Winning a Super Bowl takes talent, strategy, and elite coaching—but sometimes, a little (or a lot) of luck helps too. Whether it was a soft schedule, controversial calls, or straight-up wild breaks, these teams had fortune on their side when they lifted the Lombardi Trophy.
Let’s count down 10 Super Bowl champions who weren’t as dominant as their rings might suggest.
10. 2011 New York Giants (Super Bowl XLVI)
The Giants barely scraped into the playoffs with a 9-7 record, then somehow went on another miracle run. Eli Manning deserves credit, but let’s not forget how lucky they were with an insane Hail Mary before halftime in the NFC Championship and a dropped interception in the Super Bowl.
9. 2007 New York Giants (Super Bowl XLII)
Yes, they took down the undefeated Patriots, but that run was pure chaos. A miracle David Tyree helmet catch, dropped interceptions by the Patriots, and the refs letting Eli escape a sure sack in the biggest moment of the game? Lucky doesn’t even begin to describe it.
8. 2015 Denver Broncos (Super Bowl 50)
Peyton Manning was basically running on fumes at this point, throwing 9 touchdowns and 17 interceptions that season. The Broncos’ defense was elite, but let’s be real—they got lucky that Cam Newton and the Panthers played their worst game of the season at the absolute worst time.
7. 2000 Baltimore Ravens (Super Bowl XXXV)
The Ravens had one of the greatest defenses of all time, but that offense? Woof. Trent Dilfer was just along for the ride, and they got to play a Giants team in the Super Bowl that might’ve been the least intimidating NFC champion ever.
6. 1980 Oakland Raiders (Super Bowl XV)
The first Wild Card team to ever win a Super Bowl, these Raiders had no business being there. They got lucky with multiple controversial calls in the playoffs, including the infamous “Red Right 88” Browns choke job that bailed them out in the divisional round.
5. 2012 Baltimore Ravens (Super Bowl XLVII)
Ray Lewis’ retirement tour was great and all, but this team needed an improbable 4th & 29 conversion, a blown coverage in Denver, and the lights going out in the Super Bowl just to survive. If Rahim Moore simply turns his head in the AFC Championship, we’re not even talking about this team.
4. 1970 Baltimore Colts (Super Bowl V)
This was literally called the “Blunder Bowl” because both teams played so badly. The Colts threw three interceptions, lost four fumbles, and still won because the Cowboys couldn’t stop shooting themselves in the foot.
3. 2018 New England Patriots (Super Bowl LIII)
This was one of the most boring Super Bowls ever, and the Patriots lucked into playing a Rams team that forgot how to score. If the Saints don’t get robbed by a no-call in the NFC Championship, we probably aren’t even talking about this Patriots squad.
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2. 1976 Oakland Raiders (Super Bowl XI)
The Raiders were a great team, but let’s not ignore the absolute gift they got in the AFC Championship. The “Ghost to the Post” game against the Patriots featured one of the worst roughing-the-passer calls in NFL history, basically handing them a free trip to the Super Bowl.
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1. 2001 New England Patriots (Super Bowl XXXVI)
The legend of Tom Brady began here, but let’s not forget how much help they got along the way. From the infamous “Tuck Rule” saving them against the Raiders to a Rams team that forgot to play offense in the first half of the Super Bowl, this title had luck written all over it.
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