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During the 1987 season, Washington Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs had a lot of explaining to do. He told backup quarterback Doug Williams he was being traded to the Raiders, and then reconsidered just hours later. The coach also demoted Jeff Bostic from starting center to snapper on punts, angering the veteran to the point of demanding a trade. Worse yet, Gibbs had to counsel his entire team as they sat out on strike -- while coaching their replacements. But Gibbs had all the right answers that year. Washington went 3-0 during the player's strike, and Williams and Bostic joined the starting lineup due to injuries. Both quarterback and center were at times spectacular during the regular season, and the team won the NFC East title with an 11-4 record. Washington ran through the playoffs and into Super Bowl XXII, where Williams provided one of the greatest single-game performances in NFL History. Down 10-0, Williams and the Redskins exploded for five second-quarter touchdowns enroute to a stunning 42-10 victory.

The New York Giants hadn't won an NFL championship in 30 years before Bill Parcells' led them to two Super Bowl victories in 5 years. 1986 the Giants were loaded. On defense, Lawrence Taylor, considered by many to be the best Outside Linebacker ever to play the game, won the NFL MVP Award. He and Middle Linebacker, Harry Carson, both future Hall of Famers, led an overwhelming defense. On offense, the Giants were led by Tight End Mark Bavaro, 1500 yard rusher, Joe Morris and Quarterback Phil Simms, a good quarterback who had yet to prove he could be great. In Super Bowl XXI he did just that with a precision passing game that is unmatched as the Giants defeated the Broncos 39-20. 

The 1985 Chicago Bears were larger than life. They had in-your-face personalities. They boasted Hall of Fame-caliber players. But most importantly, the whole was greater than the sum of its parts. Chicago dominated opponents like few others. The Bears offense was a reflection of their hard-nosed head coach, Mike Ditka. First and foremost, Ditka liked to establish the run, with Walter Payton rushing for 1,551 yards on 324 carries. Still, the coach could be creative, too. He occasionally used a 300-pound rookie named William "Refrigerator" Perry at the goal line, to the delight of teammates and fans alike. Perry was also a part of Chicago's "46 Defense", which is widely considered the best in league history. The scheme -- designed by defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan -- so overwhelmed opponents a world title seemed inevitable. And it was. Chicago lost just one game prior to reaching Super Bowl XX, where it whipped the New England Patriots for their first NFL championship since 1963. 

The fabled West Coast offense wasn't invented in San Francisco, but the father of the system, Bill Walsh, certainly perfected it there as head coach of the 49ers. With quarterback Joe Montana at the controls, the Niners were a dominant passing team, winning four Super Bowls in the 1980s. And of those four, their record-setting season in 1984 may have best captured the deadly efficiency of the West Coast attack. The Niners receiving corps had many ways to beat you. To move the chains, Montana found Dwight Clark, and Russ Francis. For the deeper routes, Joe Cool had Renaldo Nehemiah, then the world record holder in the 110-meter hurdles, and Freddie Solomon, a former college quarterback. With Walsh scripting the first 15-20 plays of each game, Montana soon found the hot receiver and the Niners became the first team in NFL history to go 15-1 during the regular season. Practicing against the West Coast offense had its privileges, too. The 49ers defense was well-versed in defending the pass, and it showed on the game's grandest stage. San Francisco picked off two Dan Marino passes in a 38-16 win over Miami in Super Bowl XIX, the team's second world title in four seasons. Join NFL Films as they retell the story of the '84 49ers, a club as balanced as any in pro football history. 

