Fast Facts: Super Bowl History

Super Bowl history:

1902: In the first attempt at a professional league, all three teams in the National Football League, the Philadelphia Athletics, the Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburgh Stars claimed the pro championship title for the year. League President Dave Berry named the Stars as the official winner of the title.

1904: Football moves west to Ohio with its seven pro teams. Massollin won the Ohio Independent Championship, considered the pro title.

1905: Massollin wins the pro title again.

1906: Massollin beats rival Canton in the pro-title game, but a betting scandal and inflated salaries causes a decline in popularity of the sport in Ohio.

1916: Rivalry between Massollin and Canton is revived after Canton wins the Ohio League championship and the pro football championship.

1917: Canton takes the title for a second year.

1919: Canton takes the title, although the team changes owners, and the league sees new competition from the newly formed Green Bay Packers, who go 10-1 its first season.

1920: Confusion surrounding the start of the first national professional league, American Professional Football Association, led to no team earning the pro title through tournament play. The next year, the league would award the title to the Akron Pros, which ended the season undefeated. From 1920 to 1931, the title goes to the team with the best win/loss percentage.

1921: The Decatur Staleys win APFA championship with the record of 9-1-1.

1922: APFA changes its name to the National Football League. Canton wins the title with an undefeated record of 10-0-2.

1923: Canton again goes undefeated for the title, 11-0-1.

1924: Cleveland Bulldogs wins its first title with a 7-1-1 record after the team’s owner bought the Canton franchise, made the team inactive, and pushed the team’s best players onto the Cleveland field.

1925: The Chicago Cardinals take the title with the season’s best record.

1926: Frankford Yellow Jackets take the title with the season’s best record.

1927: New York Giants take the title with the season’s best record.

1928: Providence Steam Rollers take the title with the season’s best record.

1929: Green Bay Packers take the title with the season’s best record.

1930: Green Bay Packers take the title with the season’s best record.

1931: Green Bay Packers take the title with the season’s best record.

1932: Chicago Bears win the first championship game played after the season finale. It was considered part of the regular season to decide the first-ever tie between the Bears and the Spartans.

1933: The first NFL Championship Game is played between the Western division’s Chicago Bears and the Eastern division’s New York Giants. Bears beat the Giants 23-21 at Wrigley Field.

1934: In what is now known as the sneaker game, the Giants came back to beat the Bears 30-13 after trailing 13-3 in the third quarter. To get better footing on the icy field of the Polo Grounds in New York, the Giants switched to basketball sneakers before the fourth quarter.

1935: Detroit Lions beat the Giants 26-7.

1936: The second league known as the American Football League is formed, and the Boston Shamrocks are its champions. The Green Bay Packers beat the Redskins 21-6 for the NFL title.

1937: L.A. Bulldogs win the AFL title, but the league folds. Redskins beat the Bears 28-21 for the NFL title.

1938: Giants beat the Packers 23-17 for the NFL title. Pro Bowl game established between NFL champion and team of pro all-stars.

1939: Packers beat the Giants 27-0 for NFL title.

1940: A third AFL is formed, and the Columbus Bullies win its title. Bears stomp on the Redskins 73-0, the most decisive victory in the NFL. Also the first time the championship is carried on network radio.

1941: Columbus Bullies win the AFL title, and the league folds after its second season. The Bears and Packers tie for the Western division title, forcing the first divisional playoff match. The Bears win 33-14, and go on to beat the Giants 37-9 for the NFL title.

1942: The Redskins defeated the Bears 14-6 in the NFL Championship Game.

1943: The Bears beat the Redskins 41-21 in the NFL Championship Game.

1944: In the NFL Championship Game, Green Bay defeated the New York Giants 14-7.

1945: Rookie quarterback Bob Waterfield led Cleveland to a 15-14 victory over Washington in the NFL Championship Game.

1946: The All-American Football Conference begins play this season, and the Cleveland Browns win its title. The Chicago Bears beat the New York Giants 24-14.

1947: Cleveland Browns win its second title in the AAFC. Chicago Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Eagles 28-21 in the NFL.

1948: Cleveland Browns win the AAFC 49-7 over the Buffalo Bills. The Eagles beat the Cardinal 7-0 in a blizzard for the NFL title.

1949: Cleveland Browns take its fourth-straight AAFC title. Eagles beta the Rams 14-0 for the NFL title.

1950: NFL is renamed the National-American Football League, and the American and National conferences replace the Eastern and Western divisions. Cleveland defeats Los Angeles in 30-28 in the NFL Championship Game.

1951: In the first televised championship game, the Rams defeat the Browns 24-17.

1952: The Detroit Lions won their first NFL championship in 17 years, defeating the Browns 17-7 in the title game.

1953: The Lions again defeat the Browns in the NFL Championship Game, winning 17-16.

1954: Cleveland defeats Detroit 56-10 in the NFL Championship Game.

1955: The Browns defeats the Rams 38-14 in the NFL Championship Game.

1956: The Giants route the Bears 47-7 in the NFL Championship Game.

1957: Detroit defeats Cleveland 59-14 in the NFL Championship Game.

1958: Baltimore, coached by Weeb Ewbank, defeated the Giants 23-17 in the first sudden-death overtime in an NFL Championship Game.

1959: The Colts again defeated the Giants in the NFL Championship Game, 31-16.

1960: Philadelphia defeated Green Bay 17-13 in the NFL Championship.

1961: The Houston Oilers defeat the Los Angeles Chargers 24-16 in the first AFL Championship game. Later that same year, the Houston defeats San Diego 10-3. Green Bay beats the Giants 37-0 in their first NFL Championship since 1944.

1962: The Packers beat the Giants 16-7 for the NFL title.

1963: The Bears defeated the Giants 14-10 in the NFL Championship Game.

1964: The Chargers defeated the Patriots 51-10 in the AFL Championship Game. Buffalo defeated San Diego 20-7 in the AFL Championship Game, December 26. Cleveland defeated Baltimore 27-0 in the NFL Championship Game.

1965: In the AFL Championship Game, the Bills again defeated the Chargers, 23-0. The Packers then defeated the Browns 23-12 in the NFL Championship Game.

1967: The NFL and AFL finally clash on the field as the Green Bay Packers defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10. Only 61,946 are in attendance at the 100,000-seat Los Angeles Coliseum.

1968: Green Bay defeated Oakland 33-14 in Super Bowl II at Miami.

1969: AFL team wins the Super Bowl for the first time when the Jets defeated the Colts 16-7 in Miami, Fla. This was the first season the AFL established its playoff format, and the first year the Super Bowl was officially recognized.

1970: Kansas City defeated Minnesota 23-7 in Super Bowl IV at New Orleans. The Super Bowl trophy was renamed the Vince Lombardi trophy later this year.

1971: Baltimore defeated Dallas 16-13 on Jim O’Brien’s 323-yard field goal with five seconds to go in Super Bowl V at Miami.

1972: Dallas defeated Miami 24-3 in Super Bowl VI at New Orleans. Later this year, Franco Harris's "Immaculate Reception" gave the Steelers their first postseason win ever, 13-7 over the Raiders.

1973: Miami defeated Washington 14-7 in Super Bowl VII at Los Angeles, completing a 17-0 season, the first perfect-record regular-season and postseason mark in NFL history.

1974: Miami defeated Minnesota 24-7 in Super Bowl VIII at Houston, the second consecutive Super Bowl championship for the Dolphins.

1975: Pittsburgh defeated Minnesota 16-6 in Super Bowl IX at New Orleans, the Steelers' first championship since entering the NFL in 1933.

1976: Pittsburgh defeated Dallas 21-17 in Super Bowl X in Miami. The Steelers joined Green Bay and Miami as the only teams to win two Super Bowls; the Cowboys became the first wild-card team to play in the Super Bowl.

