The most recent Super Bowl score saw the Philadelphia Eagles defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 40–22 in Super Bowl LIX on February 9, 2025, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Throughout NFL history, Super Bowl scores reflect the league's tactical evolution, spanning from defensive stalemates to record-breaking offensive shootouts across 59 championship games.
Anatomy of a Super Bowl Score: How Modern NFL Offenses Generate Points
Scoring in the NFL championship game has transformed dramatically since the Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 35–10 in Super Bowl I on January 15, 1967. Modern Super Bowl box scores are governed by sophisticated red-zone metrics, aggressive fourth-down analytics, and dynamic passing schemes that differ substantially from the run-heavy, defensive struggles of the 1970s.
A standard NFL scoring system rewards points through four core avenues:
- Touchdowns (6 points): The primary driver of Super Bowl victories. Historically, teams that score at least three touchdowns win the Super Bowl more than 78% of the time.
- Extra Points and Two-Point Conversions (1 or 2 points): While the standard Point After Touchdown (PAT) from the 15-yard line remains the default, analytics-driven coaches increasingly leverage two-point conversions to bridge three-point and eight-point score deficits late in games.
- Field Goals (3 points): Kicking accuracy has elevated field goals from mere consolidation prizes into game-winning weapons. Adam Vinatieri (Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII) and Harrison Butker (Super Bowl LVIII) demonstrated that long-range field goals frequently decide tightly contested Lombardi Trophy matchups.
- Safeties (2 points): The rarest scoring event in Super Bowl history, occurring in only nine games. Super Bowl XLVIII opened with a safety just 12 seconds into the contest when an errant snap sailed past Peyton Manning into the end zone.
Understanding these point distributions clarifies how momentum swings materialize on the world's biggest sports stage, separating teams that stall in the red zone from those that maximize seven-point opportunities.
Complete Super Bowl Results: Every Game, Score, and MVP
Tracking Super Bowl scores provides an empirical record of professional football's modern era. Below is the verified historical ledger covering championship matchups from the merger era to the present day.
| Game | Date | Winning Team | Score | Losing Team | Location | MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LIX | Feb 9, 2025 | Philadelphia Eagles | 40–22 | Kansas City Chiefs | New Orleans, LA | Jalen Hurts |
| LVIII | Feb 11, 2024 | Kansas City Chiefs | 25–22 (OT) | San Francisco 49ers | Las Vegas, NV | Patrick Mahomes |
| LVII | Feb 12, 2023 | Kansas City Chiefs | 38–35 | Philadelphia Eagles | Glendale, AZ | Patrick Mahomes |
| LVI | Feb 13, 2022 | Los Angeles Rams | 23–20 | Cincinnati Bengals | Inglewood, CA | Cooper Kupp |
| LV | Feb 7, 2021 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 31–9 | Kansas City Chiefs | Tampa, FL | Tom Brady |
| LIV | Feb 2, 2020 | Kansas City Chiefs | 31–20 | San Francisco 49ers | Miami Gardens, FL | Patrick Mahomes |
| LIII | Feb 3, 2019 | New England Patriots | 13–3 | Los Angeles Rams | Atlanta, GA | Julian Edelman |
| LII | Feb 4, 2018 | Philadelphia Eagles | 41–33 | New England Patriots | Minneapolis, MN | Nick Foles |
| LI | Feb 5, 2017 | New England Patriots | 34–28 (OT) | Atlanta Falcons | Houston, TX | Tom Brady |
| 50 | Feb 7, 2016 | Denver Broncos | 24–10 | Carolina Panthers | Santa Clara, CA | Von Miller |
| XLIX | Feb 1, 2015 | New England Patriots | 28–24 | Seattle Seahawks | Glendale, AZ | Tom Brady |
| XLVIII | Feb 2, 2014 | Seattle Seahawks | 43–8 | Denver Broncos | East Rutherford, NJ | Malcolm Smith |
| XLVII | Feb 3, 2013 | Baltimore Ravens | 34–31 | San Francisco 49ers | New Orleans, LA | Joe Flacco |
| XLVI | Feb 5, 2012 | New York Giants | 21–17 | New England Patriots | Indianapolis, IN | Eli Manning |
| XLV | Feb 6, 2011 | Green Bay Packers | 31–25 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Arlington, TX | Aaron Rodgers |
| XLIV | Feb 7, 2010 | New Orleans Saints | 31–17 | Indianapolis Colts | Miami Gardens, FL | Drew Brees |
| XLIII | Feb 1, 2009 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 27–23 | Arizona Cardinals | Tampa, FL | Santonio Holmes |
| XLII | Feb 3, 2008 | New York Giants | 17–14 | New England Patriots | Glendale, AZ | Eli Manning |
| XLI | Feb 4, 2007 | Indianapolis Colts | 29–17 | Chicago Bears | Miami Gardens, FL | Peyton Manning |
