Editing Super Bowl XXIV (section)

==Background==
===Host selection process===
NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl XXIV to New Orleans, Louisiana on March 14, 1985, during their March 10–15, 1985 meetings held in Phoenix. This would be a record seventh time that New Orleans hosted the Super Bowl. [[Tulane Stadium]] was the site of Super Bowls [[Super Bowl IV|IV]], [[Super Bowl VI|VI]], and [[Super Bowl IX|IX]]; while the Louisiana Superdome previously hosted [[Super Bowl XII|XII]], [[Super Bowl XV|XV]], and [[Super Bowl XX|XX]].

Originally, the selection was to be voted on during the May 23–25, 1984 meetings.<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> However, after balloting for XXI took more than two hours, voting for XXIV was rescheduled to the following year. Twelve cities were part of the bidding process, which was scheduled to award two Super Bowls ([[Super Bowl XXIII|XXIII]] and XXIV). The bidding cities included: [[Angel Stadium of Anaheim|Anaheim]], [[Pontiac Silverdome|Detroit]], [[Reliant Astrodome|Houston]], [[Gator Bowl Stadium|Jacksonville]], [[Joe Robbie Stadium|Miami]], [[Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome|Minneapolis]], [[Louisiana Superdome|New Orleans]], [[Veterans Stadium|Philadelphia]], [[Candlestick Park|San Francisco]], [[Kingdome|Seattle]], [[Tampa Stadium|Tampa]], and [[Sun Devil Stadium|Tempe]].<ref name="TMN">{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0Z8mAAAAIBAJ&pg=1682,3170331&dq=super+bowl+xxiii&hl=en|title=The Miami News – Archive – 3/12/1985}}{{Dead link|date=February 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> New Orleans entered as the favorite.<ref name="TMN"/>

===Teams===

====San Francisco 49ers====
{{main|1989 San Francisco 49ers season}}

The 49ers entered the game seeking to win their second straight Super Bowl. [[Bill Walsh (football coach)|Bill Walsh]] retired as head coach after San Francisco's 20–16 win over the [[Cincinnati Bengals]] in the [[Super Bowl XXIII|previous year's]] [[Super Bowl]], but rookie head coach [[George Seifert]] did not miss a beat, as he guided the 49ers to a league-best 14–2 regular season record.  Their two losses were only by a combined margin of 5 points.

The 49ers' offense was just as dominating as it was during the previous regular season. Quarterback [[Joe Montana]] threw for 3,512 yards, 26 touchdowns, and only 8 interceptions, giving him what was then the highest single-season [[passer rating|quarterback rating]] in NFL history (112.4). Montana also rushed for 227 yards and 3 touchdowns, and earned both the [[NFL Most Valuable Player Award]] and the [[NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award]]. Wide receiver [[Jerry Rice]] had another outstanding season, catching 82 passes for 1,483 yards and 17 touchdowns.  Running back [[Roger Craig (American football)|Roger Craig]] was the team's leading rusher with 1,054 yards and 6 touchdowns, and he recorded 49 receptions for 473 yards and another touchdown.

But other stars on the 49ers' offense began to emerge, enabling the team to spread the ball around. After being used primarily as a punt returner during his first two seasons, wide receiver [[John Taylor (American football player)|John Taylor]] had a breakout season, catching 60 passes for 1,077 yards and 10 touchdowns, while also returning 36 punts for 417 yards.  Tight end [[Brent Jones]] recorded 40 receptions for 500 yards.  Fullback [[Tom Rathman]] had the best season of his career, rushing for 305 yards and catching 73 passes for 616 yards.  Kicker [[Mike Cofer (kicker)|Mike Cofer]] scored 136 points while making a career-high 80.6% of his field goals. Even Montana's backup, [[Steve Young (American football)|Steve Young]], had a great year, throwing for 1,001 yards and 8 touchdowns with only 3 interceptions, while also rushing for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns. With all of these weapons, San Francisco's offense led the league in total yards from scrimmage (6,268) and scoring (442 points).

