The 10 Best Plays in Super Bowl History

Introduction to the Play Making in the Big Game

The NFL’s Modern-day Championship game, called the Super Bowl since the late 1960s, has become so big that it is almost a national holiday. The annual contest has the League’s best teams and some top players. The athleticism and talent of the players, combined with the high-pressure moments in front of a large worldwide audience, have provided some of the top plays in history. Please sit back and relax as we provide the Greatest Super Bowl Plays.

Kick returns

Much of the time, the most exciting plays in football are during action, where a foot is put to the ball. Punts, kickoffs, and field goal tries seem mundane on the surface, but just let one thing go wrong, and they can lose a ball game. The Biggest Game of the Year in Professional Football is no exception, as it has had some big moments during a kicking play.

Andre Coleman’s Kick-off return on January 29th, 1995, in Super Bowl XXIX for the San Diego Chargers helped brighten the game of SD fans against the San Francisco 49ers. The game was somewhat out of hand for the Chargers, but Coleman’s 3rd Quarter 98-yard return for a score was electrifying. 

The 1995 return was not the longest nor the most dramatic in Super Bowl history. However, that honor belongs to Desmond Howard and his shifty 99-yard return for a score during Super Bowl XXXI for the Green Bay Packers on January 26, 1997,  just as the New England Patriots were considering mounting a comeback in the game with a Curtis Martin 18-yard Touchdown run. This response by Howard sealed the Most Valuable Player of the game trophy for the wideout and Super Bowl Title for the Pack, 35-21. 

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Turnover Frenzy

Coughing up the football is a no-no in any pigskin game at any level, but it is terrible timing when you do it at a crucial moment in the biggest game of the year, with people worldwide watching. Here are some plays that not only turned the ball over but turned the tables of momentum and the outcome of the Super Bowl.

The Butler Did It!

Malcolm Butler’s interception in Super Bowl XLIX was one of those magical moments that made moths drop. The Seattle Seahawks were trailing the New England Patriots with less than 30 clock ticks remaining. The Hawks were all-but-assured of their second consecutive title when they had the ball on the Patriot’s one-yard line on second down and had arguably the best shortage running back in the game at the time, Marshawn Lynch, in the backfield. Or were they?

Seattle Coach Pete Carroll opted to conserve the clock should they fail on 2nd down and try a safe slant pass from Russell Wilson instead. The thing was that Patriots DB Malcolm Butler thought about that too, and stepped in front of Wilson’s throw and caught it to seal an improbable New England win.

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Tele-Porter to Victory

A turnover in Super Bowl XLIV between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints was not quite as dramatic but just as effective. With less than six minutes left in the game, the Saints took a narrow lead, 24-17. However, the game was far from over as future Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning ran the offense for the Colts. Manning started the Indianapolis march down the field, reaching the Saints side of the field with just under 4 minutes remaining. On a crucial third and five play, Peyton tried to hook up on a “safe” short pass to Reggie Wayne, but New Orleans DB Tracy Porter had other things in mind when he stepped in front of Wayne and took the ball to the house for a monumental pick-six.

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Harrison Ends the Half

The longest defensive score in the history of the Big Game is the Super Bowl XLIII James Harrison 100-yard pick-six known affectionately by the Pittsburgh faithful as the Immaculate Interception. The Steelers were playing the Arizona Cardinals in the game, and the Cards planned on taking the lead in the half as they drove the ball deep into Pittsburgh territory with only seconds remaining until intermission. QB Kurt Warner tried to connect on a quick-hitting slant for a score. Still, the edge-rushing Harrison stepped into the passing lane instead of chasing the veteran signal-caller, hauled in the pass, and rumbled 100 yards down the sideline for an unexpected Steel City score. The TD made a difference, too, as the Steelers hung on to get their sixth Lombardi with a 27-23 win.

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The Runs to Victory

There have been some amazing rushing performances that have made a difference in the Super Bowl. See if you can remember these plays.

The Diesel Chugs Along for a Big One

The Washington Redskins and their Hogs offensive line loved nothing better than to punch big holes into the defense for their stable of rushers to run through. None were any better than when the Washington Redskins faced a 4th down and one situation in Super Bowl XVII, trailing the Miami Dolphins by four points late in the game. Washington went to their big, reliable back, John Riggins, to get the crucial short yardage and a first down. No one realized that the Diesel was fueled up and ready to go the distance, as the determined Riggins took the ball 43 yards to paydirt, helping the Redskins win 27-17 in the Run to Glory.

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Marcus the Magnificent

The Los Angeles Raiders also have a great running play from their history in the Super Bowl. Their talented runner Marcus Allen had a 74-yard run to remember during Super Bowl XVIII against Washington. Allen was patient and even reversed field and made a spin move to send him to the end zone. This run capped off an MVP performance of two scores and 191 yards for the big back from USC.

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The Astonishing Plays through the Air

If you enjoy the remarkable plays so far, these passing plays that impacted Super Bowl contests will take the thrill to a new level.

Helmet Catch

Before Super Bowl XLII, the words helmet and catch were used in English. By the end of the game, the two were well-known and synonymous with New York Giant David Tyree’s fantastic grab where he pinned the ball to his headpiece to register a crucial reception after his QB, Eli Manning, made a monumental scramble to extend the play. A few moments later, Manning found Plaxico Burress for the score to lead New York over New England, 17-14, thus ending the Patriots’ perfect season plans.

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Something Special for the City of Brotherly Love

The unexpected trick plays are always fun when they work, and the one Coach Doug Pederson called for Philadelphia in Super Bowl LII was in that mold. The play called the “Philly Special” had Eagles QB Nick Foles standing the shotgun formation on fourth down, moving to behind his correct tackle, and running back Corey Clement took what looked like a Wildcat snap from center Jason Kelce. Foels then proceeded to sneak out of the backfield in the right flat during the commotion, where Clement turned and fired a pass to the QB, who caught it, leading Philadelphia to a 22-12 win over the Patriots.

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Santonio Tap Dance

Returning to Super Bowl XLIII, we must remember the toe-tap TD Santonio Holmes caught with 35 seconds remaining to lead Pittsburgh to that 27-23 victory over the Cardinals. This catch secured the MVP for Holmes as well as the win.

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Edelman Takes One Lying Down

Super Bowl LI between the Patriots and the Falcons had one of the most focused receptions ever. New England completed a comeback from a 28-3 Atlanta Falcons lead when an unusual errant pass from Tom Brady looked like it would be intercepted to end a threat. Falcons  DBs Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen converged on the pass, and somehow, Julian Edelman reached between a defender’s legs to make a bobbling reception that he finally secured while lying on the turf. The saving catch helped the Patriots keep the ball, eventually tie the score, and win the game in OT, 34-28.

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Conclusion

Those are ten of the best plays in Super Bowl history from a bunch under consideration. Did your favorite make our list?

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This entry was posted on Friday, December 1st, 2023 at 5:29 pm and is filed under Top Lists. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.