Editing Super Bowl XXIX (section)

==Background==
===Host selection process===
NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl XXIX to Miami during their May 23, 1991 meeting in [[Minneapolis]]. Three cities presented bids: [[Miami]] ([[Hard Rock Stadium|Joe Robbie Stadium]]), [[Tampa]] ([[Tampa Stadium]]), and [[Houston]] ([[Astrodome]]).<ref name="MH05231991-pg60">{{cite news|title=Robbie does late lobbying for 1995 Super Bowl|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-super-bowl-xxix-host/143832768/|newspaper=The Miami Herald|first=Scott|last=Fowler|page=60|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=May 23, 1991|accessdate=March 21, 2024}}{{Open access}}</ref> New Orleans pulled out of the running early on due to conflicts with other conventions. Houston was considered an early favorite, since they had not hosted the game since [[Super Bowl VIII|1974]]. However, the Astrodome would need to add approximately 10,000 temporary seats in order to meet the NFL's capacity requirement of 70,000.<ref name="MH05231991-pg60"/>

Rules required a candidate to receive a {{frac|3|4}} vote (21 of 28 owners) in order to win the bidding. Tampa was eliminated on the first ballot, having just hosted [[Super Bowl XXV|XXV]], along with their lack of premium seating. Then neither Miami nor Houston managed to get 21 votes on the second ballot or on the third ballot. For the fourth ballot, the threshold was reduced to a simple majority. In what was said to be a close vote, Miami was selected as the host.<ref name="TT05-24-1991-pg33">{{cite news|title=Miami gets Super Bowl (Part 1)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune/143835470/|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|first=Tom|last=McEwen|page=33|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=May 24, 1991|accessdate=March 21, 2024}}{{Open access}}</ref><ref name="TT05-24-1991-pg39">{{cite news|title=Miami gets Super Bowl (Part 2)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune/143835611/|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|first=Tom|last=McEwen|page=39|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=May 24, 1991|accessdate=March 21, 2024}}{{Open access}}</ref><ref name="MH05241991-pg45">{{cite news|title=Joe Robbie Stadium gets '95 Super Bowl|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-super-bowl-xxix-host/143834330/|newspaper=The Miami Herald|first=Scott|last=Fowler|page=45|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=May 24, 1991|accessdate=March 21, 2024}}{{Open access}}</ref> It marked the seventh time overall the [[Miami metropolitan area|Miami-area]] hosted the Super Bowl, and the second time it was played in Joe Robbie Stadium.

===San Diego Chargers===
{{main|1994 San Diego Chargers season}}
The Chargers were the biggest surprise of the 1994 season, with very few expecting them to even reach the playoffs, let alone the Super Bowl.

San Diego suffered losing seasons in the 1980s until former [[Washington Redskins]] general manager [[Bobby Beathard]] joined the team in 1990. Beathard decided to rebuild the Chargers using the same model that he used to build the Redskins into Super Bowl contenders during the 1980s: a powerful running game built around big linemen, a passing game that helped sustain extremely long drives, and a bending but steady defense. After former [[Georgia Institute of Technology|Georgia Tech]] head coach [[Bobby Ross]] was hired by the [[1992 San Diego Chargers season|Chargers in 1992]], the team won the [[AFC West]] with an 11–5 regular season record and won an opening round playoff game against [[1992 Kansas City Chiefs season|Kansas City]]. But in [[1993 San Diego Chargers season|1993]], they slumped back to 8–8 and did not reach the postseason.

Before the start of the 1994 season, San Diego was not expected to do well because they had so many newcomers via the draft and free agency; the Chargers ended up with 22 new players on their roster, and 10 of them became starters. However, they ended up winning their first six regular season games en route to an 11–5 record, the AFC West championship, and the #2 AFC playoff [[Single-elimination tournament#Seeding|seed]]. The Chargers went into the final game of the season against the [[1994 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]] needing a win to get the #2 seed (a loss would have given that spot to the [[1994 Miami Dolphins season|Miami Dolphins]]), which came with a first-round bye and a home game in the divisional round of the playoffs. Backup quarterback [[Gale Gilbert]], subbing for injured starter [[Stan Humphries]], led the Chargers to a come-from-behind 37–34 win, with [[John Carney (American football)|John Carney]] kicking a game-winning field goal in the game's final seconds.

