Lowest-scoring Super Bowls ever: Where Patriots vs. Seahawks 2026 stalemate would rank among fewest points scored

The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots entered Super Bowl 60 with two of the top defenses in the NFL, and out of the gate, the units lived up to the bargain.

In the first half of Super Bowl 60 at Levi's Stadium, points were rare and every yard was a fight as the Seahawks took a 9-0 lead into halftime. At the end of the first quarter, there were only three points, coming from Seattle's opening drive.

Of course, this begs the question: What are the lowest-scoring Super Bowls ever? 

Here's where Seahawks-Patriots would rank.

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What is the lowest-scoring Super Bowl ever?

The lowest-scoring game in Super Bowl history also featured the Patriots in Super Bowl 53, played on February 3, 2019. In a game that many fans famously described as a defensive masterpiece, the Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams with a final score of 13–3.

The two teams combined for a mere 16 points, shattering the previous record of 21 points set back in 1973. The game was an absolute statistical anomaly for the modern era: it was the first Super Bowl to go into the fourth quarter without a single touchdown scored by either side, as the teams sat deadlocked at a 3–3 tie for the majority of the night.

While the lack of offensive fireworks was a shock — especially considering the Rams had averaged nearly 33 points per game that season — the game solidified the legacies of Bill Belichick’s defense and wide receiver Julian Edelman, who earned MVP honors with 10 catches for 141 yards.

The Patriots’ lone touchdown, a 2-yard plunge by Sony Michel with just seven minutes remaining, was ultimately all that was needed to secure Tom Brady’s sixth and final ring with New England.

MORE: Revisiting the low-scoring Super Bowl 53

Lowest-scoring Super Bowls

While high-flying offenses usually steal the headlines, these games proved that a dominant defense can turn the biggest stage in sports into a grueling battle of inches.

Here are the 10 lowest-scoring Super Bowls in NFL history: