What are the 10 most memorable Super Bowl plays of all time?

Super Bowl Sunday is one of the most anticipated days, and every year stars are created and legacies are cemented.

In some games, one play can swing the outcome. Those are the ones that you remember fondly if you’re a fan of that team. If you’re on the wrong end, though, that moment haunts you for the rest of your fandom.

Many of those plays are still talked about any time the “Big Game” is discussed, but which are truly the best plays in the history of the Super Bowl?

Ahead of Super Bowl LIX (Sunday, 6:30 p.m. ET on FOX), here are the 10 best Super Bowl plays of all time.

10 best Super Bowl plays of all time

After mostly erasing an early 28-3 deficit, the Patriots sat at their own 36-yard line with just under two-and-a-half minutes left. Then came one of the most miraculous catches and displays of concentration in history. 

Tom Brady laced a pass down the middle of the field intended for Edelman that should’ve been picked off by cornerback Robert Alford. Instead, the ball was tipped in the air. At that moment, Edelman stopped his momentum and began to come back to the ball as two Falcons safeties converged on his position. Edelman then reached his hands between Alford to snag the pass before it hit the ground. Except, as he did, the ball popped out of his hands and back in the air again. At that point, Edelman managed to grab hold of it once again and came through with the catch.

The rest is history, as New England tied the game and eventually won 34-28 in overtime to complete the comeback.

9. John Elway’s helicopter dive (SB XXXII: Broncos vs. Packers)

In the third quarter with the game tied 17-all, the Broncos had worked their way down to the Packers 12-yard line. But it was now third-and-6, and the next play would change Elway’s career. 

The mobile quarterback escaped the pocket to attempt to get the first down, and as he got closer, it was clear he would have to dive. He reached head-first over incoming linebacker Brian Williams, but while he floated through the air, safety LeRoy Butler hit his legs and safety Mike Prior hit his shoulder, forcing him to spin in the air 180 degrees. Elway landed on his back but got the first down. That set up a Terrell Davis touchdown that helped power Denver to a 31-24 Super Bowl win, delivering Elway his first ring.

8. Devin Hester’s kick return TD (SB XLI: Bears vs. Colts)

You can’t make this list without some history-making plays! Although the Bears came up short in the end, Devin Hester created sparks right from the jump when he took the opening kickoff 92 yards to the house.

Everyone knew Hester, who has now been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, was one of — if not the — most dangerous return men in the game’s history, but he proved it again. He became the first player in NFL history to return the Super Bowl’s opening kick for a score.

7. Mario Manningham’s sideline grab (SB XLVI: Giants vs. Patriots)

With the Giants trailing 17-15 with just under four minutes remaining, the snap came to quarterback Eli Manning from the Giants 12-yard line. Then, Manning uncorked a 38-yard pass toward the sideline that was headed for wide receiver Mario Manningham, who was double-covered. 

Fortunately for the Giants, there was a sliver of daylight between the late-arriving Patriots safety Patrick Chung and Manningham. The ball found its way through that daylight, dropping right in Manningham’s hands as he tapped both toes and absorbed a big hit from Chung. That catch put the Giants at midfield and eight plays later, they scored the go-ahead touchdown for a 21-17 win and another Lombardi Trophy.

6. James Harrison’s 100-yard TD return (SB XLIII: Steelers vs. Cardinals)

One of the most momentum-swinging plays in Super Bowl history occurred with just 18 seconds remaining in the first half. With the Cardinals down 10-7 to the Steelers, they had first-and-goal from the 2-yard line. Arizona wanted a chance to punctuate the end of the half. 

Quarterback Kurt Warner took the shotgun snap and turned to fire the ball to his trusted receiver Anquan Boldin, but unfortunately for him, star Steelers linebacker James Harrison jumped in front of Boldin and picked it before taking off toward the opposite end zone. As he raced toward the end zone, multiple Pittsburgh defenders followed him, turning away other players attempting to catch the free-running Harrison. Harrison reached the end zone and gave the Steelers a 17-7 lead at halftime, setting them up for their 27-23 victory against the surging Cardinals. 

5. The Philly Special (SB LII: Eagles vs. Patriots)

Up 15-12 late in the first half, the Eagles had fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line. Coach Doug Pederson wanted to go for it all before the half. Then came the famous play in Philadelphia sports history, “The Philly Special.” 

