State Farm Stadium, which opened in 2006, is set to host the Super Bowl for the third time this Sunday. The warmer climate of Arizona in February, typically a cold month for most of the U.S., makes it a perfect location for the most viewed yearly sports event.
Here’s a retrospective on Arizona’s history with the Super Bowl, before the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles battle it out on the turf for Super Bowl LVII.
Super Bowl XXX, January 28, 1996
Before the existence of State Farm Stadium, Super Bowl XXX, a game between the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers, was held at Tempe’s Sun Devil Stadium on Jan. 28, 1996.
This marked the Cowboys’ third Super Bowl in four seasons and the franchise’s fifth overall. As for the Steelers, it was their first Super Bowl showing since Super Bowl XIV in 1980, which was the franchise’s fourth win.
In the initial quarter, Deion Sanders, a cornerback for the Cowboys, set a Super Bowl record by being the sole player to have both an interception on defense and a reception on offense. Sanders achieved his interception a year prior while playing for the 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX.
During the fourth quarter, the Steelers managed to reclaim the football due to an unexpected onside kick at their 47-yard line. Pittsburgh was then led down the field by quarterback Neil O'Donnell, setting up a 1-yard touchdown run for running back Bam Morris. This made the score 20-17.
Emmitt Smith, the running back for the Cowboys, scored a touchdown that led to Dallas securing a 27-17 win. Larry Brown, a cornerback, was awarded the game’s MVP after making two interceptions. Additionally, Troy Aikman, the team’s quarterback, became only the third quarterback in history to secure three Super Bowl wins.
For the first time in history, the team was awarded the Vince Lombardi Trophy on the field. As of 2023, this was the last Super Bowl the Cowboys participated in.
Super Bowl XLII on February 3, 2008
The Super Bowl was held at State Farm Stadium, formerly known as University of Phoenix Stadium, for the first time on Feb. 3, 2008. The New York Giants and the New England Patriots were the competing teams. Prior to the Super Bowl, the Patriots had not lost a single game in the season and were predicted to win by 12 points. The Giants, with a 10-6 record, were vying to be the first NFC wild card team to secure a Super Bowl win.
This game, which is remembered as one of the biggest upsets in professional sports and an immediate Super Bowl classic, is best known for the fourth quarter. During this time, the Giants made an attempt at a comeback when they were down 14-10 with only 2:39 left in the game. The Patriots had just taken the lead after their wide receiver, Randy Moss, caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from their quarterback, Tom Brady.
On third down, the Giants delivered one of the NFL’s most memorable moments with the “Helmet Catch.” After evading pressure, Giants’ quarterback Eli Manning threw a pass to wide receiver David Tyree. Tyree astonishingly managed to secure the ball with a one-handed catch, using the top of his helmet, resulting in a 32-yard first down for New York.
Manning connected with wide receiver Plaxico Burress for a 13-yard touchdown, putting the Giants ahead 17-14 with only 35 seconds left on the clock. The Giants defense held the Patriots from progressing any further, securing the Giants’ third Super Bowl win. Manning was later recognized as the MVP of the game.
Super Bowl XLIII, February 1, 2009
The Arizona Cardinals played against the Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII on Feb. 1, 2009, although the game did not take place in Arizona.
After clinching their first-ever NFC Championship, the Cardinals progressed to the Super Bowl with hopes of ending the longest championship drought in the league, which dates back to 1947. On the other hand, the Steelers were making their first Super Bowl appearance since their victory in Super Bowl XL in 2006.
The game was highlighted by an interception return for a touchdown by Steelers linebacker, James Harrison, which set a Super Bowl record at 100 yards. This touchdown extended Pittsburgh’s lead to 17-7 by halftime.
Arizona was down 20-7 at the beginning of the fourth quarter before launching a 16-point run with no retaliation. Cardinals’ quarterback Kurt Warner spearheaded an 87-yard drive for Arizona, which ended in a touchdown by wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.
