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| Date | February 2, 2014 | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Kickoff time | 6:32 p.m.EST (UTC-5) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Stadium | MetLife Stadium East Rutherford, New Jersey | ||||||||||||||||||
| MVP | Malcolm Smith,linebacker[1] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Favorite | Broncos by 2[2] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Referee | Terry McAulay[3] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 82,529[4][5] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Ceremonies | |||||||||||||||||||
| National anthem | Renée Fleming[6] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Coin toss | Joe Namath andPhil Simms | ||||||||||||||||||
| Halftime show | Bruno Mars andRed Hot Chili Peppers | ||||||||||||||||||
| TV in the United States | |||||||||||||||||||
| Network | Fox | ||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | Joe Buck (play-by-play) Troy Aikman (analyst) Pam Oliver andErin Andrews (sideline reporters) Mike Pereira (rules analyst) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Nielsen ratings | 46.4 (national)[7][8] 56.7 (Seattle)[7][8] 50.5 (New York)[7][8] 51.4 (Denver)[7][8] US viewership: 111.5 million est. avg., 167 million est. total | ||||||||||||||||||
| Market share | 69 (national)[7] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Cost of 30-second commercial | $4 million[9] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Radio in the United States | |||||||||||||||||||
| Network | Westwood One | ||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) Boomer Esiason (analyst) James Lofton andMark Malone (sideline reporters) | ||||||||||||||||||
Super Bowl XLVIII was anAmerican football game between theAmerican Football Conference (AFC) championDenver Broncos andNational Football Conference (NFC) championSeattle Seahawks to decide theNational Football League (NFL) champion for the2013 season. The underdog Seahawks defeated the favored Broncos 43–8 to win their first Super Bowl. It is the largest margin of victory for anunderdog and tied withSuper Bowl XXVII (1993) for the third largest point differential overall (35) inSuper Bowl history.[10][11] The game was played on February 2, 2014, atMetLife Stadium at theMeadowlands Sports Complex inEast Rutherford, New Jersey,[12] the first Super Bowl played outdoors in a cold-weather city.[13] SeahawkslinebackerMalcolm Smith, who returned an interception 69 yards for a touchdown, recovered afumble and made ninetackles, was namedSuper Bowl MVP.
The Seahawks posted a 13–3 record and were making their second Super Bowl appearance in nine years. The Broncos were making their seventh Super Bowl appearance after also posting a 13–3 record.[14] The game became the first Super Bowl victory for the Seahawks and the fifth Super Bowl loss for the Broncos, at the time a league record (it would later be tied by theNew England Patriots following theirSuper Bowl LII loss) for the most of any team. This marked one of the few times that two former divisional rivals met in a Super Bowl, as the Seahawks and Broncos were in the same division (theAFC West) from1977 to2001.[15]
Seattle led 22–0 at halftime and ultimately went up 36–0 before allowing Denver's first and only score on the final play of the third quarter. The Seahawks set a record by making the first seven scores of the game; previously the record was four. The 36–0 lead was by far the largest shutout lead in Super Bowl history; the previous record was 24–0, shared by theMiami Dolphins over theMinnesota Vikings inSuper Bowl VIII and theWashington Redskins over theBuffalo Bills inSuper Bowl XXVI. Seahawks defensive endCliff Avril scored asafety on the first play from scrimmage. They became the first team in a Super Bowl to score on a safety (12 seconds into the start of the game which set the record for the quickest score), a kickoff return for a touchdown (12 seconds into the second half), and an interception return for a touchdown. The Broncos were held to almost 30 points below their scoring average.[16] BroncosquarterbackPeyton Manning, a five-timeNFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award winner, one of which during the 2013 season, threw twointerceptions in the first half.
The game was the first time sinceSuper Bowl XXV 23 years prior that the #1 scoring offense (Broncos) went up against the #1 scoring defense (Seahawks).[17] It was the fifth Super Bowl where the winning team outscored the losing team in every quarter.[1] In addition, it was the first time the winning team scored over 40 points while holding the opponent team to under 10 in the Super Bowl. Seattle also tied the1992 Dallas Cowboys for the third-largest blowout in Super Bowl history.
In retrospect, Super Bowl XLVIII is considered among the worst Super Bowls due to the game'sone-sidedness from start to finish.[18][19][20][21] However, theSeahawks' 2013 defense is often regarded as one of the greatest defenses in NFL history following the game.[22][23][24] In the United States, the game was televised byFox; with an average audience of 111.5 million viewers that peaked at 115.3 million during thehalftime show featuringBruno Mars.[25] The game was briefly themost-watched U.S. television broadcast of all time, until it was surpassed bySuper Bowl XLIX the following year.[26] The game's inaugural Spanish-language telecast onFox Deportes was also the highest-rated Spanish-language cable telecast outside of soccer.
The Seahawks would make their third Super Bowl appearance the following year, and ultimately lost to the Patriots 28-24. This game is their latest Super Bowl appearance as of the2024 season.
Efforts to see the New York City area host a Super Bowl predate MetLife Stadium's planning.
