Super Bowl XXI

Super Bowl XXI

Super Bowl XXI was an American football game played on January 25, 1987, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. It was the 21st Super Bowl and decided the National Football League champion for the 1986 season.

The New York Giants played against the Denver Broncos. The Giants won 39–20. This was the first time the Giants had ever won the Super Bowl.

The Broncos were led by quarterback John Elway. This was their first time playing in the Super Bowl since 1977. The Giants were led by quarterback Phil Simms. They had a very good season and allowed only 3 points in their two playoff games before the Super Bowl.

The game was close in the first half, with the Broncos leading 10–9 at halftime. In the second half, the Giants scored many points and won the game.

Phil Simms was named the Super Bowl MVP for playing very well. Many people watched the game on TV.

Background

Host selection process

NFL owners chose Pasadena, California, to host Super Bowl XXI in 1984. Fourteen cities tried to host the game. Pasadena was chosen after many votes and became the host city for the fourth time.

Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos won their division with an 11–5 record. Quarterback John Elway helped the team with his good plays. The team had strong running backs and a solid defense.

New York Giants

The New York Giants reached their first Super Bowl. They had a great running back in Joe Morris and a strong defense led by Lawrence Taylor. The team finished the regular season with a 14–2 record.

Playoffs

In the playoffs, the Broncos won their games, with Elway leading important drives. The Giants' defense was very strong, allowing only three points in their playoff games.

Super Bowl pregame news

Before the game, many people were excited to see if Lawrence Taylor could challenge John Elway. The Giants had beaten the Broncos earlier in the season. Both teams were playing in their first Super Bowl. The Giants wore special stickers to honor former players.

Broadcasting

The game was shown in the United States on CBS. The broadcast team included Pat Summerall and John Madden. Brent Musburger hosted special segments before, during, and after the game.

This was the first NFL game to be broadcast with special sound quality and in stereo. The game was also heard on radio across the country and in several other countries around the world.

Entertainment

The pregame show celebrated California. The pop music group The Beach Boys and the Canadian jazz fusion band The Shuffle Demons performed. Singer Neil Diamond sang the national anthem. The coin toss ceremony included Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive lineman Willie Davis.

The halftime show honored Hollywood's 100th anniversary. George Burns introduced the show. High school drill teams and dancers from Southern California performed.

After the game, Giants players celebrated by pouring a Gatorade cooler over their head coach Bill Parcells. This started a fun tradition. The game's most valuable player, Phil Simms, later appeared in an "I'm going to Disney World!" ad.

Game summary

Super Bowl XXI was a big football game between the Denver Broncos and the New York Giants. The Giants won the game 39–20. This was their first Super Bowl win and first NFL title since 1956.

The game started with the Broncos scoring the first points with a field goal. The Giants then scored a touchdown to take the lead. The Broncos tied the game before the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, the game had some exciting moments, but the Broncos still led at halftime.

In the second half, the Giants played better. They scored several touchdowns and a field goal to take control of the game. The Broncos tried to come back, but the Giants kept scoring. The game ended with the Giants winning by a big margin.

Final statistics

Sources: NFL.com Super Bowl XXI, Super Bowl XXI Play Finder NYG, Super Bowl XXI Play Finder Den

Statistical comparison

Individual statistics

¹Completions/attempts ²Carries ³Long gain ⁴Receptions ⁵Times targeted

Records set

The following records were set in Super Bowl XXI. Some records needed a minimum number of attempts to be recognized.

This is also the first, and only time in history, an NFL game ended with a final score of 39–20.

Starting lineups

Officials

The Super Bowl XXI game had important officials who helped everything go well. They made sure the game was fair and followed the rules.

These officials included a referee, an umpire, a head linesman, a line judge, a back judge, a side judge, a field judge, and an alternate umpire. Each had a special job.

Here are the names of the officials:

• Referee: Jerry Markbreit
• Umpire: Bob Boylston
• Head linesman: Terry Gierke
• Line judge: Bob Beeks
• Back judge: Jim Poole
• Side judge: Gil Mace
• Field judge: Pat Mallette
• Alternate umpire: Hendi Ancich