Buffalo Bills Superbowl History

So close and yet so far. Nothing epitomizes that idea more than the Super Bowl history of the Buffalo Bills. In the early 1990s, they attained an unprecedented accomplishment--appearing in four straight Super Bowls, which no other team has ever done. Yet they did not win a single one of those Super Bowls, and their 0-4 record forever marks the agony of coming in second. That frustration is still marked with great pride, however, for even as the Bills' success is mixed with failure, so too did that failure come mixed with extraordinary success.

The Team

The Buffalo Bills of the 1990s hit upon an outstanding formula for winning under head coach Marv Levy. It was built around the "hurry-up offense," which treated every offensive drive as if it were taking place in the last two minutes of the game. Quarterback Jim Kelly proved incredibly adept at moving the ball quickly down the field, and the team's practice of going without a huddle kept defenses disoriented and confused. Time of possession was meaningless of the Bills. When coupled with a fearsome defense, the tactic proved impossible for anyone in the AFC to stop.

Super Bowl XXV

The Bills' string of Super Bowl appearances began in January 1991, when they faced the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXV. The game was widely considered one of the best in Super Bowl history, with multiple lead changes and a pair of gutsy teams battling toe to toe. In the end, it came down to a 47-yard field goal kick from Buffalo kicker Scott Norwood. His missed it, cementing the Giants' 20-19 victory.

Super Bowl XXVI

In some ways, the Bills never recovered from that missed kick. The next year, they again thrashed their AFC rivals and again headed into the Super Bowl looking for the championship trophy. They were stopped by the Washington Redskins, under coach Joe Gibbs, who built a commanding halftime lead that Buffalo couldn't overcome. The Bills lost again, 37-24.

Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII

It was the Dallas Cowboys who sealed the Bills' 0-4 Super Bowl record. Led by Quarterback Troy Aikman and running back Emmitt Smith, they dominated the NFL of the early 1990s. Their only real rivals were the San Francisco 49ers--also in the NFC--and the Bills simply couldn't compete with them in either of two consecutive Super Bowl matchups. Super Bowl XXVII was a 52-17 laugher, and Super Bowl XXVIII was only marginally better at 30-13. As of 2009, the Bills have yet to return to the Super Bowl.

Legacy

Despite the heartbreak, the Super Bowl Bills left a legacy behind that any team would be proud of. Three players on those teams--quarterback Jim Kelly, running back Thurman Thomas and wide receiver James Lofton--were eventually selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, along with head coach Marv Levy. An even more touching moment came from wide receiver Don Beebe who--in the midst of the Super Bowl XXVII rout--ran down showboating defensive tackle Leon Lett to strip the ball away from him and deny the Cowboys a touchdown. The gesture had no effect on the outcome of the game, but became an enduring example of never giving up.