When the 49ers meet the Chiefs this Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, it will mark the 10th time in the Super Bowl era that there will be a regular-season rematch of the previous season’s title bout. For San Francisco, which will be missing several players from last year’s Super Bowl, this will be its first time experiencing one such rematch.
Of the nine Super Bowl rematches that have unfolded so far, the team that won the previous year’s Super Bowl is 6-3.
“Whenever you have two great teams that meet up in the Super Bowl and meet up in these great games, there’s going to be a history between that,” said Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. “Obviously we’ve been able to win those games, but we know how good this football team is and we have a ton of respect for them. It’s not like one play couldn’t have changed all these football games. We go in with the mindset we have to make plays whenever they count.”
Here’s how those rematches unfolded:
Super Bowl IV: Kansas City Chiefs def. Minnesota Vikings, 23-7Rematch (Sept. 20, 1970): Vikings def. Chiefs, 27-10
The Vikings entered Super Bowl IV as the overwhelming favorites, but the Chiefs flipped the script with a dominating defensive performance, limiting Minnesota to 67 rushing yards, recovering two fumbles and forcing three interceptions. When the two teams met months later, the Vikings’ defense looked more like Purple People Eaters, recording two interceptions and recovering two fumbles.
Super Bowl XI: Oakland Raiders def. Minnesota Vikings, 32-14Rematch (Dec. 11, 1977): Raiders def. Vikings, 35-13
For the third time in four years, the Vikings made the Super Bowl. And for the third time in four years, they went home without a trophy.
After losing three straight AFC Championship Games, the John Madden-led Raiders made the most of their first Super Bowl appearance, recording a then-record 429 yards en route to an 18-point win. The Raiders were even more dominant in the rematch as they forced seven turnovers.
Super Bowl XIII: Pittsburgh Steelers def. Dallas Cowboys, 35-31Rematch (Oct. 28, 1979): Steelers def. Cowboys, 14-3
On Jan. 18, 1975, the Steelers beat the Cowboys in the Super Bowl by four points. On Jan. 21, 1978, the Steelers beat the Cowboys in the Super Bowl by four points, a game that’s widely recognized as one of the best Super Bowls of all-time.
While Super Bowl XIII was an offensive exhibition — the 66 combined points were a then-record, as were Terry Bradshaw’s 318 passing yards and four passing touchdowns — the ensuing rematch was an offensive slog. The late Franco Harris rushed for 102 yards and two touchdowns, the latter being a 48-yard run.
Super Bowl XXVII: Dallas Cowboys def. Buffalo Bills, 52-17Rematch (Sept. 12, 1993): Bills def. Cowboys, 13-10
Of the four consecutive Super Bowls that the Buffalo Bills lost, Super Bowl XXVII was, by far, the ugliest. The Bills committed a Super Bowl-record nine turnovers, Troy Aikman threw for four touchdowns and the Cowboys kickstarted a run of three championships in four years.
The ensuing rematch, though, belonged to Buffalo in a defensive exhibition in which both teams scored just one touchdown apiece. The Cowboys and Bills met in the ensuing Super Bowl later that season where Dallas, again, blew out Buffalo in dominant fashion.
Super Bowl XXXI: Green Bay Packers Packers def. New England Patriots, 35-21Rematch (Oct. 27, 1997): Packers def. Patriots, 28-10
Guided by Brett Favre, who was in the midst of winning three straight MVPs, the Packers broke a nearly three-decade long championship drought by beating the Drew Bledsoe-led Patriots. Favre connected with Antonio Freeman for a then-Super Bowl record 81-yard touchdown, but the game’s most dynamic highlight was Desmond Howard returning a then-record 99-yard kickoff return.
Super Bowl XLVIII: Seattle Seahawks def. Denver Broncos, 43-8Rematch (Sept. 21, 2014): Seahawks def. Broncos, 26-20
The Seahawks’ first Super Bowl in franchise history would be a complete and total thrashing of the Broncos, a blowout that began when Seattle forced a safety on the first play from scrimmage.
The regular-season rematch appeared to be another one-sided affair as the Seahawks led 17-3 going into the fourth quarter, but the Broncos outscored the reigning champions, 17-3, in the fourth to force overtime. Denver’s comeback attempt proved futile as Seattle won in overtime on Marshawn Lynch’s game-winning six-yard rushing touchdown.
Super Bowl L: Denver Broncos def. Carolina Panthers, 24-10Rematch (Sept. 8, 2016): Broncos def. Panthers, 21-20
Peyton Manning didn’t exactly dazzle in the final game of his career, completing 13-of-23 passes for 141 yards with no touchdowns and an interception, but he closed out his Hall of Fame career with his second championship. The most memorable play of this game wasn’t a highlight, but rather Cam Newton, the MVP, neglecting to dive for a fumble.
Even with Manning absent from the rematch, the Trevor Siemian-led Broncos opened up their title defense with a one-point win. Carolina would finish the season with a losing record, neither the team nor Newton ever quite the same after the loss.
Super Bowl VI: New England Patriots def. Atlanta Falcons, 34-28Rematch (Oct. 22, 2017): Patriots def. Falcons, 23-7
28-3. Enough said.
The ensuing rematch was nowhere near as enticing. The Patriots entered the fourth quarter with a 20-point lead, and the Falcons didn’t score until there were four minutes remaining.
Super Bowl LVII: Kansas City Chiefs def. Philadelphia Eagles, 38-35Rematch (Nov. 20, 2023): Eagles def. Chiefs, 21-17
In an alternate universe where Brock Purdy doesn’t tear his UCL, the 49ers could’ve very well been the ones playing in this Super Bowl. Alas, the Eagles would be the ones coming out of the NFC.
Jalen Hurts played phenomenally in the title bout, totaling 304 passing yards, 70 rushing yards and four total touchdowns, but Mahomes led the Chiefs to a 17-point fourth quarter to win his second title. Philadelphia beat Kansas City in their regular-season contest nine months later, shutting out the Chiefs in the second half and improving to 9-1.