Super Bowls Trivia Quiz

Answer: Dick Anderson

While the Super Bowl MVP award was given to the defense seven times between Super Bowls I-XXXV, there were actually eight defensive players who took home the honor. Dick Anderson, a former strong safety of the Miami Dolphins, was a key cog of the team's 'No Name Defense' and back-to-back world championship squad, which included the 1972, undefeated team. He also won the 1973 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award and was named to the NFLs 1970's All-Decade Team, but was not among the list of Super Bowl defensive MVP winners. Those men were:
Chuck Howley--SB V
Jake Scott--SB VII
Harvey Martin & Randy White--SB XII
Richard Dent--SB XX
Larry Brown--SB XXX
Ray Lewis--SB XXXV
Dexter Jackson--SB XXXVII

Answer: John Riggins

After breaking the record, Pittsburgh Steelers RB Franco Harris had set a record in Super Bowl IX of 158 yards. Washington Redskins RB John Riggins set the single game rushing record in a Super Bowl with 166 yards in XVII. He held the record for all of Super Bowl.

The very next year in Super Bowl XVIII, Marcus Allen erased Riggins' name from the top of the record books with a dazzling 191-yard performance against Riggins's Redskins. Allen would hold on to the top spot only until XXII.

Answer: XXXVI

On February 3, 2002, Super Bowl XXXVI became the first Super Bowl not to be played in January. Pitting the New England Patriots against the St. Louis Rams, the game came down to a 48-yard Adam Vinatieri field goal as time ran out, giving the Patriots a 20-17 upset win over the Rams.

Answer: None of these

Although there were eight kickoffs returned for touchdowns in the first forty games of Super Bowl history, a punt was never returned for a score. In fact, the longest punt return in the big game during that time span was a 45-yard scamper by John Taylor in Super Bowl XXIII against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Answer: New York Giants

In Super Bowl XXI, the Denver Broncos led the New York Giants by the slimmest of margins, 10-9 at the half. New York dominated the second half and went on to win their first Super Bowl title, 39-20.

Answer: False

One of the more dubious statistics in Super Bowl history was held by the Minnesota Vikings. While they were one of the strongest NFL teams of the 1970s, and won four NFC Championships during the decade, they were horrible in their Super Bowl appearances. The Vikings never scored a single point in the first half of any of their Super Bowls (IV, VIII, IX, XI).

Answer: False

A powerhouse team of the early to mid-90s, the Buffalo Bills were the first team to win four consecutive AFC Championships and to have advanced to four straight Super Bowls. This was a feat that should have gotten much more respect and recognition than their blowout Super Bowl losses which occured in three of those contests. And, while the Bills did lose every Super Bowl they appeared in during the 1990s (XXV, XXVI, XXVII, XXVIII), they actually took a lead into halftime in two of those contests.

In SB XXV, they led the New York Giants, 12-10, before succumbing 20-19, after Scott Norwood missed a 47-yard field goal to win the game as time expired. In XXVIII, the Bills led the Dallas Cowboys 13-6 at the half before losing that game, 30-13.

Answer: Emmitt Smith

Former Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals RB Emmitt Smith, appeared in three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys during the 1990s (XXVII, XXIII, and XXX). He helped lead his team to wins in all those games. He scored a total of five touchdowns in all those games combined.

Answer: Fred Dryer

Although he never scored a safety in a Super Bowl, former Los Angeles Rams defensive end and TV actor (he starred in the series "Hunter" from 1984-1991) Fred Dryer, once scored two safeties in a single game. It happened on October 21, 1973, against the Green Bay Packers when he sacked QBs Scott Hunter and his back-up, Jim Del Gaizo, on back-to-back series, helping the Rams to a 24-7 victory.

Answer: Tom Flores

Tony Dungy, Mike Ditka, and Tom Flores can all claim victories as both players and head coaches. Ditka was a tight end for the Dallas Cowboys when they won their first league championship after the 1971 season. They beat the Miami Dolphins 24-3 in Super Bowl VI.

He was the head coach of the Super Bowl XX champion Chicago Bears when they destroyed the New England Patriots, 46-10. Tony Dungy was a reserve defensive back on the Pittsburgh Steelers' 1978 Super Bowl XIII winning squad, and the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts when they defeated the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI, 29-17. Tom Flores was a backup QB for the Kansas City Chiefs when they won Super Bowl IV 23-7, over the Minnesota Vikings, and as a head coach he led the Los Angeles Raiders to wins in Super Bowls XV and XVIII.