Super Bowl XXXIV vs. St. Louis Rams

Lore & Background

The Rams were undefeated at home for the first time since 1973. On the road, the Rams were 5–3. In the post-season, they defeated the Minnesota Vikings by a score of 49–37 in the NFC Divisional Playoffs and went on to defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 11–6 in the NFC Championship Game. These were the first NFL playoff games ever played in St. Louis. The Rams then won their first ever Super Bowl title, defeating the Tennessee Titans by a score of 23–16 in Super Bowl XXXIV. The game was played on January 30, 2000 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. It was also the franchise's first NFL championship since 1951, when the Rams played in Los Angeles. The Rams also became the first 'dome-field' (indoor home games) team to win a Super Bowl. Having finished last in their division the previous season, the Rams also became the first 'worst-to-first' team to win the Super Bowl.

In Their Own Story

The air inside the Georgia Dome was thick with anticipation and humidity, smelling of popcorn and nervous sweat as the clock ticked down. Chris Chandler scrambled, his eyes scanning the end zone for an open receiver, but the pressure was suffocating. As he handed off to Jamal Anderson near the one-yard line, time seemed to freeze. The ball slipped from Anderson's grip, a tiny, tragic moment that would be replayed in slow motion forever. Mike Jones dove, his hands closing around the leather as the crowd gasped, then erupted in silence.

Reader's Guide

Quarterback Kurt Warner was the MVP in both the regular season and in Super Bowl XXXIV. The 1999 Rams remain one of only five teams in NFL history to score more than 30 points twelve separate times in a single season. On defense, the Rams recorded seven interceptions returned for touchdowns, third most in NFL history. The 1999 Rams' +284 regular-season point differential is the highest of any Super Bowl championship team, and second-highest of any team since the AFL–NFL merger, after the 2007 New England Patriots.

Did You Know?

• The Rams were the third St. Louis–based pro sports team to win a major championship, joining the St. Louis Cardinals and the 1957–58 St. Louis (now Atlanta) Hawks.
• It was the final season the Rams wore their 1973–1999 uniforms that had been synonymous with their time in Los Angeles.
• The 1999 Rams team ranked No. 11 on the 100 greatest teams of all time presented by the NFL on its 100th anniversary.