10 highest-rated Super Bowls ever, ranked

NFL/Wikipedia Commons

The NFL stays the king of tv. In 2024, 93 of the leading 100 broadcasts were NFL video games. The upcoming Super Bowl 2024 is anticipated to be the most-watched broadcast of 2024. No other tv program can take on the NFL’s rankings, which describes why broadcast networks continue to pay huge costs to transmit video games.

Views are just one method to determine the viewership of the Super Bowl. Nielsen scores figure out the portion of homes seeing the Super Bowl out of the overall quantity of homes in the Nielsen universe. A few of the highest-rated Super Bowls took place numerous years ago when the Nielsen universe was smaller sized. The highest-rated Super Bowl took place in the early 1980s. Below are the highest-rated Super Bowls ranked from No. 10 to No. 1.

10. Super Bowl XVIII (1984 ), Super Bowl XIX (1985 ), Super Bowl XLVII (2013)– 46.4

3 Super Bowls– XVIII, XIX, and XLVI– all signed up a 46.4 score. The very first 2 were blowouts. The Los Angeles Raiders controlled the Washington Redskins by a rating of 38-9 in Super Bowl XVIII. Raiders running back Marcus Allen ran for a 74-yard goal, a hurrying record that represented over 20 years up until Pittsburgh Steelers Willie Parker scuttled for a 75-yard goal in Super Bowl XL. The following season, the San Francisco 49ers, behind a then-record 537 overall backyards, travelled to a 38-16 win over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX.

Super Bowl XLVII is much better understood by 2 labels: The Har-bowl and the Blackout Bowl. It was the very first video game in Super Bowl history to include 2 siblings– John and Jim Harbaugh– training versus each other as head coaches of the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers, respectively. There was likewise a power blackout in the 3rd quarter, causing a 34-minute hold-up. The Ravens won the video game 34-31.

9. Super Bowl 50 (2016)– 46.6

There’s an expression, “offense wins video games, however defense wins champions.” This expression completely explains Super Bowl 50 in between the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers. Denver leapt out to a 10-0 lead in the very first quarter and never ever recalled, winning 24-10 to catch the franchise’s 3rd Super Bowl title.

Denver’s defense suppressed Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers offense the whole night. The Broncos taped 7 sacks and required 4 turnovers. Denver’s Von Miller ended up being the 4th linebacker to win Super Bowl MVP. Miller had 6 deals with and two-and-a-half sacks in the win. The protective fight did not prevent viewership, with Super Bowl 50 tape-recording a 46.6 score.

8. Super Bowl XLVIII (2014)– 46.7

The Super Bowl is generally played inside a dome or outdoors in a warm environment. that was not the case with Super Bowl XLVIII, as the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos took on at cold MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. While participants might have been cold in the arena, fans in the house remained warm and saw the video game, causing a 46.7 score.

Not every Super Bowl can be an instantaneous classic. The Seahawks defense scored a security on the very first play of the video game, which ended up being an indication of things to come. Seattle’s defense closed down Denver’s high-flying offense on its method to a dominant 43-8 success and the only Super Bowl in Seahawks’ history.

7. Super Bowl XLVI (2012)– 47.0

In 2008, the New England Patriots were going after excellence as they tried to end up being the very first 19-0 champ. The Giants had other strategies as New York disturbed the Patriots to win Super Bowl XLII by a rating of 17-14. As fate would have it, the Giants and Patriots would reunite in Super Bowl XLVI, which drew a 47.0 score.

Even without an unbeaten season, the Patriots leapt at the possibility to avenge their Super Bowl loss 4 years prior. The pesky Giants increased to the event, beating the Patriots 21-17. Eli Manning was called Super Bowl MVP for the 2nd time after finishing 30 of 40 passes for one goal and absolutely no interceptions.

6. Super Bowl XIII (1979)– 47.1

In 1979, the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers had actually currently developed themselves as 2 of the premier franchises in the NFL. The Cowboys had actually currently won 2 Super Bowls, consisting of Super Bowl XII. The Steelers remained in the middle of the well-known “Steel Curtain” dynasty as they looked for to win their 3rd Super Bowl in 5 seasons.