The 49ers' defense allowed the third-fewest points in the NFL (253).  Defensive end [[Pierce Holt]] recorded 10.5 sacks, as did linebacker [[Charles Haley]]. In addition to Haley, their linebacking corps was anchored by [[Keena Turner]], [[Matt Millen]], and [[Bill Romanowski]]. Future [[Pro Football Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] safety [[Ronnie Lott]] led the team with 5 interceptions. Defensive backs Eric Wright and [[Chet Brooks]] also combined for 5 interceptions between them.

====Denver Broncos====
{{main|1989 Denver Broncos season}}

The Broncos were trying to avoid becoming the second team, after the Vikings, to lose a fourth Super Bowl. After appearing in [[Super Bowl XXI]] and [[Super Bowl XXII]], the team missed the playoffs with an 8–8 record during the 1988 season. But they signed several new players in the offseason to help them win 10 of their first 12 games in 1989 and finish with an 11–5 record.

One of Denver's new major additions was rookie running back [[Bobby Humphrey]], who rushed for 1,151 yards, caught 22 passes for 156 yards, and scored 8 touchdowns. Humphrey gave the Broncos a powerful running attack that they lacked in their previous Super Bowl seasons.  Also new to the team was rookie kicker [[David Treadwell]], who made the Pro Bowl with an 81.8% field goal percentage and ranked third in the NFL with 120 points. The defense, coordinated by [[Wade Phillips]], had a new weapon as well: rookie free safety [[Steve Atwater]]. Together with veteran defensive backs [[Dennis Smith (American football)|Dennis Smith]], [[Wymon Henderson]], and [[Tyrone Braxton]], the Broncos' secondary combined for 14 interceptions.  Braxton led the team with 6, which he returned for 103 yards and a touchdown, while also recovering 2 fumbles.  Linebacker [[Simon Fletcher (American football)|Simon Fletcher]] lead the team with 105 tackles and 12 sacks, while veteran linebacker [[Karl Mecklenburg]] gained 7.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and four fumble recoveries.  Another new addition was defensive end [[Ron Holmes]], who recorded 9 sacks.  Defensive end [[Alphonso Carreker]] added 5.5 sacks.

Veteran receiver [[Vance Johnson]] had the best season of his career, catching 76 passes for 1,095 yards and 7 touchdowns, while also returning 12 punts for 118 yards. However, quarterback [[John Elway]] played inconsistently during the regular season, throwing just as many interceptions as touchdowns (18) and recording only a 73.7 passer rating.

===Playoffs===
{{See also|1989–90 NFL playoffs}}

Despite his regular season problems, Elway ended up playing his best during the playoffs. First, he led the Broncos on a late touchdown drive to narrowly defeat the [[1989 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]], 24–23. The Steelers held a 17–10 halftime lead before Elway's 37-yard touchdown pass to [[Vance Johnson]] tied the game in the third quarter. Then after Pittsburgh scored two field goals to take a 23–17 fourth-quarter lead, Elway led the Broncos on a 71-yard drive to score on Melvin Bratton's 1-yard, game-winning touchdown run.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos - January 7th, 1990 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199001070den.htm |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> On the ensuing drive, [[Randy Robbins (American football)|Randy Robbins]] then recovered a Steelers fumble on third down with 2:02 left to clinch the victory.

