Super Bowl XXXI

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.

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.

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.

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.

• FIRST QUARTER

• GB - Andre Rison 54-yard PASS from Brett Favre (Chris Jacke kick)

• GB - Chris Jacke 37-yard FG

• NE - Keith Byars 1-yard PASS from Drew Bledsoe (Adam Vinatieri kick)

• NE - Ben Coates 4-yard PASS from Drew Bledsoe (Adam Vinatieri kick)

• SECOND QUARTER

• GB - Antonio Freeman 81-yard PASS from Brett Favre (Chris Jacke kick)

• GB - Chris Jacke 37-yard FG

• GB - Brett Favre 2-yard RUN (Chris Jacke kick)

• THIRD QUARTER

• NE - Curtis Martin 18-yard RUN (Adam Vinatieri kick)

• GB - Desmond Howard 99-yard KICKOFF RETURN (Mark Chmura PASS from Brett Favre)

• FOURTH QUARTER

• No Scoring

• NFL.com: Super Bowl XXXI Box Score & Statistics