At the time, New England broke the record for the quickest lead in Super Bowl history, with Tony Franklin's 36-yard field goal 1:19 into the first quarter after a Chicago fumble.

Bears defensive end Richard Dent, who had 1.5 quarterback sacks, forced two fumbles, and blocked a pass, was named the game's Most Valuable Player (MVP).

A proposed sales tax levy to pay for a new stadium had failed at the ballot box on November 2, further sinking any chances for South Florida.

Linebacker Mike Singletary won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award by recording three sacks, three fumble recoveries, and one interception.

The team's rushing was also aided by Pro Bowlers Jim Covert and Jay Hilgenberg and the rest of the Bears' offensive line including Mark Bortz, Keith Van Horne, and Tom Thayer.

Meanwhile, the players brought their characterizations to the national stage with "The Super Bowl Shuffle", a rap song the Bears recorded for which they filmed a music video during the 1985 season.

Although it was in essence a novelty song, it peaked at number 41 on the Billboard charts and even received a Grammy Award nomination for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals in 1987.

The Patriots also had an outstanding offensive line, led by Pro Bowl tackle Brian Holloway and future Hall of Fame guard John Hannah.

But the Patriots, under head coach Raymond Berry, defied the odds, beating the New York Jets 26–14, Los Angeles Raiders 27–20, and the Dolphins 31–14 – all on the road – to make it to the Super Bowl.

[16] WDSU would later retract the statement, have an on-air apology read by the station's general manager during the noon newscast on January 23, and suspend Diliberto.

The game was broadcast in the United States by NBC, with play-by-play announcer Dick Enberg, and color commentators Merlin Olsen and Bob Griese.

Other contributors included Charlie Jones (recapping Super Bowl I), Larry King (interviewing Mike Ditka and Raymond Berry), and Bill Macatee (profiling Patriots owner Billy Sullivan and his family).

The pregame coverage also included a skit featuring comedian Rodney Dangerfield, an interview by NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw of United States President Ronald Reagan at the White House (this would not become a regular Super Bowl pregame feature until Super Bowl XLIII, when Today show host Matt Lauer interviewed U.S. President Barack Obama) and a concept devised by then-NBC Sports executive Michael Weisman which became known as the "Silent Minute,"[19] a one-minute countdown featuring a black screen with a digital clock which morphed into Roman numerals when it reached twenty seconds remaining and accompanied by Leroy Anderson's "The Syncopated Clock.

WGN-AM carried the game in the Chicago area (and thanks to WGN's 50,000-watt clear-channel signal, to much of the continental United States), with Wayne Larrivee on play-by-play, and Jim Hart and Dick Butkus providing commentary.

Canal 5 also had the game in Mexico, with play-by-play announcers Toño de Valdés, Enrique Burak and color commentator Pepe Segarra.

"[23] Chicago struck back with a 7-play, 59-yard drive, featuring a 43-yard pass completion from McMahon to wide receiver Willie Gault, to set up kicker Kevin Butler's 28-yard field goal, tying the score at 3–3.

New England took the ensuing kickoff and ran one play before the first quarter ended, which resulted in positive yardage for the first time in the game (a 3-yard run by James).

After an incomplete pass and a tackle for a 4-yard loss by Hampton on tight end Greg Hawthorne, the Patriots had to send in punter Rich Camarillo again, and wide receiver Keith Ortego returned the ball 12 yards to the 41-yard line.

The Bears subsequently drove 59 yards in 10 plays, featuring a 24-yard reception by Suhey, to score on McMahon's 2-yard touchdown run to increase their lead, 20–3.

Patriots head coach Raymond Berry then replaced Eason with Steve Grogan, who had spent the previous week hoping he would have the opportunity to step onto the NFL's biggest stage.

The Bears then marched 72 yards in 11 plays, which included a 29-yard reception by wide receiver Ken Margerum, moving the ball inside the Patriots' 10-yard line.

New England kept Chicago out of the end zone, but Butler kicked a 24-yard field goal on the last play of the half to give the Bears a 23–3 halftime lead.

The Bears were penalized five yards for delay of game, but according to NFL rules, 10 seconds should have also been run off the clock during such a deliberate clock-stopping attempt in the final two minutes of a half.

After the Patriots received the second-half kickoff, they managed to get one first down, but then had to punt after Grogan was sacked twice, first by Dent for 5 yards, then by linebacker Otis Wilson for 10.

On the third play of the Patriots' second drive of the quarter, Grogan threw a pass that was tipped by tight end Derrick Ramsey and intercepted by Bears cornerback Reggie Phillips (who filled in for Frazier), who returned it 28 yards for a touchdown to increase the lead to 37–3.

Perry's unexpected touchdown cost Las Vegas sports books hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses from prop bets.

[26] The Patriots finally reached the end zone early in the fourth quarter, advancing the ball 76 yards in 12 plays and scoring on an 8-yard fourth-down touchdown pass from Grogan to wide receiver Irving Fryar.

The Bears then turned the ball over on downs, but nevertheless capitalized on Morrissey's interception when defensive lineman Henry Waechter tackled Grogan in the end zone for a safety to make the final score 46–10.

Many people including Mike Ditka have claimed that the reason for this was due to the fact that the Patriots' defensive scheme was centered on stopping Payton.

Twenty-five years after the championship, the surviving members of the team would be invited to the White House in 2011 by President Barack Obama, a Chicago native and Bears fan.