Super Bowl XXXIII — 1998 Season
January 31, 1999 · Miami, FL (Pro Player Stadium)
Super Bowl XXXIII result: DBDenver Broncos def. AFAtlanta Falcons, 34-19, January 31, 1999, at Miami, FL (Pro Player Stadium).
Result
| Team | Result | |
|---|---|---|
| Champion | DBDenver Broncos | 34-19 |
| Runner-up | AFAtlanta Falcons |
Super Bowl MVP
John Elway (QB, Denver Broncos)
Starting lineups
Starting offense
| Denver Broncos | Atlanta Falcons |
|---|---|
| John Elway (QB) | Chris Chandler (QB) |
| Terrell Davis (RB) | Jamal Anderson (RB) |
| Howard Griffith (FB) | Brian Kozlowski (FB) |
| Ed McCaffrey (WR) | Tony Martin (WR) |
| Rod Smith (WR) | Terance Mathis (WR) |
| Shannon Sharpe (TE) | O.J. Santiago (TE) |
| Tony Jones (LT) | Bob Whitfield (LT) |
| Mark Schlereth (LG) | Calvin Collins (LG) |
| Tom Nalen (C) | Robbie Tobeck (C) |
| Dan Neil (RG) | Gene Williams (RG) |
| Harry Swayne (RT) | Ephraim Salaam (RT) |
Starting defense
| Denver Broncos | Atlanta Falcons |
|---|---|
| Harald Hasselbach (DE) | Lester Archambeau (DE) |
| Keith Traylor (DT) | Travis Hall (DT) |
| Trevor Pryce (DT) | Shane Dronett (DT) |
| Maa Tanuvasa (DE) | Chuck Smith (DE) |
| Bill Romanowski (LB) | Cornelius Bennett (LB) |
| Glenn Cadrez (LB) | Jessie Tuggle (LB) |
| John Mobley (LB) | Henri Crockett (LB) |
| Ray Crockett (CB) | Ray Buchanan (CB) |
| Darrien Gordon (CB) | Michael Booker (CB) |
| Tyrone Braxton (S) | William White (S) |
| Steve Atwater (S) | Eugene Robinson (S) |
Note: Falcons free safety Eugene Robinson had started for Green Bay in the two prior Super Bowls (XXXI/XXXII) before moving to Atlanta — confirmed correct, not a data entry error.
Box score
Passing
| Team | Player | Comp/Att | Yds | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | John Elway | 18/29 | 336 | 1 | 1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | Chris Chandler | 19/35 | 219 | 1 | 3 |
Rushing
| Team | Player | Car | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | Terrell Davis | 25 | 102 | 0 |
| Denver Broncos | Howard Griffith | 4 | 9 | 2 |
| Atlanta Falcons | Jamal Anderson | 18 | 96 | 0 |
Receiving
| Team | Player | Rec | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | Rod Smith | 5 | 152 | 1 |
| Denver Broncos | Ed McCaffrey | 5 | 72 | 0 |
| Denver Broncos | Byron Chamberlain | 3 | 29 | 0 |
| Atlanta Falcons | Terance Mathis | 7 | 85 | 1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | Tony Martin | 5 | 79 | 0 |
Game context
Super Bowl XXXIII closed out John Elway's career in triumphant fashion, as the Denver Broncos defeated the upstart Atlanta Falcons 34-19 to secure a second consecutive championship, becoming the first AFC team to repeat as Super Bowl champion since the Pittsburgh Steelers' back-to-back titles in the 1978 and 1979 seasons. Denver led throughout, building a 17-6 halftime advantage behind balanced offense from Elway and Terrell Davis and pulling away in the fourth quarter as Atlanta's upset bid faded. Elway, at 38 years old, was named MVP in what would be the final game of his 16-year career, completing 18 of 29 passes for 336 yards, a touchdown, and an interception, while also scoring on a 3-yard touchdown scramble that showcased the mobility that had defined his playing style for nearly two decades. His MVP award made him the oldest player at the time to win Super Bowl MVP, a record later broken by Tom Brady. Terrell Davis, coming off a regular season in which he became just the fourth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards and was named league MVP, added 102 rushing yards and a touchdown, giving Denver a punishing ground game to complement Elway's arm. Wide receiver Rod Smith broke off an 80-yard touchdown reception, the longest offensive play in that year's Super Bowl, and cornerback Darrien Gordon intercepted two passes and returned them for a combined 108 yards, further tilting the game in Denver's favor. Atlanta's Chris Chandler, leading a Falcons team that had reached its first Super Bowl in franchise history behind the "Dirty Bird" celebration craze that swept the team's postseason run, threw for 219 yards but was intercepted three times, and Atlanta could never fully overcome Denver's balanced attack. The week before the game was overshadowed by an off-field controversy involving Atlanta safety Eugene Robinson, who was arrested on solicitation charges the night before the game, just hours after being honored with the Bart Starr Award for outstanding character, an embarrassing juxtaposition that dominated pregame coverage and reportedly affected the Falcons' focus; Robinson was famously beaten deep for a long touchdown by Rod Smith in coverage during the game itself. The matchup also pitted head coach Mike Shanahan's Denver squad against Atlanta's Dan Reeves, who had previously coached Denver (and Elway) for over a decade before being fired in the early 1990s, adding a layer of personal history to the contest. The championship gave Denver back-to-back titles and cemented Elway's legacy as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, closing out a career that had once been defined by painful Super Bowl losses with two triumphant final chapters. Elway announced his retirement that offseason, going out as a champion, while Davis's dominant two-year postseason run established him as one of the most feared running backs of the era before injuries curtailed his career not long after.
Sources
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
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