32 fun (and mostly unknown) facts about the Super Bowl

Katy Perry holds the highest viewership ratings in Super Bowl history. Even though the 2015 game featured the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, the halftime show attracted 118.5 million viewers, four million more than the game itself.

Wide receiver Jerry Rice of the San Francisco 49ers holds the all-time record for the most touchdowns in Super Bowl games. The number 80 scored eight touchdowns in four games.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and the New England Patriots are the teams with the most wins in Super Bowl history. They have claimed the Vince Lombardi trophy six times.

Only one game required overtime to determine the two finalists. The Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots were neck and neck after four quarters in 2017. The Patriots ultimately won by a score of 34-28. 

Four NFL teams have never had the chance to play in the Super Bowl. The Jaguars, Browns, Lions, and Texans.

Super Bowl XLI was surely to mark history. For the first time, a black coach would win the game. Tony Dungy triumphed over his fellow citizen Lovie Smith and thus passed into history.

The Super Bowl is an international event. In 2016, the broadcast of the match was conducted in 34 different languages.

Only one quarterback has won seven Super Bowl titles. Tom Brady surpasses other legends of his sport in this position, such as Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana, or Troy Aikman.

The winning players of the Super Bowl receive a massive ring to celebrate their achievement. In 2022, each of these rings has a value of $30,000 (US). A team receives 150 copies for the players, coaches, and other team members.

In the history of the Super Bowl, there has been only one instance where the opening kickoff was returned from one end of the field to the other for a touchdown. In 2007, Devin Hester scored for the Bears in the very first moments of the game. Despite this unique feat, Chicago lost 29-17 to Indianapolis.

The team with the most losses in the Super Bowl is the Denver Broncos. Before 1998, the year of their first championship, the Broncos had lost four games. They also suffered defeat in 2014, marking a fifth loss in the Super Bowl, a record.

The Vince Lombardi Trophy, awarded in honor of the former coach of the Green Bay Packers to the Super Bowl champion team, is crafted by the jeweler Tiffany & Co. The value of the trophy is $50,000.

The Super Bowl matchup is always assigned to a city in advance. Only once in history has a local team won the game in front of its fans. That was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021.

Experts estimate that 1.45 billion chicken wings will be consumed during the Super Bowl weekend in the United States.

Winning a Super Bowl is no easy feat. No team has ever claimed the honors three years in a row. This is an achievement that several teams have accomplished in other sports such as baseball, basketball, or hockey. This is what Pat Mahomes and his Chiefs are trying to do at Super Bowl LIX.

The Super Bowl is held on a Sunday to avoid affecting the work of fans. Despite this, in the United States alone, about 17.5 million people will report being “sick” and unable to go to the office the day after the game.

Players participating in the Super Bowl are not paid by their teams, but by the league. The players of the winning team in 2023 will receive the sum of $157,000. The losers will receive $82,000. In addition, the winners will be received at the White House. 

In 1967, the very first Super Bowl was won by the Green Bay Packers. Vince Lombardi’s team defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10. It was in 1970 that the trophy was named after the legendary coach of Green Bay.

The location of the Super Bowl is not chosen randomly. The NFL carefully selects venues that are equipped for this type of gathering. The Super Bowl 2025 will indeed take place in New Orleans, specifically at the Caesars Superdome.

In 2013, during the 49ers vs. Ravens matchup, brothers Jim and John Harbaugh, both coaches, faced off, which is a rarity in the NFL. John had the upper hand over his younger brother.

The NFL has a very strict rule: it does not pay artists who come to perform at the Super Bowl. That said, the league covers the personal expenses of the artist in question, if necessary.

As of 2021, the minimum price to obtain a Super Bowl ticket was 5950 dollars (US).

The NFL has opted for Roman numerals to number the Super Bowl, aiming to provide clearer indications regarding the match, thus avoiding confusion.

However, the NFL abandoned Roman numerals for the 50th Super Bowl exclusively, out of fear that the L would affect sales and public interest.

The Super Bowl is the second highest food consumption event, with pizza and chicken wings, just behind Thanksgiving.

On average, a Super Bowl party contains 17 people, while pizza and beer sales increase by 35% and 20%, respectively.

In his seven victories in the NFL’s championship game, Tom Brady has been named MVP five times, which is a league record.

The largest scoring margin in Super Bowl history was in 1990, when Joe Montana and the 49ers crushed the Denver Broncos 55 to 10.

When you think of the Super Bowl, you also think of advertisements. In 2021, a 30-second ad could cost up to 5.5 million dollars (US). Apple’s 1984 is still considered one of the greatest commercials of all time to this day.

The very first MVP in Super Bowl history was Bart Starr, quarterback of the Packers, in 1967, and he won the honor two years in a row.

The two teams participating in the Super Bowl have a total of 108 official balls available to them. This includes 54 balls given to the team and the other 54 are used for practice.