The Super Bowl is the biggest sporting event in the United States, watched by millions all over the world, and with long standing traditions of watch parties, million-dollar commercials, and a half-time show for the ages it is the NFL’s center piece.
Of all the Super Bowl’s ever played the Dallas Cowboys account for seven Super Bowl MVPs, followed by the Steelers and Patriots with six, and coming in fourth is the San Francisco 49ers with five. Quarterbacks account for 31 MVPs since the Bowl began.
While this list is not a ranking per say it is a recognition of 25 players who cemented their name in Super Bowl legend forever. Here are 25 legendary Super Bowl MVPs.
25. Super Bowl LVI: Cooper Kupp
LA Ram Cooper Kupp had a magical night in Super Bowl LVI. Kupp made eight catches and had two touchdown passes receptions. In total he ran 92 yards and kept the Bengals defense at bay.
Kupp also had 145 catches during the regular season, so his hands were golden. In the end Kupp was able to be clutch for his team at Super Bowl LVI.
24. Super Bowl LIII: Julian Edelman
An MVP for the New England Patriots not named Tom Brady, it happened in 2019, Julian Edelman made 10 catches for 141 yards and one carry good for eight yards. In a tight match in the fourth quarter, Edelman helped pull his team through.
Edelman was able to get eight first downs during the match, one of which resulted in the only touchdown of the game. It was the only game in Brady’s great career he did not throw a single touchdown on the biggest stage.
23. Super Bowl II: Bart Starr
Going way back to Super Bowl II, Where Bart Starr’s performance helped secure a Super Bowl for the Green Bay Packers over the Oakland Raiders. Starr hit one touchdown pass and 202 yards on the day.
Starr’s 62-yard touchdown pass was the highlight, but the quarterback made sure to get his team up the field the whole game with quick passes and lateral movement.
22. Super Bowl VII: Jake Scott
In 1973 the Super Bowl came down to Miami’s Jake Scott, his two interceptions helped secure the Dolphins 14-7 win over Washington and lift the Super Bowl. Scott also provided 63 yards on those interception returns.
One of his interceptions eventually led to a Miami touchdown and the Dolphins defense held steady to get the win and bring home the championship.
21. Super Bowl XXXI: Desmond Howard
Desmond Howard stole the show in 1997 when the Green Bay Packers defeated the New England Patriots 35- 21. It was Howard’s 244 yards that swung the game in the Packers favor.
Howard would also score a touchdown to seal the game for Green Bay. A few other players may have been snubbed for the MVP, but Desmond Howard made a contribution worth a title.
20. Super Bowl XLVII: Joe Flacco
Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco had a postseason to remember throwing 11 touchdown passes and having no interceptions in four games. At the Super Bowl in a tight match Flacco threw three touchdown passes and went 287 yards.
The Ravens took a huge lead but saw their momentum derailed by an unexpected blackout, after the game resumed the 49ers made a game of it but the Ravens held on and won the Super Bowl.
19. Super Bowl XXXVII: Dexter Jackson
Before Tom Brady won one for Tampa Bay it was the Dexter Jackson show in San Diego in 2003. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Oakland Raiders by 48-21 and Jackson was critical with two interceptions.
Jackson also had two picks in the opening 20 minutes of the game and was instrumental in closing down the Raiders who could not get going.
18. Super Bowl XLI: Peyton Manning
In 2007, Peyton Manning led the Indianapolis Colts over the Chicago Bears by throwing one touchdown pass, one interception, and a 81.8 passer rating. It was not by all means a perfect performance but a solid one in the rain.
Helped by Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai, Peyton Manning became the MVP of a tight and oftentimes difficult game, but in the end the Colts took it home.
17. Super Bowl III: Joe Namath
With his movie star looks Joe Namath commanded Super Bowl III and helped the Jets defeat the Baltimore Colts. Namath had guaranteed victory and almost had a lot of egg on his face, but the Jets pulled it off and upset the Colts.
Namath did not throw a touchdown pass but made sure to never turn the ball over during the game and was instrumental in maintaining the lead. Namath would go on to star in movies, commercials, and become a pundit.
16. Super Bowl LIV: Patrick Mahomes
Patrick Mahomes got his Super Bowl in 2020 in a tough match against the 49ers. Patrick Mahomes sent in two touchdown passes, one rushing touchdown, and threw two interceptions.
It was not his best night, but it was enough to get his team over the hump and winners of Super Bowl LIV. Mahomes weathered the storm and came up aces in the end.
15. Super Bowl XLVI: Eli Manning
In 2012 Eli Manning put the brakes on the Patriots with a massive performance in Indianapolis. Manning threw 30-of-40 in correct passing, 296 yards, and one touchdown pass.
Manning had to make the most of his chances and he did just that when the Giants upset the Patriots. Manning was able to best a in his prime Tom Brady and that deserves to be mentioned.
14. Super Bowl XIII: Terry Bradshaw
Terry Bradshaw had his Super Bowl moment, before he was a funny pundit, Terry Bradshaw was a formidable quarterback. Against the Cowboys in 1979 in a tight game Bradshaw threw four touchdown passes and one interception.
With wideouts Lynn Swann and John Stallworth combining for 10 catches, 239 yards and three touchdowns, the Steelers won their third Super Bowl.
