5 closest Super Bowl finishes of all-time

The Super Bowl is the biggest event of every NFL season. A champion is crowned based on the result of one single game. It's almost always an exciting game because of the high stakes, but some have been more competitive than others. Some of the closest games have created some of the wildest endings, with these five being some of the closest endings in the game's history.

Closest finishes in Super Bowl history

#1 - SB LI - New England Patriots vs Atlanta Falcons

New England Patriots celebrating victory

This is the only time in Super Bowl history that the game went into overtime, and it was because of the greatest comeback of all time. The New England Patriots trailed the Atlanta Falcons 28-3 with just over two minutes remaining in the third quarter. Tom Brady marched the Patriots all the way back to force overtime, where they would score a walk-off touchdown.

#2 - SB XXV - New York Giants vs Buffalo Bills

Scott Norwood attempts a game-winning field goal

The New York Giants led by just one point when Buffalo Bills kicker Scott Norwood lined up to attempt a game-winning 47-yard field goal. He, unfortunately, missed the kick as time expired, a play that is now infamously known as the "wide right." It was the first time in Super Bowl history that a game was decided by just one point.

Super Bowl history's closest finishes

Here are the five closest finishes in Super Bowl history.

#3 - SB XXXIV - St. Louis Rams vs Tennessee Titans

Kevin Dyson tackled one yard short of the endzone

After Kurt Warner connected with Isaac Bruce for a 73-yard touchdown, the Titans got the ball back down by a touchdown to the Rams with two minutes remaining. Steve McNair marched the Titans all the way down the field to the ten-yard line with six seconds left. He completed a pass to Kevin Dyson on the final play of the game, who came one yard short of the game's tying touchdown.

#4 - SB XLII - New York Giants vs New England Patriots

Eli Manning lifting the Vince Lombardi trophy

The New England Patriots entered Super Bowl XLII on the verge of a perfect season. The New York Giants spoiled it with late-game heroics from quarterback Eli Manning. The Giants trailed 14-10 before the game-winning touchdown drive, which included one of the most miraculous plays of all time in a near-impossible completion to David Tyree.

#5 - SB XLIII - Pittsburgh Steelers vs Arizona Cardinals

Santonio Holmes in the corner of the endzone

After trailing 20-7 late in the game, Kurt Warner led the Arizona Cardinals on a furious comeback with 16 unanswered points. The Pittsburgh Steelers got the ball back for one more drive, needing a field goal to force overtime. Ben Roethlisberger did even better than that as he put together a game-winning touchdown drive, concluding with a pass to Santonio Holmes in the back corner of the endzone.