Greatest Super Bowl MVPs of All Time
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There is no more important metric by which professional sports careers are measured than championships. How many did you win? And how did you play when you got there?
In the NFL, that means Super Bowls. Any list of the greatest players of all time boils down to this one fact since the first Super Bowl was played between the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Jan. 15, 1967.
And with each Super Bowl, there are heroes and there are GOATs. Your career — and in some ways, your life — can be defined by how you play in the big game. And every year (with the exception of one), only one player can walk away from the game and say they were at their very best and playing for the highest stakes. They call that person the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player.
Here's a look at the greatest Super Bowl MVP winners of all time.
Honorable Mention: John Riggins, RB, Super Bowl XVII
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Date: Jan. 30, 1983 (Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California)
Team: Washington Redskins
Game result: Washington Redskins 27, Miami Dolphins 17
Bottom line: Washington Redskins running back John Riggins made his career as a bruiser, and that was never more on display than in Super Bowl XVII as he set Super Bowl records with 166 rushing yards on 38 attempts and became the first NFC player to rush for over 100 yards in the Super Bowl. The Centralia, Kansas, native also had one reception for 15 yards, giving him 181 yards from scrimmage — more yards than the Miami Dolphins had as a team.
20. John Elway, Quarterback, Super Bowl XXXIII
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Date: Jan. 31, 1999 (Pro Player Stadium, Miami, Florida)
Team: Denver Broncos
Game result: Denver Broncos 34, Atlanta Falcons 19
Bottom line: John Elway's defining Super Bowl moment came the previous year when he was helicoptered on a hit as he ran for a first down late in the game against the Green Bay Packers for his first Super Bowl win in four tries.
But Elway was even better the next year when the Broncos won their second consecutive Super Bowl. He torched the Atlanta Falcons, going 18-of-29 passing for 336 yards and one touchdown along with rushing for one touchdown. At 38 years old, Elway became the oldest Super Bowl MVP in history, which was a record that stood until Tom Brady broke it in 2017. It was also Elway's last NFL game — he retired four months later.
19. Emmitt Smith, Running Back, Super Bowl XXVIII
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Date: Jan. 30, 1994 (Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia)
Team: Dallas Cowboys
Game result: Dallas Cowboys 30, Buffalo Bills 13
Bottom line: The Buffalo Bills actually led 13-6 at halftime over the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XXVIII before running back Emmitt Smith took the game over in the second half. After Dallas tied the score on a fumble return for a touchdown early in the third quarter, Smith carried the ball seven times on an eight-play, 64-yard drive capped by his 15-yard touchdown run that gave them the lead for good.
Smith finished the game with 30 carries for 132 yards and two touchdowns while also catching four passes for 26 yards on the way to Super Bowl MVP honors. It was the second of third Super Bowl wins for Dallas in a four-year stretch.
18. Terrell Davis, Running Back, Super Bowl XXXII
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Date: Jan. 25, 1998 (Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California)
Team: Denver Broncos
Game result: Denver Broncos 31, Green Bay Packers 24
Bottom line: The Denver Broncos won their first Super Bowl in five attempts thanks to a heroic performance by running back Terrell Davis, who missed almost the entire second quarter with a migraine but still rushed for 157 yards and had a Super Bowl-record three rushing touchdowns, including the game-winning score with 1:45 left in the fourth quarter.
Davis, who was playing the Super Bowl in his hometown of San Diego, remains the last running back to earn Super Bowl MVP honors.
17. Santonio Holmes, Wide Receiver, Super Bowl XLIII
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Date: Feb. 1, 2009 (Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida)
Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Game result: Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Arizona Cardinals 23
Bottom line: Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes caught nine passes for 131 yards and one touchdown, including four catches for 73 yards on the game-winning drive against the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII.
In an interesting twist, Holmes was the sixth wide receiver to win Super Bowl MVP and the third from the Steelers to do it following Lynn Swann (Super Bowl X) and Hines Ward (Super Bowl XL).
16. Aaron Rodgers, Quarterback, Super Bowl XLV
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Date: Feb. 6, 2011 (Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas)
Team: Green Bay Packers
Game result: Green Bay Packers 31, Pittsburgh Steelers 25
Bottom line: Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers needed everything he could to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV, going 24-of-39 passing for 304 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in front of 111 million TV viewers — at the time making it the most-watched program in American history.
It was also the first Super Bowl played in Dallas, going off at Cowboys Stadium in front of 103,219 fans — just a few hundred short of the Super Bowl attendance record.
15. Von Miller, LB/DE, Super Bowl 50
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Date: Feb. 7, 2016 (Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California)
Team: Denver Broncos
Game result: Denver Broncos 24, Carolina Panthers 10
Bottom line: Denver Broncos superstar Von Miller sparked one of the greatest defensive performances in Super Bowl history as the Broncos sacked Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton seven times and forced four turnovers.