In the aftermath of the9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City andWashington, D.C., those metro areas' business communities separately discussed seeking to host a future Super Bowl.[27] The general thought was that either of these cities being the location of a Super Bowl would symbolize national recovery in the aftermath of the attacks.[28] There was belief that if New York were awarded a Super Bowl (either building a new stadium or renovated the existingGiants Stadium to be the host venue), it might assistthe city's bid for the2012 Summer Olympics in the same vein that awardingSuper Bowl XXVIII to the city ofAtlanta may have assisted the prospects ofAtlanta's ultimately successful bid for the1996 Summer Olympics.[27]
Both New York City and Washington, D.C. were, at one point, seen as likely to bid in 2003 for either 2008'sSuper Bowl XLII or 2009'sSuper Bowl XLIII.[29] However, the prospect of the New York City region hosting a Super Bowl proved challenging due not only to the non-ideal cold weather climate, but also due to the difficulty in delivering an appropriate host venue. The city of New York and theNew York Jets failed to secure a deal to build a newWest Side Stadium inManhattan (which, according to the initial plans, would have been built with a roof). Proposed renovations to the aging Giants Stadium were still subject to dispute between stakeholders. Giants Stadium lacked a roof, as did the city's twoMajor League Baseball stadiums. The lack of a venue with a roof was also seen as an obstacle due to the NFL having never played an outdoor Super Bowl in a cold weather climate.[30]
New York City ultimately bid in 2005 for a Super Bowl. The NFL voted on March 23, 2005, to award New York City the rights to host 2010'sSuper Bowl XLIV, contingent on the proposed West Side Stadium (the planned site of the game) being completed by 2008.[31] In August 2005, after New York state government officials declined to approve $400 million for the stadium, the NFL decided to revoke New York City's hosting rights, and reopen the bidding for the game's site.[32]
Three stadiums were part of the bidding to host the game:
Tampa had hosted four Super Bowls (XVIII,XXV,XXXV andXLIII), while South Florida / Miami had hosted ten Super Bowls (II,III,V,X,XIII,XXIII,XXIX,XXXIII,XLI andXLIV).
During the voting process by the league owners, the South Florida/Miami bid was eliminated in the second round of voting, but it eventually took the fourth round of voting for New Jersey's bid to beat Tampa's.[13] The game was awarded on May 26, 2010, at the NFL owners meetings in Irving, Texas.
Super Bowl XLVIII was the first Super Bowl held at an open-air stadium in a "cold-weather" city; previous Super Bowls in cold-weather cities were held at indoor stadiums. However, the temperature at kickoff was a mild 49 °F (9 °C), making this only the third-coldest Super Bowl.[37] A major snow storm hit the area the very next day.[38] According toWeather.com, the average high and low temperatures for East Rutherford on February 2 were 39 °F (4 °C) and 20 °F (−7 °C), respectively.[39] The coldest outdoor Super Bowl of the first 47 games wasSuper Bowl VI, held atTulane Stadium in New Orleans on January 16, 1972, with a kickoff temperature of 39 °F (4 °C) (Tulane Stadium also hosted the second coldest outdoor Super Bowl,Super Bowl IX, with a kickoff temperature of 46 °F (8 °C)).[40] However, New Orleans usually has ahumid subtropical climate, with January morning lows averaging around 46 °F (8 °C) and daily highs around 63 °F (17 °C);[41] also, all New Orleans Super Bowls sinceXII have been played at the indoorSuperdome. SinceSuper Bowl X in 1976, all but one outdoor Super Bowl has been played in either California or Florida, the exception beingSuper Bowl XXX inTempe, Arizona. NFL CommissionerRoger Goodell indicated that if Super Bowl XLVIII was successful, additional "cold-weather" Super Bowls would be considered.[13][42]
Super Bowl XLVIII was the firstNFL championship game to be held in theNew York metropolitan area sinceDecember 30, 1962, when theGreen Bay Packers beat theNew York Giants in the originalYankee Stadium, 16–7. Since then, two other major pro football leagues have held title games in the area:
MetLife Stadium was the first Super Bowl venue that was simultaneously home to two NFL teams: theNew York Giants and theNew York Jets, and thus was the first championship game to have two host teams. TheLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum (which hosted Super BowlsI andVII) served as the home of theLos Angeles Rams and theLos Angeles Raiders, but not at the same time.
This was also the first Super Bowl played outdoors on artificial turf (FieldTurf) sinceSuper Bowl X (1976) at theMiami Orange Bowl. It was also the first in which twoU.S. states,New York andNew Jersey, shared hosting duties.[43] This was also the first Super Bowl to be played outdoors since Super Bowl XLIV was played in Miami Gardens.
The choice of holding the Super Bowl outdoors in a cold weather environment generated some controversy. When it was released in August 2013, the "Winter Outlook" section in the 2014Farmers' Almanac predicted that a winter storm would hit just about the time Super Bowl XLVIII kicked off;[44][45] this generated the attention of several media sources, includingESPN'sRick Reilly in a piece that aired on ESPN'sMonday Night Countdown on October 21, 2013.[45][46] In a radio interview broadcast onWFAN, Fox studio analystTerry Bradshaw stated that he opposes the idea of a cold Super Bowl, stating "I don't want it to be bad ... What if we get two passing teams?"[47] In a piece published onSports Illustrated's "Monday Morning Quarterback" site, Seattle Seahawks cornerbackRichard Sherman also opposed holding the game at MetLife Stadium, stating that "it's the league's responsibility to show its audience the best possible product, and this can't happen in the snow."[48] The decision to play the game in New Jersey was made even more controversial by the fact that the NFL informed the Miami Dolphins that Sun Life Stadium would never host another Super Bowl until they put a roof over the stadium for fear of rain.[49]
The NFL announced on December 18, 2013, that in the event of a forecast of heavy snow, the game would be rescheduled for the Saturday before, or for the Monday or Tuesday after.[50]
One day before the Super Bowl, weather conditions for the game were forecast to be mostly cloudy with temperatures in the low to mid-40s Fahrenheit.[51]
A winter storm arrived 6 hours after the game ended, dropping 8 inches (20 cm) of snow on the region.[52] The inclement weather canceled a quarter of the flights available at the area's three major airports, stranding thousands.[53]
Super Bowl XLVIII earned a few unofficial nicknames, with the "Weed Bowl",[54] "Bong Bowl",[55] and "Marijuana Bowl"[56] being among the most prominent, from users ofsocial networking websites and various news outlets[55] as the home states of the Seahawks and Broncos (Washington andColorado, respectively) were the first two states tolegalize marijuana for recreational use, during thefall 2012 elections.[57]
The Broncos and Seahawks were divisionalAFC West rivals from 1977 until 2001, when the Seahawks moved to theNFC West. Their matchup in Super Bowl XLVIII marked the first time former in-division rivals met in the Super Bowl sinceSuper Bowl XLIII.[15]
Seattle finished the season 13–3, winning theNFC West division and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The team scored 417 points during the season, while giving up 231.[58]
The offense was led by second-year quarterbackRussell Wilson, a third-round draft pick who won the starting role after a three-way quarterback competition in training camp and went on to win a playoff game in his rookie season with the Seahawks. In his second season, he completed 63.1 percent of his passes for 3,357 yards and 26 touchdowns, with only nine interceptions, while also rushing for 539 yards and another score.[59] His 101.2 passer rating ranked him seventh in the NFL, and made him the first quarterback in history with a triple-digit passer rating in his first two seasons. His top target wasPro Bowl receiverGolden Tate, who caught 64 passes for 898 yards and five touchdowns. Tate was also a major asset on special teams, returning 51 punts for 585 yards (second in the NFL). Other key targets includedDoug Baldwin (50 receptions, 775 yards, five touchdowns) and tight endZach Miller (33 receptions, 387 yards, five touchdowns). Pro Bowl running backMarshawn Lynch was the team's leading rusher with 1,257 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was also a reliable receiver, hauling in 36 passes for 316 yards and two more scores. The Seahawks' offensive line was led by Pro Bowl centerMax Unger. KickerSteven Hauschka ranked fourth in the NFL in scoring (143 points) and second in field goal percentage (.943, 33/35).
