Super Bowl XVIII

Lore & Background

The Raiders dominated Super Bowl XVIII outgaining the Redskins in total yards, 385 to 283, and built a 21–3 halftime lead, aided by touchdowns on Derrick Jensen's blocked punt recovery, and Jack Squirek's 5-yard interception return on a screen pass with seven seconds left in the first half. Los Angeles' defense also sacked Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann six times and intercepted him twice. Raiders halfback Marcus Allen, who became the third Heisman Trophy winner to be named the Super Bowl MVP, carried the ball 20 times for a then-record total of 191 yards and two touchdowns, including a then-record 74-yard run in the third quarter. Allen was the first running back who was a halfback to be named Most Valuable Player.

In Their Own Story

The cold Florida air bit at the sidelines as John Riggins tightened his gloves one last time before walking onto the field. The stadium roared with anticipation, a sea of red and silver banners waving against the night sky. He could feel the weight of the city behind him, knowing this was more than just another game; it was about proving that Washington belonged at the very top.

Reader's Guide

The Redskins entered the game as the defending Super Bowl XVII champions, finished the 1983 regular season with a league-best 14–2 record, led the league in fewest rushing yards allowed, and set a then-NFL record in scoring with 541 points. The Raiders posted a 12–4 regular-season record in 1983, their second in Los Angeles, having moved there from Oakland in May 1982. As of the 2025 season, this is the Raiders' most recent Super Bowl championship.

Did You Know?

• The Raiders' 38 points scored and 29-point margin of victory broke Super Bowl records; it remains the most points scored by an AFC team in a Super Bowl, later matched by the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII.
• This was the first time the city of Tampa hosted the Super Bowl.
• The telecast on CBS was seen by an estimated 77.62 million viewers and was notable for airing the famous '1984' television commercial introducing the Apple Macintosh.
• The NFL highlight film of this game was the final voiceover work for famous NFL narrator John Facenda.