THE biggest game in US sport has seen plenty of incredible moments and unbelievable drama over the years – and not just on the field.
Ahead of Super Bowl 52 between the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles in Minneapolis, we look back at some memorable moments from America’s favourite event.
8. Left shark
New England Patriots 28 Seattle Seahawks 24 – Glendale, 2015
Katy Perry headlined the half-time show at the University of Phoenix Stadium, and for the most part it went well.
The superstar herself was pretty flawless, but one of her back-up dancers didn’t seem to know what they were doing.
I say back-up dancers, but it was actually a shark. One of the two sharks dancing with her had all the wrong moves and became an internet sensation.
You can watch the NFL playoffs on Now TV with prices starting at £6.99 for a Sports Pass. Or you can catch all the action on NFL Gamepass.
7. Nipplegate
New England Patriots 32 Carolina Panthers 29 – Houston, 2004
The Patriots won their second Super Bowl in three seasons in what was one of the best games in recent memory.
But the 2004 Super Bowl is remembered for a hilarious half-time show moment, where Janet Jackson’s breast was exposed to the world.
Performing with Justin Timberlake, Jackson looked embarrassed during what was described as a “wardrobe malfunction”.
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The Federal Communications Commission received over 200,000 complaints. Broadcasters CBS tried to cut away from the incident, but were fined $550,000 (£450,000).
Many were left wondering whether the incident was a publicity stunt. After all, Timberlake was singing the lyrics “gonna have you naked by the end of this song”.
Justin Timberlake returns to the Super Bowl halftime show this year and is the headline act.
HOW TO WATCH THE PLAY-OFFS
You can watch the NFL playoffs on Sky this year as they’ll be broadcasting all the games live. You can become a subscriber here.
If you don’t want to sign up for Sky, you can watch the playoffs on NowTV with their Sky Sports pass starting from £6.99.
You can also sign up for NFL Game Pass’ playoff subscription which will let you watch all the games, including the Super Bowl, live and on demand
6. Turn on the Jets
New York Jets 16 Baltimore Colts 7 – Miami, 1969
It was just the third Championship Game in the AFL-NFL merger, and the first to be called the Super Bowl.
The Colts were expected to brush aside the Jets and continue the NFL’s dominance over the upstart AFL league.
Jets quarterback Joe Namath saw it differently though.
Namath guaranteed a victory for the heavy underdogs, and they duly delivered the biggest upset in the history of the sport.
5. Norwood shank
New York Giants 20 Buffalo Bills 19 – Tampa, 1991
Oh what could have been for the Buffalo Bills.
For four straight years at the beginning of the 1990s they reached the Super Bowl, but were never able to return to western New York victorious.
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In the first of those four visits to the championship game in Tampa, Scott Norwood was faced with a 47-yard field goal to kick his team to a 22-20 victory but missed wide to the right.
Bills fans are probably the most tortured in the NFL. Their team has missed the playoffs 17 seasons in a row, the longest drought in the league. Norwood has kept a low profile ever since.
4. Critical intervention
New England Patriots 28 Seattle Seahawks 24 – Glendale, 2015
Brady and Co were beginning to get used to heartbreak.
Having lost their previous two Super Bowls, one of them at the same stadium in Glendale, Arizona, they looked to be heading for another narrow defeat in 2015.
Seattle had the ball at the Patriots one-yard line, and were on the verge of sealing back-to-back titles when they made a huge play-calling error.
Instead of hand the ball to powerful running back Marshawn Lynch, Russell Wilson threw the ball and unknown rookie Malcolm Butler became a hero overnight in New England, intercepting on the goal line.
Brady jumped for joy like a child on the sideline as he collected his fourth Super Bowl ring.
This was probably the best ever Super Bowl finish – until they bettered it the following season…
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3. Lights out at the Superdome
Baltimore Ravens 34 San Francisco 49ers 31 – New Orleans, 2013
The Super Bowl returned to New Orleans for the 10th time in a game that had everything.
The Ravens jumped out to a huge lead, were pegged back by the 49ers and then won it late.
Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh won the family bragging rights as he beat his brother, 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh.
But the Superdome was plunged into darkness at the start of the third quarter with a power cut holding up play for almost 35 minutes.
Maybe Beyonce was to blame after her electrifying half-time show.
2. The helmet catch
New York Giants 17 New England Patriots 14 – Glendale, 2008
This was expected to be easy for Brady and his Patriots.
It was his fourth Super Bowl having won the previous three, and New England were on for a perfect season having won all 16 regular-season games before breezing through the playoffs.
And it was all looking good, until probably the best catch ever seen in the NFL.
Eli Manning marshalled an 83-yard drive to give the Giants the lead, the highlight of which saw him somehow escape pressure from the New England defence and heave the ball 32 yards to David Tyree, who controlled the ball on his helmet and maintained possession as he fell to the ground.
Nobody could quite believe how he caught the ball, least of all the Patriots who tasted a rare but painful defeat.
1. Back from the dead
New England Patriots 34 Atlanta Falcons 28 (OT) – Houston, 2017
New England last year pulled off the greatest comeback in US sport history against the Atlanta Falcons at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Trailing by 25 points in the third quarter, Tom Brady and Co roared back to force overtime at 28-28 before James White scored the winning touchdown.
No team had overturned more than a 10-point deficit in the Super Bowl before then and Brady won the Vince Lombardi Trophy for an incredible fifth time.
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