Seattle had the NFL's top defense, with the fewest yards allowed per game (273.6), fewest points allowed (231) and most takeaways (39).[60] They were the first team since the1985 Chicago Bears to lead the league in all three categories.[61] The Seahawks were also the fourth team to lead the NFL in interceptions and fewest passing yards allowed; all four teams reached the Super Bowl.[16] Seattle's defensive line featured defensive endsCliff Avril andMichael Bennett, both of whom recorded eight sacks. Avril also forced five fumbles, while Bennett recovered three, returning them for 39 yards and a touchdown. Defensive tackleClinton McDonald also made a big impact with 5.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and an interception. LinebackerBobby Wagner led the team in combined tackles (120), while also racking up five sacks and two interceptions. But the best aspect of the defense was their secondary – collectively known as theLegion of Boom – which sent three of their four starters to the Pro Bowl: cornerbackRichard Sherman, who led the NFL in interceptions (eight, with 125 return yards), along with free safetyEarl Thomas (five interceptions, 105 tackles, two forced fumbles) and strong safetyKam Chancellor (99 tackles, three interceptions, 78 return yards).
Denver finished the season 13–3 for the second straight year, winning theAFC West division and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Broncos had the best offense in the NFL, leading the league in points scored (606, the highest total in NFL history) and yards gained (7,313).[62] The offense was so explosive that they scored points on their opening possession at least eight straight games leading into the playoffs and a ninth time against the San Diego Chargers during the Divisional Playoffs game. During theAFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots, they broke that streak, only to score on the opening possession of the second half.[63] In only five out of 18 games (including playoffs) did they score fewer than 30 points, the fewest being 20 points.[16]
In command of the offense was 16-year veteran quarterbackPeyton Manning. Now in his second year as the team's starter, Manning posted one of the best seasons of any quarterback in NFL history (and the best season of his entire career), leading the league in completions, attempts, yards and touchdown passes. His 5,477 passing yards and 55 touchdown completions both set new NFL records.[64][65] His total of 450 completions was the second-highest in NFL history, and his 115.1 passer rating ranked second in the league that season. Denver's leading pass-catcher was Pro Bowl receiverDemaryius Thomas, who caught 92 passes for 1,430 yards and 14 touchdowns, but Manning had plenty of other reliable options, includingEric Decker (97 receptions, 1,288 yards, 11 touchdowns),Wes Welker (73 receptions, 778 yards, 10 touchdowns) and Pro Bowl tight endJulius Thomas (65 receptions, 788 yards, 12 touchdowns). Overall, they made Denver the first team in NFL history ever to have four players with at least 10 touchdown receptions in a season. Running backKnowshon Moreno was the team's leading rusher with 1,038 yards and 10 touchdowns, while also catching 60 passes for 548 yards and another three scores. Rookie running backMontee Ball was also a big contributor with 554 rushing yards, four touchdowns and 20 receptions. The team's offensive line featured Pro Bowl guardLouis Vasquez. On special teams, Pro Bowl kickerMatt Prater ranked second in the NFL in scoring (150 points) and first in field goal percentage (.962, 25/26). His only miss of the year was from 52 yards and his successful attempt from 64 yards against Tennessee in Week 14 broke anNFL record that had stood for 44 years.
Defensive endShaun Phillips anchored the Broncos' line with 10 sacks, while linebackerDanny Trevathan racked up 129 combined tackles, three forced fumbles and three interceptions. Defensive endMalik Jackson was also a key component of the defense with 42 tackles and six sacks, helping compensate for the loss ofVon Miller, who had five sacks in nine games before suffering a season-ending injury. CornerbacksDominique Rodgers-Cromartie andChris Harris Jr. led the secondary with three interceptions each.
Both the Seahawks and Broncos entered the postseason as the number one seed in their respective conferences, which meant they received byes through the first round of the playoffs.
