Super Bowl History in New Orleans: Big Easy Does It! (Again and Again)

The first three New Orleans Super Bowls were played at Tulane Stadium, with the last seven being held at the Superdome, home of the New Orleans Saints. There have been some memorable moments in those 10 previous Super Bowls, including one of the biggest wins against the NFL odds in the league’s history. Let’s take a look back at some of the highlights.

Top Super Bowl Moments in New Orleans

Chiefs Get First Super Bowl Title

In the early days of the Super Bowl, the Chiefs were a regular participant, playing in two of the first four. Though Kansas City lost the first Super Bowl to Green Bay, the Chiefs earned their first championship with a 23-7 upset of the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl 4 in New Orleans.

It was the last Super Bowl prior to the AFL-NFL merger and is remembered by many for the NFL Films clips of head coach Hank Stram mic’d-up on the sideline throughout the game. Quarterback Len Dawson earned MVP honors, completing 12-of-17 passes for 142 yards.

Cowboys Earn Pair Of Super Bowl Wins in Big Easy

Playing in the Super Bowl in New Orleans was good for the Dallas Cowboys, who have gone 2-0 when playing for the championship in the city. Dallas won its first Super Bowl title against Miami in Super Bowl 6, holding the Dolphins to a Super Bowl-record three points in a 24-3 domination. That loss was the last for a while for Miami, which registered the only perfect record in NFL history the following season.

The first Super Bowl played in the Superdome was also good for Dallas, which easily defeated the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 12. The “Doomsday Defense” had its way with Denver, holding the Broncos to a Super Bowl-low 35 passing yards and forcing eight turnovers.

January 15, 1978
Super Bowl XII#DallasCowboys #Broncos
This game is dominated from start to finish by Dallas #DallasCowboys win their second Super Bowl 27-10.
Harvey Martin and Randy White are MVP’s. pic.twitter.com/1KrTtREkxH

— Old Time Football 🏈 (@Ol_TimeFootball) January 16, 2025

It was a bit of a preview of another New Orleans Super Bowl less than a decade later.

Bears Dominate Patriots in Defensive Showcase

The Chicago Bears’ only Lombardi Trophy came in Super Bowl 20 as they manhandled the New England Patriots 46-10 to cap a dominant season. The Bears lost just one game in the regular season and cruised through the postseason behind a dominant defense that was at its best in the Super Bowl.

Chicago held New England to just seven rushing yards while recording seven sacks in the game. Defensive tackle William “Refrigerator” Perry even took a turn by scoring a 1-yard rushing touchdown in the game.

The win allowed Mike Ditka to join Tom Flores as the only people to win the Super Bowl as a player, an assistant coach and a head coach. Ironically, Flores won his Super Bowl as a head coach in New Orleans as well, leading the Raiders to a win over the Eagles in Super Bowl 15.

The Bears’ rout was just another of many lopsided wins in a Super Bowl in New Orleans, with the average winning margin in the first eight Super Bowls played in New Orleans being 22.0 points. Not exactly great games for NFL betting.

But the last two Super Bowls played in the Superdome have made up for it, and are hopefully a sign of things to come in just a few days.

Pair of Close Encounters in NOLA

The last Super Bowl played in New Orleans was Super Bowl 47, with a matchup of the Baltimore Ravens against the San Francisco 49ers. That game was known going in as the “Harbaugh Bowl,” as brothers John (Baltimore) and Jim (San Francisco) were the head coaches squaring off in the game.

But the game is most remembered for the blackout that occurred in the third quarter, forcing a 34-minute delay, and a fantastic rally by the 49ers that came up short. Baltimore led 28-6 at one point, but San Francisco rallied behind quarterback Colin Kaepernick to pull within two in the fourth quarter.

Down five points in the final minutes, the 49ers had the ball at the Baltimore 5-yard line but couldn’t get the go-ahead touchdown and the Ravens held on for a dramatic 34-31 win thanks to an intentional safety in the closing seconds that may have hurt more than a few NFL bets.

But the game that likely broke even more bettors’ hearts was Super Bowl 36, which saw the Patriots upset the favored St. Louis Rams. The Rams were expected to roll to a second title in three seasons, coming into the game favored by 14 points, but young Tom Brady led New England to the 20-17 win, capped by Adam Vinatieri’s last-second 48-yard field goal.

February 3, 2002

Where it all began

Patriots do the improbable and upset the highly favored Rams on a last second Adam Vinatieri FG (20-17)

“Greatest show on turf” held to a measly 17 points

Pats win their 1st Super Bowl, it won’t be their lastpic.twitter.com/9Ho5sllqN2

— Boston Sports Info (@bostonsportsinf) February 3, 2024

It was the first title for both Brady and the Patriots, who would go on to six championships and form one of the greatest dynasties in the NFL. Now the Chiefs are looking to make NFL news and record the first three-peat in Super Bowl history in the city where many great champions have been crowned.

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