Question: Who won Super Bowl XX?
Answer: Chicago Bears

Super Bowl XX was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Chicago Bears and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1985 season. The Bears defeated the Patriots by the score of 46–10, capturing their first NFL championship since 1963, three years prior to the birth of the Super Bowl. Super Bowl XX was played on January 26, 1986 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

To date, it is the fourth, and most recent, Super Bowl where both teams were making their Super Bowl debuts. Presently, this would only occur again if the Detroit Lions face either the Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, or the Houston Texans. The Bears entered the game after becoming the second team in NFL history to win 15 regular season games. With their then-revolutionary 46 defense, Chicago led the league in several defensive categories, outscored their opponents with a staggering margin of 456–198, and recorded two postseason shutouts. The Patriots were considered a cinderella team during the 1985 season, and posted an 11–5 regular season record, but entered the playoffs as a wild card because of tiebreakers. But defying the odds, New England posted three road playoff wins to advance to Super Bowl XX.

In their victory over the Patriots, the Bears set or tied Super Bowl records for sacks (seven), fewest rushing yards allowed (seven), and margin of victory (36 points). At the time, New England broke the record for the quickest lead in Super Bowl history, with Tony Franklin's 36-yard field goal 1:19 into the first quarter after a Chicago fumble. But the Patriots were eventually held to negative yardage (−19) throughout the entire first half, and finished with just 123 total yards from scrimmage, the second lowest total yards in Super Bowl history, behind the Minnesota Vikings (119 total yards) in Super Bowl IX. Bears defensive end Richard Dent, who had 1.5 quarterback sacks, forced two fumbles, and blocked a pass, was named the game's Most Valuable Player (MVP). 

The telecast of the game on NBC was watched by an estimated 92.57 million viewers. To commemorate the 20th Super Bowl, all previous Super Bowl MVPs were honored during the pregame ceremonies.

Background

NFL owners awarded the hosting of Super Bowl XX to New Orleans, Louisiana on December 14, 1982, at an owners meeting held in Dallas. This was the sixth time that New Orleans hosted the Super Bowl. Tulane Stadium was the site of Super Bowls IV, VI, and IX; while the Louisiana Superdome previously hosted XII and XV.

As of 2016, Super Bowl XX remains the last Super Bowl to feature two teams both making their first appearance in the game. It was the fourth overall following Super Bowl I, Super Bowl III, and Super Bowl XVI. Any future Super Bowl that would have such a combination would have to have the Detroit Lions playing either the Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, or Jacksonville Jaguars in the game.

The nation's recognition of the Bears' accomplishment was overshadowed by the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster two days later, an event which caused the cancellation of the Bears' post-Super Bowl White House visit; the surviving members of the team eventually would be invited to the White House in 2011. 

Chicago Bears

Under head coach Mike Ditka, who won the 1985 NFL Coach of the Year Award, the Bears went 15–1 in the regular season, becoming the second NFL team to win 15 regular season games, while outscoring their opponents with a staggering margin of 456–198.

The Bears' defense, the "46 defense", allowed the fewest points (198), fewest total yards (4,135), and fewest rushing of any team during the regular season (1,319).  They also led the league in interceptions (34) and ranked third in sacks (64).

Pro Bowl quarterback Jim McMahon provided the team with a solid passing attack, throwing for 2,392 yards and 15 touchdowns, while also rushing for 252 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Walter Payton, who was then the NFL's all-time leading rusher with 14,860 yards, rushed for 1,551 yards. He also caught 49 passes for 483 yards, and scored 11 touchdowns. Linebacker Mike Singletary won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award by recording three sacks, three fumble recoveries, and one interception.

But one of the most distinguishable players on defense was a large rookie lineman named William "The Refrigerator" Perry.  Perry came into training camp before the season weighing over 380 pounds. But after Bears defensive coach Buddy Ryan told the press that the team "wasted" their first round draft pick on him, Perry lost some weight and ended up being an effective defensive tackle. He got even more attention when Ditka started putting him in the game at the fullback position during offensive plays near the opponent's goal line. During the regular season, Perry rushed for 2 touchdowns, caught a pass for another touchdown, and was frequently a lead blocker for Payton during goal line plays.

The Bears "46 defense"  also had the following impact players: On the defensive line, Pro Bowler and future Hall of Famer Richard Dent led the NFL in sacks for the second year in a row with 17, while Pro Bowler and future Hall of Famer Dan Hampton recorded 6.5 sacks, and nose tackle Steve McMichael compiled 8. In addition to Singletary, linebacker Otis Wilson had 10.5 sacks and 3 interceptions, while Wilber Marshall recorded 4 interceptions. In the secondary, defensive back Leslie Frazier had 6 interceptions, Mike Richardson recorded 4 interceptions, Dave Duerson had 5 interceptions, and Gary Fencik recorded 5 interceptions and 118 tackles.

Chicago's main offensive weapon was Payton and the running game. A big reason for Payton's success was fullback Matt Suhey as the primary lead blocker. Suhey was also a good ball carrier, rushing for 471 yards and catching 33 passes for 295 yards. The team's rushing was also aided by Pro Bowlers Jim Covert and Jay Hilgenberg and the rest of the Bears' offensive line.

In their passing game, the Bears' primary deep threat was wide receiver Willie Gault, who caught 33 passes for 704 yards, an average of 21.3 yards per catch, and returned 22 kickoffs for 557 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Emery Moorehead was another key contributor, catching 35 passes for 481 yards. Wide receiver Dennis McKinnon was another passing weapon, recording 31 receptions, 555 yards, and 7 touchdowns.  On special teams, Kevin Butler set a rookie scoring record with 144 points, making 31 of 37 field goals (83%) and 51 of 51 extra points.

Meanwhile, the players brought their characterizations to the national stage with the "Super Bowl Shuffle", a rap song the Bears recorded during the season. Even though it was in essence a novelty song, it actually peaked at #41 on the Billboard charts and received a Grammy nomination for best R&B song by a group.

New England Patriots

The Patriots were a cinderella team during the 1985 season because many sports writers and fans thought they were lucky to make the playoffs at all. New England began the season losing three of their first five games, but won six consecutive games to finish with an 11–5 record. However, the 11–5 mark only earned them third place in the AFC East behind the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets.

Quarterback Tony Eason, in his third year in the NFL, was inconsistent during the regular season, completing 168 out of 299 passes for 2,156 yards and 11 touchdowns, but also 17 interceptions. Eason played poorly early on in the game, going 0-for-6 and losing a fumble, and was replaced by backup Steve Grogan, who was considered one of the best reserve quarterbacks in the league. Grogan was the starter in six of the Patriots' games, and finished the regular season with 85 out of 156 completions for 1,311 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions.

Wide receiver Stanley Morgan provided the team with a good deep threat, catching 39 passes for 760 yards and 5 touchdowns. On the other side of the field, multi-talented wide receiver Irving Fryar was equally effective, catching 39 passes for 670 yards, while also rushing for 27 yards, gaining another 559 yards returning punts and kickoffs, and scoring 10 touchdowns. But like the Bears, the Patriots' main strength on offense was their rushing attack. Halfback Craig James rushed for 1,227 yards, caught 27 passes for 370 yards, and scored 7 touchdowns. Fullback Tony Collins rushed for 657 yards, recorded a team-leading 52 receptions for 549 yards, and scored 5 touchdowns. The Patriots also had an outstanding offensive line, led by Pro Bowl tackle Brian Holloway and future Hall of Fame guard John Hannah.

New England's defense ranked 5th in the league in fewest yards allowed (5,048). Pro Bowl linebacker Andre Tippett led the AFC with 16.5 sacks and recovered 3 fumbles. Pro Bowl linebacker Steve Nelson was also a big defensive weapon, excelling at pass coverage and run stopping. Also, the Patriots' secondary only gave up 14 touchdown passes during the season, second fewest in the league. Pro Bowl defensive back Raymond Clayborn recorded 6 interceptions for 80 return yards and 1 touchdown, while Pro Bowler Fred Marion had 7 interceptions for 189 return yards.

