Green Bay Packers

Super Bowl moment No. 22: Desmond Howard's special play

Published Jan. 7, 2016 11:00 a.m. ET

Alex Marvez

As we count down to Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara, Calif., it's time to look back on the magical and memorable moments in the 49 previous Super Bowls. FOX Sports senior NFL writer Alex Marvez has ranked the 50 greatest moments in the big game's big history, and every weekday from now until Feb. 7 we'll unveil the latest addition to our countdown. Today, we look back at moment No. 22, when Desmond Howard came through in a huge way for the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXI.

Green Bay's Desmond Howard remains the only Super Bowl MVP winner to have earned the honor for his play on special teams. After New England had cut the Packers lead to 27-21 late in the third quarter, Howard made Super Bowl history by returning the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. "Obviously, that was a back breaker," Howard told media afterward. Howard, a former Heisman Trophy winner at the University of Michigan whose NFL career had been a disappointment until the 1996 season, finished the game with a Super Bowl-record 244 return yards on punts and kickoffs.

Here are highlights from Super Bowl XXXI on Jan. 26, 1997.

Final score: Green Bay 35, New England 21