Super Bowl XXI was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1986 season. It was the 21st Super Bowl and was played on January 25, 1987, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The Giants defeated the Broncos, 39–20, for their first Super Bowl and first NFL title since 1956. It was the first of consecutive Super Bowl losses for the Broncos, who lost the Super Bowl a year later 42–10 to the Washington Redskins.
Phillip Martin Simms is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the New York Giants. After playing college football for the Morehead State Eagles, Simms was selected in the first round by the New York Giants as the seventh overall pick in the 1979 NFL draft. Simms was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of Super Bowl XXI, after he led the Giants to a 39–20 victory over the Denver Broncos and set the record for highest completion percentage in a Super Bowl, completing 22 of 25 passes (88%), as well as the highest passer rating in a Super Bowl at 150.9; both of these records still stand. He was also named to the Pro Bowl for his performances in the 1985 and 1993 seasons.
Brandon Matthew Lloyd is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini, and was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL draft. Lloyd also played for the Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, St. Louis Rams and New England Patriots.
Brandon Ray Stokley is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL draft. He is famously known as The Slot Machine.
Edward Thomas McCaffrey is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, and Denver Broncos. He played college football for the Stanford Cardinal, earning first-team All-America honors in 1990.
Scott Lee Brunner is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants from 1980 to 1983, the Denver Broncos in 1984, and the St. Louis Cardinals in 1985. He played college football for the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens.
Brandon Tyrone Marshall is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCF Knights, and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL draft. Marshall has also played for the Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears, New York Jets, New York Giants, and the Seattle Seahawks. After his retirement from the NFL, Marshall became a TV personality, and is a former co-host on FS1's morning show First Things First. Marshall is currently a co-host on Showtime's Inside the NFL and has been on the show for seven seasons.
Mario Cashmere Manningham is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He was an All-American college football player at the University of Michigan, and was selected by the New York Giants in the third round of the 2008 NFL draft. Manningham won Super Bowl XLVI with the Giants, defeating the New England Patriots, and catching a crucial 38-yard pass in the final minutes. He also played two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers.
The period of 1979 to 1993 was one of the most successful in New York Giants franchise history. Members of the NFL's National Football Conference, the Giants struggled after reaching the NFL Championship Game in 1963. The 1964 season began a 15-year stretch in which the Giants were unable to make the playoffs. However, in 1979 they started rebuilding, hiring General Manager George Young, the first GM in the family-run team's history. Young, a former Baltimore Colts and Miami Dolphins executive, assembled a team that would become successful in the 1980s and early 1990s. Led by a run-oriented offense and a defense nicknamed the "Big Blue Wrecking Crew", the team qualified for the postseason six times in 10 seasons from 1981 to 1990. During that period, they won Super Bowl XXI (1987) and Super Bowl XXV (1991).
The 1986 season was the New York Giants' 62nd in the National Football League (NFL) and their fourth under head coach Bill Parcells. The New York Giants, who play in the National Football Conference (NFC) of the National Football League (NFL), won their fifth championship—and first Super Bowl—in franchise history during the season. Led by consensus league Most Valuable Player (MVP) linebacker Lawrence Taylor and Super Bowl MVP quarterback Phil Simms, the Giants posted a 14–2 record during the regular season, tied for the best record in the league with the defending Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears. The Giants improved on their 10–6 record from 1985, won their first division championship since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970, and won Super Bowl XXI against the Denver Broncos.
The 1977 New York Giants season was the franchise's 53rd season in the National Football League (NFL). The Giants had a 5–9 record in 1977 and finished in a tie for last place with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Emmanuel Niamiah Sanders is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the SMU Mustangs, and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2010 NFL draft. Sanders won Super Bowl 50 with the Denver Broncos, and also played for the San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, and Buffalo Bills.
Kyle Steven Williams is a former American football wide receiver. He was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL draft out of Arizona State University. Williams was also a member of the Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos and New York Jets.
Bennie Fowler III is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football for Michigan State and was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2014.
Sterling Clay Shepard is an American professional football wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners. Shepard was selected by the New York Giants in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft.
Demarcus Dontavian Robinson is an American professional football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida. He was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft and won Super Bowl LIV with the team. He has also played for the Baltimore Ravens.
Maxwell James McCaffrey is an American former wide receiver and coach who is an offensive assistant for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Duke Blue Devils and signed with the Oakland Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2016. A member of the McCaffrey football family, he is the son of Ed and the eldest brother of Christian, Dylan, and Luke.
Isaiah McKenzie is an American professional football wide receiver and return specialist who is a free agent. He played college football at Georgia, and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL draft.
Tre'Quan Smith is an American professional football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He has previously played in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints and Denver Broncos. He played college football at UCF.