Led by head coach Tom Flores, the 1983 Los Angeles Raiders entered Super Bowl XVIII as underdogs. But the Raiders proved that they were the NFL's best as they manhandled the highest scoring team in the league, the Washington Redskins, 38-9 to win their third Vince Lombardi Trophy. Al Davis has done more than anybody in the history of the game - through personal achievement, team achievement and contribution to the game - and has demonstrated more than ever that he is and always will be committed to excellence. Flores' unit sported a 12-4 record, led on offense by Jim Plunkett, Marcus Allen and Cliff Branch. The defense was anchored by Hall of Famers Howie Long, Ted Hendricks and Mike Haynes, as well as star cornerback Lester Hayes. Interviews with Marcus Allen, Todd Christensen and Howie Long take you inside all of the action of one of the greatest teams in NFL history. Al Davis summed up Super Bowl XVIII perfectly: "Not only in my opinion are you the greatest Raider team of all-time, I think you rank with the great teams of all time that have ever played any professional sport. 

The 1982 NFL season wasn't a marathon, it was a sprint. A players strike reduced a 16-week schedule to nine that season, leaving teams scrambling to reach the playoffs. Most clubs appeared frantic and rusty after the layoff. But the Washington Redskins dominated all comers under head coach Joe Gibbs. Washington hired Gibbs in 1981, and just one season later, had molded the team in his hardnosed image. The offensive line, nicknamed The Hogs, was equally adept at blasting holes for fullback John Riggins as they were protecting their Pro Bowl passer, Joe Theismann. Powered up front, Washington muscled through the final stretch and lost only once during the regular season. From there, the postseason was expanded to four rounds and included 16 teams. But while the road to Super Bowl XVII was a unique one, Gibbs Redskins won the NFL title by sticking with its tried-and-true running game. Led by a big day from Riggins, Washington ran over the Miami Dolphins, 27-17.

Three teams have won 5 Super Bowls. The San Francisco 49ers were the first to do it. In 1981, just 2 years after finishing with a 2 and 14 record, Head Bill Walsh's "West Coast Offense" fueled the 49ers victory over the Bengals in Super Bowl XVI.  The story of San Francisco's 1981 season is told by Wide Receiver Dwight Clark, Offensive Lineman, Randy Cross and Hall of Fame Defensive Back, Ronnie Lott. 

The story of the 1981 San Diego Chargers, considered one of the best teams to fall just short of winning a Super Bowl. Featuring interviews with quarterback Dan Fouts, tight end Kellen Winslow, and running back Hank Bauer. Narrated by Tom Selleck.

Nobody loves reclamation projects more than Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis. Jim Plunkett knew this. A former Heisman winner out of Stanford, Plunkett was cast out of New England and then released by San Francisco before arriving at Davis' doorstep in 1978. It proved to be a perfect match. In week 6 of the 1980 season, head coach Tom Flores gave Plunkett his chance. From there, he rewarded the team's confidence in him by leading Oakland to Super Bowl XV. There, backed by a renegade defense led by the incredible Lester Hayes, Plunkett won game MVP honors with two touchdown passes to Cliff Branch as Oakland beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 27-10.

By the fall of 1979, Pittsburgh was known as the City of Champions. That October, the Pirates defeated the Baltimore Orioles to win the World Series, their second championship of the decade. Meanwhile, the Steelers had constructed a dynasty, boasting three world titles over the past five years. The fan base no longer hoped for victories. Now they expected them. So the standards were high for the 79 Steelers. But every player on the team was confident it could meet them. Once you have the taste of victory, it's awful hard to give that up, recalled John Banaszak. The attitude was: Were going to win this every year. Banaszak was one of several lesser-known Steelers who played a prominent role that year due to injuries. Joe Greene, Jack Ham, Franco Harris and Lynn Swann, all future Hall of Famers, were lost for parts of the season. But their backups capably filled in the gaps, and the Steelers went 12-4 during the regular season enroute to a win over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl XIV.

