WHAT HAPPENED AT THE 1974 SUPER BOWL?

Following an owner’s meeting that was held in Honolulu on March 21, 1972, Super Bowl VIII was awarded to Houston.

Super Bowl VIII was played between the champions of the NFC, the Minnesota Vikings, and the AFC champions, the Miami Dolphins. Following on from their success in the previous Super Bowl, the Miami Dolphins once again emerged victorious, marking the second time in Super Bowl history that a team had won two Super Bowls in two consecutive years.

Super Bowl VIII was placed at the Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas, on January 13, 1974.

Notable for:

  • Super Bowl VIII was the first time the game was played at a venue that was not home to an NFL team.
  • It was the last Super Bowl in which goal posts were placed at the front of the end zone.

As had been the case during the previous year, the Miami Dolphins dominated Super Bowl VIII. During the first three quarters, they scored 24 points, including three touchdowns on the first two times they had possession, and successfully limited the Vikings to just seven plays in total during the first quarter. The Dolphin line stopped the Minnesota running game in its tracks and great defensive play by the reigning champions seriously limited Minnesota’s passing options.

However, the Dolphins were not prepared to sit on their seven-point lead. They pressed forward with the ball on the ground and consistently triumphed over the Viking defense. Their second touchdown came toward the end of the first quarter courtesy of Jim Kiick, and Garo Yepremian secured a further point followed by a field goal in the second quarter to extend the Dolphin’s lead to 17-0 by the end of the second quarter.

The third Miami touchdown came in the third quarter following Csonka’s drive into the drove end zone.

It wasn’t until the fourth quarter that the Vikings finally got onto the scoreboard following a Tarkenton touchdown. After Cox had secured the further point, the spectators in the stadium held their breaths when the Vikings suddenly recovered an on-site kick. However, the Minnesota rally was rapidly nipped in the bud following a penalty.

Larry Csonka was voted MVP and became the first running back in history to win this accolade. In addition, he had set a rushing record with 145 hard-fought yards and a carries record with 33 carries

Final Score: Minnesota Vikings (NFC) – 7 Vs. Miami Dolphins (AFC) – 24
Date: January 13, 1974
Stadium: Rice Stadium, Houston, Texas
MVP: Larry Csonka, Fullback
Favorite: Dolphins by 6.5
Referee: Ben Dreith
Attendance: 71, 882

National anthem: Charley Pride
Coin toss: Ben Dreith
Halftime show: The University of Texas Longhorn Band, The Westchester Wranglerettes