How many Super Bowls have gone into overtime? History of OT in the Big Game
The NFL has hosted the Super Bowl 58 times in its history. The Big Game hasn't always been close despite being a showcase of each conference's best team.
It took the NFL until Super Bowl 5 to have a one-score game, as the Baltimore Colts beat the Dallas Cowboys 16-13 to give Johnny Unitas his lone Super Bowl ring and third NFL championship. Since then, 22 more Super Bowls have been decided by one-score margins, with 15 coming since 2000.
Naturally, the closer nature of the NFL's championship game has created increased opportunities for the Super Bowl to go to overtime. How many times has it happened? Here's what to know about the brief history of extra time in the Super Bowl.
How many Super Bowls have gone into overtime?
Only two of the 58 Super Bowls to date have gone into overtime. Both have come in the last decade. They are as follows:
- Super Bowl 51: New England Patriots 34, Atlanta Falcons 28
- Super Bowl 58: Kansas City Chiefs 25, San Francisco 49ers 22
No Super Bowl has ever required a double overtime period in the NFL's history, but the league came close to needing it for Super Bowl 58. Mecole Hardman scored the Chiefs' game-winning touchdown with just three seconds left in the opening period.
Super Bowl overtime history
Super Bowl 51: New England Patriots 34, Atlanta Falcons 28
The Patriots and Falcons played the first-ever overtime Super Bowl in what is regarded as one of the greatest Super Bowls in NFL history. New England led Atlanta 28-3 before Tom Brady led the Patriots on the comeback trail midway through the third quarter, scoring 25 consecutive points to force overtime.
The Patriots won the overtime coin toss and marched methodically downfield against a fatigued Falcons defense. James White punched in a 2-yard touchdown – his third of the day – to cap off an eight-play, 75-yard drive that granted New England its fifth Super Bowl.
Atlanta never saw the ball in overtime, as the NFL's overtime rules for the 2016 season and playoffs did not guarantee both teams a possession.
Super Bowl 58: Kansas City Chiefs 25, San Francisco 49ers 22
The fourth quarter of Super Bow 58 was tight. The Chiefs entered it with a 13-10 lead, but the teams saw two lead changes and two ties over the final 15 minutes.
49ers kicker Jake Moody booted a 53-yard field goal to give San Francisco a 19-16 lead with 1:53 in regulation. Harrison Butker answered by making a 29-yard chip shot with 3 seconds remaining in regulation after Patrick Mahomes drove his team into scoring range.
The overtime rules were different in Super Bowl 58 than in Super Bowl 51, as both teams were guaranteed a possession even if the coin-toss winner scored a touchdown. It also meant there could be a second overtime if the score remained tied after 15 minutes or the team that possessed the ball second hadn't finished their first drive before the end of the period.
Both the 49ers and Chiefs mounted methodical drives in overtime. San Francisco won the toss and took 7:38 and 13 plays to go 66 yards before Moody made a go-ahead 22-yard field goal. Kansas City answered by going 75 yards on 13 plays over 7:19 before Mahomes found Hardman for the game-winning touchdown.
Just three seconds remained in overtime when Hardman scored. However, had time run out, the game would have gone to double overtime, as the Chiefs were still in the midst of their first possession of the extra frame.
As such, Super Bowl 58 narrowly missed making history of its own.