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Super Bowl MVP history: NFL players who have won the award in the Big Game

tom viera, usa today
·5-min read

The Super Bowl MVP is awarded to the brightest star on the biggest stage.

There have been 58 Super Bowls played in history. A quarterback has been named Super Bowl MVP 33 of 58 times (56.9%). Seven of the last 10 Super Bowl MVPs have been quarterbacks. Patrick Mahomes is the reigning Super Bowl MVP. The Chiefs quarterback has won the award in each of the Chiefs' back-to-back wins in the Big Game.

Tom Brady is the only player to have won five Super Bowl MVP awards. Joe Montana and Mahomes have won three times; only three others have won the award twice: Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw and Eli Manning.

It’s worth noting the rarity of the regular-season MVP also winning the Super Bowl MVP. This has only happened seven times in Super Bowl history: Starr (1966), Bradshaw (1978), Montana (1989), Emmitt Smith (1993), Steve Young (1994), Kurt Warner (1999), and Mahomes (2022).

Throughout the history of the Super Bowl, a defensive player has won the MVP award only 10 times.

The most recent defensive star to be named Super Bowl MVP was linebacker Von Miller for his performance in Super Bowl 50 as a member of the Denver Broncos. Dallas Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley is the only Super Bowl MVP from a losing team, taking home the honors in Super Bowl 5.

Here is a complete list of every Super Bowl MVP throughout the years.

Who has won Super Bowl MVP?

  • 1 – Bart Starr, QB, Packers, 16-for-23, 250 yards, 2 TDs

  • 2 – Bart Starr, QB, Packers, 13-for-24, 202 yards, 1 TD

  • 3 – Joe Namath, QB, Jets, 17-for-28, 206 yards

  • 4 – Len Dawson, QB, Chiefs, 12-for-17, 142 yards, 1 TD

  • 5 – Chuck Howley, LB, Cowboys, 2 interceptions, 2 tackles, fumble recovery

  • 6 – Roger Staubach, QB, Cowboys, 12-for-19, 119 yards, 2 TDs

  • 7 – Jake Scott, S, Dolphins, 2 interceptions, 2 tackles

  • 8 – Larry Csonka, FB, Dolphins, 33 carries, 145 yards, 2 TDs

  • 9 – Franco Harris, RB, Steelers, 34 carries, 158 yards, 1 TD

  • 10 – Lynn Swann, WR, Steelers, 4 catches, 161 yards, 1 TD

  • 11 – Fred Biletnikoff, WR, Raiders, 4 catches, 79 yards

  • 12 – Harvey Martin and Randy White, DL, Cowboys; Martin, 2 sacks, White 1 sack; Dallas defense forced eight turnovers

  • 13 – Terry Bradshaw, QB, Steelers, 17-for-30, 318 yards, 4 TDs

  • 14 – Terry Bradshaw, QB, Steelers, 14-for-21, 309 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs

  • 15 – Jim Plunkett, QB, Raiders, 13-for-21, 261 yards, 3 TDs

  • 16 – Joe Montana, QB, 49ers, 14-for-22, 157 yards, 1 TD

  • 17 – John Riggins, RB, Washington, 38 carries, 166 yards, 1 TD

  • 18 – Marcus Allen, RB, Raiders, 20 carries, 191 yards, 2 TDs

  • 19 – Joe Montana, QB, 49ers, 24-for-35, 331 yards, 3 TDs

  • 20 – Richard Dent, DE, Bears, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles

  • 21 – Phil Simms, QB, Giants, 22-for-25, 268 yards, 3 TDs

  • 22 – Doug Williams, QB, Washington, 18-for-29, 340 yards, 4 TDs

  • 23 – Jerry Rice, WR, 49ers, 11 catches, 215 yards, 1 TD

  • 24 – Joe Montana, QB, 49ers, 22-for-29, 297 yards, 5 TDs

  • 25 – Ottis Anderson, RB, Giants, 21 carries, 102 yards, 1 TD

  • 26 – Mark Rypien, QB, Washington, 18-for-33, 292 yards, 2 TDs

  • 27 – Troy Aikman, QB, Cowboys, 22-for-30, 273 yards, 4 TDs

  • 28 – Emmitt Smith, RB, Cowboys, 30 carries, 132 yards, 2 TDs

  • 29 – Steve Young, QB, 49ers, 24-for-36, 325 yards, 6 TDs

  • 30 – Larry Brown, CB, Cowboys, 2 interceptions

  • 31 – Desmond Howard, KR, Packers, 244 all-purpose yards, 99-yard kick return TD

  • 32 – Terrell Davis, RB, Broncos, 30 carries, 157 yards, 3 TDs

  • 33 – John Elway, QB, Broncos, 18-for-29, 336 yards, 1 TD

  • 34 – Kurt Warner, QB, Rams, 24-for-45, 414 yards, 2 TDs

  • 35 – Ray Lewis, LB, Ravens, 5 total tackles, 4 passes defensed

  • 36 – Tom Brady, QB, Patriots, 16-for-27, 145 yards, 1 TD

  • 37 – Dexter Jackson, CB, Buccaneers, 2 interceptions

  • 38 – Tom Brady, QB, Patriots, 32-for-48, 354 yards, 3 TDs

  • 39 – Deion Branch, WR, Patriots, 11 catches, 133 yards

  • 40 – Hines Ward, WR, Steelers, 5 catches, 123 yards, 1 TD

  • 41 – Peyton Manning, QB, Colts, 25-for-38, 247 yards, 1 TD

  • 42 – Eli Manning, QB, Giants, 19-for-34, 255 yards, 2 TDs

  • 43 – Santonio Holmes, WR, Steelers, 9 catches, 131 yards, 1 TD

  • 44 – Drew Brees, QB, Saints, 32-for-39, 288 yards, 2 TDs

  • 45 – Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers, 24-for-39, 304 yards, 3 TDs

  • 46 – Eli Manning, QB, Giants, 30-for-40, 296 yards, 1 TD

  • 47 – Joe Flacco, QB, Ravens, 22-for-33, 287 yards, 3 TDs

  • 48 – Malcolm Smith, LB, Seahawks, Interception for TD, fumble recovery, 10 tackles

  • 49 – Tom Brady, QB, Patriots, 37-for-50, 328 yards, 4 TDs

  • 50 – Von Miller, LB, Broncos, Six tackles, 2.5 sacks, one pass defended

  • 51 – Tom Brady, QB, Patriots, 43-for-62, 466 yards, 2 TDs

  • 52 – Nick Foles, QB, Eagles, 28-for-43, 373 yards, 3 TDs, 1 TD reception

  • 53 – Julian Edelman, WR, Patriots, 10 catches, 141 yards

  • 54 – Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs, 26-for-42, 286 yards, 2 TDs

  • 55 – Tom Brady, QB, Buccaneers, 21-for-29, 201 yards, 3 TDs

  • 56 – Cooper Kupp, WR, Rams, 8 catches, 92 yards, 2 TDs

  • 57 – Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs, 21-for-27, 182 yards, 3 TDs

  • 58 – Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs, 34-for-46, 333 yards, 2 TDs

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Super Bowl MVP history: Who has won the award?