Playing quarterback in the NFL is one of the most challenging and subsequently, one of the most important jobs in sports. But every so often, even on the game’s biggest stage, the Super Bowl, there are teams that defy the inherent logic of the game and either win the game despite a terrible showing from their quarterback or lose it despite a great output from the man under center.
Time to get into it!
BEST by a Losing Quarterback Kurt Warner, St. Louis Rams – Super Bowl XXXVI (2002)
Kurt Warner’s journey from grocery store clerk to NFL MVP was one of the craziest stories that the league has ever seen, especially because he was not only able to make it to the NFL, but excelled there—not just in the regular season, but also the postseason. Warner won a Super Bowl with St. Louis and, well, he could’ve won two. He probably should’ve…
Two years later in Super Bowl XXXVI, Warner balled out against the upstart New England Patriots, throwing for 365 yards and a touchdown against Belichick’s fearsome defense. Despite his best efforts, the Rams fell short in a close game, losing 20-17, but Warner’s performance remains one of the most commendable quarterback efforts in a Super Bowl loss that the game has seen.
WORST by a Winning Quarterback Trent Dilfer, Baltimore Ravens – Super Bowl XXXV (2001)
Over the years, Trent Dilfer has caught quite a few strays for his comparative inability to perform at the same standard that his legendary Ravens team did—and the Super Bowl they won in 2001 was no exception.
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Dilfer, who was more or less a glorified game manager, threw for just 153 yards and one touchdown in a victory, as the game was completely dominated by the Ravens’ historically good defense. Baltimore may have won the game emphatically with a 34 to 7 margin over the New York Giants, but Dilfer doesn’t deserve much of the credit at all..
BEST by a Losing Quarterback – Tom Brady, New England Patriots – Super Bowl LII (2018)
I guess when you make it to so many Super Bowls you have a lot of practice, so much so, that even when you lose the odd one—you still put up an insanely impressive performance. Of course, knowing Tom Brady, he would’ve traded it all for the victory in a heartbeat, but credit to Brady for setting a Super Bowl record in 2018 with 505 passing yards, despite the losing effort from his team.
Number 12 also managed to add three touchdowns without an interception, marking one of the best statistical showings that the Super Bowl had ever seen. Unfortunately for the GOAT, his historic performance was all for not because the Patriots lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 41-33 in a high-scoring affair.
WORST by a Winning Quarterback – Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos – Super Bowl 50 (2016)
In what would ultimately be his final NFL game, as it should’ve been with how he played, Peyton Manning’s Super Bowl 50 performance was one of the worst actual quarterbacking displays the Super Bowl has ever seen.
It has been spun by the media that he helped win the game with his veteran leadership rather than statistical dominance, but let’s face it—this one was all the defense. Manning threw for 141 yards and an interception, with no touchdown passes. It is tough to get worse than that.
Obviously, this doesn’t take away from his Hall of Famer career—and banners fly forever, but still, there is no way around the fact that Manning played terribly in that game.
BEST by a Losing Quarterback Steve McNair, Tennessee Titans – Super Bowl XXXIV (2000)
Steve McNair was one of the most exciting quarterbacks to watch during his heyday because of his rare ability (at least at the time) to make plays with his legs, as well as his arm. He put these dual-threat capabilities on full display during Super Bowl XXXIV, throwing for 214 yards and rushing for an additional 64 yards, as he tried to will the Titans to victory.
Air McNair, however, came up just short, as Tennessee lost a nail-biter game against the St. Louis Rams. But, man, did he come close. Just about as close as one could get. His last-minute, game-tying drive attempt fell just one yard short of forcing overtime, with the Titans losing 23-16.
WORST by a Winning Quarterback – Bob Griese, Miami Dolphins – Super Bowl VIII (1974)
While Bob Griese’s legacy is forever cemented in Canton, the two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback doesn’t deserve much credit for the one that he secured in 1974. It is a stretch to even say that he “led” the Dolphins to a 24-7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, considering how little of an impact he really had on the outcome of that game.
Griese completed a “modest” 6 of 7 passes for a mere 73 yards. Granted, the Dolphins’ game plan was heavily reliant on their running game, which limited the role that Griese played in the offense, as it wasn’t predicated on the need to make big plays through the air. That said, Griese’s performance still has to be cited as one of the least impressive by a winning Super Bowl quarterback.
BEST by a Losing Jim Kelly, Buffalo Bills – Super Bowl XXV (1991)
While Jim Kelly isn’t exactly remembered for Super Bowl excellence, as he was a central component of the Bills’s four consecutive loss streak, the Hall of Famer quarterback does deserve credit for the effort he put forth in ’91 against New York.
In Super Bowl XXV, he led the Bills within moments of victory in a closely contested game against the Giants. The game is best remembered for the Bills’ missed field goal attempt in the final seconds, but Kelly played well, throwing for over 200 yards, an impressive total at the time, against a strong New York defense.
WORST by a Winning Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers – Super Bowl XL (2006)
Ben Roethlisberger’s performance in Super Bowl XL is commonly referenced as one of the single worst showings from a Super Bowl-winning quarterback of all time.
To say that Big Ben didn’t shine statistically in this one—would be a tremendous understatement. Roethlisberger completed just 9 of 21 passes for 123 yards and threw two interceptions (one of which was in the red zone), and no touchdown passes. So not only was he a minimal factor in the team’s success that night, but he was actively the problem—and had the defense not been so dominant, could’ve cost Pittsburgh the game.
Roethlisberger’s completion rate was under 43%, a stark contrast to the efficiency he put on display during the regular-season and his 123 passing yards were the fewest by a winning quarterback in a Super Bowl since the NFL-AFL merger. Needless to say, the Steelers’ 21-10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks should be credited to their defense and running game, not their future Hall of Fame quarterback.
BEST by a Losing Quarterback Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles – Super Bowl LVII (2023)
Jalen Hurts’ performance in Super Bowl LVII was nothing short of remarkable, despite the Philadelphia Eagles’ painful defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs. The game was hard fought all night long, finishing with a final score of 38 to 35, making it one of the most exciting Super Bowl showdowns in recent memory. Hurts’s athleticism was on full display all game, as he executed with precision both in the air and on the ground, putting his ability to escape pressure, make accurate throws, and utilize his mobility to extend plays and drives on full display
The Eagles’ talented quarterback completed 27 of 38 passes for 304 yards and a touchdown—and leveraged his running ability to tack on 15 carries for 70 rushing yards and an additional three rushing touchdowns, which was a record for any player, let alone a quarterback! Beyond the statistics, Hurts demonstrated remarkable leadership and poise, rallying the Eagles time and again in a tightly contested game.
Hurts played so well that he was able to solidify his status as one of the top QB’s in the league, despite actually losing the Big Game.
WORST by a Winning Quarterback – Johnny Unitas, Baltimore Colts – Super Bowl V (1971)
Super Bowl V is not remembered for excellent execution, not by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, it was dubbed and is colloquially known as “The Blunder Bowl” for the frightful incompetence that was on display throughout.
The Baltimore Colts may have been able to defeat the Dallas Cowboys 16 to 13, but they played far from a clean game—and neither Johnny Unitas nor Earl Morall, who replaced him mid-game deserve much credit for securing that W. Combined, Colts quarterbacks threw for only 113 yards and had 3 interceptions in the game… yikes! The Colts’ victory has since been attributed to their defense capitalizing on Cowboys’ mistakes rather than anything that their famous signal callers did. In fact, NFL historians consider it to be one of the poorest displays of quarterback play by a winning team in the history of the league’s most famous game.
