Yes, for those feeling déjà vu, the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles have previously met on the NFL’s grandest stage. Now, they will face off again in Super Bowl LIX with a chance to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy on the line.
Kansas City will go toe-to-toe with the Eagles with a chance to accomplish the league's first-ever three-peat. Nonetheless, the clubs already etched their names in the annals of history by matching up in the Super Bowl for at least a second time.
With the momentous clash on the horizon, now feels like an opportune moment to reflect on the previous repeat matchups in Super Bowl history.
Every repeat Super Bowl matchup in NFL history
AFC Team | NFC Team | Super Bowl Meetings |
|---|---|---|
Pittsburgh Steelers | Dallas Cowboys | 3 - Super Bowls X (1975), XIII (1978), XXX (1995) |
Miami Dolphins | Washington Commanders | 2 - Super Bowls VII (1973), XVII (1982) |
Cincinnati Bengals | San Francisco 49ers | 2 - Super Bowls XVI (1981), XXIII (1988) |
Buffalo Bills | Dallas Cowboys | 2 - Super Bowls XXVII (1992), XXVIII (1993) |
New England Patriots | New York Giants | 2 - Super Bowl XLII (2007), XLVI (2011) |
New England Patriots | Los Angeles Rams | 2 - Super Bowls XLVI (2001), LIII (2018) |
New England Patriots | Philadelphia Eagles | 2 - Super Bowls XXXIX (2004), LII (2017) |
Kansas City Chiefs | San Francisco 49ers | 2 - Super Bowls LIV (2019), LVIII (2023) |
Kansas City Chiefs | Philadelphia Eagles | 2 - Super Bowls LVII (2022), LIX (2024) |
All told, nine pairs of teams have been part of a Super Bowl rematch, with Chiefs-Eagles being the latest. Only one set of franchises has done so thrice: The Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys. But let's dive deeper into every encore performance at the pinnacle of football.
Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys: Super Bowl X, Super Bowl XIII and Super Bowl XXX
Two of the most storied NFL organizations, the Steelers and Cowboys, met in three of the most highly anticipated Super Bowls the league has experienced.
In 1976, legendary quarterback Terry Bradshaw and the Steelers drew first blood in this trilogy battle between them and Dallas. Led by signal-caller Roger Staubach, the two passers would face off again when Pittsburgh and the Cowboys met for Super Bowl XIII. The Black and Gold won both showdowns, though "America's Team" exacted revenge nearly two decades later.
Fast forward to Super Bowl XXX in 1996, Troy Aikman and the Cowboys defeated Pittsburgh 27-17 and exercised demons that haunted them for so long.
Miami Dolphins and Washington: Super Bowl VII and Super Bowl XVII
Super Bowl VII was the inaugural championship matchup between the Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders. Both offenses were stuck in mud in what was a low-scoring affair.
The game ended with the Dolphins defeating Washington 14-7. They combined for 21 points – the second-lowest total in Super Bowl history.
10 years later, these two teams met again with Super Bowl XVII on the line. Ultimately, Washington had the last laugh, knotting the series at one game each.
San Francisco 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals: Super Bowl XVI and Super Bowl XXIII
San Francisco is the first repeat offender on this list, having two matchups with two teams. In 1982, the Joe Montana-led 49ers faced off against Ken Anderson and the Cincinnati Bengals. They jumped out to a 20-0 first-half lead before things unexpectedly turned.
Cincinnati stormed back to make it a game in the fourth quarter. Alas, Montana and the 49ers prevailed, securing a 26-21 victory over the Bengals.
Montana would meet the Bengals seven years later for Super Bowl XXIII, where he faced quarterback Boomer Esiason. Cincy took a 13-6 lead into the fourth quarter before the Niners completed an impressive comeback to win 20-16.
Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills: Super Bowl XXVII and Super Bowl XXVIII
Unlike other Super Bowl rematches, the Cowboys and Buffalo Bills met in consecutive seasons. And their back-to-back duels were as lopsided as any rivalry could be.
The first time these two teams collided in Super Bowl XXVII, the Cowboys shellacked the Bills 52-17. The 35-point differential is tied for the third-highest in Super Bowl history. Aikman threw four touchdown passes for Dallas, also tied for the third-most in a Super Bowl.
Unfortunately, if you're a member of the Bills Mafia, the second meeting didn’t go much better. Buffalo took a 13-6 lead to halftime before the Cowboys outscored them 24-0 in the second half en route to a 30-13 victory.
