Half the internet is buzzing over Bad Bunny headlining the Super Bowl halftime show, sparking debates, memes, and endless social media chatter. But beyond the music, there’s another quirky Super Bowl tradition that deserves attention: the NFL’s insistence on using Roman numerals for each game. From Super Bowl V to the latest edition, these numerals can confuse even the most dedicated football fans, making it feel like you need a crash course in ancient history just to follow along. Whether you love it, hate it, or just want a quick decoder, this mix of pop culture and sports tradition is impossible to ignore.
Why does the NFL still insist on using Roman numerals for the Super Bowl? It is one of those odd traditions that makes you stop and scratch your head. For nearly 60 years, the Super Bowl has been more than just a football game; it has become a cultural phenomenon, a yearly ritual of wings, commercials, and over-the-top halftime shows. But then there is the numbering system. Why are we counting like ancient Romans for something so modern?
The practice began with Super Bowl V, and somehow it stuck. The idea was to give the event a sense of grandeur and timelessness, like a historical milestone or royal decree. Roman numerals made it feel more important, more “epic.” There is even a quote from the league that compares the players to Roman gladiators stepping into the arena. It is dramatic, sure, but also a little puzzling.
The only time the NFL broke the tradition was for Super Bowl 50. Why? Because no one wanted to see a giant “L” splashed across banners and TV screens. The league and advertisers worried it looked awkward, and in football, “L” usually means “loss,” not “legendary.” So that year, they went with plain old “50,” and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Then, as if nothing had happened, they went right back to the Roman system the next year.
This fascination with Roman numerals is not unique to the NFL. Hollywood once used them in movie credits to disguise how old films really were. Instead of “© 1964,” you would see “© MCMLXIV,” which most people could not quickly decode. It gave the illusion of timelessness and helped studios re-release old films without them looking “stale.”
Today, most of us encounter Roman numerals only during the Super Bowl or while squinting at a movie’s copyright date. It feels as though the NFL is the last holdout, keeping this ancient counting system alive out of habit, nostalgia, or maybe just stubborn pride.
Chart of Super Bowl winners by Roman numeral
| Super Bowl No. | Arabic No. | Season End Year | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1966 | Green Bay Packers |
| 2 | 2 | 1967 | Green Bay Packers |
| 3 | 3 | 1968 | New York Jets |
| 4 | 4 | 1969 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| V | 5 | 1970 | Baltimore Colts |
| VI | 6 | 1971 | Dallas Cowboys |
| VII | 7 | 1972 | Miami Dolphins |
| VIII | 8 | 1973 | Miami Dolphins |
| IX | 9 | 1974 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| X | 10 | 1975 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| XI | 11 | 1976 | Oakland Raiders |
| XII | 12 | 1977 | Dallas Cowboys |
| XIII | 13 | 1978 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| XIV | 14 | 1979 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| XV | 15 | 1980 | Oakland Raiders |
| XVI | 16 | 1981 | San Francisco 49ers |
| XVII | 17 | 1982 | Washington Redskins |
| XVIII | 18 | 1983 | Los Angeles Raiders |
| XIX | 19 | 1984 | San Francisco 49ers |
| XX | 20 | 1985 | Chicago Bears |
| XXI | 21 | 1986 | New York Giants |
| XXII | 22 | 1987 | Washington Redskins |
| XXIII | 23 | 1988 | San Francisco 49ers |
| XXIV | 24 | 1989 | San Francisco 49ers |
| XXV | 25 | 1990 | New York Giants |
| XXVI | 26 | 1991 | Washington Redskins |
| XXVII | 27 | 1992 | Dallas Cowboys |
| XXVIII | 28 | 1993 | Dallas Cowboys |
| XXIX | 29 | 1994 | San Francisco 49ers |
| XXX | 30 | 1995 | Dallas Cowboys |
| XXXI | 31 | 1996 | Green Bay Packers |
| XXXII | 32 | 1997 | Denver Broncos |
| XXXIII | 33 | 1998 | Denver Broncos |
| XXXIV | 34 | 1999 | St. Louis Rams |
| XXXV | 35 | 2000 | Baltimore Ravens |
| XXXVI | 36 | 2001 | New England Patriots |
| XXXVII | 37 | 2002 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| XXXVIII | 38 | 2003 | New England Patriots |
| XXXIX | 39 | 2004 | New England Patriots |
| XL | 40 | 2005 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| XLI | 41 | 2006 | Indianapolis Colts |
| XLII | 42 | 2007 | New York Giants |
| XLIII | 43 | 2008 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| XLIV | 44 | 2009 | New Orleans Saints |
| XLV | 45 | 2010 | Green Bay Packers |
| XLVI | 46 | 2011 | New York Giants |
| XLVII | 47 | 2012 | Baltimore Ravens |
| XLVIII | 48 | 2013 | Seattle Seahawks |
| XLIX | 49 | 2014 | New England Patriots |
| 50 | 50 | 2015 | Denver Broncos |
| LI | 51 | 2016 | New England Patriots |
| LII | 52 | 2017 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| LIII | 53 | 2018 | New England Patriots |
| LIV | 54 | 2019 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| LV | 55 | 2020 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| LVI | 56 | 2021 | Los Angeles Rams |
| LVII | 57 | 2022 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| LVIII | 58 | 2023 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| LIX | 59 | 2024 | Philadelphia Eagles |
The standard NFL Roman numeral chart for the Super Bowl uses these values: I = 1, V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, D = 500, and M = 1,000. To read a Super Bowl number, add the letters together from largest to smallest. For example, the upcoming Super Bowl, LIX, equals 59 because L (50) plus IX (9) totals 59.
So the next time someone mentions Super Bowl LVIII, do not worry if you pause for a second to figure out what it means. You are in good company; half of America is quietly doing the same thing, pretending they knew it all along. At this point, the NFL might as well hand out a Roman numeral decoder cheat sheet with every ticket.
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