The Most Memorable Moments in Super Bowl History

It would seem that for all the hype leading up to it, the Super Bowl should invariably disappoint every year. Expectations are always sky high, and for the game’s stars to come through each time weighs the game down with unrealistic projections of glory.

Every year, though, the game manages to deliver at least one incredible, lasting image or moment. There’s something about the big stage that brings out the best in many players, and for them the Super Bowl cements their status as legends in the rich history of the NFL. Like when Marcus Allen ran for a 74-yard touchdown run in Super Bowl XVIII and Adam Vinatieri's game-winning field goal that jump-started the New England Patriots dynasty. Some instead choose to use the Super Bowl as a launching pad to infamy, as their blunders both on and off the field have made them household names for all the wrong reasons. Moments like Barrett Robbins hiatus to Tijuana and Jackie Smith's infamous wide-open drop. If you believe that it’s better to be remembered for something bad than not be remembered at all, these guys might beg to differ.

We took a look at all of these stories of both success and failure, of joy and sorrow, and now give to you the Most Memorable Moments in Super Bowl History.

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30. "Don't Kick it to Devin!"

Date: 2/4/2007
Super Bowl: XLI
Matchup: Bears vs. Colts
Location: Miami

In the buildup to Super Bowl XLI, much of the talk centered around stopping the Bears' dynamic rookie returner, Devin Hester. During the regular season he notched six return touchdowns in the first 14 weeks, and had an additional return TD in the playoffs called back due to a penalty away from the ball. Teams had basically stopped kicking to him. So what did the Colts do to start the game? They kicked it right to Hester, who responded with an electrifying 92-yard touchdown return to give his team the quickest lead in Super Bowl history. Unfortunately, their quarterback was Rex Grossman and thus the Bears would go on to lose the game 29-17.

29. Thurman Thomas Loses His Helmet

Date: 1/26/1992
Super Bowl: XXVI
Matchup: Bills vs. Redskins
Location: Minneapolis

If you're the star player on your team, it's probably a good idea to keep your helmet with you at all times just in case you want to, you know, go into the game. In a bizarre chain of pregame events, however, Buffalo Bills' future Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas managed to lose his helmet before his team's first series of Super Bowl XXVI against the Washington Redskins. He ended up missing the first two offensive plays of the game and had a miserable day overall, gaining just 13 yards on 10 carries as the Bills lost 37-24.

28. Max McGee's Circus Catch

Date: 1/15/1967
Super Bowl: I
Matchup: Packers vs. Chiefs
Location: Los Angeles
Watch it here

Few (if any) of our readers will be old enough to remember Super Bowl I, but the very first touchdown in the game's history was also one of its best. Packers backup receiver Max McGee, who only had four receptions all season, made a spectacular one-handed grab for a 37-yard touchdown to give his team an early lead. McGee would finish the game with seven receptions for 138 yards and two touchdowns, but lost out on the MVP award to his teammate Bart Starr.

27. "How long have you been a black quarterback?"

Date: 1/31/1988
Super Bowl: XXII
Matchup: Redskins vs. Broncos
Location: San Diego

As the legend goes, on media day a reporter by the name of Butch John who wrote for Jackson, MS's Clarion-Ledger asked Williams, "How long have you been a black quarterback?" Since he wasn't Michael Jackson, he had always been black. He had probably been a quarterback since high school. While this wasn't actually what Williams was asked (apparently, the real question was "it's obvious you've always been a black quarterback all your life. When did it start to matter?"), it nevertheless created quite a stir before the game was even played. When the teams finally did play, Williams proved that he was an exceptional player as he threw for 340 yards and four touchdowns to win game MVP honors.

26. Eugene Robinson Gets Roasted

Date: 1/31/1999
Super Bowl: XXXIII
Matchup: Broncos vs. Falcons
Location: Miami

It was probably a very proud moment in Eugene Robinson's life and career when he won the Bart Starr Award from the Christian group, Athletes in Action, for his "high moral character." It was probably less proud when he was arrested the same night for offering an undercover cop $40 for oral sex. Somewhat fittingly, Robinson really blew it in the Super Bowl the next day. His bad week got worse as he gave up an 80-yard touchdown pass to Bronco's wide receiver Rod Smith and whiffed on a tackle that sprung Terrell Davis for a long run. Not shockingly, the next season was his last with the Falcons.

