Honestly, it feels like forever ago, but also like it just happened yesterday. If you're asking did the Rams win the Super Bowl 2022, the short answer is a resounding yes. They didn't just win; they did it in their own backyard at SoFi Stadium, which is a vibe most teams never get to experience.
The Los Angeles Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20. It was Super Bowl LVI. February 13, 2022.
But the score doesn't really tell the whole story. This wasn't some easy blowout where everyone was chilling by the fourth quarter. It was a stressful, nail-biting mess of a game that almost slipped through their fingers. You had Matthew Stafford trying to prove he wasn't just a "good stats, bad team" guy from Detroit. You had Aaron Donald basically playing like a human wrecking ball. And then there’s Cooper Kupp, who was basically a cheat code all season.
The moment the Rams won the Super Bowl 2022
The game was weirdly back and forth. The Rams started hot, then Odell Beckham Jr. went down with a non-contact knee injury. That changed everything. Suddenly, the Bengals were up 20-13 in the third quarter. It felt like the "all-in" Rams—who traded away basically every draft pick they had for years—were about to face a very public, very expensive failure.
Then came the final drive.
✨ Don't miss: Team USA Basketball Carmelo Anthony: Why He Is the Real International GOAT
Trailing 20-16 with less than five minutes left, Stafford just decided to put the team on his back. He leaned on Kupp because, well, who else was left? They converted a massive fourth-and-1 on a jet sweep to Kupp that kept the season alive.
Then, with 1:25 left on the clock, Stafford found Kupp in the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown. It was surgical. It was loud. It was exactly why they traded for Stafford in the first place.
Why Aaron Donald is the real reason they won
Even after that touchdown, the Bengals had time. Joe Burrow is a cool customer, and he started moving the ball. They got to midfield. It looked like they might get into field goal range to force overtime, or worse, score a touchdown and ruin the party in LA.
Aaron Donald said no.
💡 You might also like: MN Vikings Play Today: Why the Purple and Gold Are Missing From the Playoff Schedule
On fourth-and-1, Donald got into the backfield so fast it didn't even look real. He grabbed Burrow, spun him around like a rag doll, and forced a desperate, incomplete heave. Donald started pointing at his ring finger before the ball even hit the turf.
He finished with two sacks and two tackles for loss. More importantly, he and Von Miller (remember him in a Rams jersey?) combined for most of the seven sacks the Rams piled up on Burrow that night. That pass rush was the only thing keeping the Rams in it while the offense was sputtering in the second half.
A few things people forget about that game
- The No-Call: Early in the second half, Tee Higgins scored a 75-yard touchdown where he clearly grabbed Jalen Ramsey’s facemask and twisted his head. No flag. Bengals fans loved it; Rams fans were losing their minds.
- The Attendance: Over 70,000 people were in that stadium, and despite it being a "home game" for LA, there were a ton of orange jerseys in the stands.
- The Halftime Show: It’s arguably the best one ever. Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar. It was a love letter to LA hip-hop.
The fallout of the Rams' victory
Winning that trophy validated everything Sean McVay had been building. At 36, he became the youngest head coach to ever win a Super Bowl. It also meant Andrew Whitworth could retire as a champion, which was a pretty emotional moment for anyone who follows the O-line guys.
But looking back, that win was the peak before a massive valley. The following season was a disaster of injuries and losses, which is why people sometimes forget just how dominant that 2021-2022 Rams team actually was. They were built to win exactly one game, and they did it.
If you’re looking to relive the glory or just win an argument at a bar, just remember: the Rams are one of only two teams to ever win a Super Bowl in their home stadium (the Bucs did it the year before).
What you can do now:
If you want to see the "poetic" ending McVay talked about, go watch the mic'd up footage of that final Bengals drive. Seeing Aaron Donald realize he finally got his ring is probably the most "football" thing you'll see all week. You can also check out the official NFL highlights of Cooper Kupp's MVP performance to see how he managed to get open when the entire world knew the ball was going to him.