• LSU offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. is praised for his loyalty and commitment in college football.
• Weis turned down an offer from the Philadelphia Eagles to honor his commitment to LSU.
• Weis is considered a rising star in coaching, earning high praise from figures like Gil Brandt.

Just when you can’t take another selfish, me-first college football story, do I have the remedy for you. 

When you can’t watch another player or coach using one job to find another, and can’t stomach money becoming the driving force of all things success and stature, let me introduce LSU offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. 

The next big thing in college football.

Doesn’t care about job hopping. Doesn’t care that the NFL desperately wants him, or about his current boss’ sophomoric spite.

He cares about his word and commitment.  

In the rapidly-evolving era of get yours — from coaches and players and university presidents — Weis is standing in the middle of it all and giving his. To his boss and his players, without fear of consequence. 

In the last two months alone, Weis, 32, made three moves that should have every university president and NFL owner thinking seriously about making the big hire before it’s too late.

In December, days after Lane Kiffin left his job at Ole Miss for LSU — after Kiffin told his Ole Miss assistants if they wanted to keep their job, they’d get on a plane with him to Baton Rouge — Weis walked into Kiffin’s office and told him he couldn’t take it anymore.

He simply couldn’t walk away from the players he developed and coached into the rare position of competing for a national championship in the College Football Playoff. He felt so strongly about it, felt so loyal to the players, that he was willing to risk his job at LSU to return to Ole Miss and coach those players in the CFP while also spending his time working for LSU.

Not long after Ole Miss’ magical run in the CFP, where Weis’ offensive ingenuity and play-calling skills were showcased — and it was clear that Weis, not Kiffin (as Kiffin has said many times), was the primary play-caller of the most creative offense in college football — new Rebels coach Pete Golding made a push for Weis’ permanent return to Ole Miss.

They’d buy out his LSU contract. They’d do what it took to bring him back into the fold. 

Weis told Golding he’d already made a commitment to Kiffin and LSU, and wasn’t going back on it. No matter how much money Ole Miss threw at him. 

Not long after that, after the Philadelphia Eagles were bounced in the first round of the NFL playoffs, Eagles coach Nick Sirianni offered Weis the offensive coordinator/play-caller job. He’d work at the highest level of football, and work with a dynamic Eagles offense that arguably has the best collection of skill talent in the league.

The Eagles, like Ole Miss, would pay him what he wanted. But Weis told Sirianni he made a commitment to LSU and Kiffin, and wasn’t going back on it.

You want the next big thing in college football? Here’s your man.

Years ago, when Weis first officially worked for Kiffin as a 24-year-old at Florida Atlantic, I spoke with legendary NFL personnel man Gil Brandt — the iconic NFL general manager who built the Dallas Cowboys into America’s Team.

Brandt met Weis at Florida in 2011, where he was an 18-year-old student as his dad, Charlie Weis Sr., was offensive coordinator for the Gators under then-coach Will Muschamp. They sat down for nearly 90 minutes and talked ball on a brisk spring day, analyzing everything from coverages and fronts, to passing and run-game concepts, to organizational planning and growth. 

All of it, from soup to nuts.  

“So Charlie Jr. leaves, and his dad walks in and asks me, ‘So what did you think of him?’” Brandt told me in 2018. “I told (Charlie Sr.) that I’ve met two people in my life where I knew, without a doubt, he would be a successful coach. One was Bill Belichick. Then (Charlie Sr.) asks me, ‘Who was the other?’ I said he just got up and walked away.”

Not long after that, Weis met Kiffin, then the Alabama offensive coordinator. Nick Saban needed an offensive analyst, and Eric Kiesau, another analyst on staff, told Saban and Kiffin about this young guy who would blow them away if they talked to him. Two years later, near the end of Kiffin’s run with the Tide, Kiffin admitted Weis had become such a factor with game-planing annd opponent evaluation, that he could predict Kiffin’s play calls.

The young coach with the photographic memory, who can recite play calls and down and distance situations from games and years past on demand, then left for a season to work as an offensive assistant with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons. A year later, Kiffin got the Florida Atlantic job and hired Weis as his offensive coordinator.

And wouldn’t you know it ― to bring this story full circle ― then Falcons offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian offered to keep Weis with a position job in the NFL at 24 years old. 

But Weis stayed with Kiffin because he made the commitment. Just like he did with the Ole Miss players. Like he did with Kiffin again after Ole Miss tried to poach him back, and after the NFL came calling again.