Playoffs

In the playoffs, the Patriots qualified as the AFC's second wild card.

But the Patriots, under head coach Raymond Berry, defied the odds, beating the New York Jets 26–14, Los Angeles Raiders 27–20, and the Dolphins 31–14 – all on the road – to make it to the Super Bowl. The win against Miami had been especially surprising, not only because Miami was the only team to beat Chicago in the season, but also because New England had not won in the Orange Bowl (Miami's then-home field) since 1966, the Dolphins' first season (then in the AFL). The Patriots had lost to Miami there 18 consecutive times, including a 30–27 loss in their 15th game of the season. But New England dominated the Dolphins in the AFC Championship Game, recording two interceptions from quarterback Dan Marino and recovering 4 fumbles. New England remains the only team to finish third in their division and qualify for the Super Bowl in the same season.

Meanwhile, the Bears became the first and only team in NFL history to shut out both of their opponents in the playoffs, beating the New York Giants 21–0 and the Los Angeles Rams 24–0.

Super Bowl pregame hype

Much of the Super Bowl pregame hype centered on Bears quarterback Jim McMahon. First, he was fined by the NFL during the playoffs for a violation of the league's dress code, wearing a head band from Adidas. He then started to wear a head band where he hand-wrote "Rozelle", after then-league commissioner Pete Rozelle.[http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/McMahon_Jim.html ESPN Classic - McMahon was a rebel without pause]

McMahon suffered a strained glute as the result of a hit taken in the NFC Championship Game and flew his acupuncturist into New Orleans to get treatment. During practice four days before the Super Bowl, he wore a headband reading "Acupuncture". During a Bears practice before the Super Bowl, McMahon mooned a helicopter that was hovering over the practice.

Another anecdote involving McMahon during the Super Bowl anticipation involved WDSU-TV reporting a quote attributed to McMahon, where he had allegedly referred to the women of New Orleans as "sluts" on a local morning sports talk show. This caused wide controversy among the women of New Orleans and McMahon began receiving calls from irate fans in his hotel. A groggy McMahon, who had not been able to sleep well because of all the calls he had gotten, was confronted by Mike Ditka later that morning and denied making the statement, saying he would not have even been awake to make the comment when he was said to have done so. He was supported in his claim by WLS reporter Les Grobstein, who was present when the alleged statements were made.  WDSU would later retract the statement and make an on-air apology.

Television and entertainment

The NBC telecast of the game, with play-by-play announcer Dick Enberg and color commentators Merlin Olsen and Bob Griese (who was not in the booth with Enberg and Olsen), garnered the third highest Nielsen rating of any Super Bowl to date, a 48.3 but it ended up being the first Super Bowl to garner over 90 million viewers the highest to date up to that point. While Dick Enberg, Merlin Olsen and Bob Griese called the game, Bob Costas and his NFL '85 castmates, Ahmad Rashad and Pete Axthelm anchored the pregame, halftime and postgame coverage. Other contributors included Charlie Jones (recapping Super Bowl I) and Bill Macatee. Also, the pregame coverage included what became known as "the silent minute"; a 60-second countdown over a black screen (a concept devised by then-NBC Sports executive Michael Weisman); a skit featuring comedian Rodney Dangerfield and an interview by NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw of United States President Ronald Reagan at the White House (this would not become a regular Super Bowl pregame feature until Super Bowl XLIII; when Today show host Matt Lauer interviewed U.S. President Barack Obama).

To celebrate the 20th Super Bowl game, the Most Valuable Players of the previous Super Bowls were featured during the pregame festivities. This would start a tradition occurring every ten years (in Super Bowls XXX, XL and 50) in which past Super Bowl MVPs would be honored before the game.

After trumpeter Wynton Marsalis performed the national anthem, Bart Starr, MVP of Super Bowl I and Super Bowl II, tossed the coin.

The performance event group Up with People performed during the halftime show titled "Beat of the Future". Up with People dancers portrayed various scenes into the future. This was the last Super Bowl to feature Up with People as a halftime show, though they later performed in the Super Bowl XXV pregame show. The halftime show was dedicated to the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (the first observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day had been held the previous Monday).

The Last Precinct debuted on NBC after the game.

Super Bowl XX was simulcast in Canada on CTV and also broadcast on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom.

Super Bowl XX is featured on NFL's Greatest Games under the title Super Bears with narration by Don LaFontaine.

Game summary

The Patriots took the then-quickest lead in Super Bowl history after linebacker Larry McGrew recovered a fumble from Walter Payton at the Chicago 19-yard line on the second play of the game (the Bears themselves would break this record in Super Bowl XLI when Devin Hester ran back the opening kickoff for a touchdown).  Bears quarterback Jim McMahon took responsibility for this fumble after the game, saying he had called the wrong play. This set up Tony Franklin's 36-yard field goal 1:19 into the first quarter after three incomplete passes by Tony Eason (the first of which starting tight end Lin Dawson went down with torn ligaments in his knee). "I looked up at the message board," said Chicago linebacker Mike Singletary, "and it said that 15 of the 19 teams that scored first won the game. I thought, yeah, but none of those 15 had ever played the Bears."  Chicago struck back with a 7-play, 59-yard drive, featuring a 43-yard pass completion from McMahon to wide receiver Willie Gault, to set up a field goal from Kevin Butler, tying the score 3–3.

After both teams traded punts, Richard Dent and linebacker Wilber Marshall shared a sack on Eason, forcing a fumble that lineman Dan Hampton recovered on the Patriots 13-yard line. Chicago then drove to the 3-yard line, but had to settle for another field goal from Butler after rookie defensive lineman William "The Refrigerator" Perry was tackled for a 1-yard loss while trying to throw his first NFL pass on a halfback option play. On the Patriots' ensuing drive, Dent forced running back Craig James to fumble, which was recovered by Singletary at the 13-yard line. Two plays later, Bears fullback Matt Suhey scored on an 11-yard touchdown run to increase the lead to 13–3.

New England took the ensuing kickoff and ran one play before the first quarter ended, which resulted in positive yardage for the first time in the game (a 3-yard run by James). But after an incomplete pass and a 4-yard loss, they had to send in punter Rich Camarillo again, and receiver Keith Ortego returned the ball 12 yards to the 41-yard line. The Bears subsequently drove 59 yards in 10 plays, featuring a 24-yard reception by Suhey, to score on McMahon's 2-yard touchdown run to increase their lead, 20–3. After the ensuing kickoff, New England lost 13 yards in 3 plays and had to punt again, but got the ball back with great field position when defensive back Raymond Clayborn recovered a fumble from Suhey at their own 46-yard line. On the punt, Ortego forgot what the play call was for the punt return, and the ensuing chaos resulted in him being penalized for running after a fair catch and teammate Leslie Frazier suffering a knee injury, which ended his career.

Patriots coach Raymond Berry then replaced Eason with Steve Grogan, who had spent the previous week hoping he would have the opportunity to step onto NFL's biggest stage. "I probably won't get a chance," he had told reporters a few days before the game. "I just hope I can figure out some way to get on the field. I could come in on the punt-block team and stand behind the line and wave my arms, or something." But on his first drive, Grogan could only lead them to the 37-yard line, and they decided to punt rather than risk a 55-yard field goal attempt. The Bears then marched 72 yards in 11 plays, moving the ball inside the Patriots' 10-yard line. New England kept them out of the end zone, but Butler kicked his third field goal on the last play of the half to give Chicago a 23–3 halftime lead.

The end of the half was controversial. With 21 seconds left in the first half, McMahon scrambled to the Patriots' 3-yard line and was stopped inbounds. With the clock ticking down, players from both teams were fighting, and the Bears were forced to snap the ball before the officials formally put it back into play, allowing McMahon to throw the ball out of bounds and stop the clock with three seconds left. The Bears were penalized five yards for delay of game, but according to NFL rules, 10 seconds should have also been run off the clock during such a deliberate clock-stopping attempt in the final two minutes of a half.  In addition, a flag should have been thrown for fighting (also according to NFL rules).  This would have likely resulted in offsetting penalties, which would still allow for a field goal attempt.  As far as the illegal snap is concerned, the non-call was promptly acknowledged by the officials and reported by NBC sportscasters during halftime, but the resulting three points were not taken away from the Bears (because of this instance, the NFL instructed officials to strictly enforce the 10-second run-off rule at the start of the 1986 season).