The Chargers' offense was led by quarterback [[Stan Humphries]], who was the Redskins' backup to [[Mark Rypien]] during the [[1991 Washington Redskins season|1991 season]], when they won [[Super Bowl XXVI]]. During the 1994 season for San Diego, Humphries completed 264 out of 453 attempts for 3,209 yards and 17 touchdowns, with 12 interceptions. Wide receiver [[Mark Seay]] was the team's leading receiver with 58 receptions for 645 yards and 6 touchdowns. Wide receiver [[Tony Martin (American football)|Tony Martin]] had 50 catches for 885 yards and 7 touchdowns, wide receiver [[Shawn Jefferson]] recorded 43 catches for 627 yards and 3 touchdowns, and tight end [[Alfred Pupunu]] had 21 receptions for 214 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Running back [[Natrone Means]] led the team in rushing with 1,350 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also recorded 39 receptions for 235 yards, and was named to the Pro Bowl. Third-down back [[Ronnie Harmon]] was also a big contributor, catching 58 passes for 615 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, the Chargers' [[special teams]] was also a major threat with [[Andre Coleman]], who returned 49 kickoffs for 1,293 yards (26.4 average yards per return) and 2 touchdowns.

The Chargers had an excellent defensive line, anchored by Pro Bowl defensive end [[Leslie O'Neal]], who led the team with 12.5 sacks and forced four fumbles, defensive tackle [[Chris Mims]], who recorded 11 sacks, and [[Shawn Lee (American football)|Shawn Lee]], who added 6.5 sacks and a fumble recovery. Their linebacking corps was led by [[Junior Seau]], who was a Pro Bowl selection for the fourth consecutive year, recording 123 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and 3 fumble recoveries. Defensive back [[Stanley Richard]] was a major weapon in the secondary, recording 4 interceptions, 224 return yards, and 2 touchdowns. Defensive back [[Darrien Gordon]] was also a major asset to the team, recording 4 interceptions and 32 return yards, while also adding another 475 yards and 2 touchdowns returning punts. Safety [[Rodney Harrison]] was a rookie on the team.

Chargers backup quarterback [[Gale Gilbert]] became the first player to be a member of five consecutive Super Bowl teams. He had been a third-string quarterback for the [[Buffalo Bills]], who had won AFC Championships in the four previous seasons (1990–1993).

===San Francisco 49ers===
{{main|1994 San Francisco 49ers season}}

From the [[1988 NFL season|1988]] to the [[1993 NFL season|1993]] seasons, the 49ers played in five out of six NFC Championship Games, winning Super Bowls [[Super Bowl XXIII|XXIII]] and [[Super Bowl XXIV|XXIV]]. But after head coach [[George Seifert]]'s team lost two consecutive NFC Championship games to the [[Dallas Cowboys]] in [[1992-93 NFL playoffs|1992]] and [[1993-94 NFL playoffs|1993]], San Francisco brought in several veteran [[free agent]]s to strengthen their defense. Among the players signed were defensive linemen [[Richard Dent]] (the MVP of [[Super Bowl XX]]), [[Charles Mann (American football)|Charles Mann]], [[Rhett Hall]], and [[Rickey Jackson]]; linebackers [[Ken Norton Jr.]] and [[Gary Plummer (American football)|Gary Plummer]]; and cornerback [[Deion Sanders]].

The free agents enabled the 49ers to jump from the 18th-ranked defense in the league to the 8th, and to jump from the league's 16th-best defense against the run to the 2nd. [[Pro Bowl]] defensive lineman [[Dana Stubblefield]] led the team with 8.5 sacks. Rookie defensive tackle [[Bryant Young]] was also a big threat to opposing quarterbacks and rushers, recording 42 tackles, 6 sacks, and a fumble recovery. Behind them, Norton played very effectively at the middle linebacker position, leading the team with 77 tackles and recording an interception. Pro Bowl safety [[Merton Hanks]] led the team with 7 interceptions for 93 return yards, while Sanders had 6 interceptions for 303 return yards and 3 touchdowns, earning him the [[NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award]]. His 303 return yards was the third-highest total in NFL history, while his touchdown returns of 74, 93, and 90 yards made him the first player ever to have two 90-yard interception returns in one season. Pro Bowl safety [[Tim McDonald]] was also a big contributor, recording 2 interceptions for 79 yards and a touchdown.

The 49ers' offense was led by quarterback [[Steve Young (American football)|Steve Young]], who replaced future [[Pro Football Hall of Fame|Hall of Famer]] [[Joe Montana]] as the starter in [[1991 NFL season|1991]] and [[1992 NFL season|1992]] due to injuries.  After Young led the league in passing in both seasons, Montana was traded to the [[Kansas City Chiefs]], leaving Young as the undisputed starter in 1993. But even with his impressive passing statistics, Young was criticized as "not being able to win the big games" as Montana had done in leading the 49ers to Super Bowl victories in [[Super Bowl XVI|XVI]], [[Super Bowl XIX|XIX]], XXIII, and XXIV.  It also didn't help that the team had lost to Montana's Chiefs 24–17 during the regular season.