Soon enough, when the right job comes along with the right president and athletic director — or NFL owner — Weis will finally accept his first head-coaching gig.

That’ll be the best story of all.

• A mid-air collision over Washington D.C. in January 2025 resulted in the deaths of 67 people.
• The crash killed 28 members of the U.S. figure skating community, including 11 young skaters.
• The skaters were returning from a national development camp in Wichita, Kansas.
• Coaches and family members reflect on the loss of the talented young athletes one year after the tragedy.

As 1998 Olympic men’s figure skating gold medalist Ilia Kulik and two-time Olympic coach Audrey Weisiger stepped outside Fairfax Ice Arena in Northern Virginia on a cold January morning a year ago, there was so much they feared, yet so much they still didn’t know.

They were well aware there had been a midair collision over the Potomac River at Washington Reagan National Airport less than 12 hours earlier. They knew a group of young figure skaters, coaches and families had been on the plane. But they weren’t certain who exactly was on that flight, or perhaps on a different flight coming back from the national development camp for up-and-coming skaters after the 2025 U.S. championships in Wichita, Kansas. 

It was 8 a.m. Thursday, January 30, 2025. “Olivia has a lesson now,” said Kulik, who competed for his native Russia but now coaches in the Washington, D.C., suburbs. Olivia Eve Ter, 12, was one of Kulik’s top young skaters.

Weisiger looked at him, steeling herself. “Did you text her mom to see if they were on the flight?”

“I can’t do it,” Kulik said. “I’m shaking.” 

So Weisiger took his phone and texted Olivia’s mother as they stood outside in the parking lot in front of the rink. 

They waited a couple of minutes, staring at the phone. There was no reply. 

“Ilia, I don’t think they’re coming,” Weisiger said.

“No, she’ll be here,” he insisted. 

They stood in excruciating silence for several more minutes.

“Ilia, they aren’t coming,” Weisiger finally said, softly, as Kulik, one of his sport’s great champions, collapsed to the pavement, sobbing uncontrollably. 

Olivia Eve Ter was one of 11 skaters to perish on American Airlines Flight 5342. Her mother, Olesya Taylor, also was killed. In all, 28 members of the figure skating community and a total of 64 passengers and crew died when a Black Hawk helicopter collided with the plane as it was about to land in Washington at 8:47 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. Three on the helicopter also were killed. 

That same Thursday morning, 10 miles away from Fairfax Ice Arena at his home rink in Reston, Virginia, world and national champion Ilia Malinin arrived to spend what should have been four to six hours practicing on the ice. He left after 30 minutes.

“I knew I had to go to the rink,” Malinin told USA TODAY Sports later that day, “but it got so bad that I had no strength, mentally or physically, to skate. It was very hard for me to be around a skating rink, especially after what happened, knowing that a lot of them were part of my skating club and clubs that I knew. It’s really heartbreaking. It’s like their chances just disappear.” 

Malinin knew them as the talented youngsters in the Washington area who took lessons at different rinks and occasionally buzzed near him on the ice as he was practicing his famous quadruple jumps and they were learning their triples. 

Weisiger was one of the people teaching them. Figure skating coaching is so different from what we’re used to in major league sports. In baseball, a major league manager doesn’t also coach little leaguers. But in figure skating, that’s exactly what happens. The top coaches also train the younger skaters. So while Weisiger coached Olympians and U.S. champions like Michael Weiss and Timothy Goebel, she also was giving lessons to young children and teenagers.

Four of them were on the plane: 12-year-old Brielle Beyer, 16-year-old Edward Zhou, 16-year-old Cory Haynos and Olivia. A year later, Weisiger proudly talked about each for USA TODAY’s Milan Magic podcast: How they learned a new jump, how they tore across the ice, how proud they were to be selected for the national development camp. 

Brielle, she said, “was this little sprite that motored around the rink and she was unstoppable.” 

Edward? “There was something so magical about little Eddie. … He was one of those kids that everybody felt joyful around.” 

Cory? “Right before they went to (Kansas), Cory achieved his triple axel, which was unbelievable.” 

And Olivia? “She was my last lesson with those kids before they went to Kansas. She said, ‘Coach Audrey, this is the biggest moment of my life, I’ve been working for so long to try and get to this camp. I’ll make you proud.’’

Now, when Weisiger visits the kids’ gravesites, disbelief often sets in. “I had never been to so many funerals for children in my life,” she said. 

