The NFL will kick off the 59th iteration of the Super Bowl in 2025, giving two teams an opportunity to make history. It will be the culmination of a season’s worth of dedication, preparation and execution. Not to mention a hint of luck.
And odds are the game ends in regulation. At least that’s what history would suggest.
There are dueling trends when it comes to the Super Bowl and overtime. While everyone participating is aiming to end the game as soon as possible, there have been two times when 60 minutes wasn’t enough to decide a winner.
These are the Super Bowls that needed overtime.
Overview of Overtime in the Super Bowl
Of the 58 Super Bowls that have been played, only two of them have gone to overtime. However, both have occurred in the past seven years.
Super Bowl LI (2017) was the first to go to overtime, while the second was Super Bowl LVIII (2024).
The NFL uses different overtime rules during the regular season and the playoffs. No postseason game can end in a tie (unlike the regular season). During the playoffs, the overtime period is 15 minutes and both teams are required to have a possession.
That rule was not in place when the Patriots defeated the Falcons in Super Bowl LI. Teams scoring a touchdown ended the game in overtime, regardless of whether or not the other team had a possession.
Super Bowls That Have Gone to Overtime
Super Bowl LI: The infamous “28–3” game. Super Bowl LI saw the Atlanta Falcons take a 28–9 lead into the fourth quarter over the New England Patriots, only for the Patriots to score 19 unanswered points to force overtime.
Atlanta was heavily criticized for not slowing down its tempo and continuing to throw the ball, instead of running, to keep the clock moving. The Falcons’ short drives left New England plenty of time to score, and Tom Brady led the biggest comeback in the history of the Super Bowl.
No team had ever come back from a 10-point deficit in the Super Bowl, but Brady led a 25-point comeback by completing 43-of-62 passes for 466 yards and two touchdowns. Running back James White scored three touchdowns and a two-point conversion, tying the record for most points scored in a Super Bowl.
Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower strip-sacked Matt Ryan on a 3rd-and-1 with 8:27 remaining in the fourth quarter. New England trailed by 16 points at the time, but this play changed the trajectory of the game.
Six minutes later, wide receiver Julian Edelman made one of the most spectacular plays in Super Bowl history. Running a deep crossing route, Edelman was essentially double covered by Robert Alford underneath and Keanu Neal over the top. Brady rifled a pass in a tight window, but it was tipped by Alford. As Neal, Edelman, Alford and the ball all fell to the ground in a tangle, Edelman managed to snag the ball just inches above the turf.
The game is widely regarded as the greatest comeback in the history of professional football.
Super Bowl LVIII: This game established the Kansas City Chiefs’ dynasty, as the team won its third championship in five years. The team also became the first franchise in 19 years to win back-to-back Super Bowls.
The game’s back-and-forth fourth quarter was undoubtedly the highlight, where San Francisco took a 19–16 lead with just under two minutes remaining. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes found Travis Kelce on a 22-yard strike, which set up a 29-yard field goal from Harrison Butker with just three seconds remaining.
The 49ers kicked a field goal during the first possession of overtime, but Mahomes converted a 4th-and-1 with an eight yard scramble, then took another carry for 19 yards before finding Mecole Hardman for the winning touchdown.
MVPs of Super Bowl Overtime Games
Brady was named MVP of Super Bowl LI. At the time, it was his fourth Super Bowl MVP award—the most of any player in history. The quarterback completed the fourth-largest comeback in NFL playoff history. He threw two touchdowns.
Mahomes was Super Bowl LVIII MVP. He completed 34-of-46 passes for 333 yards and two touchdowns. He was also Kansas City’s leading rusher, running for 66 yards on nine carries. It was his third Super Bowl MVP award, tying him for second-most all time.
