Editing Super Bowl XXI (section)

==Background==
===Host selection process===
NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl XXI to Pasadena, California, on May 24, 1984, during their May 23–25, 1984 meetings in Washington, D.C. Fourteen cities were part of the bidding process, which was scheduled to award four Super Bowls (XXI, [[Super Bowl XXII|XXII]], [[Super Bowl XXIII|XXIII]], and [[Super Bowl XXIV|XXIV]]).<ref name="NYT 5-24-84">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/05/24/sports/nfl-approves-sale-of-broncos.html|title=N.F.L. Approves Sale of Broncos|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=May 24, 1984|access-date=January 11, 2010}}</ref> The bidding cities included: [[Angel Stadium|Anaheim]], [[Pontiac Silverdome|Detroit]], [[NRG Astrodome|Houston]], [[Gator Bowl Stadium|Jacksonville]], [[Hard Rock Stadium|Miami]], [[Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome|Minneapolis]], [[Mercedes-Benz Superdome|New Orleans]], [[Rose Bowl (stadium)|Pasadena]], [[Veterans Stadium|Philadelphia]], [[Candlestick Park|San Francisco]], [[Qualcomm Stadium|San Diego]], [[Kingdome|Seattle]], [[Tampa Stadium|Tampa]], and [[Sun Devil Stadium|Tempe]].<ref name="NYT 5-24-84"/> The Philadelphia host committee assembled what was considered a strong, but long-shot bid, hoping to win the first outdoor Super Bowl in a cold weather city.<ref name="USA Today 1-26-96">{{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/16388470.html?dids=16388470:16388470&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+26%2C+1996&author=Gordon+Forbes&pub=USA+TODAY+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Best+lobbyists+have+best+chance+%2F%2F+Winning+presentation+doesn%27t+guarantee+winning+game&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120619073956/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/16388470.html?dids=16388470:16388470&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+26%2C+1996&author=Gordon+Forbes&pub=USA+TODAY+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Best+lobbyists+have+best+chance+%2F%2F+Winning+presentation+doesn%27t+guarantee+winning+game&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 19, 2012|title=Best lobbyists have best chance // Winning presentation doesn't guarantee winning game|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|date=January 26, 1996|access-date=January 11, 2010|first=Gordon|last=Forbes}}</ref> Minneapolis went above and beyond in selling their unsuccessful bid, even staging a [[parade]] in the lobby of the [[hotel]] hosting the NFL owners' meeting that included a woman riding a [[white horse]]. To counter, [[Philadelphia Eagles]]-owner [[Leonard Tose]] launched a parade in the style of the [[Mummers Parade]], featuring musicians and [[clowns]]. Philadelphia ultimately came close to landing a Super Bowl at [[Veterans Stadium]], nearly approaching the needed number of votes to secure the game. The city's momentum was disrupted after the NFL owners passed a resolution calling for a future Super Bowl to be held in a Northern city with a domed stadium, affirming the league's interest in another cold weather city hosting the game, while undermining Philadelphia's ongoing effort to have the dome-less Veterans Stadium host a Super bowl.<ref name="DonPierson">{{cite web |last1=Pierson |first1=Don |title=Even with a new Soldier Field, our odds of hosting the NFL's premier event are about MCCLX to I |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2003-01-26-0301260241-story.html |website=Chicago Tribune |access-date=June 22, 2022 |date=January 26, 2003}}</ref>

The balloting for XXI took 13 ballots and over two hours to complete,<ref name="USA Today 1-26-96"/> with Pasadena finally receiving the winning bid. XXII was also voted on, but the voting for XXIII and XXIV was postponed. This was the fourth time that Pasadena hosted the game, and the sixth time it was held in the [[Greater Los Angeles Area]].

===Denver Broncos===
{{main|1986 Denver Broncos season}}

The Broncos won the [[AFC West]] with an 11–5 regular season record, largely through the play of quarterback [[John Elway]]. In just his fourth season in the league, Elway made an impact to the team with his ad-libbing skills. During the regular season, he had thrown for 3,480 yards and 19 touchdowns, while also rushing for 257 yards, the third-leading rusher on the team.

Elway did not really have a particular receiver who caught most of his passes during the regular season, but wide receivers Mark Jackson, [[Vance Johnson]], [[Steve Watson (wide receiver)|Steve Watson]], and tight end Orson Mobley all combined for 136 receptions and 2,132 yards. Pro Bowl running back [[Sammy Winder]] was the Broncos' top rusher with 789 yards and 9 touchdowns, while also catching 26 passes for another 171 yards and 5 touchdowns. Halfback [[Gerald Willhite]] rushed for 365 yards and 5 touchdowns, while also leading the team in receptions with 64 (for 529 yards and three touchdowns), and ranking third in the NFL in both punt return yards (468) and yards per return average (11.1). The Broncos also had a powerful offensive line, led by Pro Bowl guard [[Keith Bishop (American football)|Keith Bishop]].

The Broncos' defense led the [[American Football Conference|AFC]] in fewest rushing yards allowed (1,651). The defensive line was anchored by Pro Bowl defensive end [[Rulon Jones]], who recorded 13.5 sacks and a fumble recovery. Denver's linebacking corps, led by three-time Pro Bowler [[Tom Jackson (American football, born 1951)|Tom Jackson]] and [[Karl Mecklenburg]], who recorded 9.5 sacks, was viewed as comparable to the Giants' Pro Bowl linebackers. Their secondary was led by Pro Bowl cornerbacks [[Dennis Smith (American football)|Dennis Smith]] and [[Louis Wright (American football)|Louis Wright]], along with [[Mike Harden]], who intercepted 6 passes and returned them for 179 yards and 2 touchdowns. Wright, Steve Foley, and Jackson, the last remnants of Denver's Orange Crush defense of the 1970s, all retired after this Super Bowl.