Birthdays still come. Brielle’s father, Andy Beyer, just hosted a celebration at his house to honor his daughter on what would have been her 13th birthday. Brielle’s friends from the neighborhood and from skating observed a moment of silence when they lit the candle on a birthday cake and listened to one of the poems she had written, which he had set to music, “a really special but hard and tearful moment,” he said. 

They released balloons into the night sky and walked through Brielle’s bedroom, which was also where Andy was set up remotely to speak on the Milan Magic podcast. He proudly held up Post-It notes she left with her goals written on them. 

And he cherishes the red jacket she earned for being invited to the national development camp. “I still have that national development team jacket that they sent me because, you know, unfortunately, she died wearing hers on the airplane.” 

Sad reminders of the young lives lost began for Weisiger the day after the plane crash when a delivery came to Fairfax Ice Arena. The pro shop manager beckoned Weisiger to come see what it was, so she did. 

It was a box addressed to Edward Zhou. She opened it. Inside was a new pair of skates.

The Atlanta Falcons’ organizational remodel is nearing completion.

The Falcons are expected to hire Ian Cunningham to be the team’s next general manager, according to multiple reports.

Cunningham is a longtime NFL scout who spent the last four seasons as the Chicago Bears’ assistant general manager. The 40-year-old worked closely with Bears general manager Ryan Poles – a college teammate of new Falcons president of football operations Matt Ryan – to rebuild Chicago into a playoff team.

That, plus Cunningham’s experience working under Ozzie Newsome with the Baltimore Ravens (2008-16) and Howie Roseman with the Philadelphia Eagles (2017-21), helped him earn general manager interviews in recent seasons.

Ultimately, Atlanta was the team to give Cunningham his first general manager opportunity. He will now work with Ryan and new Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski to try to get Atlanta to the playoffs for the first time since the 2017 NFL season.

First up on Cunningham’s to-do list will be figuring out what to do at quarterback. Michael Penix Jr. suffered a torn ACL midway through the season while Kirk Cousins could be a cap casualty ahead of the third season of his four-year, $180 million free-agent deal.

The Falcons went 8-9 last season under the leadership of coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot. They have not had a winning season since 2017.

It’s one thing to make the NHL without being drafted. It’s another entirely to thrive, even dominate, as an individual who never heard his name called at an NHL draft. 

A few impressive up-and-comers are slightly too young and haven’t proven enough to make the top five best active undrafted players, such as the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Bobby McMann, but it’s hard to argue about those who made the cut. 

While only two of the selected players have had the honor of hoisting the Stanley Cup, each has significantly impacted proceedings since proving to their initial suitors they deserved a chance to show why they belong in the NHL. And the top player on the list was held out of his team’s lineup on Wednesday for roster management purposes, suggesting he could be traded soon.

Top 5 active undrafted NHL players

5. Minnesota Wild right wing Mats Zuccarello

Not only does Mats Zuccarello have one of the best last names in hockey, but he’s also been a consistent offensive producer in his 16 years in the NHL. The Minnesota Wild right winger scores at a 0.77 points-per-game clip and enjoyed his best season in 2021-22, where he notched 79 points (24 goals, 55 assists) in 70 games. 

He’s played for three teams: the New York Rangers, the Dallas Stars and the Wild. And while his chances are waning, the 38-year-old still hopes to win his first Stanley Cup. 

4. Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev

Chris Tanev is one of the most effective defensive defensemen in the league. He blocks shots more often than Connor McDavid scores points and is one of the most underrated and unheralded individuals.

He has a thankless job but is highly regarded by current and former teammates for his dogged on-ice determination and off-ice leadership. 

Tanev has suited up for four teams across his 16-year career, including the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Stars and Toronto Maple Leafs. 

3. Nashville Predators right wing Jonathan Marchessault

While his tenure in Nashville hasn’t gone as intended, Jonathan Marchessault was the most influential driving force in propelling the Vegas Golden Knights to Stanley Cup glory in 2023. 

The 35-year-old won the Conn Smythe Trophy, thanks to a hallmark final against the Florida Panthers in which he amassed eight points in five games, which included four goals in the opening three contests. 

He finished the 2022-23 playoffs with 25 points (13 goals, 12 assists) in 22 games. 

2. Tampa Bay Lightning center Yanni Gourde

Known for his defensive qualities, Yanni Gourde became a household name when he played an influential role in the Tampa Bay Lightning’s back-to-back Stanley Cup runs. 

He raises his level in the post-season, a character trait that’s worth its weight in gold, or should I say Stanley silver. The 34-year-old has seven game-winning goals in six trips to the playoffs. 

