You’d think after 59 years of the biggest spectacle in American sports, we’d have every detail of the nfl super bowl games list committed to memory. But honestly? Most of us just remember the memes. We remember the "Left Shark," the "Helmet Catch," and maybe that time the lights went out in New Orleans.
The reality of the Super Bowl’s history is a lot messier. It’s a trail of broken hearts, improbable dynasties, and a Roman numeral system that makes everyone feel like they’re back in third-grade math class.
As of right now, in early 2026, we’ve seen 59 of these things play out. We are sitting on the precipice of Super Bowl LX (that's 60, for the Roman-numeral-challenged) at Levi’s Stadium. Before Bad Bunny takes the stage for the halftime show and another Lombardi Trophy is hoisted in Santa Clara, let's actually look at what happened to get us here.
The Early Days: When It Wasn't Even Called the Super Bowl
Basically, the first couple of games were just the "AFL-NFL World Championship Game." Not exactly a catchy name for a marketing department.
The Green Bay Packers, led by the legendary Vince Lombardi, absolutely dismantled the Kansas City Chiefs in 1967. They did it again to the Oakland Raiders in 1968. At that point, people kinda thought the AFL (American Football League) was a joke compared to the established NFL.
Then came Joe Namath.
If you look at any nfl super bowl games list, Super Bowl III is where the "modern" era really begins. Namath, the Jets quarterback, "guaranteed" a win over the heavily favored Baltimore Colts. It sounded like pure hubris. He was a 19.5-point underdog. That is an insane margin for a championship game. But the Jets won 16-7, and the world realized the AFL was here to stay.
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The Dynasty Era: 1970s Steel and 1980s Gold
The 70s belonged to the "Steel Curtain." The Pittsburgh Steelers won four titles in six years. It was a brutal, defensive style of football that defined the decade. Terry Bradshaw, Lynn Swann, Franco Harris—these guys are the reason your dad still wears a terrible-looking yellow and black scarf.
Then the 80s shifted the power to the West Coast. Bill Walsh’s "West Coast Offense" changed everything. Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers won four championships in that decade alone.
It’s worth noting that the 49ers hold one of the most lopsided victories in history: Super Bowl XXIV, where they crushed the Denver Broncos 55-10. Honestly, it was hard to watch.
Every Super Bowl Winner and Score: The Full Rundown
Looking for a specific score? Here is how the history of the nfl super bowl games list actually shook out, from the very beginning to the most recent clash in New Orleans.
The 1960s & 1970s: The Foundations
- I (1967): Green Bay 35, Kansas City 10
- II (1968): Green Bay 33, Oakland 14
- III (1969): NY Jets 16, Baltimore Colts 7
- IV (1970): Kansas City 23, Minnesota 7
- V (1971): Baltimore Colts 16, Dallas 13
- VI (1972): Dallas 24, Miami 3
- VII (1973): Miami 14, Washington 7 (The Perfect Season)
- VIII (1974): Miami 24, Minnesota 7
- IX (1975): Pittsburgh 16, Minnesota 6
- X (1976): Pittsburgh 21, Dallas 17
- XI (1977): Oakland 32, Minnesota 14
- XII (1978): Dallas 27, Denver 10
- XIII (1979): Pittsburgh 35, Dallas 31
- XIV (1980): Pittsburgh 31, LA Rams 19
The 1980s & 1990s: Dynasties and Heartbreak
The Buffalo Bills. We have to talk about the Bills. From 1991 to 1994, they went to four straight Super Bowls. They lost every single one of them. Super Bowl XXV was the closest—a 20-19 loss to the Giants after the "Wide Right" missed field goal. It’s one of those moments that feels like a collective trauma for an entire city.
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- XV (1981): Oakland 27, Philadelphia 10
- XVI (1982): San Francisco 26, Cincinnati 21
- XVII (1983): Washington 27, Miami 17
- XVIII (1984): LA Raiders 38, Washington 9
- XIX (1985): San Francisco 38, Miami 16
- XX (1986): Chicago 46, New England 10 (The '85 Bears were terrifying)
- XXI (1987): NY Giants 39, Denver 20
- XXII (1988): Washington 42, Denver 10
- XXIII (1989): San Francisco 20, Cincinnati 16
- XXIV (1990): San Francisco 55, Denver 10
- XXV (1991): NY Giants 20, Buffalo 19
- XXVI (1992): Washington 37, Buffalo 24
- XXVII (1993): Dallas 52, Buffalo 17
- XXVIII (1994): Dallas 30, Buffalo 13
- XXIX (1995): San Francisco 49, San Diego 26
- XXX (1996): Dallas 27, Pittsburgh 17
- XXXI (1997): Green Bay 35, New England 21
- XXXII (1998): Denver 31, Green Bay 24 (Elway finally gets one)
- XXXIII (1999): Denver 34, Atlanta 19
The 2000s & 2010s: The Brady-Belichick Shadow
Tom Brady is basically his own section of the nfl super bowl games list. He has seven rings. That’s more than any single NFL franchise has in its entire history.
