Is the Super Bowl hangover a myth?

The Super Bowl might not feature the two, true best teams in the NFL every year, but there is never a doubt that they are among the best and most resilient teams in the league. Making it that far into the playoffs is challenging and takes loads of talent. It requires beating, and sometimes upsetting, other extremely talented rosters in difficult environments and playing consistently well enough to make it to the last game of the NFL season. One would think that if a team makes it to the Super Bowl, it would immediately be among the favorites to win it all the next year. But that's not always the case. There is a common belief that teams reaching the Super Bowl are actually less likely to perform well in the following season, and instead will be suffering from a Super Bowl hangover. It’s hard to gauge if such a thing actually exists but if you asked the Bengals and the Rams right now they might just say yes. Both teams currently have got off to sluggish starts in the 2022 season, and while they both have talented rosters and have sustained some significant injuries, it’s likely they will be making a push for the postseason again this year, even if they have endured a less than ideal start for two teams that just 8 months earlier were competing for the Lombardi trophy. So to determine if there is such a thing as a Super Bowl hangover we’re taking a look through some of the rosters who made it all the way and tried to replicate the success of the previous season. Los Angeles Rams 2019 Those looking to bet on whether the Rams can turn it around this year and win the Super Bowl can do so at betting sites like these. While they have recently lifted the Vince Lombardi trophy, there was a time where Rams fans were left frustrated with the roster’s performance after showing such promise the previous year. Statistically more than half of the time both teams from the previous season’s Super Bowl make the playoffs, sadly for the Rams they did not fit into that statistic in 2019. Sean McVay rapidly turned the Rams into a title contender, posting a combined 24-8 record in his first two seasons. Los Angeles made the championship stage in 2018 before falling just short to the New England Patriots. It seemed the Rams were again destined for the postseason after ripping off three straight wins to begin the campaign. However, a three-game dip followed. Two late losses to the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers sealed the Rams' fate. They ended at 9-7 and a game behind the Minnesota Vikings for the second wild-card spot. San Francisco 2020 There have only been seven teams that have won the Super Bowl and came back the next season to post a losing record. While that statistic is not applicable to the Niners after having lost the Super Bowl to the Chiefs, it seems bizarre to have seen such a drop-off after having come so close to lifting the Lombardi trophy. San Francisco had a great shot to topple the Kansas City Chiefs but squandered a fourth-quarter lead during the 2019 season's Super Bowl. Put simply, the Niners didn't come close to the postseason in 2020. Injuries wrecked the roster, sidelining quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, defensive end Nick Bosa, cornerback Richard Sherman and other key players. San Francisco tumbled from NFC champions to 6-10. Seattle Seahawks 2015  At the peak of the "Legion of Boom" era, Seattle made the postseason in five consecutive years, won a Super Bowl and lost in another. It's fair to say 2015 marked the beginning of the end, though. While the Seahawks continued to contend for the playoffs after this campaign, it was the final season they boasted an elite offense and defense. Both earned top-five rankings in scoring and yards per game, helping the team finish 10-6 in the regular season. Seattle escaped Minnesota in the Wild Card Round because Vikings kicker Blair Walsh missed a go-ahead 27-yard field goal during the final minute of regulation. But the Panthers jumped out to a 31-0 lead in the Divisional Round and held off a second-half charge to eliminate the Seahawks. While the Seahawks rebounded with three consecutive playoff appearances, they haven't advanced past the divisional round since 2014. For a team as talented as that to go out in the divisional round is surprising, but probably more indicative of the end of an era as opposed to a Super Bowl hangover. Kansas City Chiefs 2021  After winning the Super Bowl at the end of the 2019 season, the Chiefs had an opportunity at back-to-back triumphs. Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers dashed those hopes. Kansas City went to great lengths to strengthen their offensive line following Super Bow LV. After an underwhelming 4-4 start, the Chiefs dramatically turned things around during the second half of the year, finishing with a 12-5 record. They won the AFC West, demolished the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card Round and pulled off an epic comeback to bounce the Buffalo Bills. Then, the Chiefs soared to a 21-3 second-quarter edge on the Bengals in the AFC Championship Game and appeared bound for a third consecutive Super Bowl trip. It wasn't to be, though. Cincinnati engineered an 18-point comeback and shocked the Chiefs, winning in overtime. Despite the disappointment, it was an impressive run from a side struggling in the early stages of the season and supposedly suffering from a Super Bowl hangover. New England Patriots 2018  Perhaps the best argument for the lack of a Super Bowl hangover would be New England’s roster this year. If you've watched the NFL over the last two decades, it's no surprise New England is the lone runner-up to reach the Super Bowl the following year. And the Patriots brought home a very noteworthy title. New England defeated the Rams 13-3, giving legendary quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick the sixth and final championship of their 20-year partnership. Brady played one more season with the Patriots before joining the Bucs in 2020. Prior to the Pats' victory, a runner-up hadn't recovered to win a Super Bowl the following season since the 1972 Miami Dolphins. It’s testament to the quality New England had to compete in four out of five Super Bowls in that run and perhaps the strongest case for the lack of a Super Bowl hangover.