Gourde ranks fourth in scoring among undrafted players who have played this season, with 365 points (139 goals, 226 assists) in 653 games.

1. New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin

Artemi Panarin is the only active undrafted player who averages more than a point per game. The 34-year-old has 927 points (321 goals, 606 assists) in 804 games. 

That’s 207 points more than Zuccarello, the second-highest scoring active undrafted player. Panarin won the Calder Trophy in 2015-16 when he played for the Chicago Blackhawks. 

His future in the Big Apple is uncertain, considering he was a healthy scratch in the Rangers’ game against the New York Islanders on Wednesday and is a pending free agent the team doesn’t want to re-sign. One thing is clear, however: no other active undrafted player bakes quite as well as the ‘Breadman.’

While it would be a stretch to call Super Bowl 60 a rematch between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots − 11 years on from their epic first meeting on Super Sunday − their upcoming meeting in Santa Clara, California on Feb. 8 is certainly going to dredge up memories, excellent ones in the Atlantic Northeast … not so much in the Pacific Northwest.

But if this year’s Super Bowl comes remotely close to replicating ‘Hawks-Pats I in the drama department, NFL fans will surely count themselves lucky.

While Super Bowl 60 will be assessed and slotted in due time, here are my rankings of the first 59 Super Bowls − and it won’t take long to find Super Bowl 49 (cardinal number, season noted in parentheses):

1. LI (51, 2016) New England Patriots 34, Atlanta Falcons 28 (OT)

This game lacked nothing. Patriots QB Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick cemented their legacies, each becoming the first at his respective post to earn five Super Bowl titles (at that time). But securing immortal greatness required an all-time performance. Brady threw for a then-Super Bowl record 466 yards, leading his team to 31 unanswered points and earning MVP honors a record-breaking fourth time as New England forged the greatest comeback ever on Super Sunday – Atlanta led 28-3 in the third quarter – while taking the game into overtime for the first time. WR Julian Edelman made a miraculous catch – one that benefited New England for a change in the Super Bowl. RB James White was the unsung hero, catching a record 14 passes while also scoring the game-tying and game-winning TDs on his way to a game record 20 points. Oh, and the Falcons, with league MVP Matt Ryan and Co., sure were impressive on both sides of the ball for nearly three quarters before their epic collapse.

2. XLII (42, 2007) New York Giants 17, Patriots 14

Arguably the biggest upset in Super Bowl history, the Giants derailed New England’s march to the never-achieved 19-0 campaign with an unrelenting pass rush, WR David Tyree’s miraculous helmet catch and QB Eli Manning’s MVP performance.

3. XLIX (49, 2014) Patriots 28, Seattle Seahawks 24

It will forever be remembered for QB Russell Wilson’s goal-line interception with the game hanging in the balance – when the Seahawks could have given the ball to bruising RB Marshawn “Beast Mode” Lynch, who had 133 total yards. The loss likely denied Seattle’s shot at a dynasty while burnishing the ‘Patriot Way.’ Brady won a record-tying third MVP award as he and Belichick collected their fourth title together after a decade-long dry spell.

4. XXIII (23, 1988) San Francisco 49ers 20, Cincinnati Bengals 16

Probably the first legitimate Super Bowl classic. In what was perhaps QB Joe Montana’s defining performance – ironically the only time he didn’t win game MVP honors – he led an 11-play, 92-yard drive that culminated with a game-winning TD pass to WR John Taylor with 34 seconds to go. WR Jerry Rice’s Super Bowl-record 215 receiving yards earned him the MVP award. It was also Hall of Famer Bill Walsh’s final game as an NFL head coach.

5. XLIII (43, 2008) Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Arizona Cardinals 23

It had a little bit of everything – Pittsburgh LB James Harrison’s 100-yard INT return to end the first half, a furious fourth-quarterback comeback led by WR Larry Fitzgerald and decided underdog Arizona, and QB Ben Roethlisberger’s laser shot into triple coverage to the back corner of the end zone to toe-tapping MVP Santonio Holmes for the win. The Steelers snagged their sixth Lombardi Trophy, a mark since tied by the Patriots … and surpassed by Brady.

6. XXXIV (34, 1999) St. Louis Rams 23, Tennessee Titans 16

The ‘Greatest Show On Turf’ scored its third-fewest points of the season, but MVP Kurt Warner’s then-record 414 passing yards and LB Mike Jones’ tackle of Tennessee WR Kevin Dyson just shy of the goal line on the final play proved sufficient.

