Super Bowl History

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Super Bowl X

Super Bowl X would take place on Sunday, January 18, 1976. The Pittsburgh Steelers , AFC Champions took on the Dallas Cowboys, NFC Champions. A sellout crowd of 80,187 attended the game at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida . The stadium would host the Super Bowl for the fourth and final time. Future Super Bowls in Miami would take place at Hard Rock Stadium. Also, it would be the first Super Bowl in which both participants had won at least one previous Super Bowl.

CBS Television and Radio covered the game. An estimated television audience of 57.7 million fans watched, at the time, a record for the event.

The Steelers, a seven point favorite, defeated the Cowboys, 21-17 in what has been considered the best Super Bowl of all time.

Wide receiver, Lynn Swann of the Steelers with 161 yards, four catches and one touchdown, was named the game's MVP. His 64 yard catch on a pass from Terry Bradshaw was the game winner in the fourth quarter.

QB - Roger Staubach of the Cowboys, threw for two scores but also had three interceptions in a losing cause.

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Super Bowl IX would take place on Sunday, January 12, 1975. The Pittsburgh Steelers , AFC Champions took on the Minnesota Vikings, NFC Champions. A sellout crowd of 80,997 attended the game at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana . The stadium would host the Super Bowl for the third and final time. Future Super Bowls would take place at the Superdome.

NBC Television and Radio covered the game. An estimated television audience of 56 million fans watched, at the time, a record for the event.

The Steelers, a three point favorite, defeated the Vikings, 16-6 in a defensive struggle . At halftime, the Steelers led 2-0 on a safety.

Fullback, Franco Harris of the Steelers with 158 yards and one touchdown, was named the game's MVP. He would end up with more yards rushing than the total yards for the game of the entire Vikings' team (119 yards).

The Vikings would be making their third Super Bowl appearance under Coach, Bud Grant.

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Super Bowl VIII

Super Bowl VIII took place on Sunday, January 13, 1974. The Miami Dolphins, AFC Champions took on the Minnesota Vikings, NFC Champions. A sellout crowd of 71,882 attended the game at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas . The stadium would host the Super Bowl for the first time. It was also the first time that the Super Bowl venue was not home to an NFL franchise. The Houston Oilers played their home games in the Astrodome, a 50,000 seat facility. The NFL considered it too small for a Super Bowl.

CBS Television and Radio covered the game. An estimated television audience of 51.7 million fans watched.

The Dolphins, a 6.5 point favorite and third consecutive game appearance, defeated the Vikings, 24-7. Fullback, Larry Csonka, with two rushing touchdowns, was named the game's MVP. It was also the first time that a former AFL franchise would be favored in the matchup.

The Vikings would be making their second Super Bowl appearance under Coach, Bud Grant,. Their first game was Super Bowl IV when they were defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs. The Vikings would go on to play in two more Super Bowls as of this post.

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Super Bowl VII

Super Bowl VII took place on Sunday, January 14, 1973. The Miami Dolphins, AFC Champions took on the Washington Redskins, NFC Champions. A sellout crowd of 90,182 attended the game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. The stadium would host the Super Bowl for the second time.

NBC Television and Radio covered the game. An estimated television audience of 53.32 million fans watched.

Los Angeles would be able to see the game live despite NFL rules. The league changed the rule the following season. If a game in a local area was sold out 72 hours prior to an upcoming game, the blackout would be lifted.

Though Washington was a slight favorite (one point), the Dolphins defeated the Redskins, 14-7 in a defensive struggle. Jake Scott, safety of the Dolphins, was named the game's MVP.

The Dolphins would become the first team since the AFL-NFL merger to go through the regular and post seasons undefeated (17-0). Through the present time, there is no team who has done it since. San Francisco finished with an 18-1 overall record in 1984. Ironically, they would defeat the Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX at Stanford. Back to the Super Bowl, Washington's lone touchdown was scored on Miami's Garo Yepremian fumble after a blocked field goal attempt.

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Super Bowl VI

Super Bowl VI took place on Sunday, January 16, 1972. The Miami Dolphins, AFC Champions took on the Dallas Cowboys, NFC Champions. A sellout crowd of 81,203 attended the game at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana. The stadium would host a Super Bowl for the second time.

CBS Television and Radio covered the game. An estimated television audience of 56.6 million fans watched. At the time, it was the largest audience ever to watch the game both on television and at a stadium.

Unfortunately, the local market was blacked out from watching per NFL rules. That would change the following year.

The Cowboys, six point favorites, would defeat the Dolphins, 24-3. Roger Staubach, quarterback of the Cowboys, was named the game's MVP.

Miami, with coach Don Shula as their coach, would reach the Super Bowl only five years into their franchise. Though Shula was the losing coach twice (he lost as the Colts coach to the Jets), he would go on to win future big games.

The game was played in 39 degree weather, the coldest Super Bowl to date. Also, Tulane Stadium held the game for the final time though New Orleans, and the Superdome would host the game several times in the future.