The stars lined up in Super Bowl XIII as the Cowboys and Steelers satisfied in the Miami Orange Bowl. The video game was excellent thanks to the play of future Hall of Fame quarterbacks Terry Bradshaw and Roger Staubach, who integrated to toss for 546 backyards, 7 goals, and 2 interceptions. Pittsburgh directly edged out Dallas 35-31 to win Super Bowl XIII. The amazing video game resulted in a high score of 47.1.

5. Super Bowl XII (1978)– 47.2

The Super Bowl was played inside your home for the very first time at the Louisiana Superdome in 1978. Super Bowl XII included the Dallas Cowboys representing the NFC and the Denver Broncos out of the AFC. Broncos quarterback Craig Morton won Super Bowl VI as the starter on the Dallas Cowboys. Now, Morton had an opportunity to beat his previous group, which was led by quarterback Roger Staubach.

For Morton, the Broncos never ever stood an opportunity versus Dallas’ elite defense. Morton finished 4 of 15 passes for 39 backyards before being changed by Norris Weese in the 3rd quarter. The Cowboys took a 13-0 lead into halftime before blowing it open in the 2nd half to win 27-10. The Cowboys are referred to as “America’s Team,” so a 47.2 score for Super Bowl XII must not come as a surprise.

4. Super Bowl XLIX (2015)– 47.5

In the early 2000s, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots ended up being a dynasty after winning 3 of 4 Super Bowls, with the last one can be found in 2005. The New England dynasty was in a 10-year champion dry spell when it went into Super Bowl XLIX 2015. Standing throughout New England on the other sidelines were the safeguarding Super Bowl champ Seattle Seahawks.

The video game measured up to the buzz, as New England went into the last 2 minutes with a 28-24 lead. The Seattle offense reached the 1-yard line before things went crazy. Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler obstructed a Russell Wilson pass to seal the success in among the best plays in Super Bowl history. Lots of families tuned in to see the Patriots win the Super Bowl, as the video game signed up a 47.5 score.

3. Super Bowl XX (1986)– 48.3

Among the most dominant groups in NFL history is the 1985 Chicago Bears. Led by head coach Mike Ditka, the Bears gotten in Super Bowl XX with a 14-1 record, with their only imperfection coming at the hands of the Miami Dolphins. The Bears’ defense stays among the most dominant systems in NFL history and included numerous future Hall of Fame gamers, consisting of left end Dan Hampton, best end Richard Dent, and middle linebacker Mike Singletary.

The group entrusted with playing the Bears was the New England Patriots. For their Patriots, they stood in the method of a buzz saw as Chicago revealed no grace in their 46-10 win. It stays the Bears’ only Super Bowl win. Chicago’s appeal helped in a huge 48.3 ranking.

2. Super Bowl XVII (1983)– 48.6

The 1982-1983 season started with a gamers’ strike, requiring the league to lower the schedule from 16 video games to 9. In addition, the postseason carried out a distinct 16-team, four-round playoff competition to figure out the champ. The last 2 groups in the competition were the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins, who fulfilled in Super Bowl XVII.

After heading into halftime down 17-10, the Redskins stormed back, scoring 17 unanswered indicate win 27-17. The Redskins hurrying attack was the distinction, as running back John Riggins hurried for a then-record 166 backyards. Super Bowl XVII, which drew a 48.6 ranking, was the Redskins initially of 3 champions over the next 10 seasons.

1. Super Bowl XVI (1982)– 49.1

Madden’s First Super Bowl Broadcast! (49ers vs. Bengals, Super Bowl 16)

The highest-rated Super Bowl goes back to 1982 when the San Francisco 49ers handled the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XVI. It stays the only Super Bowl to cross the 49.0 rankings limit. Super Bowl XVI is the fourth-highest-rated television broadcast of perpetuity, behind Roots’ Part VIII(51.1 ), Dallas’ Who Done It(53.3 ), and the M * A * S * Hseries ending (60.2 ).

Super Bowl XVI likewise took advantage of a terrific match in between 2 13-3 groups. San Francisco got on Cincinnati early with a 20-0 halftime lead. The Bengals outscored the 49ers 21-6 in the 2nd half, however it wasn’t enough to beat San Francisco. Famous 49ers quarterback Joe Montana was called Super Bowl MVP, the very first of 3 in his profession.

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