Super Bowl XLII

Lore & Background

The Giants defeated the heavily favored Patriots by a score of 17–14, widely considered one of the biggest upsets in the history of professional North American sports. Giants quarterback Eli Manning was named Super Bowl MVP. The game featured five total lead changes and a Super Bowl-record three lead changes in the fourth quarter. The Giants' game-winning drive included David Tyree's 'Helmet Catch' and a 13-yard touchdown reception by Plaxico Burress. The game is often considered the greatest Super Bowl of all time by several media outlets.

In Their Own Story

The cold New Jersey air bit through the stadium lights as Marc Bulger looked out over a field that felt like home yet remained just out of reach. The scoreboard read 14-7, a comfortable cushion built on grit and precision. But in the silence before the final drive, a sense of foreboding settled over the Rams sideline. As the Giants marched down the field, every step felt like a heavy weight pressing against the Rams' dream, culminating in a single, devastating touchdown that turned hope into history's greatest 'almost.'

Reader's Guide

The source does not provide a guide for attending or viewing the game.

Did You Know?

• The Patriots entered the game as 12-point favorites after becoming the first team to complete a perfect regular season since the 1972 Miami Dolphins.
• The Giants were seeking to become the first NFC wild card team to win a Super Bowl.
• Super Bowl XLII was the first Super Bowl played on a retractable natural-grass field surface.
• The game's broadcast on Fox set a then-record for the most watched Super Bowl in history with an average of 97.5 million viewers in the United States.
• The Giants and Patriots would meet again in Super Bowl XLVI four years later, where the Giants won 21–17.