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It didn't take long for Super Bowl XLVIII to make history.
A botched snap recovered in the end zone by Denver's Knowshown Moreno 12 seconds into the contest resulted in a safety for Seattle. It was the fastest score in Super Bowl history and ninth safety in Super Bowl play.
It also marked the third straight year that a safety has occurred in the Super Bowl.
The previous record for fastest points scored in a Super Bowl was 14 seconds into Super Bowl XLI on a 92 yard kickoff return by Chicago's Devin Hester. The Bears lost to Peyton Manning's Colts, 29-17.
Sunday marked the third Super Bowl where the first points recorded came via a safety. In the first quarter of Super Bowl XLVI, Tom Brady was flagged for intentional grounding in the first quarter of Super Bowl XLIV in New England's 21-17 loss to the Giants. The last two points of Super Bowl XLVII were the results of a safety, when the Ravens Sam Koch intentionally ran out of the end zone in Baltimore's 34-31 win.
Four years earlier, Pittsburgh's Justin Hartwig was called for a penalty in his own end zone in Super Bowl XLIII. The Cardinals were awarded two points to trim their deficit at the time to 20-16. The Steelers eventually won, 27-23.
Buffalo's Bruce Smith's end zone sack of New York Giants quarterback Jeff Hostetler in Super Bowl XXV and a sack by the Bears Henry Waechte in Super Bowl XX were the other Super Bowl safety's in the last 30 years. Both the Giants and Bears won those games.
Pittsburgh recorded the first two safety's in Super Bowl history. The first occured when Dwight White tagged Minnesota's Fran Tarkington in the end zone after a muffed handoff in Super Bowl IX to give Pittsburgh a 2-0 halftime lead. The Steelers won that game, 16-6.
Reggie Harrison's blocked kick in Super Bowl X helped Pittsburgh defeat Dallas, 21-17.
Teams that record a safety in Super Bowls are now 6-3 in the title game.
