Jets 16, Colts 7
Joe Namath backed up his “guarantee” with the greatest Super Bowl upset of all time.

Ralph Vacchiano is the NFC East reporter for FOX Sports, covering the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. He spent the previous six years covering the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and before that, 16 years covering the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.