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181-823: Super Bowl XXXII was an American football game played between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion and defending Super Bowl XXXI champion Green Bay Packers and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1997 season . The Broncos defeated the Packers by the score of 31–24. The game was played on January 25, 1998, at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California ,

362-455: A 3 ⁄ 4 vote (21 of 28 owners) in order to win the bidding. If no winner received the necessary votes after three rounds, the fourth round would revert to a simple majority. New Orleans was selected for XXXI, at which time the voting for XXXII commenced. Tampa was eliminated during the first ballot, leaving San Diego and Los Angeles as the two finalists for XXXII. The prospects for Los Angeles suffered after Raiders owner Al Davis left

543-422: A gridiron in appearance. Other major rule changes included a reduction of the field size to 110 by 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (100.6 m × 48.8 m) and the adoption of a scoring system that awarded four points for a touchdown, two for a safety and a goal following a touchdown , and five for a goal from the field . Additionally, tackling below the waist was legalized, and a static line of scrimmage

724-403: A halftime period, and the first and third quarters are followed by a short break. Before the game starts, the referee and each team's captain meet at midfield for a coin toss . The visiting team can call either "heads" or "tails"; the winner of the toss chooses whether to receive or kick off the ball or which goal they wish to defend. They can defer their choice until the second half. Unless

905-466: A post pattern following a fake handoff and a roll out by Elway, but Packers safety Eugene Robinson intercepted Elway's pass in the end zone and returned it to the 15-yard line. On the last play of the quarter after the turnover, Favre completed a 27-yard pass to Freeman to reach the Green Bay 42. Freeman's reception was the start of a four-play, 85-yard drive on four straight pass completions. After

1086-846: A wild-card team and defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars , 42–17, the Kansas City Chiefs , 14–10, and the Pittsburgh Steelers , 24–21, making Denver the fifth wild-card team to make it to the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the Packers were victorious against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers , 21–7, and the San Francisco 49ers , 23–10. The Packers came into the game as 11-point favorites, having compiled a 13–3 record regular-season record compared to

1267-401: A 10-yard-long chain between them, are used to measure for a first down. The chain crew stays on the sidelines during the game, but if requested by the officials they will briefly bring the chains on to the field to measure. A typical chain crew will have at least three people—two members of the chain crew will hold either of the two sticks, while a third will hold the down marker. The down marker,

1448-646: A 12–4 record. They beat the Bengals in the divisional round of the playoffs, but Bo Jackson had his left femur ripped from the socket after a tackle. Without him, the Raiders were crushed in the AFC Championship by the Buffalo Bills 51-3. Jackson was forced to quit football as a result, although surgery allowed him to continue playing baseball until he retired in 1994. The team's fortunes faded after

1629-530: A 24–17 lead. On the ensuing kickoff, Denver fullback Detron Smith ran full speed into the wedge of the Green Bay blockers, forcing Freeman outside, to his left. Freeman fumbled while being tackled by Veland, and cornerback Tim McKyer recovered the ball for the Broncos at the Green Bay 22. In the quarter's closing seconds, Denver immediately tried to capitalize on the turnover by trying a quick-strike touchdown pass, intended for wide receiver Rod Smith as he ran

1810-399: A 25-yard pass interference penalty on Gordon, Favre completed back-to-back passes to Freeman; the first for 17 yards, and the second for a 13-yard touchdown. On the scoring play, Freeman and wide receiver Robert Brooks ran a "criss-cross" pattern, with Freeman on the inside running towards the sidelines. Gordon hesitated as to which receiver to cover, and Favre hit Freeman for the score, tying

1991-544: A 38–9 victory and their third NFL championship. The Raiders had another successful regular season in 1984, finishing 11–5, but a three-game losing streak in late October and early November forced them to enter the playoffs as the second wild card team. They were defeated by the Seahawks in the Wild Card Playoffs, 13–7. The 1985 campaign saw 12 wins and another division title, but the first-seeded Raiders suffered

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2172-461: A 4-yard pass to Levens, but he was stopped in bounds by linebacker John Mobley . The Packers hurried to the line, but even in hurry up mode that 4-yard gain took 22 seconds off the clock before Favre could run another play. On second down, now with only 42 seconds remaining, Favre attempted another pass downfield that hit Freeman in both hands and the chest at the Denver 15, but Freeman could not handle

2353-525: A PAT attempt or successful field goal, the scoring team must kick the ball off to the other team. A safety is scored when the ball carrier is tackled in the carrier's own end zone. Safeties are worth two points, which are awarded to the defense. In addition, the team that conceded the safety must kick the ball to the scoring team via a free kick . Football games are played on a rectangular field that measures 120 yards (110 m) long and 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (48.8 m) wide. Lines marked along

2534-457: A Pro Bowl season for the 6th time in his career with 28 tackles and 8.5 sacks. Defensive end Alfred Williams recorded 36 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery. The linebacking corps was led by veteran Bill Romanowski , who had 55 tackles and 2 sacks, and John Mobley , who led the team with 97 tackles while also recording 4 sacks, a fumble recovery, and an interception. The secondary was led by veteran defensive backs Tyrone Braxton , who led

2715-404: A Pro Bowl season with 280 out of 502 completions for 3,635 yards, 27 touchdowns, and only 11 interceptions. He also rushed for 215 yards and another touchdown. Pro Bowl tight end Shannon Sharpe led the team with 72 receptions for 1,107 yards. Wide receiver Rod Smith , who was not drafted by any NFL team and recorded only 22 receptions for 389 yards and 3 touchdowns in his two previous seasons, had

2896-503: A Super Bowl victory was finally complete. Eighteen years later, Elway, now the general manager for the team, would salute an Alzheimer's-stricken Bowlen in the same fashion after the Broncos won Super Bowl 50 . A remarkable fact about Denver's offensive performance was that, except for two penalties and Elway's kneel-downs to end each half, the Broncos did not lose yardage on any play from scrimmage. Green Bay's Reggie White , Gilbert Brown , LeRoy Butler and others were unable to register

3077-500: A breakout year with 70 receptions for 1,180 yards and 12 touchdowns. Wide receiver Ed McCaffrey , who played in Shanahan's 1994 49ers offense, recorded 45 receptions for 590 yards and 8 touchdowns. Denver's offensive line was led by seven-time Pro Bowl left tackle Gary Zimmerman and Pro Bowl center Tom Nalen . On defense, the major acquisition to the team prior to the season was former Chiefs defensive lineman Neil Smith . Smith had

3258-528: A common draft that would take place each year, and it instituted an annual World Championship game to be played between the champions of each league. This championship game began play at the end of the 1966 season. Once the merger was completed, it was no longer a championship game between two leagues and reverted to the NFL championship game, which came to be known as the Super Bowl . College football maintained

3439-620: A deal to secure land in Carson which was transferred to a joint powers authority in Carson after the 157-acre site was purchased by Carson Holdings, a company set up by the two teams. The league was skeptical of the site due to a poorly drawn structure to apply for local bonds to fund the construction; and preferred the Rams' stadium plan on a site at Hollywood Park in Inglewood (which was privately financed), another proposed stadium site rejected by

3620-598: A feat the Professional Football Researchers Association compared to "selling refrigerators to Eskimos ". Princeton, Harvard, Yale, and Columbia then agreed to intercollegiate play using a form of rugby union rules with a modified scoring system. These schools formed the Intercollegiate Football Association , although Yale did not join until 1879. Yale player Walter Camp , now regarded as

3801-453: A field goal instead. A group of officials, the chain crew, keeps track of both the downs and the distance measurements. On television, a yellow line is electronically superimposed on the field to show the first down line to the viewing audience. There are two categories of kicks in football: scrimmage kicks, which can be executed by the offensive team on any down from behind or on the line of scrimmage, and free kicks. The free kicks are

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3982-482: A fourth three-and-out in a row. Marking four consecutive three-and-out drives to start the second half for the Broncos Defense. The Broncos caught a break during the ensuing punt when cornerback Darrien Gordon mishandled the ball and recovered it at his own 1-yard line before being tackled by Packers running back Chris Darkins . However, Green Bay was forced to replay the punt when long snapper Rob Davis