Still, Young again led the league in passing during the 1994 regular season with a [[passer rating]] of 112.8, breaking Montana's record for the highest regular season rating in NFL history. Young recorded 324 out of 461 completions for 3,969 yards, 35 touchdowns, and just 10 interceptions. He also had 58 rushes for 293 yards and 7 touchdowns, and earned the [[NFL Most Valuable Player Award]].

With Young at the helm, the 49ers led the league in total points scored (505) and helped them earn a league best 13–3 regular season record. Pro Bowl running back [[Ricky Watters]] was the team's leading rusher with 877 yards and 6 touchdowns, while also recording 66 receptions for 719 yards and 5 touchdowns. Rookie fullback [[William Floyd (American football)|William Floyd]] was the team's second-leading rusher with 305 yards and 6 touchdowns, while also having 19 receptions for 145 yards. The team's leading receiver was Pro Bowl wide receiver [[Jerry Rice]], who had 112 catches for 1,499 yards and 13 touchdowns, while also gaining 93 yards and two more touchdowns rushing the ball. Receiver [[John Taylor (American football)|John Taylor]] was also a reliable target, catching 41 passes for 531 yards and 5 touchdowns. Pro Bowl tight end [[Brent Jones]] added 49 receptions for 670 yards and 9 touchdowns. The offensive line was led by Pro Bowl center [[Bart Oates]], another offseason free agent pickup, and Pro Bowl guard [[Jesse Sapolu]].

Running back [[Dexter Carter]] had a standout season as a returner on [[special teams]], gaining a combined total of 1,426 yards and a touchdown returning both punts and kickoffs.

===Playoffs===
{{Further|1994–95 NFL playoffs}}

====Chargers====
In the AFC Divisional Playoffs, the Chargers managed to overcome a 21–6 halftime deficit to defeat the [[1994 Miami Dolphins season|Miami Dolphins]], 22–21. In the first half, San Diego was limited to only two [[John Carney (American football)|John Carney]] field goals, while Miami quarterback [[Dan Marino]] threw for over 180 yards and 3 touchdowns. However, the Chargers dominated the Dolphins in the second half, limiting their offense to just 16 plays. In the third quarter, after the Chargers were stopped on fourth and goal at the 1-yard line, Chargers defensive lineman [[Reuben Davis (American football)|Reuben Davis]] tackled Dolphins running back [[Bernie Parmalee]] in the end zone for a safety. San Diego then took the ensuing free kick and marched 54 yards to score on Means's 24-yard touchdown run. Then with time running out, Humphries threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mark Seay, giving his team a one-point lead. The Dolphins, aided by a pass interference call, responded with a drive to the Chargers' 31-yard line, but kicker [[Pete Stoyanovich]]'s potential game-winning 48-yard field goal attempt sailed far to the right of the goal posts and sealed San Diego's stirring win.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Miami Dolphins at San Diego Chargers - January 8th, 1995 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199501080sdg.htm |access-date=2024-06-17 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

San Diego then faced the [[1994 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]] in the [[AFC Championship Game]]. Once again, the Chargers fell behind early as the Steelers built up a 13–3 halftime lead, but Humphries fooled the Steelers secondary with a 43-yard [[play-action]] touchdown pass to a wide open tight end [[Alfred Pupunu]]. The Chargers then took a 17–13 lead when Martin beat the Steelers secondary (particularly a badly overmatched [[Tim McKyer]]) down the right sideline for a 43-yard touchdown reception. On their final drive, the Steelers advanced to the San Diego 3-yard line, but Chargers linebacker [[Dennis Gibson (American football)|Dennis Gibson]] sealed the victory on fourth down by deflecting quarterback [[Neil O'Donnell]]'s pass intended for running back [[Barry Foster (American football)|Barry Foster]] to turn the ball back over to San Diego. Just like the 49ers in the NFC title game, the Chargers advanced to the Super Bowl despite the fact that their opponent had outgained them in many key statistical categories such as total plays (80–47), total offensive yards (415–226), and time of possession (37:13–22:47).<ref>{{Cite web |title=AFC Championship - San Diego Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers - January 15th, 1995 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199501150pit.htm |access-date=2024-06-17 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

