Super Bowl history · NFC dominance
The 1990s: heartbreak in Buffalo, Dallas restored and Elway fulfilled
The decade opened with the narrowest miss, moved through the Cowboys' three-title restoration and ended with Denver rewriting John Elway's championship story.
What defined this era
The decade opened with the narrowest miss, moved through the Cowboys' three-title restoration and ended with Denver rewriting John Elway's championship story.
A dynasty can be remembered beside an opponent's repeated heartbreak.
Roster construction and line play powered Dallas's restoration.
A late-career title can change the emotional shape of a résumé.
Championship timeline
How the Super Bowl changed
1990–93
Wide right begins Buffalo's four-year ordeal
Super Bowl XXV came down to one kick. The Giants survived, and Buffalo returned three more times without winning, creating the league's most painful run of sustained conference dominance.
1992–95
Dallas becomes the team of the decade
Aikman, Smith, Irvin and a dominant line won three championships in four seasons, with San Francisco providing the rivalry that usually decided the eventual champion.
1997–99
Elway and the Rams supply two endings
Denver's upset of Green Bay finally gave Elway a title, and the Broncos repeated. One season later, the Greatest Show on Turf arrived with a championship decided one yard from overtime.
Watch the era