The 11 Most Iconic Plays In Super Bowl History

The Super Bowl has spawned plenty of the kind of classic showdowns you expect to see when two of the best teams in the NFL go head-to-head, and many of them are defined by a single play that had a critical role in how things ended up panning out.

It’s been close to 60 years since the Super Bowl was played for the first time, and we’ve been treated to a ton of memorable plays that had a huge impact on the final outcome. However, there are certainly more than a few that stand out from the rest of the pack.

I’m not listing these in any particular order, but there’s a reason they’ll all be remembered for a very, very long time.

Malcolm Butler's Interception

It seemed like the Patriots were going to need a miracle to win Super Bowl XLIX after the Seahawks ended up on the one-yard line with three chances to punch the ball into the end zone with less than a minute to go while trailing 28-24.

They got one courtesy of Malcolm Butler, who managed to intercept the pass Russell Wilson attempted to throw to Ricardo Lockette after Seattle declined to hand the ball off to Marshawn Lynch—a call virtually everyone watching the game assumed they’d go with.

That pick essentially sealed the deal for New England, which won its fourth Super Bowl since the start of the Tom Brady Era.

David Tyree's Helmet Catch

The first five plays on this list all transpired in games involving the Patriots, and this is the first one where things didn’t go their way.

The Giants were the only team standing between New England and a perfect season, and New York needed a touchdown down 14-10 in the closing minutes of Super Bowl XLII.

It looked like Eli Manning was going to fall victim to what would have been a very costly sack on a 3rd-and-5 play from his own 44-yard line. However, he managed to escape before heaving the lengthy pass David Tyree was able to haul in with the help of his helmet for a 32-yard gain that gave them a fresh set of downs with around a minute to go.

Manning would connect with  Plaxico Burress for what ended up being the game-winning touchdown a few players later, but Tyree firmly emerged as the hero of that year’s Super Bowl.

Eli Manning Connects With Mario Manningham

That wasn’t the only time the Patriots fell victim to a pass from Eli Manning in the Super Bowl, as Mario Manningham also grabbed an equally crucial reception a few years later in Super Bowl XLVI.

The Giants were down 17-15 with less than four minutes to go and had the ball on their own 12-yard line on first down when Manning threw a lengthy pass in Manningham’s direction.

The wide receiver managed to stay in bounds on the sideline as Sterling Moore and Patrick Chung unsuccessfully attempted to intervene, and while the Patriots challenged the play, the call stood and the Giants continued the drive from midfield before taking a 21-17 lead with 57 seconds to go.

The Patriots attempted to mount a drive of their own and made some solid progress, but they failed to convert the Hail Mary attempt on the final play of the game as New York secured the victory.

The Philly Special

The Eagles were up 15-12 over the Patriots with 38 seconds left in the first half of Super Bowl LII, and they kept the offense on the field facing a fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line instead of attempting a field goal.

New England fell victim to the trickery their opponents deployed when the ball was snapped directly to RB Corey Clement, who tossed it to Trey Burton before he connected with Nick Foles, the QB who’d lined up at the position normally reserved for the tight end prior to making the wide-open catch in the end zone.

The play—dubbed “The Philly Special”—gave the Eagles a 10-point lead heading into halftime, and the bold call in a game where they ultimately earned the 41-33 win instantly became one of the most iconic plays in Super Bowl history.

Julian Edelman's Catch Helps Patriots Cap Off The 28-3 Comeback

Plenty of things had to go right for the Patriots to claw their way back into a game they were seemingly going to lose after falling into a 28-3 hole against the Falcons with a little over two minutes to go in the third quarter of Super Bowl LI.

However, New England had narrowed the deficit to just eight points by the time they got the ball back with 3:30 left in the fourth quarter as Tom Brady got the chance to lead one of his signature drives with the game on the line.

There was 2:28 to go when the Patriots snapped the ball on 1st-and-10 from their own 36-yard line before Brady threw a pass that was deflected by Robert Alford, who had the chance to grab it in a scrum that involved two other Falcons in the form of Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen as well as New England’s Julian Edelman.

Edelman managed to snag the ball before it hit the ground and was credited with the 23-yard reception that put the ball at Atlanta’s 41-yard line (the Falcons unsuccessfully challenged the play).