The Seahawks' first playoff game was in the NFC divisional round, a rematch ofMonday Night Football from Week 13, playing theNew Orleans Saints at home.[66] The Seahawks had a 16-point lead at halftime, but although the Saints were able to halve the deficit in the fourth quarter, they could not close the gap further before a botched play in the final seconds ended the game, with the Seahawks winning 23–15.[67]
The Seahawks then played in theNFC Championship Game at home against therivalSan Francisco 49ers; the two teams had each won once against the other during the regular season. Despite entering halftime with a seven-point deficit, the Seahawks took the lead in the fourth quarter thanks largely toColin Kaepernick losing one fumble and throwing two interceptions. The second interception came in the final seconds of the game whenRichard Shermanbatted the ball into the arms ofMalcolm Smith to seal the 23–17 win and send the Seahawks to their second Super Bowl in franchise history.[68][69]
The Broncos faced theSan Diego Chargers in the AFC divisional round. Although their record-breaking offense was held to an unusually low 24 points, the Broncos still emerged victorious, 24–17, having shut out the Chargers until the fourth quarter.[70]
TheAFC Championship Game once again pitted Peyton Manning and his Broncos againstTom Brady and theNew England Patriots, the15th matchup between the two veteran quarterbacks. The Broncos won 26–16 on the back of a 400-yard passing performance by Manning, which included two touchdown drives that lasted over seven minutes each, earning the Broncos their first Super Bowl berth since1998.[71]
As the Broncos were thedesignated home team in the annual rotation between AFC and NFC teams, they elected to wear their home uniform (orange jerseys with white pants) while the Seahawks wore a mixed uniform (white jerseys with navy blue pants, representing away and home, respectively).[72][73] With the loss, the Broncos fell to 0–4 (outscored 167–38) in Super Bowls in which they wore orange jerseys, while with the Seahawks' win, the team wearing white had then won nine of the previous ten Super Bowls.
TheHyatt Regency inJersey City served as the home for the Broncos during their stay. The team took up 150 of the 351 rooms until the night of January 29 before taking up the entire hotel. The team hosted the press conferences during the week on a cruise ship docked at the pier of the hotel. Meanwhile, the Seahawks took up 120 to 150 of 429-roomWestin Hotel, also in Jersey City. The team retrofitted some rooms into training and massage rooms and occupied the pool. The City of Jersey City renamed its main boulevard, Columbus Drive, to Super Bowl Drive to welcome the teams.[74][75]
The Broncos utilized theNew York Jets headquarters, Atlantic Health Jets Training Center inFlorham Park, while the Seahawks utilized theNew York Giants headquarters,Quest Diagnostics Training Center adjacent to MetLife Stadium.
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Since New York and New Jersey co-hosted the Super Bowl, pregame events took place in both states.[76][77]
The "Super Bowl Kickoff Spectacular" concert was held on January 27 atLiberty State Park inJersey City, headlined byDaughtry and featuring a fireworks show.[78][79] Media Day took place on January 28 at thePrudential Center inNewark.[80]
The NFL replaced its indoorNFL Experience fan attraction with an outdoor festival known as Super Bowl Boulevard, which was held alongBroadway andTimes Square inManhattan from January 29 to February 1. The event featured various fan-oriented events and attractions, including an artificial toboggan hill.[81][82][83] As the area was expected to see around 400,000 people, security was increased in the area.[84] NFL On Location and an NFL Tailgate Party was held at theMeadowlands Sports Complex prior to the game.[85]
Super Bowl XLVIII was televised byFox in the United States, withJoe Buck callingplay-by-play,Troy Aikman ascolor analyst, andPam Oliver andErin Andrews assideline reporters.[86][87][88] Fox planned to use multiple4K resolution cameras to provide the ability to zoom closer into certain camera angles, and due to the expected possibility of cold weather, graphics developed byAutodesk would display simulations of wind patterns inside the stadium. Fox constructed an enclosed studio in Times Square for use as part of studio programming on Fox andFox Sports 1 during the week of the game.[89][90]
The broadcast attracted 111.5 million viewers, becoming the most-watched event in U.S. television history and surpassing the previous record of 111.3 million viewers who watchedSuper Bowl XLVI in 2012.[91] TheNew Girl episode "Prince" andBrooklyn Nine-Nine episode "Operation: Broken Feather" were thelead-out programs.[92][93]
For the first time in Super Bowl history, a dedicatedSpanish language telecast of the game was broadcast in the United States. The broadcast was carried by sister cable networkFox Deportes as part of a larger package of marquee games simulcast by Fox, and featured commentary and surrounding coverage in that language. As with all NFL games, the Spanish play-by-play was also carried via Fox'sSAP feed.[94] John Laguna was the play-by-play announcer and Brady Poppinga was the color analyst.[95] With 561,000 viewers, the Fox Deportes broadcast was the highest-rated U.S. Spanish-language cable telecast outside of soccer.[96]
Fox set the sales rate for a 30-secondadvertisement at US$4 million, matching the price set byCBS forSuper Bowl XLVII. Fox began selling advertising for the game in May 2013[9] and announced it had sold out on December 4.[97]
USA Today'sSuper Bowl Ad Meter named Budweiser's ad "Puppy Love" as the best of the game. Meanwhile, aCoca-Cola spot with people of diverse cultures singing "America the Beautiful" in various languages ignited controversy, with political commentators such asGlenn Beck,Todd Starnes andAllen West condemning the ad for discouragingassimilation, while others considered it a tribute to the idea of the United States as a multicultural society.[98]
Paramount Pictures,Sony Pictures,Lionsgate,Warner Bros.,Universal Studios andWalt Disney Studios paid for movie trailers to be aired during the Super Bowl. FollowingMonsters vs. Aliens' footsteps, Paramount paid for the debut trailers forTransformers: Age of Extinction[99] andNoah,[100] Sony paid forThe Amazing Spider-Man 2,[101]RoboCop,The Monuments Men, andPompeii, Lionsgate paid forDraft Day, Warner Bros. paid forThe Lego Movie, Universal paid forNeighbors, and Disney paid forCaptain America: The Winter Soldier,[99]Need for Speed, andMuppets Most Wanted.
