ST. LOUIS – Thursday marks the 25th anniversary of the 1999-2000 St. Louis Rams securing the franchise’s first and only NFL championship in St. Louis, defeating the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV.

The championship was the peak point of an era in St. Louis football history fondly remembered as “The Greatest Show on Turf,” which featured a high-powered offense and a dynamic defense that led to two Super Bowl appearances in three years.

Super Bowl XXXIV, ranked as NFL.com’s 11th best Super Bowl all-time, featured two teams fighting for their first title. The explosive 13-3 St. Louis Rams went up against the 13-3 Tennessee Titans inside Atlanta’s former Georgia Dome. The two squads had already played each other in Week 8 of the 1999-2000 season, with the Tennessee Titans escaping with a narrow 24-21 victory over the Rams.

In what started as a slow but competitive Super Bowl, both teams struggled to put points on the board. The Rams were able to jump to a 9-0 lead over the Titans at halftime after three field goals from kicker Jeff Wilkins. The Rams later extended their lead in the third quarter thanks to a nine-yard touchdown catch from wide receiver Torry Holt, bringing their lead to a sizeable 16-0 lead over the Titans.

Despite the two-possession deficit, the Titans were able to rally back in the second half. They answered with two rushing touchdowns from running back Eddie George and a field goal from kicker Al Del Greco, though a failed two-point conversion by the Titans kept the game tied at 16 with less than three minutes left in the game.

Living up to their “Greatest Show on Turf” title, the Rams wasted little time getting the lead back. 16 seconds after Titan’s kicker Greco kicked the game-tying field goal, Kurt Warner threw a resounding 73-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Isaac Bruce to bring the Rams the 23-16 lead with under two minutes remaining in the game.

With all the pressure against them, the Titans did not go out without a fight. With unpredictable plays, quarterback Steve McNair guided his team down the field, ultimately establishing his team at the 10-yard line with less than six seconds remaining.

With the game on the line, McNair threw the ball to his best wide receiver, Kevin Dyson, who made the catch and reached out as far as he could, only to be short due to an iconic tackle by linebacker Mike Jones as time expired.

The tackle was heard around the world and sent St. Louis fans into a frenzy from over 500 miles away. After winning the regular season MVP, Kurt Warner was honored with the Super Bowl MVP after throwing a total of 414 yards, a Super Bowl record at the time.

According to Bleacher Report, the Rams’ 1999-2000 team was one of the greatest teams in NFL history, ranking first in total yards, points scored, and point differential of 284 points. Defensively, the team ranked sixth in yards allowed and fourth in points. The iconic season came as a big surprise from many since the Rams finished the previous season with a 4-12 record.

Players from the old roster reunited during Isaac Bruce’s annual Gridiron Gala in September to celebrate the 25th anniversary. The gala featured more than 14 former Super Bowl champions, including Lionel Barnes, Mike Jones, and more. The group was also honored in a special ceremony during a Cardinals game in September.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame inducted Head Coach Dick Vermeil, along with five players from the ‘Greatest Show on Turf’ roster: QB Kurt Warner, RB Marshall Faulk, WR Isaac Bruce, OT Orlando Pace, and DB Aeneas Williams. The roster could be adding a sixth Hall of Famer to its lineup as WR Torry Holt was listed as a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025.

Holt has been voted a semifinalist for the Hall of Fame 11 times, the most among the 25 players named this year. He has been nominated as a finalist for the Hall of Fame for five consecutive years, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Holt will be able to see if his name will be embetted in football history when the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 inductees will be announced at the NFL Honors ceremony on Feb 6, 2025, in New Orleans. The enshrinement ceremony will take place in Canton, OH, in August 2025.