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Super Bowl V

Super Bowl V was the first Super Bowl since the merger of the AFL and NFL. The game took place on Sunday, January 17, 1971. The Baltimore Colts, AFC Champions took on the Dallas Cowboys, NFC Champions. A sellout crowd of 79,204 attended the game at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. The stadium would host a Super Bowl for the third time. The only difference was that the Orange Bowl went to artificial turf recently.

NBC Television and Radio covered the game. An estimated television audience of 46 million fans watched.

The Colts, along with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns, would become a part of the new American Football Conference. This was to even the amount of teams in the AFC and NFC to 13 teams each.

The Colts, 2.5 point favorites, would defeat the Cowboys, 16-13 in what is known as the "Blunder Bowl." The Colts committed seven of the 11 turnovers in the game, and yet won! Chuck Howley, linebacker of the Cowboys, was named the game's MVP in a losing cause. He would be the first player from a losing team to win the award.

Earl Morrall would replace injured Johnny Unitas in the second half and was the most effective passer. Kicker, Jim O'Brien's 32 yard field goal with five seconds left in regulation won it for Baltimore. At the time, this would be the closest margin of victory.

Though the game was sold out, it was blacked out in the Miami area. A lawsuit was filed. Unfortunately, it was denied but future Super Bowls were televised in the local area, sellout or no sellout.

Super Bowl V has gone down as one of the worst Super Bowls ever played. However, Baltimore would win its first Super Bowl after losing the third one to the heavily underdog New York Jets.

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AFL-NFL Championship (Super Bowl IV)

The fourth Super Bowl, still known as the AFL-NFL Championship Game, and for the final time, took place on Sunday, January 11, 1970. A sellout crowd of 80,562 attended the game at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana. The stadium was used for Tulane University football as well as the Sugar Bowl. It was home for the New Orleans Saints for a time

The game featured the Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League against the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. CBS Television and Radio covered the game. And estimated television audience of 44.3 million fans watched. This would be the last championship before the AFL-NFL merger. The 1970 season would be divided into the American and National Football Conferences.

The Chiefs, 13.5 point underdogs, would defeat the Vikings, 23-7 under wet conditions and a tornado watch prior to kickoff. Len Dawson, quarterback of the Chiefs, was named the game's MVP. He completed 12 of 17 passes for a touchdown and one interception.

Dave Osborn, Vikings' top rusher during the season would score the Vikings lone touchdown.

The Chiefs are the only team during the Super Bowl era (now 60 years) to win the championship without allowing any more than 10 points in any postseason game. Coach, Hank Stram was now 1-1 in Super Bowls.

Both the Chiefs and Vikings would be back in future Super Bowls with the Chiefs being successful, the Vikings not!

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AFL-NFL Championship (Super Bowl III)

The third Super Bowl, still known as the AFL-NFL Championship Game, took place on Sunday, January 12, 1969. A sellout crowd of 75,389 attended the game at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. It would be the second year in a row that the game would be played there.

The game featured the New York Jets of the American Football League against the Baltimore Colts of the National Football League. NBC Television and Radio covered the game. And estimated television audience of 41.66 million fans watched.

The Jets, 19.5 point underdogs, would defeat the Colts, 16-7. Joe Namath, quarterback of the Jets, was named the game's MVP. He would be the first player to receive an award without throwing or scoring a touchdown.

Earl Morrall, Colts' QB, would throw three interceptions in the contest. Legendary QB, Johnny Unitas, would replace him in the fourth quarter and would throw the Colts' only touchdown pass.

It would be the Jets only appearance in Super Bowl history up to the present day while the Colts have been back several times.

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AFL-NFL Championship (Super Bowl II)

The second Super Bowl, still known as the AFL-NFL Championship Game, took place on Sunday, January 14, 1968. A sellout crowd of 75,546 attended the game at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. The game featured the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League against the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. CBS Television and Radio covered the game. And estimated television audience of 39.12 million fans watched.

The Packers would defeat the Raiders, 33-14. Bart Starr, quarterback of the Packers, was named the game's MVP in a repeat from last season. It would be coach Vince Lombardi's second Super Bowl Championship and it would be his final game as the Packers coach.

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AFL-NFL Championship (Super Bowl I)

The first Super Bowl known as the AFL-NFL Championship Game, took place on Sunday, January 15, 1967. A non sellout crowd of 63,036 attended the game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The game featured the Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League against the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. NBC and CBS Networks, the two networks for the AFL and NFL respectively and a combined estimated television audience of over 50 million fans watched.

The Packers would defeat the Chiefs, 35-10 in the first game. Bart Starr, quarterback of the Packers, was named the game's MVP. It would be coach Vince Lombardi's first of two Super Bowl Championships.

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Super Bowl History

It's that time of the year again. The National Football League post season is underway. in a little less than 30 days, Super Bowl LX will take place at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. It will be the second time that a Super Bowl will be held there. Super Bowl 50 between the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers took place nearly 10 years ago. In all, this will be the third time that a Super Bowl will be held in the Bay Area. Super Bowl XIX between the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers took place at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, CA. just up the road. This blogger will share all 60 Super Bowls over the next few months beginning with the first one in January 1967. Hope you will enjoy the history of football's world championship.