Subsequently, a 34-yard kick by Cardinals’ punter Ben Graham resulted in Pittsburgh being pinned at the 1-yard line. A significant holding penalty was committed by Steelers’ center Justin Hartwig, which negated a 20-yard completion from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and awarded the Cardinals a safety. Three plays later, Warner connected with Fitzgerald for a 64-yard touchdown, handing Arizona its initial lead of the game, 23-20, with less than three minutes remaining.
In the last few moments of the game, Roethlisberger drove the Steelers down the field. Wide receiver Santonio Holmes managed to catch a 40-yard pass at Arizona’s 6-yard line. Shortly after, Roethlisberger connected with Holmes once again, this time in the back corner of the endzone for a touchdown, barely keeping his two toes inside the line. Following a successful extra-point conversion, the Steelers took a 27-23 lead with just 35 seconds left on the clock.
Warner successfully brought the Cardinals to the Steelers’ 44-yard line, preparing for a Hail Mary pass attempt. However, during the play, Steeler linebacker LaMarr Woodley sacked Warner, causing a fumble. Pittsburgh recovered the ball with only five seconds left.
Pittsburgh secured its sixth Super Bowl victory, becoming the first NFL franchise to achieve this, with a single kneel down. The game’s MVP was named as Holmes, who had nine receptions for 131 yards and scored a touchdown. During the game-winning drive, he made four of those receptions for 73 yards.
Super Bowl XLIX, February 1, 2015.
On February 1, 2015, State Farm Stadium hosted Super Bowl XLIX, where the Patriots played against the Seattle Seahawks.
Brady and the Patriots were trying to break a 10-year title dry spell dating back to Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005. The Seahawks, on the other hand, were aiming for their second Super Bowl win in a row following their triumph in Super Bowl XLVIII. If they had been victorious, Seattle would have been the first team to achieve back-to-back wins since the Patriots in 2004.
The game remained tight with only one possession difference until Seattle gained a 10-point advantage in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Brady took charge for the Patriots, guiding them to score 14 points without any response. He connected with wide receiver Danny Amendola for a 4-yard touchdown pass. This drive was marked by a significant moment where Patriots’ wide receiver Julian Edelman suffered a concussion but continued to play despite showing clear signs of a head injury. On the subsequent Patriots’ drive, Brady tossed a 3-yard touchdown pass to Edelman, providing New England with a 28-24 lead, leaving just 2:02 on the clock.
The subsequent drive for Seattle kicked off with a 31-yard pass from their quarterback Russell Wilson to Marshawn Lynch, a running back. Later in the drive, Wilson connected with wide receiver Jermaine Kearse for a 33-yard reception, despite coverage by Patriots’ rookie cornerback, Malcolm Butler. Although Butler managed to deflect the pass, Kearse ingeniously tipped the ball to himself and made the catch while lying on the ground. Butler bounced back and forced Kearse out of bounds.
With 1:05 left in the game, Seattle, stationed at New England’s 5-yard line, handed off the ball to Lynch who gained 4 yards. At the 1-yard line, Wilson tried a passing play to wide receiver Tyler Lockett. However, Butler intercepted the ball at the goal line, returning possession to New England with a mere 20 seconds left on the clock.
The Patriots clinched a 28-26 victory over Seattle, thanks to a few kneel downs, a safety, and a couple of Seattle penalties. Brady secured his place as the third quarterback in NFL history to win four Super Bowls and equaled Joe Montana’s record of three Super Bowl MVPs. The final play by Seattle has drawn widespread criticism from media, fans, and players alike.
What should we anticipate this year?
The kick-off for Super Bowl LVII, featuring the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, is at 4:30 p.m. MST. This is the inaugural Super Bowl since Arizona legalized sports betting, offering fans an additional method to participate in the celebrations.
There are plenty of incentives for fans who want to open sports betting accounts. Arizona sportsbooks are providing over $7,200 in bonuses and promotions for Super Bowl betting.
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