Top 5 Highest Scoring Super Bowls

Most American football fans know about the legendary five highest-scoring Super Bowls in history. As we begin the week leading up to one of the biggest sports events of the year, we remember those five spectacular games that stunned millions of viewers around the globe.

If you’re looking to refresh your memory before the big game this weekend, here’s your guide to the highest-scoring Super Bowls of all time, containing the scoring information and the key game stats.

Top 5 Highest Scoring Super Bowls

We’ve created a simple table below that showcases those memorable five games, including the year, teams, final score, and the total number of points scored.

Below is an overview of the top 5 highest-scoring Super Bowls in history. If you’re looking for a summary of the points breakdown, check out the table above.

5. Tampa Bay Buccanneers vs. Oakland Raiders, 2003

In the fifth spot, we have the Super Bowl XXXVII of 2003, held in the Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA, with a total of 69 points scored. The game gave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers their first-ever Super Bowl win.

The Florida-based team, famous for its powerful defence, scored 48 points, defying the odds against the Raiders, who had a strong offense but only managed to score 21 points. The match was the last-ever Super Bowl to be held in the month of January.

The Buccanneers’ defence, led by the match MVP Dexter Jackson, was crucial for their victory. His contribution of two of the record five interceptions of the Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon, plus the Buccanneers’ three touchdowns, helped cement the win.

On the offense side, the Florida quarterback Brad Johnson threw for 215 yards and scored two touchdowns, connecting with wide receiver Keenan McCardell and tight end Joe Jurevicius. Running back Michael Pittman also contributed with 124 rushing yards.

The Super Bowl XXXVII halftime show featured legendary performances by Shania Twain, Sting, and No Doubt. That was the last time a country music star performed at the championship game.

4. Dallas Cowboys vs. Buffalo Bills, 1993

The XXVII Super Bowl places fourth on the list and is tied with the 2003 game for the total number of points (69). This Super Bowl was held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA.

The Dallas Cowboys emerged victorious with a huge lead of 52 points, giving them their third Super Bowl win. The year cemented the losing streak of the Buffalo Bills, as it was their third consecutive Super Bowl that they didn’t win.

Although the game started off well for the Bills with an early score by Thurman Thomas, the efforts of Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman ensured the win of the Texas team, making him the MVP.

He threw for 273 yards and scored four touchdowns in total. Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly threw for 260 yards and scored a touchdown, but got three interceptions in the first half, followed by one in the second.

The game’s half-time show featuring Michael Jackson was very successful, increasing the viewership ratings during the second half of the Super Bowl for the very first time. It remains one of the most-watched half-time shows in history.

3. Kansas City Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 2023

The most recent Super Bowl comes third on our list, with a total of 73 points – one point behind the second Super Bowl on our list. Super Bowl LVII was held at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ, and ended with the Kansas City Chiefs’ narrow victory of 38-35. Despite their loss, the Eagles had the highest Super Bowl score of any losing team to date.

Even though the Philadelphia Eagles had a 10-point lead at the end of the first half thanks to placekicker Jake “The Make” Elliott’s 35-yard kick, MVP Patrick Mahomes turned the game around in the next quarter. Despite his aggravated ankle injury, the quarterback’s interceptions led the Kansas City Chiefs to the win.

Mahomes’ 3-yard touchdown pass to Skyy Moore, set up by Kadarius Toney’s 65-yard punt return, put the Chiefs ahead 35-27. It was the longest punt return in the history of the game.

The halftime show was led by Rihanna and served as the first introduction of Temu to the American market. It was the first time in Super Bowl history that a halftime show was performed in American Sign Language (ASL).

2. Philadelphia Eagles vs. New England Patriots, 2018

In second place, we have Super Bowl LII of 2018, played at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN. The game ended with a total points scored of 74 – just one point away from the highest-scoring Super Bowl to date.

The “Underdogs,” Philadelphia Eagles, took home their first-ever Super Bowl trophy with a score of 41, and the Patriots set the record as a team with the most Super Bowl losses.

The game is well-known for setting multiple NFL records. For instance, the two teams gained the most yards together (1,151), including 505 yards gained by Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Also, this was the only Super Bowl with just one punt and the last Super Bowl to feature a Hail Mary pass to date.

After stepping in for the injured Carson Wentz at the last minute, Eagles quarterback Nick Foles threw for 373 yards and scored three touchdowns with one interception, leading the Eagles to victory. The game MVP also was the first player to ever throw and catch a touchdown in the same game.

The game’s halftime show was led by Justin Timberlake for the third time. The performance is considered one of the least successful ones to date, paling to his previous risque performances.

1. San Francisco 49ers vs. Chargers, 1995

The highest-scoring Super Bowl in history is the 1995 Super Bowl XXIX, which ended with the victory of the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers defeated the San Diego Chargers 49-26 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, FL, bringing the total points scored to 75.

In addition to the highest Super Bowl score in history, the game has the highest number of touchdowns in a Super Bowl to date (ten). The San Diego Chargers were the unexpected finalists, and the 49ers were the favorite to win. Quarterback Steve Young showed a memorable performance, throwing for a Super Bowl record of six touchdown passes and getting the MVP honors.

The halftime show was dedicated to Indiana Jones and featured performances by Tony Bennett and Patti LaBelle. It did not age well.

Concluding Thoughts

It’s only a week to go until Super Bowl LVIII, and the fans are eagerly anticipating the Chiefs and the 49ers’ face-off. In this guide, we went over the highest-scoring championship games and the key moments that led the winning teams to victory. We predict that this year’s Super Bowl will add to the ranks of these top-scoring games.

We also look forward to seeing Usher’s halftime performance at the 2024 Super Bowl and hope it’ll be as memorable as Rihanna’s last year – although we’re not expecting baby bumps.

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