Foles had Corey Clement motion behind him, then went to make pre-snap reads at the line standing behind his right tackle. It was at that point that center Jason Kelce snapped the ball to Clement. The running back ran left but quickly pitched the ball to tight end Trey Burton, who had started running toward Clement. Then came the magic. Burton delivered a pass to a wide-open Nick Foles, who had scampered out of the backfield uncovered toward the end zone. That put the Eagles up 22-12 and ultimately helped secure Philly’s first Super Bowl title.

4. Mike Jones’ game-saving tackle on Kevin Dyson (SB XXXIV: Rams vs. Titans)

One of the more excruciating, emotional and exciting finishes came in Super Bowl XXXIV. The Titans, who were down 16-0, roared all the way back to tie the game at 16-16 in the fourth quarter. Despite that comeback, the Rams never took their foot off the gas. On the next play from scrimmage after the Titans tied the game, Kurt Warner zipped a 73-yard touchdown pass to Isaac Bruce, putting the Rams up 23-16 with just under two minutes to go in the game. 

Even with that, the Titans pushed back, charging down the field to the Rams 10-yard line with just six seconds left and no timeouts. The next play was the one that would live forever. Quarterback Steve McNair found Kevin Dyson on a slant over the middle, and the receiver raced toward the end zone before getting hit by St. Louis linebacker Mike Jones. Dyson reached as far as he could, extending his arm, but came up just one yard short of a potential game-tying touchdown, sealing the win for the Rams. 

3. Santonio Holmes’ touchdown toe-tap (SB XLIII: Steelers vs. Cardinals)

One of the more perfect passes thrown in Super Bowl history came from the hand of Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who rifled a pass right into the hands of wideout Santonio Holmes. That itself was worthy of belonging in Super Bowl lore, but even more incredible was that this play gave Pittsburgh a 27-23 lead with just 35 seconds remaining in the game.

The 5-foot-11 Holmes was able to corral the pass somehow with three Cardinals defenders in the area. The thing is, Holmes was the guy for Roethlisberger and the Steelers. You knew the ball was going there and, despite the outstretched hand of Arizona corner Ralph Brown, Holmes managed to tap both toes and contort his body to make the catch and clinch the Super Bowl victory for Pittsburgh against the upstart Cardinals.

Should they have run it!? This is the greatest defensive play in Super Bowl history. The Seahawks had just come down the field after a miraculous Jermaine Kearse catch (just missed the list) in which the wily vet snagged the ball off his legs, bringing the team inside the red zone. 

With just 26 seconds left, the Seahawks — who were down 28-24 and defending their championship — had quarterback Russell Wilson drop back from the 1-yard line despite bulldozing RB Marshawn Lynch in the backfield. Wilson attempted to force a pass to a breaking Ricardo Lockette, but Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler beat Lockette to the spot and intercepted the pass before falling down at the half-yard line and sealing the game for Tom Brady and the Patriots. 

1. David Tyree’s helmet catch (SB XLII: Giants vs. Patriots)

The best play in Super Bowl history had a lot of elements to it, and it ultimately put an end to the first undefeated bid since the 1972 Miami Dolphins. The play came on third-and-5 from the Giants 44 with 1:15 remaining. It began with Eli Manning shaking free from multiple pass rushers before heaving the ball downfield. That is when the magic truly happened, as David Tyree, a player low on the Giants’ depth chart, managed to pin the deep pass against his helmet and prevent Pats safety Rodney Harrison from knocking it loose.

That would lead to a touchdown, pulling the Giants ahead with a 17-14 lead. Less than a minute later, they won by the same margin and handed New England its first and only loss of the season. 

Honorable mentions:

• Adam Vinatieri’s game-winning kick (SB XXXVI: Pats vs Rams)
• Jacoby Jones’ 109-yard kick return (SB XLVII: Ravens vs 49ers)
• Saints’ surprise onside kick to start second half (SB XLIV: Saints vs Colts)
• Lynn Swann’s acrobatic catch (SB X: Steelers vs Cowboys)
• Marcus Allen’s 74-yard TD run (SB XVIII: Raiders vs Washington)
• Jermaine Kearse’s catch off his legs (SB XLIX: Seahawks vs Patriots)
• Tracy Porter’s pick-six (SB XLIV: Saints vs Colts)
• John Riggins’ 43-yard TD run on fourth-and-1 (SB XVII: Commanders vs Dolphins)

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