Super Bowl History Quiz

SPORTS

By: Gavin Thagard

7 Min Quiz

Image: Wiki Commons by andrewtat94

About This Quiz

As a football fan, you spend each season tuning into games throughout the year in anticipation of Super Bowl week, where you can debate with coworkers, gain extra media access to players and fire up the grill for that viewing party you've been planning. Of course, all of that adds up to one thing: the actual game. 

Since its inaugural year in the 1966 season until the most recent iteration, the Super Bowl has been one of the biggest sporting events of the year, drawing in millions of rabid fans, hungry to consume the last ounce of football they will see until the next season begins. For those fans who are the most loyal to the sport, they will then spend their offseason researching every Super Bowl on the books as they extend their knowledge all the way back to when the first game was played. 

Are you one of those rabid fans who's constantly taking in new information about the game? Have you researched every Super Bowl winner and the stars who competed on those championship teams? Here's a quiz where you can find out.

When you're ready to show off how much you know about the history of the Super Bowl, pound away at this quiz to find out how high you can run up the score. 

There were some big names in Super Bowl I, including which famous coach on the winning team?

Vince Lombardi knew how to drive players with his rhetoric, which usually emphasized teamwork and a commitment to success. An example of this was when he said, "The achievements of an organization are the results of the combined effort of each individual."

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Are you familiar with the team that had the first African American quarterback to win the Super Bowl?

The Washington Redskins won Super Bowl XXII behind the stellar play of quarterback Doug Williams. Earning MVP honors, Williams threw for 340 yards on 29 attempts and finished with four touchdowns.

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Which player has the most Super Bowl MVPs?

Considering Tom Brady has appeared in nine Super Bowls and won six of those, it makes sense that he has four Super Bowl MVPs. After all, he has been the only constant on a New England Patriots roster that is always changing out players.

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What did the Pittsburgh Steelers call the defensive line that led them to multiple Super Bowls in the '70s?

The Steel Curtain was made up of three Pro Bowl caliber players, but only "Mean" Joe Greene made it into the NFL Hall of Fame. During his career, Greene was selected to 10 Pro Bowl appearances and was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year twice.

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Deion Sanders won back to back Super Bowls with two different teams, the 49ers and who?

Few players could change the Super Bowl chances of an NFL team like Deion Sanders. After defeating the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game the year prior, he joined the team and helped them win the Super Bowl the next year.

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Who coached the Dallas Cowboys to their first Super Bowl victory in the 1971 season?

Tom Landry was the first head coach ever hired by the Dallas Cowboys when the franchise began in 1960. While coaching the Cowboys, Landry guided the team to 20 consecutive winning seasons and two Super Bowl victories.

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Joe Montana won four Super Bowls and was named the MVP of three of them. Who was named the MVP of the other?

Considered by many to be the greatest wide receiver of all time, Jerry Rice holds several Super Bowl records. A few of the most impressive records include most points scored in a career with 48 and most receiving yards in a game with 215.

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Can you identify the only team in NFL history to finish their season undefeated by winning the Super Bowl?

Coached by Don Shula, the Miami Dolphins posted a 14-0 regular season record in 1972. After winning three games in the playoffs including the Super Bowl, the team finished 17-0, making them the only undefeated team in NFL history.

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Can you name the MVP of Super Bowl XLIV for the New Orleans Saints?

Following Hurricane Katrina, the city of New Orleans desperately needed something to take their minds off the disaster. Drew Brees became that relief, immediately turning the team into a title contender before finally delivering a championship in the 2009 season.

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The Buffalo Bills lost how many straight Super Bowls in the early '90s?

The Buffalo Bills have yet to win a Super Bowl in the history of the franchise despite having four chances in the '90s. The closest the team came was at Super Bowl XXV when they lost by one point to the New York Giants.

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Tampa Bay head coach Jon Gruden was able to defeat his former team in Super Bowl XXXVII. What team did he once coach?

Super Bowl XXXVII pitted the Oakland Raiders, who had the number one offense in the NFL, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who had the number one defense in the NFL. The Buccaneers' defense won the day, recording five interceptions while only allowing 19 rushing yards.

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The New York Giants posted what regular season record before turning it on in the playoffs to reach Super Bowl XLVI?

