Sure, there are Super Bowl snooze-fests every so often, but the NFL’s biggest game regularly lives up to the hype. We’ve had offensive battles, back-and-forth affairs and some of the biggest comebacks in sports history.
Below, we break down the highest-scoring games, teams and quarters in Super Bowl history.
What is the highest-scoring Super bowl game?
| Super Bowl (Year) | Teams | Total Points |
|---|---|---|
| Super Bowl 29 (1995) | 49ers vs Chargers | 75 |
| Super Bowl 52 (2018) | Eagles vs Patriots | 74 |
| Super Bowl 37 (2003) | Buccaneers vs Raiders | 69 |
The highest-scoring Super Bowl ever was Super Bowl 29 (1995) when the San Francisco 49ers beat the then San Diego Chargers 49-26. The game just nudges out the recent 2018 NFL finale, won by the Eagles.
In the 1995 Super Bowl, 49ers QB Steve Young passed for 325 yards and six (yes, SIX) touchdowns. The lefty gunslinger also added 50 more yards on the ground to snag Super Bowl MVP. While Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice snagged three scores in that game, the offense was pretty generously spread around with six different players scoring TDs in the final.
What team scored the most points in a Super Bowl?
| Year | Team | Points Scored |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | San Francisco 49ers | 55 |
| 1993 | Dallas Cowboys | 52 |
| 1995 | San Francisco 49ers | 49 |
| 2003 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 48 |
| 1986 | Chicago Bears | 46 |
The 49ers were also the team with the most points scored in a Super Bowl, but not in that 1995 victory over the Chargers. The individual team with the most points scored in the big game came in 1990, when San Francisco dropped 55 points on the Broncos in a 55-10 victory. The Niners scored eight total touchdowns in that contest (five passing, three rushing) and coasted to one of the biggest blowouts in NFL history.
What is the highest-scoring quarter in the Super Bowl?
During the regular season, it’s second-quarter scoring that runs the NFL. Averaging around 13 total points per game, the second frame has a full point more than any other quarter on average.
But in the Super Bowl, it’s the fourth quarter that reigns supreme. During the big game, the final frame has 14.9 total points on average, the most of any quarter.
Highest-scoring Super Bowl quarter Ever
In terms of the highest individual quarter scoring, no 12 minutes have been more action-packed than the second quarter in Super Bowl 51 (2017) between the Patriots and Falcons.
With 24 total points, the Falcons pulled away from the Patriots by scoring 21 points to New England’s three in that frame. At the time, it seemed like an epic quarter and an insurmountable lead. But really, it set the stage for arguably the biggest rally in sports history and the latest crowning achievement of Tom Brady’s career — the 28-3 comeback.