The Patriots were able to tie things up at 28 points apiece with less than a minute to go and capped off the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history in overtime.

Tracy Porter's Pick-Six

The Colts took a 17-13 lead over the Saints midway through the third quarter of Super Bowl XLIV, but New Orleans responded with a field goal and a touchdown to go up 24-17 with a little less than six minutes remaining in the fourth.

That was obviously more than enough time for Peyton Manning to lead a drive and get the Colts the touchdown they needed, and he’d managed to help them get to the 31-yard line in Saints territory ahead of a 3rd-and-5 with around 3:30 left.

The QB attempted to connect with Reggie White on a pass that would’ve gotten the first down, but Saints CB Tracey Porter intercepted the ball and took it all the way to the house to give New Orleans the 31-17 lead that stood when the game ended.

James Harrison's Pick-Six

The Steelers were responsible for two huge plays that transpired in Super Bowl XLIII, and the first was another pick-six that unfolded at the end of the first half.

Pittsburgh was up 10-7 in the final minute, but it looked like the Cardinals were going to get some points before halftime after lining up for a 1st-and-goal on the 2-yard line with 18 seconds to go.

Kurt Warner attempted to connect with Anquan Boldin in the end zone, but James Harrison intercepted the ball at the goal line before heading in the opposite direction as his teammates picked up the blocks that helped him take it back 100 yards for the touchdown that gave the Steelers a 17-7 lead heading into the locker room.

The Santonio Holmes Toe-Drag Touchdown

The Cardinals ended up mounting a comeback and took a 23-20 lead with less than three minutes to go after Larry Fitzgerald scored the 64-yard TD that would be on this list if not for what transpired shortly after.

Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers had around two-and-a-half minutes to respond with a drive that started from their own 21-yard line, and they found themselves knocking on the door with a 2nd-and-goal on the 6 with a little over 40 seconds left in the game.

Santonio Holmes ran a route that led him to the corner of the end zone with three defenders in close proximity, but Roethlisberger was somehow able to thread the needle to connect with him as he was heading out of bounds to give the Steelers the 27-23 lead that ended up being the final score.

Mike Jones' Game-Saving Tackle

The Rams pulled out to a 16-0 lead in Super Bowl XXXIV before the Titans tied things up with a couple of minutes left in the fourth quarter, but they got back on top when Kurt Warner connected with Isaac Bruce for a 73-yard touchdown on the ensuing drive.

There was still plenty of time for Tennessee to march down the field for the touchdown they needed, and they managed to get all the way down to the 10-yard line for a 1st-and-10 that looked like it was going to be the final play of the game.

The Titans didn’t have any timeouts left, so they needed to get the ball into the end zone. They came about as close as they could, as Steve McNair connected with Kevin Dyson before Rams LB Mike Jones hauled him down a single yard shy of the goal line as the clock hit zero.

John Elway's Helicopter Run

John Elway was still in search of his first championship when the Broncos met the Packers in Super Bowl XXXII, and he had the chance to help his team take the lead with the score tied at 17 in the third quarter.

Denver was facing a 3rd-and-6 at Green Bay’s 12-yard line when Elway dropped back to pass before deciding to scramble for the first down. He managed to get it, but the 37-year-old QB was eventually met by three Packers defenders who spun him around in the air while punishing him for taking matters into his own hands on the eight-yard gain.

Elway managed to hang onto the ball and emerged unscathed before Terrell Davis gave Denver the 24-17 lead a couple of plays later.

It might not be as impactful as some of the other plays on this list, but it was easily the most memorable moment of a game Denver ended up winning.

John Riggins Firms Up His MVP Case With A Game-Winning TD

This one is a bit of a throwback, but it certainly deserves a mention.

John Riggins firmly earned MVP honors in Super Bowl XVII, as the Washington RB carried the ball 38 times for 166 yards against the Dolphins and also scored the touchdown that earned him a spot on this list.

His squad was down 17-13 with around 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter facing a 4th-and-1 on Miami’s 43-yard line. Riggins was not only able to convert but shrugged off Don McNeal’s attempt at a tackle before sprinting all the way to the end zone.

Washington took a 20-17 lead and never looked back, and they added another TD with a little less than two minutes to go to secure the championship.