Do You Know Your Super Bowl Records?
Are you ready for the big game this weekend? The storied history of the game is closely tied to numbers and records, so let’s get set for the weekend with trivia to get you in the mood…or at least to take you on a walk down memory lane.
Most Super Bowl Wins by a Team
New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers – 6 wins each.
Beginning in 2001, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady won three Super Bowl titles in four years before a decade-long dry spell, after which they won three in five seasons.
The 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers, spearheaded by icons such as Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris, scored four championships, adding two more to the franchise more than 30 years later.
Most Super Bowl Appearances by a Team
New England Patriots – 11 appearances.
Even with the most appearances, the Patriots remain one of the teams with below-average wins-to-participation ratios. The Patriots' record stands at six wins out of 11 Super Bowls played.
Most Super Bowl MVP Awards by a Player
Tom Brady – 5 MVP awards.
Holding several prestigious records in the NFL, Brady has the most career wins in the regular season and playoffs as a quarterback. He's also won the Super Bowl (MVP) award multiple times and is the only player to win it for two different teams.
Most Passing Yards in a Single Super Bowl Game
Tom Brady – 505 passing yards (Super Bowl LII).
We’re not done with Tom Brady. He also holds second place with 466 passing yards. Not only a force at the Super Bowl, he passed 3,039 yards over a ten-game run, nine of which he played with the Patriots; one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Longest Field Goal in Super Bowl History
Matt Prater – 64 yards (Super Bowl L).
Viewed as one of the best long-distance kickers in NFL history, Prater held the NFL record for longest field goal (64 yards) from 2013 until 2021 and holds the NFL record for most 50+ yard field goals overall – 80 as of 2023.
Most Receiving Yards in a Single Super Bowl Game
Jerry Rice – 215 receiving yards (Super Bowl XXIII).
Rice is considered one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history, with the most receiving yards in a Super Bowl. The record was set in Super Bowl XXIII versus the Bengals on January 22, 1989.
Most Rushing Yards in a Single Super Bowl Game
Timmy Smith – 204 rushing yards (Super Bowl XXII).
Timmy Smith's record-setting ability to move the ball led to his team's success in 1988 when he played for Washington.
Most Touchdown Passes in a Single Super Bowl Game
Steve Young – 6 touchdown passes Super Bowl XXIX
Steve Young played 15 seasons for the 49ers and Buccaneers, throwing for 33,124 yards and 232 touchdowns.
Most Interceptions in a Single Super Bowl Game
Rod Martin – 3 interceptions (Super Bowl XV).
Rod Martin played 12 seasons for the Los Angeles Raiders…but didn't record a single tackle.
Longest Kickoff Return in Super Bowl History
Jacoby Jones – 108 yards (Super Bowl XLVII).
After his NFL career, Jones returned to Lane College when he was named wide receivers coach in January 2018. Since then, Jones’ moved around to various schools before joining the coaching staff at Alabama State University in 2022.
Most Sacks in a Single Super Bowl Game
Reggie White – 3 sacks (Super Bowl XXXI).
White was a six-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowl selection over his eight seasons with the Philidelphia Eagles. White is the team's all-time leader with 124 sacks in 121 games. Off the field, White wrestled his only professional wrestling match for WCW at Slamboree on May 18, 1997.
Most Consecutive Super Bowl Appearances by a Team
Buffalo Bills – 4 consecutive appearances (Super Bowls XXV-XXVIII).
The appearance streak spans 1991-1994 but stands as a less glamorous record as well; the Bills lost all four Super Bowl appearance games.
Most Consecutive Super Bowl Wins by a Team
It’s happened more times than you might think. There have been 8 times that teams have made back-to-back appearances.
Green Bay Packers (I, II), Miami Dolphins (VII, VIII), Pittsburgh Steelers (IX, X and again in XIII, XIV), San Francisco 49ers (XXIII, XXIV), Dallas Cowboys (XXVII, XXVIII), Denver Broncos (XXXII, XXXIII), and New England Patriots (XXXVIII, XXXIX).
Most Points Scored by a Team in a Single Super Bowl Game
San Francisco 49ers – 55 points (Super Bowl XXIV).
In the 1990 Super Bowl, the 49ers left the Denver Broncos in the dust. Denver scored just 10 points in their chase for the win.
Fewest Points Scored by a Team in a Single Super Bowl Game
Los Angeles Rams and Miami Dolphins – 3 points.
The Los Angeles Rams lost to the New England Patriots, 13 to 3, in Super Bowl LIII on February 3, 2019. But they weren’t the first. The Miami Dolphins seemed to forget there was a big game on when they met the Dallas Cowboys in a 24 to 3 Super Bowl VI loss on January 16, 1972.
Largest Margin of Victory in a Super Bowl Game
San Francisco 49ers defeated the Denver Broncos by 45 points (Super Bowl XXIV).
The Denver Broncos surely felt the sting of defeat when the San Francisco 49ers won the Super Bowl, scoring 55 to 10 on January 28, 1990.
Most Consecutive Super Bowl Starts by a Quarterback
Tom Brady – 10 consecutive starts (Super Bowls XXXVI-XLV).
Tom Brady’s resume is pretty impressive by any standard. He played 23 seasons for the Patriots and Buccaneers, threw for 89,214 yards and 649 touchdowns, and was selected to play in 15 Pro Bowls. He won one Comeback Player of the Year award, two Offensive Player of the Year awards, three MVP awards, five Super Bowl MVP awards, and seven championships. (Source: StatMuse.com)
Youngest Quarterback to Win a Super Bowl
Mike Tomczak – 23 years and 95 days old in Super Bowl XX
Tomczak went undrafted out of college and signed as a free agent with the Chicago Bears. He didn’t start in any games in his first year but did earn a Super Bowl ring simply for being on the team. He did have playing time in Super Bowl XX, during the fourth quarter, where he was penalized for a facemask penalty.
Oldest Head Coach to Win a Super Bowl
Bruce Arians – 68 years and 127 days (Super Bowl LV).
Arians originally retired in 2017, but soon returned in 2019 to coach the Buccaneers, leading the 2020 team to their first playoff appearance since 2007 and playoff win since 2002.
Most Super Bowl Championships as a Head Coach
Bill Belichick – 6 championships.
Belichick began his career with the Cleveland Browns in 1991 for five seasons before moving to Baltimore with the newly formed Ravens. The rest, as they say, is history.
Sources: Wikepedia, nfl.com, statmuse.com, profootballnetwork.com.
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Alissa Zorn is an author, and founder of the website Overthought This. She's a coach and cartoonist passionate about helping people overcome perfectionism and shame to build authentic, joyful lives. Alissa is certified through the International Coach Federation and got her Trauma-Informed Coaching certification from Moving the Human Spirit. She wrote Bounceback Parenting: A Field Guide for Creating Connection, Not Perfection, and is always following curiosity to find her next creative endeavor.