NFL Super Bowl MVPs Throughout History

Who Votes for the Super Bowl MVP?

Certain writers, broadcasters, and viewers decide who gets the Super Bowl MVP trophy. A panel of 16 football writers and broadcasters makes up 80% of the vote. The other 20% comes from viewers. Once the game ends, they tally the votes, and the winner is awarded in an on-field presentation. 

The fan vote began in 2001 in Super Bowl XXXV. Viewers can cast their votes with about five minutes left in the game, but they can change their minds when the game ends. The at-home

vote allows fans to feel like they are more than viewers.  

Past Super Bowl MVPs: Who Won MVP Last Season?

Last year’s Super Bowl MVP is likely someone we’ll see wearing a gold jacket in Canton, Ohio, one day. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes earned the honor for the second time in his young career after leading the Kansas City Chiefs to a 38-35 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. 

Mahomes laid it all on the field when he re-injured his ankle with under two minutes left to play in the first half. Entering the second half down 24-14, he wasn’t about to sit out the rest of the game. 

He mustered that all too familiar Mahomes’ magic, leading scoring drives in all four second-half possessions. He completed 13-of-14, 126 total yards, and two passing touchdowns in the second half alone. 

Mahomes became the first player in the 21st century to win both the Super Bowl MVP and league MVP titles in the same season. During the regular season, he led the league with 5,250 yards and 41 touchdown passes. 

This honor comes three years after Mahomes became the youngest quarterback in NFL history to earn the Super Bowl MVP award in 2020. He led the Chiefs to a thrilling comeback against the San Francisco 49ers. 

His fourth-quarter performance erased a 10-point deficit with three straight touchdown drives. There’s no telling how many more accolades Mahomes will add to the list in the coming seasons.

The Super Bowl MVP Who Lost 

Only one player from the losing team has been chosen to be the Super Bowl MVP. Former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley took home the honor in Super Bowl V in 1971. 

Howley caught two interceptions and forced a fumble during the Cowboys game against the Baltimore Colts. The offensive performance on both teams was lackluster, with the Colts winning 16-13 thanks to a Jim O’Brien last-minute field goal. After the game, Howley was named the Super Bowl MVP. 

Over a decade prior to earning the award, Howley retired from football. The first-round draft pick suffered a knee injury that made him miss the Chicago Bears’s 1960 season. He filled his time running a gas station for over a year. However, he couldn’t stop thinking about football. After playing in a West Virginia alumni game, the Cowboys picked him up in 1961. 

Howley played for 13 more seasons in Dallas, making five All-Pro teams and six Pro Bowls. This past August, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

Who Are the Most Awarded Super Bowl MVPs?

Patrick Mahomes is not the only player to win the Super Bowl MVP award more than once. Tom Brady is at the top of the rankings. 

How Many Super Bowl MVPs Does Tom Brady Have?

With five Super Bowl MVP trophies, it’s no surprise that the GOAT has been the most valuable player more times than anyone else. Brady has won a record seven Super Bowls (2002, 2004, 2005, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021). The first time Brady was named Super Bowl MVP was in 2002. He led the New England Patriots to an upset win against the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI. 

While Brady stands alone at the top, several others have earned multiple MVP honors. 

Runner-Ups for MVP

Here’s the list of players who have recorded two or more MVP titles:

• Joe Montana: Brady’s idol, quarterback Joe Montana, won the award three times with the San Francisco 49ers (XVI, XIX, XXIV). Montana led the 49ers to four Super Bowl wins. 
• Terry Bradshaw: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw was named Super Bowl MVP twice (XIII, XIV). Bradshaw was also a four-time Super Bowl champion. 
• Eli Manning: New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning is another two-time winner (XLIII, XLVI). Manning led the Giants to two Super Bowl victories over Brady’s Patriots. 
• Bart Starr: The first-ever Super Bowl MVP winner, Bart Starr, won twice with the Green Bay Packers (I, II). Starr held the lifetime passing record for completing 57.4 percent of his passes over a 16-year period. 
• Patrick Mahomes: As mentioned before, Mahomes is the most recent quarterback to win the award for the second time (LIV, LVII). He’s one of only two players in NFL history with over 5,000 passing yards and 50 passing touchdowns in the same season. 

Super Bowl MVPs by Position 

There have been 58 Super Bowl MVPs in NFL history. Most winners are quarterbacks, but several other positions have earned the title. Let’s break down the MVPs by position: 

Super Bowl Quarterback MVPs

A quarterback has taken home the award 34 times. Notable quarterbacks on the list include Roger Staubach, Steve Young, John Elway, Troy Aikman, Kurt Warner, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Joe Flacco, and Drew Brees.

Super Bowl Wide Receiver MVPs

Wide receivers are the second most popular position to win the title. There have been eight previous Super Bowl MVP wideouts. The last WR to win was Los Angeles Rams star Cooper Kupp in 2022.

Super Bowl Running Back MVPs

Running backs have won seven times. The last to do it was former Denver Broncos star Terrell Davis in Super Bowl XXXII. Davis fought through a migraine to score a Super Bowl record three rushing touchdowns. 

Super Bowl Linebacker MVPs

Four linebackers have won Super Bowl MVP trophies. The list includes Von Miller, Malcolm Smith, Ray Lewis, and Chuck Howley. 