7. LII (52, 2017) Philadelphia Eagles 41, Patriots 33

Maybe a nearly six-decade wait between championships and a first Super Bowl crown was almost worth it for The City of Brotherly Love? MVP Nick Foles (373 yards and 3 TDs through the air) led the charge, his 1-yard TD grab before halftime on the now-legendary ‘Philly Special’ serving as the indelible sequence. But Eagles DE Brandon Graham basically assured the result by serving up the game’s lone defensive highlight with a strip sack of Brady with 2:09 to go. TB12 fired off a game-record 505 yards through the air before succumbing on a day when the clubs combined for an NFL-record 1,151 yards of total offense.

8. XXV (25, 1990) Giants 20, Buffalo Bills 19

New York played keep-away from Buffalo’s explosive K-Gun offense, holding the ball for nearly 41 minutes, and got nice efforts from MVP Ottis Anderson (102 yards, TD) and backup QB Jeff Hostetler. But the Giants only survived thanks to kicker Scott Norwood’s wayward 47-yard field-goal try in the final seconds.

9. XXXVI (36, 2001) Patriots 20, St. Louis Rams 17

Despite one of Super Sunday’s biggest stunners, few realized this game also represented the beginning of a dynasty, coronation of a genius (Belichick) and birth of an icon as Brady won his first MVP. And there’s no forgetting kicker Adam Vinatieri’s game-winning, upright-splitting 48-yard FG at the gun.

10. LVIII (58, 2023) Kansas City Chiefs 25, 49ers 22 (OT)

The first Super Bowl set in Las Vegas would rank higher … if the primary highlight from kickoff to the start of the fourth quarter (when K.C. led 13-10) – an often ugly and sloppy stretch of football – hadn’t been Usher’s halftime show. But a frantic final period of regulation and the second Super Sunday overtime, and first without the sudden death framework, ultimately led to a satisfying experience. QB Patrick Mahomes’ game-winning TD pass in OT made Kansas City back-to-back champs, stamped the Chiefs as a dynasty … and called Niners coach Kyle Shanahan’s overtime strategy into question.

11. XLVI (46, 2011) Giants 21, Patriots 17

For the second time in five seasons, New York broke New England’s heart as Eli Manning completed another improbable throw – this time to WR Mario Manningham – before the Giants scored a late go-ahead TD and weathered the Patriots’ final drive.

12. XLV (45, 2010) Green Bay Packers 31, Steelers 25

QB Aaron Rodgers completed the Pack’s four-game run as playoff road warriors with a 304-yard, three-TD effort that earned him the MVP award and a place next to Bart Starr and Brett Favre as a Packers legend while denying Pittsburgh’s “Stairway to Seven.”

13. XIII (13, 1978) Steelers 35, Dallas Cowboys 31

In the original Super Bowl shootout, Pittsburgh became the first team to win the game three times by outlasting a Dallas comeback bid in another memorable matchup full of big plays (mostly the Steelers’) and missed opportunities (TE Jackie Smith’s drop) that would ultimately doom ‘America’s Team.’

14. XXXII (32, 1997) Denver Broncos 31, Packers 24

Denver’s John Elway, in a helicopter quarterback role, finally got his first ring (on his fourth attempt), though MVP Terrell Davis was the day’s star (157 rushing yards, 3 TDs). The AFC also ended a 14-year losing streak to the NFC.

15. LVI (56, 2021) Los Angeles Rams 23, Bengals 20

In their first season with veteran QB Matthew Stafford at the controls, the Rams became the second consecutive team to win the Super Bowl on their home field. It was also the Rams’ first Lombardi Trophy while representing L.A., the city enjoying its first NFL championship in 38 years. MVP Cooper Kupp capped what was probably the greatest single season ever for a wide receiver, hauling in the game-winning TD pass from Stafford with 85 seconds to go, while the Aaron Donald-led defense dogged Bengals QB Joe Burrow with seven sacks – and needed all that pressure to prevent a last-minute Cincy comeback. Rams coach Sean McVay, 36, became the youngest to win on Super Sunday.

16. XXXVIII (38, 2003) Patriots 32, Carolina Panthers 29

One of the stranger games in Super Bowl history – the teams combined for 61 points despite scoreless first and third quarters – may be better remembered more for Janet Jackson’s infamous halftime show than a pivotal late-game drive led by Brady and capped with more heroics from Vinatieri.

17. X (10, 1975) Steelers 21, Cowboys 17

MVP Lynn Swann only made four catches, but they were laden with drama over the course of 161 yards and a decisive touchdown in a game that would help establish Pittsburgh as the team of the 1970s.

