When was the last time the Super Bowl didn’t feature a No. 1 seed?

In the 2023-24 playoffs, there are only four teams left. Only two spots are available in Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas, Nev., for a chance to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.

The AFC and NFC still have the top seeds remaining in the playoffs -- the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers, respectively. They both earned first-round byes and made it to the AFC and NFC Championship Games. Their opponents are both No. 3 seeds -- the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions. Fans are watching to see if it will be a battle between the Ravens and 49ers, or if the Chiefs and Lions will pull off upsets to make it to Super Bowl 58.

So, when was the last time a No. 1 seed wasn't featured in the Super Bowl?

When was the last time the Super Bowl didn't feature a No. 1 seed?

NFL fans don't have to look too far back to find the last Super Bowl that didn't feature a No. 1 seed. That took place in the 2021 season when the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals competed in Super Bowl 56.

Both the Rams and Bengals were the No. 4 seeds in their respective conferences.

The Bengals actually knocked out the No. 1 seed in the AFC in their run to Super Bowl 56. After defeating the No. 5 Las Vegas Raiders in the Wild Card Round, the Bengals defeated the No. 1 Tennessee Titans 19-16 in the Divisional Round to advance to the AFC Championship Game. The Bengals defeated the No. 2 Chiefs 27-24 to clinch a spot in Super Bowl 56.

The No. 1 seed in the NFC that year was the Green Bay Packers. However, they were eliminated by the No. 6 San Francisco 49ers by the score of 13-10 in the Divisional Round. The Rams would beat the 49ers 20-17 in the NFC Championship Game.

In Super Bowl 56, the Rams beat the Bengals 23-20 to win their first Lombardi Trophy since 2000.

Before that, the last Super Bowl to not feature a No. 1 seed was in the 2018 season, when the No. 2 New England Patriots defeated the No. 2 Rams 13-3.