Five years is an eternity in the NFL. Honestly, it’s a lifetime. One minute you’re watching Tom Brady lift another trophy in a stadium half-filled with cardboard cutouts, and the next, you’re witnessing the first-ever three-peat attempt go up in smoke in New Orleans. The list of super bowl winners past 5 years isn't just a record of who was best; it’s a timeline of a league transitioning from the "Old Guard" to a chaotic, high-stakes era of "superteams" and young kings.
Everyone talks about dynasties. People love the word. But if you actually look at the dirt and the grass from these five games, you see something much more frantic. You see a veteran quarterback moving across the country to prove a point. You see a coach in LA betting the entire house—draft picks be damned—on a single season. And you see a kid from Texas becoming the face of the sport, only to realize that even he can’t outrun a collapsing offensive line every single year.
It's a lot to process. Let's break down the actual reality of these games.
The Night the GOAT Stayed the GOAT: Super Bowl LV
Basically, Super Bowl LV was supposed to be a passing of the torch. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs were the defending champs, rolling into Tampa to face a 43-year-old Tom Brady. We all expected a shootout. We got a clinic instead.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won 31-9. It wasn't even close.
Tampa became the first team to ever play—and win—a Super Bowl on their home turf. Raymond James Stadium was rocking, or at least as much as it could be in February 2021. Brady didn't need to be a superhero because his defense was playing like they were possessed. They harassed Mahomes all night. He was running for his life, literally. Mahomes traveled 497 yards before throwing the ball or being sacked, the most of any QB in a game that year.
Todd Bowles, the Bucs' defensive coordinator, drew up a masterpiece. He dared the Chiefs to run, bracketed Tyreek Hill, and let his front four create chaos. Brady just stayed efficient, found Gronkowski twice in the end zone, and let "Playoff Lenny" Fournette do the dirty work. It was Brady’s seventh ring. Seven. That’s more than any single NFL franchise has in its entire history.
Buying a Ring in the City of Angels: Super Bowl LVI
Fast forward a year. The "All-In" era officially arrived. The Los Angeles Rams decided that draft picks were basically just trading cards they didn't want anymore. They traded for Matthew Stafford. They traded for Von Miller. They signed Odell Beckham Jr. mid-season.
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It was a gamble that would have set the franchise back a decade if it failed.
It didn't. The Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 at SoFi Stadium. This was the second year in a row the home team won the big one. Sorta weird, right? But the game itself was a nail-biter. Joe Burrow and the Bengals were the darlings of the league, coming out of nowhere to nearly steal the trophy.
Matthew Stafford, after years of rotting in Detroit, finally had his moment. With OBJ going down with an injury early and the run game nonexistent, it all came down to one man: Cooper Kupp. On the final drive, it was basically "throw it to Kupp or bust." He caught the game-winner with 1:25 left. Aaron Donald then sealed it by nearly ripping Burrow in half on a fourth-down play.
Sean McVay became the youngest coach to win it all at the time. He looked like he hadn't slept in three weeks. He probably hadn't.
The Mahomes Dynasty Takes Shape: Super Bowl LVII and LVIII
Then the Chiefs decided they were tired of losing.
In Super Bowl LVII, they faced a terrifying Philadelphia Eagles team. This game was a track meet. 38-35. It was high-level football that honestly felt like a chess match played at 100 mph. Jalen Hurts played arguably the best game ever by a losing quarterback, accounting for four touchdowns. But Mahomes, playing on a high ankle sprain that looked like it should have required a wheelchair, was just better.
The turning point? A late holding call on James Bradberry. It was controversial. It was painful for Philly fans. But it allowed Harrison Butker to kick the game-winner with seconds left.
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A year later, the Chiefs did it again. Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. This one was a defensive slog against the San Francisco 49ers. It felt like the Niners had them. Kyle Shanahan’s scheme was working, Christian McCaffrey was grinding, and the Chiefs' offense looked out of sync for three quarters.
But you can't give Mahomes the ball with time on the clock in overtime. You just can't.
Under the new overtime rules, the Niners took the ball first and settled for a field goal. Big mistake. Mahomes marched down the field, converted a massive fourth down with his legs, and found Mecole Hardman—who the Chiefs had literally traded for mid-season after he flopped with the Jets—for the winning score. 25-22.
The Chiefs became the first team since the 2003-04 Patriots to go back-to-back.
The 2025 Shocker: Philly’s Revenge in Super Bowl LIX
Most people thought the Chiefs were inevitable. The talk all season in 2024 was about the "three-peat." No one had ever done it. The Chiefs made it back to the big game in February 2025, but the Philadelphia Eagles were waiting.
And they weren't interested in another close loss.
The Eagles absolutely dismantled the Chiefs 40-22. It was a bloodbath from the jump. Howie Roseman, the Eagles' GM, had spent two years obsessed with the trenches, and it showed. They sacked Mahomes six times. They forced him into uncharacteristic mistakes. Jalen Hurts was surgical, throwing for two scores and running for another.
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The narrative shifted instantly. The "dynasty" wasn't dead, but it was human.
Quick Summary of the Super Bowl Winners Past 5 Years
- 2021 (LV): Tampa Bay Buccaneers (31) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (9). MVP: Tom Brady.
- 2022 (LVI): Los Angeles Rams (23) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (20). MVP: Cooper Kupp.
- 2023 (LVII): Kansas City Chiefs (38) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (35). MVP: Patrick Mahomes.
- 2024 (LVIII): Kansas City Chiefs (25) vs. San Francisco 49ers (22) [OT]. MVP: Patrick Mahomes.
- 2025 (LIX): Philadelphia Eagles (40) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (22). MVP: Saquon Barkley (The first defensive-heavy win where a RB took the honors for grinding out the clock).
What This Tells Us About the Modern NFL
Winning in this league is harder than it used to be. The salary cap is designed to kill dynasties. The fact that Kansas City made three straight Super Bowls and won two is a statistical anomaly. It’s a miracle of coaching and elite QB play.
But look at the Rams. They won their ring and then immediately fell into a hole of injuries and roster turnover. Look at the Bucs. Once Brady retired, the "superteam" aura evaporated.
The lesson? The window is always smaller than you think.
If you're looking for actionable ways to use this history—maybe for your Sunday league debates or just to understand the game better—start by looking at the trenches. Every single one of these winners, except maybe the Rams who relied on pure star power, had a top-5 offensive or defensive line.
Next Steps for the Die-Hard Fan:
- Watch the Lines: Next time you're watching a replay of Super Bowl LV or LIX, stop looking at the QB. Watch the defensive ends. That's where the rings were actually won.
- Study the Cap: Look at how the Eagles and Chiefs manage their "dead money." It's the secret sauce to staying competitive while paying a QB $50 million a year.
- Draft Strategy: Notice how many of these teams (Rams, Bucs) used veteran "rentals" to get over the hump. It’s a trend that isn't going away.
The league is changing, but the recipe for a parade remains the same: a generational QB, a defensive front that can smell fear, and a kicker who doesn't blink.