It’s official: the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers are running it back! The two teams will face off at Super Bowl LVIII February 11 in Las Vegas, just four years after their initial Super Bowl faceoff which saw KC triumph over San Fran. And to commemorate this historic occasion, let’s take a look at all the other rematches in NFL Super Bowl history.
The Chiefs are no stranger to the biggest sporting event of the year. Kansas City has been to the big game five times, with number six coming in a couple of weeks. This includes a losing effort against the Green Bay Packers at the very first Super Bowl in 1967, as well as last year’s victory against the Philadelphia Eagles at Super Bowl LVII.
The 49ers certainly aren’t slouches when it comes to Super Bowl season either. This upcoming game will mark the eighth Super Bowl appearance in the franchise’s history. Interestingly enough, the Chiefs will not be the only team to have faced San Francisco multiple times at this level. The 49ers have two wins against the Cincinnati Bengals at Super Bowls XVI and XXIII.
In the 58 years of Super Bowl history, there are only a handful of instances in which two teams faced off in rematch action. Of the times we’ve seen these types of games take place, the AFC teams have won the first outing more often than not, while the NFC teams usually have more success in the rematch.
Let’s see every team with the rare distinction of squaring off twice (and even thrice) in heated Super Bowl rematch action!
Super Bowl LVIII will broadcast live on February 11 at 6:30 p.m. ET, on CBS and Nickelodeon as well as streaming on Paramount+.
Miami Dolphins vs. Washington Commanders - 1973 and 1983
30 Jan 1983: Quarterback Joe Theismann of the Washington Commanders gets tackled by a Miami Dolphins defensive player during the Super Bowl XVII at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
The Washington Commanders and Miami Dolphins had the first ever Super Bowl rematch in 1983, which took place ten years after their initial clash at Super Bowl VII. The undefeated Dolphins clinched the first win with a final score of 14-7. But the Commanders bounced back a decade later with a 27-17 win over Miami at Super Bowl XVII.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys 1976 and 1979 and 1996
28 Jan 1996: Defensive back Larry Brown of the Dallas Cowboys (left) returns an interception for a touchdown as Pittsburgh Steelers running back John Williams tries to catch him during Super Bowl XXX at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. The Cowboys won the game, 27-17.
This particular matchup holds the unique distinction as the only three-fer in Super Bowl history. The Steelers and Cowboys first faced off at Super Bowl X in 1976, which saw Pittsburgh emerge victorious with a final score 21-17.
Just three years later at Super Bowl XIII, the Steelers won against Dallas yet again with yet another four point deficit of 35-31.
But finally, at Super Bowl XXX, the Dallas Cowboys were able to prevent the hat trick with a spirited win over Pittsburgh, final score 27-17. With that much momentum behind the Cowboys, I’m sure they went on to remain a dominant force in the NFC right? Right?
Guys…right?
San Francisco 49ers vs. Cincinnati Bengals - 1982 and 1988
22 Jan 1989: Wide receiver John Taylor #82 of the San Francisco 49ers makes a catch as defensive back Ray Horton #20 of the Cincinnati Bengals moves in during Super Bowl XXIII at the Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida. The 49ers won the game 20-16.
As mentioned earlier, this year isn’t the first time the 49ers have faced a familiar foe at the big game. San Fran remains undefeated against the Cincinnati Bengals at the Super Bowl. Their first win came at Super Bowl XVI in 1982 with a final score of 26-21.
They would go on to beat Cincy by four points yet again in 1989, with a score of 20-16 to close Super Bowl XXIII.
Dallas Cowboys vs. Buffalo Bills - 1992 and 1993
31 Jan 1993: Quarterback Jim Kelly # 12 of the Buffalo Bills is hit by linebacker Ken Norton Jr. #51 of the Dallas Cowboys at Super Bowl XXVII at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The Cowboys defeated the Bills 52-17.
I may have been a little too harsh toward Dallas earlier. After all, they do have a dominant streak against the Buffalo Bills when it comes to Super Bowl bouts. The two teams first collided in 1993 at Super Bowl XXVII, where the Cowboys stomped a mudhole in the Bills with a final score of 52-17.
The two teams would meet again one year later at Super Bowl XXVIII. Though the deficit wasn’t quite as staggering as the previous year, it was no less one sided with Dallas winning yet again at 30-13.
New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Rams - 2002 and 2019
03 Feb 2002: Kurt Warner #13 of the St.Louis Rams struggles against getting sacked by Bobby Hamilton #91 of the New England Patriots during Superbowl XXXVI at the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Patriots won 20-17.
The first Super Bowl meeting between the Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots was nothing short of electric. After a close, competitive showing from both teams, the Pats squeaked out a victory with a 48-yard field goal by kicker Adam Vinatieri with just 10 seconds left in the game. Final score 20-17.
The rematch between these two teams at Super Bowl LIII wasn’t quite as dramatic. In fact, it’s widely regarded as one of the least memorable Super Bowls in recent memory, with the game’s only touchdown happening in the fourth quarter. Don’t let the football snobs fool you with phrases like, “it was an amazing defensive game.” No, it was boring. Plain and simple.
Dullness of the actual game aside, the Patriots won out against the Rams yet again with a final score of 13-3.
New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles - 2004 and 2017
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – FEBRUARY 04: Corey Clement #30 of the Philadelphia Eagles catches a touchdown pass against the New England Patriots during Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
After a tense back and forth at Super Bowl XXXIX, New England surged through late in the fourth quarter to beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21. Eagles QB Donovan McNabb put on an admirable performance, but Tom Brady was simply operating on a whole other level that night.
Fast forward 13 years later, however, and you see a much different story. In an undeniably gutsy and impressive display, backup Eagles QB Nick Foles led Philly to their first ever Super Bowl victory, which was made even sweeter by the fact that it was over a Brady-led Patriots.
The 2nd quarter trick play, now cemented in history as the “Philly Special”, is just one of the many reasons this win will go down as one of the most iconic Bowl games in football history.
New England Patriots vs. New York Giants - 2008 and 2012
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEBRUARY 05: Mario Manningham #82 of the New York Giants makes a catch on the sidelines against Patrick Chung #25 (L) and Sterling Moore #29 (obscured) of the New England Patriots for a gain of 39 yards in the fourth quarter during Super Bowl XLVI at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 5, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
It seems the New York Giants are the Super Bowl kryptonite to the New England Patriots’ Superman. The Giants hold double wins over the Pats, the first happening at Super Bowl XLII with NY beating out NE 17-14.
Their rematch at Super Bowl XLVI told a similar story, with the Giants taking the W yet again with a final score of 21-17.
Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers - 2020 and 2024
MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 02: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers lies on the ground after a play against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida.
The 2019 NFL season marked the beginning of the Kansas City Chiefs’ run of dominance, capped off by an amazing performance by Patrick Mahomes at Super Bowl LIV. The Chiefs beat out the San Francisco 49ers that night, final score 31-20.
But as the highly-anticipated rematch looms, what will the future hold for the two teams? Will 49ers QB Brock Purdy accomplish what Jimmy Garoppolo could not? Will the immense star power of Taylor Swift propel the Chiefs even further into their Winning Era? Find out February 11 in Las Vegas!