===New York Giants===
{{main|1986 New York Giants season}}

The Giants advanced to their first Super Bowl in team history, and were playing for their first league championship since they lost to the [[Chicago Bears]] in the [[1963 NFL Championship Game]]. The Giants were led by quarterback [[Phil Simms]], who threw for 3,487 yards and 21 touchdowns (but also 22 interceptions). Simms' main target was tight end [[Mark Bavaro]], who caught 66 passes for 1,001 yards and 4 touchdowns. Although the Giants did not have one great wide receiver, they did have several good ones. Receivers [[Stacy Robinson]], [[Bobby Johnson (wide receiver)|Bobby Johnson]], and [[Phil McConkey]] combined for 76 receptions and 1,307 yards.

However, running the ball was the Giants' primary offensive attack. Running back [[Joe Morris (American football)|Joe Morris]] finished the regular season with a then-franchise record 1,516 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, while also catching 21 passes for 223 yards and another touchdown. One reason for his success was fullback [[Maurice Carthon]], who provided Morris with excellent blocking and was the team's second leading rusher with 260 yards. Another reason was the play of their offensive line, led by Pro Bowl left tackle [[Brad Benson]] and right tackle [[Karl Nelson]]. On special teams, punter [[Sean Landeta]] made the Pro Bowl with an average of 44.8 gross yards per punt (2nd in the NFL), a net average of 37.1, and 24 punts inside the 20.

But the Giants main strength was their defense, nicknamed The "[[Big Blue Wrecking Crew]]". After giving up 31 points in a season-opening loss to the [[Dallas Cowboys]], the Giants had not given up more than 20 points in a game until the last game of the season, in a 55–24 win over the [[Green Bay Packers]].  The team ranked second in the NFL in fewest points (236) and yards (4,757) allowed. The Giants' defensive leader was [[Pro Football Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] outside linebacker [[Lawrence Taylor]], who led the league with 20.5 sacks during the regular season, won the [[NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award]] for the third time in his career, and became just the second defensive player to win the [[NFL Most Valuable Player Award]] ([[Alan Page]] was the first in 1971). At 6'3" and 245 pounds, Taylor was big enough to break through the offensive lines of many teams, but he still had enough speed to chase down running backs. The Giants' other starting linebackers, [[Gary Reasons]], [[Carl Banks]], and future Hall of Famer [[Harry Carson]], did not get as much media attention as Taylor, but Carson had been selected to play in the Pro Bowl, while Reasons had two interceptions and Banks recorded 6.5 sacks and 2 fumble recoveries. Nose tackle [[Jim Burt (American football)|Jim Burt]] and right end [[Leonard Marshall]], who were also both selected to the Pro Bowl, anchored the defensive line. Marshall recorded 12 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, and 1 interception during the season.  The Giants secondary was led by safeties [[Terry Kinard]] (4 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries) and [[Kenny Hill (defensive back)|Kenny Hill]] (3 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries), along with cornerback [[Perry Williams (cornerback)|Perry Williams]] (4 interceptions).

With the play of their defense, the running attack led by Morris, and Simms' passing game, the Giants earned a 14–2 regular season record.

This is the only one of the New York Giants’ five Super Bowl appearances where they were favored.

===Playoffs===
{{Further|1986–87 NFL playoffs}}

Elway's ability to improvise on the fly, in part, helped Denver to make it through the playoffs, narrowly defeating the [[New England Patriots]] 22–17, and the [[Cleveland Browns]] 23–20, in the AFC Championship Game.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - New England Patriots at Denver Broncos - January 4th, 1987 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198701040den.htm |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=AFC Championship - Denver Broncos at Cleveland Browns - January 11th, 1987 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198701110cle.htm |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The AFC Championship Game against the Browns was particularly significant because Elway displayed why many NFL experts thought Super Bowl XXI would be the first of many Super Bowls for him. In what became known as ''[[The Drive (American football)|The Drive]]'', the Broncos started from their own 2-yard line, trailing 20–13, with 5:32 left to play. But in 15 plays, Elway led Denver 98 yards for a game-tying touchdown pass with 39 seconds left. The Broncos then won in overtime after Elway led them 60 yards in 9 plays to set up kicker [[Rich Karlis]]' game-winning field goal.

Meanwhile, the Giants went on to only allow a combined total of 3 points in their playoff victories over the [[San Francisco 49ers]], 49–3, and the [[Washington Redskins]], 17–0, respectively.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - San Francisco 49ers at New York Giants - January 4th, 1987 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198701040nyg.htm |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=NFC Championship - Washington Redskins at New York Giants - January 11th, 1987 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198701110nyg.htm |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The dominating performances by the Giants' defense gave the team extra confidence going into their Super Bowl matchup versus the Broncos.

===Super Bowl pregame news===
Much of the pregame hype centered around the confrontation between Elway and Taylor, and whether or not Taylor would be able to hurry Elway's throws or sack him. The Giants had narrowly defeated Denver during the regular season, forcing four turnovers in a 19–16 win despite being outgained in total yards 405 to 262.  This was the last Super Bowl until [[Super Bowl XXXIV]] in which both teams entered the game having never won a Super Bowl before.

As the [[Super Bowl#Home team designation|designated home team]] in the annual rotation between AFC and NFC teams, the Giants wore their home blue uniforms and white pants. The Broncos donned their all-white road uniforms.

The New York players in this game wore stickers with the number 38 on their helmets as a tribute to former Giants fullback [[John Tuggle]], who had died of cancer shortly before the start of the season at age 25.  They also had patches on their uniforms as a memorial to former Giants defensive back [[Carl Lockhart]], who had died of [[lymphoma]] at the age of 41 one month before Tuggle.