Super Bowl rematches in NFL history

Super Bowl 53 won't be the first rodeo for the Patriots and Rams.

The two squared off in a Super Bowl once before, 17 years ago in Super Bowl 36. The only player from either team who will play in both the 2002 and 2019 games is a certain Patriots quarterback. And New England's 20-17 win back then — its first championship — ignited a dynasty that still lives today.

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Many aspects have changed over time, including the Rams moving from the Midwest to the West Coast, but if Super Bowl 53 is anything like the original matchup between the teams, there will be no shortage of drama and excitement.

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The many twists of the Patriots' dynasty timeline

When was the first Patriots vs. Rams Super Bowl?

The first Super Bowl matchup between the 2019 participants came in 2002. Adam Vinatieri made the game-winning field goal as time expired to give the Patriots a 20-17 win and sparked the beginning of New England's dynasty in the process.

History of Super Bowl rematches

Besides the upcoming Patriots vs. Rams showdown, there have been seven other Super Bowl rematches in NFL history. The Cowboys and Steelers are the only teams to have played head-to-head three times in the Super Bowl. Pittsburgh won the first two matchups before Dallas got its revenge in 1996.

How often have the winners of the first game also won the rematch? It's a close to even split, with the previous winner taking the rematch four of seven times. The Patriots rematch with the Eagles in the 2018 Super Bowl produced a different result than the original.

In fact, the Patriots are 0-2 in their Super Bowl rematches — an encouraging trend for Rams fans.

Super Bowl results