Super Bowl III

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Lore & Background

The game was the first of two Super Bowl victories for the AFL over the NFL. Before the game many sports writers and fans believed that AFL teams were less talented than NFL clubs, and expected the Colts to defeat the Jets by a wide margin. The Colts posted a 13–1 record in the regular season and defeated the Minnesota Vikings 24–14 in the Western Conference championship game, then shut out the Cleveland Browns, the only team to beat the Colts in the regular season, 34–0 in the NFL Championship Game. The Jets were 11–3 in the regular season, and defeated the Oakland Raiders 27–23 in the AFL Championship Game. Jets quarterback Joe Namath famously made an appearance three days before the Super Bowl at the Miami Touchdown Club in which he personally guaranteed his team's victory. His team backed up his words by controlling the majority of the game, building a 16–0 lead by the fourth quarter off of a touchdown run by Matt Snell and three field goals by Jim Turner. Colts quarterback Earl Morrall threw three interceptions before being replaced by Johnny Unitas, who then led the Colts to their only touchdown, during the last few minutes of the game. With the victory, the Jets were the only winning team to score only one touchdown (either offensive, defensive, or special teams) until the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII. Namath, who completed 17 out of 28 passes for 206 yards, was named as the Super Bowl's most valuable player, making him the first player in Super Bowl history to be declared MVP without personally scoring or throwing for a touchdown. This is the only Super Bowl whose matchup cannot (barring a future realignment and/or change to the playoff format) occur in the Super Bowl again, as both the Jets and Colts play in the American Football Conference (AFC). As of the source, this is the Jets’ only Super Bowl victory and appearance, and they currently hold the third longest active championship game appearance drought in the NFL.

In Their Own Story

The game turned on pivotal moments of execution and turnovers. Colts quarterback Earl Morrall threw three interceptions before being replaced by Johnny Unitas late in the contest. Unitas led the Colts to their only touchdown during the final minutes, but it was too little too late. The Jets' defense held firm, securing a 16–7 win that would stand as a historic anomaly: until Super Bowl LIII, the Jets remained the only winning team in Super Bowl history to score exactly one touchdown (an offensive run by Matt Snell). Joe Namath completed 17 of 28 passes for 206 yards. He was named the game's Most Valuable Player, becoming the first player in Super Bowl history to win the award without personally scoring or throwing a touchdown. This victory cemented the Jets' place as the only team with an active championship appearance drought ranking third longest in the NFL as of 2026.

Reader's Guide

The NFL awarded Super Bowl III to Miami on May 14, 1968, at the owners meetings held in Atlanta. It marked the second of eleven Super Bowls in the Miami area (as of 2022). It was also the second consecutive Super Bowl to be awarded to Miami (II and III), the only time that the Super Bowl has been hosted by the same stadium in back-to-back seasons. Two cities were considered for the game, New Orleans (Tulane Stadium) being the other. Going into the meeting, several observers believed that New Orleans was the favorite. It had been reported that New Orleans was being promised the game by commissioner Pete Rozelle as a payback to Louisiana congressman Hale Boggs and senator Russell B. Long for being instrumental in passing crucial antitrust exemption legislation, which allowed for the AFL–NFL merger. In selecting Miami, owners rejected any potential quid pro quo. Miami's hosting of sold-out Super Bowl II just four months earlier was seen by all accounts as a huge success, and owners elected to stick with a known commodity. The expansion Saints had lost money in their first season, and were publicly going through front office shakeups. Furthermore, during the presentation, a mix-up in the Tulane Stadium rental fee helped dissuade the league. Rozelle made it clear, however, that Miami was not positioned to become the permanent home for the Super Bowl.

Did You Know?

• The Jets built a 16–0 lead by the fourth quarter off of a touchdown run by Matt Snell and three field goals by Jim Turner.
• Joe Namath was the first player in Super Bowl history to be declared MVP without personally scoring or throwing for a touchdown.
• The point spread varied between 17.5 and 19.5 across different sportsbooks and moved during the week before the game.
• This is the only Super Bowl whose matchup cannot occur again, as both the Jets and Colts now play in the AFC.