Some football games stay famous because of a last-second score. Others become touchstones for a dynasty, a rivalry, or a rule of the game. If you’re looking for the American football matches fans still talk about, the list spans NFL championship battles, Super Bowls, and college football classics.
Here are several landmark games, what happened in them, and why they still matter. The selection is not exhaustive, but it captures some of the sport’s most memorable turning points.
Famous NFL and Super Bowl matches
| Game | Result | Best remembered for |
|---|---|---|
| 1958 NFL Championship | Colts 23, Giants 17 (OT) | The NFL’s first sudden-death overtime championship game |
| 1967 NFL Championship | Packers 21, Cowboys 17 | The Ice Bowl and Bart Starr’s winning sneak |
| 1972 AFC Divisional Playoff | Steelers 13, Raiders 7 | Franco Harris’s “Immaculate Reception” |
| 1981 NFC Championship | 49ers 28, Cowboys 27 | Dwight Clark’s “The Catch” |
| Super Bowl XXV | Giants 20, Bills 19 | Scott Norwood’s missed final field goal |
| Super Bowl XLII | Giants 17, Patriots 14 | New York ending New England’s bid for a perfect season |
| Super Bowl LI | Patriots 34, Falcons 28 (OT) | New England’s comeback from a 28–3 deficit |
1958 NFL Championship: Colts vs. Giants
The Baltimore Colts’ 23–17 overtime win over the New York Giants is often called “The Greatest Game Ever Played.” The championship was the first NFL title game decided by sudden-death overtime. With the score tied late in regulation, Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas led a drive that put Baltimore in range for a tying field goal. In overtime, he directed another long march, and Alan Ameche scored the winning touchdown.
The game helped bring professional football to a wider television audience. It also offered a lasting lesson in late-game management: Unitas stayed composed, moved the chains, and gave his team a chance to finish.
The Ice Bowl: Packers vs. Cowboys
On December 31, 1967, Green Bay hosted Dallas in the NFL Championship Game in brutally cold conditions. The field was frozen, and temperatures were far below zero. The Packers trailed 17–14 in the closing seconds, but quarterback Bart Starr kept the ball on a quarterback sneak and scored from the one-yard line. Green Bay won 21–17.
The play is remembered as much for its setting as for its execution. Starr and coach Vince Lombardi chose a direct, forceful option in conditions that made footing and handling the ball difficult. It was Green Bay’s third straight NFL championship.
The Immaculate Reception: Steelers vs. Raiders
In a 1972 AFC playoff game, Pittsburgh trailed Oakland 7–6 with seconds left. Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw toward John “Frenchy” Fuqua, and the ball rebounded into the air. Running back Franco Harris caught it just before it hit the ground and ran for the winning touchdown. Pittsburgh prevailed 13–7.
The play became known as the Immaculate Reception, though the exact sequence prompted debate over whether the ball had touched Fuqua or Raiders safety Jack Tatum first. It marked a turning point for the Steelers, who soon developed into one of the NFL’s dominant teams.
“The Catch”: 49ers vs. Cowboys
In the 1981 NFC Championship Game, San Francisco trailed Dallas 27–21 late in the fourth quarter. Joe Montana scrambled away from pressure and lofted a pass toward the back of the end zone. Dwight Clark leaped to make the catch, sending the 49ers to a 28–27 win and their first Super Bowl.
“The Catch” is a snapshot of both improvisation and timing: Montana bought a little more time, and Clark found space where the pass could reach him. The victory also began San Francisco’s rise as an NFL powerhouse under coach Bill Walsh.
Super Bowl XXV: Giants vs. Bills
The 1991 Super Bowl between the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills was one of the closest in the event’s history. New York won 20–19 after Bills kicker Scott Norwood’s 47-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide right as time expired.
The Giants’ approach mattered as much as the finish. They controlled the ball for long stretches, limiting Buffalo’s opportunities to use its high-powered offense. The narrow margin made Norwood’s attempt unforgettable, but the game was also a tense contest of possession and defensive discipline.
Super Bowls XLII, XLIX, and LI
Super Bowl XLII in 2008 delivered one of the biggest upsets in championship history. The New York Giants beat the previously unbeaten New England Patriots 17–14. Late in the fourth quarter, Eli Manning escaped a tackle and threw a pass that David Tyree pinned against his helmet for a crucial catch. Manning then connected with Plaxico Burress for the winning touchdown.
In Super Bowl XLIX, New England beat Seattle 28–24 after Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson at the goal line in the final moments. Seattle had a chance to hand the ball to Marshawn Lynch, so the decision to pass—and Butler’s anticipation—became central to the game’s legacy.
Super Bowl LI, played in 2017, produced the first overtime in Super Bowl history. Atlanta led New England 28–3 in the third quarter, but the Patriots rallied to tie the game and won 34–28 on James White’s overtime touchdown. The result showed how quickly a game can change when one offense sustains drives and the other loses momentum.
College football games fans still revisit
2006 Rose Bowl: Texas vs. USC
Texas beat Southern California 41–38 in a dramatic Rose Bowl that matched two elite teams. The Trojans entered on a long winning streak, while Texas quarterback Vince Young delivered a remarkable all-around performance. He scored the winning touchdown on a fourth-and-short run with 19 seconds remaining.
The game is especially memorable for its final sequence: Texas needed one conversion, and Young kept the ball rather than handing it off. His speed and decision-making turned a high-pressure play into the championship-winning score.
“The Play”: California vs. Stanford
In 1982, California beat Stanford 25–20 on a kickoff return that involved five laterals and ended with a California player reaching the end zone as the Stanford band was on the field. The play became a college football legend—and a source of lasting argument among Stanford fans.
It was a regular-season rivalry game, not a championship, but its chaotic finish made it one of the most replayed endings in the sport. It also shows why college football’s traditions and rivalries can make a single Saturday game feel historic.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is often called the greatest NFL game?
The 1958 NFL Championship between the Baltimore Colts and New York Giants is frequently given that nickname. It was the league’s first championship decided in sudden-death overtime and helped draw national attention to professional football.
What was the most famous Super Bowl comeback?
Super Bowl LI is widely known for the New England Patriots’ comeback against the Atlanta Falcons. New England recovered from a 28–3 deficit to win 34–28 in overtime, the first overtime finish in Super Bowl history.
Are famous American football games only NFL games?
No. College football has its own landmark matches, including Texas–USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl and California–Stanford’s “The Play” in 1982. Rivalry games and bowl games can be just as memorable as NFL contests.
Final Thoughts
Famous football matches are remembered for more than the final score. A frozen field, a disputed catch, a perfectly timed pass, or a risky decision can become part of the sport’s shared history. If you watch these games, pay attention not only to the defining play but also to the drive, defensive adjustment, or coaching choice that made it possible.
Aiden Cross is a sports writer and editor at BeliveSports, covering a broad range of sports with a focus on clear, accurate, and practical information. His work covers rules, techniques, player roles, competitions, equipment, statistics, and the details that help readers better understand how different sports are played. Aiden takes a research-driven approach to sports writing, using reliable sources and established sporting information to provide context rather than simply repeating surface-level facts. His goal is to make complex topics accessible while maintaining the accuracy and depth expected by knowledgeable sports fans. At BeliveSports, Aiden contributes to the site’s editorial standards by focusing on accuracy, clarity, useful context, and reader-first explanations.