Super Bowl XLVIII — 2013 Season
February 2, 2014 · East Rutherford, NJ (MetLife Stadium)
Super Bowl XLVIII result: SSSeattle Seahawks def. DBDenver Broncos, 43-8, February 2, 2014, at East Rutherford, NJ (MetLife Stadium).
Result
| Team | Result | |
|---|---|---|
| Champion | SSSeattle Seahawks | 43-8 |
| Runner-up | DBDenver Broncos |
Super Bowl MVP
Malcolm Smith, LB, Seattle Seahawks
Starting lineups
Starting offense
| Seattle Seahawks | Denver Broncos |
|---|---|
| Russell Wilson (QB) | Peyton Manning (QB) |
| Marshawn Lynch (RB) | Knowshon Moreno (RB) |
| Golden Tate (WR) | Wes Welker (WR) |
| Doug Baldwin (WR) | Eric Decker (WR) |
| Zach Miller (TE) | Julius Thomas (TE) |
| Russell Okung (LT) | Chris Clark (LT) |
| James Carpenter (LG) | Zane Beadles (LG) |
| Max Unger (C) | Manny Ramirez (C) |
| J.R. Sweezy (RG) | Louis Vasquez (RG) |
| Breno Giacomini (RT) | Orlando Franklin (RT) |
Starting defense
| Seattle Seahawks | Denver Broncos |
|---|---|
| Cliff Avril (DE) | Malik Jackson (DE) |
| Michael Bennett (DT) | Terrance Knighton (NT) |
| Clinton McDonald (DT) | Sylvester Williams (DT) |
| Chris Clemons (DE) | Shaun Phillips (DE) |
| K.J. Wright (LB) | Nate Irving (LB) |
| Bobby Wagner (LB) | Paris Lenon (LB) |
| Malcolm Smith (LB) | Danny Trevathan (LB) |
| Richard Sherman (CB) | Champ Bailey (CB) |
| Byron Maxwell (CB) | Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (CB) |
| Kam Chancellor (S) | Duke Ihenacho (S) |
| Earl Thomas (S) | Mike Adams (S) |
Note: Seattle used 3-WR nickel personnel extensively that game (Jermaine Kearse rotational alongside Tate/Baldwin); Denver's leading receiver, Demaryius Thomas, played primarily from the slot/flex, so only 2 traditional outside-WR spots are shown as offensive "starters" for Denver alongside Welker in different sources — reported as sourced.
Box score
Passing
| Team | Player | Comp/Att | Yds | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle Seahawks | Russell Wilson | 18/25 | 206 | 2 | 0 |
| Denver Broncos | Peyton Manning | 34/49 | 280 | 1 | 2 |
Rushing
| Team | Player | Car | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle Seahawks | Marshawn Lynch | 15 | 39 | 1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | Robert Turbin | 9 | 25 | 0 |
| Denver Broncos | Knowshon Moreno | 5 | 17 | 0 |
Receiving
| Team | Player | Rec | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle Seahawks | Doug Baldwin | 5 | 66 | 1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | Jermaine Kearse | 4 | 65 | 1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | Golden Tate | 3 | 17 | 0 |
| Denver Broncos | Demaryius Thomas | 13 | 118 | 1 |
| Denver Broncos | Wes Welker | 8 | 84 | 0 |
| Denver Broncos | Julius Thomas | 4 | 27 | 0 |
Game context
Super Bowl XLVIII was, from its opening snap, one of the most lopsided championship games in NFL history. On Denver's very first offensive play, center Manny Ramirez's snap sailed over Peyton Manning's head — Manning was shifting the protection and calling out signals when the ball arrived — and the ball skittered into the end zone, where Seattle's Cliff Avril and the pursuing Broncos combined to force a safety just 12 seconds into the game, the fastest score in Super Bowl history. It set the tone for a Seattle rout. The top-ranked "Legion of Boom" defense, led by Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas, smothered Denver's record-setting offense — which had scored an NFL-record 606 points during the regular season — holding Manning and company scoreless through three quarters while Seattle built a 22-0 halftime lead, the largest shutout advantage at the break in Super Bowl history. Seattle only extended the margin after the break. Percy Harvin returned the second-half kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown just 12 seconds in, mirroring the game's opening jolt, and Jermaine Kearse's touchdown catch pushed the lead to 36-0 before Denver finally got on the board with a Manning touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas. The final was 43-8, tying the largest margin of victory in Super Bowl history to that point. Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson was efficient (18 of 25, 206 yards, two touchdowns) but it was the Seahawks' defense that defined the night. Linebacker Malcolm Smith, a seventh-round pick playing an increased role after an injury to a teammate, intercepted Manning and returned it 69 yards for a touchdown, added a fumble recovery, and racked up nine tackles, earning Super Bowl MVP — an unusual honor for a non-quarterback, non-marquee player that underscored just how thoroughly Seattle's defense dominated the game. The win delivered Seattle its first Super Bowl championship in franchise history, validating head coach Pete Carroll's aggressive, defense-and-run-first program built around a core of homegrown talent, much of it acquired through shrewd mid-round and undrafted scouting. For Manning and Denver, the blowout loss was a jarring coda to a historic regular season and fueled years of debate over Manning's postseason legacy, though he would return to and win a second championship two years later in Super Bowl 50. Demaryius Thomas set a Super Bowl record with 13 catches despite the lopsided score. Played before 82,529 fans at MetLife Stadium — the first outdoor, cold-weather Super Bowl not held in a warm climate or dome — the game is remembered as a coronation of Seattle's defensive identity and one of the most dominant single-game performances in Super Bowl history.
Sources
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
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