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| Date | January 27, 1991 | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Stadium | Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida | ||||||||||||||||||
| MVP | Ottis Anderson, running back | ||||||||||||||||||
| Favorite | Bills by 7[1][2] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Referee | Jerry Seeman | ||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 73,813[3] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Ceremonies | |||||||||||||||||||
| National anthem | Whitney Houston with the Florida Orchestra | ||||||||||||||||||
| Coin toss | Pete Rozelle | ||||||||||||||||||
| Halftime show | New Kids on the Block | ||||||||||||||||||
| TV in the United States | |||||||||||||||||||
| Network | ABC | ||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | Al Michaels, Frank Gifford, Dan Dierdorf, Lynn Swann and Jack Arute | ||||||||||||||||||
| Nielsen ratings | 41.9 (est. 79.51 million viewers)[4] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Market share | 63 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Cost of 30-second commercial | $800,000 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Radio in the United States | |||||||||||||||||||
| Network | CBS Radio | ||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | Jack Buck and Hank Stram | ||||||||||||||||||
Super Bowl XXV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Buffalo Bills and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1990 season. The Giants defeated the Bills by the score of 20–19, winning their second Super Bowl.
The game was held at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on January 27, 1991, and was the last time a Super Bowl would be held at Tampa Stadium. A memorable performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" by Whitney Houston and the Florida Orchestra preceded the game.[5] Jazz musician John Clayton arranged the piece. ABC, which broadcast the game in the United States, did not air the halftime show (which was headlined by the American boy band New Kids on the Block) live. Instead, the network televised a special ABC News report anchored by Peter Jennings on the progress of the ongoing Gulf War, then aired the halftime show on tape delay after the game.
The Bills and their explosive no-huddle offense were making their first Super Bowl appearance after finishing the regular season with a 13–3 record, and leading the league in total points scored with 428. In advancing to their second Super Bowl, the Giants also posted a 13–3 regular-season record, but with a ball-control offense and a defense that allowed a league-low 211 points. Super Bowl XXV became the first Super Bowl to feature two teams representing the same state, even though the Giants technically play in New Jersey.
The game is known for Bills placekicker Scott Norwood's last-second missed field goal attempt that went wide right of the uprights, starting a four-game losing streak in the Super Bowl for the Bills. The game became the first (and so far only) Super Bowl decided by one point and the first Super Bowl in which neither team committed a turnover. The Giants set a Super Bowl record-holding possession of the ball for 40 minutes and 33 seconds. The Giants also overcame a 12–3 second-quarter deficit and made a 75-yard touchdown drive that consumed a Super Bowl-record 9:29 off the clock.[6] Giants running back Ottis Anderson, who carried the ball 21 times for 102 yards and one touchdown, was named Super Bowl MVP. He was the first awardee to receive the newly named "Pete Rozelle Trophy" (named for the former commissioner, Pete Rozelle).[7] Anderson also recorded one reception for seven yards. The NFL in its 100 Greatest Games series ranked it at number 10.[8]
- ^ DiNitto, Marcus (January 25, 2015). "Super Bowl Betting History – Underdogs on Recent Roll". Sporting News. The Linemakers. Archived from the original on February 4, 2015. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
- ^ "Super Bowl History". Vegas Insider. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
- ^ "Super Bowl Winners". NFL.com. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
- ^ "Historical Super Bowl Nielsen TV Ratings, 1967–2009 – Ratings". TVbytheNumbers. Archived from the original on February 8, 2010. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
- ^ Smith, Danyel (February 1, 2016). "The story of Whitney Houston's epic national anthem performance at 1991 Super Bowl". ESPN The Magazine. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
- ^ "Super Bowl XXV Game Recap". National Football League. January 28, 1991. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
- ^ "Sports People: Pro Football; The Rozelle Trophy". The New York Times. October 10, 1990. Retrieved February 25, 2007.
- ^ "'NFL 100 Greatest' Games, No. 10: Bills-Giants in Super Bowl XXV [Video]". Archived from the original on October 7, 2019. Retrieved October 7, 2019.