4163-428: A game between Yale and Princeton, both teams used this strategy to maintain their undefeated records. Each team held the ball, gaining no ground, for an entire half, resulting in a 0–0 tie. This "block game" proved extremely unpopular with both teams' spectators and fans. A rule change was necessary to prevent this strategy from taking hold, and a reversion to the scrum was considered. However, Camp successfully proposed

4344-598: A game for the Allegheny Athletic Association against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club . This is the first recorded instance of a player being paid to participate in a game of American football , although many athletic clubs in the 1880s offered indirect benefits, such as helping players attain employment, giving out trophies or watches that players could pawn for money, or paying double in expense money. Despite these extra benefits,

4525-761: A humiliating 27–20 defeat at the hands of the New England Patriots in the Divisional Playoffs. The Raiders' fortunes declined after the loss to the Patriots in the 1985 playoffs . From 1986 through 1989, they finished no better than 8–8 and posted consecutive losing seasons for the first time since 1961–62. Also, 1986 saw Al Davis get into a widely publicized argument with running back Marcus Allen , whom he accused of faking injuries. The feud continued into 1987, with Davis retaliating by signing Bo Jackson to take Allen's place. However, Jackson

4706-533: A large stick with a dial on it, is flipped after each play to indicate the current down and is typically moved to the approximate spot of the ball. The chain crew system has been used for over 100 years and is considered an accurate measure of distance, rarely subject to criticism from either side. Football is a full-contact sport, and injuries are relatively common. Most injuries occur during training sessions, particularly ones that involve contact between players. To try to prevent injuries, players are required to wear

4887-564: A league-suggested numbering scheme. Although the sport is played almost exclusively by men, women are eligible to play in high school, college, and professional football. No woman has ever played in the NFL, but women have played in high school and college football games. In 2018, 1,100 of the 225,000 players in Pop Warner Little Scholars youth football were girls, and around 11% of the 5.5 million Americans who report playing tackle football are female according to

5068-408: A long circumference of 28 to 28 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (71 to 72 cm), and a short circumference of 21 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (53 to 54 cm). In college and high school play the ball has a long axis of 10 + 7 ⁄ 8 to 11 + 7 ⁄ 16 inches (27.6 to 29.1 cm), a long circumference of 27 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 28 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (70 to 72 cm), and

5249-420: A minimum of 10 feet (3.0 m) on high school fields. Goal posts are padded at the base, and orange ribbons are normally placed at the tip of each upright as indicators of wind strength and direction. The football itself is a prolate spheroid leather ball, similar to the balls used in rugby or Australian rules football . To contain the compressed air within it, a pig's bladder was commonly used before

5430-704: A national champion of college football. The first was the Bowl Coalition , in place from 1992 to 1994. This was replaced in 1995 by the Bowl Alliance , which gave way to the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in 1997. The BCS arrangement proved to be controversial , and was replaced in 2014 by the College Football Playoff (CFP). A football game is played between two teams of 11 players each. Playing with more on

5611-622: A new, more modern stadium away from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the dangerous neighborhood that surrounded it at the time (which caused the NFL to schedule the Raiders' Monday Night Football appearances as away games). In addition to the team having to share the venue with the USC Trojans , the Coliseum was aging and still lacked the luxury suites and other amenities that Davis was promised when he moved

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5792-410: A pass from Favre at the Green Bay 45-yard line. Aided by four runs by Davis for 26 yards, including a 16-yard run on the first play after Braxton's interception, Denver marched 45 yards to score on Elway's 1-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter, taking a 14–7 lead. Elway's touchdown play involved a fake handoff to Davis, who was briefly taken out of the game during the drive because

5973-428: A pass hits the ground without a player having caught it. A forward pass can be legally attempted only if the passer is behind the line of scrimmage; only one forward pass can be attempted per down. As in rugby, players can also pass the ball backwards at any point during a play. In the NFL, a down also ends immediately if the runner's helmet comes off. The offense is given a series of four plays, known as downs . If

6154-419: A powerful block by McCaffrey. A holding penalty on tight end Shannon Sharpe nullified an 8-yard touchdown run by Davis and pushed the Broncos back to the 18-yard line, but then Davis rushed 17 yards to the 1-yard line, and the Broncos called a time-out. This left the Broncos facing 2nd-and-goal with 1:47 left on the clock. Green Bay had two time-outs remaining. Packers coach Mike Holmgren told his team to let

6335-427: A quarter ends, play continues until the down is completed. If certain fouls are committed during play while time has expired, the quarter may be extended through an untimed down . Games last longer than their defined length due to play stoppages—the average NFL game lasts slightly over three hours. Time in a football game is measured by the game clock. An operator is responsible for starting, stopping and operating

6516-414: A round ball that could not be picked up or carried. It could, however, be kicked or batted with the feet, hands, head, or sides, with the objective being to advance it into the opponent's goal. Rutgers won the game 6–4. Collegiate play continued for several years with games played using the rules of the host school. Representatives of Yale, Columbia , Princeton and Rutgers met on October 19, 1873, to create

6697-422: A rule in 1882 that limited each team to three downs , or tackles, to advance the ball 5 yards (4.6 m). Failure to advance the ball the required distance within those three downs would result in control of the ball being forfeited to the other team. This change effectively made American football a separate sport from rugby, and the resulting five-yard lines added to the field to measure distances made it resemble

6878-411: A sack against the Broncos' front line. Elway completed 12 out of 22 passes for 123 yards, with 1 interception. He became the sixth player to score touchdowns in three different Super Bowls, joining Lynn Swann , Franco Harris , Thurman Thomas , Jerry Rice , and Emmitt Smith . He was also the Broncos' second-leading rusher behind Davis, with 17 yards and a touchdown on 5 carries. Terrell Davis became

7059-595: A second jury ruled in favor of Davis and the Los Angeles Coliseum, clearing the way for the move. The Raiders finally relocated to Los Angeles for the 1982 season , playing their home games at the Los Angeles Coliseum. In the strike-shortened 1982 season, the team finished first in the AFC with an 8–1 record. They defeated the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the playoffs before losing to

7240-436: A secondary signal. Women can serve as officials; Sarah Thomas became the NFL's first female official in 2015. The seven officials (of a standard seven-man crew; lower levels of play up to the college level use fewer officials) on the field are each tasked with a different set of responsibilities: Another set of officials, the chain crew , are responsible for moving the chains. The chains, consisting of two large sticks with

7421-621: A set of equipment. At a minimum players must wear a football helmet and a set of shoulder pads , but individual leagues may require additional padding such as thigh pads and guards, knee pads, chest protectors, and mouthguards . Most injuries occur in the lower extremities, particularly in the knee, but a significant number also affect the upper extremities. The most common types of injuries are strains , sprains , bruises , fractures , dislocations , and concussions . Los Angeles Raiders The team's first home game in Los Angeles

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7602-410: A short circumference of 20 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (53 to 54 cm). Football games last for a total of 60 minutes in professional and college play and are divided into two halves of 30 minutes and four quarters of 15 minutes. High school football games are 48 minutes in length with two halves of 24 minutes and four quarters of 12 minutes. The two halves are separated by

7783-493: A short pass over the middle intended to tight end Mark Chmura, but Mobley broke it up, forcing three consecutive incomplete passes, and giving the ball back to the Broncos and cementing their first-ever Super Bowl victory. During the post-game victory celebration, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen held the Vince Lombardi Trophy in the air and said, "This one's for John," referring to the fact that Elway's long quest for

7964-456: A standard set of rules for use by all schools. Teams were set at 20 players each, and fields of 400 by 250 feet (122 m × 76 m) were specified. Harvard abstained from the conference, as they favored a rugby-style game that allowed running with the ball. After playing McGill University using both American (known as "the Boston game ") for the first game and Canadian (rugby) rules for

8145-536: A strong amount of Raider fans in Southern California still remain despite professional football having vacated the region for 20 seasons. Despite any cancelled plans of a return to Southern California, numerous Raiders fans are typically present during their annual matchup against the Chargers as well as games against the Rams at SoFi Stadium , Southern Californian fans are also regularly known to make

8326-438: A total of 48 points (8 touchdowns) during the postseason, an NFL record. Denver's defense limited Green Bay to only 10 points in the second half, despite Green Bay having nine possessions in the second half. The Packers' first four possessions of the second half were all 3-and-out's. Their fifth possession of the second half resulted in a lost fumble by their kick return team, the sixth possession resulted in an 85-yard drive and