13. Super Bowl XXVIII: Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith was the Dallas Cowboys and in 1994 he was the MVP when the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Buffalo Bills 30- 13. On that day Smith had 30 carries, 132 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, and four catches.
Smith was a bulldozer splitting through the Bills defense, scoring two touchdowns in the second half. Smith had 61 of the 64 yards in the game and scored a 15-yard touchdown.
12. Super Bowl LV: Tom Brady
Turning back the clock a 40-year-old Tom Brady led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl victory over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Brady hit three touchdown passes and had 21 of 29 passing.
For Brady it was his tenth Super Bowl appearance and while he was clinical, the Buccaneers had a great defensive game as well to keep the Chiefs at bay.
11. Super Bowl XLV: Aaron Rodgers
In his only Super Bowl triumph Aaron Rodgers led the Green Bay Packers over the Pittsburgh Steelers 31- 25. On that occasion Rodgers threw three touchdown passes, 24 of 39 passing, and 304 yards.
In his near perfect game, Rodgers was clinical on his passing and movement of the football. Jordy Nelson caught nine passes for 140 yards and one touchdown as the quarterback’s main target on that day.
10. Super Bowl XLIII: Santonio Holmes
Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes had a monumental performance in 2009. The Steelers won the Super Bowl 27-23 over the Arizona Cardinals. Holmes caught nine catches and scored a touchdown.
Running for 131 yards, Holmes had golden hands that day, also making two catches for 41 yards that were erased due to holding penalties on the Steelers.
9. Super Bowl XVII: John Riggins
The comeback kid, John Riggins helped with his bulldozing runs to get the Washington franchise back into the game in Super Bowl XVII. After Miami took a 17-10 lead at the half the game turned and Washington prevailed over the Miami Dolphins 27-17.
Riggins helped with his 38 carries and one rushing touchdown. It was Riggins 43-yard touchdown that put the game out of reach and brought it home for Washington.
8. Super Bowl XII: Randy White, Harvey Martin
When defense wins the game that’s what can be said about the joint MVP status for Randy White and Harvey Martin. In 1978 the game would eventually end Dallas Cowboys 27, Denver Broncos 10.
Martin had two sacks; while White got one sack, and forced eight turnovers and had the Broncos offense in their pockets. To this day two players have not repeated as the game MVPs.
7. Super Bowl XXVII: Troy Aikman
In a game where the Dallas Cowboys whipped the Buffalo Bills 52-17 in 1993, Aikman hit four touchdown passes, 18 rushing yards, 273 yards, and 22 of 30 in passing.
The dominating performance was more of an exhibition of the Cowboys at their best with Troy Aikman being the centerpiece of the lopsided victory. Jay Novacek, Michael Irvin (2), and Alvin Harper were the ones who at the end of those touchdown passes.
6. Super Bowl XXI: Phil Simms
Three months after the Mets won the 1986 World Series, New York got another Super Bowl when the New York Giants defeated the Broncos 39 – 20. It was quarterback Phil Simms that helped push Big Blue to the Super Bowl.
Simms’ performance included three touchdown passes and 22 of 25 in passing. Simms also had a wild day where he threw a lot of incompletions but was able to amass an MVP performance with his quick thinking on the field.
5. Super Bowl XXIII: Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice had a game for the ages in 1989, leading the San Francisco 49ers to victory over the Cincinnati Bengals 20- 16. Rice set a record for receiving yards and converted eight first downs during the game.
In total Rice had 11 catches, 215 yards, and one touchdown reception. Two of his eight first down were during the play that led to the game winning drive.
4. Super Bowl XXXII: Terrell Davis
Terrell Davis was the perfect sidekick to quarterback John Elway; both led the Denver Broncos to a 31 – 24 win over the Green Bay Packers. Davis scored three rushing touchdowns, had two catches, and eight receiving yards.
Davis had three touchdowns that came from one yard out, he also had a fumble during the game, but we can forgive that given how vital Davis was throughout the season and in the Super Bowl.
3. Super Bowl XVIII: Marcus Allen
In 1984 Marcus Allen took it downtown on Washington for the LA Raiders. Allen had 20 carries, 191 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, two catches, and 18 receiving yards.
Allen was brutal on his opponents in the game and had a memorable 74-yard touchdown where he ran past various Washington players. The running back capped of a great season by winning the Super Bowl and being named MVP.
2. Super Bowl XXIX: Steve Young
In Super Bowl XXIX, Steve Young had a magical night, as the San Francisco 49ers hit the San Diego Chargers 49 -26. Young hit six touchdown passes and had five carries for 49 rushing yards.
Young’s dominant performance was mostly due to a Chargers team that looked and felt overmatched. Once again Jerry Rice was money on the spot, and Young also got help from Ricky Watters, the game was really a no contest.
1. Super Bowl XXIV: Joe Montana
Joe Montana was one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, in Super Bowl XXIV Montana showed what he was made of and hit five touchdown passes and went 22 of 29 in passing.
The 49ers won the game with a whopping 45-point lead thanks to the chemistry of Montana and Jerry Rice who caught seven passes during the game, three of them were touchdowns. Montana was so good that day that coach George Seifert replaced him with backup Steve Young in the fourth quarter.