If records were destined to fall every Super Bowl, you wouldn’t know it from looking back: many of the earliest Super Bowl marks still stand decades later, some set long before consumer gaming consoles existed. Rod Martin’s career mark of three Super Bowl interceptions has lasted 45 years. Timmy Smith’s single-game rushing total of 204 yards—set in Washington’s rout of the Broncos—hasn’t been seriously threatened in nearly four decades. And a year after Smith’s performance, Jerry Rice piled up 215 receiving yards in San Francisco’s comeback over Cincinnati, a Super Bowl single-game receiving record that still stands.
One long-standing mark did fall when New England faced Seattle in a previous Super Bowl, but most of those early benchmarks are intact. Here’s a look at several key Super Bowl records and which ones might be in jeopardy heading into Super Bowl 60.
Most Super Bowl wins: 6
The Patriots sit one victory away from owning the most Super Bowl titles. Every one of New England’s Super Bowl championships has been earned while Robert Kraft owns the team; under his ownership the franchise rose quickly, returning to the big game in 1996 (a loss) and winning its first title in the 2001 season against the heavily favored Rams. New England’s dozen Super Bowl appearances are already a record — no other franchise has reached the game more than eight times.
Youngest QB to win a Super Bowl: 23 years, 340 days
Ben Roethlisberger’s mark — winning the Super Bowl at 23 years and 340 days old — could be vulnerable if Patriots rookie Drake Maye delivers. Maye, at 23 years and 162 days, is the second-youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl. Dan Marino remains the youngest QB to play in a Super Bowl at 23 years and 127 days (Super Bowl XIX), a game in which Marino’s 318 passing yards briefly tied an existing single-game mark before Joe Montana surpassed it by throwing for 333 yards and adding 59 rushing yards and three TDs.
Longest field goal: 57 yards
Given how accurate modern kickers are from long range, it’s surprising the Super Bowl career-long hasn’t been longer than 57 yards. This year’s matchup features two kickers who’ve shown big-leg ability: Patriots rookie Andrés Borregales booted a 59-yarder in the regular season, and Seahawks kicker Jason Myers has a 57-yard season long (he’s attempted kicks as long as 61 yards in his career). Both kickers have been reliable in recent playoff games, so the record could be tested.
Most receiving yards in a Super Bowl: 215
Jerry Rice’s 215-yard performance in Super Bowl XXIII remains the high-water mark. A handful of receivers in this Super Bowl have the talent to threaten Rice’s mark, notably Seattle’s Jackson Smith-Njiba, whose dominant college outing (347 receiving yards in the 2022 Rose Bowl) shows his big-play potential even though he has yet to top 180 receiving yards in an NFL game.
Most catches in a Super Bowl: 14
The single-game receptions record has been pushed higher over time — from Dan Ross’s 11 catches in Super Bowl XVI, to Demaryius Thomas’s 13 in the Broncos’ loss to Seattle, and later to 14 in a different Super Bowl. Smith-Njiba has shown he can pile up catches; he had 12 receptions for 117 yards in Seattle’s Week 2 overtime win over New England, so he’s a candidate to challenge this mark.
Most return yards in a Super Bowl: 244
Desmond Howard’s 244 return yards for the Packers in Super Bowl XXXI remain the benchmark. Seattle’s return specialist Rashid Shahid has been a big-play force this season — a touchdown on a punt return and a 95-yard kickoff return in the playoffs — and could push the record if he gets multiple return opportunities on the biggest stage.
Highest completion percentage in a Super Bowl: 88%
Phil Simms set the Super Bowl standard in Super Bowl XXI, completing 22 of 25 passes (88%) in the Giants’ 39-20 win over the Broncos. Both Drake Maye and Seattle’s quarterback (Sam Darnold) have shown high completion rates in the regular season in select games, so an efficient, low-volume passing game could threaten Simms’ mark.
Most total punts in a Super Bowl: 22
The combined single-game punt total record — 22 punts (Giants/Ravens, Super Bowl XXXV) — seems unlikely to fall unless the game turns into a low-scoring defensive slog. Both New England and Seattle boast top defenses and efficient offenses, so while a defensive battle could increase the punt count, most expect this record to stand.
Fan Take: This matters because milestone records connect the present game to its history — seeing old marks stand or fall helps define legacies for players and franchises. If any of these records tumble on Sunday, it won’t just rewrite the record books; it could signal shifts in how the game is played (younger star QBs, longer kicks, or return-game explosiveness) and shape storylines for years to come.