NFL Network produced an international television feed of the game, with alternate English-language commentary provided byBob Papa (play-by-play) andCharles Davis (color analyst).[102][103]
| Country/territory | Rights holder(s) |
|---|---|
 Arab world | OSN Sports |
 Australia | One (Live),Network Ten (replay) andESPN[104] |
 Austria | Puls 4[105] |
 Belgium | Telenet |
 Brazil | ESPN Brasil,Esporte Interativo |
 Bulgaria | ESPN America,Fox International |
 Canada | CTVsimulcast Fox's coverage,RDS |
 Croatia | Arenasport |
 Czech Republic Hungary Moldova Romania Slovakia | Sport 1 |
 Denmark | TV3+ |
 Finland | Nelonen Pro 1, Nelonen Pro 1 HD with Finnish commentary andNelonen Pro 2, Nelonen Pro 2 HD with English commentary.[106] |
 France | W9,[107]BeIN Sport[108] |
 Germany | SAT.1 |
 Greece | Fox[109] |
 Hong Kong | Now TV |
 Iceland | Stöð 2 Sport |
 Italy | Fox Sports 2 HD,Italia 1 HD |
 Israel | Fox Sports,[110]Sport 5 |
 Japan | NHK BS-1 |
| Latin America | ESPN,Fox Sports |
 Mexico | Televisa,Fox Sports,TV Azteca,ESPN |
 Netherlands | Fox Sports (Netherlands) |
 New Zealand | Sky Television,Sommet Sports |
 Norway | Viasat 4,[111]Viasat Sport[112] |
 Philippines | TV5,AksyonTV |
 Poland | Polsat Sport |
 Portugal | Sport TV |
 Russia | NTV+ |
 Serbia | Arena Sport |
 Spain | Canal+ |
 Sweden | TV10[113] |
 Switzerland | RTS Deux |
 Turkey | FOX Sports[110] |
 UK Ireland | Channel 4,[114]Sky Sports[115] |
For the third consecutive year, awebcast was provided for viewers. Fox streamed its coverage of the game online on PCs andtablets through its newTV Everywhere serviceFox Sports Go. Although normally requiring a television subscription to use, Fox made the service available as a free preview for the Super Bowl. Due to contractual restrictions imposed by the NFL's exclusive digital and mobile content deals withMicrosoft andVerizon Communications, Fox was unable to offer any additional camera angles or offer streaming on smartphones. Mobile streaming of the game was exclusive to theVerizon Wireless NFL Mobile service.[116]
The social networkTwitter estimated that Super Bowl XLVIII generated 24.9 million posts ("tweets") on the service (surpassing last year's total of 24.1), peaking at 381,605 tweets per-minute following Percy Harvin's kickoff return at the start of the second half (surpassing the 231,500 per-minute peak the previous year during the blackout). 57% of the ads broadcast during the game promoted an associatedhashtag, up from 50% in 2013.[117]
The game was nationally broadcast onWestwood One radio, withKevin Harlan as play-by-play announcer,Boomer Esiason as color analyst, andJames Lofton andMark Malone as sideline reporters.[118]Jim Gray hosted the network's pregame, halftime and post-game coverage.Scott Graham, who hosted additional pregame coverage for Westwood One, also served as MetLife Stadium'spublic address system announcer for the game.
Theflagship stations of each station in the markets of each team carried their local play-by-play calls. In Seattle,KIRO-FM (97.3) andKIRO (710 AM) carried the "SeahawksBing Radio Network" call withSteve Raible on play-by-play andWarren Moon with color commentary, while in Denver, the Broncos play-by-play from the "Denver Broncos Radio Network" aired onKOA (850 AM) andKRFX (103.5) with the play-by-play ofDave Logan and the color commentary ofEd McCaffrey. The Spanish-language partner of the Broncos,KJMN (92.1)/KMXA (1090) carried the game in that language for the Denver market.Sirius XM Radio carried the Westwood One and local team feeds oversatellite radio, along with the call in eight other languages. Outside of those stations, all the other stations in the Seahawks and Broncos radio networks carried the Westwood One call per NFL rules.[119] KOA and KIRO are bothclear-channel stations, which allowed listeners throughout most of thewestern US to hear the portion of the contest which continued past sunset local time.
Westwood One's coverage was simulcast onTSN Radio in Canada.
In the United Kingdom,Absolute Radio 90s carried the game for the first time, taking over rights from the BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, who carried the contest for several years prior. The in-house Absolute Radio broadcast featured Darren Fletcher on color commentary (the same capacity in which he served with the BBC),Rocky Boiman with additional contributions and Will Gavin on play-by-play.[120]
Thepregame show began with theRutgers Scarlet Knights Marching Band andSyracuse University Marching Band.[121] Rapper, singer, actress, and New Jersey nativeQueen Latifah, joined by the New Jersey Youth Chorus, sang "America the Beautiful".[122][123]"The Star-Spangled Banner" was then sung byRenée Fleming accompanied by the Armed Forces Chorus,[6] the first (and, so far, only) opera singer ever to do so at a Super Bowl.[124] A V-shaped formation of threeUnited States ArmyBlack Hawks, threeApache attack helicopters and threeChinook heavy-lifters did amilitary flyover timed with the last note of the song.[125]
On September 8, 2013, the league announced thatBruno Mars would perform at halftime.[126] On January 10, 2014, it was announced thatRed Hot Chili Peppers would be joining Mars as halftime show performers.[127][128] The show opened with a children's choir singing a chorus from "Billionaire". Afterward, Mars appeared, playing adrum solo. Mars then performed the songs "Locked Out of Heaven", "Treasure", "Runaway Baby", "Give It Away" (withRed Hot Chili Peppers) and "Just the Way You Are" as a tribute to theUnited States Armed Forces. The halftime performance was the most watched in the history of the Super Bowl drawing in a record 115.3 million viewers, surpassing the record 114 million who watchedMadonna perform two years earlier. It was later revealed that the music was pre-recorded.[129] Red Hot Chili Pepper's drummer,Chad Smith responded on Twitter by saying "FYI... Every band in the last 10 years at the Super Bowl has performed to a previously recorded track. It's the NFL's policy."[130]
Planners initially indicated there would not be a halftime show at all due to the possibility of poor weather conditions.[131] One such logistical problem would be assembling and disassembling the halftime show stage during a blizzard.[132] But the league went ahead after all.[133] According to Mike Florio ofProfootballtalk.com, the NFL wanted to avoid a repeat ofSuper Bowl XXVI whenFoxcounter-programmed a special live episode ofIn Living Color.[134] Fox had not yet become a television partner with the NFL and saw an opportunity to pull young audiences away from a halftime show that lacked big-name performers.[135] As a result of Fox's ratings success, the league broughtMichael Jackson to perform during the following season'sSuper Bowl XXVII, and since then the league has continued to book big-name talent to hold the television audience.[134][135]
Touchdown Entertainment, the company that produced the event, incorporated the live audience into the show and transformed the crowd into "the largest everLED screen".[136] During the show, spectators put on a black knitted hat called a "video ski hat" with 3 embedded LEDs that lit up on command. The hats transformed the audience into an enormous human video screen made up of over 80,000 pixels.[137] Images including thePepsi logo flashed across the crowd, as well as video of the liveRed Hot Chili Peppers performance and fireworks display.[138] Thanks to this technology, each spectator was integrated to the show and the Super Bowl Halftime claimed to feature the largest-ever human video screen. In an original idea by Nuno Lopes, the company that invented and provided the crowd activation technology is the Montreal-based companyPixMob.[139]
The gamekicked off at 6:32 p.m.EST (UTC−05:00).