| XL | Feb 5, 2006 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 21–10 | Seattle Seahawks | Detroit, MI | Hines Ward |
| XXXIX | Feb 6, 2005 | New England Patriots | 24–21 | Philadelphia Eagles | Jacksonville, FL | Deion Branch |
| XXXVIII | Feb 1, 2004 | New England Patriots | 32–29 | Carolina Panthers | Houston, TX | Tom Brady |
| XXXVII | Jan 26, 2003 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 48–21 | Oakland Raiders | San Diego, CA | Dexter Jackson |
| XXXVI | Feb 3, 2002 | New England Patriots | 20–17 | St. Louis Rams | New Orleans, LA | Tom Brady |
| XXXV | Jan 28, 2001 | Baltimore Ravens | 34–7 | New York Giants | Tampa, FL | Ray Lewis |
| XXXIV | Jan 30, 2000 | St. Louis Rams | 23–16 | Tennessee Titans | Atlanta, GA | Kurt Warner |
| XXXIII | Jan 31, 1999 | Denver Broncos | 34–19 | Atlanta Falcons | Miami, FL | John Elway |
| XXXII | Jan 25, 1998 | Denver Broncos | 31–24 | Green Bay Packers | San Diego, CA | Terrell Davis |
| XXXI | Jan 26, 1997 | Green Bay Packers | 35–21 | New England Patriots | New Orleans, LA | Desmond Howard |
| XXX | Jan 28, 1996 | Dallas Cowboys | 27–17 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Tempe, AZ | Larry Brown |
| XXIX | Jan 29, 1995 | San Francisco 49ers | 49–26 | San Diego Chargers | Miami, FL | Steve Young |
| XXVIII | Jan 30, 1994 | Dallas Cowboys | 30–13 | Buffalo Bills | Atlanta, GA | Emmitt Smith |
| XXVII | Jan 31, 1993 | Dallas Cowboys | 52–17 | Buffalo Bills | Pasadena, CA | Troy Aikman |
| XXVI | Jan 26, 1992 | Washington Redskins | 37–24 | Buffalo Bills | Minneapolis, MN | Mark Rypien |
| XXV | Jan 27, 1991 | New York Giants | 20–19 | Buffalo Bills | Tampa, FL | Ottis Anderson |
| XXIV | Jan 28, 1990 | San Francisco 49ers | 55–10 | Denver Broncos | New Orleans, LA | Joe Montana |
| XXIII | Jan 22, 1989 | San Francisco 49ers | 20–16 | Cincinnati Bengals | Miami, FL | Jerry Rice |
| XXII | Jan 31, 1988 | Washington Redskins | 42–10 | Denver Broncos | San Diego, CA | Doug Williams |
| XXI | Jan 25, 1987 | New York Giants | 39–20 | Denver Broncos | Pasadena, CA | Phil Simms |
| XX | Jan 26, 1986 | Chicago Bears | 46–10 | New England Patriots | New Orleans, LA | Richard Dent |
| XIX | Jan 20, 1985 | San Francisco 49ers | 38–16 | Miami Dolphins | Stanford, CA | Joe Montana |
| XVIII | Jan 22, 1984 | Los Angeles Raiders | 38–9 | Washington Redskins | Tampa, FL | Marcus Allen |
| XVII | Jan 30, 1983 | Washington Redskins | 27–17 | Miami Dolphins | Pasadena, CA | John Riggins |
| XVI | Jan 24, 1982 | San Francisco 49ers | 26–21 | Cincinnati Bengals | Pontiac, MI | Joe Montana |
| XV | Jan 25, 1981 | Oakland Raiders | 27–10 | Philadelphia Eagles | New Orleans, LA | Jim Plunkett |
| XIV | Jan 20, 1980 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 31–19 | Los Angeles Rams | Pasadena, CA | Terry Bradshaw |
| XIII | Jan 21, 1979 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 35–31 | Dallas Cowboys | Miami, FL | Terry Bradshaw |
| XII | Jan 15, 1978 | Dallas Cowboys | 27–10 | Denver Broncos | New Orleans, LA | Randy White & Harvey Martin |
| XI | Jan 9, 1977 | Oakland Raiders | 32–14 | Minnesota Vikings | Pasadena, CA | Fred Biletnikoff |
| X | Jan 18, 1976 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 21–17 | Dallas Cowboys | Miami, FL | Lynn Swann |
| IX | Jan 12, 1975 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 16–6 | Minnesota Vikings | New Orleans, LA | Franco Harris |
| VIII | Jan 13, 1974 | Miami Dolphins | 24–7 | Minnesota Vikings | Houston, TX | Larry Csonka |
| VII | Jan 14, 1973 | Miami Dolphins | 14–7 | Washington Redskins | Los Angeles, CA | Jake Scott |
| VI | Jan 16, 1972 | Dallas Cowboys | 24–3 | Miami Dolphins | New Orleans, LA | Roger Staubach |
| V | Jan 17, 1971 | Baltimore Colts | 16–13 | Dallas Cowboys | Miami, FL | Chuck Howley |
| IV | Jan 11, 1970 | Kansas City Chiefs | 23–7 | Minnesota Vikings | New Orleans, LA | Len Dawson |
| III | Jan 12, 1969 | New York Jets | 16–7 | Baltimore Colts | Miami, FL | Joe Namath |
| II | Jan 14, 1968 | Green Bay Packers | 33–14 | Oakland Raiders | Miami, FL | Bart Starr |
| I | Jan 15, 1967 | Green Bay Packers | 35–10 | Kansas City Chiefs | Los Angeles, CA | Bart Starr |
All-Time Super Bowl Scoring Extremes and Outliers
Statistical distribution across more than five decades reveals remarkable variation between championship offenses and elite defenses. While the average cumulative score hovers around 46.5 total points per game, several matchups pushed the absolute boundaries of professional football scoring.
