Editing Super Bowl XXXV (section)

==Background==
===Host selection process===
NFL owners awarded Super Bowl XXXV to Tampa during their October 31, 1996, meeting in [[New Orleans]]. A total of five cities submitted bids: [[Miami]] ([[Hard Rock Stadium|Joe Robbie Stadium]]), [[Atlanta]] ([[Georgia Dome]]), [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]] ([[Raymond James Stadium]]), [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]]/[[Tempe, Arizona|Tempe]] ([[Sun Devil Stadium]]), and [[Los Angeles]] ([[Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum|Coliseum]]). The Los Angeles host committee originally was going to partner with [[Pasadena, California|Pasadena]] ([[Rose Bowl (stadium)|Rose Bowl]]),<ref name="KennJ09-01-1996pg25">{{cite news|title=Los Angeles puts in bid to host Super Bowl|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/kennebec-journal/152268938/|newspaper=[[Orlando Sentinel]]|first=Patrick|last=McGreevy|page=25|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=September 1, 1996|access-date=July 29, 2024}}{{Open access}}</ref> but switched their plans to the Coliseum after a renovation plan was announced.<ref name="LAT10-13-1996pg373">{{cite news|title=L.A. Coliseum Design Reflect a Marriage of Old and New|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/152269149/|newspaper=The Los Angeles Times|first=Jodi|last=Wilgoren|page=373|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=October 13, 1996|access-date=July 29, 2024}}{{Open access}}</ref><ref name="LAT10-30-1996pg102">{{Cite news |last=Simers |first=T. J. |author-link=T. J. Simers |date=October 13, 1996 |title=L.A. Will Make a Play for Football |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/152269314/ |access-date=July 29, 2024 |work=The Los Angeles Times |page=102 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{Open access}}</ref> However, the Los Angeles bid was dismissed when their delegation failed to convince the owners that planned stadium renovations would be completed in time.<ref name="OS11011996b"/>

Tampa became a favorite after voters passed a ballot measure in September 1996 to fund the construction of a new stadium.<ref name="STT09-05-1996pg35">{{cite news|title=Tampa Bay steps up its big-games hunt (Part 1)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times/152264948/|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times|first=John|last=Romano|page=35|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=September 5, 1996|access-date=July 29, 2024}}{{Open access}}</ref><ref name="STT09-05-1996pg42">{{cite news|title=Tampa Bay steps up its big-games hunt (Part 2)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times/152265169/|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times|first=John|last=Romano|page=42|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=September 5, 1996|access-date=July 29, 2024}}{{Open access}}</ref> NFL [[Commissioner of the National Football League|commissioner]] [[Paul Tagliabue]] threw his support behind Tampa based on the new stadium plans.<ref name="tamtrib03-19-1996pg19">{{cite news|title=Veterans to miss Dungy's 1st minicamp|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune/152268019/|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|first=Nick|last=Pugliese|page=19|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=March 19, 1996|access-date=July 29, 2024}}{{Open access}}</ref> Owners initially planned on selecting only two hosts (XXXIII and XXXIV), but decided to name three after strong showings by the respective delegations. Miami, Atlanta, and Tampa were selected to host [[Super Bowl XXXIII|XXXIII]], [[Super Bowl XXXIV|XXXIV]], and XXXV, respectively.<ref name="OS11011996a">{{cite news|title=Florida's Super Bowls: Miami '99, Tampa '01 (part 1)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8409532//|newspaper=The Orlando Sentinel|page=27|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=November 1, 1996|access-date=January 17, 2017}}{{Open access}}</ref><ref name="OS11011996b">{{cite news|title=Florida's Super Bowls: Miami '99, Tampa '01 (part 2)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8409537//|newspaper=The Orlando Sentinel|page=31|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=November 1, 1996|access-date=January 17, 2017}}{{Open access}}</ref> Tampa became the fourth [[metropolitan area]] to host the game at least three times, joining [[New Orleans]], [[Miami]], and [[Greater Los Angeles Area|Los Angeles]].

The Tampa contingent expected to win the vote for [[Super Bowl XXXIV|XXXIV]], but unexpectedly lost out to Atlanta. The [[Georgia Dome]] garnered a sympathy vote as [[Atlanta Falcons|Falcons]] owner [[Rankin M. Smith Sr.|Rankin Smith]] was terminally ill.<ref name="ttrib07-09-2000pg41">{{cite news|title=Signed, sealed, and delivered|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune/163185405/|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|first=Carter|last=Gaddis|page=41|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=July 9, 2000|access-date=January 27, 2025}}{{Open access}}</ref> Due to logistical conflicts, Atlanta would not be able to host the Super Bowl again until 2005, and some NFL owners desired to award the game to the city before Smith died. [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] owner [[Malcolm Glazer]] protested afterwards, feeling that he had been promised the game after securing funding for a [[Raymond James Stadium|new stadium]].<ref name="ttrib07-09-2000pg41"/> As a result, XXXV was added to agenda, and Tampa was selected.