18. XLVII (47, 2012) Baltimore Ravens 34, 49ers 31

A second-half Superdome power outage sparked the Niners, who nearly completed a comeback after finding themselves in a 28-6 hole in the third quarter. MVP Joe Flacco finished one of the best postseason runs by a quarterback, Ravens LB Ray Lewis earned a second ring in his final ride and WR/KR Jacoby Jones compiled a single-game record 290 all-purpose yards … just enough to fend off QB Colin Kaepernick and San Francisco.

19. XLIV (44, 2009) New Orleans Saints 31, Indianapolis Colts 17

The Saints ended decades of futility courtesy of MVP Drew Brees’ pinpoint passing, coach Sean Payton’s surprise onside kick to start the second half and CB Tracy Porter’s game-sealing pick six of Indy QB Peyton Manning.

20. XIV (14, 1979) Steelers 31, Los Angeles Rams 19

Despite winning just nine regular-season games, the Rams gave the Steelers all they could handle before Pittsburgh pulled away in the fourth quarter on its way to becoming the only team to win four Super Bowls in six years. QB Terry Bradshaw was named MVP for the second year in a row.

21. III (3, 1968) New York Jets 16, Baltimore Colts 7

It wasn’t a scintillating game, but it was probably the most important one in NFL history. MVP Joe Namath made good on his pregame guarantee as New York struck a blow for AFL equality a year before the merger took effect by stunning the NFL’s heavily favored Colts. It remains the Jets’ only title.

22. LIV (54, 2019) Chiefs 31, 49ers 20

K.C. ended its 50-year championship drought in style. MVP Mahomes rescued the Chiefs from their third consecutive double-digit deficit of that postseason, starting the fourth-quarter comeback with a third-and-15 completion to WR Tyreek Hill on a spectacular 44-yard throw. RB Damien Williams’ pair of TDs late in the final period provided the coup de grâce.

23. LVII (57, 2022) Chiefs 38, Eagles 35

What a preamble. A fun and frenetic event for 55 minutes of game action, Mahomes and Philly QB Jalen Hurts – he probably should’ve gotten the MVP award after accounting for 374 yards of offense and four TDs – trading haymakers for most of the night. But the holding penalty called on Eagles CB James Bradberry during K.C.’s final drive rendered the ending anticlimactic, Mahomes bleeding out the clock before Harrison Butker’s game-winning, chip-shot FG. Felt like what should have been an all-time classic wound up with a cheapened conclusion.

24. XXXI (31, 1996) Packers 35, Patriots 21

Thirty years after winning the first Super Bowl, the Pack returned to win their third as Gulf Coast native Favre passed for two TDs and rushed for another in front of a New Orleans crowd. However return man Desmond Howard was named MVP.

25. XXXIX (39, 2004) Patriots 24, Eagles 21

New England withstood a late Philly charge – or did the Pats benefit from a lack of conditioning on the part of Eagles QB Donovan McNabb? – to become the second team to win three Super Bowls in four years.

26. XVII (17, 1982) Washington 27, Miami Dolphins 17

MVP John Riggins’ 43-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter gave Washington a 20-17 lead it wouldn’t relinquish and coach Joe Gibbs the first of his three titles. Riggins finished with a then-record 166 yards, giving him a record 610 in four playoff games during a strike-bloated postseason.

27. XXX (30, 1995) Cowboys 27, Steelers 17

Dallas endured, thanks to some gift interceptions from Pittsburgh QB Neil O’Donnell, and became the first team to win three Super Bowls in a four-year span. The Cowboys also joined the 49ers as five-time Super Sunday winners.

28. XVI (16, 1981) 49ers 26, Bengals 21

San Francisco launched its dynasty and Montana won the first of his three Super Bowl MVP awards. The Niners hung on thanks in part to a key goal-line stand to thwart Cincinnati, which scored three second-half touchdowns after trailing 20-0 at halftime.

29. XLI (41, 2006) Indianapolis Colts 29, Chicago Bears 17

MVP Peyton Manning earned his only ring with Indy, while Tony Dungy became the first Black coach to win on Super Sunday amid a rainy night in South Florida.

30. VII (7, 1972) Dolphins 14, Washington 7

Miami’s ‘No Name Defense’ didn’t allow a point – Washington scored on kicker Garo Yepremian’s unforgettable special teams blunder – as the Dolphins, deemed underdogs by some, completed what’s still the only undefeated season (17-0) of the Super Bowl era.

