SAN DIEGO, CA – JANUARY 25: John Elway #7 of the Denver Broncos turns to hand the ball off to a running back against the Green Bay Packers during Super Bowl XXXII on January 25, 1998 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The Broncos won the Super Bowl 31-24. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Super Bowl LIX is less than 5 days away, so in preparation for the game, here are our biggest upsets in Super Bowl history.
5. Super Bowl XXXII – Broncos vs. Packers (1998)
SAN DIEGO, CA – JANUARY 25: Terrell Davis #30 of the Denver Broncos carries the ball against the Green Bay Packers during Super Bowl XXXII on January 25, 1998 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The Broncos won the Super Bowl 31-24. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
The Packers, gunning for their second Super Bowl of the decade, were 11-point favorites over the Broncos, who failed to win a Super Bowl in three attempts with John Elway at QB. However, an excellent performance from Elway and running back Terrell Davis powered Denver to a 31-24 victory.
4. Super Bowl IV – Chiefs vs. Vikings (1970)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – NOVEMBER 29: A detail of the Kansas City Chiefs logo on a helmet prior to a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on November 29, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)
The AFL vs. NFL bias was significant in the first four Super Bowls, so the NFL champion Vikings were a 12-point favorite over the AFL champion Chiefs. But Kansas City put a total beatdown on Minnesota, winning 23-7 in the last ever Super Bowl before the two leagues merged.
3. Super Bowl XXXVI – Patriots vs. Rams (2002)
ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 30: Kurt Warner #13 of St. Louis Rams turns to hand the ball off to Marshall Faulk #28 against the Tennessee Titans during Super Bowl XXXIV at the Georgia Dome on January 30, 2000 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Ram won the game 23-16. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk led “The Greatest Show on Turf”, one of the best offenses in NFL history, to a title two years prior, and were now looking for Super Bowl #2. However, a young Tom Brady led the Patriots to a shocking 20-17 victory despite being 14-point underdogs.
2. Super Bowl III – Jets vs. Colts (1969)
MIAMI, FL – JANUARY 12: Joe Namath #12 of the New York Jets drops back to pass against the Baltimore Colts during Super Bowl III at the Orange Bowl on January 12, 1969 in Miami, Florida. The Jets defeated the Colts 16-7. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
“We’re going to win Sunday, I guarantee it.” Bold words from an 18-point underdog Joe Namath. By the numbers, Namath and the Jets produced the biggest upset in Super Bowl history by beating the Baltimore Colts 16-7, and were the catalyst for the eventual AFL-NFL merger.
1. Super Bowl XLII – Giants vs. Patriots (2008)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEBRUARY 05: Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 5, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots 21-17. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
The undefeated and seemingly unstoppable Patriots were one game away from the first 18-0 season in NFL history. But a dogged Giants defense and clutch Eli Manning stunned the world and defeated the Patriots 17-14 in an all-time Super Bowl upset.