The Broncos then defeated the [[1989 Cleveland Browns season|Cleveland Browns]] 37–21 in the AFC Championship Game. This was the third time in the last four years that both teams faced each other for the AFC Championship, and the previous two resulted in two of the most famous games in NFL Lore: [[The Drive (American football)|The Drive]] and [[The Fumble]]. In this game, the Broncos seemed to be in complete control at first, building up a 24–7 lead. But Browns quarterback [[Bernie Kosar]] rallied his team back with two third-quarter touchdowns, cutting the lead to 24–21 going into the 4th quarter.  Some observers began to wonder if this game would become known as "The Comeback".  However, Elway destroyed any chance of a Browns comeback by leading the Broncos 80 yards and scoring with a 39-yard touchdown pass to [[Sammy Winder]] on the first drive of the 4th quarter. Denver then scored field goals on each of their next two drives to put the game away.  Elway finished the game with 385 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, and no interceptions, while also leading Denver in rushing with 5 carries for 39 yards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AFC Championship - Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos - January 14th, 1990 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199001140den.htm |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

Meanwhile, the 49ers started out their postseason by blowing out the [[Minnesota Vikings]], 41–13.  Minnesota started out the game by marching 70 yards on their opening drive and scoring a field goal to take a 3–0 lead.  But the 49ers dominated the rest of the game.  On their first play from scrimmage, Montana completed a short pass to Rice, who then took it all the way to the end zone for a 72-yard touchdown reception.  The next time they had the ball, Montana led them on another touchdown drive, scoring on a short pass to tight end [[Brent Jones]].  Then defensive back [[Chet Brooks]] intercepted a pass from Vikings quarterback [[Wade Wilson (American football)|Wade Wilson]] and returned it 28 yards, setting up Montana's third touchdown pass on an 8-yard toss to Taylor.  Then just before halftime, Montana threw another touchdown pass to Rice, giving the 49ers a 28–3 halftime lead.  Then in the fourth quarter, San Francisco scored two more touchdowns to put the game away: a 53-yard interception return by Lott and a 4-yard run by Craig.  Montana finished the game with 241 passing yards, 4 touchdowns, and no interceptions. Wilson was held to just 9 completions for 74 yards, and was intercepted twice.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers - January 6th, 1990 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199001060sfo.htm |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

The 49ers then entered the NFC Championship Game against the [[Los Angeles Rams]], who had defeated San Francisco in one of their two regular season games against them, and were coming off postseason wins against two of the NFC's toughest teams, the [[New York Giants]] and the [[Philadelphia Eagles]].  The Rams scored first to take a 3–0 lead. However, the 49ers took over in the 2nd quarter, scoring 21 unanswered points on two touchdown passes by Montana and a touchdown run by Craig.  By halftime, San Francisco had a commanding 21–3 lead and went on to a surprisingly easy 30–3 win and their second consecutive Super Bowl appearance.  Montana had another superb performance, compiling 262 passing yards and 2 touchdowns, again without throwing an interception. Rams quarterback [[Jim Everett]] was held to 163 yards and threw 3 interceptions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFC Championship - Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers - January 14th, 1990 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199001140sfo.htm |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

===Super Bowl pregame news===
Although Elway's performance in the AFC Championship Game was widely considered his best ever, many sports writers and fans believed that the Broncos' best effort would not be good enough to beat the 49ers. After all, Denver had barely defeated the Steelers, who only had a 9–7 regular season record, while the 9–6–1 Cleveland Browns had almost overcome a 17-point second half deficit before Denver put them away in the fourth quarter. Furthermore, the Elway-led Broncos had already lost two Super Bowls. On the other hand, the Montana-led 49ers, with their powerful offense, had already won three Super Bowls.

Montana came into this game with a 7–0 record as a starting quarterback at the Superdome due to the 49ers' dominance of their then-NFC West rival [[New Orleans Saints]]. The 49ers' only loss in the Superdome in the 1980s came in 1986, when [[Mike Moroski]] started for an injured Montana.

The Broncos, as the [[Super Bowl#Home team designation|designated home team]] in the annual rotation between AFC and NFC teams, wore their home orange uniforms with white pants. At the time, the Broncos were winless (0–2) in Super Bowls while wearing orange. The 49ers would wear white road uniforms with gold pants, which was the same combination they wore in their Super Bowl XVI victory.