1977: Oakland defeated Minnesota 32-14 in Super Bowl XI at Pasadena. The victory was the fifth consecutive for the AFC in the Super Bowl.

1978: Dallas defeated Denver 27-10 in Super Bowl XII, held indoors for the first time, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. Dallas's victory was the first for the NFC in six years.

1979: Pittsburgh defeated Dallas 35-31 in Super Bowl XIII at Miami to become the first team ever to win three Super Bowls.

1980: Pittsburgh defeated the Los Angeles Rams 31-19 in Super Bowl XIV at Pasadena to become the first team to win four Super Bowls.

1981: Oakland defeated Philadelphia 27-10 in Super Bowl XV at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, to become the first wild-card team to win a Super Bowl.

1982: San Francisco defeated Cincinnati 26-21 in Super Bowl XVI at the Pontiac Silverdome, in the first Super Bowl held in the North.

1983: The NFC's number-one seed, Washington, defeated the AFC's number-two seed, Miami, 27-17 in Super Bowl XVII at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

1984: The Los Angeles Raiders defeated Washington 38-9 in Super Bowl XVIII at Tampa Stadium.

1985: San Francisco defeated Miami 38-16 in Super Bowl XIX at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif. More people watched the game on television than any other live event in history. President Ronald Reagan, who took his second oath of office before tossing the coin for the game, was one of 115,936,000 viewers.

1986: Chicago defeated New England 46-10 in Super Bowl XX at the Louisiana Superdome, January 26. The Patriots had earned the right to play the Bears by becoming the first wild-card team to win three consecutive games on the road.

1987: The New York Giants defeated Denver 39-20 in Super Bowl XXI and captured their first NFL title since 1956.

1988: Washington defeated Denver 42-10 in Super Bowl XXII to earn its second victory this decade in the NFL Championship Game.

1989: San Francisco defeated Cincinnati 20-16 in Super Bowl XXIII.

1990: San Francisco defeated Denver 55-10 in Super Bowl XXIV at the Louisiana Superdome.

1991: The New York Giants defeated Buffalo 20-19 in Super Bowl XXV to capture their second title in five years.

1992: The Washington Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills 37-24 in Super Bowl XXVI to capture their third world championship in 10 years.

1993: The Dallas Cowboys defeated the Buffalo Bills 52-17 in Super Bowl XXVII to capture their first NFL title since 1978.

1994: The Dallas Cowboys defeated the Buffalo Bills 30-13 in Super Bowl XXVIII to become the fifth team to win back-to-back Super Bowl titles.

1995: The San Francisco 49ers became the first team to win five Super Bowls when they defeated the San Diego Chargers 49-26 in Super Bowl XXIX at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami.

1996: The Dallas Cowboys won their third Super Bowl title in four years when they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-17 in Super Bowl XXX at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.

1997: The Green Bay Packers won their first NFL title in 29 years by defeating the New England Patriots 35-21 in Super Bowl XXXI at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans.

1998: The Denver Broncos won their first Super Bowl by defeating the defending champion Green Bay Packers 31-24 in Super Bowl XXXII at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego.

1999: The Denver Broncos won their second consecutive Super Bowl title by defeating the NFC champion Atlanta Falcons 34-19 in Super Bowl XXXIII at Pro Player Stadium in Miami.

2000: The St. Louis Rams won their first Super Bowl by defeating the AFC champion Tennessee Titans 23-16 in Super Bowl XXXIV at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

2001: The Baltimore Ravens won their first Super Bowl by defeating the NFC champion New York Giants 34-7 in Super Bowl XXXV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

2002: The New England Patriots won their first Super Bowl by defeating the NFC champion St. Louis Rams 20-17 in Super Bowl XXXVI at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans.

2003: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won their first Super Bowl by defeating the AFC champion Oakland Raiders 48-21 in Super Bowl XXXVII at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego.

2004: The New England Patriots beat the Carolina Panthers 32-29 in Super Bowl XXXVIII.