31. XXII (22, 1987) Washington 42, Broncos 10

QB Doug Williams struck a social blow as the first Black quarterback to win the Super Bowl after orchestrating a breathtaking, 35-point second quarter that saw him throw four TD passes on his way to MVP honors. Timmy Smith rushed for 204 yards, a record that still stands, behind “The Hogs,” Washington’s famed offensive line.

32. I (1, 1966) Packers 35, Chiefs 10

Green Bay, with help from hung-over backup WR Max McGee (138 receiving yards, 2 TDs), did the expected in the first AFL-NFL World Championship Game – that’s what the Super Bowl was called at the time – which didn’t even sell out the L.A. Coliseum. However not everyone remembers that Vince Lombardi’s troops only led by four points at halftime.

33. XXI (21, 1986) Giants 39, Broncos 20

MVP Phil Simms had one of the greatest Super Sundays, completing 22 of 25 passes for 268 yards and three TDs, as the Giants rode 30 second-half points to their first Super Bowl triumph.

34. V (5, 1970) Baltimore Colts 16, Cowboys 13

It was the first Super Bowl with any sense of drama as rookie Jim O’Brien, who had an extra point blocked earlier in the game, drilled the decisive 32-yard FG with 5 seconds left. But a sloppy game was marred by 11 turnovers and a rib injury to Colts QB Johnny Unitas.

35. LIII (53, 2018) Patriots 13, Los Angeles Rams 3

This one lacked the offensive fireworks that had been a hallmark of the season. But even if there were nearly as many punts (14) as total points in a game where New England matched Pittsburgh with its sixth Lombardi – while putting a dent in McVay’s genius label – this matchup wasn’t lacking for drama. It was only the second Super Bowl to enter the fourth quarter with the score tied (3-3) though, ultimately, the Rams would match Miami’s 47-year-old mark for fewest points scored on Super Sunday.

36. XXVIII (28, 1993) Cowboys 30, Bills 13

Buffalo gave Dallas a better fight, leading 13-6 at the half, in a rematch but ultimately couldn’t contain league MVP (and Super Bowl MVP) Emmitt Smith (132 rushing yards, 2 TDs). It was the Bills’ fourth consecutive Super Bowl loss, a dual accomplishment and curse.

37. XL (40, 2005) Steelers 21, Seahawks 10

Pittsburgh joined the club of five-time Lombardi Trophy winners as RB Jerome Bettis ended his career in style in Detroit (his hometown) and Roethlisberger, 23, became the youngest quarterback to win the game despite forgettable numbers and amid controversial officiating that hurt Seattle.

38. 50 (2015) Broncos 24, Panthers 10

Super Bowl MVP Von Miller (2½ sacks, 2 forced fumbles) terrorized league MVP Cam Newton from the start, triggering a golden defensive effort on Super Sunday’s golden anniversary and allowing Peyton Manning to shift into game-management mode as he captured his long-awaited second crown in what turned out to be his final NFL appearance.

39. XIX (19, 1984) 49ers 38, Dolphins 16

A highly anticipated matchup between Montana and Dan Marino fizzled after one quarter. MVP Montana (331 yards, 3 TDs) completely outclassed fellow western Pennsylvania native Marino (in his lone Super Bowl), as the Niners became the first team to win 18 games in a season.

40. XI (11, 1976) Oakland Raiders 32, Minnesota Vikings 14

At the sun-splashed Rose Bowl, the Raiders won their first title – and only one under coach John Madden – by physically dominating the Purple People Eaters. The Vikings failed to win the Super Bowl in their fourth and most recent attempt.

41. IX (9, 1974) Steelers 16, Vikings 6

After 42 barren seasons, a young Steel Curtain gave Pittsburgh its first NFL title thanks to suffocating defense and MVP Franco Harris’ 158 rushing yards, a Super Bowl record at the time.

42. XX (20, 1985) Bears 46, Patriots 10

The upstart Patriots actually led 3-0 before the vaunted ’85 Bears defense shuffled its way to a blowout that didn’t include the touchdown Hall of Famer Walter Payton had long desired.

43. XXXIII (33, 1998) Broncos 34, Falcons 19

Elway’s final game minted him as an all-time great, Denver repeating thanks to an MVP effort (336 passing yards, TD pass, TD run) from its 38-year-old gunslinger.

44. XXVII (27, 1992) Cowboys 52, Bills 17

Dallas’ Triplets – MVP QB Troy Aikman (4 TD passes), RB Smith (108 rush yards, TD) and WR Michael Irvin (114 receiving yards, 2 TDs) – were too much for the Bills (9 turnovers) in the final Super Bowl played at the iconic Rose Bowl. However Buffalo WR Don Beebe’s goal-line strip of DT Leon Lett, who was returning a recovered fumble, prevented Dallas from setting a Super Sunday scoring record.

