3 most underrated Super Bowl wins feat 1999 St. Louis Rams

Winning the Super Bowl is a big deal for players, coaches, franchises and fan bases. It is the pinnacle of football excellence and an honor that only one team can achieve at the end of a grueling season.

Every season, there are three to five genuine Super Bowl contenders. It's hardly a big deal when those teams win. However, sometimes a team flips the script and surprises even their fans with a victory in the big game.

Hence, with the 2025 Super Bowl a few weeks away, let's look at three underrated Super Bowl victories.

The three most underrated Super Bowl wins

3. 2001 New England Patriots

The proper start of the Bill Belichick and Tom Brady era. The 2001 Patriots were fresh off a 5-11 record in 2000 and weren't viewed by many to make the playoffs in 2001. Fans feared the worst when star quarterback Drew Bledsoe suffered a sheared blood vessel due to a brutal hit from Mo Lewis of the New York Jets.

Little did these fans know that it was the beginning of arguably the greatest dynasty in American sports. The Patriots compiled an 11-5 regular season before beating the Raiders in the divisional round, the Steelers in the AFC championship game, and finally the Rams in the Super Bowl. A memorable Adam Vinatieri field goal sealed it.

2. 1981 San Francisco 49ers

From not making the playoffs since 1972 to becoming Super Bowl champions. The 1981 San Francisco 49ers deserve more flowers than they've been given.

Joe Montana led a team that ended the previous season with a 6-10 record to finish the 1981 season with a 13-3 record. Under Bill Walsh's guidance, the 49ers played phenomenal attacking football and decent defense for the first time in years.

Their turnaround in form peaked in the playoffs as they beat the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game and defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl. It started one of the most significant periods in San Francisco sports.

1. 1999 St. Louis Rams

The 1999 St. Louis Rams were the greatest show on turf, and they earned that nickname. Kurt Warner had an MVP year in St. Louis as he took a side that finished the previous season with a 4-12 record to the mountaintop of professional football.

Warner, Marshall Faulk and Torry Holt led the Rams offense, which changed the trajectory of offensive game planning in the league. Warner's rocket arm was complimented by rapid receivers, an enthusiastic offensive line and a coaching staff that allowed him to improvise in the pocket.

Their elite regular season led to a spot in the playoffs. They pummeled the Minnesota Vikings in the divisional round, scraped through against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game and dispatched the Titans in the Super Bowl. It was a fitting end to an underrated season for Warner and his league-beating teammates in St. Louis.