Everyone has that one Super Bowl score burned into their brain. For some, it’s the 28-3 disaster that turned into a miracle. For others, it’s the slugfest where nobody could find the end zone. Looking at superbowl scores by year isn't just about reading a list of numbers; it’s about tracing the DNA of American culture and seeing how a simple game turned into a global titan.
Football has changed. A lot.
In the beginning, these games were almost an afterthought. Now? They are the most-watched broadcasts in history. But if you look closely at the scorelines from 1967 to today, you start to see patterns. You see the era of the blowout. You see the rise of the underdog. And honestly, you see a few games that were, frankly, pretty boring until the very last second.
The Modern Era and the Shock of 2025
Let's talk about what just happened. Most people expected a repeat of the classic nail-biters we've seen lately. We've been spoiled by games like the Chiefs’ 25-22 overtime win against the 49ers in 2024. But Super Bowl LIX in 2025 took a different turn. The Philadelphia Eagles didn't just beat the Kansas City Chiefs; they dismantled them 40-22.
Jalen Hurts was on another level.
The Eagles jumped out to a 34-0 lead before Kansas City even woke up. It was a reminder that even in an era of "perfect" parity, a blowout can still happen on the biggest stage. Mahomes looked human. The Eagles' defensive line looked like a group of angry bears. That 40-22 scoreline now sits as a fascinating outlier in a decade otherwise defined by one-score finishes.
Recent Results You Might Have Forgotten
- 2024 (LVIII): Chiefs 25, 49ers 22 (The Allegiant Stadium OT thriller)
- 2023 (LVII): Chiefs 38, Eagles 35 (The grass was slippery, the scores were high)
- 2022 (LVI): Rams 23, Bengals 20 (Cooper Kupp basically willed this into existence)
- 2021 (LV): Buccaneers 31, Chiefs 9 (The night the old man, Tom Brady, taught the kid a lesson)
- 2020 (LIV): Chiefs 31, 49ers 20 (The start of the Mahomes dynasty)
The Evolution of the Scoreboard
If you look at superbowl scores by year from the 1980s, you’ll notice something weird. They were almost all blowouts. In 1990, the 49ers dropped 55 points on the Broncos while Denver only managed 10. Can you imagine that happening today? People would turn off the TV by halftime.
Back then, the NFC was just... better.
From 1985 to 1997, the NFC won 13 straight Super Bowls. Most of those scores weren't even close. We’re talking about games like the Bears winning 46-10 in '86 or the Cowboys crushing the Bills 52-17 in '93. It was a different brand of football. There was no salary cap in the early days, meaning the rich teams stayed rich and the scores stayed lopsided.
The Lowest of the Lows
Everyone talks about the high-scoring fireworks, but what about the games where the punters were the MVPs?
Super Bowl LIII (2019) is the gold standard for "wait, did anything actually happen?" The Patriots beat the Rams 13-3. That’s it. Sixteen total points. It broke a record held since 1973, when the Dolphins beat Washington 14-7.
Honestly, watching a 13-3 game in the modern era felt like a glitch in the matrix. We are used to seeing 500 yards of offense, yet Tom Brady and Jared Goff combined for a game that felt like it was played in a library.
Decades of Dominance: A Quick Cheat Sheet
To understand how we got to the 40-22 Eagles win in 2025, you have to see the progression.
The 1970s were the era of the "Steel Curtain" and the "No-Name Defense." Scores were low. In 1975, the Steelers won 16-6. In 1971, the Colts won 16-13. These were gritty, ugly games.
Then came the 80s and 90s—the "Blowout Era."
The average margin of victory in the 80s was nearly 22 points! If you were a fan of a team in the AFC back then, you basically tuned in to watch your team get humiliated on national television.
The 2000s changed everything. This is when the "Patriots Era" began. Suddenly, every game was decided by a field goal. 20-17, 32-29, 24-21. These are the superbowl scores by year that built the NFL into the monster it is today. When the game is always close, everyone stays tuned in for the commercials.
Why the Numbers Matter for 2026 and Beyond
History tends to repeat itself, but it also provides a roadmap for what to expect next. As we look toward Super Bowl LX (60), the trends are telling us a few things.
First, the "Over/Under" for these games is a coin flip. Over the last 55+ years, it’s almost a perfect 50/50 split. However, lately, the "Under" has been hitting more often than you'd think. Even with all the rules favoring the offense, defensive coordinators are getting smarter.
Second, the underdog is a dangerous beast. Over the last 20 years, underdogs have covered the spread at a massive rate.
What You Can Do With This Data
If you're a casual fan, use these superbowl scores by year to win your next bar argument. If you're a bettor, look at the margins. The 2020s are currently averaging a margin of victory around 9 points, even with the recent Eagles blowout.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Super Bowl Party:
- Check the Line: If a team is favored by more than 7 points, be wary. History shows that modern Super Bowls (post-2000) are much tighter than the old days.
- The 30-Point Rule: Since 1979, if a team scores 30 points or more, they almost never lose. Their record is roughly 25-3. If your team hits 30, you can usually start the celebration early.
- Don't Ignore the Defense: Everyone bets on the star QB, but as we saw in 2025 with Philadelphia or 2021 with Tampa Bay, a dominant defensive front can make an MVP quarterback look like a backup.
To truly understand the game, you have to look at where it's been. From the 35-10 start in 1967 to the 40-22 statement in 2025, the scores tell the story of a league that constantly evolves. Whether it's a 13-3 defensive struggle or a 52-17 blowout, every number represents a moment where a team became immortal.
Keep this list handy for the next time someone tries to tell you the 1980s were the "golden age" of competitive football—the numbers prove it was anything but.