Miller finished the game with 2.5 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles on Newton, including a strip sack in the first quarter and a game-clinching sack and forced fumble in the fourth quarter.
14. Steve Young, Quarterback, Super Bowl XXIX
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Date: Jan. 29, 1995 (Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami, Florida)
Team: San Francisco 49ers
Game result: San Francisco 49ers 49, San Diego Chargers 26
Bottom line: The San Diego Chargers were playing with house money by the time they lined up to face the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX in Miami — Steve Young made sure they went bust. The 49ers broke the record for most Super Bowl victories with the win — their fifth — and the combined 75 points and 10 touchdowns from both teams are both Super Bowl records.
Young won Super Bowl MVP honors by breaking Joe Montana's record with six touchdown passes as he went 24-of-36 passing for 325 yards. Young, one of the best running quarterbacks of all time, also had five carries for 49 rushing yards.
13. Patrick Mahomes, Quarterback, Super Bowl LIV
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Date: Feb. 2, 2020 (Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida)
Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Game result: Kansas City Chiefs 31, San Francisco 49ers 20
Bottom line: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes became the youngest winner of the Super Bowl MVP after he rallied his team from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter, scoring 21 unanswered points to defeat the San Francisco 49ers. Mahomes finished the game 26-of-42 passing for 286 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions as well as rushing for a touchdown.
Mahomes' rushing stats in the Super Bowl are actually a little deceiving because he took three kneel-downs to ice the game for the Chiefs — because those count as rush attempts, it lopped almost 20 yards off his rushing total.
12. Malcolm Smith, Linebacker, Super Bowl XLVIII
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Date: Feb. 2, 2014 (MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey)
Team: Seattle Seahawks
Game result: Seattle Seahawks 43, Denver Broncos 8
Bottom line: Sometimes referred to as the "Forgotten Super Bowl MVP," Seattle Seahawks linebacker Malcolm Smith had a defensive game for the gages in a blowout win over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII — coincidentally the first Super Bowl to be played outside in a "cold weather" venue at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Smith dominated the game from start to finish with nine tackles, a fumble recovery and a 69-yard interception return for a touchdown in one of the largest margins of victory in Super Bowl history. Smith's star turn against the Broncos was somewhat of an anomaly — he would eventually play 11 seasons for six different teams but never made a Pro Bowl or an NFL All-Pro Team.
11. Lynn Swann, Wide Receiver, Super Bowl X
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Date: Jan. 18, 1976 (Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida)
Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Game result: Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Dallas Cowboys 17
Bottom line: Super Bowl X was the first time two former Super Bowl champions faced off, with the Pittsburgh Steelers topping the Dallas Cowboys in a thriller for their second consecutive Super Bowl win.
The Steelers trailed 10-7 in the fourth quarter before they rallied for 15 unanswered points, including a 64-yard touchdown pass from Terry Bradshaw to Lynn Swann, who caught four passes for 161 yards and became the first wide receiver to be named Super Bowl MVP.
10. Jake Scott, Safety, Super Bowl VII
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Date: Jan. 14, 1972 (Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California)
Team: Miami Dolphins
Game result: Miami Dolphins 14, Washington Redskins 7
Bottom line: Miami Dolphins safety Jake Scott turned in one of the most clutch defensive performances in NFL history in a 14-7 win over the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII. Scott was the star as the Dolphins capped off a 17-0 season to become the only undefeated team in NFL history — a record that still stands. He returned two interceptions for 63 yards, including a 55-yard return out of the end zone in the fourth quarter, and became only the second defensive player to earn Super Bowl MVP honors and the first to come from a winning team.
Scott would go on to play 10 seasons in the NFL, win two Super Bowls with the Dolphins and be a five-time NFL All-Pro. He died in November 2020 at 75 years old.
9. Desmond Howard, KR/PR, Super Bowl XXXI
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Date: Jan. 26, 1997 (Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana)
Team: Green Bay Packers
Game result: Green Bay Packers 35, New England Patriots 21
Bottom line: Former Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard became the first and so far only special teams player to be named Super Bowl MVP after he racked up 244 return yards — 154 kickoff-return yards and 90 punt-return yards — including a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Howard still holds the Super Bowl record for most punt-return yards in a single game.
8. Joe Montana, Quarterback, Super Bowl XXXIV
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Date: Jan. 28, 1990 (Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana)
Team: San Francisco 49ers
Game result: San Francisco 49ers 55, Denver Broncos 10
Bottom line: Watching San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana pick apart the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXIV was like watching a player from the future as he went 22-of-29 passing for 297 yards and five touchdowns, setting a Super Bowl record for touchdown passes in a single game and for his career.
It was Montana's fourth Super Bowl win and third Super Bowl MVP in eight years and led to the biggest margin of victory in Super Bowl history.