8507-615: A touchdown, the seventh ended in four plays and a punt, the eighth resulted in another 3-and-out, and the ninth and final possession ended on a fourth down stop. Levens was Green Bay's leading rusher with 90 rushing yards and was their second-leading receiver with 56 yards on 6 receptions. Both Freeman and Favre had outstanding performances for the second Super Bowl game in a row. Favre completed 25 out of 42 passes for 256 yards and 3 touchdowns, with 1 interception. Freeman caught 9 passes for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns, and also gained another 104 yards on 6 kickoff returns, giving him 230 total yards,

8688-405: A touchdown. On special teams, receiver Bill Schroeder led the team with 33 punt returns for 342 yards, while also gaining 562 yards on 24 kickoff returns. On the Packers' defense, the line was led by veteran Pro Bowl selection Reggie White , who led the team with 11 sacks. Behind him, Santana Dotson recorded 37 tackles and 5.5 sacks. In the secondary, Pro Bowl defensive back LeRoy Butler led

8869-449: A tradition of postseason bowl games . Each bowl game was associated with a particular conference and earning a spot in a bowl game was the reward for winning a conference. This arrangement was profitable, but it tended to prevent the two top-ranked teams from meeting in a true national championship game, as they would normally be committed to the bowl games of their respective conferences. Several systems have been used since 1992 to determine

9050-425: Is called on the offense. There are two main ways the offense can advance the ball: running and passing . In a typical play, the center passes the ball backwards and between their legs to the quarterback in a process known as the snap . The quarterback then either hands the ball off to a running back, throws the ball, or runs with it. The play ends when the player with the ball is tackled or goes out-of-bounds or

9231-437: Is caught or recovered behind the line of scrimmage. If it is touched or recovered by the kicking team beyond this line, it becomes dead at the spot where it was touched. The kicking team is prohibited from interfering with the receiver's opportunity to catch the ball. The receiving team has the option of signaling for a fair catch , which prohibits the defense from blocking into or tackling the receiver. The play ends as soon as

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9412-403: Is known as a two-point conversion . In general, the extra point is almost always successful, while the two-point conversion is a much riskier play with a higher probability of failure; accordingly, extra point attempts are far more common than two-point conversion attempts. A field goal (FG), worth three points, is scored when the ball is place kicked or drop kicked through the uprights and over

9593-407: Is responsible for all kicking plays. The special teams unit of the team in control of the ball tries to execute field goal (FG) attempts, punts , and kickoffs , while the opposing team's unit will aim to block or return them. Three positions are specific to the field goal and PAT (point-after-touchdown) unit: the placekicker (K or PK), holder (H), and long snapper (LS). The long snapper's job

9774-421: Is to block members of the defensive line from tackling the ball carrier on running plays or sacking the quarterback on passing plays. The leader of the offensive line is the center, who is responsible for snapping the ball to the quarterback, blocking, and for making sure that the other linemen do their jobs during the play. On either side of the center are the guards (G), while tackles (T) line up outside

9955-437: Is to snap the football to the holder, who will catch and position it for the placekicker. There is not usually a holder on kickoffs, because the ball is kicked off a tee; however, a holder may be used in certain situations, such as if wind is preventing the ball from remaining upright on the tee. The player on the receiving team who catches the ball is known as the kickoff returner (KR). The positions specific to punt plays are

10136-607: The 1958 NFL Championship game between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants , still referred to as the "Greatest Game Ever Played". The game, a 23–17 overtime victory by the Colts, was seen by millions of television viewers and had a major influence on the popularity of the sport. This, along with the innovations introduced by the new American Football League (AFL) in the early 1960s, helped football to become

10317-500: The 1989 season with a 1–3 record, Shanahan was fired by Davis, which began a long-standing feud between the two. He was replaced by former Raider offensive lineman Art Shell , who had been voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame earlier in the year. With the hiring, Shell became the first African American head coach in the modern NFL era, but the team still finished a middling 8–8. In 1990 , Shell led Los Angeles to

10498-499: The 1991 AFC Championship Game , but they lost in a defensive struggle to the Buffalo Bills , 10–7. The team's fortunes changed when Mike Shanahan became head coach of the Broncos in 1995 . Shanahan was previously Denver's offensive coordinator during Super Bowl XXI and XXII losses but was fired in 1991 after a power struggle between him and then-head coach Dan Reeves over the offensive personnel. Shanahan then served as

10679-658: The Los Angeles Raiders ' win in Super Bowl XVIII after the 1983 season ). The Broncos, who entered the game after posting a 12–4 regular-season record in 1997, became just the second wild card team to win a Super Bowl and the first since the Raiders in Super Bowl XV . The Packers, who entered the game as the defending Super Bowl XXXI champions after posting a 13–3 regular-season record, were

10860-688: The New York Jets in the second round. The following season, the team compiled a 12–4 record and a first-place finish in the AFC West . in the playoffs , they convincingly defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Divisional Playoffs and Seattle Seahawks in the AFC Championship Game to advance to Super Bowl XVIII against the Washington Commanders . The Raiders built a 21–3 halftime lead over Washington en route to

11041-597: The San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX ). The Broncos responded with a 10-play, 58-yard drive on their first possession of the game. Broncos running back Vaughn Hebron returned the ensuing kickoff 32 yards to their own 42-yard line. Denver then drove to the Green Bay 46-yard line. The Green Bay defense did not allow any more yards on the first two plays, but on 3rd-and-10, a holding penalty on Packers cornerback Doug Evans nullified quarterback John Elway 's incomplete pass to wide receiver Willie Green and gave

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11222-459: The Super Bowl lead-out program , NBC broadcast an hour-long episode of 3rd Rock from the Sun , "36! 24! 36! Dick". As a transition from the network's live Super Bowl coverage and the program, Gumbel played himself attempting to close the postgame show before he was "attacked" by show star John Lithgow . NBC's Denver affiliate KUSA instead broadcast its own 30-minute local postgame show before airing

11403-468: The Superdome ( XII and XXIV ). Four cities entered the bidding for the two games: New Orleans ( Superdome ), San Diego ( Jack Murphy Stadium ), Los Angeles / Pasadena ( Rose Bowl ), and Tampa ( Tampa Stadium ). The New Orleans representatives bid only on XXXI, Los Angeles only bid on XXXII, while San Diego and Tampa made themselves available for both games. Rules required a candidate to receive

11584-766: The U.S. national anthem . To honor the 10th anniversary of the Washington Redskins ' win in Super Bowl XXII , the only other previous Super Bowl played in San Diego, the game's MVP, Doug Williams , and former head coach Joe Gibbs participated during the coin toss ceremony. They were joined by the recently retired, longtime college football head coach Eddie Robinson , who ran the Grambling State University Tigers football team from 1942 until 1997. The halftime show

11765-490: The gangsta rap group N.W.A. , wearing Raiders gear. Chuck D wears Raiders colours on the cover of Public Enemy 's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back , despite being a New York Jets fan. "Everyone liked the Raiders," he explained, "because they wore black and silver." This period – chronicled by the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary Straight Outta L.A. – is considered the beginnings of Raider Nation . Today,

11946-411: The kickoff , which starts the first and third quarters and overtime and follows a try attempt or a successful field goal; the safety kick follows a safety. On a kickoff, the ball is placed at the 35-yard line of the kicking team in professional and college play and at the 40-yard line in high school play. The ball may be drop kicked or place kicked. If a place kick is chosen, the ball can be placed on

12127-407: The punter (P), long snapper, upback , and gunner . The long snapper snaps the football directly to the punter, who then drops and kicks it before it hits the ground. Gunners line up split outside the line and race down the field, aiming to tackle the punt returner (PR)—the player who catches the punt. Upbacks line up a short distance behind the line of scrimmage, providing additional protection to

12308-567: The " Orange Crush " uniforms they previously wore in three of their four Super Bowl losses. The Packers wore their customary road white uniforms with gold pants. Both teams wore the Super Bowl XXXII logo on the left breast of their jersey. The Super Bowl logo was previously worn in Super Bowl XXV to commemorate the game's silver anniversary. All future Super Bowls contestants would wear the game's logo on their jerseys. The game

