The men's 200 metre backstroke event for the 1976 Summer Olympics was held in Montreal.

Peter Rocca (silver) and Dan Harrigan (bronze) were the other two Americans, along with Naber, to reach the podium in 1976.

The rules changed in 1984 to limit nations to two swimmers each, preventing further sweeps.

[2] One of the 8 finalists from the 1972 Games returned: seventh-place finisher Zoltán Verrasztó of Hungary.

Two-time reigning Olympic champion, world champion, and world record holder from 1970 to a month before the Games Roland Matthes of East Germany was entered in the event but did not start.

The favourite was John Naber of the United States, who had broken Matthes' world record at the U.S. Olympic trials as well as beating Matthes in the 100 metre backstroke event five days earlier.

In the final 50 metres, Rocca closed the lead somewhat; he finished with what would have been a new world record except that he was still 1.36 seconds behind Naber.