As the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers gear up for Super Bowl LIV, Rams fans can reflect on the Lombardi Trophy their team captured two decades ago. On January 30, 2000, the St. Louis Rams beat the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV, their first and only championship.
As one of the most improbable Super Bowl champions, the Rams went from 4-12 in 1998 to 13-3 in 1999, en route to winning the title. They were led by Kurt Warner, who previously worked at a grocery store before making it in the NFL. Marshall Faulk carried the load at running back, earning first-team All-Pro honors with 1,381 yards rushing and 1,048 yards receiving with 12 total touchdowns. On the outside, of course, was the tandem of Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt.
In Super Bowl XXXIV, they all played key roles. Warner threw for 414 yards and two touchdowns, while Faulk had 90 yards receiving despite only gaining 17 yards on the ground. Bruce and Holt both went over 100 yards receiving, with the biggest play in the game being Bruce’s 73-yard touchdown with 1:54 left in the fourth quarter.
Mike Jones’ tackle on Kevin Dyson at the 1-yard line is what saved the Super Bowl for the Rams – and it’s the iconic image that every fan remembers – but it was Bruce’s 73-yard score that put them up 23-16 in the final minutes.
You can re-watch the game in its entirety below, reliving the Rams’ historic win over the Titans.