Football is chaotic. We spend all year looking at spreadsheets and scouting reports, but when February rolls around, weird stuff just happens. Remember when the lights went out in New Orleans? Or when a goal-line interception ruined a dynasty? Honestly, looking back at the last five Super Bowl scores, you start to see patterns that don't make sense on paper. We’ve seen the rise of a new "G.O.A.T." contender, the final act of the original one, and a whole lot of heartbreak for San Francisco.
People always ask for the scores, but the numbers don't tell the whole story. A 31-9 blowout feels different than a 25-22 overtime thriller. One is a slow march toward the inevitable; the other is a heart-attack-inducing scramble.
Why the last five Super Bowl scores show a changing of the guard
If you look at the results since 2021, one name keeps popping up: Kansas City. But they haven't been invincible. In fact, the most recent game in New Orleans proved that even the best can get punched in the mouth.
Super Bowl LIX: Philadelphia Eagles 40, Kansas City Chiefs 22
This was supposed to be the "Three-peat." The Chiefs were on the verge of doing something no team in NFL history had ever done—winning three Lombardi trophies in a row. Then Jalen Hurts happened.
On February 9, 2025, at the Caesars Superdome, the Eagles basically played a perfect game. They jumped out to a 34-0 lead. It was shocking. Patrick Mahomes looked human for the first time in years, largely because the Eagles' defensive line was living in his lap. By the time the Chiefs scored their first touchdown late in the third quarter, the game was over.
Hurts took home the MVP, and the Eagles walked away with their second title in franchise history. It was a statement. The "dynasty" wasn't dead, but it definitely hit a brick wall in the Big Easy.
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Super Bowl LVIII: Kansas City Chiefs 25, San Francisco 49ers 22 (OT)
Las Vegas. 2024. This game was a "slobberknocker," as some old-school coaches would say. It was only the second time a Super Bowl went into overtime.
The Niners dominated early. Christian McCaffrey was doing McCaffrey things, and the KC offense looked stuck in the mud. But you can never count out Mahomes. With 13 seconds left in overtime, he found Mecole Hardman for a 3-yard touchdown. Game over.
It was brutal for Kyle Shanahan. He’s now been on the losing end of both overtime Super Bowls in history. Imagine the flight home.
Breaking down the SoFi and Raymond James years
The two years prior to the Vegas thriller were all about the "home field advantage" myth—which turned out to be very real for a short window.
Super Bowl LVII: Kansas City Chiefs 38, Philadelphia Eagles 35
This was the "Grass Bowl" or the "Sod Bowl," depending on who you ask. The field at State Farm Stadium in Arizona was famously slippery. Players were falling over like they were on ice.
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Despite the turf issues, it was an offensive masterpiece. Jalen Hurts ran for three touchdowns. Mahomes played on one good ankle. A controversial holding call on James Bradberry late in the game set up Harrison Butker for a 27-yard field goal with 8 seconds left.
Philly fans still hate that call. Honestly, it was a tough way to end such a high-scoring classic, but the history books just show the 38-35 win for the Chiefs.
Super Bowl LVI: Los Angeles Rams 23, Cincinnati Bengals 20
SoFi Stadium was rocking for this one in 2022. The Rams went all-in, trading everything for Matthew Stafford. It worked.
But it wasn't easy. Joe Burrow and the Bengals were a "team of destiny" that year. They had the lead in the fourth quarter. Then, Cooper Kupp decided he wasn't going to lose. He caught the game-winning touchdown with 1:25 left on the clock.
Aaron Donald ended the game by tossing Joe Burrow aside on a final fourth-down attempt. It was the second year in a row a team won the Super Bowl in their own stadium. Speaking of which...
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Super Bowl LV: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31, Kansas City Chiefs 9
The 2021 game was the Tom Brady show. At age 43, Brady took a brand new team to the summit.
The Chiefs' offensive line was a disaster that night. Mahomes was running for his life—literally, he ran for nearly 500 yards before throwing or being sacked just to stay alive. The Bucs defense, led by Todd Bowles, didn't allow a single touchdown.
It was the last time we saw Brady lift the trophy. It also served as a reminder that a great pass rush beats a great quarterback every single time.
What we can learn from these outcomes
Looking at these scores, you notice something. Defense still matters, even in an era where the rules favor receivers. In two of the biggest blowouts (LV and LIX), the winning team dominated the trenches.
- The Mahomes Factor: He has been in four of the last five Super Bowls. That's a Gretzky-level stat.
- The "Home" Curse: After decades of no one playing a Super Bowl at home, it happened twice in a row (Bucs and Rams).
- Closing the Gap: Outside of the 2025 and 2021 blowouts, these games are getting tighter. Field goals are deciding championships.
If you're betting on future games, look at the defensive line. The Eagles in 2025 and the Bucs in 2021 proved that if you can't protect the QB, the score is going to be ugly.
The next step for any fan is to keep an eye on the injury reports during the playoffs. As we saw with the Chiefs' offensive line in Super Bowl LV, one or two missing starters can turn a high-powered offense into a struggling unit overnight. You should also watch how coaching staffs adapt to the "Tush Push" or "Corn Dog" style plays that have defined the recent scorelines. Football is a game of inches, but as the last five years show, it's also a game of moments that stick with you forever.