In January 1967, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum held an event many Americans were unaware of in the moment.
The AFL-NFL World Championship Game. Later known as Super Bowl I.
That afternoon, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 35–10 in a game remembered as monumental despite being seen by most as a postseason footnote at the time.
Looking back, the season culminating in Super Bowl I is seen as a line of demarcation. The Super Bowl era.
Here at , our 37-member Blue Ribbon panel decided to embark on a challenge. Of the thousands of games played since the beginning of the 1966 season, which 50 are the most memorable?
For us, the decision was based on a series of questions and answers. Which games stick in the consciousness of the country? Which had unforgettable endings and high drama? Which were the best played and the most important? The factors abound.
Ultimately, each panelist voted for their 50 games, and then a cumulative score was reached to determine the order. What follows is our best shot at ranking the 50 most memorable games of the Super Bowl era, starting in New Orleans with the NFC title on the line.
50. Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints
Date: Jan. 24, 2010 | NFC championship game
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Superdome
Why it was memorable:
Bountygate. As the years roll on, that January night is most remembered for the vicious beating Brett Favre took and endured, all before cruelly throwing one of the most infamous interceptions in NFL history.
For Favre, it was the end of a final Super Bowl run. For the Saints, it has duality in meaning. New Orleans won in overtime and advanced to its first Super Bowl, one the Saints would win over Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. It also resulted in a year-long suspension for coach Sean Payton, who was suspended for the 2012 season after the scandal’s investigation.
Panel quote:
“Third down at the Saints’ 38-yard line with 19 seconds and a timeout to spare. Ryan Longwell had missed one field-goal attempt from beyond 40 yards all season. Favre rolled right and threw across his body into the middle of the field like a Southern Mississippi rookie. Saints cornerback Tracy Porter jumped Sidney Rice for the interception. In sudden death, Garrett Hartley sent them to their first Super Bowl, four and a half years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans.” —
Legend quote:
“If we win that game, and we go on to win the Super Bowl, which I think we would have, I think you’re talking about that 2009 team as one of the best teams in NFL history. … We went 6–0 to start the season, we had the 49ers game in there. That whole season was arguably one of the greatest seasons by the way we won some games. It’s another missed opportunity because I don’t think that team gets the recognition it deserves for how good it was all around because we lost that game. Nobody cares about second or third place.” —