The Bears had dominated New England in the first half, holding them to 21 offensive plays (only four of which resulted in positive yardage), −19 total offensive yards, two pass completions, one first down, and 3 points. While Eason was in the game, the totals were six possessions, one play of positive yardage out of 15 plays, no first downs, 3 points, 3 punts, 2 turnovers, no pass completions, and -36 yards of total offense.   Meanwhile, Chicago gained 236 yards and scored 23 points themselves.

After the Patriots received the second-half kickoff, they managed to get one first down, but then had to punt after Grogan was sacked twice. Camarillo, who punted four times in the first half, managed to pin the Bears back at their own 4-yard line with a then-Super Bowl record 62-yard punt. But the Patriots' defense still had no ability to stop Chicago's offense. On their very first play, McMahon faked a handoff to Payton, then threw a 60-yard completion to Gault. Eight plays later, McMahon finished the Super Bowl-record 96-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to increase the Bears' lead to 30–3. On New England's second drive of the quarter, Chicago cornerback Reggie Phillips (who replaced Frazier) intercepted a pass from Grogan and returned it 28 yards for a touchdown to increase the lead to 37–3.

On the second play of their ensuing possession, the Patriots turned the ball over again, when receiver Cedric Jones lost a fumble after catching a 19-yard pass from Grogan, and Wilber Marshall returned the fumble 13 yards to New England's 37-yard line. A few plays later, McMahon's 27-yard completion to receiver Dennis Gentry moved the ball to the 1-yard line, setting up perhaps the most memorable moment of the game. William "The Refrigerator" Perry was brought on to score on offense, as he had done twice in the regular season. His touchdown (while running over Patriots linebacker Larry McGrew in the process) made the score 44–3. The Bears' 21 points in the third quarter is still a record for the most points scored in that period.

Perry's surprise touchdown cost Las Vegas sports books hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses from prop bets.  The Patriots finally scored a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, advancing the ball 76 yards in 12 plays and scoring on an 8-yard fourth-down pass from Grogan to receiver Irving Fryar. But the Bears' defense dominated New England for the rest of the game, forcing another fumble, another interception, and defensive lineman Henry Waechter's sack on Grogan in the end zone for a safety to make the final score 46–10.

One oddity in the Bears' victory was that Walter Payton had a relatively poor performance running the ball and never scored a touchdown in Super Bowl XX, his first and only Super Bowl appearance during his Hall of Fame career (Many people including Mike Ditka have claimed that the reason for this was due to the fact that the Patriots' defensive scheme was centered on stopping Payton).  Although Payton was ultimately the Bears' leading rusher during the game, the Patriots' defense held him to only 61 yards on 22 carries, with his longest run being only 7 yards. He was given several opportunities to score near the goal line, but New England stopped him every time before he reached the end zone (such as his 2-yard loss from the New England 3-yard line a few plays before Butler's second field goal, and his 2-yard run from the 4-yard line right before McMahon's first rushing touchdown). Thus, Chicago head coach Mike Ditka opted to go for other plays to counter the Patriots' defense. Perry's touchdown and McMahon's rushing touchdowns are scoring opportunities that were denied to Payton. Ditka has since gone on record stating that his biggest regret of his career was not creating a scoring opportunity for Payton during the game.

McMahon, who completed 12 out of 20 passes for 256 yards, became the first quarterback in a Super Bowl to score 2 rushing touchdowns. Bears receiver Willie Gault finished the game with 129 receiving yards on just 4 receptions, an average of 32.3 yards per catch. He also returned 4 kickoffs for 49 yards. Suhey had 11 carries for 52 yards and a touchdown, and caught a pass for 24 yards. Singletary tied a Super Bowl record with 2 fumble recoveries.

Eason became the first Super Bowl starting quarterback to fail to complete a pass, going 0 for 6 attempts. Grogan completed 17 out of 30 passes for 177 yards and 1 touchdown, with 2 interceptions. Although fullback Tony Collins was the Patriots' leading rusher, he was limited to just 4 yards on 3 carries, and caught 2 passes for 19 yards. New England receiver Stephen Starring returned 7 kickoffs for 153 yards and caught 2 passes for 39 yards. The Patriots, as a team, only recorded 123 total offensive yards, the second-lowest total in Super Bowl history.

Box score

Final statistics

Sources:  [http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/history/boxscore/sbxx NFL.com Super Bowl XX], [http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/nfl/super/superbowl-xx-plays.htm USA Today Super Bowl XX Play by Play]

Statistical comparison

Individual leaders

1Completions/attempts
2Carries
3Long gain
4Receptions

Starting lineups

Source:  

Officials

* Referee: Red Cashion #43 first Super Bowl
* Umpire: Ron Botchan #110 first Super Bowl
* Head Linesman: Dale Williams #8 first Super Bowl
* Line Judge: Bama Glass #15 first Super Bowl
* Field Judge: Jack Vaughan #93 first Super Bowl
* Side Judge: Bob Rice #80 second Super Bowl (XVI)
* Back Judge: Al Jury #106 first Super Bowl

