Overview of Super Bowl Champions
The Super Bowl determines the championship of the National Football League (NFL) each season. Since the first edition on January 15, 1967, the game has evolved into a major cultural and sporting event. This guide provides a fact-based, evergreen explanation of every champion, focusing on verified details that remain useful over time. Below you will find organized lists, context on selection and format, and answers to common questions grounded in official records.
How the Super Bowl Determines Champions
Each conference champion meets in the Super Bowl to decide the league winner. The game follows the NFL season and playoffs, which include a regular season, a wild card round, divisional rounds, conference championship games, and the Super Bowl. The champion is decided by a single game, with the winning team awarded the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Results are permanent and documented by the NFL, allowing this explanation to remain current for long-term reference.
Selection and Format
Seeding is based on regular season records within each conference. The top teams from each division plus wild card teams advance through a single-elimination bracket. Hosting is determined by a rotating schedule and competitive performance, culminating in a neutral-site championship. This structure ensures that the Super Bowl champion reflects performance across a full season and playoffs rather than a single match or short trend.
Fact-Based Table of Super Bowl Champions
The table below presents a concise, verifiable reference for every Super Bowl champion, including the final score, location, and MVP. Data is drawn from official NFL records and commonly accepted historical sources.
| Season | Champion | Score | Runner-Up | MVP | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 (I) | Green Bay Packers | 35–10 | Kansas City Chiefs | Bart Starr | Los Angeles, CA |
| 1967 (II) | Green Bay Packers | 33–14 | Oakland Raiders | Bart Starr | Miami, FL |
| 1968 (III) | New York Jets | 16–7 | Baltimore Colts | Joe Namath | Miami, FL |
| 1969 (IV) | Kansas City Chiefs | 23–7 | Minnesota Vikings | Len Dawson | New Orleans, LA |
| 1970 (V) | Baltimore Colts | 16–13 | Dallas Cowboys | Johnny Unitas | Miami, FL |
| 1971 (VI) | Dallas Cowboys | 24–3 | Miami Dolphins | Roger Staubach | New Orleans, LA |
| 1972 (VII) | Miami Dolphins | 14–7 | Washington Commanders | Jake Scott | Houston, TX |
| 1973 (VIII) | Miami Dolphins | 24–7 | Minnesota Vikings | Bob Griese | Houston, TX |
| 1974 (IX) | Pittsburgh Steelers | 16–6 | Minnesota Vikings | Lynn Swann | New Orleans, LA |
| 1975 (X) | Pittsburgh Steelers | 16–6 | Dallas Cowboys | Lynn Swann | Miami, FL |
| 1976 (XI) | Oakland Raiders | 32–14 | Philadelphia Eagles | Fred Biletnikoff | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA |
| 1977 (XII) | Dallas Cowboys | 27–10 | Denver Broncos | Randy White | New Orleans, LA |
| 1978 (XIII) | Pittsburgh Steelers | 35–31 | Dallas Cowboys | Terry Bradshaw | Miami, FL |
| 1979 (XIV) | Pittsburgh Steelers | 31–19 | Los Angeles Rams | Terry Bradshaw | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA |
| 1980 (XV) | Oakland Raiders | 27–10 | Philadelphia Eagles | Jim Plunkett | New Orleans, LA |
| 1981 (XVI) | San Francisco 49ers | 26–21 | Cincinnati Bengals | Joe Montana | Santa Clara, CA |
| 1982 (XVII) | Washington Commanders | 27–17 | Miami Dolphins | John Riggins | Pasadena, CA |
| 1983 (XVIII) | Washington Commanders | 27–10 | Miami Dolphins | John Riggins | Tampa, FL |
| 1984 (XIX) | San Francisco 49ers | 38–16 | Miami Dolphins | Joe Montana | Stanford, CA |
| 1985 (XX) | Chicago Bears | 46–10 | New England Patriots | Richard Dent | New Orleans, LA |
| 1986 (XXI) | New York Giants | 39–20 | Denver Broncos | Phil Simms | Pasadena, CA |
| 1987 (XXII) | Washington Commanders | 42–10 | Denver Broncos | Doug Williams | San Diego, CA |
| 1988 (XXIII) | San Francisco 49ers | 20–16 | Cincinnati Bengals | Joe Montana | Miami, FL |
| 1989 (XXIV) | San Francisco 49ers | 55–10 | Cincinnati Bengals | Joe Montana | New Orleans, LA |
| 1990 (XXV) | New York Giants | 20–19 | Buffalo Bills | Ottis Anderson | Tampa, FL |
| 1991 (XXVI) | Washington Commanders | 37–24 | Buffalo Bills | Mark Rypien | Minneapolis, MN |
| 1992 (XXVII) | Dallas Cowboys | 52–17 | Buffalo Bills | Larry Brown | Pasadena, CA |
| 1993 (XXVIII) | Dallas Cowboys | 30–13 | Buffalo Bills | Emmitt Smith | Atlanta, GA |
| 1994 (XXIX) | San Francisco 49ers | 49–26 | San Diego Chargers | Steve Young | Miami, FL |
| 1995 (XXX) | Dallas Cowboys | 27–17 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Larry Brown | Tempe, AZ |
| 1996 (XXXI) | Green Bay Packers | 35–21 | New England Patriots | Desmond Howard | New Orleans, LA |
| 1997 (XXXII) | Denver Broncos | 31–24 | Green Bay Packers | John Elway | San Diego, CA |
| 1998 (XXXIII) | Denver Broncos | 31–24 | Green Bay Packers | John Elway | Miami, FL |
| 1999 (XXXIV) | St. Louis Rams | 23–16 | Tennessee Titans | Kurt Warner | Atlanta, GA |
| 2000 (XXXV) | Baltimore Ravens | 34–7 | New York Giants | Ray Lewis |