ABC, which broadcast the game in the United States, did not air the halftime show (which was headlined by the American boy band New Kids on the Block) live.

Instead, the network televised a special ABC News report anchored by Peter Jennings on the progress of the ongoing Gulf War, then aired the halftime show on tape delay after the game.

The Bills and their explosive no-huddle offense were making their first of four consecutive Super Bowl appearance after finishing the regular season with a 13–3 record, and leading the league in total points scored with 428.

In advancing to their second Super Bowl, the Giants also posted a 13–3 regular-season record, but with a ball-control offense and a defense that allowed a league-low 211 points.

[6] Giants running back Ottis Anderson, who carried the ball 21 times for 102 yards and one touchdown, was named Super Bowl MVP.

The Tampa Bay area won by virtue of proven success hosting XVIII, and the plans to move the Gasparilla Pirate Festival to Super Bowl week.

[9][10] The 1990 New York Giants were built to head coach Bill Parcells's specifications of "power football": a strong defense and an offense meant to sustain extremely long drives.

Despite that, they wore down opposing teams' defenses with extremely long drives, thus keeping their opponents' offense on the sidelines and preventing them from scoring.

One week after losing to division rival Philadelphia Eagles, 31–13, the 10–1 Giants met defeat on Monday Night Football in a 7–3 defensive battle with the 10–1 San Francisco 49ers, who had won the previous two Super Bowls and ultimately finished the regular season with an NFL best 14–2 record.

Then, in their 17–13 loss to the Bills, New York suffered a setback when starting quarterback Phil Simms, who had thrown for 2,284 yards and 15 touchdowns with only four interceptions during the year, went down for the season with a broken bone in his foot.

On special teams, Pro Bowler Steve Tasker was a dominant threat, forcing fumbles, delivering jarring tackles, and blocking kicks.

Instead of going into a huddle after each play, quarterback Jim Kelly would immediately send his offense back to the line of scrimmage and make the call there after reading the defense.

The Bills' no-huddle K-Gun offense worked well enough for Kelly to finish the regular season as the top-rated quarterback in the NFL (101.2), throwing for 2,829 yards, 24 touchdowns, and only nine interceptions.

San Francisco's offense was considered the best in the NFC, led by future Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana and wide receiver Jerry Rice.

Kicker Scott Norwood then recovered a fumble from Miami on the ensuing kickoff, allowing the Bills to put the game away with Kelly's 26-yard touchdown pass to Andre Reed.

The Bills' defense dominated the Raiders' offense, which was without running back Bo Jackson, who suffered a career-ending injury against the Cincinnati Bengals the week before, limiting them to an early field goal and intercepting five passes from quarterback Jay Schroeder.

The broadcast featured the Monday Night Football team of play-by-play announcer Al Michaels and color commentators Frank Gifford and Dan Dierdorf.

Brent Musburger hosted all the events with the help of then-ABC Sports analysts Bob Griese and Dick Vermeil, Musburger's regular color commentator on ABC's college football telecasts; with other contributors including Jack Arute, Bob Griese, Beth Ruyak, Jack Whitaker and ABC News correspondent Judd Rose (reporting from Saudi Arabia) as well as an interview with NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

PepsiCo's contest, a heavily promoted $3 million giveaway in which viewers would be invited to call a toll-free number during the first three quarters; with the caller receiving a Diet Pepsi coupon and an opportunity to win one of 3 prizes totaling $1 million each, was also withdrawn due to FCC and Congressional fears and complaints from the telephone communications industry that the United States telephone system would be overwhelmed.

The game was broadcast in the United Kingdom on Channel 4, in Mexico on the Canal de las Estrellas, in Canada on Global Television Network and in Venezuela on Venevisión.

Whitney Houston performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" for Super Bowl XXV, backed by the Florida Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Jahja Ling.

Produced by Disney, it featured over 3,500 local children from different ethnic backgrounds and a performance by boy band New Kids on the Block, with special guest Warren Moon.

After forcing the Bills to punt on their opening drive of the game, the Giants consumed 6:15 off the clock by marching 58 yards in 11 plays to score on a 28-yard field goal from kicker Matt Bahr.

The drive ended with Hostetler's 14-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Stephen Baker with just 25 seconds left in the half, cutting New York's deficit to 12–10.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Thomas broke three tackles by the Giants' defense and went the distance for a 31-yard touchdown run, putting the Bills back in front with a 19–17 lead.

The Bills managed to halt the drive at their own 3-yard line when linebacker Cornelius Bennett broke up Hostetler's third down pass, but Bahr kicked a 21-yard field goal to give the Giants the lead again, 20–19.

Norwood attempted a 47-yard game-winning field goal from the right hash of the 37-yard line, with backup quarterback Frank Reich the holder and center Adam Lingner the long snapper.

The defensive game plan for the Giants, written by then-defensive coordinator Bill Belichick, has been included in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Giants' triumph helped Belichick and wide receivers coach Tom Coughlin make their names and eventually land head-coaching jobs with the Cleveland Browns and Boston College, respectively.

Source:[33][34] Hall of Fame‡ The game, including the missed field goal at the end, is mentioned in a conversation in the campaign mode of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 in a mission that took place 6 days later.