Super Bowl trivia: 50 fun facts and questions for game day

The Super Bowl isn’t just about football — it’s a cultural event packed with entertainment, jaw-dropping ads, and, of course, a feast of snacks. If you're hosting or attending a game-day party, there's one surefire way to impress the crowd and keep everyone entertained… Super Bowl trivia! 

Whether you're a die-hard football fan or more into the halftime show, we've compiled some must-know trivia, fascinating facts, and history for the biggest day in sports. Ready to amp up your game-day conversation? Let's huddle up! 

What is the Super Bowl?

Before we jump into the trivia, let's take a step back. The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League (NFL). It’s been going strong since 1967 and happens every year, usually in early February. It’s not just a game — it’s a showcase of football, culture, and history rolled up into one massive event. The world tunes in for everything: the game itself, the halftime show, the commercials, and the unforgettable moments that make history. 

Now, with that context in mind, let's dig into some fun and unique trivia to share on game day! 

Fun Super Bowl trivia facts

Super Bowl teams, records and interesting facts

• Where the name for the Super Bowl came from: The NFL and AFL merged and the NFL Championship game became the Super Bowl. The name was coined by AFL Founder Lamar Hunt, who was inspired by the name of a children's toy called “Super Ball.”

• How much does the Lombardi Trophy weigh? Crafted by Tiffany & Co., the trophy stands about 22 inches tall and weighs about 7 pounds. 

• Most Super Bowl appearances: The New England Patriots hold the record with 11 Super Bowl appearances. 

• Teams with the most Super Bowl wins: The Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots are tied with 6 wins each. 

• Most Super Bowl defeats: The Denver Broncos and New England Patriots both have 5 losses. 

• Which teams have never made it? The Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, and Jacksonville Jaguars are still waiting for their first trip to the Super Bowl. 

• Most Super Bowl appearances without a win: The Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings have both appeared in four Super Bowls without recording a win in the big game yet. 

• Super Bowls to go to overtime: Only two Super Bowls have gone to overtime. The Patriots beat the Falcons in Super Bowl LI (2017), famously coming back from being down 28-3 in the third quarter, and the Chiefs beat the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII (2024). 

• Lowest-scoring game: Super Bowl LIII (2019) saw the New England Patriots defeat the Los Angeles Rams, 13–3, the lowest-scoring Super Bowl in history. 

• People to win championship as a player and as a head coach: Tom Flores, Mike Ditka, Tony Dungy, and Doug Pederson. 

• First Black quarterback to win: Doug Williams became the first Black quarterback to appear in and win the Super Bowl during Super Bowl XXII (1988) with the Washington Redskins. Seven other Black quarterbacks have appeared in the championship game, with Russell Wilson (one) and Patrick Mahomes (three) joining Williams as Black quarterbacks to win the big game.

• Coaches who have coached two different teams in the Super Bowl: Don Shula (Baltimore Colts, Miami Dolphins), Bill Parcells (New York Giants, New England Patriots), Dan Reeves (Denver Broncos, Atlanta Falcons), Dick Vermeil (Philadelphia Eagles, St. Louis Rams), Mike Holmgren (Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks), John Fox (Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos), and Andy Reid (Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs). None of these coaches won the championship with two different teams. 

• Teams that have won back-to-back Super Bowls: Green Bay Packers (1966-67), Miami Dolphins (1972-73), Pittsburgh Steelers (twice: 1974-75 and 1978-79), San Francisco 49ers (1988-89), Dallas Cowboys (1992-93), Denver Broncos (1997-98), New England Patriots (2003-04), and Kansas City Chiefs (2023-24). No team has won three Super Bowls in a row. 

Stadiums, hosting cities, and performances

• Most frequent Super Bowl host city: Miami has hosted the big game 11 times, making it the champ of hosting locations. New Orleans follows closely with 10, and will move into a tie for first place after hosting Super Bowl LIX in February 2025. 

• The coldest Super Bowl: Super Bowl VI (1972) in New Orleans was played at a brisk 39 degrees Fahrenheit, the coldest game to date. New Orleans also held the second-coldest with Super Bowl IX (1975) coming in at 46 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Teams to play the Super Bowl in their home stadium: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV (2021) and the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI (2022) are the only two teams to make a Super Bowl appearance in their home stadium. Both teams won.

• Longest national anthem performance: Alicia Keys holds the record for her rendition, clocking in at 2 minutes and 35 seconds during Super Bowl XLVII (2013). 

• Shortest national anthem performance: Neil Diamond at Super Bowl XXI (1987), when he sang it in 1 minute and 2 seconds.

Individual Super Bowl Records

• Most passing yards in a single game: Tom Brady holds the record with 505 passing yards, achieved in Super Bowl LII (2018) against the Philadelphia Eagles. 

• Most rushing yards in a single game: Timmy Smith set the record with 204 rushing yards for the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XXII (1988). 

• Most receiving yards in a single game: Jerry Rice recorded 215 receiving yards for the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIII (1989). 