Super Bowl XX Game Recap
Chicago 46, New England 10
SuperBowl.com wire reports
Buddy Ryan's '46' defense squashed the Patriots.(AP)
The NFC champion Chicago Bears,       seeking their first NFL title since 1963, scored a Super Bowl-record 46       points in downing AFC champion New England 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. The       previous record for most points in a Super Bowl was 38, shared by San       Francisco in XIX and the Los Angeles Raiders in XVIII.
The Bears' league-leading defense tied the Super Bowl record for sacks       (7) and limited the Patriots to a record-low seven rushing yards.
New England took the quickest lead in Super Bowl history when Tony       Franklin kicked a 36-yard field goal with 1:19 elapsed in the first       period. The score came about because of Larry McGrew's fumble recovery at       the Chicago 19-yard line.
However, the Bears rebounded for a 23-3 first-half lead, while building       a yardage advantage of 236 total yards to New England's minus 19.
Running back Matt Suhey rushed eight times for 37 yards, including an       11-yard touchdown run, and caught one pass for 24 yards in the first half.
After the Patriot's first drive of the second half ended with a punt to       the Bears' 4-yard line, Chicago marched 96 yards in nine plays with       quarterback Jim McMahon's 1-yard scoring run capping the drive. McMahon       became the first quarterback in Super Bowl history to rush for a pair of       touchdowns.
The Bears completed their scoring via a 28-yard interception return by       reserve cornerback Reggie Phillips, a 1-yard run by defensive       tackle/fullback William Perry, and a safety when defensive end Henry       Waechter tackled Patriots quarterback Steve Grogan in the end zone.
Bears defensive end Richard Dent became the fourth defender to be named       the game's most valuable player after contributing 1½ sacks.
The Bears' victory margin of 36 points was the largest in Super Bowl       history, bettering the previous mark of 29 by the Los Angeles Raiders when       they topped Washington 38-9 in Game XVIII.
McMahon completed 12 of 20 passes for 256 yards before leaving the game       in the fourth period with a wrist injury. The NFL's all-time leading       rusher, Bears running back Walter Payton, carried 22 times for 61 yards.
Wide receiver Willie Gault caught four passes for 129 yards, the       fourth-most receiving yards in a Super Bowl.
Chicago coach Mike Ditka became the second man (Tom Flores of Raiders       was the other) to win a Super Bowl ring as a player and as a coach.
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Bears beat Patriots in Super Bowl XX - Jan 26, 1986 - HISTORY.com
Bears beat Patriots in Super Bowl XX
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On January 26, 1986, in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Chicago Bears score a Super Bowl record number of points to defeat the New England Patriots, 46-10, and win their first championship since 1963.
Led by Coach Mike Ditka, a tight end for the Bears during their last Super Bowl win, Chicago won 17 of 18 games to reach the championship match-up with the Patriots, who became only the fourth wild-card team in history to advance to the Super Bowl. After Tony Franklin kicked a 36-yard field goal only one minute and 19 seconds into the game, New England took the quickest lead in Super Bowl history. It was mostly downhill for the Patriots from there, as the Bears built a 23-3 lead by halftime, gaining a total of 236 yards, compared with New England’s minus 19. The young Patriots quarterback, Tony Eason, had zero completions in six passes, was sacked three times and fumbled once before being replaced by Steve Grogan near the end of the first half.
The mighty Bears defense made a crucial impact on the game, causing six Patriot turnovers (four of which led to touchdowns) and holding New England to a total of only seven rushing yards all game. The Bears were hot on offense as well, as quarterback Jim McMahon completed 12 of 20 passes for 256 yards and no interceptions. Defensive tackle William “The Refrigerator” Perry had one of the game’s most memorable moments, running in a one-yard touchdown and spiking the ball in celebration. The celebrated Chicago running back Walter Payton carried 22 times for 61 yards but did not score, the one disappointment in an otherwise triumphant game for the Bears.
When the game was over, the Bears had set a new NFL record for margin of victory (36 points), bettering the mark of 29 set by the Los Angeles Raiders when they beat the Washington Redskins 38-9 in Super Bowl XVIII. They also scored more points than any other team in the history of the Super Bowl, beating the previous record (38) shared by the Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XIX. The Bears defensive end Richard Dent, who contributed one and a half of Chicago’s record seven sacks, was named the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XX, becoming only the fourth defender to win the honor.
Super Bowl XX is also remembered for the ubiquitous “Super Bowl Shuffle,” a rap song and accompanying video released by the Bears during the weeks leading up to their championship meeting with the Patriots. Payton, McMahon, Dent, Perry and linebacker Mike Singletary were among the Bears who participated in the song’s production, which reached #41 on the Billboard charts and earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.
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Super Bowl XX | American Football Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia
XXI > 
Super Bowl XX was the 20th championship game of the modern National Football League (NFL). The game was played on January 26, 1986 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana following the 1985 regular season .
The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Chicago Bears (18-1) defeated the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots (14-6), 46–10. The Bears set Super Bowl records for sacks (7) and fewest rushing yards allowed (7). The Bears' 36-point margin over the Patriots was a Super Bowl record until Super Bowl XXIV .(45) The Patriots were held to negative yardage (-19) throughout the entire first half, and just 123 total yards in the entire game, the second lowest total in Super Bowl history.
Bears defensive end Richard Dent , who had 1.5 quarterback sacks, forced 2 fumbles, and blocked a pass, was named the game's Most Valuable Player . [3]
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NFL owners awarded the hosting of Super Bowl XX to New Orleans, Louisiana on December 14 , 1982 . This would be the sixth time that New Orleans hosted the Super Bowl. Tulane Stadium was the site of Super Bowls IV , VI , and IX ; while the Louisiana Superdome previously hosted XII and XV .
"Da Bears" and the 46 defense
Edit
The 1985 Chicago Bears became national stars. Under head coach Mike Ditka , who won the 1985 NFL Coach of the Year Award , they went 15-1 in the regular season, becoming the second NFL team ever to win 15 regular season games (after the 1984 San Francisco 49ers ). Their only loss was in a Monday night game against the Miami Dolphins .
The Bears' then-revolutionary, strong defense, " 46 Zone ", enabled them to lead the league during the regular season in fewest points allowed (198), interceptions (34), fewest total yards allowed (4,135), and fewest rushing yards allowed (1,319). And under a strong running game, Chicago led the NFL in rushing yards (2,761) and rushing touchdowns (27), and finished second in the league in scoring (456 points).
It was a team full of characters. Pro Bowl quarterback Jim McMahon provided the team with a solid passing attack, throwing for 2,392 yards and 15 touchdowns, while also rushing for 252 yards and 3 touchdowns. Running back Walter Payton , who was then the NFL's all time leading rusher with 14,860 yards, rushed for 1,551 yards. He also caught 49 passes for 483 yards, and scored 11 touchdowns. Linebacker Mike Singletary won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award by recording 3 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, and 1 interception.
But the player who got the most attention was a lovably large rookie defensive tackle simply known as the "Fridge", William "Refrigerator" Perry . Perry came into training camp before the season weighing over 320 pounds. But after Bears defensive coach Buddy Ryan told the press that the team "wasted" their first round draft pick on him, Perry worked hard to lose some weight to become a fine defensive tackle. He got even more attention when he started playing at the fullback position during offensive plays near the opponent's goal line. The spectacle of the 300+ pound Perry crashing through the line as a blocker or a ball carrier delighted many sports writers and fans. During the regular season, Perry rushed for 2 touchdowns, caught a pass for 1, and was frequently a lead blocker for Payton during goal line plays.
The Bears "46 defense" [4] also had the following impact players: On the defensive line, Pro Bowler Richard Dent led the NFL in sacks for the second year in a row with 17, while Pro Bowler and future hall of famer Dan Hampton recorded 6.5 sacks. In addition to Singletary, linebacker Otis Wilson had 10.5 sacks and 3 interceptions while Wilber Marshall recorded 4 interceptions. In the secondary, defensive back Leslie Frazier had 6 interceptions, Mike Richardson recorded 4 interceptions, Dave Duerson had 5 interceptions, and Gary Fencik recorded 5 interceptions and 118 tackles.
Chicago's main offensive weapon was Payton and the running game. A big reason for Payton's success was fullback Matt Suhey as the primary lead blocker. Suhey was also a good ball carrier, rushing for 471 yards and catching 33 passes for 295 yards. The team's rushing was also aided by Pro Bowlers Jim Covert and Jay Hilgenberg and the rest of the Bears offensive line.
In their passing game, the Bears primary deep threat was wide receiver Willie Gault , who caught 33 passes for 704 yards, an average of 21.3 yards per catch, and returned 22 kickoffs for 557 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Emery Moorehead was another key contributor, catching 35 passes for 481 yards. Wide receiver Dennis McKinnon was another passing weapon, recording 31 receptions, 555 yards, and 7 touchdowns.
Meanwhile, the players brought their characterizations to the national stage with the " Super Bowl Shuffle ", a rap song the Bears recorded during the season. Even though it was in essence a novelty song, it actually peaked at #41 on the Billboard charts and got a Grammy nomination for best R&B song by a group.
The "Cinderella" Patriots
Edit
The Patriots were considered a cinderella team during the 1985 season because many sports writers and fans thought they were lucky to make the Super Bowl at all. New England began the season losing 3 of their first 5 games, but won 6 consecutive games to finish with an 11-5 record. However, the 11-5 mark only earned them third place in the AFC East behind the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets .
Quarterback Tony Eason , in his third year in the NFL, was inconsistent during the regular season, completing 168 out of 299 passes for 2,156 yards and 11 touchdowns, but also 17 interceptions. Eason suffered an injury midway through the season and was replaced by backup Steve Grogan , who was considered one of the best reserve quarterbacks in the league. Grogan was the starter in 6 of the Patriots' games, and finished the regular season with 85 out of 156 completions for 1,311 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions.
Wide receiver Stanley Morgan provided the team with a good deep threat, catching 39 passes for 760 yards and 5 touchdowns. On the other side of the field, multi-talented wide receiver Irving Fryar was equally effective, catching 39 passes for 670 yards, while also rushing for 27 yards, gaining another 559 yards returning punts and kickoffs, and scoring 10 touchdowns. But like the Bears, the Partiots main strength on offense was their rushing attack. Halfback Craig James rushed for 1,227 yards, caught 27 passes for 370 yards, and scored 7 touchdowns. Fullback Tony Collins rushed for 657 yards, recorded a team leading 52 receptions for 549 yards, and scored 5 touchdowns. The Patriots also had an outstanding offensive line, led by Pro Bowl tackle Brian Holloway and future hall of fame guard John Hannah .