25. Barret Robbins' Bender

Date: 1/26/2003
Super Bowl: XXXVII
Matchup: Raiders vs. Buccaneers
Location: San Diego

If your All-Pro center shoots down to Tijuana the night before the Super Bowl, you're probably going to have a hard time winning the next day. For the Oakland Raiders, Barret Robbins' absence from Super Bowl XXXVII cost them dearly as they got thrashed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48-21. Apparently, the bipolar Robbins forgot to take his medication and thought that the Raiders had already won the game, which proved problematic due to the fact that he was one of their key players and they, you know, hadn't played the game yet. It was the beginning of a quick downfall for Robbins, who was soon out of the league after testing positive for steroids in the wake of the BALCO scandal.

24. Tracy Porter's Pick Six

Date: 2/7/2010
Super Bowl: XLIV
Matchup: Saints vs. Colts
Location: Miami

After Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Saints became a walking metaphor for their city: A beleaguered franchise that with a lot of effort and pride was going to pick itself back up. Behind quarterback Drew Brees and coach Sean Payton, the once-woeful Saints made it all the way to the Super Bowl, in 2009. With the Colts driving late and trying to tie the game, Saints cornerback Tracy Porter intercepted a pass from regular season MVP Peyton Manning and returned it 74 yards to seal the franchise's first Super Bowl championship.

23. Vince Lombardi Being Carried Off Field

Date: 1/14/1968
Super Bowl: II
Matchup: Packers vs. Raiders
Location: Miami

The gruff, eminently quotable Vince Lombardi had finally reached the end of his illustrious coaching career when Super Bowl II rolled around, and the Packers were determined to send their legendary coach out with a win. Their 33-14 drubbing of the Oakland Raiders cemented Lombardi's legacy as the greatest coach in the history of the NFL. And the team carrying their coach off the field on their shoulders has become the indelible image of one of the game's most legendary, prolific figures. In a manner befitting of his winning ways, Lombardi's Packers won nine playoff games in a row to close out their coach's career.

22. The Original Gatorade Bath

Date: 1/25/1987
Super Bowl: XXI
Matchup: Giants vs. Broncos
Location: Pasadena, CA

As the final seconds ticked off the clock on the Giants' 39-20 shellacking of the Broncos in Super Bowl XXI, linebacker Harry Carson carried out a tradition that had been a Giants staple after a big win for the last couple seasons: he dumped a cooler of Gatorade on coach Bill Parcells' head. This time, though, 87.2 million people saw him do it, and he birthed a movement that has branched out into pretty much every single sport on Earth. It has gotten to be so predictable a moment that you can now go on any gambling site before the Super Bowl and bet what the color of the Gatorade will be; this year, clear/water is the favorite, followed by orange or yellow, with green, red and blue bringing up the rear.

21. Big Ben to Holmes FTW

Date: 2/1/2009
Super Bowl: XLIII
Matchup: Steelers vs. Cardinals
Location: Tampa, FL

Prior to Super Bowl XLIII, the Pittsburgh Steelers were tied with the Cowboys and 49ers for most Super Bowl titles for a franchise with five. After Larry Fitzgerald hauled in a 64-yard touchdown pass to put the Cardinals up by three with 2:37 to play, it looked like the Steelers would remain in that ignominious three-way deadlock. However, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger drove his team 78 yards down the field, delivering their sixth championship with an incredibly precise six-yard touchdown pass to game MVP Santonio Holmes. The catch, which Holmes made between three Cardinals while dragging the tips of his toes inbounds, has to go down as one of the best in Super Bowl history.

20. Garo Yepremian's Gaffe

Date: 1/14/1973
Super Bowl: VII
Matchup: Dolphins vs. Redskins
Location: Los Angeles

There are few groups more insufferable than the 1972 Dolphins, who hold on to their distinction as the only undefeated team in NFL history so zealously that it long ago crossed the boundary separating pride from bitterness and contempt. Things almost fell apart for them in the Super Bowl, when kicker Garo Yepremian managed to turn a fumbled snap into six points for the Redskins with one of the most ridiculous bloopers in league history. The TD made the game a one-score contest, but fortunately for the hopeless Garo the Dolphins managed to hold on for the win.