New England Patriots and New York Giants: Super Bowl XLII and Super Bowl XLVI
For many reasons, Super Bowl XLII is among the most memorable in NFL history. First, the New York Giants made it as a wild-card team before taking down an undefeated Patriots team chasing a perfect season. It epitomized a David versus Goliath encounter, with the underdog triumphing.
Speaking of David, who can forget the helmet catch made by wide receiver David Tyree? The iconic grab will forever be remembered as one of the most iconic plays in Super Bowl history. Against all odds, the Giants took down one of the most dominant teams the sport has ever seen, largely thanks to one shining moment.
Super Bowl XLVI was again a closely contested game. Future Hall of Famer Eli Manning and the Giants offense marched down the field for a last-minute touchdown drive to take a late 21-17 lead. Fortunately for them, this ended up being the game's final score.
New England Patriots and St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams: Super Bowl XXXVI and Super Bowl LIII
During the early 2000s, the then-St. Louis Rams were known as “The Greatest Show on Turf.” They earned that nickname due to their electric offense filled with multiple players currently enshrined in Canton (Kurt Warner, Isaac Bruce, and Marshall Faulk). So, many gave a Patriots team led by 24-year-old Tom Brady in his first season as an NFL starter in Super Bowl XXXVI no chance.
Little did the Rams know a transcendent superstar was born that day. Brady led the Patriots to a 20-17 victory en route to his first of seven Super Bowl titles and five Super Bowl MVP awards.
In 2019, 17 years later, the Rams could still not avoid the likes of Brady. Like the first game, Brady and the Pats finished on the right side of the ledger. However, the real losers of this game are those who chose to sit through and watch the lowest-scoring game in Super Bowl history.
New England won 13-3 with Los Angeles tying the 1972 Dolphins for the lowest point total in the Big Game.
New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles: Super Bowl XXXIX and Super Bowl LII
Uncoincidentally, the Patriots have shown up on this list quite a bunch. While the Giants had Brady’s number in two Super Bowl meetings, their divisional counterpart, the Philadelphia Eagles, split the series.
In Super Bowl XXXIX, Brady and the Pats defeated the Donovan McNabb-led Eagles 24-21. New England wide receiver Deion Branch caught 11 passes (tied for third-most in a Super Bowl) for 133 scoreless yards. The pass-catcher played a vital role in the outcome, demonstrated by his earning MVP honors.
Playing defense felt optional in Super Bowl LII. The Eagles allowed 33 points but also scored a whopping 41 points. The 74 combined points are good for the second-highest-scoring Super Bowl in NFL history.
Moreover, one of the most memorable plays in Super Bowl history occurred during this contest. The “Philly Special” ended with quarterback Nick Foles catching a touchdown pass from tight end Trey Burton. That will forever be remembered as one of the boldest plays on the game’s biggest stage, especially at the moment it was called.
San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs: Super Bowl LIV and Super Bowl LVIII
The 49ers and Chiefs are the most recent teams to meet in the Super Bowl at least twice. In 2019, Mahomes and Kansas City emerged victorious after outscoring San Francisco 21-0 in the fourth quarter.
Despite swapping Jimmy Garoppolo for Brock Purdy under center, Super Bowl LVIII resulted in another heart-breaking 49ers loss, only this time in overtime. San Francisco kicked a game-leading field goal in the closing stages of regulation, though they left Mahomes and Co. too much time.
Mahomes orchestrated a 64-yard field goal drive in the final two minutes to force additional time. San Francisco had a chance to win during the extra session, but they settled for three points. The Chiefs marched down the field the ensuing possession, winning on a walk-off Mecole Hardman touchdown reception.
Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles: Super Bowl LVII and Super Bowl LIX
When the Chiefs and Eagles met in Super Bowl LVII, Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts had one of the best individual performances in the game's history. Alas, his all-time showing was squandered by yet another thrilling victory-clinching fourth-quarter field goal drive at the hands of Mahomes.
Hurts completed 71.05 percent of his passes and amassed 374 all-purpose yards (304 passing, 70 rushing) in Philly's 38-35 loss. He found pay dirt four times, once by air and three through the ground. His outing was nearly flawless, barring a costly fumble Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton scooped and returned for a touchdown.
If their first encounter is any indication, Super Bowl LIX will be a thrilling affair between two high-powered clubs. This marks their second meeting in three seasons, the second-shortest span between Super Bowl rematches, so there is plenty of familiarity here.