12489-471: The "Father of American Football", secured rule changes in 1880 that reduced the size of each team from 15 to 11 players and instituted the snap to replace the chaotic and inconsistent scrum . While the game between Rutgers and Princeton is commonly considered the first American football game, several years prior in 1862, the Oneida Football Club formed as the oldest known football club in

12670-520: The "Father of American Football", established the snap , the line of scrimmage , eleven-player teams, and the concept of downs. Later rule changes legalized the forward pass , created the neutral zone , and specified the size and shape of the football. The sport is closely related to Canadian football , which evolved in parallel with and at the same time as the American game, although its rules were developed independently from those of Camp. Most of

12851-474: The $ 10 million from the city's bid, but later declined any future proposals for the site. On June 23, 1995, Davis signed a letter of intent to move the Raiders back to Oakland. The move was approved by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors the next month, as well as by the NFL. The move was greeted with much fanfare, and under new head coach Mike White . Hollywood Park would later become

13032-404: The 12-yard line, Elway scrambled for an 8-yard run and dove for the first down, a play in which he was hit so hard by three Packers defenders that he spun sideways in mid-air. This run was later referred to as "The Helicopter," and what many consider as Elway's career-defining moment and the defining moment of the game. Two plays later, Davis scored on another 1-yard touchdown run, giving the Broncos

13213-484: The 1998 season. During the game, NBC (partnering with Silicon Graphics Inc.) included real-time 3D computer graphics on SGI's Onyx2 computers to display a model of Qualcomm Stadium and simulating real-time animation of things such as receiver patterns and yards after the catch; along with a second model known as "Football Guy" which allowed viewers to see defensive players from the quarterback's vantage point, with those replays handled by Randy Cross . This broadcast

13394-471: The 9-yard line, forcing Green Bay to settle for a 27-yard field goal by Longwell, tying the game at 17–17. Denver's offense stalled once more on their next possession, resulting in a punt, but their defense forced another three-and-out for the third straight time. However, on the ensuing punt, Broncos defensive back Tony Veland was called for an offsides penalty, giving the Packers another new set of downs near midfield. The Broncos then forced another punt with

13575-542: The AFL New York Jets signed rookie Joe Namath to a then-record $ 437,000 contract (equivalent to $ 4.23 million in 2023). A five-year, $ 40 million NBC television contract followed, which helped to sustain the young league. The bidding war for players ended in 1966 when NFL owners approached the AFL regarding a merger, and the two leagues agreed on one that took full effect in 1970. This agreement provided for

13756-443: The Broncos a new set of downs down. On the next play, running back Terrell Davis ran the ball 27 yards to the Green Bay 14 (his longest run of the game). Then after a 2-yard run by Davis, Elway scrambled 10 yards to set up 1st-and-goal at the 2-yard line. Two plays later, Davis capped off the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to tie the game. On the second play of the Packers' next possession, Broncos safety Tyrone Braxton intercepted

13937-448: The Broncos never had the ability to rush well enough or score enough points to be competitive. Denver had been defeated by a large margin in each one, losing all four by a combined scoring margin of 163–50. The previous three Super Bowl losses were under starting quarterback John Elway , whose ad-libbing skills enabled the Broncos to advance to the league's championship game in a span of three out of four seasons. Elway also led his team to

14118-454: The Broncos score to maximize the time the Packers would have on the clock for a potential game-tying drive. He admitted later that he had thought that it was 1st-and-goal rather than 2nd-and-goal, a crucial distinction in clock-management decision-making on the play. Davis then scored his third rushing touchdown, with 1:45 remaining in regulation. The Broncos now had a one-touchdown lead, 31–24. The Packers still had one more chance to either tie

14299-500: The Broncos' 12–4 and coming in as defending Super Bowl champions after winning Super Bowl XXXI 35–21 over the New England Patriots . Furthermore, the Packers had easily crushed their two playoff opponents, while the Broncos had barely edged out their final two postseason victories by a margin of one score. As the designated home team in the annual rotation between AFC and NFC teams, the Broncos chose to wear their newly unveiled home navy uniforms with white pants. The uniforms replaced

14480-407: The Broncos' offense on the ensuing possession just outside of field goal range, forcing a punt and giving Green Bay a first down at their own 10-yard line with 5:25 remaining in the game and a chance at a game-winning drive with Favre at the helm. But with the game in the balance, the Broncos' defense forced a fifth critical three-and-out in the second half. Hentrich then punted the ball 39 yards to

14661-488: The Carson City Council bypassed the option to put the stadium to public vote and approved the plan 3–0. The council voted without having clarified several issues, including who would finance the stadium, how the required three-way land swap would be performed, and how it would raise enough revenue if only one team moved in as tenant. On May 19, 2015, the Chargers and Raiders announced that they had finalized

14842-603: The Carson site, with Jerry Jones even making a wise crack about Bob Iger. The committee set up by the league initially recommended the Carson Site, but the Chargers and Raiders were unable to secure the votes they needed to move. After hours of debate, the NFL owners voted to allow the St. Louis Rams to move back to Los Angeles after a two decade long absence on January 12, 2016, with the San Diego Chargers having

15023-418: The Denver 48-yard line with a 22-yard screen pass to Levens, leaving them in Broncos territory with 1:30 remaining in regulation and two time-outs. But following the first pass, rather than use a time-out, the Packers hurried to the line of scrimmage and ran a second consecutive screen pass to Levens. The pass was complete, but Levens was stopped for no gain. The play burned 19 seconds off the game clock, forcing

15204-582: The FCS and 85 scholarship players in the FBS, respectively. Individual players in a football game must be designated with a uniform number between 1 and 99, though some teams may "retire" certain numbers , making them unavailable to players. NFL teams are required to number their players by a league-approved numbering system, and any exceptions must be approved by the commissioner . NCAA and NFHS teams are "strongly advised" to number their offensive players according to

15385-418: The Packers to take their second time-out. On the next play, Favre completed another pass to Levens, who picked up 13 yards and was able to run out of bounds, stopping the clock. With 1:04 left in the game, the Packers had a first down at the Broncos' 35-yard line with one time-out still remaining. The Broncos' defense would stop the Packers on all four down the next four plays: On first down, Favre completed

15566-400: The Packers' 49-yard line, giving Denver a chance for a potential game-winning drive with only 3:27 left in the game. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Packers defensive tackle Darius Holland committed a 15-yard face-mask penalty while tackling Davis on a 2-yard run, moving the ball to the 32-yard line. Two plays later, Elway completed a 23-yard pass to fullback Howard Griffith , aided by

15747-512: The Raiders get at least one game in Los Angeles each season playing the Los Angeles Chargers . The Raiders’ time in Los Angeles had a large cultural impact on both the Raiders brand and Los Angeles. During this time, there was an explosion of popularity in both the team and the Raiders brand, as L.A. is America's second-largest media market. The team's early success was coupled with brand exposure by Hollywood celebrities, notably

15928-496: The Raiders in 1987, plans continuously failed to materialize as the team looked to convert land formerly operated by a quarry as a candidate for a stadium site. City officials in Irwindale offered Davis a $ 10 million deposit as an incentive to consider the site. Despite a further $ 10 million being invested by the city into environmental surveys, legal fees, and approvals for usage of the land. For conflicted reasons, Davis accepted

16109-529: The Raiders in 1995. In response, Jerry Richardson , then owner of the Carolina Panthers , who supported the plan, convinced Chargers owner Dean Spanos to recruit Bob Iger , the then CEO of The Walt Disney Company . Iger was appointed non-executive chairman of the Carson stadium project. On January 4, 2016, the Raiders filed for relocation alongside the Chargers and Rams. Despite the sales pitch from Bob Iger, many owners held reservations about

16290-437: The Raiders to Los Angeles. Finally, the Coliseum had 100,000 seats and was rarely able to fill all of them, and so most Raiders home games were blacked out on television. In August 1987, it was announced that the city of Irwindale paid Davis $ 10 million as a good-faith deposit for a prospective stadium site, though Davis later kept the deposit despite the bid being abandoned by the team. During this time Davis also almost moved

16471-456: The Sports and Fitness Industry Association. The role of the offensive unit is to advance the football down the field with the ultimate goal of scoring a touchdown . The offensive team must line up in a legal formation before they can snap the ball. An offensive formation is considered illegal if there are more than four players in the backfield or fewer than five players numbered 50–79 on

