History of Super Bowl Scores: The Highest and the Lowest Scoring Super Bowls

Highest Scoring Super Bowls Ever

The highest scoring Super Bowl dates back to 1995, during the NFL’s 75th anniversary season—the same year the two-point conversion was introduced. More recently, the Chiefs-Eagles showdown nearly cracked the top, and who knows—if the officials had ruled that Sanders had full possession before the second-quarter hit, it might’ve taken the crown.

Let’s take a look at the top 5 most points scored in a Super Bowl as it stands:

Highest Scoring Super Bowl Game: San Francisco 49ers 49, San Diego Chargers 26

Super Bowl XXIX still holds the record for the most points scored in a Super Bowl. It was Steve Young’s chance to step out of Joe Montana’s shadow and lead the 49ers, while the Chargers made their first-ever appearance as heavy underdogs.

The 49ers took control immediately. Young opened with a 44-yard touchdown to Jerry Rice, then hit Ricky Watters for another, making it 14-0 within minutes. San Diego responded with a 1-yard run by Natrone Means, but Young stayed aggressive. A 51-yard strike to Watters and a 5-yarder to William Floyd put the 49ers up 28-10 at halftime.

The second half was more dominance—Young threw three more touchdowns, finishing with six total, still a record. San Diego scored late, but San Francisco’s offense never let up, securing their fifth title.

2nd Most Points in a Super Bowl: Philadelphia Eagles 41, New England Patriots 33

Eighty-five years into their franchise history, the Eagles were still chasing their first Super Bowl title. They entered the 2018 showdown as underdogs against Tom Brady and the defending champion Patriots.

Nick Foles, Philly’s backup quarterback, took over late in the season and delivered a career-defining performance. The game was an offensive shootout, with over 1,150 total yards—still the most in Super Bowl history.

The moment everyone remembers? The “Philly Special” right before halftime. Foles caught a trick-play touchdown pass, putting the Eagles up 22-12. Brady threw for 505 yards, but a strip-sack by Brandon Graham late in the fourth quarter sealed the win. Foles earned MVP honors, and the Eagles finally claimed their first Lombardi Trophy.

Most Recent Highest Scoring Super Bowl: Kansas City Chiefs 38, Philadelphia Eagles 35

2023 saw the Iggles break into the top five for most points scored in a Super Bowl for the second time, but the effort wasn’t quite enough under Nick Sirianni, who took over from Doug Pederson.

The Chiefs edged them out 38-35 in a back-and-forth battle that came down to the wire. Jalen Hurts led Philadelphia’s offense, rushing for three touchdowns—setting a Super Bowl record for a quarterback—and adding a two-point conversion to knot it up at 35-35 late in the fourth quarter. 

Patrick Mahomes, playing through a lingering ankle issue, delivered when it mattered most, orchestrating a game-winning drive capped by Harrison Butker’s 27-yard field goal. The Chiefs took home their third title that night, and Mahomes earned MVP honors for his performance under pressure.

4th Highest Scoring Super Bowl Game (Tie): Dallas Cowboys 52, Buffalo Bills 17

The Cowboys ran the Bills out of the stadium, pounding them 52-17 in one of the most lopsided beatdowns in Super Bowl history. Dallas came in hungry, looking to rebuild a dynasty, while Buffalo showed up with the weight of back-to-back Super Bowl losses already hanging over them. 

It didn’t take long for things to fall apart for the Bills. Troy Aikman dismantled their defense, throwing for 273 yards and four touchdowns, while Emmitt Smith chewed up yards on the ground and Michael Irvin torched the secondary for two scores. 

On defense, Dallas bullied Buffalo into nine turnovers, including a record four interceptions and three fumbles recovered. It felt less like a game and more like Dallas making a statement, showing the league they were back in business after bottoming out with a 1-15 season just three years earlier.

5th Highest Scoring Super Bowl Game (Tie): Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48, Oakland Raiders 21 

The Buccaneers showed up to Super Bowl XXXVII with the league’s top defense, but many critics had already written them off. Tampa Bay had spent years as a laughingstock, but under Jon Gruden, things looked different. The Ohio-born coach, traded from Oakland the year before, faced his former team and knew their playbook inside out.

From the opening snap, Tampa’s defense set the tone—Dexter Jackson grabbed two early interceptions to rattle the Raiders. On offense, Brad Johnson threw two touchdowns, and Michael Pittman pounded out 124 rushing yards.

The defense finished the job with three pick-sixes. They completely shut down Oakland’s offense and delivered the Bucs’ first championship in a game that’s still tied for fourth in most Super Bowl points scored.

Lowest Scoring Super Bowl Games of All-Time

On the other end of the spectrum, you’ve got games that didn’t exactly light up the scoreboard. The mentality was very much about grinding it out and playing smart. Though you can’t say they were short on tension—especially for fans who were downing beers and locked in on every snap.

Lowest Scoring Super Bowl Ever: New England Patriots 13, Los Angeles Rams 3

The Patriots and Rams squared off in what many thought would be an offensive shootout. Some of the top football betting sites had the over/under at 55.5 points, expecting a high-scoring game, but it ended up being the lowest scoring Super Bowl in history.