- XXXIV (2000): St. Louis 23, Tennessee 16 (The "One Yard Short" game)
- XXXV (2001): Baltimore 34, NY Giants 7
- XXXVI (2002): New England 20, St. Louis 17 (The Dynasty begins)
- XXXVII (2003): Tampa Bay 48, Oakland 21
- XXXVIII (2004): New England 32, Carolina 29
- XXXIX (2005): New England 24, Philadelphia 21
- XL (2006): Pittsburgh 21, Seattle 10
- XLI (2007): Indianapolis 29, Chicago 17 (Peyton’s first)
- XLII (2008): NY Giants 17, New England 14 (The 18-1 season)
- XLIII (2009): Pittsburgh 27, Arizona 23
- XLIV (2010): New Orleans 31, Indianapolis 17
- XLV (2011): Green Bay 31, Pittsburgh 25
- XLVI (2012): NY Giants 21, New England 17
- XLVII (2013): Baltimore 34, San Francisco 31 (The Blackout Bowl)
- XLVIII (2014): Seattle 43, Denver 8
- XLIX (2015): New England 28, Seattle 24 (The Malcolm Butler interception)
- 50 (2016): Denver 24, Carolina 10
- LI (2017): New England 34, Atlanta 28 (The 28-3 comeback)
- LII (2018): Philadelphia 41, New England 33
- LIII (2019): New England 13, Los Angeles Rams 3
The 2020s: The New Guard
The Kansas City Chiefs under Patrick Mahomes have turned the Super Bowl into their personal annual vacation. They’ve appeared in four out of the last six games. However, last year in New Orleans, the Philadelphia Eagles finally snapped their streak in a dominant performance.
- LIV (2020): Kansas City 31, San Francisco 20
- LV (2021): Tampa Bay 31, Kansas City 9 (Brady does it again)
- LVI (2022): Los Angeles Rams 23, Cincinnati 20
- LVII (2023): Kansas City 38, Philadelphia 35
- LVIII (2024): Kansas City 25, San Francisco 22 (OT)
- LIX (2025): Philadelphia 40, Kansas City 22
Who Actually Has the Most Rings?
If you’re arguing with someone at a bar, keep these numbers in your back pocket. The New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers are tied for the lead with 6 wins each.
Following closely behind are the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers with 5 wins. The Chiefs just climbed into the "4 wins" club, joining the Packers and the Giants.
Then there are the "Never-Wons." There are still four teams that have never even reached a Super Bowl: the Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, and Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Lions came painfully close recently, but the curse (or just bad luck) seems to hold steady for now.
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The Most Shocking Upsets
Not every game on the nfl super bowl games list follows the script. Some of them go completely off the rails.
- Super Bowl III: We already mentioned Namath. It legitimized the entire league.
- Super Bowl XLII: The 2007 Patriots were perfect. 18-0. They had the best offense ever seen. Then David Tyree caught a ball against his helmet, and the 10-6 Wild Card Giants ruined everything. It remains the most stunning loss in NFL history.
- Super Bowl XXXVI: The St. Louis Rams were "The Greatest Show on Turf." They were expected to roll over a young Tom Brady and a rag-tag Patriots team. Instead, Bill Belichick’s defense beat them up for 60 minutes, and Adam Vinatieri kicked a game-winner.
What Really Happens Next?
Super Bowl LX is scheduled for February 8, 2026.
It’s happening at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. NBC is broadcasting it. Bad Bunny is the halftime headliner.
If you are a fan trying to make sense of the history, the best way to use an nfl super bowl games list isn't just to memorize the scores. It’s to understand the cycles. The league moves in waves—defensive juggernauts give way to high-flying offenses, and old legends eventually get replaced by kids with faster legs.
If you’re planning a watch party or just want to be the smartest person in the room, here are your actionable takeaways:
- Ignore the "Home Team Advantage": Only two teams have ever won a Super Bowl in their own stadium (the 2020 Bucs and the 2021 Rams). It's incredibly rare.
- Watch the Turnovers: In over 80% of Super Bowls, the team that wins the turnover battle wins the game. It's almost that simple.
- The MVP is usually the QB: But keep an eye on the defensive ends. When an underdog wins, it's almost always because the defensive line played out of their minds (see: 2008 Giants or 2015 Broncos).
The list is going to keep growing. The drama isn't stopping. Whether you're a die-hard or just there for the commercials, the history of this game is the history of American culture.