New England's defense ranked 5th in the league in fewest yards allowed (5,048). Pro Bowl linebacker Andre Tippett led the AFC with 16.5 sacks. Outside linebackers Don Blackmon and Pro Bowler Steve Nelson were also big defensive weapons, excelling at pass coverage and run stopping. Also, the Patriots secondary only gave up 14 touchdown passes during the season, the 2nd fewest in the league. Pro bowl defensive back Raymond Clayborn recorded 6 interceptions for 80 return yards and 1 touchdown, while Pro Bowler Fred Marion had 7 interceptions for 189 return yards.
Playoffs
Edit
In the playoffs, the Patriots qualified as the AFC's second wild card , the last playoff seed under the rules of that time, and were forced to spend all of the postseason on the road . Thus going into the playoffs, it seemed unlikely that New England would become the fourth wild card team to advance to a Super Bowl.
But the Patriots shocked everybody, beating the New York Jets 26-14, Los Angeles Raiders 27-20, and the Dolphins 31-14 on the road to make it to the Super Bowl. The win against Miami had been especially surprising, not only because Miami was the only team to beat Chicago in the season, but also because New England had not won in the Orange Bowl (Miami's then-home field) since 1966, the Dolphins' first NFL season. The Patriots had lost to Miami there 18 consecutive times, including a 30-27 loss in their 15th game of the season. But New England dominated the Dolphins in the AFC Championship Game, recording two interceptions from quarterback Dan Marino and recovering 4 fumbles.
Meanwhile, the Bears became the first team in NFL history to shutout both of their opponents in the playoffs, beating the New York Giants 21-0 and the Los Angeles Rams 24-0.
Super Bowl pregame hype
Edit
Much of the Super Bowl pregame hype centered around Bears quarterback McMahon. First, he was fined by the NFL during the playoffs for a violation of the league's dress code, wearing a head band on which he had handwritten "Adidas". He then started to wear a head band saying "Rozelle", after then-league commissioner Pete Rozelle .
McMahon was also suffering a sore rear end from a hit he took in the NFC Championship Game. So he flew in his acupuncturist into New Orleans to get treatment. During practice four days before the Super Bowl, he started wearing a hand band that said "Acupuncture".
McMahon's most outrageous stunt involved mooning a passing helicopter flying overhead and other photographers during practice to show off his injured rear end. Pictures of that incident then appeared on the sports sections of many newspapers across the country.
Another anecdote involving Jim McMahon during the Super Bowl anticipation was the New Orleans’ press reporting a supposed quote of McMahon referring to the women of New Orleans as “sluts”. This caused wide controversy among the ladies of New Orleans and forced McMahon to publicly apologize (or defend, depending on the point-of-view) on sports radio, in which he denounced the claim as false, indicating (amusingly) that he couldn’t have said such things simply because he’s a late-sleeper, and wouldn’t have been up that early in the morning (of the supposed day, apparently) to publicly smear the women of New Orleans. [5]
Television and entertainment
Edit
The NBC telecast of the game, with play-by-play announcer Dick Enberg and color commentators Merlin Olsen and Bob Griese , garnered the third highest Nielsen rating of any Super Bowl to date, a 48.3.
To celebrate the 20th Super Bowl game, the Most Valuable Players of the previous Super Bowls were featured during the pregame festivities. After trumpeter Wynton Marsalis performed the national anthem, Bart Starr , Super Bowl MVP of I and II , tossed the coin .
The performance event group Up with People performed during the halftime show titled "Beat of the Future". Up with People dancers portrayed various scenes into the future. This was the last Super Bowl to feature Up with People.
The Last Precinct debuted on NBC after the game.
Game summary
Edit
The Patriots took the second quickest lead in Super Bowl history after linebacker Larry McGrew recovered a fumble from Walter Payton at the Chicago 19-yard line on the second play of the game. (Jim McMahon took responsibility for this fumble after the game, saying he had called the wrong play.) This set up Tony Franklin 's 36-yard field goal 1:19 into the first quarter after 3 incomplete passes by Tony Eason . "I looked up at the message board," said Chicago linebacker Mike Singletary , "and it said that 15 of the 19 teams that scored first won the game. I thought, yeah, but none of those 15 had ever played the Bears." [6] Chicago struck back with a 7 play, 59-yard drive, featuring a 43-yard pass completion from Jim McMahon to wide receiver Willie Gault , to set up a field goal from Kevin Butler , tying the score 3-3.
After both teams traded punts, Richard Dent and linebacker Wilber Marshall shared a sack on Eason, forcing a fumble that lineman Dan Hampton recovered on the Patriots 13-yard line. Chicago then drove to the 3-yard line, but had to settle for another field goal from Butler after rookie defensive lineman William "Refrigerator" Perry was tackled for a 1-yard loss while trying to throw his first NFL pass on a halfback option play . On the Patriots' ensuing drive, Dent forced running back Craig James to fumble, which was recovered by Singletary at the 13-yard line. Two plays later, Bears fullback Matt Suhey scored on an 11-yard touchdown run to increase the lead 13-3.
New England took the ensuing kickoff and ran one play before the first quarter ended, which resulted in positive yardage for the first time in the game (a 3-yard run by James). But after an incomplete pass and a 4-yard loss, they had to send in punter Rich Camarillo again, and receiver Keith Ortego returned the ball 12 yards to the 41-yard line. The Bears subsequently drove 59 yards in 10 plays, featuring a 24-yard reception by Suhey, to score on McMahon's 2-yard touchdown run to increase their lead, 20-3. After the ensuing kickoff, New England lost 13 yards in 3 plays and had to punt again, but got the ball back with great field position when defensive back Raymond Clayborn recovered a fumble from Suhey at their own 46-yard line.
Patriots coach Raymond Berry then replaced Eason with Steve Grogan , who had spent the previous week hoping he would have the opportunity to step on to NFL's biggest stage. "I probably won't get a chance." he had told reporters a few days before the game. "I just hope I can figure out some way to get on the field. I could come in on the punt-block team and stand behind the line and wave my arms, or something." [7] But on his first drive, Grogan could only lead them to the 37-yard line and they decided to punt rather than risk a 55-yard field goal attempt. The Bears then marched 72 yards in 11 plays, moving the ball inside the Patriots 10-yard line. New England kept them out of the end zone, but Butler kicked his third field goal on the last play of the half to give Chicago a 23-3 halftime lead.
In fact, however, Butler's late kick shouldn't have happened. The Bears had the ball on the Patriots' two yard line as the last seconds of the half were ticking away, and they snapped the ball before it was formally put it back into play, allowing McMahon to throw the ball out of bounds and stop the clock with three seconds left. The Bears were penalized five yards, but according to NFL rules ten seconds should have been counted off the clock, which would have ended the half leaving no time for the kick. This mistake was promptly acknowledged by the officials and reported by NBC sportscasters during halftime, but the resulting three points were not taken away from the Bears.
The Bears had absolutely dominated New England in the first half, holding them to 21 offensive plays (only 4 of which resulted in positive yardage), -19 total offensive yards, 2 pass completions, 1 first down, and 3 points. Meanwhile, Chicago gained 236 yards and scored 23 points themselves.
After the Patriots received the second half opening kickoff, they managed to get one first down, but then had to punt after Grogan was sacked twice. Camarillo, who punted 4 times in the first half, managed to pin the Bears back at their own 4-yard line with a Super Bowl record 62-yard punt. But the Patriots defense still had no ability to stop Chicago's offense. On their very first play, McMahon faked a handoff to Payton, then threw a 60-yard completion to Gault. Eight plays later, McMahon finished the Super Bowl record 96-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to make the Bears lead 30-3. On New England's second drive of the period, Chicago cornerback Reggie Phillips intercepted a pass from Grogan and returned it 28 yards for a touchdown to increase the lead 37-3.
On the second play of their ensuing possession, the Patriots turned the ball over again, when receiver Cedric Jones lost a fumble after catching a 19-yard pass from Grogan, and Marshall returned the fumble 13 yards to New England's 37-yard line. A few plays later, McMahon's 27-yard completion to receiver Dennis Gentry moved the ball to the 1-yard line, setting up perhaps the most memorable moment of the game. William "the Refrigerator" Perry was brought on to score on offense, as he had done twice in the regular season. His touchdown made the score 44-3. The Bears' 21 points in the third quarter is still a record for the most points scored in that period.
The Patriots finally scored a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, advancing the ball 76 yards in 12 plays and scoring on an 8-yard pass from Grogan to receiver Irving Fryar . But the Bears defense dominated New England for the rest of the game, forcing another fumble, another interception, and defensive lineman Henry Waechter 's sack on Grogan in the end zone for a safety to make the final score 46-10.
One irony in the Bears victory was that Payton had a relatively poor performance running the ball and never scored a touchdown in Super Bowl XX, his first and only Super Bowl appearance during his hall of fame career. Although Payton was ultimately the Bears' leading rusher during the game, the Patriots defense held him to only 61 yards on 22 carries, with his longest run being only 7 yards. He was given several opportunities to score near the goal line, but New England stopped him every time before he reached the end zone (such as his 2-yard loss from the New England 3-yard line a few plays before Butler's second field goal, and his 2-yard run from the 4-yard line right before McMahon's first rushing touchdown). Thus, Chicago head coach Mike Ditka opted to go for other plays to counter the Patriots defense. Perry's touchdown and McMahon's rushing touchdowns could be considered as scoring opportunities that were denied to Payton.
McMahon, who completed 12 out of 20 passes for 256 yards, became the first quarterback in a Super Bowl to score 2 rushing touchdowns. Bears receiver Willie Gault finished the game with 129 receiving yards on just 4 receptions, an average of over 32.2 yards per catch. He also returned 4 kickoffs for 49 yards. Suhey had 11 carries for 52 yards and a touchdown, and caught a pass for 24 yards. Singletary tied a Super Bowl record with 2 fumble recoveries.
Eason became the first Super Bowl starting quarterback to fail to complete a pass, going 0 for 6 attempts. The Bears also dominated Patriots starting running back James, holding him to 1 yard on 5 carries, with 1 fumble. Grogan completed 17 out of 30 passes for 177 yards and 1 touchdown, with 2 interceptions. Although Fullback Tony Collins was the Patriots leading rusher, he was limited to just 4 yards on 3 carries, and caught 2 passes for 19 yards. New England receiver Stephen Starring returned 7 kickoffs for 153 yards and caught 2 passes for 39 yards.
Box score/Game Information
Weather: Played indoors, domed stadium
TV Network coverage: NFL on NBC
Scoring summary
NE  - FG: Tony Franklin 36 yards 3-0 NE
CHI - FG: Kevin Butler 28 yards 3-3 tie
CHI - FG: Kevin Butler 24 yards 6-3 CHI
CHI - TD: Matt Suhey 11 yard run (Butler kick) 13-3 CHI
CHI - TD: Jim McMahon 2 yard run (Butler kick) 20-3 CHI
CHI - FG: Kevin Butler 24 yards 23-3 CHI
CHI - TD: Jim McMahon 1 yard run (Butler kick) 30-3 CHI
CHI - TD: Reggie Phillips 28 yard interception return (Butler kick) 37-3 CHI
CHI - TD: William Perry 1 yard run (Butler kick) 44-3 CHI
NE  - TD: Irving Fryar 8 yard pass from Steve Grogan (Franklin kick) 44-10 CHI
CHI - Safety: Steve Grogan sacked in end zone by Henry Waechter 46-10 CHI
Starting lineups