New England’s defense completely shut down Sean McVay’s offense, holding them to just three points—the fewest ever scored in a Super Bowl. Tom Brady, chasing his sixth ring, didn’t put up flashy numbers but stayed cool under pressure, feeding Julian Edelman for 10 catches and 141 yards.

The only touchdown came in the fourth quarter, when Sony Michel punched it in from two yards out, sealing New England’s 13-3 victory.

2nd Lowest Scoring Super Bowl: Miami Dolphins 14, Washington Redskins 7

If there’s anyone that won’t lose sleep over this being the second-lowest scoring Super Bowl, it’s the Miami Dolphins. They closed out a perfect season with a 14-7 win over Washington and still hold the title as the only team in NFL history to go undefeated.

The game felt tense from the start, with Miami’s defense dominating and Washington struggling to move the ball. Bob Griese attempted 11 passes, completing 8 for 88 yards, leaning heavily on the ground game and a powerful defense to control the tempo.

Larry Csonka pounded out 112 rushing yards, wearing down Washington’s defense, while Jim Kiick punched in a 1-yard touchdown early. Miami’s defense kept Washington out of the end zone until the fourth quarter, and Jake Scott’s two interceptions, including a key red-zone pick, earned him MVP honors. 

3rd Lowest Scoring Super Bowl: Pittsburgh Steelers 16, Minnesota Vikings 6

The Steelers came into the game hungry for their first title, carrying the weight of a franchise that had never won big. The Minnesota Vikings had already made a previous appearance. They were known for their “Purple People Eaters” defense—anchored by Alan Page, Carl Eller, Jim Marshall, and Gary Larsen—but questions hung over their offense.

Both teams battled in a defensive slugfest, and the first half ended with Pittsburgh leading 2-0 after a safety in the second quarter. In the third quarter, the Steelers extended their lead when Franco Harris broke loose, finishing with 158 rushing yards and scoring the game’s only offensive touchdown.

The Steel Curtain defense closed it out, forcing four turnovers and holding Minnesota to six points.

4th Lowest Scoring Super Bowl Ever: New York Jets 16, Baltimore Colts 7

Baltimore had dominated the 1968 season. Everyone expected to steamroll their way to another title. In fact, oddsmakers set the spread at -18.0, which still ranks as the largest in the 10 Biggest Super Bowl Spreads in NFL History.

But New York had Joe Namath—brash, confident, and promising victory days before kickoff. People thought he was nuts. The Colts had a brutal defense, barely gave up points, and fans figured Namath would get eaten alive.

Instead, the Jets dictated the tempo. Their defense shut down Baltimore, forcing turnovers and making both Earl Morrall and Johnny Unitas look lost. Namath didn’t even throw a touchdown—he just managed the clock, hit short passes, and let their run game grind it out. 

5th Lowest Scoring Super Bowl: Dallas Cowboys 24, Miami Dolphins 3

The Cowboys had spent years coming up short, carrying the “Next Year’s Champions” tag everywhere they went. But the 1971 season hit differently, and even though it’s still one of the lowest scoring Super Bowls, it sure didn’t feel like it for that Cowboys Nation.

They dominated Miami 24-3, sticking to a simple formula—pound the ball, control the clock, and let the defense handle business. The game started slow and tense, with both teams feeling each other out. Miami’s offense never got into gear, managing just 185 total yards and a single field goal.

History of Super Bowl Game Totals

Across Super Bowl history, 22 games have seen totals top 50 points, while 19 matchups wrapped up with less than 40 on the board. When you stack that against the betting over/under lines, the over hit 28 times, and the under cashed in 29, leaving no clear long-term trend to lean on.

That said, higher-scoring games started showing up more often in the late ‘90s and early 2000s as offenses shifted toward pass-heavy schemes and big plays. Recent years have been a mixed bag, bouncing between high-scoring shootouts and defensive grinds. A lot plays into it—faster offenses, defenses built differently, and rule changes that favor scoring.

On top of that, coaching changes happen more often now, so you get shifting strategies, new play styles, and team dynamics that keep outcomes even harder to predict than they used to be.

Betting on Super Bowl Points

Betting on Super Bowl total points is one of the more dynamic markets since it reflects the pace and flow of the game rather than hinging on a single play or outcome. Looking at past matchups and comparing them to how this year’s teams have performed can uncover some interesting angles.

Need some inspiration on where to start? Focus on scoring averages, defensive points allowed, and recent playoff performances. It’s also worth checking weather forecasts and seeing how each team performs under pressure in close games

For even more Super Bowl stats, info, memes, and fun facts leading up to Super Bowl LIX on February 9th, follow us on X, Facebook, and Instagram.

Charlon

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All the way from the renowned iGaming hub of Malta, Charlon has been contributing to the gambling industry since 2019. He began his career at Paddy Power™, but the onset of the pandemic led him to swap his nine-to-five for a life of full-time travel.

Throughout his journey, Charlon developed a successful freelance career, leveraging his prior industry knowledge and focusing on analyzing online casinos, sportsbooks, slots, payment methods, and current trends and strategies through the lens of an actual player.

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