16652-542: The Super Bowl aired on the Global Television Network . CTV had aired NFL football since 1970 and the Super Bowl since 1982 ( Super Bowl XVI ). It was also the final NFL game for GMA Network in the Philippines until the 2006 season ; GMA had aired NFL football since 1986 and the Super Bowl since Super Bowl XXI in 1987. The Super Bowl was broadcast on ABC 5 , also from 1999 until 2006. It

16833-586: The United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia. American football evolved from the sports of rugby and soccer . Rugby, like American football, is a sport in which two competing teams vie for control of a ball, which can be kicked through a set of goalposts or run into the opponent's goal area to score points. What is considered to be the first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 , between Rutgers and Princeton , two college teams. They consisted of 25 players per team and used

17014-468: The United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football , is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense , the team with possession of the oval-shaped football , attempts to advance down the field by running with the ball or throwing it , while the defense , the team without possession of the ball, aims to stop

17195-455: The United States. The team consisted of graduates of Boston's elite preparatory schools and played from 1862 to 1865. The introduction of the snap resulted in an unexpected consequence. Before the snap, the strategy had been to punt if a scrum resulted in bad field position. However, a group of Princeton players realized that, as the snap was uncontested, they could now hold the ball indefinitely to prevent their opponent from scoring. In 1881, in

17376-554: The United States: official time was kept on a scoreboard clock rather than on a watch in the referee's pocket, as the NFL did; optional two-point conversions by pass or run after touchdowns; names on the jerseys of players; and several others, including expansion of the role of minority players, actively recruited by the league in contrast to the NFL. The AFL also signed several star college players who had also been drafted by NFL teams. Competition for players heated up in 1965, when

17557-460: The advent of artificial rubber inside the leather outer shell to sustain crushing forces . At all levels of play, the football is inflated to 12 + 1 ⁄ 2 to 13 + 1 ⁄ 2  psi (86 to 93 kPa), or just under one atmosphere, and weighs 14 to 15 ounces (400 to 430 g); beyond that, the exact dimensions vary slightly. In professional play the ball has a long axis of 11 to 11 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (28 to 29 cm),

17738-399: The ball because Broncos cornerback Darian Gordon ripped on Freeman's right arm at the last second just as he was trying to catch the pass. The incomplete pass stopped the clock, but left the Packers with 3rd-and-6 and now only 37 seconds remaining. On third down, Favre then threw a pass intended for Brooks, covered by cornerback Randy Hilliard , but both took a hard hit by Atwater, and the pass

17919-435: The ball is caught, and the ball may not be advanced. Officials are responsible for enforcing game rules and monitoring the clock. All officials carry a whistle and wear black-and-white striped shirts and black hats except for the referee, whose hat is white. Each carries a weighted yellow flag that is thrown to the ground to signal that a foul has been called. An official who spots multiple fouls will throw their hat as

18100-478: The ball off, throws it, or runs with it. The primary role of the halfback, also known as the running back or tailback, is to carry the ball on running plays. Halfbacks may also serve as receivers. Fullbacks tend to be larger than halfbacks and function primarily as blockers, but they are sometimes used as runners in short-yardage or goal-line situations. They are seldom used as receivers. The offensive line (OL) consists of several players whose primary function

18281-560: The ball on three consecutive plays, gaining 27 yards to advance to the Denver 35-yard line. Favre finished the drive with two completions to Freeman: the first one for 13 yards, and the second for a 22-yard touchdown to give the Packers an early 7–0 lead (the Packers were the third team to take the opening kickoff down the field and score a touchdown on that drive; the other two were the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VIII and

18462-467: The ball through the opponent's goalposts for a field goal . The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. American football evolved in the United States, originating from the sports of soccer and rugby . The first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 , between two college teams, Rutgers and Princeton , using rules based on the rules of soccer at the time. A set of rule changes drawn up from 1880 onward by Walter Camp ,

18643-413: The crossbars of the defense's goalposts. In practice, almost all field goal attempts are done via place kick. While drop kicks were common in the early days of the sport, the shape of modern footballs makes it difficult to reliably drop kick the ball. The last successful scoring play by drop kick in the NFL was accomplished in 2006; prior to that, the last successful drop kick had been made in 1941. After

18824-399: The defense is to prevent the offense from scoring by tackling the ball carrier or by forcing turnovers . Turnovers include interceptions (a defender catching a forward pass intended for the offense) and forced fumbles (taking possession of the ball from the ball-carrier). The defensive line (DL) consists of defensive ends (DE) and defensive tackles (DT). Defensive ends line up on

19005-430: The defensive backfield. They are divided into two types: middle linebackers (MLB) and outside linebackers (OLB). Linebackers tend to serve as the defensive leaders and call the defensive plays, given their vantage point of the offensive backfield. Their roles include defending the run, pressuring the quarterback, and tackling backs, wide receivers, and tight ends in the passing game. The defensive backfield , often called

19186-472: The ends and sides of the field are known as the end lines and sidelines . Goal lines are marked 10 yards (9.1 m) inward from each end line. Weighted pylons are placed the sidelines on the inside corner of the intersections with the goal lines and end lines. White markings on the field identify the distance from the end zone. Inbound lines, or hash marks , are short parallel lines that mark off 1-yard (0.91 m) increments. Yard lines , which can run

19367-404: The ends of the line, while defensive tackles line up inside, between the defensive ends. The primary responsibilities of defensive ends and defensive tackles are to stop running plays on the outside and inside, respectively, to pressure the quarterback on passing plays, and to occupy the line so that the linebackers can break through. Linebackers line up behind the defensive line but in front of

19548-630: The episode. This was the last time Channel 4 in the United Kingdom showed the Super Bowl – and their last NFL coverage until 2010 – after they had been showing the event since 1983 ( Super Bowl XVII ). Only Sky Sports showed it live until Channel 5 joined them in 2003 ( Super Bowl XXXVII ). It also marked the last Super Bowl until 2007 for CTV in Canada after airing the NFL and the event since Super Bowl XVI (the lead out program rights were held by new rightsholder Global); from 1999 to 2006

19729-561: The features that distinguish American football from rugby and soccer are also present in Canadian football. The two sports are considered the primary variants of gridiron football . American football is the most popular sport in the United States in terms of broadcast viewership audience. The most popular forms of the game are professional and college football , with the other major levels being high-school and youth football. As of 2022 , nearly 1.04 million high-school athletes play

19910-468: The field is punishable by a penalty. Teams may substitute any number of their players between downs; this "platoon" system replaced the original system, which featured limited substitution rules, and has resulted in teams utilizing specialized offensive, defensive and special teams units. The number of players allowed on an active roster varies by league; the NFL has a 53-man roster, while NCAA Division I allows teams to have 63 scholarship players in

20091-454: The field was shortened to 100 yards (91 m) long, two 10-yard-long (9.1 m) end zones were created, and teams were given four downs instead of three to advance the ball 10 yards (9.1 m). The roughing the passer penalty was implemented in 1914, and eligible players were first allowed to catch the ball anywhere on the field in 1918. On November 12, 1892, Pudge Heffelfinger was paid $ 500 (equivalent to $ 16,956 in 2023) to play

20272-479: The first player ever to win the NFL MVP award three times, winning it for the third consecutive year (Favre was named co-MVP in 1997 with Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders ). Favre led the league with 35 passing touchdowns and completed 304 out of 513 attempts for 3,867 yards, with 16 interceptions, while ranking second on the team in rushing with 187 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver Antonio Freeman led

20453-602: The first team favored to win by double digits to lose a Super Bowl since the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV . The game was close throughout much of the contest. The Broncos converted two turnovers to take a 17–7 lead in the second quarter before the Packers cut the score to 17–14 at halftime. Green Bay kept pace with Denver in the second half, before tying the game with 13:31 remaining. Both defenses stiffened until Broncos running back Terrell Davis scored

20634-629: The formation of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States, later renamed the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The legal forward pass was introduced in 1906, although its effect was initially minimal due to the restrictions placed on its use. The idea of a 40-yard-wider field was opposed by Harvard due to the size of the new Harvard Stadium . Other rule changes introduced that year included