===Baltimore Ravens===
{{main|2000 Baltimore Ravens season}}

The Ravens entered the game with the second-best defense in allowing yards in the league, with the fewest points allowed (165) and the fewest rushing yards allowed (970) during the regular season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2000 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2000/opp.htm |access-date=2024-06-17 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> At the time, they were the only team to hold the opposition to under 1,000 yards rushing in a season since the NFL adopted a 16-game schedule in 1978.  Baltimore's 165 points allowed broke the record set by the [[1986 Chicago Bears season|1986 Chicago Bears]], who had given up 187 points. The Ravens' defense had held their opponents to ten or fewer points in eleven games, including four shutouts.

The defense was led by a trio of outstanding linebackers: [[Peter Boulware]], [[Jamie Sharper]], and [[Ray Lewis]]. During the regular season, Boulware recorded 7 sacks, while Sharper forced five fumbles and made one interception. Lewis was named the [[NFL Defensive Player of the Year]] by recording three sacks, making 138 tackles, and intercepting two passes. Pro Bowl defensive tackle [[Sam Adams (American football)|Sam Adams]] and veteran [[Tony Siragusa]] anchored the defensive line, along with defensive ends [[Rob Burnett (American football)|Rob Burnett]] (10.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and five fumble recoveries) and Pro Bowler [[Michael McCrary]] (6.5 sacks and three fumble recoveries). Baltimore also had an outstanding corps of defensive backs led by Pro Bowl veteran safety [[Rod Woodson]], who along with [[Kim Herring]], [[Duane Starks]], and [[Chris McAlister]] combined for 17 interceptions.

On offense, the Ravens' main strength was rushing, led by rookie [[Jamal Lewis (American football)|Jamal Lewis]] (1,364 yards, six rushing touchdowns, 27 receptions, 298 yards) and [[Priest Holmes]] (588 yards, 32 receptions, 221 yards). Also, tight end [[Shannon Sharpe]] recorded 67 receptions for 810 yards and five touchdowns.  Receiver [[Qadry Ismail]] added 49 receptions for 655 yards and four touchdowns.  The offensive line was anchored by tackle [[Jonathan Ogden]], who was named to the [[Pro Bowl]] for the fourth consecutive season.  On special teams, [[Jermaine Lewis (American football, born 1974)|Jermaine Lewis]] ranked second in the NFL with 36 punt returns for 578 yards and two touchdowns, while also catching nineteen passes for 161 yards and another score.  Kicker [[Matt Stover]] led the NFL in field goals made (35) and attempted (39), while ranking seventh in field goal percentage (89.7) and second in scoring (135 points).

However, the Baltimore offense was mediocre, ranking only thirteenth in the league in scoring (333 points), sixteenth in total yards (5,301), and 23rd in passing yards (3,102). The team had a lot of trouble scoring, and at one point they went through five games without scoring an offensive touchdown (although they managed to win two of those games). But they managed to regroup, as head coach [[Brian Billick]] forbade anyone to use the "P-word" (presumably "postseason" or "playoffs") until the team actually played in it. The Ravens' outspoken defensive lineman, Tony Siragusa, did utter the word "playoffs" on two occasions and was fined $500. Since the fine (and Billick's ban) were clearly symbolic and playful, Billick explained himself by saying, "He got a $400 fine for doing it on national television and $100 for doing it on his radio show. The reason being because no one listens to his show anyway." In place of the "P-word", the word "[[Festivus]]" was used, the December 23 [[secular holiday]] featured in an [[The Strike (Seinfeld)|episode]] of the popular American television [[situation comedy|sitcom]] ''[[Seinfeld]]'' (the Ravens organization played along with this theme for that year's playoffs by showing a clip of [[Cosmo Kramer]] saying "A Festivus miracle!" on the stadium screen during the team's only home playoff game that year).  The Super Bowl was thereafter referred to as "Festivus Maximus."

Midway through the season, with the team at 5–3, Billick benched starting quarterback [[Tony Banks (American football)|Tony Banks]] and replaced him with [[Trent Dilfer]]. Although his statistics were hardly distinguished (twelve touchdowns, eleven interceptions, 76.6 passer rating), and the team lost in his first game as a starter, Dilfer led them to victory in their last seven regular season games to finish in second place in the [[AFC Central]] with a 12–4 record and entered the playoffs as a [[wild card (sports)|wild-card]] team.

