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• The Green Bay Packers defeated the New England Patriots 35-21 in Super Bowl XXXI. The victory gave the Packers their first Super Bowl championship in almost three decades. Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre threw for 2 touchdown passes and ran for another, while Patriots signal caller Drew Bledsoe threw for two scores himself. The difference in the game was special teams for the Packers. Desmond Howard totaled 244 return yards on kickoffs and punts. His 99-yard return late in the 3rd quarter set a Super Bowl record for the longest scoring play in Super Bowl history, and secured victory for Green Bay. Howard was named the game's Most Valuable Player.

• Fast Facts

  1. January 26, 1997
  2. Site: Superdome
  3. Location: New Orleans
  4. Attendance: 72,301
  5. MVP: Desmond Howard
  6. Television: FOX

• Minister returns title to Titletown

  Reggie White established himself as one of the greatest pass rushers in NFL history during his days with the Philadelphia Eagles. But in 1993, he became the first true free agent in NFL history, and signed with the Packers. The "Minister of Defense" promised he would lead the Packers to the promise land, and in his fourth season with Green Bay, the 13-time Pro Bowl player helped return the Lombardi Memorial Trophy to Wisconsin.

• Shopping for the Groceries

  Though he became the 2nd of 5 coaches in history to take two different teams to the Super Bowl, the New England tenure of Bill Parcells came to its conclusion during Super Bowl week. His feud with Pats owner Robert Kraft, who bought the team after he was hired, became public when Parcells discussed his dissatisfaction over a lack of personnel control. This led to the infamous statement from Parcells when he said, "If they want you to cook the dinner, at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries." Parcells left right after the game to take a position with the division rival New York Jets.

• Expanding the Possibilities

  As the age of true free agency in the NFL dawned, it benefited two teams directly more than any other. In just their second season of existence, both the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars reached the conference championship games.

• Related Mahalo Pages

  National Football League | Green Bay Packers | New England Patriots | Brett Favre | Drew Bledsoe | Reggie White | Desmond Howard | Curtis Martin | Terry Glenn | Mike Holmgren | Bill Parcells | Super Bowl I | Super Bowl II | Super Bowl III | Super Bowl IV | Super Bowl V | Super Bowl VI | Super Bowl VII | Super Bowl VIII | Super Bowl IX | Super Bowl X | Super Bowl XI | Super Bowl XII | Super Bowl XIII | Super Bowl XIV | Super Bowl XV | Super Bowl XVI | Super Bowl XVII | Super Bowl XVIII | Super Bowl XIX | Super Bowl XX | Super Bowl XXI | Super Bowl XXII | Super Bowl XXIII | Super Bowl XXIV | Super Bowl XXV | Super Bowl XXVI | Super Bowl XXVII | Super Bowl XXVIII | Super Bowl XXIX | Super Bowl XXX | Super Bowl XXXII | Super Bowl XXXIII | Super Bowl XXXIV | Super Bowl XXXV | Super Bowl XXXVI | Super Bowl XXXVII | Super Bowl XXXVIII | Super Bowl XXXIX | Super Bowl XL | Super Bowl XLI | Super Bowl XLII

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