The Seahawks took complete control of the game right from the start. On the Broncos' first play after receiving the opening kickoff, centerManny Ramirez snapped the ball while quarterbackPeyton Manning was shifting forward from shotgun formation in the process of calling an audible, resulting in the ball going past Manning into the end zone. Running backKnowshon Moreno recovered the ball to prevent a Seahawks touchdown, but he was downed by defensive endCliff Avril in the end zone for asafety to give the Seahawks an immediate 2–0 lead. Avril's safety just 12 seconds into the game was the quickest score to start a game in Super Bowl history, surpassing the kickoff return byDevin Hester to startSuper Bowl XLI seven years earlier.[140] It also marked the third consecutive Super Bowl in which a safety was scored; the previous two times were whenTom Brady was flagged for intentional grounding in the end zone inSuper Bowl XLVI and whenSam Koch gave up an intentional safety in the closing seconds ofSuper Bowl XLVII. Following thefree kick, wide receiverPercy Harvin gained 30 yards on an end around run, then quarterbackRussell Wilson completed back-to-back passes to wide receiverJermaine Kearse for 18 yards to set up kickerStephen Hauschka's 31-yard field goal, making the score 5–0. The Broncos was forced to a three-and-out on their next drive, and on the Seahawks' next drive, Wilson completed a 37-yard pass to wide receiverDoug Baldwin, leading to another Hauschka field goal, a 33-yarder, that increased the Seahawks' lead to 8–0. On the third play of the Broncos' ensuing possession, Manning was intercepted by safetyKam Chancellor, giving the Seahawks the ball on the Broncos' 37-yard line.
Aided by a 15-yard run from Harvin on the first play, the Seahawks quickly got the ball into the red zone going into the second quarter. The Broncos' defense eventually managed to force an incomplete pass on third down, but cornerbackTony Carter was flagged for pass interference in the end zone, giving the Seahawks a new set of downs at the 1-yard line. Two plays later, running backMarshawn Lynch crashed into the end zone, hitting the line so effectively that he ended the play standing up, scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run and increasing the lead to 15–0.[141] The Seahawks, in addition to a safety, became the fifth team in Super Bowl history to score on its first three offensive possessions (the others came inII,XXIX,XXX andXXXII).
The Broncos' offense finally managed to get moving on their next possession, with Manning completing five passes to wide receiverDemaryius Thomas for 26 yards and a 16-yard pass to wide receiverWes Welker to advance the ball to the Seahawks' 35-yard line. But when they got there, Manning was hit by Avril as he tried to throw a pass to Moreno, causing a high short floater that was intercepted and returned 69 yards for a touchdown by linebackerMalcolm Smith, increasing the Seahawks' lead to 22–0. During the kickoff, the Broncos appeared to turn the ball over yet again when wide receiverTrindon Holliday fumbled the ball while being tackled by safetyChris Maragos, with Hauschka making the recovery for the Seahawks. However, instant replay determined that Holliday was down by contact before he lost the ball, so the Broncos retained possession on their own 33-yard line. The Broncos then mounted a drive to the Seahawks' 19-yard line, aided by Thomas' 19-yard reception on 3rd-and-5. With just over a minute left in the half, the Broncos faced 4th-and-2. Instead of kicking a field goal, they tried to pick up a first down, but Manning's pass was incomplete, and the Broncos remained scoreless at the end of the half. The 22-point deficit was the largest faced by the Broncos all season.[142] It was also the fourth-largest halftime deficit in Super Bowl history; the previous two were also against the Broncos – theWashington Redskins led the Broncos 35–10 inSuper Bowl XXII and theSan Francisco 49ers led the Broncos 27–3 inSuper Bowl XXIV.[143] The Seahawks' 22–0 shutout lead at the half also broke the previous record of 20–0 set by the San Francisco 49ers inSuper Bowl XVI over theCincinnati Bengals, but was later broken by thePhiladelphia Eagles' 24–0 halftime lead over theKansas City Chiefs inSuper Bowl LIX.
