Photo from Mike Mozart/Flickr
By Kaylyn Ahrenstein
Contributing Writer
Super Bowl 50 raced right past us as the Denver Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, California. From the plays on the field, to the massive halftime show featuring Coldplay, Beyonce and Bruno Mars, Super Bowl 50 was one for the books. However, as the athletes prepared for the future, Stony Brook University students remembered the past with their top 20 moments in Super Bowl history:
Super Bowl Halftime Shows:
20. Prince
Prince performed the halftime show in 2007. He went through not only his own songs but covers of other artists’. His concern was not self promotion but to make a great show.
19. Katy Perry
Katy Perry performed the previous Super Bowl’s halftime show. However, during her performance of “Teenage Dream,” one of her dancing sharks did the wrong choreography.
18. Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson performed with Justin Timberlake in the 2014 Super Bowl halftime show. Unfortunately, Jackson had an embarrassing costume malfunction during the performance.
17. Beyoncé
Moments after Beyoncé’s 2013 Super Bowl halftime show, the power went out in the stadium. The cause was simply cable failure with a device known as a “relay,” which was replaced shortly after the game.
16. Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band had been asked to perform the Super Bowl halftime show many times, and for years they turned it down, until 2009 with Super Bowl 43. This halftime was said to be one of the best in history.
The Game:
15. Seattle Seahawks vs. Denver Broncos
In 2014, the Seattle Seahawks played the Denver Broncos and won the game 43-8. This is the largest margin of any underdog to come back and win the game.
14. Adam Vinatieri
2002 was a memorable year for National Football League athlete Adam Vinatieri because of his 48 yard field goal that won the game against the St. Louis Rams. With a final score of 20-17, this was the New England Patriots’ first Super Bowl win.
13. Malcolm Butler
Malcolm Butler, cornerback for the New England Patriots, intercepted Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson on the goal line. The interception sealed the game, and the Patriots won 28-24.
12. Joe Namath
Just a few days prior to Super Bowl 3, Joe Namath, quarterback for the New York Jets, told the public that the Jets were going to win. Of course his team supported those words, and the New York Jets won 16-7.
11. New England Patriots vs. New York Giants
The 2012 Super Bowl was a rematch of the Super Bowl from 2008: the New England Patriots vs. the New York Giants. Both times, the Giants won. In 2008, the score was 17-14, and in 2012 the score was 21-17.
10. Johnny Unitas
In the Super Bowl of 1970, Johnny Unitas, quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts, threw a pass that will never be forgotten. This pass touched the receiver Eddie Hinton’s hand, bounced off of cornerback Mel Renfro and finally landed in the hands of tight end John Mackey, who then ran 75 yards and scored a touchdown that gave the Colts a 7-6 lead over the Dallas Cowboys. The Colts went on to win the game 16-13.
9. James Harrison
In 2009, the Pittsburg Steelers linebacker, James Harrison, scored a 100 yard touchdown, which was a record for Super Bowl touchdowns. The Steelers won the game, and this was also a record as the Steelers was the first team to win six Super Bowls.
8. Cincinnati Bengals vs. San Francisco 49ers
The 1988 Super Bowl between the Cincinnati Bengals and the San Fransisco 49ers was one of the most memorable Super Bowls because Boomer Esiason, quarterback for the Bengals, led the team to their second super bowl, and his first. They played an incredible game against the 49ers, which was led by the famous Joe Montana. With only 34 seconds remaining in the game, Joe Montana, Hall of Fame quarterback, threw a touchdown pass to receiver John Taylor. Cincinnati was just thirty-four seconds away from the most glorious win only to see it slip away into a crushing defeat. Even though it was one of the most amazing touchdowns in Super Bowl history, with one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game, this is not the reason Super Bowl XXlll is one of the most memorable football games. The moment lies with Boomer, not Montana. Norman ‘Boomer’ Esiason is a graduate from East Islip High School on Long Island. He was a star football player on a small-town field who made his way to the NFL just as our very own Will Tye has done. This is truly a moment never to be forgotten by New York residents, especially those of East Islip High School class of 1979.
7. Lynn Swann
In the Super Bowl of 1976, wide receiver Lynn Swann leaped into the air for a catch and prevented the Dallas Cowboys from scoring. The Pittsburgh Steelers won the game 21-17, and Swann’s catch became famous because of slow motion replay. It’s well known that Lynn Swann’s only regret is that he didn’t keep running when he caught the ball.
6. L.A. Raiders vs. Washington Redskins
In 1984, the L.A. Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins. This game included an incredible, and at the time, record-breaking touchdown with a 74 yard run by the team’s running back Marcus Allen.
5. Denver Broncos vs. Green Bay Packers
The Denver Broncos defeated the Green Bay Packers, ending their 13 game losing streak.
4. Washington Redskins vs. Miami Dolphins
The Washington Redskins defeated the Miami Dolphins when the Redskin running back, John Riggins, ran into the end zone for a touchdown to take the lead. Just after that, their wide receiver, Charlie Brown, scored a touchdown insuring the win.
3. New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts
The New Orleans Saints were up against the Indianapolis Colts for Super Bowl 44. This was an unforgettable game because it was the Saints first Super Bowl win in History.
2. Oakland Raiders vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
In Super Bowl 37, the Oakland Raiders played the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This was the last Super Bowl played in California until Super Bowl 50 this year.
Our Number 1 Moment Of Super Bowls Past:
The 2007 Super Bowl was one to remember as the New England Patriots went up against the New York Giants and fell to defeat once again. Not only was this game a win for the Giants, but it was the day David Tyree made the catch of a lifetime.
The ball went up, he grabbed it with his hand and pulled it in close to his helmet as he fell to the ground and didn’t let go. This catch set up the win for the Giants that day, and the end result was a score of 17-14.
SBU Students, SBU Football Players, and SOSB Marching Band members all said this memory first when asked: “What is your favorite Super Bowl memory?”