Super Bowl XXXI
The last NFC victory in a 13-game Super Bowl winning streak over the AFC.
Super Bowl XXXI was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1996 season. The Packers defeated the Patriots 35–21 to win their third Super Bowl, which was their twelfth NFL championship in franchise history and first since Super Bowl II in 1968. It was also the last in a run of 13 straight Super Bowl victories by the NFC over the AFC. The game was played on January 26, 1997, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Date
- January 26, 1997
- Location
- Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
- Opponent
- New England Patriots
- Final Score
- Green Bay 35, New England 21
- MVP
- Desmond Howard (Special Teams)
- Key Packers Player
- Brett Favre (QB)
- Season Record
- 13-3
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
This Super Bowl featured two clubs that had recently returned to competitiveness. After 24 mostly dismal seasons since Vince Lombardi left, the Packers' fortunes turned after head coach Mike Holmgren and quarterback Brett Favre joined the team in 1992. After four losing seasons, the Patriots' rise began in 1993 when Bill Parcells was hired as head coach, and the team drafted quarterback Drew Bledsoe. Under their respective head coaches and quarterbacks, Green Bay posted an NFC-best 13–3 regular season record in 1996, while New England advanced to their second Super Bowl after recording an 11–5 record in what would be their first of eleven Super Bowl appearances under owner Robert Kraft.
In Their Own Story
Desmond Howard became the first special teams player ever named Super Bowl MVP after his historic performance. He gained a total of 154 kickoff return yards and recorded a then-Super Bowl record 90 punt return yards, tying the records for both total return yards (244) and combined net yards gained (244). The Packers' resurgence was led by head coach Mike Holmgren and quarterback Brett Favre, who joined in 1992 after years of struggle. Green Bay finished the regular season with an NFC-best 13–3 record. Meanwhile, New England advanced to their second Super Bowl with an 11–5 record under Bill Parcells, marking the first of eleven appearances for owner Robert Kraft. The game was also notable as the first Super Bowl broadcast by Fox under its new NFL contract, becoming the highest-rated program in the network's history at that time.
Reader's Guide
The game began with the teams combining for 24 first-quarter points, the most in Super Bowl history. The Packers then scored 17 unanswered points in the second quarter, including Favre's then-Super Bowl record 81-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Antonio Freeman. In the third quarter, the Patriots cut the lead to 27–21 due to running back Curtis Martin's 18-yard rushing touchdown. But on the ensuing kickoff, Desmond Howard returned the ball a then-Super Bowl record 99 yards for a touchdown. The score proved to be the last one, as both teams' defenses took over the rest of the game. Howard became the first special teams player ever to be named Super Bowl MVP. He gained a total of 154 kickoff return yards, and also recorded a then-Super Bowl record 90 punt return yards, thus tying the then-Super Bowl records of total return yards (244) and combined net yards gained (244).
Did You Know?
- This was the first Super Bowl broadcast by Fox under its first contract to carry NFL games.
- By a large margin it was the highest-rated program aired in Fox's history at the time.
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