====49ers====
The 49ers first defeated the [[1994 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]], 44–15, in the NFC Divisional Playoffs. Although Chicago scored first with a field goal, San Francisco scored 37 unanswered points to put the game out of reach by the end of the third quarter. Floyd scored three rushing touchdowns, while Young rushed for a touchdown and threw for another.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers - January 7th, 1995 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199501070sfo.htm |access-date=2024-06-17 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

San Francisco then defeated [[49ers–Cowboys rivalry|their nemesis]], the [[1994 Dallas Cowboys season|Dallas Cowboys]], 38–28, in the [[NFC Championship Game]]. Expected to be a close game, the 49ers converted 3 Dallas turnovers into 21 points in the first quarter. On the third play of the game, cornerback [[Eric Davis (American football)|Eric Davis]] returned an interception from Cowboys quarterback [[Troy Aikman]] for a touchdown. Wide receiver [[Michael Irvin]] lost a fumble on Dallas' next drive, setting up Young's 29-yard touchdown pass to Watters. Then Cowboys returner [[Kevin Williams (wide receiver, born 1971)|Kevin Williams]] lost a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, and it was recovered by kicker [[Doug Brien]] at Dallas' 35-yard line. Several plays later, Floyd scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to give San Francisco a 21–0 lead less than 8 minutes into the game. With the score 24–14 in the closing minutes of the first half, Aikman threw 3 straight incompletions, and a short punt by the Cowboys set up Young's 28-yard touchdown completion to Rice with 8 seconds remaining in the first half. The Cowboys eventually cut their deficit to 38–28 with a touchdown run by [[Emmitt Smith]] and Aikman's 10-yard touchdown pass to Irvin in the final period, but they were unable to score again.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFC Championship - Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers - January 15th, 1995 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199501150sfo.htm |access-date=2024-06-17 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Although the Cowboys outgained the 49ers in total offensive yards (451–294), Aikman broke an NFC Championship Game record with 380 yards passing, and Irvin also broke an NFC Championship Game record with 192 receiving yards, Dallas was ultimately unable to overcome their first-quarter turnovers.

===Super Bowl pregame news===
Entering Super Bowl XXIX, most sports writers and fans thought the Chargers had absolutely no chance of defeating the 49ers. San Francisco was on track, winning 12 of its last 13 games (with their only loss in that span coming against the [[1994 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings]] in a meaningless regular season finale at Minnesota), including their playoff victories. Many people also thought that the NFC Championship Game between the 49ers and the Cowboys was "the real Super Bowl",<ref>[https://vault.si.com/vault/1995/01/16/711200 "The Real Super Bowl"]. ''Sports Illustrated'' cover, January 16, 1995 issue. The magazine cover shows a blown-up image of a ticket to the 1994 NFC Championship game, and photos of 49ers quarterback Steve Young and Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, all beneath the caption "The Real Super Bowl".</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://buffalonews.com/news/todays-winner-will-earn-title-but-not-respect/article_a8bfc238-e4cd-50e4-87d8-238d773cf656.html | title=Today's Winner Will Earn Title, But Not Respect | first=Vic | last=Carucci | date=January 15, 1995 | work=[[The Buffalo News]] | location=[[Buffalo, New York]]| access-date=June 14, 2023}}</ref> because those two teams were commonly viewed as vastly superior to any AFC team. Furthermore, San Francisco had defeated San Diego, 38–15, during the regular season. As a result, the 49ers entered the game favored to win by 18 1⁄2- points, surpassed only by the 19 1⁄2- points, by the [[1968 Baltimore Colts season|Baltimore Colts]] who were favored over the [[1968 New York Jets season|New York Jets]] in [[Super Bowl III]] more than two decades prior.

Many also speculated that Super Bowl XXIX would be the least watched game in Super Bowl history because the Chargers did not have as large of a core fan base as other AFC teams like the Chiefs, the Dolphins, or the Steelers. (This prediction ultimately turned out to be false. Although Super Bowl XXIX was viewed by 125.2 million people and had a [[Nielsen ratings|Nielsen rating]] of 41.3, [[Super Bowl XXVI]] three years earlier was seen by 119.7 million viewers and recorded a 40.3 rating.)

This was the seventh Super Bowl to be played in Miami, at the time tying both [[New Orleans]], Louisiana and the [[Greater Los Angeles area]] for hosting the Super Bowl the most times. It remains the only Super Bowl played between teams that play their home games in the same state (although [[Super Bowl XXV]] was played between the [[New York Giants]] and the [[Buffalo Bills]], two teams representing areas of [[New York (state)|New York]], the Giants play their home games in [[New Jersey]]).