When Did the Super Bowl Gatorade Tradition Start? See the Most Memorable Times NFL Players Doused Their Coach After Winning the Big Game

The Philadelphia Eagles continued the longstanding 'Gatorade bath' tradition when they won the 2025 Super Bowl

Head coach Nick Sirianni of the Philadelphia Eagles is showered with Gatorade in the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome on February 09, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Head coach Nick Sirianni of the Philadelphia Eagles is showered with Gatorade in the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome on February 09, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Photo:

Jamie Squire/Getty

Victory really is sweet at the Super Bowl.

Since the 1980s, the big game has often ended with players from the winning team dousing their coach in what's been dubbed a Gatorade bath. According to Rolling Stone, the New York Giants originated the icy tradition at Super Bowl XXI in 1987. They were allegedly inspired by their former player Jim Burt, who dumped Gatorade on then-coach Bill Parcells after a win in 1984.

"Parcells got under Jim’s skin all week so at the end of the Washington game he said to me, ‘Parcells is such a prick. Let’s get him!' " Burt's former Giants teammate Harry Carson told the outlet in 2017. Thankfully, Parcells was a good sport about it.

Even in 2025, the Gatorade bath continues to make headlines during the big game — like when the Philadelphia Eagles celebrated a tad early, dumping a bucket of the sports drink onto head coach Nick Sirianni with three minutes left.

Like all things Super Bowl-related, this time-honored tradition has turned into a prime game-day prop bet, with many fans attempting to accurately predict which Gatorade color the winning team will use: yellow, red, blue, orange, purple or clear.

Here's a look back on two decades' worth of Gatorade pours — and see which color has been most popular in recent history.

01 of 18

2025 Super Bowl: Yellow Gatorade

Head coach Nick Sirianni of the Philadelphia Eagles is showered with Gatorade in the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome on February 09, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Head coach Nick Sirianni Philadelphia Eagles is showered with Gatorade.

Jamie Squire/Getty

When the Philadelphia Eagles took home the Vince Lombardi trophy at the 2025 Super Bowl, they dumped a bucket of yellow Gatorade on coach Sirianni.

02 of 18

2024 Super Bowl: Purple Gatorade

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is splashed after the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. The Chiefs won 25-22.
2024 Super Bowl Gatorade color.

AP Photo/Ashley Landis

Just like the year prior, the Kansas City Chiefs doused Andy Reid in royal purple after their 2024 overtime victory against the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas.

03 of 18

2023 Super Bowl: Purple Gatorade

Skyy Moore #24 and Head coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrate after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 to win Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium on February 12, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona.
2023 Super Bowl Gatorade color.

Rob Carr/Getty

In a break from the norm, the Kansas City Chiefs hit Coach Reid with purple Gatorade following their win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Glendale, Ariz.

04 of 18

2022 Super Bowl: Blue Gatorade

Los Angeles Rams defensive end A'Shawn Robinson, left, pours Gatorade over Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay after the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals NFL Super Bowl 56 football game Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif.
2022 Super Bowl Gatorade color.

AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

In a color appropriate for the team, the Los Angeles Rams showered coach Sean McVay in blue following their win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Inglewood, Calif.

05 of 18

2021 Super Bowl: Blue Gatorade

2021 Super Bowl LV gatorade
2021 Super Bowl Gatorade color. Kevin C. Cox/Getty

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians was doused in blue after the team's win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Tampa, Fla.

06 of 18

2020 Super Bowl: Orange Gatorade

2020 superbowl gatorade
2020 Super Bowl Gatorade color. David Santiago/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty

Coach Reid was covered in orange after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Miami.

07 of 18

2019 Super Bowl: Blue Gatorade

2019 per Bowl LIII gatorade
2019 Super Bowl Gatorade color. Elsa/Getty

New England Patriots players gave head coach Bill Belichick a blue Gatorade shower after defeating the Los Angeles Rams in Atlanta.

08 of 18

2016 Super Bowl: Orange Gatorade

2016 gatorade superbowl
2016 Super Bowl Gatorade color. Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty

The Gatorade matched the hats when the Denver Broncos poured orange drink on head coach Gary Kubiak following their win over the Carolina Panthers in Santa Clara, Calif.

09 of 18

2015 Super Bowl: Blue Gatorade

2015 Super Bowl XLIX gatorade
2015 Super Bowl Gatorade color. Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty

It was Patriots blue again for head coach Belichick after a win over the Seattle Seahawks in Arizona.

10 of 18

2014 Super Bowl: Orange Gatorade

2014 Super Bowl XLVIII gatorade
2014 Super Bowl Gatorade color. Rob Carr/Getty

Orange rained down on head coach Pete Carroll when the Seattle Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos in New Jersey.

11 of 18

2011 Super Bowl: Orange Gatorade

2011 Super Bowl XLV gatorade
2011 Super Bowl Gatorade color. John Iacono /Sports Illustrated via Getty

It was almost a Packers-appropriate color for Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy when he was hit with orange Gatorade at Super Bowl XLV against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Texas.

12 of 18

2010 Super Bowl: Orange Gatorade

2010 Super Bowl XLIV gatorade
2010 Super Bowl Gatorade color. Bob Rosato /Sports Illustrated via Getty

Noticing a trend? The New Orleans Saints opted for orange when celebrating their victory against the Indianapolis Colts with head coach Sean Payton in Miami.

13 of 18

2009 Super Bowl: Yellow Gatorade

2009 Super Bowl XLIII gatorade
2009 Super Bowl Gatorade color. Focus on Sport/Getty

Black and yellow! The Pittsburgh Steelers used a signature hue for their Super Bowl XLIII tradition with coach Mike Tomlin in Tampa, Fla., after beating the Arizona Cardinals.

14 of 18

2008 Super Bowl: Clear Gatorade

2008 superbowl gatorade
2008 Super Bowl Gatorade color. Linda Cataffo/NY Daily News Archive via Getty

Coach Tom Coughlin was clearly cold when the New York Giants poured clear Gatorade on him in Arizona following their win against the New England Patriots.

15 of 18

2006 Super Bowl: Clear Gatorade

2006 Super Bowl XL gatorade
2006 Super Bowl Gatorade color. Damian Strohmeyer/Sports

Two in three years! Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher also avoided a colored stain when his team poured clear Gatorade on him in Detroit after besting the Seattle Seahawks.

16 of 18

2001 Super Bowl: Yellow Gatorade

2001 SUPER BOWL BILLICK GATORADE
2001 Super Bowl Gatorade color. RHONA WISE/AFP via Getty

Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick was also doused in yellow in Tampa, Fla., after defeating the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV.

17 of 18

1995 Super Bowl: Clear Gatorade

1995 superbowl gatorade
1995 Super Bowl Gatorade color. ROBERT SULLIVAN/AFP via Getty

After Super Bowl XXIX against the San Diego Chargers in Miami, San Francisco 49ers coach George Seifert got the clear Gatorade treatment.

18 of 18

1987 Super Bowl: Orange Gatorade

1987 Super Bowl XXI gatorade
1987 Super Bowl Gatorade color. Focus on Sport/Getty

In the very first ceremonial Gatorade pour, Coach Parcells was covered in orange after the New York Giants bested the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXI in Pasadena, Calif.

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