Super Bowl Shutout History: How Many Times Has a Team Scored Zero Points?

Has there ever been a shutout in the Super Bowl?

The Super Bowl takes place in less than three weeks. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Since the the Packers beat the Chiefs back in 1967 in Super Bowl I, there have been countless memorable moments during the annual biggest sporting event in the country, from “The Guarantee” to the helmet catch.

Between blowouts to overtime to game-winning field goals and touchdowns, the Super Bowl has practically seen it all ... except for a shutout.

Before Super Bowl LX takes place this year, here’s a look at the history of shutouts in the NFL’s championship games.

Super Bowl shutouts

Over the first 59 Super Bowls, there has never been a shutout in the big game. There have, however, been multiple occasions where a team’s offense was shutout throughout the game.

In Super Bowl VII, the Dolphins were a quarter away from pulling off the shutout against Washington. After going 14-0 during the regular season and winning their first two playoff games, the Dolphins were a field goal away from beating Washington 17-0 to go a perfect 17-0 on the season. Unfortunately, kicker Garo Yepremian’s kick was blocked. Yepremian picked up the ball to try and throw it, but fumbled the football. The ball was recovered by Washington and returned for a touchdown in a play that’s since been dubbed “Garo’s Gaffe.” The Dolphins still went on to win 14-7, but fell short of shutting out Washington in the Super Bowl.

50 Years Ago Today

"Garo's Gaffe"

The first of six fumble recovery touchdowns in #SuperBowl history

Washington's Mike Bass races 49 yards with #Dolphins kicker Garo Yepremian's fumbled pass attempt after a blocked field goal with 2:07 remaining in Super Bowl VII. pic.twitter.com/4Lyia3pMxN

— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) January 14, 2023

Two years later in Super Bowl IX, the Vikings offense did not score any points in a 16-6 loss to the Steelers. Minnesota notched their lone points of the day on a blocked punt recovered for a touchdown.

In Super Bowl XXXV, the legendary Ravens defense succeeded in holding the Giants offense without any points. New York’s only points in the 34-7 loss came on a 97-yard kickoff return for touchdown from Ron Dixon.

The 1971 Dolphins and 2018 Rams are tied for the fewest points scored in a Super Bowl, with both teams only mustering a field goal in their losses.

NFL championship shutouts

Prior to the advent of the Super Bowl in the 1966-67 season, there were multiple shutouts in the NFL championship game. The first shutout came in 1939, when the Packers held the Giants scoreless in a 27-0 victory. The following year saw the most lopsided win in NFL history as the Bears outscored Washington 73-0 to win the title.

In 1948 and 1949, the Eagles earned consecutive championship titles while shutting out their opponents, taking down the Cardinals 7-0 before beating the Rams 14-0 the following year.

In 1961, the Packers shut out the Giants again by beating them 37-0, earning the first five titles that decade. The Browns later shut out the then-Baltimore Colts 27-0 in 1964. The Colts would get revenge in 1968 when they held Cleveland scoreless in a 34-0 route. They went on to compete in Super Bowl III that year, and fell to the Jets in one of the greatest upsets of all time.

Before the AFL-NFL merger, there was additionally one shutout in an AFL championship game. In 1965, the Bills faced the Chargers for the second year in a row in the AFL title game and won for the second straight time by defeating the Chargers 23-0.

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