Super Bowl XXXIII

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The path to this matchup began in November 1994 when owners initially voted for San Francisco, but uncertainty over stadium renovations led to the bid being withdrawn by March 1996. The NFL reopened bidding in late 1996, selecting Miami, Atlanta, and Tampa to host Super Bowls XXXIII, XXXIV, and XXXV respectively. For Denver, the road was paved by a dominant regular season under Mike Shanahan, where they won their first 13 games before losing to the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins. The offense, led by John Elway and Terrell Davis, ranked second in points (501) and third in total yards. While Davis earned MVP honors for the season with 2,008 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns, the team remained resilient even when Elway missed time due to a hamstring injury in week 3, as Bubby Brister started four games without a loss.

In Their Own Story

The turning point arrived early in the second quarter when John Elway connected with Rod Smith on an 80-yard touchdown pass. This strike ignited a 17-point run by the Broncos, building a 17–3 lead that the Falcons could not overcome. In what became his final career appearance at age 38, Elway threw for 336 yards and one touchdown while adding a 3-yard rushing score, completing 18 of 29 passes with just one interception. His performance secured him Super Bowl MVP honors, making him the oldest player to receive the award at that time—a record later surpassed by Tom Brady in 2017 against the same opponent. The Falcons, led by quarterback Chris Chandler and running back Jamal Anderson, struggled to recover from the deficit despite a strong regular season run of nine consecutive wins entering the game.

Reader's Guide

Denver's offense controlled the pace early, utilizing the deep threats provided by wide receivers Ed McCaffrey and Rod Smith, along with tight end Shannon Sharpe. The defense, anchored by tackles Maa Tanuvasa and Trevor Pryce (8.5 sacks each) and linebacker Bill Romanowski, limited Atlanta to 34 points while allowing only one rushing touchdown in the game. Key contributors included Darrien Gordon, who led the team with four interceptions, and Vaughn Hebron, whose special teams play added significant yardage. The Broncos secured their second straight title by maintaining their defensive intensity and leveraging Elway's veteran leadership in a high-stakes environment where every play mattered for his final bow.

Did You Know?

• John Elway became the oldest player to be named Super Bowl MVP at age 38, a record that stood until Tom Brady surpassed it in 2017.
• The game was originally awarded to Candlestick Park in San Francisco in 1994 before being moved due to renovation concerns, with Miami eventually hosting after a fresh bidding process in 1996.
• Terrell Davis won the NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards for the 1998 season but did not win Super Bowl MVP; that honor went to John Elway.
• The Atlanta Falcons were making their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history, having posted a surprising 14–2 record after being just 3–13 two years prior.