"1986 Super Bowl" redirects here. For the Super Bowl that was played at the completion of the 1986 season, see Super Bowl XXI.
Super Bowl XX
Chicago Bears (1) (NFC) (15–1)
New England Patriots (5) (AFC) (11–5)
46
10
Head coach: Mike Ditka
Head coach: Raymond Berry
1
2
3
4
Total
CHI
13
10
21
2
46
NE
3
0
0
7
10
Date
January 26, 1986 (1986-01-26)
Stadium
Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
MVP
Richard Dent, defensive end
Favorite
Bears by 10[1][2]
Referee
Red Cashion
Attendance
73,818[3]
Hall of Famers
Bears: Jim Covert, Richard Dent, Dan Hampton, Steve McMichael, Walter Payton, Mike Singletary Patriots: John Hannah, Andre Tippett Head coaches Mike Ditka and Raymond Berry were elected as players.
Ceremonies
National anthem
Wynton Marsalis
Coin toss
Bart Starr representing previous Super Bowl MVPs
Halftime show
Up with People presents "Beat of the Future"
TV in the United States
Network
NBC
Announcers
Dick Enberg, Merlin Olsen and Bob Griese
Nielsen ratings
48.3[4] (est. 92.57 million viewers)[5]
Market share
70
Cost of 30-second commercial
$550,000
Radio in the United States
Network
NBC Radio
Announcers
Don Criqui and Bob Trumpy
← XIX
Super Bowl
XXI →
Super Bowl XX was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Chicago Bears and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1985 season. The Bears defeated the Patriots by the score of 46–10, capturing their first NFL championship since 1963, three years prior to the birth of the Super Bowl. Super Bowl XX was played on January 26, 1986, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans.
This was the fourth Super Bowl and, to date, the last time in which both teams made their Super Bowl debuts. Presently, this can only occur again if the NFC's Detroit Lions play one of the following AFC teams in the Super Bowl: the Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars or Houston Texans.[6] The Bears entered the game after becoming the second team in NFL history to win 15 regular season games. With their then-revolutionary 46 defense, Chicago led the league in several defensive categories, outscored their opponents with a staggering margin of 456–198, and recorded two postseason shutouts. The Patriots were considered a Cinderella team during the 1985 season, and posted an 11–5 regular season record, but entered the playoffs as a wild card because of tiebreakers. But defying the odds, New England posted three road playoff wins to advance to Super Bowl XX.
In their victory over the Patriots, the Bears set or tied Super Bowl records for sacks (seven), fewest rushing yards allowed (seven), and margin of victory (36 points). At the time, New England broke the record for the quickest lead in Super Bowl history, with Tony Franklin's 36-yard field goal 1:19 into the first quarter after a Chicago fumble. But the Patriots were eventually held to negative yardage (−19) throughout the entire first half, and finished with just 123 total yards from scrimmage, the second lowest total yards in Super Bowl history, behind the Minnesota Vikings (119 total yards) in Super Bowl IX. Bears defensive end Richard Dent, who had 1.5 quarterback sacks, forced two fumbles, and blocked a pass, was named the game's Most Valuable Player (MVP).[7] Although he posted relatively mediocre game statistics and failed to score a touchdown himself, star running back Walter Payton was also later credited as being a major factor in the Bears' victory on account of the Patriots' heavy coverage of him giving other members of the team more and better opportunities to score.
The telecast of the game on NBC was watched by an estimated 92.57 million viewers.[5] To commemorate the 20th Super Bowl, all previous Super Bowl MVPs were honored during the pregame ceremonies.
^DiNitto, Marcus (January 25, 2015). "Super Bowl Betting History – Underdogs on Recent Roll". The 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. National Football Secession 6League. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
^"Super Bowl on TV (ratings)". CNN Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 2, 2007.
^ ab"Historical Super Bowl Nielsen TV Ratings, 1967–2009 – Ratings". TVbytheNumbers. Archived from the original on February 8, 2010. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
^The previous three were Super Bowl I, Super Bowl III and Super Bowl XVI.
^Richard Dent became just the third defensive end to be named Super Bowl MVP; the first two defensive ends to be named as Super Bowl MVP were Harvey Martin and Randy White, who shared the award for Super Bowl XII.
SuperBowlXX was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Chicago Bears and the American Football Conference...
SuperBowl XXXVI was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference...
SuperBowl XXXI was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots and the National Football Conference...
The SuperBowl is the annual American football game that determines the champion of the National Football League (NFL). The game culminates a season that...
regular season record, were making their first appearance since winning SuperBowlXX in the 1985 season. The Bears' Lovie Smith and the Colts' Tony Dungy...
football games at all levels of competition. Entertainment during the SuperBowl, the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL), represents...
distributed through Capitol Records seven weeks ahead of their win in SuperBowlXX. The song peaked at number 41 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and earned...
SuperBowl XXIX was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion San Diego Chargers and the National Football Conference...
SuperBowl XXX was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys and the American Football Conference...
SuperBowl XXXIV was an American football game played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 30, 2000, to determine the National Football...
starter from 1984 to 1986, where he helped the team make their SuperBowl debut in SuperBowlXX. Competing as the starter with Steve Grogan throughout his...
49ers) SuperBowlXX (Chicago Bears) SuperBowl XXI (New York Giants) SuperBowl XXII (Washington Redskins) SuperBowl XXIII (San Fransisco 49ers) Super Bowl...
SuperBowl XXV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Buffalo Bills and the National Football Conference...
blowout in SuperBowl history, behind SuperBowl XXIV in 1990, a 55–10 San Francisco 49ers victory over the Denver Broncos, and SuperBowlXX in 1986, a...
SuperBowl XVI was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers and the American Football Conference...
The SuperBowl is the annual league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States. It has served as the final game of every...
The SuperBowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL). The organization Up with People performed in five SuperBowl halftime...
SuperBowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference...
SuperBowl 50 was an American football game to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2015 season. The American Football...
SuperBowl XXXVIII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Carolina Panthers and the American Football Conference...
hosted the SuperBowl. Tulane Stadium was the site of Super Bowls IV, VI, and IX; while the Louisiana Superdome previously hosted XII, XV, and XX. Originally...
SuperBowl XXXVII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Oakland Raiders and the National Football Conference...
back-to-back Super Bowls in two instances, and three straight Super Bowls in one instance: SuperBowl IX and SuperBowl X; SuperBowlXX and SuperBowl XXI; and...
occurred during SuperBowlXX between the New England Patriots and Chicago Bears in 1986. One of the most famous plays in SuperBowl history was William...
SuperBowl XXII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Washington Redskins and American Football Conference...
SuperBowl XLIV was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champions New Orleans Saints and the American Football Conference...
SuperBowl XXVIII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys and the American Football Conference...
SuperBowl XXVI was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Washington Redskins and the American Football Conference...