Terry Bradshaw was always at his best on Super Bowl Sundays. The Pittsburgh quarterback went a perfect 4-0 in Super Bowl play during the 1970s, throwing for 932 yards and nine touchdowns combined as the Steelers became a dynasty. But Bradshaw's most validating season during that run, and perhaps in his entire career, came in 1978. Bradshaw led the AFC in passing as the Steelers went 14-2 during the regular season. His main target was Lynn Swann, who posted career highs in catches and receiving yards. In the playoffs, Bradshaw found a new hot receiver in John Stallworth, who caught 10 passes against Denver, and caught one touchdown versus Houston in the AFC Championship game. Finally, in Super Bowl XIII, Bradshaw out-dueled Dallas quarterback Roger Staubach by throwing for four touchdowns in what became a classic shootout. 

With an imaginative, high-scoring offensive and a crushing defense, Dallas cruised through the regular season, the playoffs and the Super Bowl. The story of the 1977 Cowboys is told by Tony Dorsett, Thomas Henderson, Charlie Waters and Drew Pearson and each relate contribute to the story of their championship season. Each former player is able to offer insights (often humorous!) into their championship run. Tony Dorsett, Heisman Trophy winner, was the super-rookie that everyone expected to be the final piece of the puzzle in Dallas' return to championship form. It took him a while to learn the complex Dallas offense, but when he did, he was exciting to watch! Thomas Henderson was the maverick who gave himself his own nickname of "Hollywood Henderson" and rubbed everyone the wrong way! Charlie Waters was the safety who was the leader of the "Doomsday Defense" anchored by a defensive line composed of Harvey Martin, Randy White and Ed "Too Tall" Jones. Waters was the brain behind Doomsday who kept all the "personalities" working. Drew Pearson was Mr. Clutch because when team leader Roger Staubach needed a pass completion, he looked for the man who gave clutch performances when the game was on the line. These very different men talk about the struggles, the successes and the eventual victory in Super Bowl XII in which the often hated Dallas Cowboys rode to victory with a powerful defense and a well-executed offense.

In 1976, the Oakland Raiders reached the summit of professional football by defeating the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI. It was the culmination of more than a decade of excellence under the leadership of Raiders owner/coach, Al Davis. The 1976 Raiders suffered some early setbacks, losing several defensive linemen to injury. Head coach John Madden found a quick solution, dropping his 4-3 scheme in favor of a 3-4. Offensively, the Raiders had an embarrassment of riches. Four starters -- receiver Fred Biletnikoff, tight end Dave Casper, and the left side of the line, guard Gene Upshaw and tackle Art Shell, are in the Hall of Fame, while quarterback Ken Stabler, and wide receiver Cliff Branch were among the finest at their position. The regular season felt like a formality, as Oakland tied a club record with 13 wins. In the playoffs, Oakland squeaked past New England and stormed past the archrival Pittsburgh Steelers. The Raiders' performance in Super Bowl XI, including a breathtaking interception return by Hall of Fame cornerback Willie Brown, places them among the greatest teams of all time.

The 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers quickly discovered that one of the most difficult feats in all of sports is defending a world title. At the beginning of the season, coach Chuck Noll's team didn't even look like they had the stuff to reach the playoffs, let alone win back-to-back championships. Fresh off an upset in Super Bowl IX, the Steelers were not a dynasty just yet, not even with nine future Hall of Fame players. In Week 2, the team lost at home to O.J. Simpson's Buffalo Bills for a 1-1 start. But thanks to their defense, which featured a front four called the "Steel Curtain," the club pounded out 11 straight wins, much to the delight of their blue-collar fans. Still, Pittsburgh's season may be best remembered for the ballet-like moves of wideout Lynn Swann. In Super Bowl X, Swann set a record with 161 receiving yards on four catches, including a game-sealing, 64-yard touchdown grab to beat the Dallas Cowboys and clinch their second-straight Super Bowl title.

It was perhaps the finest collection of talent in NFL history - and in 1974 nearly no one knew it. For five seasons, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Chuck Noll had meticulously built the team in his own image - tough and physical. In 1974, he added a draft class that included four future Hall of Famers. By the postseason, the team that would become the decade's best was ready to arrive. The Steelers rose to the top of the football world by upsetting the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IX. It would be the first of four world championships in six years.