===New York Giants===
{{main|2000 New York Giants season}}

The Giants advanced to Super Bowl XXXV after posting a 7–9 record in the previous year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1999 New York Giants Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/nyg/1999.htm |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1999 New York Giants Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/nyg/1999_draft.htm |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Their big draft acquisition during the off-season was [[running back]] [[Ron Dayne]], the [[1999 NCAA Division I-A football season|1999]] [[Heisman Trophy]] winner.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1999 Heisman Trophy Voting |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-1999.html |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> The plan was to have his power running style complement running back [[Tiki Barber]]'s speed and pass-catching ability. The two would be called the Giants' "Thunder and Lightning" backfield. Although Dayne had a solid rookie year by rushing for 770 yards,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ron Dayne 2000 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DaynRo00/gamelog/2000/ |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> the breakout star during the regular season was Barber. Barber had 1,006 rushing yards in 213 attempts, caught seventy passes for 719 yards, and scored ten touchdowns. He also returned 44 punts for 506 yards and gained 266 yards returning kickoffs, giving him 2,495 total yards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tiki Barber 2000 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BarbTi00/gamelog/2000/ |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

[[Kerry Collins]] entered the season as the Giants' unquestioned starting quarterback. Although he helped lead the [[1996 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina Panthers]] to the [[1996–97 NFL playoffs|1996 NFC Championship Game]], he endured a mediocre season in [[1997 Carolina Panthers season|1997]].  In [[1998 Carolina Panthers season|1998]], he quit part way through the season after the team opened the campaign with a four-game losing streak. After spending the remainder of the 1998 season with the [[1998 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans Saints]], Collins was signed in 1999 as the Giants' second-string quarterback, but soon claimed the starting job. In leading the Giants to Super Bowl XXXV, Collins completed 311 out of 529 passes for 3,610 yards and 22 touchdowns during the regular season.  His favorite targets, in addition to Barber, were wide receivers [[Amani Toomer]] (78 receptions, 1,094 yards, seven touchdowns), and [[Ike Hilliard]] (55 receptions, 787 yards, eight touchdowns), along with fullback [[Greg Comella]] (36 receptions for 274 yards).  The Giants offensive line featured guard [[Ron Stone (American football)|Ron Stone]], the team's only Pro Bowl selection from the offense.

The Giants also had a powerful defense, led by Pro Bowl defensive end [[Michael Strahan]], who recorded 9.5 sacks, and defensive tackle [[Keith Hamilton (American football)|Keith Hamilton]] who recorded ten. Defensive backs [[Jason Sehorn]], [[Emmanuel McDaniel]], [[Reggie Stephens (cornerback)|Reggie Stephens]], and [[Shaun Williams (American football)|Shaun Williams]] combined for fourteen interceptions.  Pro Bowl linebacker [[Jesse Armstead]] led the team in total tackles with 102, while also recording five sacks and an interception.

The Giants lost just four games that season, having won six of their first eight games before a subsequent two-game losing streak put them at 7–4 with five games to go. In what would be his defining moment, head coach [[Jim Fassel]], at a press conference following the Giants' loss to the [[2000 Detroit Lions season|Detroit Lions]], guaranteed that his team would make the playoffs. The Giants responded by winning their last five regular season games to reach 12–4 and win the [[NFC East]] for the first time in three years.

===Playoffs===
{{further|2000–01 NFL playoffs}}

With an explosive defense and a "play-it-safe" offense, the Ravens became the seventh wild-card team to reach the Super Bowl, and third in four seasons, after allowing only a combined one touchdown and three field goals in their playoff wins over the [[2000 Denver Broncos season|Denver Broncos]], 21–3, then their [[Ravens–Titans rivalry|rivals]], [[2000 Tennessee Titans season|Tennessee Titans]], 24–10, and the [[2000 Oakland Raiders season|Oakland Raiders]], 16–3.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wild Card - Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravens - December 31st, 2000 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200012310rav.htm |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Baltimore Ravens at Tennessee Titans - January 7th, 2001 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200101070oti.htm |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=AFC Championship - Baltimore Ravens at Oakland Raiders - January 14th, 2001 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200101140rai.htm |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Meanwhile, the Giants defeated their [[Eagles–Giants rivalry|rivals]], the [[2000 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]], 20–10, and shut out the [[2000 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings]], 41–0, the most lopsided game in NFC Championship game history.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants - January 7th, 2001 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200101070nyg.htm |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=NFC Championship - Minnesota Vikings at New York Giants - January 14th, 2001 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200101140nyg.htm |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

===Pre-game news===
Officially, the win made the Ravens the quickest [[expansion team]] in NFL history to win a Super Bowl, although much like the 1950 Browns winning the [[1950 NFL Championship Game|NFL Championship]] in their first season in the NFL after coming over from the [[All-America Football Conference]], the Ravens were not an expansion team in the traditional sense of the term that started out as a completely brand new organization, coaching staff and players from scratch.

The Giants, as the designated home team, wore blue jerseys with grey pants. The team had previously worn blue jerseys with white pants in their two prior Super Bowl victories, but before the 2000 season, they replaced the [[Big Blue Wrecking Crew]]-era uniforms with a modern version of their early 1960s set. The Ravens donned all-white uniforms for the game.