When the New York Giants won Super Bowl XLVI, they became the worst team in NFL history to win the Super Bowl with a winning percentage of 56%. This included losing five of their last eight regular season games.

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Between players and coaches, who has appeared in the Super Bowl more than anyone else?

Bill Belichick has become a mastermind at reaching the Super Bowl, which he has done 12 times in his career. He reached three of those Super Bowls as an assistant coach and nine as a head coach.

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Do you know how many yards away the Tennessee Titans were from potentially winning Super Bowl XXXIV against the Los Angeles Rams when time expired?

The Tennessee Titans might have lost Super Bowl XXXIV, but it took them a miracle to even reach the game. Literally, they completed a play known as "The Music City Miracle" in the Wild Card round to barely defeat the Buffalo Bills.

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Matt Stover was the oldest player to ever appear in a Super Bowl. What position did he play?

Matt Stover was 42 years old when he appeared in Super Bowl XLIV with the Indianapolis Colts. Despite his age, Stover scored the first points of the game when he hit a 38-yard field goal in the first quarter.

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Huge underdogs, the New York Jets pulled the upset in Super Bowl III over which team?

Coming into Super Bowl III, Jets quarterback Joe Namath promised to deliver a Super Bowl title to New York even though the Baltimore Colts were 18-point favorites. Namath made good on his promise, throwing for 206 yards to give his team the victory.

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Can you identify the head coach who led the Indianapolis Colts to a victory in Super Bowl XLI?

Tony Dungy and Lovi Smith were the first two black head coaches to ever reach the Super Bowl when they faced one another in Super Bowl XLI. When Dungy's team got the victory, he was the first black head coach to win the Super Bowl, making it a milestone in NFL history.

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Do you know the NFL team that put up 49 points in the highest-scoring Super Bowl in history?

The 49 points put up by the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX came primarily from the arm of quarterback Steve Young, who threw a Super Bowl record six touchdown passes. For his play, Young was named the MVP of the game.

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Are you familiar with the only quarterback to have a receiving touchdown in a Super Bowl?

The Philadelphia Eagles had to rely on the decision making of Nick Foles when they entered the 2017-18 NFL Playoffs because their starting quarterback tore his ACL at the end of the regular season. Foles did not disappoint, giving Philadelphia a Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots.

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The Seattle Seahawks had a stellar secondary when they won Super Bowl XLVIII that went by what name?

Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor were the centerpieces of the Legion of Boom. After the departure of Sherman and Chancellor, the defensive unit officially ended when Earl Thomas decided to sign with the Baltimore Ravens in 2019.

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The New England Patriots are tied with which team for the most Super Bowl wins?

Both the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers have six Super Bowl titles under their belt. Strangely, the Patriots have won every one of their titles in the past 20 years, while the Steelers have only won two in that span.

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Super Bowl LI saw the first overtime in the history of the championship game when the New England Patriots came back from how many points down against the Atlanta Falcons?

The New Englands Patriots' 25 point comeback in Super Bowl LI was the largest comeback in Super Bowl history. The comeback was largely fueled by Tom Brady, who threw two touchdowns in the second half.

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One of the greatest running backs in football history, how many rushing touchdowns did Walter Payton score in the Chicago Bears' huge victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX?

When Walter Payton went scoreless in his only Super Bowl appearance, the legendary running back was visibly upset despite winning the game. Payton blamed his head coach, Mike Ditka, because Ditka chose to give the ball to William Perry for the final touchdown instead of to him.

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Both Chris Long and LaGarrette Blount won a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots only to turn around and win it the next season with which team?

After the New England Patriots defeated the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI, they returned to the Super Bowl the next season against the Philadelphia Eagles. The matchup pitted LaGarrette Blount and Chris Long against their former team.

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During which Super Bowl did the New York Giants beat the undefeated New England Patriots?

If the New England Patriots had won Super Bowl XLII, they would have been the only team in NFL history to go 19-0 for a season. However, a tough New York Giants defense and a miracle play at the end of the game cost the Patriots an undefeated season.

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The longest scoring play in Super Bowl history, Jacoby Jones returned a kickoff how many yards in Super Bowl XLVII?