19. Whitney Houston's National Anthem

Date: 1/27/1991
Super Bowl: XXV
Matchup: Bills vs. Giants
Location: Tampa, FL

After her death, Whitney Houston was the subject of a myriad of tributes and testimonies as to how talented she was. If you thought it was all a bit too much hype, we dare you to watch this video and try to not get a little misty. Remember that Houston delivered this incredible rendition at the height of the Gulf War with patriotism at an all-time high, and you'll begin to appreciate the impact of the performance. While she did admit to lip syncing the entire thing, for some reason it just doesn't take anything away from how good it sounds. It was a great start to a game that would have one of the craziest finishes in Super Bowl history.

18. The Fridge Scores a TD

Date: 1/26/1986
Super Bowl: XX
Matchup: Bears vs. Patriots
Location: New Orleans

The Chicago Bears absolutely humiliated the Patriots in Super Bowl XX, and this moment was really the ultimate insult. Portly Bears defensive lineman William "Refrigerator" Perry, who had lined up with the offense in goal line situations during the season, rammed a punctuating two-yard touchdown run right into the heart of the Patriots' defense. Unfortunately, the Bears also managed to insult one of their franchise's greatest players in the process; Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton, the face of the organization, was not given the chance to score in what ended up being the only Super Bowl appearance of his Hall of Fame career.

17. Desmond Howard's 99-Yard TD Return

Date: 1/26/1997
Super Bowl: XXXI
Matchup: Packers vs. Patriots
Location: New Orleans

After winning the Heisman Trophy at Michigan, Desmond Howard carried with him the burden of high expectations. He was never much of a receiver in the professional ranks, but he did excel as a kick returner and in 1996 he returned three punts for touchdowns in the regular season and tacked on one more in the playoffs. The Patriots apparently didn't get that memo, though, because after getting within six points in the third quarter they allowed Howard to take the subsequent kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. Howard tied a Super Bowl record with 244 all-purpose yards on the day, and for his effort was named the game's MVP as the Packers won 35-21.

16. Kurt Warner for MVP

Date: 1/30/2000
Super Bowl: XXXIV
Matchup: Titans vs. Rams
Location: Atlanta

Super Bowl XXXIV will be remembered mainly for its final play, but the moment that set the wheels in motion for the Titans' dramatic drive was equally amazing. With 2:05 to go in a tie game, Rams quarterback and reigning league MVP Kurt Warner delivered his only completion of the 4th quarter, a majestic pass to Isaac Bruce who then juked two defenders en route to giving his team the lead. It was an especially demoralizing moment for the Titans, who had just clawed their way back from a 16-0 deficit, and solidified Warner's MVP performance and the Rams' first Super Bowl title.

15. 49ers Epic Goal Line Stand

Date: 1/24/1982
Super Bowl: XVI
Matchup: 49ers vs. Bengals
Location: Pontiac, MI

The Bengals stood first and goal from the three-yard line against the stalwart 49ers defense late in the third quarter of Super Bowl XVI, and given that they were trailing 20-7 it was vital that they get some points out of the drive. On first down, they ran it to the one yard line. On second down, another run got stopped for no gain. On third down, a completion into the flat looked like a sure touchdown, but the 49ers dragged the Bengal receiver down just shy of the goal line. Eschewing the points, the Bengals went for another run on fourth down and were summarily stuffed. The epic stand proved vital, as the Bengals offense would furiously rally to make it 26-21 with 20 seconds to go. The 49ers recovered the Bengals' onside kick, however, and won the first Super Bowl in franchise history.

14. The Guarantee

Date: 1/12/1969
Super Bowl: III
Matchup: Jets vs. Colts
Location: Miami

Before he was propositioning sideline reporters on live TV, Joe Namath was also a professional quarterback for the New York Jets. Despite throwing more interceptions (215) than touchdowns (170) over the course of his career, Namath was feeling confident enough in his ability that he guaranteed victory for his team in the run-up to Super Bowl III. Joe was a man of his word, as the Jets shocked the heavily favored Colts 16-7. Despite a very modest stat line (17-for-26, 206 yards, zero touchdowns), the Jets' fur coat-sporting QB took home game MVP honors.

