Ranking Each Super Bowl-Winning Team In NFL History

5. 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers

There were obviously many great Steelers teams throughout their great dynasty of the 1970s. However, this is the one that rates as the best. The Steelers posted an impressive 14-2 record that year, and everything just seemed to come together for the team. The defense was the best in the NFL in terms of points allowed per game, as opposing teams averaged only 12.2 points against them.

On the other side of the ball, the Steelers were in their prime. Bradshaw manned the controls with a host of dangerous weapons at his disposal. Franco Harris was effective as always, grinding out 1,082 yards rushing. Lynn Swann led the team in receiving yards. There’s not much else to say other than this was an all-time great team that delivered on its potential to win the Super Bowl. They did so by defeating the Cowboys 35-31 in a shootout. Bradshaw took home the MVP award, and the ’78 Steelers were cemented in NFL history as one of the best Super Bowl teams ever.

4. 1989 San Francisco 49ers

The 1980s 49ers were similar to the 1970s Steelers dynasty in that they fielded teams who dominated both sides of the ball and played exceptionally well together. This team may be the second-best of the great 49ers squads of the ’80s, but it deserves its spot among the list of greats nonetheless. You know how the story goes.

Joe Montana quarterbacked an all-time great offense that led the league in per-scoring with 27.6 points per contest. Head coach George Seifert had seamlessly taken the reigns from the legendary Bill Walsh, and the results were spectacular. Jerry Rice was well, Jerry Rice, racking up 1,483 yards receiving. Roger Craig was once again stellar on the ground, rushing for 1,054 yards. His prowess as a receiver out of the backfield in the 49ers’ West Coast offense cannot be understated as well. When this team got to the postseason, it wasn’t even a question if they’d win the Super Bowl looking back. They smoked the Denver Broncos by a score of 55-10 and Joe Montana became the greatest playoff quarterback ever – at least until Tom Brady came along.

3. 1985 Chicago Bears

This is undoubtedly one of the most dominant Super Bowl teams in NFL history, and it’s also one of the most popular as well. While we have been a bit reluctant to rank one-sided teams high on the list of Super Bowl winners, the 1985 Bears somewhat unfairly have that moniker due to their historic defense, which certainly ranks up among the best ever in NFL history. It may even be the best. They were first in the NFL with an average of 12.4 points allowed that year. They also had a record of 15-1. But they were far from slouches on offense as well. True, they didn’t depend on the passing game as much as teams do today, with Jim McMahon their leading passer. He only threw for 2,392 yards that year. With a defense like that, you rarely have to air it out.

These Bears averaged 28.5 points per game – second in the NFL – on the strength of their rushing attack led by all-time legend Walter Payton. ‘Sweetness’ led the team with 1,551 rushing yards that year. The team became well-known for their cringe-worthy “rap” video, “The Super Bowl Shuffle,” and also for a massive lineman who moonlighted as a running back in William “Refrigerator” Perry. In truth, it didn’t need all of that hype because the on-field performance was by far enough. The Bears demolished the New England Patriots 46-10 in the Super Bowl and earned a spot high among the greatest Lombardi Trophy winners of all-time.

2. 1972 Miami Dolphins

What’s this, you say? The only undefeated Super Bowl team ever is somehow ranked only No. 2 on the list of all-time great Super Bowl-winning teams? Well, yes, it’s true, as this team hasn’t exactly translated well over the years. That’s not to say it isn’t an all-time great team, because it is certainly in the running for the best of all-time. However, based on how the game is played has evolved, these Dolphins simply wouldn’t have been undefeated. For example, Bob Griese threw for 1,360 yards that year, a number that would almost certainly see him released from most teams had he been a full-time NFL starter today. Their leading receiver was Paul Warfield with 606 yards. True, it was just a different era of football back then, but it would be a wholly predictable gameplan in today’s NFL.

Either way, these Dolphins are still the only team to accomplish what they did. They were first in the NFL in both average points per game and points allowed per game. Larry Csonka was a stalwart rushing the ball with 1,117 yards. Yet the paper stats of this Dolphins team don’t tell the whole story. In truth, they were close to losing several games that season. Even their playoff run to the Super Bowl wasn’t exactly dominant. They won each game by single-digit points and even had to fight back to top the Steelers in the AFC title game. When they reached the Super Bowl, they again found the result a close one. True, they got up by two touchdowns on Washington, but only won by seven points. We won’t deny the 1972 Dolphins are one of the greatest Super Bowl teams of all-time. But to call them the outright best is a bit short-sighted. It’s safe to say they might struggle if they played the final team on our list…

1. 1984 San Francisco 49ers

Some, perhaps even many, believe that the 1972 Dolphins belong at the top of this list. But it’s this dominant San Francisco team that is actually the best Super Bowl winner of all-time. This was head coach Bill Walsh and his West Coast offense at the height of its powers, as the team went 15-1 that year. They, too, would have been undefeated if not for a narrow three-point loss to the Steelers in the regular season. These 49ers were second in the NFL in average points scored per game and first in average points allowed. Of course, Joe Montana led the way. This time he did so, once again, without having his future Hall of Famer Jerry Rice by his side.

Montana threw for 3,630 yards that season, good enough for that era, but his stats didn’t really matter. What defines this team is the manner in which they won the Super Bowl. In 1984, a young quarterback by the name of Dan Marino was absolutely tearing up the NFL.

He was light years ahead of the game that season, throwing for 5,084 yards and 48 touchdowns with only 17 interceptions. The yards and touchdowns were records that stood the test of time until the all-out offensive explosion in the NFL of the last 12 or so years. Marino and the Dolphins came in with real hype behind them. But this 49ers team immediately threw them off of their game.

Marino did throw for 318 yards in the Super Bowl, but he only threw for one touchdown as opposed to two interceptions. The 49ers had Miami on the ropes before the fourth quarter had even begun. Sadly enough, this ended up being Marino’s only Super Bowl appearance. While it was far from Montana’s only trip to the big game, it may have been his finest year overall. He took home the Super Bowl MVP and his 49ers put together the best Super Bowl-winning season in NFL history.