The Baltimore Ravens went into halftime of Super Bowl XLVII with a 21-6 lead. They received the opening kickoff of the second half, which Jacoby Jones carried all the way back from his own end zone for a touchdown, increasing their lead even more.

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Do you know what position James White was playing when he scored a Super Bowl record 20 points?

Despite playing the running back position, James White has recorded more receiving yards than rushing yards in his NFL career. The versatile running back is usually used in third-down passing situations or split out at wide receiver.

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The Seattle Seahawks were down by how many points when Russell Wilson threw an interception against the New England Patriots at the end of Super Bowl XLIX?

The Seattle Seahawks came into Super Bowl XLIX looking to win their second championship in two years. The team failed to achieve their goal on a highly criticized interception by Russell Wilson, which was made worse by the fact that the Seahawks had one of the best running backs in the league.

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How many points were scored in Super Bowl LIII, the lowest scoring championship ever?

Considering the 2018 Los Angeles Rams had one of the most high-powered offenses in NFL history, the fact that they only scored three points in Super Bowl LIII is a testament to just how prepared the New England Patriots were for the game. On offense, the Patriots were able to put up just enough points to win.

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Who is the only player from the losing team to win the Super Bowl MVP?

Chuck Howley was a linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys when they went up against the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl V. When Howley was named Super Bowl MVP, he became both the first non-quarterback and only player from the losing team to win the award.

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Who was named the MVP of Super Bowl XXVIII when the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Buffalo Bills?

Playing behind an excellent offensive line in Dallas, Emmitt Smith averaged huge numbers throughout his NFL career. When he finally retired in 2004, he was the NFL's all time leading rusher.

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Peyton Manning won the first Super Bowl of his career in the 2007 season playing against which team?

Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher played in the only Super Bowl of his professional career with the Chicago Bears during Super Bowl XLI. Urlacher led a top-ranked defense into the game, but they couldn't overcome the poor play of their offense.

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What was John Elway's record in the Super Bowl when he finished his career?

John Elway lost the first three Super Bowls of his career while he was still a young player in the league. Approaching his last years, he took a pay cut, which gave the Denver Broncos the ability to sign other star players to help Elway win two Super Bowls before he retired.

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The rushing touchdown record in the Super Bowl belongs to Terrell Davis. How many runs did he score?

Terrell Davis became one of only seven players to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season when he hit the mark in 1998. The season followed Davis' MVP performance in Super Bowl XXXII.

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Where did Super Bowl XIV between the Los Angeles Rams and the Pittsburgh Steelers take place?

Located in Pasadena, California, the Rose Bowl is one of the most iconic venues in all of sports. One of the largest stadiums in the world, it is the site of a major college football bowl games each season.

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Making it the first championship in the venue, where did Super Bowl XLV between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers take place?

Cowboys Stadium, since named AT&T Stadium, is located in Arlington, Texas, where the Dallas Cowboys host home games. It also serves as the home of a popular college bowl game known as the Cotton Bowl Classic.

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Ray Lewis won two Super Bowls on the opposite ends of his career. How many years were in between?

Ray Lewis spent his entire 17-year NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens, who drafted him in the first round of the 1996 NFL Draft. Lewis was actually only the second player ever drafted by the Ravens because their franchise played their first season that year.

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What was the margin of victory in Super Bowl XXIV between the San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos?

After throwing for five touchdowns, Joe Montana won the third and final Super Bowl MVP award of his career. It also marked the final time that Montana reached the Super Bowl, as he would spend his next two seasons in San Francisco injured.

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How did the Seattle Seahawks put up the quickest points in Super Bowl history at Super Bowl XLVIII?

On the first play from scrimmage in Super Bowl XLVIII, the snap from the center went over quarterback Peyton Manning's head and into the end zone. Running back Knowshon Moreno was forced to jump on the ball to prevent a defensive touchdown, resulting in a safety.

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Which rushing record did John Riggins break in Super Bowl XVII?

The defense for the Miami Dolphins was not prepared for John Riggins in Super Bowl XVII, as he consistently moved the chains with carry after carry. His best run of the day was a 43-yard touchdown that gave the Washington Redskins the lead in the fourth quarter.

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