20815-607: The fourth vote. The Packers entered the 1997 season coming off of their win in Super Bowl XXXI . They then repeated as NFC Central division champions, earning a 13–3 regular-season record. Green Bay's offense ranked 2nd in the league in points scored (only behind their eventual Super Bowl opponent, the Broncos) and 4th in yards gained, while their defense respectively ranked 5th and 7th in those two categories. Quarterback Brett Favre had another Pro Bowl season and became

20996-432: The fumble on the Green Bay 33-yard line. Despite being unable to get a first down, Denver nonetheless capitalized on the turnover when kicker Jason Elam kicked a 51-yard field goal, the second-longest in Super Bowl history, to increase their lead to 17–7. Both teams exchanged punts on their next possessions, and Denver safety Dedrick Dodge downed punter Tom Rouen 's 47-yard kick at Green Bay's 5-yard line with 7:38 left in

21177-416: The game before the end of regulation and send the contest into overtime, or go for a two-point conversion for the win. Shanahan famously instructed his defensive coordinators to keep playing the same blitzing defense they had done throughout the game, instead of playing prevent defense . Freeman returned the Broncos' kickoff 22 yards to the 30-yard line. On the first play of the drive, the Packers advanced to

21358-419: The game clock based on the direction of the appropriate official . A separate play clock is used to show the amount of time within which the offense must initiate a play. The play clock is set to 25 seconds after certain administrative stoppages in play and to 40 seconds when play is proceeding without such stoppages. If the offense fails to start a play before the play clock reads "00", a delay of game foul

21539-409: The game had a strict sense of amateurism at the time, and direct payment to players was frowned upon, if not prohibited outright. Over time, professional play became increasingly common, and with it came rising salaries and unpredictable player movement, as well as the illegal payment of college players who were still in school. The National Football League (NFL), a group of professional teams that

21720-404: The game once again, this time at 24–24. After the ensuing kickoff, the Packers forced Denver's offense to punt. With a short punt of only 33 yards, the Packers took possession with good field position, having 1st-and-10 at their own 48-yard line. On 3rd-and-8 from the Denver 39, Favre dropped back to pass and Denver's defense blitzed, leaving Brooks to face one-on-one coverage deep. Favre attempted

21901-540: The go-ahead touchdown with 1:45 left. Despite suffering a migraine headache that caused him to miss most of the second quarter, Davis was named Super Bowl MVP . He ran for 157 yards, caught two passes for 8 yards, and scored a Super Bowl record three rushing touchdowns. As of 2024, Davis remains the most recent running back to be named Super Bowl MVP. NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl XXXII to San Diego during their October 26, 1993, meeting in Chicago . The bidding process

22082-443: The ground or a tee; a holder may be used in either case. On a safety kick, the kicking team kicks the ball from their own 20-yard line. They can punt, drop kick or place kick the ball, but a tee may not be used in professional play. Any member of the receiving team may catch or advance the ball. The ball may be recovered by the kicking team once it has gone at least ten yards and has touched the ground or has been touched by any member of

22263-434: The guards. The principal receivers are the wide receivers (WR) and the tight ends (TE). Wide receivers line up on or near the line of scrimmage, split outside the line. The main goal of the wide receiver is to catch passes thrown by the quarterback, but they may also function as decoys or as blockers during running plays. Tight ends line up outside the tackles and function both as receivers and as blockers. The role of

22444-457: The half, cutting their deficit to 17–14. On the first play after the second half kickoff, Davis fumbled the ball while surrounded by several Packers defenders and cornerback Tyrone Williams recovered the ball for Green Bay, giving them good field position at the Denver 26-yard line. The Broncos' defense forced a three-and-out, but as Packers kicker Ryan Longwell successfully kicked a 39-yard field goal on 4th-and-4, defensive end Alfred Williams

22625-399: The half. But the Packers stormed down the field on their ensuing drive, marching 95 yards in 17 plays, which featured two completions from Favre to tight end Mark Chmura for 32 yards (the first one being a 21-yard catch on 3rd-and-10 from his own 5-yard line), as well as three runs by Levens for 26 yards. The drive ended with Favre's 6-yard touchdown pass to Chmura with just 12 seconds left in

22806-549: The home of the UCLA Bruins football team, opened in 1997, and been guaranteed at least two Super Bowls . Al Davis balked and refused the deal over a stipulation that he would have had to accept a second NFL team at the stadium as soon as 1998. The team had also reconsidered the site adjacent to Interstate 210 's junction with Interstate 605 in Irwindale, California , 18 miles east of Los Angeles. Originally sought by

22987-535: The league's best offense with 5,872 total yards and led the league in total points scored with 472. Although they recorded a 12–4 regular-season record, they finished in second place behind the 13–3 Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West . Davis, a Pro Bowl selection, remained the team's leading rusher, recording 1,750 yards and 15 touchdowns (first in the AFC and second in the NFL behind only co-league MVP Barry Sanders 's 2,053 rushing yards), while also catching 42 passes for 287 yards. At 37 years old, Elway still posted

23168-494: The line and try to hand him the ball. Despite his blurred vision, Davis perfectly executed the play, drawing the Green Bay defense into the middle of the line as Elway rushed to the right and into the end zone completely untouched. By halftime, Davis had taken migraine medication, and his vision had returned to normal, allowing him to play the rest of the game. On the Packers' ensuing possession, Broncos safety Steve Atwater strip-sacked Favre, and defensive end Neil Smith recovered

23349-424: The loss. They made two other playoff appearances during the 1990s, and finished higher than third place only three times. In 1991, they got into the postseason as a wild card after a 9–7 regular season, but fell to Kansas City. 1992 saw them drop to 7–9. This period was marked by the injury of Jackson in 1991, the failure of troubled quarterback Todd Marinovich , the acrimonious departure of Marcus Allen in 1993, and

23530-465: The meeting before the presentation. San Diego representatives, meanwhile promised to add 12,000 temporary seats to Jack Murphy Stadium to counter the Rose Bowl's capacity advantage. In addition, since San Diego had not hosted the Super Bowl in a decade, and Pasadena had just hosted one nine months earlier, owners tipped towards San Diego. After two deadlocked rounds, San Diego won by simple majority on

23711-506: The most popular sport in the United States by the mid-1960s. The rival AFL arose in 1960 and challenged the NFL's dominance. The AFL began in relative obscurity but eventually thrived, with an initial television contract with the ABC television network. The AFL's existence forced the conservative NFL to expand to Dallas and Minnesota in an attempt to destroy the new league. Meanwhile, the AFL introduced many new features to professional football in

23892-429: The offense advances ten or more yards in the four downs, they are awarded a new set of four downs. If they fail to advance ten yards, possession of the football is turned over to the defense. In most situations, if the offense reaches their fourth down they will punt the ball to the other team, which forces them to begin their drive from farther down the field; if they are in field goal range , they might attempt to score

24073-410: The offense's advance and to take control of the ball for themselves. The offense must advance the ball at least ten yards in four downs or plays; if they fail, they turn over the football to the defense, but if they succeed, they are given a new set of four downs to continue the drive . Points are scored primarily by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone for a touchdown or kicking

24254-558: The offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers from 1992 to 1994 , including the 49ers' Super Bowl XXIX win. Under Shanahan, the San Francisco offense ranked first in the league in total yards gained for all three of his seasons there. When Shanahan returned to the Broncos in 1995, he selected running back Terrell Davis in the 6th round of the NFL draft . Davis became the cornerstone of Denver's rebuilt running game, leading

24435-429: The offensive line. Players can line up temporarily in a position whose eligibility is different from what their number permits as long as they report the change immediately to the referee, who then informs the defensive team of the change. Neither team's players, except the center (C), are allowed to line up in or cross the neutral zone until the ball is snapped. Interior offensive linemen are not allowed to move until

24616-498: The only player to rush for three touchdowns in a Super Bowl, and the only non-San Francisco 49er to score three touchdowns in a Super Bowl; Roger Craig , Jerry Rice , and Ricky Watters were the only other players to do so. Rice had 3 touchdown catches in two different Super Bowls. This feat has only been accomplished one time since Davis, by James White in Super Bowl LI . Davis's three touchdowns in this Super Bowl gave him

24797-426: The onset of a migraine headache, which was caused by an unintentional trip by defensive tackle Santana Dotson , had severely impaired his vision. But head coach Mike Shanahan decided to send him into the game for the third-down play, believing that the Packers would not be fooled by a fake handoff without Davis on the field. Davis later said his vision was so impaired that he was afraid Elway would call an audible at

