Just under two weeks until we kick off the road to Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis, we’re looking back at Super Bowl VIII between the Miami Dolphins (again) and the Minnesota Vikings.
January 13, 1974
In their third-straight Super Bowl appearance, the dominant Miami Dolphins would go on to capture their second-straight Super Bowl title, a 24-7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Although not the undefeated season that was 1972, the Dolphins would become the second repeat Super Bowl champions in just eight total tries, matching the famed Green Bay Packers with two Lombardi trophies.
Super Bowl VIII was the first to not be hosted by either New Orleans, Miami or Los Angeles in the modern era. Instead, the game was played at Rice University’s football stadium in Houston, Texas, their first of what would become three hosted Super Bowls, most recently in 2017 at Super Bowl LI.
Larry Csonka, running back for the Miami Dolphins, would become the first running back in league history to be named Super Bowl MVP, rushing for 145 yards on 33 carries for the team.
Pat Summerall would once again handle the broadcasting duties for the Super Bowl, alongside Ray Scott and Bart Starr. The cost of a 30-second commercial rose nearly $15,000 in 1973, up to $103,000. At halftime, fans got a “taste of Texas” when the Westchester Wranglerettes performed alongside the University of Texas Longhorn Marching Band.