In 1976, the Raiders went 13–1 in the regular season, and escaped the first round of the playoffs with a dramatic and controversial victory over the New England Patriots. In the second round of the playoffs they defeated the Steelers for the AFC Championship. On January 9, 1977, Madden's Raiders finally captured their first Super Bowl with a convincing 32–14 win over the Minnesota Vikings. The Raiders lost the AFC Championship Game in 1977 to the Denver Broncos. After the Raiders failed to qualify for the postseason in 1978, Madden announced his retirement on January 4, 1979, due to an increasingly deteriorating ulcer condition and occupational burnout.