Repeat Super Bowl matchups: List of revenge games ahead of Chiefs-49ers second meeting
Revenge is a dish best served Bowl'd.
Of 57 Super Bowl matchups, only eight have been rematches. When the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers meet in Super Bowl 58, a ninth will be added to the ledger in Las Vegas.
In 2019, Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid secured their first championship rings as the Chiefs downed Kyle Shanahan's 49ers in Super Bowl 54. In a rematch four years in the making, Shanahan has a chance to levy some revenge and capture that elusive Super Bowl ring as the NFC representative once again.
But history isn't entirely kind to teams looking to even the score in the NFL's championship game. Of those eight rematches, only three teams have been able to secure a victory after losing the first matchup.
Here's the list of repeat Super Bowl matchups:
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Repeat Super Bowl matchups
During the Super Bowl era, seven matchups have been repeat appearances in the ultimate game of the season, with an eighth coming in Super Bowl 58. These are the first seven matchups:
- Steelers vs. Cowboys: First met in Super Bowl 10, played each other again in Super Bowl 13 and Super Bowl 30. The Steelers won the first two matchups, with the Cowboys taking their final meeting.
- Dolphins vs. Washington: First met in Super Bowl 7, with the Dolphins finishing off their undefeated season with a win. Washington got revenge in Super Bowl 17.
- 49ers vs. Bengals: First met in Super Bowl 16, with Joe Montana leading the Niners to victory. The 49ers would again down the Boomer Esiason-led Bengals in Super Bowl 23.
- Cowboys vs. Bills: First met in Super Bowl 27, with the Cowboys taking the victory. They met again the following season in Super Bowl 28, with Dallas walloping the Bills 30-13. It was the last of four consecutive Super Bowl appearances for the Bills – all loses.
- Giants vs. Patriots: First met in Super Bowl 42, which pitted the undefeated Patriots against the underdog Giants, with the Giants taking the Patriots to the wire in the stunning victory. In their Super Bowl 46 rematch, the Giants again beat the Patriots.
- Patriots vs. Eagles: First met in Super Bowl 39, with Tom Brady's Pats defeating Donovan McNabb's Eagles for Brady's third ring. They met again in Super Bowl 52, and it was a "special" Philly victory in the matchup, with Nick Foles capping his Cinderella run.
- Patriots vs. Rams: First met in Super Bowl 36, as Tom Brady secured his first of seven championship rings. After the Rams made their move west, the two teams met again in Super Bowl 53, with the Patriots again taking the win over the high-powered Rams in the matchup.
Of the rematches, only Philadelphia, Washington and Dallas were able to get revenge. The Cowboys won their final matchup with the Steelers, which is the only trilogy in Super Bowl history. That means teams who lost the first matchup have a record of 3-5 in the follow-up.
