Editing Super Bowl XXIII (section)

==Super Bowl pregame news==
Despite the Bengals' superior regular season record and Esiason's MVP award, the 49ers were heavily favored to win the Super Bowl, mainly because of Montana. Montana had already led the 49ers to two previous Super Bowls and both times left with a championship ring and Super Bowl MVP honors. Esiason was also suffering from a sore left (throwing) shoulder, although the Bengals tried to keep it under wraps and made up for a lack of big-play passing attack with a run-heavy offense led by Woods and Brooks against their first two playoff opponents, Seattle and Buffalo.

While Montana had his ups and downs during the regular season, he appeared to be playing his best in the postseason, throwing for 466 yards and 5 touchdowns in his two playoff games, with only 1 interception. In contrast, the sore-shouldered Esiason had thrown for only 202 yards and 1 touchdown, with 2 interceptions, in the Bengals' two playoff victories.

While in Miami, Cincinnati suffered a major blow even before the game began. On the night before the Super Bowl, [[Stanley Wilson (running back)|Stanley Wilson]], the Bengals' best fullback and their third-leading rusher during the season with 398 yards, was caught using cocaine in his hotel room. The Bengals had no choice but to leave him off the roster. It was Wilson's third violation of the league's drug policy, and as a result he was banned from the league for life.<ref>Daugherty, Paul. [http://www.enquirer.com/editions/1999/01/31/spt_hard_fall_for_man.html Hard fall for man who had it all]. [[The Cincinnati Enquirer]], January 31, 1999.</ref>

Both coaches had a long history with each other. In 1979, 49ers coach [[Bill Walsh (American football coach)|Bill Walsh]] had talked [[Sam Wyche]] out of retirement to come and join the team as an assistant coach. Wyche remained on Walsh's coaching staff until 1982, winning a Super Bowl ring against the Bengals in [[Super Bowl XVI]].

The rematch was the third time in Super Bowl history two teams were meeting for a second time. Miami and Washington met in Super Bowls VII and XVII, with the teams splitting the games. Dallas and Pittsburgh met in Super Bowls X and XIII, with Pittsburgh winning both of those games. Both Dallas-Pittsburgh matchups were in Miami at the Orange Bowl. Pittsburgh and Dallas would later meet in [[Super Bowl XXX]] (which the Cowboys won by 10) to become the first two teams to ever meet three times in the Super Bowl. The Cowboys and Bills (Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII), Rams and Patriots (Super Bowls XXXVI and LIII), Eagles and Patriots (Super Bowls XXXIX and LII), Giants and Patriots (Super Bowls XLII and XLVI), 49ers and Chiefs (Super Bowls LIV and LVIII) and Eagles and Chiefs (Super Bowls LVII and LIX) have also met in two Super Bowls each.

The 49ers, as the [[Super Bowl#Home team designation|designated home team]] in the annual rotation between AFC and NFC teams, wore their home red uniforms with gold pants. The Bengals, on the other hand, wore their all-white road uniforms.

===Overtown rioting===
On January 16, a Hispanic Miami police officer shot and killed a speeding black motorcyclist in the [[Overtown, Florida|Overtown]] section of Miami.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1143192/3/index.htm| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110628213848/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1143192/3/index.htm| url-status = dead| archive-date = June 28, 2011| title = "The Greatest Stories Never Told" February 02, 2004 ''Sports Illustrated''}}</ref> A large crowd gathered and turned violent, leading to rioting and looting which lasted into January 18. A television van and several automobiles and buildings were set on fire, and police used tear gas against the rioters.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.dailypress.com/1989/01/17/overtown-riot-worries-super-bowl-boosters/| title = Hessler, Warner "Overtown Riot Worries Super Bowl Boosters" (January 17, 1989) ''Daily Press''| date = January 17, 1989| access-date = February 12, 2011| archive-date = July 8, 2011| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110708221612/http://articles.dailypress.com/1989-01-17/sports/8901180179_1_super-bowl-xxiii-riot-red-light| url-status = live}}</ref> A teenager was shot and killed in the melee and more than $1 million worth of damage was done.

Rumors began that the Super Bowl might be moved to [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]], and the incident later prompted the NFL to look at the league's hiring of minorities and its lack of black coaches at the time (the [[1989 NFL season|following season]] [[Art Shell]] became the first African-American NFL head coach of the modern era with the [[Los Angeles Raiders]]).<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/sports/1997/01/26/1997-01-26_5_super_distractions.html |title = "5 Super Bowl Distractions" (January 26, 1997) ''New York Daily News'' |website = [[New York Daily News]] |archive-url=https://archive.today/20110815072314/http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/sports/1997/01/26/1997-01-26_5_super_distractions.html |archive-date=August 15, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>