13. Jackie Smith Becomes the Sickest Man in America

Date: 1/21/1979
Super Bowl: XIII
Matchup: Cowboys vs. Steelers
Location: Miami

Tight end Jackie Smith is in the Hall of Fame. It's the hardest Hall of Fame to gain entry to in all of sports, so you'd think he'd be pretty pleased with himself and content over how his career turned out. But if you asked him, he'd probably trade it all to just take back this one moment for which he is most remembered. With his Cowboys trailing the Steelers by a touchdown in the 3rd quarter of Super Bowl XIII, Smith found himself all alone in the end zone with nobody even close to him. Quarterback Roger Staubach delivered a very catchable ball, and Smith straight up dropped it. They'd go on to lose by four points and force Smith to forever live in infamy.

12. Bradshaw to Stallworth

Date: 1/20/1980
Super Bowl: XIV
Matchup: Steelers vs. Rams
Location: Pasadena, CA

Terry Bradshaw may now be known as the guy who played Matthew McConaughey's goofy dad in the cinematic classic Failure to Launch, but there was also a time when he was a superstar quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Down 19-17 to the Rams in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XIV, Bradshaw connected on a 73-yard bomb over the top of the Rams defense to Hall of Famer John Stallworth, putting his team ahead for good. Bradshaw threw for 309 yards and two touchdowns and was still named MVP of the game despite tossing three interceptions.

11. Elway's Spinning Scramble

Date: 1/25/1998
Super Bowl: XXXII
Matchup: Broncos vs. Packers
Location: San Diego

John Elway's career had been marked by disappointment, as the Broncos' star had reached and been soundly beaten in three different Super Bowls. By the time he got to a fourth one, Elway was 37 years old and nearing the end of his decorated career. He proved just how badly he wanted to win on this mad scramble, where he sold out his body and got helicoptered for his trouble. What mattered, though, was that he also got the first down. Denver would go on to win the game, and for good measure they'd win another one the next season as well.

10. Leon Lett's Premature Celebration

Date: 1/31/1993
Super Bowl: XXVII
Matchup: Cowboys vs. Bills
Location: Pasadena, CA

It takes a special kind of idiot to overshadow a game in which your team wins the championship by a final tally of 52-17, but that's exactly what Leon Lett did in Super Bowl XXVII. With his Dallas Cowboys absolutely eviscerating the Buffalo Bills, Lett recovered a fourth quarter fumble and began rumbling downfield. As it so often does, a premature celebration made a real mess of things, as Bills' receiver Don Beebe caught up and stripped the ball out before Lett had reached the end zone. While it was of little consolation to the Bills, Lett's fumble was one of several gaffes that have become his lasting NFL legacy.

9. John Riggins' TD Run on Fourth and 1

Date: 1/30/1983
Super Bowl: XVII
Matchup: Redskins vs. Dolphins
Location: Pasadena, CA
Watch it here

Trailing with about 10 minutes to go in Super Bowl XVII, Washington Redskins' coach Joe Gibbs decided to roll the dice and go for it on fourth and 1 from the Miami 43. That decision proved to be a good one, as running back John Riggins (no relation to Tim) went beast mode all over the Don McNeal and rumbled into the end zone to give his team the lead. The man known as "The Diesel" ended up with then-Super Bowl record totals of 38 attempts and 166 rushing yards, winning game MVP honors as the Redskins held on for a 27-17 victory.

8. Janet Jackson's "Wardrobe Malfunction"

Date: 2/1/2004
Super Bowl:
Matchup: Patriots vs. Panthers
Location: Houston

It's pretty hard for anyone to steal the spotlight from the Super Bowl. However, Janet Jackson's right nipple is not just anybody. Never mind the fact that it overshadowed a thrilling second half between the Patriots and Panthers that in the 4th quarter alone saw 37 points scored and another Adam Vinatieri game-winning field goal; this one incident changed the way we watch television.

Thanks to the infamous "wardrobe malfunction," all live television events are aired with a 10-second delay that previously did not exist. It led to an act of Congress (the "Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005" if you're interested in some really dry reading) and, in perhaps the greatest tragedy of all, caused the Victoria's Secret fashion show to be canceled.

7. Montana to Taylor

Date: 1/22/1989
Super Bowl: XXIII
Matchup: 49ers vs. Bengals
Location: Miami

There's a reason they call Montana "Joe Cool." Super Bowl XXIII cemented the 49ers' quarterback as one of the all-time greats, as he led his team on a 92-yard scoring drive with almost no time left to deliver San Francisco its third title. Pinned back to his own eight-yard line, it took Montana 10 plays to get down to the Bengals' 10-yard line with just 39 seconds to play. His strike down the middle to John Taylor perfectly split two defenders, giving the 49ers the latest game-winning TD in Super Bowl history.