In order to avoid a big kickoff return,Matt Prater kicked the second half kickoff short, hitting the ground at the Seahawks' 12-yard line. But the plan backfired when Harvin picked the ball out of the air and took off for an 87-yard touchdown return (his only touchdown of the season) that increased the Seahawks' lead to 29–0. The touchdown took place 12 seconds into the second half, exactly the same amount of time that the Seahawks took to score the safety in the first half. It was also the first time that consecutive Super Bowls had kickoff returns for touchdowns;Jacoby Jones' return inSuper Bowl XLVII being the previous one, which was also the second-half opening kickoff. After an exchange of punts, wide receiverEric Decker gave the Broncos good field position with a 9-yard return to his own 45. Two plays later, Manning completed a 23-yard pass to Thomas, but cornerbackByron Maxwell knocked the ball out of his hands and Smith recovered it, returning the ball 7 yards. An unnecessary roughness penalty against Broncos offensive tackleOrlando Franklin added 15 more yards onto the end of the play, giving the Seahawks the ball at the Broncos' 42-yard line. Three plays later, Wilson hit tight endLuke Willson for a 12-yard completion on 3rd-and-7 and later completed a 19-yard pass to wide receiverRicardo Lockette. On the next play, he threw a short pass to Kearse, who broke four tackles as he took off for a 23-yard touchdown reception, giving the Seahawks a 36–0 lead.[144]
The Broncos finally got on the board on their next drive, advancing the ball 80 yards in seven plays, which featured a 20-yard pass interference penalty against Maxwell on 3rd-and-9, an 11-yard reception by tight endJacob Tamme, and three catches by Welker for 37 yards. The drive and third quarter ended with Manning's 14-yard touchdown pass to Thomas, followed by a catch for a successful two-point conversion by Welker, cutting the Broncos' deficit to 36–8.[145]
However, any momentum the Broncos might have gained was quickly snuffed out as Seahawks tight endZach Miller recovered Prater's onside kick attempt on his own 48-yard line. He also caught a 10-yard reception from Wilson as the Seahawks subsequently drove 52 yards, also featuring a 24-yard reception by Kearse, and scored on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Baldwin that capped off the scoring at 43–8 with over 11 minutes left in the game. The Broncos' last three drives resulted in a turnover on downs, a Manning fumble on fourth down that was forced by defensive endChris Clemons (the only sack of the game for either team), and a drive to their own 46-yard line before the game ended.[146]
Wilson finished the game 18 of 25 for 206 yards and two touchdowns. Baldwin was his top receiver with five catches for 66 yards and a score, while Kearse added four catches for 65 and a touchdown. In addition to his 87-yard kickoff return touchdown, Harvin was the Seahawks leading rusher with 45 yards, even though he only carried the ball twice. Chancellor had nine tackles and an interception. Manning completed 34 of 49 passes for 280 yards and a touchdown, with two interceptions. His top target was Demaryius Thomas, who caught 13 passes (a Super Bowl record) for 118 yards and a touchdown. Welker added eight receptions for 84 yards. LinebackerDanny Trevathan had 12 tackles. Moreno was the Broncos' leading rusher, but with just 17 yards. Overall, the Broncos' record-setting offense gained only 306 yards, with just 27 yards on the ground.[147]
Seahawks' linebacker Malcolm Smith received theSuper Bowl Most Valuable Player Award.[1][140] Denver fell to 2–5 in Super Bowls, while five-time league MVP Manning dropped to 11–12 in the playoffs and 1–2 in the Super Bowl.[140] Including the Broncos' loss, none of the eight highest-scoring teams in league history won a Super Bowl in the same season and all four teams who entered the championship with the league's leading passer lost the game.[16] Manning's 34 completions and Demaryius Thomas' 13 receptions were both Super Bowl records.[148][149]
With touchdowns scored on offense, defense and special teams, the Seahawks became the first team since the Baltimore Ravens inSuper Bowl XXXV to do so. Teams with an interception return for a touchdown also stayed perfect, improving to 12–0 in Super Bowls. As a result of scoring their safety 12 seconds into the game and subsequently never relinquishing the lead for the rest of the game, the Seahawks set a Super Bowl record for holding a lead continuously for the longest time (59:48). The Broncos became only the second team in the past 30 years to score fewer than 10 points during the course of the game.[150]
This was the first time that any NFL game ended with a 43–8 final score, a phenomenon known asscorigami.[151] It is one of three Super Bowls, alongsideXXI andXXIV, coincidentally involving the Broncos, where such a phenomenon has occurred.[152]
Following on from his two national championships atUSC, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll became just the third head coach to win both an NCAA Division 1-A/FBS national championship and a Super Bowl afterJimmy Johnson (Miami andDallas) andBarry Switzer (Oklahoma and Dallas).[153]
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seahawks (NFC) | 8 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 43 |
| Broncos (AFC) | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
atMetLife Stadium,East Rutherford, New Jersey
| Scoring summary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Sources:NFL.com Super Bowl XLVIII,The Football Database Super Bowl XLVIII
| Statistic | Seattle Seahawks | Denver Broncos |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 17 | 18 |
| First downs rushing | 6 | 2 |
| First downs passing | 10 | 13 |
| First downs penalty | 1 | 3 |
| Third down efficiency | 7/12 | 6/13 |
| Fourth down efficiency | 0/2 | 0/3 |
| Total net yards | 341 | 306 |
| Net yards rushing | 135 | 27 |
| Rushing attempts | 29 | 14 |
| Yards per rush | 4.7 | 1.9 |
| Net yards passing | 206 | 279 |
| Passing – completions/attempts | 18/26 | 34/49 |
| Times sacked-total yards | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| Interceptions thrown | 0 | 2 |
| Punt returns-total yards | 0–0 | 1–9 |
| Kickoff returns-total yards | 2–107 | 5–105 |
| Interceptions-total return yards | 2–71 | 0–0 |
| Punts-average yardage | 1–45.0 | 2–30.0 |
| Fumbles-lost | 0–0 | 4–2 |
| Penalties-yards | 10–104 | 5–44 |
| Time of possession | 31:53 | 28:07 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 4 |
| Records set[154] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fastest score to open game | 12 seconds | Seattle, safety |
| Most receptions, game | 13 | Demaryius Thomas (Denver) |
