It’s kinda wild when you think about it. Every February, we sit down with a pile of wings and expect to see something we’ve never seen before. Usually, the NFL delivers. But looking back at the super bowl champs last 5 years, you start to notice a pattern—or maybe a lack of one.
We’ve seen the "Greatest of All Time" switch jerseys and win immediately. We’ve seen a team buy a championship like they were playing Madden with salary cap turned off. And honestly? We’ve seen the birth of a dynasty that felt unstoppable until, suddenly, it wasn't.
If you’re trying to keep the winners straight, or if you just want to know why these specific teams climbed the mountain, let’s get into the weeds of who actually took home the Lombardi lately.
The New Guard and the End of a Streak
The most recent memory is usually the freshest, but Super Bowl LIX felt different. On February 9, 2025, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, the Philadelphia Eagles basically dismantled the dream of a "three-peat."
The Kansas City Chiefs were trying to do something no one in the history of the sport had ever done: win three Super Bowls in a row. They had Patrick Mahomes. They had Travis Kelce. They had the momentum. But the Eagles had a defensive front that played like they were shot out of a cannon.
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Why Philly Ruined the Party
Philadelphia won 40-22. It wasn't even as close as the score looked, really. Jalen Hurts was solid—throwing for 221 yards and a couple of scores—but the real story was the trenches. The Eagles sacked Mahomes six times. Six!
People always talk about Mahomes’ magic, but even magicians can't do much when they're flat on their back. This win gave the Eagles their second title in franchise history and firmly established that the "Chiefs Era" has some serious cracks in it.
Back-to-Back: The Chiefs’ Peak Years
Before the Eagles spoiled the fun, the super bowl champs last 5 years list was starting to look a bit repetitive. Kansas City went back-to-back in 2023 and 2024.
The Vegas Overtime Thriller (Super Bowl LVIII)
In February 2024, the Chiefs took down the San Francisco 49ers in a game that felt like a heart attack for four hours. It went to overtime. It was only the second time in Super Bowl history that happened.
The Niners actually had the lead in OT after a field goal. But Mahomes is Mahomes. He marched them down the field, converted a 4th-and-1 with his legs, and eventually found Mecole Hardman for a 3-yard touchdown. 25-22. Game over.
The Desert Duel (Super Bowl LVII)
The year before that, in 2023, it was Chiefs vs. Eagles (the first time). This one was a shootout in Arizona. 38-35.
A lot of people remember this game for a late holding call on James Bradberry that set up Harrison Butker’s winning field goal. Honestly, it was a bummer to see a classic end on a flag, but the Chiefs' second-half adjustments were masterclass. They trailed 24-14 at halftime and just... didn't panic.
The "All-In" Experiment in Los Angeles
Rewind to February 2022. The Los Angeles Rams decided they were tired of being "pretty good." They traded away their future—first-round picks, veteran players, you name it—to get Matthew Stafford from Detroit.
It worked. Sorta.
They won Super Bowl LVI in their own stadium, SoFi Stadium, beating the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20. It was a weird game. Odell Beckham Jr. looked like he was going to be the MVP until his knee gave out in the first half. Then the offense stalled.
But then, Aaron Donald happened.
On the final drive, with the Bengals threatening to tie or win, Donald essentially willed himself through the line and forced Joe Burrow into a desperate throwaway. Cooper Kupp ended up with the MVP, but everyone knew that ring belonged to the defense.
The Brady Epilogue in Tampa
Five years ago, we were in the middle of a global pandemic, and Tom Brady was proving he didn't need Bill Belichick.
Super Bowl LV in 2021 was a beatdown. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took on the Chiefs and won 31-9. It’s still the only time anyone has ever made Patrick Mahomes look human in a big game.
Todd Bowles, the Bucs' defensive coordinator, drew up a scheme that took away the deep ball and forced Mahomes to run for 497 yards (per Next Gen Stats) just trying to escape the pass rush before throwing the ball.
Brady was efficient. 21 of 29. 201 yards. 3 touchdowns. He didn't have to be a superhero because the Chiefs' offensive line was decimated by injuries. It was the "home game" Super Bowl, the first time a team won it in their own stadium.
Looking at the Numbers
If you’re a visual person, here is the breakdown of the super bowl champs last 5 years:
- 2025 (LIX): Philadelphia Eagles (40-22 vs. Chiefs)
- 2024 (LVIII): Kansas City Chiefs (25-22 OT vs. 49ers)
- 2023 (LVII): Kansas City Chiefs (38-35 vs. Eagles)
- 2022 (LVI): Los Angeles Rams (23-20 vs. Bengals)
- 2021 (LV): Tampa Bay Buccaneers (31-9 vs. Chiefs)
What We Can Learn From This Run
Winning in the NFL is getting harder. Or maybe it’s just getting more expensive.
The Rams showed that you can "buy" a ring if you're willing to sacrifice the next five years of your draft. The Chiefs showed that as long as you have $15$ and $87$ (Mahomes and Kelce), you're never out of it. And the Eagles showed that if you build through the offensive and defensive lines, you can bully even the greatest quarterbacks.
One big takeaway? Home field advantage is real. Two of these teams—the Bucs and the Rams—won the championship in their own locker rooms. That’s a massive statistical anomaly when you consider it hadn't happened in the previous 54 years.
Real-World Insights for Fans and Bettors
- Don't bet against the trenches. In three of the last five games, the team with more sacks won.
- The "Dynasty" tag is heavy. The Chiefs looked exhausted in Super Bowl LIX. Maintaining that level of play for three straight years is physically impossible for most humans.
- Experience at QB matters, but it’s not everything. Matthew Stafford and Tom Brady brought veteran stability to new teams and won immediately. However, Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes proved that young, mobile QBs are the future of the league.
If you’re following the league today, pay attention to the salary cap. The Chiefs are currently in a "reset" phase. The Eagles are trying to keep their core together. The window for a championship is usually only open for 2-3 years unless you have a generational talent at quarterback.
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Check the injury reports for offensive tackles next season. If we learned anything from the Bucs/Chiefs blowout, it’s that a superstar QB is useless if he’s running for his life every play. Keep an eye on the AFC North and NFC East—those divisions are currently producing the most physical football we've seen in a decade.