The Chicago Bears win the 1986 Super Bowl - Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Bears win the 1986 Super Bowl
Chicago Bears after victory, 1986
Tribune photo by Ed Wagner
Capping an almost perfect season, the Bears carry defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, left, and head coach Mike Ditka off the field after the team's 46-10 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX. Ryan, with whom Ditka feuded bitterly, left the following season.
Capping an almost perfect season, the Bears carry defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, left, and head coach Mike Ditka off the field after the team's 46-10 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX. Ryan, with whom Ditka feuded bitterly, left the following season. (Tribune photo by Ed Wagner)
Don PiersonChicago Tribune
The Chicago Bears devastated the New England Patriots on this date in Super Bowl XX by an appropriate score, 46-10, stamping their ravaging "46" defense on National Football League history. The victory in New Orleans' Superdome, the first major championship for a Chicago team since the 1963 NFL title, was a near-perfect ending to a near-perfect season.
Coach Mike Ditka had shocked the team in 1982 when he predicted that the Bears would win the Super Bowl in three years. Ditka, who had played tight end for the Bears, had just been named head coach by owner George Halas . The team was numbed by a tradition of losing, despite outstanding performances by such stars as running back Gayle Sayers and linebacker Dick Butkus . To change that tradition, Ditka brought in younger players and instilled in them his fierce determination. Soon Ditka's rugged personality came to symbolize the Bears.A loss to San Francisco denied the team a trip to the 1985 Super Bowl, but the next season would be different. At quarterback was Jim McMahon , the "Punky QB." Future Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton rushed for 1,551 yards. The defense, featuring Mike Singletary , Richard Dent, Dan Hampton and Gary Fencik, terrorized opponents with their unconventional "46" blitzes under the aggressive coaching of defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan. And William "Refrigerator" Perry, a a 310-plus-pound defensive lineman, became a national celebrity when Ditka started to play him occasionally at fullback. Perry even scored three touchdowns.
Before the Super Bowl, many players made a music video called "The Super Bowl Shuffle," a gloating, highly premature celebration of a rollicking season that had been spoiled only by a loss to the Miami Dolphins .
The game itself became lopsided so early that the only suspense concerned McMahon's ever-changing headbands, which advertised various charities. However, the cries of "Payton! Payton!" went unanswered. The league's all-time leading rusher failed to score.
Ditka talked about the Bears becoming the team of the 1980s, but Ryan, who feuded openly with Ditka, left the following season. Distractions, such as commercial endorsements, and player attrition took their toll. The team won only two more playoff games under Ditka.
In 1993, Halas' grandson, Bears President Mike McCaskey, replaced Ditka with Dave Wannstedt, and in 1996, Wannstedt fired place-kicker Kevin Butler, the last remaining player from the super season of 1985.

