The most recent back-to-back Super Bowl winners, the Patriots, are the only thing standing in the way of the Seahawks joining that exclusive club on Sunday night.
There are tons of intriguing storylines heading into Super 49, but perhaps none is more enticing than the potential history that is on the line in Glendale, Ariz. on Feb. 1.
The Seattle Seahawks are one win away from etching their name in the record books as just the ninth team all-time to repeat as Super Bowl champions and the first in a decade. So it is only fitting that the team standing in their way is the New England Patriots, who are the last franchise to repeat as Lombardi Trophy winners.
Regardless of who wins, there will be plenty to debate on Sunday night after the final whistle blows. The Patriots will either add to their claim as one of the most decorated franchises in league history, or the Seahawks will make their case as the NFL's latest dynasty with back-to-back titles on their ledger.
With so much at stake in this battle between the league's two best teams, let's take a look back at the history of repeat Super Bowl winners.
1966-67 Green Bay Packers (Super Bowls 1 & 2)
It is no coincidence that the trophy given to the NFL champion is named after Vince Lombardi, one of the league's legendary coaches and the man that led the Packers to victory in the first two Super Bowls. (Of course, back then it wasn't known as the Super Bowl, but rather the "AFL-NFL Championship Game.") Lombardi's final game as Packers coach was the victory in Super Bowl 2, ending an incredible nine-season career during which his teams won five NFL championships, including the aforementioned two Super Bowls.
1972-73 Miami Dolphins (Super Bowls 7 & 8)
The 1972 Dolphins remain the only team in NFL history to finish a season with an unbeaten record, capping off their perfect campaign with a 14-7 win over Washington in Super Bowl 7. The city of Miami wouldn't have to wait long for another championship. The Dolphins went 12-2 during the 1973 regular season and rolled through the playoffs, winning each of its three postseason games by 17 points.
1974-75 Pittsburgh Steelers (Super Bowls 9 & 10)
1978-79 Pittsburgh Steelers (Super Bowls 13 & 14)
The 1970s Steelers are considered one of the most dominant teams in pro football history, winning four Super Bowl titles in a six-season span. With this incredible run, the franchise established itself as one of the league's foremost dynasties -- following in the footsteps of the 1940s Chicago Bears, 1950s' Cleveland Browns, and the 1960s Packers. Buoyed by its "Steel Curtain" defense and the prolific arm of Terry Bradshaw, the Steelers won 80 games (including playoffs) from 1974-79, by far the most of any team during that span.
1988-89 San Francisco 49ers (Super Bowls 23 & 24)
An offensive juggernaut led by Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, San Francisco began its run of back-to-back titles with a narrow 20-16 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super 23. The 49ers then successfully defended their championship with a 55-10 blowout of the Denver Broncos one year later, the largest margin of victory in Super Bowl history.
1992-93 Dallas Cowboys (Super Bowls 27 & 28)
Powered by the dynamic trio of Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith, the Cowboys dismantled the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl 27 by a 52-17 score to win the franchise's first ring since the late 1970s. Dallas suffered through the inevitable Super Bowl hangover at the start of the 1993 season, dropping its first two games, before cruising to another NFC East title and a 30-13 victory over the Bills in the big game for the second straight year.
1997-1998 Denver Broncos (Super Bowls 32 & 33)
The Broncos were the first AFC team to repeat as Super Bowl winners since the 1970s Steelers, beating the Packers for their first title and the Atlanta Falcons for their second one. John Elway capped his Hall of Fame career in storybook fashion, winning the MVP award in his final game on Feb. 1, 1999 following the Broncos' 34-19 victory in Super Bowl 33.
2003-04 New England Patriots (Super Bowls 38 & 39)
The Patriots established themselves as the NFL's most recent dynasty with three Super Bowl wins in four years during the early 2000s, including back-to-back titles following the 2003-04 seasons. One decade later, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are still looking for that elusive fourth ring as they try to end their championship drought with a win over the Seahawks on Sunday night.
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