24978-470: The option to join them within a year. It was still possible, however, for the Raiders to move as they could have moved into the Rams' new stadium in Inglewood with the Rams if the Chargers opted to stay in San Diego. On January 12, 2017, the Chargers opted to join the Rams in Los Angeles, thereby closing the door on the return of the Raiders to the city. Although with an AFC West rival playing in Los Angeles,

25159-419: The pass to a seemingly wide-open Brooks at the Denver 16-yard line, but Atwater knocked the pass away at the last second, leaving the Packers just outside of field goal range and forcing another punt. The Broncos took over at their own 18 yard line and drove to the Packers 39 yard line. And despite being tired and having had to play from behind almost the entire game, the Packers' defense was still able to stop

25340-445: The plane of the two end lines. The crossbar of these posts is 10 feet (3.0 m) above the ground, with vertical uprights at the end of the crossbar 18 feet 6 inches (5.64 m) apart for professional and collegiate play, and 23 feet 4 inches (7.11 m) apart for high school play. The uprights extend vertically 35 feet (11 m) on professional fields, a minimum of 10 yards (9.1 m) on college fields, and

25521-451: The point(s)-after-touchdown (PAT) or conversion, which is a single scoring opportunity. This is generally attempted from the two- or three-yard line, depending on the level of play. If the PAT is scored by a place kick or drop kick through the goal posts, it is worth one point, typically called the extra point. If the PAT is scored by what would normally be a touchdown, it is worth two points; this

25702-422: The punter. In football, the winner is the team that has scored more points at the end of the game. There are multiple ways to score in a football game. The touchdown (TD), worth six points, is the most valuable scoring play in American football. A touchdown is scored when a live ball is advanced into, caught, or recovered in the opposing team's end zone. The scoring team then attempts a try, more commonly known as

25883-401: The receiving team. The three types of scrimmage kicks are place kicks, drop kicks, and punts. Only place kicks and drop kicks can score points. The place kick is the standard method used to score points, because the pointy shape of the football makes it difficult to reliably drop kick. Once the ball has been kicked from a scrimmage kick, it can be advanced by the kicking team only if it

26064-439: The reduction of playing time from 70 to 60 minutes and an increase of the distance required for a first down from 5 to 10 yards (4.6 to 9.1 m). To reduce infighting and dirty play between teams, the neutral zone was created along the width of the football before the snap. Scoring was also adjusted: points awarded for field goals were reduced to three in 1909 and points for touchdowns were raised to six in 1912. Also in 1912,

26245-400: The retirement of Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long after the 1993 season, where the Raiders went 10–6 and lost to Buffalo in the divisional round of the playoffs. The Todd Marinovich fiasco overshadowed the Raiders' 1991 and 1992 efforts. Marinovich was groomed from childhood to play football; his strict upbringing led to him being called "Robo QB" in the sports press. He attended USC and

26426-574: The rival Kansas City Chiefs. Shell was fired after posting a 9–7 record in the 1994 season . In May 1995 after the departure of the Rams' for St. Louis , the owners of the National Football League teams approved with a 27–1 vote with two abstentions, a resolution supporting a plan to build a $ 200 million, privately financed stadium on property owned by Hollywood Park in Inglewood for the Raiders. The stadium would have also been

26607-542: The rulebook for the 1876 college football season , when the sport first shifted from soccer-style rules to rugby-style rules. Although it could easily have been called "rugby" at this point, Harvard, one of the primary proponents of the rugby-style game, compromised and did not request the name of the sport be changed to "rugby". The terms " gridiron " or "American football" are favored in English-speaking countries where other types of football are popular, such as

26788-457: The second one, the Harvard players preferred the Canadian style of having only 11 men on the field, running the ball without having to be chased by an opponent, the forward pass, tackling, and using an oblong instead of a round ball. An 1875 Harvard–Yale game played under rugby-style rules was observed by two Princeton athletes who were impressed by it. They introduced the sport to Princeton,

26969-470: The second time that the Super Bowl was held in that city. Super Bowl XXXII also made Qualcomm Stadium the only stadium in history to host both the Super Bowl and the World Series in the same year. This was Denver's first league championship after suffering four previous Super Bowl losses, three of which under Elway, and snapped a 13-game losing streak for AFC teams in the Super Bowl (the last win being

27150-503: The secondary, consists of cornerbacks (CB) and safeties (S). Safeties are themselves divided into free safeties (FS) and strong safeties (SS). Cornerbacks line up outside the defensive formation, typically opposite a receiver to be able to cover them. Safeties line up between the cornerbacks but farther back in the secondary. Safeties tend to be viewed as "the last line of defense" and are responsible for stopping deep passing plays as well as breakout running plays. The special teams unit

27331-573: The site of an NFL Stadium for their former rivals, the Los Angeles Rams and a division rival, the Los Angeles Chargers . On February 19, 2015, the Raiders and the Chargers announced that they would build a privately financed $ 1.78 billion stadium in Carson, California if they were to move to the Los Angeles market. Both teams stated that they would continue to attempt to get stadiums built in their respective cities. On April 22, 2015,

27512-411: The snap of the ball. The main backfield positions are the quarterback (QB), halfback/tailback (HB/TB), and fullback (FB). The quarterback is the leader of the offense. Either the quarterback or a coach calls the plays. Quarterbacks typically inform the rest of the offense of the play in the huddle before the team lines up. The quarterback lines up behind the center to take the snap and then hands

27693-531: The sport in the U.S., with another 81,000 college athletes in the NCAA and the NAIA . The National Football League (NFL) has the highest average attendance of any professional sports league in the world . Its championship game, the Super Bowl , ranks among the most-watched club sporting events globally. In 2022, the league had an annual revenue of around $ 18.6 billion, making it the most valuable sports league in

27874-558: The team in receptions with 81 catches for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns. Wide receiver Robert Brooks was also a major deep threat, catching 60 passes for 1,010 yards and 7 touchdowns. Pro Bowl tight end Mark Chmura recorded 38 receptions for 417 yards and 6 touchdowns. Pro Bowl halfback Dorsey Levens , who had the best season of his career, led the team in rushing with 1,435 yards and 7 touchdowns, while also catching 53 passes for 373 yards and 5 touchdowns. Fullback William Henderson rushed for 113 yards and caught 41 passes for 367 yards and

28055-692: The team to Sacramento in a deal that would have included Davis becoming the managing partner of the Sacramento Kings . Negotiations between Davis and Oakland commenced in January 1989, and on March 11, 1990, Davis announced his intention to bring the Raiders back to Oakland. By September 1990, however, numerous delays had prevented the completion. On September 11, Davis announced a new deal to stay in Los Angeles, leading many fans in Oakland to burn Raiders paraphernalia in disgust. After starting

28236-415: The team with 1,117 rushing yards in just his rookie year. The Broncos finished the 1995 regular season with just an 8–8 record. By 1996 , the Broncos had the league's best offense, gaining 5,791 total yards, and recorded the AFC's best regular-season record at 13–3, but they were upset by the second year Jacksonville Jaguars , 30–27 in the playoffs. During the 1997 regular season, the Broncos once again had

28417-410: The team with 4 interceptions for 113 yards and 1 touchdown, and Steve Atwater , who had 53 tackles, 1 sack, 2 fumble recoveries, and 2 interceptions for 42 yards and 1 touchdown. Defensive back Darrien Gordon recorded 50 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 fumble recoveries, 4 interceptions, 64 return yards, and 1 touchdown. He also returned 40 punts for 543 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Broncos entered the playoffs as

28598-524: The team with 5 interceptions, while also adding 70 tackles. Safety Eugene Robinson led the team with 74 tackles while also recording 2.5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, and 1 interception. Cornerback Mike Prior recorded 4 interceptions, while rookie Darren Sharper recorded 2 of them, both of which he returned for touchdowns. The Broncos entered Super Bowl XXXII after suffering four Super Bowl losses: Super Bowls XII , XXI , XXII , and XXIV from 1978, 1987, 1988, and 1990, respectively. In all of those losses,