45. XV (15, 1980) Oakland Raiders 27, Eagles 10

With the New Orleans Superdome wrapped in a yellow ribbon welcoming home American hostages from Iran, the Raiders were less than hospitable to Philly as they became the first wild-card team to go all the way.

46. IV (4, 1969) Chiefs 23, Vikings 7

In a dominant performance, the Chiefs ensured the AFL-NFL rivalry would forever be knotted 2-2 just months before the leagues officially merged. QB Len Dawson won MVP honors after being erroneously linked to a gambling scandal before the game.

47. II (2, 1967) Packers 33, Oakland Raiders 14

The aging Pack won their fifth and final championship of the 1960s in Lombardi’s last game coaching the franchise.

48. XVIII (18, 1983) Los Angeles Raiders 38, Washington 9

Washington entered the game viewed as one of the most formidable teams of all time. The Raiders put that notion to rest with MVP Marcus Allen (then-record 191 rushing yards) providing the exclamation point with his epic 74-yard TD run.

49. XXIX (29, 1994) 49ers 49, San Diego Chargers 26

No one gave the Bolts a chance, and the Niners proved that outlook correct. MVP Steve Young emerged from Montana’s shadow to pass for a game-record six TDs as San Francisco became the first team to win five Super Bowls.

50. LV (55, 2020) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31, Chiefs 9

The ballyhooed battle between Brady and Mahomes – ‘The GOAT vs. The Kid’ – never materialized, the showdown every bit as dissatisfying as Montana vs. Marino years before. TB12 was stellar (3 TD passes) on the way to bolstering his legacy with a seventh ring and fifth Super Bowl MVP trophy. Fleeing on a bad foot behind a tattered O-line, Mahomes had the worst game of his career as the Bucs, largely propelled by their relentless defense, became the first team to hoist the Lombardi on its home field.

51. XXXVII (37, 2002) Buccaneers 48, Oakland Raiders 21

It’s remembered as the Jon Gruden Bowl after the coach was traded from the Raiders to Tampa Bay before the season. But an elite defense that returned three Rich Gannon INTs for TDs highlighted the Bucs’ first title.

52. LIX (59, 2024) Eagles 40, Chiefs 22

Give a touch of credit to Kansas City, amid its thwarted three-peat bid, for making the final score quasi-respectable considering Philly led 34-0 late in the third quarter. Not a memorable game but a dominant performance for MVP Jalen Hurts and Co. that stamped the ’24 Eagles as one of the best teams of the past quarter century.

53. XXIV (24, 1989) 49ers 55, Broncos 10

Montana saved his best Super Sunday for last, winning his third MVP with 297 passing yards and five touchdowns as the Niners repeated while setting Super Bowl records for points scored and margin of victory.

54. XXVI (26, 1991) Washington 37, Bills 24

The game wasn’t as close as the score indicates. Washington won its third and final championship under Gibbs, who had a different quarterback each time, including MVP Mark Rypien on this day.

55. XII (12, 1977) Cowboys 27, Broncos 10

In the first Super Bowl staged indoors (the Superdome opened in 1975), Dallas crushed its former quarterback, Craig Morton, and error-prone Denver (eight turnovers). It’s the only Super Bowl with co-MVPs (D-linemen Harvey Martin and Randy White).

56. VIII (8, 1973) Dolphins 24, Vikings 7

MVP Larry Csonka rushed for a then-record 145 yards (QB Bob Griese only threw seven passes) as Miami repeated with a team some consider stronger than the 1972 17-0 group.

57. XXXV (35, 2000) Ravens 34, Giants 7

One of the most dominant defenses in history pitched a shutout (the Giants’ points came via kickoff return). Controversy swirled around Lewis all week, but he finished it with MVP honors.

58. VI (6, 1971) Cowboys 24, Dolphins 3

Coach Tom Landry’s team finally shed a reputation for choking in big games by holding Miami to a FG (tied for fewest points with the 2018 Rams) on a 39-degree day at New Orleans’ Tulane Stadium.

59. XLVIII (48, 2013) Seahawks 43, Broncos 8

The chasm between pregame expectations and final outcome was likely the widest in Super Bowl history. Seattle’s Legion of Boom defense stifled a Peyton Manning-led offense that scored a league-record 606 points.