Super Bowl XXXI (1997)
The Packers end the drought and reclaim glory with a dominant Super Bowl victory.
Super Bowl XXXI isn't just a game; it's the day Green Bay finally exhaled after holding its breath for thirty years. On January 26, 1997, inside the sweltering Louisiana Superdome, Mike Holmgren's Packers didn't just beat the New England Patriots—they shattered the ghosts of their own past. With Brett Favre at the helm, this victory didn't merely add a trophy to the cabinet; it resurrected a franchise that had spent three decades in the shadow of its former glory, instantly birthing a modern dynasty.
- Final Score
- Green Bay 35, New England 21
- MVP
- Desmond Howard (Kick Returner)
- Location
- Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans
- Date
- January 26, 1997
- Key Moment
- Howard's 'End Zone' dance after a kickoff return touchdown
Lore & Background
The game itself is remembered not just for the score, but for the sheer dominance displayed against a resilient Patriots team led by Drew Bledsoe and coach Bill Parcells. While Favre orchestrated the offense with his signature arm strength, the defense held firm at critical moments. The defining cultural moment of the night, however, belonged to Desmond Howard, whose spontaneous dance in the end zone after scoring on a kickoff return became one of the most iconic images in NFL history, symbolizing the joy and confidence of that specific Packers squad.
In Their Own Story
The air inside the Superdome was thick with humidity and thirty years of pent-up anxiety. Brett Favre stood over the line, eyes locked on the Patriots' defense, carrying the weight of every lost season since Vince Lombardi's era. The game swung into motion not just with a pass, but with a statement: when Desmond Howard exploded down the sideline for that 95-yard kickoff return, the stadium didn't just cheer; it erupted. As Howard crossed the goal line, he didn't settle for a simple touchdown celebration. He dropped to his knees and launched into the 'End Zone' dance—a spontaneous, unfiltered explosion of joy that signaled to the world: the drought was officially dead.
Reader's Guide
On January 26, 1997, the Green Bay Packers (13-3) marched into the Louisiana Superdome to face the New England Patriots (11-5), ending a 29-year championship wait. The game was a masterclass in balance: Brett Favre dissected the defense with three touchdown passes, while Desmond Howard delivered the knockout blow on special teams. Howard's electrifying 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown remains the most iconic play of the night, making him the first and only player to win Super Bowl MVP primarily as a kick returner. Despite a spirited second-half rally by the Patriots, Green Bay's defense held the line, securing a decisive 35-21 victory that cemented the Holmgren-Favre era as one of the NFL's most dominant.
Did You Know?
- Desmond Howard holds a unique Super Bowl record: he is the only player ever named MVP based primarily on a kickoff return touchdown (95 yards).
- The victory snapped a 29-year championship drought for Green Bay, their last title having been won in January 1967 under legendary coach Vince Lombardi.
- Brett Favre threw three touchdown passes, connecting with Antonio Freeman and Mark Chmura to dismantle the Patriots' secondary.
- Super Bowl XXXI was a rare sight: it marked the first time since Super Bowl XXIV (1990) that the championship game was played in January rather than February.