28779-548: The team." By the late 1980s, injuries began to reduce Allen's role in the offense. This role was reduced further in 1987, when the Raiders drafted Bo Jackson—even though he originally decided to not play professional football in 1986 (when drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round). By 1990, Allen had dropped to fourth on the team's depth chart, leading to resentment on the part of his teammates. In late 1992 Allen lashed out publicly at Davis, and accused him of trying to ruin his career. In 1993, Allen left to play for

28960-508: The third highest total in Super Bowl history. Freeman also tied himself for second all-time in touchdown catches in Super Bowls with three, joining Lynn Swann , John Stallworth , and Cliff Branch , trailing only Rice's eight. He also became just the third player to have at least 100 yards receiving in back-to-back Super Bowls, joining Rice and Stallworth. American football American football , referred to simply as football in

29141-499: The time was played at the collegiate level . The upstart NFL received a boost to its legitimacy in 1925, however, when an NFL team, the Pottsville Maroons , defeated a team of Notre Dame all-stars in an exhibition game . A greater emphasis on the passing game helped professional football to distinguish itself further from the college game during the late 1930s. Football, in general, became increasingly popular following

29322-411: The width of the field, are marked every 5 yards (4.6 m). A one-yard-wide line is placed at each end of the field; this line is marked at the center of the two-yard line in professional play and at the three-yard line in college play. Numerals that display the distance from the closest goal line in yards are placed on both sides of the field every ten yards. Goalposts are located at the center of

29503-408: The winning team decides to defer, the losing team chooses the option the winning team did not select—to receive, kick, or select a goal to defend to begin the second half. Most teams choose to receive or defer, because choosing to kick the ball to start the game allows the other team to choose which goal to defend. Teams switch goals following the first and third quarters. If a down is in progress when

29684-402: The world. Other professional and amateur leagues exist worldwide, but the sport does not have the international popularity of other American sports like baseball or basketball ; the sport maintains a growing following in the rest of North America, Europe, Brazil, and Japan. In the United States, American football is referred to as "football". The term "football" was officially established in

29865-458: Was also a left fielder for Major League Baseball 's Kansas City Royals , and could not play full-time until the baseball season ended in October. Even worse, another strike cost the NFL one game and prompted them to use substitute players. The Raiders fill-ins achieved a 1–2 record before the regular team returned. After a weak 5–10 finish, head coach Tom Flores moved to the front office and

30046-516: Was also the final Super Bowl in which the Televisa family of networks aired on its own in Mexico , also until 2007, being broadcast on Canal 5 ; Televisa had aired NFL football since 1970 and the Super Bowl since 1988 (at the time, the only other Super Bowl in San Diego ). Azteca 13 likewise exclusively aired all Super Bowls from 1999 until 2006, except for 2004, including Super Bowl XXXVII which

30227-563: Was at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum against the San Diego Chargers on November 22, 1982, after a 57-day player strike . They played their last game as a Los Angeles–based club on December 24, 1994, at the Coliseum against the Kansas City Chiefs , a game which they lost 19–9 to eliminate them from playoff contention. After both the Raiders and the Rams left Los Angeles after the 1994 season , Los Angeles

30408-472: Was defeated 22–0 (with five owners abstaining). When Davis tried to move the team anyway, he was blocked by an injunction . In response, the Raiders not only became an active partner in an antitrust lawsuit filed by the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (who had recently lost the Los Angeles Rams to Anaheim ), but filed an antitrust lawsuit of their own. After the first case was declared a mistrial , in May 1982

30589-400: Was flagged for going downfield as an ineligible player, but punter Craig Hentrich 's 51-yard kick pinned Denver back at their own 8-yard line. But the Green Bay defense could not stop Denver as they marched on a 13-play, 92-yard drive. Aided by a 36-yard reception by wide receiver Ed McCaffrey (the longest play of the game), the Broncos advanced to the Green Bay 12-yard line. On 3rd-and-6 from

30770-404: Was flagged for jumping offsides, giving the Packers a new set of downs at the Broncos' 15-yard line and taking the field goal off the board. Back-to-back false starts by offensive linemen Adam Timmerman and Frank Winters pushed the Packers back to the 25-yard line, but they got those yards back on a 16-yard run by Levens on third down. However, Levens' run came up 4 yards short of a first down at

30951-407: Was incomplete. All three players were knocked out of the game. The clock was stopped, but because of NFL rules regarding injuries to players in the final two minutes of a game, both teams were charged a time-out since players on both teams were injured and needed to be tended to. Now facing 4th-and-6 with the ball at the Denver 31-yard line, having no time-outs remaining and only 32 seconds, Favre threw

31132-520: Was instituted. Despite these new rules, football remained a violent sport. Dangerous mass-formations like the flying wedge resulted in serious injuries and deaths. A 1905 peak of 19 fatalities nationwide resulted in a threat by President Theodore Roosevelt to abolish the game unless major changes were made. In response, 62 colleges and universities met in New York City to discuss rule changes on December 28, 1905. These proceedings resulted in

31313-468: Was left without an NFL team until the 2016 season. Prior to the 1980 season, Raiders owner Al Davis attempted unsuccessfully to have improvements made to the Oakland Coliseum , specifically the addition of luxury boxes . On March 1, 1980, he signed a memorandum of agreement to move the Raiders from Oakland to Los Angeles. The move, which required three-fourths approval by league owners,

31494-535: Was originally established in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, aimed to solve these problems. This new league's stated goals included an end to bidding wars over players, prevention of the use of college players, and abolition of the practice of paying players to leave another team. By 1922, the NFL had established itself as America's premier professional football league. The dominant form of football at

31675-524: Was replaced by Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan . Shanahan led the team to a 7–9 mark in 1988, and Allen and Jackson continued to trade places as the starting running back. Low game attendance and fan apathy were evident by this point, and in the summer of 1989, rumors of a Raiders return to Oakland intensified when a preseason game against the Houston Oilers was scheduled at Oakland Coliseum. As early as 1986, Davis began to seek

31856-447: Was scheduled to award two Super Bowl sites ( XXXI and XXXII), the first time that multiple hosts were selected at the same meeting since XXIII and XXIV were voted on in 1985. This was the second time that San Diego hosted the game; the city previously hosted XXII ten years earlier. The Broncos played in both XXII and XXXII, the first franchise to play two different Super Bowls in the same stadium twice; they had already played twice at

32037-499: Was televised in the United States by NBC , with play-by-play announcer Dick Enberg (calling his eighth and final Super Bowl), color commentators Phil Simms and Paul Maguire , and sideline reporter Jim Gray . Greg Gumbel hosted all the events and was joined by co-host Ahmad Rashad and commentators Cris Collinsworth , Sam Wyche , and Joe Gibbs . This was Gumbel's final assignment for NBC as he returned to CBS for

32218-431: Was the 24th overall pick in the 1991 draft. However, he struggled on field and was cut after the 1992 season due to repeated substance abuse problems. Shell's five-plus-year tenure as head coach in Los Angeles was marked particularly by a bitter dispute between star running back Marcus Allen and Al Davis. The exact source of the friction is completely unknown but a contract dispute led Davis to refer to Allen as "a cancer on

32399-503: Was the last for NBC as the AFC network after 33 years. CBS was awarded the AFC package for the 1998 season, and NBC would not return to covering the NFL until 2006 when they signed on to televise Sunday Night Football and then Super Bowl XLIII in February 2009. As a result of NBC losing NFL rights, among others, Gumbel and Simms moved on to become CBS's lead NFL broadcast team. For

32580-485: Was the next Super Bowl to be played at Qualcomm Stadium. In Australia , Super Bowl was broadcast live on SBS . This game was later featured on NFL's Greatest Games as This One's for John . The pregame show, narrated by actor and comedian Phil Hartman (who was murdered four months and three days later), celebrated the music and history of California. It featured performances by The 5th Dimension , Lee Greenwood , and The Beach Boys . Singer Jewel later sang

32761-417: Was titled "A Tribute to Motown's 40th Anniversary" and featured Boyz II Men , Smokey Robinson , Queen Latifah , Martha Reeves and The Temptations . Packers wide receiver Antonio Freeman returned the opening kickoff 19 yards to the Green Bay 24-yard line. On 3rd-and-9, quarterback Brett Favre kept the offense on the field by completing a 13-yard pass to Freeman. Then running back Dorsey Levens rushed

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