The Highest-Scoring Super Bowl Games
When elite passing offenses operate in favorable indoor conditions or exploit depleted secondaries, scorelines can escalate rapidly:
- Super Bowl XXIX (75 Total Points): San Francisco 49ers 49, San Diego Chargers 26. Quarterback Steve Young threw a Super Bowl-record six touchdown passes, including three to Jerry Rice, rendering the Chargers' defense completely ineffective.
- Super Bowl LII (74 Total Points): Philadelphia Eagles 41, New England Patriots 33. This matchup set the NFL postseason record for combined offensive yardage (1,151 yards), highlighted by the iconic "Philly Special" trick-play touchdown reception by Nick Foles.
- Super Bowl LVII (73 Total Points): Kansas City Chiefs 38, Philadelphia Eagles 35. Patrick Mahomes engineered three consecutive second-half touchdown drives on an injured ankle, overcoming a 24–14 halftime deficit without committing a single second-half turnover.
The Lowest-Scoring Super Bowl Games
Conversely, when defensive masterminds execute disciplined red-zone schemes, games can turn into grinding wars of field position:
- Super Bowl LIII (16 Total Points): New England Patriots 13, Los Angeles Rams 3. Bill Belichick implemented a quarters-coverage scheme that completely neutralized Sean McVay's high-flying offense, producing the only Super Bowl in history without a touchdown scored in the first three quarters.
- Super Bowl VII (21 Total Points): Miami Dolphins 14, Washington Redskins 7. The Dolphins completed their historic 17–0 undefeated season behind the "No-Name Defense," which held Washington scoreless until a botched field goal attempt resulted in a defensive fumble return touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
- Super Bowl IX (22 Total Points): Pittsburgh Steelers 16, Minnesota Vikings 6. Played in frigid conditions at Tulane Stadium, Pittsburgh's "Steel Curtain" defensive front held Minnesota to just 119 total offensive yards, registering a safety and denying the Vikings an offensive touchdown.
Largest Margins of Victory
Lopsided blowouts were particularly common during the NFC's 13-year winning streak from 1985 through 1997:
- 45 Points: San Francisco 49ers 55, Denver Broncos 10 (Super Bowl XXIV). Joe Montana orchestrated the most devastating offensive exhibition in championship history, scoring eight touchdowns on an overmatched Denver secondary.
- 36 Points: Chicago Bears 46, New England Patriots 10 (Super Bowl XX). Buddy Ryan's "46 Defense" sacked Patriots quarterbacks seven times, forced six turnovers, and scored on a William "The Refrigerator" Perry rushing touchdown.
- 35 Points: Seattle Seahawks 43, Denver Broncos 8 (Super Bowl XLVIII). The "Legion of Boom" dismantled Peyton Manning's record-setting Broncos offense, scoring via safety, interception return, kickoff return, and traditional offensive possessions.
- 35 Points: Dallas Cowboys 52, Buffalo Bills 17 (Super Bowl XXVII). Dallas forced an astounding nine turnovers, converting defensive miscues directly into 35 points at the Rose Bowl.
Overtime Super Bowl Scores: Sudden Death in the Title Game
For the first 50 editions of the game, every Super Bowl concluded in regulation. However, modern competitive parity has produced two dramatic overtime battles:
Super Bowl LI: The Historic Atlanta Collapse
Down 28–3 late in the third quarter, Tom Brady led the New England Patriots through an unprecedented 25-point fourth-quarter comeback. James White scored the walk-off 2-yard touchdown in overtime, securing a 34–28 victory and establishing the largest comeback in Super Bowl history under traditional postseason overtime rules.