Super Bowl Defensive End MVPs

There have been two defensive ends to earn the title. Harvey Martin was the first defensive end to earn the honor with the Cowboys in 1978. The second was Richard Dent in 1986 with the Chicago Bears. 

Super Bowl Safety MVPs

There have also been two safeties to win the award. Miami Dolphins star Jake Scott won it in 1973, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Dexter Jackson in 2003. 

Super Bowl Cornerback MVPs

Larry Brown is the only cornerback to win the award in Super Bowl XXX. 

Super Bowl Defensive Tackle MVPs

Randy White is the lone defensive tackle to win, thanks to his performance in Super Bowl XII. 

Super Bowl Kick Returner MVPs

Desmond Howard is representing special teams on this list. He scored on a 99-yard kickoff return for the Green Bay, dashing the Patriots’ hopes for a comeback in Super Bowl XXXI. 

Are There Any Joint MVP Trophies?

Another one for the history books was Super Bowl XII in 1978. The Denver Broncos faced the Dallas Cowboys and their “Doomsday Defense.” They lived up to the nickname, leading to an unprecedented decision to name two co-MVPs.

Harvey Martin and Randy White were named Super Bowl MVPs. Both defensive linemen helped dismantle the Broncos’ offense. They limited Denver to only 156 yards of total offense, forcing eight turnovers. The Cowboys turned those turnovers into 10 points and won the game 27-10. 

Martin led the team in sacks for seven seasons and finished with 114 career sacks. White was named to nine consecutive All-Pro and Pro Bowl teams before retiring in 1988. They remain the only co-MVPs and are two of only ten defensive players to win the award. 

A Full List of Super Bowl MVP Winners

Wondering if your favorite has ever been crowned Super Bowl MVP? Here’s every Super Bowl MVP from 1967 to today:

• Super Bowl I: Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers
• Super Bowl II: Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers
• Super Bowl III: Joe Namath, New York Jets
• Super Bowl IV: Len Dawson, Kansas City Chiefs
• Super Bowl V: Chuck Howley, Dallas Cowboys
• Super Bowl VI: Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys
• Super Bowl VII: Jake Scott, Miami Dolphins
• Super Bowl VIII: Larry Csonka, Miami Dolphins
• Super Bowl IX: Franco Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
• Super Bowl X: Lynn Swann, Pittsburgh Steelers
• Super Bowl XI: Fred Biletnikoff, Oakland Raiders
• Super Bowl XII: Randy White and Harvey Martin, Dallas Cowboys
• Super Bowl XIII: Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers
• Super Bowl XIV: Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers
• Super Bowl XV: Jim Plunkett, Oakland Raiders
• Super Bowl XVI: Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers
• Super Bowl XVII: John Riggins, Washington Commanders
• Super Bowl XVIII: Marcus Allen, Los Angeles Raiders
• Super Bowl XIX: Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers
• Super Bowl XX: Richard Dent, Chicago Bears
• Super Bowl XXI: Phil Simms, New York Giants
• Super Bowl XXII: Doug Williams, Washington Commanders
• Super Bowl XXIII: Jerry Rice, San Francisco 49ers
• Super Bowl XXIV: Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers
• Super Bowl XXV: Ottis Anderson, New York Giants
• Super Bowl XXVI: Mark Rypien, Washington Commanders
• Super Bowl XXVII: Troy Aikman, Dallas Cowboys
• Super Bowl XXVIII: Emmitt Smith, Dallas Cowboys
• Super Bowl XXIX: Steve Young, San Francisco 49ers
• Super Bowl XXX: Larry Brown, Dallas Cowboys
• Super Bowl XXXI: Desmond Howard, Green Bay Packers
• Super Bowl XXXII: Terrell Davis, Denver Broncos
• Super Bowl XXXIII: John Elway, Denver Broncos
• Super Bowl XXXIV: Kurt Warner, St. Louis Rams
• Super Bowl XXXV: Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens
• Super Bowl XXXVI: Tom Brady, New England Patriots
• Super Bowl XXXVII: Dexter Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Super Bowl XXXVIII: Tom Brady, New England Patriots
• Super Bowl XXXIX: Deion Branch, New England Patriots
• Super Bowl XL: Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers
• Super Bowl XLI: Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
• Super Bowl XLII: Eli Manning, New York Giants
• Super Bowl XLIII: Santonio Holmes, Pittsburgh Steelers
• Super Bowl XLIV: Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
• Super Bowl XLV: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
• Super Bowl XLVI: Eli Manning, New York Giants
• Super Bowl XLVII: Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
• Super Bowl XLVIII: Malcolm Smith, Seattle Seahawks
• Super Bowl XLIX: Tom Brady, New England Patriots
• Super Bowl 50: Von Miller, Denver Broncos
• Super Bowl LI: Tom Brady, New England Patriots
• Super Bowl LII: Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles
• Super Bowl LIII: Julian Edelman, New England Patriots
• Super Bowl LIV: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
• Super Bowl LV: Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Super Bowl LVI: Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams
• Super Bowl LVII: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
• Super Bowl LVIII: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

The Super Bowl MVP List Continues

While many of the players mentioned are no longer playing, changing the guard in the NFL has brought forth new superstars. You’ll never forget seeing a current or future Super Bowl MVP in action. Find the best NFL tickets for the best price through TickPick and have a season to remember.