• Most receiving touchdowns in a single game: Jerry Rice recorded 3 receiving touchdowns twice, in Super Bowls XXIV (1990) and XXIX (1995).

• Most career Super Bowl MVP awards: Tom Brady has earned the Super Bowl MVP 5 times, the most in NFL history. Joe Montana and Patrick Mahomes are tied for second with 3 each.

• Longest interception return: James Harrison returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown for the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII (2009). 

• Longest play: Jacoby Jones returned a kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown for the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII (2013).

• Most sacks in a single game: L.C. Greenwood, with 4 in Super Bowl X for the Pittsburgh Steelers (1976). 

• Most interceptions in a single game: Rod Martin, with 3 for the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XV (1981). 

• Most points scored by a single non-quarterback player in a game: James White scored 20 points (3 touchdowns and a 2-point conversion) for the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI (2017).

• Most total Super Bowl championships by a coach: Bill Belichick at 8, with 6 championships as head coach of the Patriots and 2 as defensive coordinator for the New York Giants.

Fun trivia questions to stump your friends

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Now that you're armed with some knowledge, here are some trivia questions to keep the party lively! 

Easy questions

1. Which team is the only one to finish the season undefeated after winning the Super Bowl? 

  Answer: The 1972 Miami Dolphins. 

2. Who was the first singer to perform the national anthem at the Super Bowl? 

  Answer: Charley Pride at Super Bowl VIII in 1974. 

3. What team holds the record for the most points scored in a single Super Bowl game? 

  Answer: San Francisco 49ers (55 points in Super Bowl XXIV in 1990). 

4. Which team won the first two Super Bowls?

Answer: The Green Bay Packers.

5. What was the first former AFL team to win the Super Bowl?

Answer: The New York Jets in Super Bowl III (1969).

6. Who is the Super Bowl trophy named after?

Answer: Vince Lombardi, the coach who led the Green Bay Packers to victory in the first two Super Bowls. 

7. Which two brothers were opposing head coaches in the Super Bowl?

Answer: Jim Harbaugh (49ers) vs. John Harbaugh (Ravens) in Super Bowl XLVII (2013). 

Medium questions

1. What two teams have played against each other in the most Super Bowl matchups? 

 Answer: Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers, three times (Pittsburgh won the first two, Super Bowl X in 1976 and XIII in 1979, with Dallas winning the third, XXX in 1996).

2. Which Super Bowl halftime show preceded a stadium blackout? 

  Answer: Beyoncé at Super Bowl XLVII in 2013. 

3. Which quarterbacks have won Super Bowls with more than one team? 

 Answer: Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos) and Tom Brady (New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers). 

4. Who is the only player to win the Super Bowl MVP award while playing on the losing team?

Answer: Chuck Howley, who intercepted two passes and forced a fumble as a linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl V (1971).

5. Who was the first player to score a touchdown on a kickoff return in a Super Bowl game? 

Answer: Desmond Howard of the Green Bay Packers returned a kickoff for a touchdown in Super Bowl XXXI (1997).

6. Who is the youngest quarterback to start in and win a Super Bowl?

Answer: Ben Roethlisberger, at 23 years old, in Super Bowl XL (2006).

7. Who is the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl?

Answer: Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams became the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl at age 36 in Super Bowl LVI (2022). 

Hard questions

1. Who was the first left-handed quarterback to win a Super Bowl? 

 Answer: Ken Stabler, leading the Oakland Raiders to victory in Super Bowl XI in 1977. Steve Young became the second, leading the San Francisco 49ers to a win in Super Bowl XXIX in 1995.

2. What item was advertised in the most expensive Super Bowl ad to date? 

 Answer: Amazon's “Before Alexa” and Google’s “Loretta” ads in 2020 are tied for the most expensive, coming in at a cost of $16.8 million each. 

3. Which college has produced the most Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks? 

 Answer: Alabama and Purdue, with 3 each. Alabama produced Bart Starr (2 wins), Joe Namath, and Ken Stabler, while Purdue produced Bob Griese (2 wins), Len Dawson, and Drew Brees. 

4. What is the only team to score a Super Bowl safety on the opening play of the game?

Answer: The Seattle Seahawks, against the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII (2014).

5. What was the first wildcard team to win the Super Bowl?

Answer: The Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XV (1981).

6. Who scored the first-ever touchdown in a Super Bowl game?

Answer: Max McGee, with a one-handed, 37-yard touchdown catch for the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl I (1967).

7. Which team completed the first two-point conversion in a Super Bowl game?

Answer: The San Diego Chargers completed 2 two-point conversions in Super Bowl XXIX in 1995. The NFL added the two-point conversion in 1994. 

Wrap up and keep the game-day fun going

Now that you're ready with trivia and fun facts, go impress your guests! Whether you're rooting for the commercials, the halftime performer, or your favorite team, the Super Bowl is a great excuse to connect with family and friends over snacks and stories. 

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This blog post is provided "as is" and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional advice. Some content in this post may have been created using artificial intelligence; however, every blog post is reviewed by at least two human editors.