Dallas Cowboys defeated Buffalo Bills 52–17, ending Buffalo's bid for a third consecutive title and launching the NFL's Super Bowl halftime show era with Michael Jackson.
Key Facts
- Final Score
- Dallas Cowboys 52, Buffalo Bills 17
- Super Bowl MVP
- Troy Aikman, QB (22/30, 273 yds, 4 TD)
- Buffalo Turnovers
- 9 (Super Bowl record)
- Combined Points
- 69 (tied 4th highest ever as of 2024)
- Venue
- Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
- Halftime Performer
- Michael Jackson
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The Buffalo Bills, despite an 11–5 regular season record entering as a wild card, reached their third consecutive Super Bowl. The Dallas Cowboys, with a dominant 13–3 record, made their sixth Super Bowl appearance. It was the first meeting between the franchises since 1984, and the Cowboys arrived as heavy favorites.
Played on January 31, 1993, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, the Cowboys capitalized on a Super Bowl-record nine Buffalo turnovers, scoring 35 points off those mistakes. Troy Aikman completed 22 of 30 passes for 273 yards and four touchdowns, earning MVP honors. Dallas won 52–17, claiming their third Super Bowl title and first in 15 years.
The Bills became the first team to lose three consecutive Super Bowls, later extending that to four straight losses. The game marked the last NFL championship played in a non-NFL stadium. Michael Jackson's halftime performance, booked in response to Fox's counter-programming, established the NFL's practice of recruiting major acts for the halftime show to attract broader viewership.