7. Doug Williams, Quarterback, Super Bowl XXII
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Date: Jan. 31, 1988 (Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, California)
Team: Washington Redskins
Game result: Washington Redskins 42, Denver Broncos 10
Bottom line: Washington Redskins quarterback Doug Williams didn't just win MVP honors at Super Bowl XXII in a blowout win over the Denver Broncos, he made history as the first Black starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl.
Williams was spectacular against the Broncos, who led 10-0 after the first quarter. After that Washington scored 42 unanswered points, including 35 in the second quarter, as he went 18-of-29 passing for 340 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.
6. Marcus Allen, Running Back, Super Bowl XVIII
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Date: Jan. 22, 1984 (Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida)
Team: Los Angeles Raiders
Game result: Los Angeles Raiders 38, Washington Redskins 9
Bottom line: The Los Angeles Raiders came out of the gate and smacked the Washington Redskins upside the head in Super Bowl XVIII in Tampa thanks to an extraordinary defense and an unstoppable running back in Marcus Allen.
Allen became the third Heisman Trophy winner to earn Super Bowl MVP honors after he diced up the Washington defense for a Super Bowl-record 191 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns, including a 74-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Allen also caught two passes for 18 yards in the win.
5. Patrick Mahomes, Quarterback, Super Bowl LVII
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Date: Feb. 12, 2023 (State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona)
Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Game result: Kansas City Chiefs 38, Philadelphia Eagles 35
Bottom line: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes went into halftime of Super Bowl LVII down 10 points to the Philadelphia Eagles ... and in a tremendous amount of pain due to his injured right leg.
But, then, he and the Chiefs showed why they might be the next NFL dynasty as Mahomes won his second Super Bowl MVP, leading his team to another Super Bowl comeback and becoming the first player since Kurt Warner in 1999 to win NFL MVP and a Super Bowl title in the same season.
Mahomes finished 21 of 27 passing for 182 yards and three touchdowns along with six rushes for 44 yards, but no play was more important than on the Chiefs' game-winning drive with his gutsy, 26-yard run to set up the game-winning field goal late in the fourth quarter. Did we mention he did it all on one leg?
4. Kurt Warner, Quarterback, Super Bowl XXXIV
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Date: Jan. 30, 2000 (Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia)
Team: St. Louis Rams
Game result: St. Louis Rams 23, Tennessee Titans 16
Bottom line: St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner beat seemingly insurmountable odds just to become an NFL quarterback — so the fact that he became the NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP defies rational thinking.
Warner rose from going undrafted out of Northern Iowa to a grocery store clerk to an AFL star to become the first undrafted quarterback and first first-year starting quarterback to win the Super Bowl, going 24-of-45 passing for a Super Bowl-record 414 yards and two touchdowns in a thrilling win over the Tennessee Titans. Warner is still the last player to earn NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP honors in the same season.
3. Nick Foles, Quarterback, Super Bowl LII
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Date: Feb. 4, 2018 (U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Team: Philadelphia Eagles
Game result: Philadelphia Eagles 41, New England Patriots 33
Bottom line: There has never been a more unlikely Super Bowl MVP than Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles, who brought home the award following his heroic performance in a win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII.
Foles, who didn't become the Eagles' starter until a late-season injury to MVP candidate Carson Wentz, was widely disregarded ahead of the game but went 28-of-43 passing for 373 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He also became a Super Bowl legend with a 1-yard touchdown reception on a play that became known as the "Philly Special," making him the first quarterback to catch a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl.
2. Jerry Rice, Wide Receiver, Super Bowl XXIII
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Date: Jan. 22, 1989 (Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami, Florida)
Team: San Francisco 49ers
Game result: San Francisco 49ers 20, Cincinnati Bengals 16
Bottom line: The greatest wide receiver of all time had one of the greatest Super Bowls of all time in 1989 when San Francisco 49ers legend Jerry Rice caught 11 passes for a Super Bowl-record 215 yards and one touchdown along with one rush for five yards in a 20-16 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Rice still holds 10 Super Bowl records including single-game receiving yards, career receiving yards, career touchdowns, career receptions, career points and single-game touchdowns.
1. Tom Brady, Quarterback, Super Bowl LI
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Date: Feb. 5, 2017 (NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas)
Team: New England Patriots
Game result: New England Patriots 34, Atlanta Falcons 28
Bottom line: The greatest football player of all time was named Super Bowl MVP in the greatest comeback of all time. New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady rallied his team from a 28-3 deficit midway through the third quarter for a 34-28 win over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. Brady, who won a record five Super Bowl MVPs in his career, went 43-of-62 passing for 466 yards and two touchdowns — he also had one rushing attempt for 15 yards.
At 39 years old, Brady became the oldest Super Bowl MVP in history, a record he would break four years later with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV. Brady retired for the second time following the 2022 regular season after 23 years in the NFL.