On February 3, 2013, the Superdome in New Orleans hosted one of the most memorable Super Bowls in history. Over 71,000 fans filled the stadium, eagerly awaiting the clash between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers. However, this highly anticipated game took an unexpected turn when a power outage plunged the stadium into darkness at 7:38 p.m. CT. The blackout, which lasted for 34 minutes, was caused by a faulty switchgear in the Superdome's electrical system that had been improperly calibrated after its replacement six months earlier.
The game's dynamics shifted drastically after the power outage. The Ravens, led by quarterback Joe Flacco, had taken a commanding 28-6 lead following Jacoby Jones' record-tying 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to open the second half. However, the blackout gave the 49ers time to regroup, leading to an intense comeback attempt. Despite their efforts, the Ravens held on to secure a 34-31 victory, claiming their second Super Bowl title.
The power outage was not merely a technical mishap; it was a result of human error. Investigations by the NFL and Superdome's management revealed that the switchgear had not been properly calibrated, leading to the failure. Inside the Superdome, escalators stopped working and credit-card machines shut down, leaving fans in disarray.
During the delay, Ravens' coach John Harbaugh humorously calmed his team while pondering how to keep them warmed up.
"I was trying to figure out what the heck we were doing in terms of keeping our guys warmed up." – John Harbaugh
Meanwhile, Flacco joked about tackling 49ers returner Ted Ginn from the sidelines. The atmosphere was tense but lighthearted as both teams tried to stay focused.
The blackout became a turning point in what was already a historic game. It marked the first NFL championship featuring brothers as opposing head coaches: John Harbaugh for the Ravens and Jim Harbaugh for the 49ers. The power outage added another layer of drama to the sibling rivalry, overshadowing what could have been remembered purely as a family affair.
During the blackout, Thornton and Supovitz from stadium operations faced logistical challenges.
"We had to get a message down to the PA announcer. What was interesting is because we weren't running on generated power in that NFL control booth, we literally had to tear the sheet of paper out of the book and run it down to the PA announcer in the booth." – Thornton
"The heroes of the day really were the stadium operations team, because they knew when something like this was happening, they had to shut off all the unessential power in the building." – Supovitz
Thornton emphasized caution in handling the situation.
"Don't touch anything. Leave it the way it is." – Thornton
The delay did not dampen John Harbaugh's determination.
"There ain't no mountain high enough, and there ain't no valley low enough, and there's nothing that's going to keep us from winning this championship. Not this, and not nothing. We're going to win this game, no matter how long it takes." – John Harbaugh
The game resumed with Harbaugh's resolute words echoing through the stadium.
"Well, when they tell us to start the game, we're going to start the game." – John Harbaugh
"Roger that." – Jerome
In addition to its place in Super Bowl lore, the game marked the retirement of Ravens' linebacker Ray Lewis. His final game became even more memorable due to the power outage that defined part of his swan song.
As play resumed, Ravens’ defensive tackle Arthur Jones' sack on 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick before the outage remained a pivotal moment. The 49ers' subsequent rally brought them close but ultimately fell short of overcoming Baltimore’s early dominance.
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