6. Swann's Miraculous Catch

Date: 1/18/1976
Super Bowl: X
Matchup: Steelers vs. Cowboys
Location: Miami

We're just going to come right out and say it: there has not been a more acrobatic, athletic catch made in the history of the Super Bowl. Swann hopped way up into the air to steal an interception from the defensive back, only in doing so bobbled it a little. For most players that would have been a fine enough play, but Swann wasn't done. Instead, he never took his eye off the ball as he fell to the ground, plucking the it out of the air and hanging on to it as he landed. He would go on to win game MVP honors with 161 receiving yards and a touchdown, becoming the first wide out to win the award.

5. Marcus Allen's 74-yard TD Run

Date: 1/22/1984
Super Bowl: XVIII
Matchup: Raiders vs. Redskins
Location: Tampa, FL

This run might be one of the craziest, most absurd gallops in the history of the NFL; we defy you to find a more outrageous display of speed and athleticism on so grand a stage. When Marcus Allen completely reverses field, you have to remember that he's not doing it against just anybody. These were professional athletes on a Washington Redskins defense that was the defending Super Bowl champion and one of the most feared units in the league. Allen's run effectively put the Redskins down for good, as the Raiders went on to win the game 38-9 on the strength of their star running back's MVP-winning, 191 rushing yards performance.

4. "Wide Right!"

Date: 1/27/1991
Super Bowl: XXV
Matchup: Bills vs. Giants
Location: Tampa, FL

Poor, poor Buffalo. In four years, they managed to lose four consecutive Super Bowls despite having a Hall of Fame quarterback, running back, and coach. If only they had a Pro Bowl kicker—oh wait, they did! Scott Norwood, who made the Pro Bowl in 1988 with the Bills, lined up what looked to be a makeable 47-yard field goal that would have won Super Bowl XXV against the New York Giants. Unfortunately for the Bills and their fans, Norwood pushed the kick wide right, sending the Giants into delirium putting his team into utter despair and himself into the pantheon of all-time biggest goats in the history of sports.

3. Vinatieri's Game Winner

Date: 2/3/2002
Super Bowl: XXXVI
Matchup: Patriots vs. Rams
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

It's hard to remember a time when the Patriots weren't a juggernaut loathed by pretty much every NFL fan. However, led by second-year quarterback Tom Brady, the 2001-02 Pats were a plucky upstart who entered Super Bowl XXXVI as 14-point underdogs to the St. Louis Rams. After the "Greatest Show on Turf" tied the game with 1:30 to go, venerable TV commentator John Madden suggested the Patriots should just kneel on the ball and take their chances in overtime. Brady had other plans. He instead marched his team down to the Rams' 30 yard line. Vinatieri took it from there, splitting the uprights with a 48-yard field goal as time expired. His kick was the first time in Super Bowl history that the game was decided by a score on the final play.

2. A Game of Inches

Date: 1/30/2000
Super Bowl: XXXIV
Matchup: Titans vs. Rams
Location: Atlanta

The Super Bowl clash between the Rams and the Titans was a wildly entertaining game, and with time left for just one more play the Rams were attempting to hold off a furious Titans comeback. After trailing by as many as 16 points in the second half, the Titans drove down to the St. Louis 10-yard line with just six seconds to play. It looked like Kevin Dyson was going to reach the end zone after making a catch on a quick slant, but out of nowhere Rams' linebacker Mike Jones grabbed his ankles and hauled him down just short of the goal line. Dyson's vain attempt to reach the ball out into the end zone has become one of the NFL's most iconic photos, and has been known to reduce die-hard Titans fans to tears.

1. Helmet Catch

Date: 2/3/2008
Super Bowl: XLII
Matchup: Patriots vs. Giants
Location: Glendale, AZ

In one of the craziest plays in the history of the NFL, let alone the Super Bowl, a seldom-used backup receiver for the Giants became one of the greatest heroes in the history of the game. Facing third down and five at their own 44-yard line and down three points with just 1:15 to go, the Giants looked poised to fall to the undefeated New England Patriots. The combination of Eli Manning's escape from the Patriots' pass rush and David Tyree's pinning the ball to his helmet as he fell down with Patriots' safety Rodney Harrison on top of him is the most miraculous combination this planet has seen since Gucci Mane first met the trap.