| Most pass completions, game | 34 | Peyton Manning (Denver) |
| Most losses, team | 5 | Denver |
| Largest halftime lead with a shutout | 22–0 | Seattle |
| Records tied | ||
| Most safeties, game | 1 | Cliff Avril (Seattle) |
| Most touchdowns, kickoff returns, game | 1 | Percy Harvin (Seattle) |
| Most 2-point conversions, game | 1 | Wes Welker (Denver) |
| Fewest punts, team, game | 1 | Seattle |
| Fewest rushing touchdowns, team, game | 0 | Denver |
| Fewest fumbles, team, game | 0 | Seattle |
| Seahawks passing | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C/ATT1 | Yds | TD | INT | Rating | |
| Russell Wilson | 18/25 | 206 | 2 | 0 | 123.1 |
| Tarvaris Jackson | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39.6 |
| Seahawks rushing | |||||
| Car2 | Yds | TD | LG3 | Yds/Car | |
| Percy Harvin | 2 | 45 | 0 | 30 | 22.50 |
| Marshawn Lynch | 15 | 39 | 1 | 18 | 2.60 |
| Russell Wilson | 3 | 26 | 0 | 16 | 8.67 |
| Robert Turbin | 9 | 25 | 0 | 6 | 2.78 |
| Seahawks receiving | |||||
| Rec4 | Yds | TD | LG3 | Target5 | |
| Doug Baldwin | 5 | 66 | 1 | 37 | 5 |
| Jermaine Kearse | 4 | 65 | 1 | 23 | 5 |
| Golden Tate | 3 | 17 | 0 | 9 | 4 |
| Luke Willson | 2 | 17 | 0 | 12 | 4 |
| Ricardo Lockette | 1 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 2 |
| Zach Miller | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 2 |
| Michael Robinson | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Percy Harvin | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| Robert Turbin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Broncos passing | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C/ATT1 | Yds | TD | INT | Rating | |
| Peyton Manning | 34/49 | 280 | 1 | 2 | 73.5 |
| Broncos rushing | |||||
| Car2 | Yds | TD | LG3 | Yds/Car | |
| Knowshon Moreno | 5 | 17 | 0 | 9 | 3.40 |
| C. J. Anderson | 2 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 4.50 |
| Montee Ball | 6 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0.17 |
| Peyton Manning | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Broncos receiving | |||||
| Rec4 | Yds | TD | LG3 | Target5 | |
| Demaryius Thomas | 13 | 118 | 1 | 23 | 18 |
| Wes Welker | 8 | 84 | 0 | 22 | 10 |
| Julius Thomas | 4 | 27 | 0 | 11 | 6 |
| Knowshon Moreno | 3 | 20 | 0 | 7 | 4 |
| Jacob Tamme | 2 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 2 |
| Montee Ball | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| C. J. Anderson | 1 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 1 |
| Eric Decker | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 5 |
1Completions/attempts2Carries3Long gain4Receptions5Times targeted
Hall of Fame‡
Organizers dubbed Super Bowl XLVIII the "Mass Transit Super Bowl", emphasizing and encouraging game attendees and other visitors to usepublic transportation to get to the game and other festivities throughout the region. The host committee in conjunction with other metropolitan transit agencies, such asNJ Transit, the lead agency, and thePort Authority of New York and New Jersey andMetropolitan Transportation Authority developed special services, fares, schedules and maps to promote the use of metro area's trains, subways, light rail and buses during Super Bowl Week.[157] The plan was a failure that led to universal criticism by fans and writers who attended the game due to poor execution and overcrowding.[158][159] As of September 2018[update], the diagram is still updated online.[157]
The Super Bowl was considered a level one national security event.[160] To that end, theNew Jersey State Police and the NFL host committee installed a 2.5-mile (4.0 km) chain-link perimeter fence around the Meadowlands Sports Complex, which is located at the intersection of a number of highways. Security planners stated that access to the area would be strictly limited and regulated. To that end, parking spaces were greatly reduced,tailgate parties restricted and walking to the venue strictly prohibited.[85][161][162] Taxis and limousines were not permitted to drop off passengers.[163] Passengers for trains to the stadium were limited in what they could carry and were screened before boarding.[164]
The area was patrolled on land, by air and by water since it is surrounded bywetlands. More than 3,000 security guards and 700 police officers were on duty on game day.[165] In addition, SWAT teams and snipers were located throughout the stadium.[166] There was a no-fly zone and fighter jets patrolled the region.[167] The security effort was overseen by a joint operations center a few miles away fromMetLife Stadium, which was staffed by hundreds of people from 35 different agencies ranging from the CIA to the New Jersey Transit Police.[168][169]
In February 2013, controversy arose as mayors of five local municipalities said they would not provide emergency services, stating they have been poorly compensated for past stadium events.[170][171] One of the mayors, William J. Roseman ofCarlstadt, New Jersey, stated: "The teams don't care about budget caps and what the impacts are on the taxpayers of Carlstadt. I had to cut back my police department budget by a total of a million dollars over the last several years. While we are forced to lay off police officers, the owners of the Jets and Giants are filling their pockets at taxpayers' expense."[172]
During the postgame news conference with Super Bowl MVPMalcolm Smith, a man jumped onto the podium, grabbed the microphone and said "Investigate9/11.9/11 was perpetrated by people within our own government." Smith did not react hastily but was rather confused and continued on with answering questions from the media. The man quickly walked away but security closed in and he was arrested for trespassing.[173][174][175][176]
Super Bowl XLVIII had sevenofficials.[177] The numbers in parentheses below indicate their uniform numbers.
It's the first time the league has gone to a cold-weather site that doesn't have a dome ... the NFL will wait and see how this foray into the great outdoors in winter goes. Then the league might OK another bid
The Broncos lead the regular-season series with Seattle, 34-18. The Seahawks won the only postseason game between the teams, a 31-7 AFC Wild Card Game victory in 1983. From 1977 to 2001, Denver and Seattle were rivals in the AFC West. The Seahawks moved to the NFC in 2002. This is the first Super Bowl meeting between former division rivals since the Steelers defeated the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII. The teams were both in the NFL's Century Division from 1967-69.
FOX Sports, which holds the rights to [Super Bowl XLVIII] ... has identified the New York Super Bowl as a big opportunity to build the Fox Sports 1 brand and is planning to carry several New York-based events in the run-up to the game
