The Green Bay Packers won their first National Football League (NFL) title in twenty nine years by defeating the New England Patriots 35-21 in Super Bowl XXXI at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. The game was viewed by the fourth-largest audience in U.S. television history-128 million people, January 26. The Packers were favored to win the game over what many thought was a Cinderella New England Patriots team, and they did not disappoint. The rumored departure of head coach Bill Parcells from New England Patriots didn't help that team either. After the game, Parcells refused to travel back with the rest of the Patriots and then found a job coaching the rival New York Jets. On the field, the Green Bay Packers dominated the New England Patriots on both sides of the ball, outgaining New England 323 yards to 257 and intercepting Drew Bledsoe four times. Bledsoe was also sacked three times by Reggie White.

It was Favre's arm that struck first, as he hit Andre Rison for a 54 yard touchdown pass on the Packers' second play from scrimmage to take a 7-0 lead. Two plays later Doug Evans made a diving interception of Drew Bledsoe's pass at the 28 yard line, setting up Chris Jacke's field goal and giving the Packers a 10-0 lead just six minutes into the Super Bowl. The Patriots answered with touchdowns on their next two possessions. Craig Newsome's pass interference penalty set up the first touchdown and a 44 yard completion from Bledsoe to Terry Glenn preceding Ben Coates's touchdown gave New England its first and only lead. The 24 combined first quarter points were the most in Super Bowl history. Green Bay struck again 56 seconds into the second quarter as Favre hit Antonio Freeman with a Super Bowl record 81 yard touchdown bomb. Jacke booted his second field goal on Green Bay's next possession.

After a Mike Prior interception, Favre orchestrated a 74 yard, nearly 6 minute drive that concluded with a diving Favre touching the ball against the pylon to give Green Bay a 27-14 halftime lead. Curtis Martin brought the Patriots to within a score by running in from 18 yards out with three and a half minutes left in the third quarter. But Howard broke the Patriots' spirit by returning the ensuing kickoff a Super Bowl record 99 yards. Favre found Mark Chmura for the 2 point conversion to finish the scoring. Bledsoe was intercepted twice in the fourth quarter as the New England Patriots never crossed midfield in four fourth quarter possessions. Reggie White set a Super Bowl record with three sacks. Favre completed 14 of 27 passes for 246 yards, with no interceptions. Bledsoe completed 11 more passes than Favre, but for just seven more yards, and threw four interceptions. Desmond Howard returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown and Brett Favre passed for two touchdowns and ran for a score as the Packers won their first Super Bowl in twenty nine years. Desmond Howard, en route to garnering the Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy, equaled a Super Bowl record with 244 total return yards. The game was the first Super Bowl to be televised by the FOX network. Pat Summerall and John Madden called the game.