Super Bowl LVIII: The Las Vegas Marathon
Played under modern NFL postseason overtime rules where both teams are guaranteed at least one possession, the San Francisco 49ers took an initial 22–19 lead on a Jake Moody field goal. Patrick Mahomes responded with an eight-minute, 75-yard drive, culminating in a 3-yard game-winning touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman with three seconds remaining in the first overtime period, ending the contest 25–22.
Technical Analysis: How Rule Changes Altered Super Bowl Scores
The trajectory of Super Bowl scoring correlates directly with three distinct regulatory eras enacted by the NFL's Competition Committee:
1. The Pre-1978 Dead-Ball Era (Super Bowls I through XII)
Prior to 1978, defensive backs were legally permitted to initiate contact with receivers anywhere downfield until the ball was in the air. This allowed physical units like the Miami "No-Name Defense" and Pittsburgh's "Steel Curtain" to dominate scoring margins. Average combined scores during this 12-game span sat at just 37.1 points per game.
2. The Mel Blount Rule and Expansion Era (Super Bowls XIII through XXXVIII)
The introduction of the five-yard illegal contact rule in 1978 fundamentally liberated pass catchers. Scoring increased immediately, with Super Bowl XIII featuring 66 combined points between Pittsburgh and Dallas. Passing volume surged, culminating in the West Coast Offense explosion executed by the 49ers and the explosive aerial attacks of the 1990s Cowboys.
3. The Modern Player Safety and Analytics Era (Super Bowls XXXIX through Present)
Defenseless receiver protections, strict roughing-the-passer enforcement, and the shift toward expected points added (EPA) models have reshuffled Super Bowl scoring dynamics. Head coaches routinely eschew field goals on fourth-and-short inside the opponent's 40-yard line. This analytical approach creates higher baseline point ceilings, with five of the last ten Super Bowls exceeding 50 combined points.
Frequently Asked Questions About Super Bowl Scores
What is the average combined score of a Super Bowl?
The historical average combined score of a Super Bowl is approximately 46.5 points. Most recent matchups fall between 44 and 54 total points, reflecting modern offensive efficiency and aggressive play-calling.
Across nearly six decades of competition, winning teams average 30.1 points per game, while losing squads average 16.4 points. Over 60% of all championship games finish with a combined total ranging from 37 to 55 points.
What is the highest score ever recorded by a single team in the Super Bowl?
The highest single-team score belongs to the San Francisco 49ers, who scored 55 points against the Denver Broncos (55–10) in Super Bowl XXIV on January 28, 1990.
Quarterback Joe Montana threw five touchdown passes, completing 22 of 29 passes for 297 yards without an interception. The 49ers gained 461 yards of total offense and scored in every quarter, establishing an offensive benchmark that remains untouched.
What is the lowest winning score in Super Bowl history?
The lowest winning score is 13 points, achieved by the New England Patriots when they defeated the Los Angeles Rams 13–3 in Super Bowl LIII on February 3, 2019.
The defensive struggle remained tied at 3–3 until midway through the fourth quarter, when Sony Michel scored the game's sole touchdown on a 2-yard run. Stephon Gilmore sealed the 10-point victory with a red-zone interception of Jared Goff with under five minutes remaining.
Has a Super Bowl ever ended in a shutout?
No Super Bowl has ever ended in a complete shutout. Every team that has appeared in the NFL championship game has scored at least three points.
The lowest scores ever posted by an individual team are three points, shared by the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI (lost 24–3 to Dallas) and the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII (lost 13–3 to New England). The Kansas City Chiefs were held without a touchdown in Super Bowl LV, managing only nine points on three field goals.
How often does the favorite cover the point spread in the Super Bowl?
Historically, point-spread favorites have covered the betting line in roughly 48% of all Super Bowls, with underdogs winning outright in over a third of all matchups.
Notable spread upsets include the New York Jets (+18) defeating the Baltimore Colts 16–7 in Super Bowl III, the New England Patriots (+14) upsetting the St. Louis Rams 20–17 in Super Bowl XXXVI, and the New York Giants (+12) ending New England's undefeated season 17–14 in Super Bowl XLII.
Tracking Future Championship Milestones
Super Bowl scoring records continue to evolve as offensive schemes adapt to defensive secondary alignments and shifting postseason analytics. Whether tracking historic blowouts, legendary comebacks, or modern fourth-quarter heroics, every final score captures a unique chapter in professional football history. Bookmark this definitive reference to verify historical margins, evaluate team records, and stay informed on upcoming championship scoring trends.