Super Bowl XX (1986) - IMDb
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Title: Super Bowl XX (1986– )
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26 January 1986 (USA) See more  »
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Tony Eason became the second quarterback from the legendary 1983 draft to start in the Super Bowl. However, he is also the only starting quarterback to be benched before completing a pass. See more »
Connections
User Reviews
 
The Da Bears crush the Pats! A nice tribute to a classic and traditional coach Buddy Ryan.
(Petersburg, Virginia) – See all my reviews
Super Bowl XX one of the first Super Bowls I remember watching as a kid, brings back the fond memories of the Bears crushing defense. With the Chicago Bears being the clear favorite over the New England Patriots it came as no surprise this turned out as a 46-10 blowout. From the start the Bears simply out hit and out played the Pats, as the play-calling for Chicago was better. Bears running back Walter Payton would play a lesser role for the greater good by showing his unselfishness, by giving way to other team members by his blocking and decoy duties. With Payton being keyed upon by the Pats D head coach Mike Dikta opened up the passing game and the points and yards just rolled up. Loud and outspoken QB Jimmy Mac was accurate by 12 for 20 passing. The most memorable moment was when the "Fridge" William Perry scored a diving goal line touchdown!! Now a 400 pound defensive tackle scoring. Most of all this Super Bowl was the Bears defense and defensive coach Buddy Ryan. The Bears D was crushing forcing six turnovers, and holding the Pats into negative yardage going into the final quarter! Buddy was great at the 46 scheme his D always got pressure on the QB and it was no different in this Super Bowl. Buddy Ryan later went on to coach my favorite team the Philadelphia Eagles, and he's my favorite coach for his tough attitude and outspoken ways. It was only fitting after Super Bowl XX ended the defensive unit carried Buddy off the field as the offense carried Mike Dikta off. This team was Buddy's D and Mike's O! Richard Dent won game MVP rightfully so with three sacks. Overall a terrific performance by Chicago one of the biggest Super Bowl wins that will always stick with me for special reasons.
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Super Bowl 2016: Broncos take down Panthers - CNN.com
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Photos: Super Bowl superlatives
Most passing yards in a Super Bowl – St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner, who led an offense nicknamed "The Greatest Show on Turf," threw for a Super Bowl-record 414 yards in 2000. The Rams defeated Tennessee 23-16.
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Most receiving yards in a Super Bowl – San Francisco wide receiver Jerry Rice was named Super Bowl MVP in 1989 after he caught 11 balls for a record 215 yards against Cincinnati. The Hall of Famer also holds Super Bowl records for most points and most touchdowns over a career. He has scored six touchdowns over four Super Bowls.
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Most rushing yards in a Super Bowl – Quarterback Doug Williams won the Super Bowl MVP award in 1988, but rookie running back Timmy Smith set a Super Bowl record that year with 204 rushing yards against Denver.
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Most interceptions in a Super Bowl – Oakland linebacker Rod Martin (No. 53) had three interceptions as the Raiders defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in 1981.
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Most Super Bowl wins for one player – Defensive end Charles Haley (No. 94) played in five Super Bowls -- and he won every one of them. The first two came with San Francisco, while the last three came with Dallas in the 1990s.
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Most Super Bowl wins as a starting quarterback – Pittsburgh's Terry Bradshaw, left, and San Francisco's Joe Montana, center, were 4-0 in Super Bowls during their career. New England's Tom Brady, right, won his fourth Super Bowl in 2015. He has gone 4-2 in Super Bowls during his career.
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Most Super Bowl wins for a head coach – Pittsburgh's Chuck Noll, left, won four Super Bowls between 1975 and 1980. New England's Bill Belichick tied him in 2015.
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Longest scoring play in a Super Bowl – Baltimore's Jacoby Jones returned a kickoff 108 yards as the Ravens defeated San Francisco 34-31 in 2013.
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Longest pass in a Super Bowl – Muhsin Muhammad caught an 85-yard touchdown pass from Jake Delhomme during Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004.
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Longest run in a Super Bowl – "Fast" Willie Parker broke a 75-yard run for a touchdown during Super Bowl XL in 2006.
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Longest interception return in a Super Bowl – Pittsburgh's James Harrison picked off Arizona's Kurt Warner on the last play of the first half and rumbled 100 yards for a touchdown in 2009.
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Longest fumble return in a Super Bowl – Almost everything came up roses for the Dallas Cowboys in 1993, as they crushed Buffalo 52-17 in the Rose Bowl. But defensive lineman Leon Lett had an embarrassing moment late in the game when he was returning a fumble for what looked to be a sure touchdown. Lett returned the ball 64 yards, but he started showboating early and was stripped by Buffalo's Don Beebe.
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Fastest score in a Super Bowl – On the first play from scrimmage in last year's Super Bowl, Denver center Manny Ramirez snapped the ball past quarterback Peyton Manning. Denver's Knowshon Moreno recovered the ball in the end zone for a Seattle safety. Only 12 seconds had elapsed.
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First score in Super Bowl history – In the first quarter of what we know now as Super Bowl I, Green Bay Packers wide receiver Max McGee scored a touchdown on a 37-yard pass from Bart Starr.
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Largest margin of victory in a Super Bowl – San Francisco demolished the Denver Broncos 55-10 in 1990, winning by a record 45 points. It was the 49ers' fourth Super Bowl title in nine years.
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Super Bowl II (1968) – Starr repeated the feat one year later as the Packers won back-to-back titles. Starr had 202 yards passing and one touchdown as Green Bay blew out Oakland 33-14.
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Super Bowl III (1969) – The New York Jets came into Super Bowl III as 18-point underdogs, but quarterback Joe Namath famously guaranteed that his team would upset the Baltimore Colts. After Namath led the way to a 16-7 victory, he was named the game's Most Valuable Player.
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Super Bowl IV (1970) – The Kansas City Chiefs lost the first Super Bowl, but they made it count the second time around. Quarterback Len Dawson had 142 yards and a touchdown as the Chiefs beat the Minnesota Vikings 23-7 in New Orleans. It was the second straight year that the AFL champions had defeated the NFL champions, and by the next season the two leagues had merged.
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Super Bowl V (1971) – Dallas Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley, right, holds onto one of his two interceptions against the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl V. Howley was named the game's MVP, but the Colts won the notoriously sloppy game with a Jim O'Brien field goal as time expired. To date, Howley remains the only player from a losing team to be named Super Bowl MVP.
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Super Bowl VI (1972) – Dallas atoned for its loss the next season, shutting down the Miami Dolphins 24-3. MVP quarterback Roger Staubach had two touchdown passes.
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Super Bowl VII (1973) – Miami safety Jake Scott intercepts a fourth-quarter pass in the end zone during the Dolphins' 14-7 win over Washington in Super Bowl VII. Scott had two interceptions in the game as the Dolphins finished their season with a perfect 17-0 record. They are still the only NFL team ever to finish a season undefeated.
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Super Bowl VIII (1974) – Powerful running back Larry Csonka carries two Minnesota defenders near the end zone as Miami won its second Super Bowl in a row. Csonka became the first running back to win Super Bowl MVP, rushing for 145 yards and two touchdowns.
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Super Bowl IX (1975) – Pittsburgh Steelers running back Franco Harris fights off Minnesota defender Paul Krause during Pittsburgh's 16-6 victory in Super Bowl IX. Harris ran for 158 yards and a touchdown on his way to winning MVP.
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Super Bowl X (1976) – This diving catch from Pittsburgh wide receiver Lynn Swann is one of the most iconic plays in Super Bowl history. Swann had a touchdown and 161 yards receiving as the Steelers defeated Dallas 21-17 to win their second straight Super Bowl. Swann was the first wide receiver to win MVP.
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Super Bowl XI (1977) – Oakland Raiders wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff caught four passes for 79 yards to win MVP honors in Super Bowl XI. The Raiders won 32-14 over Minnesota, knocking the Vikings to 0-4 in Super Bowls.
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Super Bowl XII (1978) – A dominating performance by Dallas' "Doomsday Defense" led to the first and only time that two players would share the Super Bowl MVP award. Defensive linemen Randy White, left, and Harvey Martin helped the Cowboys force eight turnovers and defeat Denver 27-10.
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Super Bowl XIII (1979) – The Steelers and the Cowboys met for a Super Bowl rematch in 1979, and this game ended the same way as the one three years earlier -- with a Pittsburgh victory. This time, however, it was Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw who won MVP, throwing for 318 yards and four touchdowns as Pittsburgh edged Dallas 35-31.
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Super Bowl XIV (1980) – Bradshaw led the way again in Super Bowl XIV, throwing for 309 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Steelers defeated the Los Angeles Rams 31-19. It was the Steelers' fourth title in six years.
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Super Bowl XV (1981) – Oakland quarterback Jim Plunkett scrambles during the Raiders' 27-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in 1981. Plunkett had 261 yards passing and three touchdowns on his way to winning MVP.
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Super Bowl XVI (1982) – San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana evades a tackle en route to winning MVP honors in Super Bowl XVI. Montana threw for one touchdown in the game and ran for another as the 49ers won 26-21.
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Super Bowl XVII (1983) – Washington running back John Riggins bursts through a hole during the Redskins' 27-17 victory over Miami in Super Bowl XVII. Riggins was named MVP after rushing for 166 yards and a touchdown.
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Super Bowl XVIII (1984) – Washington was on the losing end one year later as MVP running back Marcus Allen exploded for 191 yards and two touchdowns. Allen's Raiders, who had recently moved from Oakland to Los Angeles, blew out the Redskins 38-9.
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Super Bowl XIX (1985) – Three years after winning his first Super Bowl MVP award, Joe Montana was at it again as he led the 49ers to a 38-16 victory over Miami. This time, "Joe Cool" threw for 331 yards and three touchdowns.
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Super Bowl XX (1986) – Chicago Bears defensive end Richard Dent (No. 95) sacks New England quarterback Steve Grogan during Super Bowl XX. Dent had two sacks and two forced fumbles as a devastating defense helped Chicago crush the Patriots 46-10.
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Super Bowl XXI (1987) – New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms had a performance for the ages in Super Bowl XXI, completing 22 of 25 passes as the Giants beat Denver 39-20. It remains a Super Bowl record for completion percentage. Simms also had 268 yards passing and three touchdowns.
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Super Bowl XXII (1988) – The Washington Redskins trailed 10-0 after a quarter of play at Super Bowl XXII, but quarterback Doug Williams threw four touchdowns in the second quarter and the rout was on. The Redskins rolled to a 42-10 victory, and Williams was named MVP after finishing with 340 passing yards.
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Super Bowl XXIII (1989) – San Francisco wide receiver Jerry Rice catches a 14-yard touchdown pass against Cincinnati in Super Bowl XXIII. Rice finished with 11 receptions for a Super Bowl-record 215 yards.
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Super Bowl XXIV (1990) – San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana raises his arms in celebration after a 49ers touchdown in Super Bowl XXIV. Montana had 297 yards passing and five touchdowns as the 49ers defeated Denver 55-10. It was the biggest blowout in Super Bowl history. Montana collected his third MVP award, and the 49ers capped a glorious run with four titles in nine years.
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Super Bowl XXV (1991) – Super Bowl XXV will likely always be remembered for Buffalo kicker Scott Norwood missing a field goal as time expired. But New York Giants running back Ottis Anderson won MVP in what was the closest Super Bowl ever. Anderson had 102 yards and a touchdown as the Giants prevailed 20-19.
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Super Bowl XXVI (1992) – The Washington Redskins won three Super Bowls in 10 years, and each came with a different starting quarterback. This time it was Mark Rypien, who was named MVP after throwing for 292 yards and two touchdowns as the Redskins defeated Buffalo 37-24.
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Super Bowl XXVII (1993) – Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman had 273 yards and four touchdowns as the Cowboys won their first Super Bowl since 1978. Dallas trounced Buffalo 52-17, handing the Bills their third straight Super Bowl loss.
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Super Bowl XXVIII (1994) – Dallas running back Emmitt Smith is surrounded by the media after his MVP performance against Buffalo in Super Bowl XXVIII. Smith rushed for 132 yards and three touchdowns as Dallas won 30-13 in a Super Bowl rematch from one year earlier.
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Super Bowl XXIX (1995) – After serving as Joe Montana's backup for several years, San Francisco quarterback Steve Young got his moment to shine in 1995. Young threw for a Super Bowl-record six touchdowns as the 49ers defeated the San Diego Chargers 49-26.
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Super Bowl XXX (1996) – Dallas Cowboys cornerback Larry Brown is pushed out of bounds after one of his two interceptions in Super Bowl XXX. Brown's MVP efforts helped the Cowboys beat Pittsburgh 27-17 for their third championship in four years.
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Super Bowl XXXI (1997) – Super Bowl MVP Desmond Howard jumps into a crowd of Green Bay Packers fans after the Packers defeated New England 35-21 in Super Bowl XXXI. Howard had 244 all-purpose yards, including a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
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Super Bowl XXXII (1998) – Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis does his signature "Mile High Salute" after scoring a touchdown against Green Bay in Super Bowl XXXII. Davis rushed for 157 yards and three touchdowns on his way to winning MVP.
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Super Bowl XXXIII (1999) – Denver quarterback John Elway smiles after scoring a touchdown in Super Bowl XXXIII. Elway was named MVP of the game, throwing for 336 yards as the Broncos won back-to-back titles with a 34-19 victory over Atlanta. It was Elway's last game before he retired.
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Super Bowl XXXIV (2000) – MVP quarterback Kurt Warner celebrates after leading the St. Louis Rams to a 23-16 victory over Tennessee in Super Bowl XXXIV. Warner threw for a Super Bowl-record 414 yards, leading an offense that had been nicknamed "The Greatest Show on Turf."
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Super Bowl XXXV (2001) – One year after a high-powered offense won the Super Bowl, it was a suffocating defense that won in 2001. MVP linebacker Ray Lewis set the tone for a Baltimore Ravens team that shut down the New York Giants en route to a 34-7 victory.
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Super Bowl XXXVI (2002) – A star was born in Super Bowl XXXVI as second-year quarterback Tom Brady led the New England Patriots to an upset victory over the heavily favored St. Louis Rams. Brady threw for 145 yards and a touchdown as the Patriots won 20-17 on a last-second field goal by Adam Vinatieri.
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Super Bowl XXXVII (2003) – Tampa Bay safety Dexter Jackson had two interceptions for a vaunted Buccaneers defense that led the way to a 48-21 victory over Oakland in Super Bowl XXXVII.
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Super Bowl XXXVIII (2004) – New England quarterback Tom Brady, left, celebrates with teammates after winning a second Super Bowl in three years. Brady was MVP again, throwing for 354 yards and three touchdowns as the Patriots defeated the Carolina Panthers 32-29.
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Super Bowl XXXIX (2005) – The Patriots became champions for the third time in four years as they defeated Philadelphia 24-21 in Super Bowl XXXIX. This time it was wide receiver Deion Branch who won MVP. He had 11 receptions for 133 yards.
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Super Bowl XL (2006) – Pittsburgh wide receiver Hines Ward struts into the end zone during the Steelers' 21-10 victory over Seattle. Ward had 123 yards on five catches as the Steelers won their first Super Bowl since 1980.
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Super Bowl XLI (2007) – Quarterback Peyton Manning threw for 247 yards and a touchdown in Super Bowl XLI, leading the Indianapolis Colts to a 29-17 victory over Chicago.
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Super Bowl XLII (2008) – Manning's brother Eli won MVP the next season, as his New York Giants upset the New England Patriots and ended their hopes of an undefeated season. Manning threw for two touchdowns as the Giants won 17-14.
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Super Bowl XLIII (2009) – Pittsburgh wide receiver Santonio Holmes grabs the game-winning touchdown as the Steelers rallied late in the fourth quarter to beat Arizona 27-23 in Super Bowl XLIII. Holmes finished with nine catches for 131 yards.
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Super Bowl XLIV (2010) – New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees raises his son Baylen after the Saints beat Indianapolis 31-17 in Super Bowl XLIV. Brees completed 32 of 39 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns.
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Super Bowl XLV (2011) – Quarterback Aaron Rodgers had 304 passing yards and three touchdowns as the Green Bay Packers defeated Pittsburgh 31-25.
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Super Bowl XLVI (2012) – Eli Manning did it to the Patriots again, as the New York Giants beat New England in a Super Bowl rematch from 2008. Manning had 296 yards passing this time as the Giants won 21-17.
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Super Bowl XLVII (2013) – Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco fights off San Francisco linebacker Ahmad Brooks during Super Bowl XLVII, which the Ravens won 34-31. Flacco had 287 yards and three touchdowns in a game that was interrupted for 34 minutes because of a power outage.
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Super Bowl XLVIII (2014) – Seattle Seahawks linebacker Malcolm Smith runs an interception back for a touchdown during Seattle's 43-8 drubbing of Denver in Super Bowl XLVIII. Smith and Seattle's "Legion of Boom" defense stifled Peyton Manning and Denver's No. 1-rated offense.
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Super Bowl XLIX (2015) – New England's Tom Brady pumps his fist after throwing one of his four touchdown passes in the Patriots' 28-24 victory over Seattle. Brady joined Joe Montana as the only players to win three Super Bowl MVPs.
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