The Super Bowl is where names are made in the NFL, especially for the league’s signal callers, who sit atop the pressure pyramid. The lights are never brighter and thus, there is an opportunity to establish yourself as a legend. There is, however, a dark side to that opportunity, and it is the risk of getting exposed for your inability to deliver.
Let’s take a look back through the years at the five greatest and five worst NFL quarterbacks in Super Bowl history.
GREATEST – Tom Brady
Tom Brady’s status as one of the greatest quarterbacks in Super Bowl history has been cemented time and time again. Not only is it a testament to his longevity but a reflection of the unparalleled success that he had (along with Bill Belichick) and the unmatched level of impact he had on the biggest games of his career. Brady has appeared in ten Super Bowls, winning seven of them—including the epic run down in Tampa Bay, giving him more than any other player in NFL history.
It is hard to make a case that there has ever been a quarterback to play at a higher level when the stakes were raised.
WORST – Kerry Collins
Listen… All things considered, Kerry Collins was a solid NFL quarterback. He didn’t exactly live up to the top 5 pick billing, but he made two Pro Bowls at a time when that meant something and was a starter in the league for a long time.
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That said, he will likely go down as not only one of the worst quarterbacks to ever make it to a Super Bowl, but for also having one of the worst performances we’ve ever seen. Granted, Collins had the deck stacked against him going up against Ray Lewis and the fearsome Baltimore Ravens defense in Super Bowl XXXV, but it was ugly! Collins threw four interceptions as the New York Giants were dominated by the Baltimore in a game that was never even remotely close.
GREATEST – Steve Young
One of the most challenging things in sports is following up a legend. Very few guys can do it and even keep up a league average level, let alone become a legend in their own right, but that is exactly what Steve Young did following in Joe Montana’s footsteps.
Young might not have been able to secure multiple rings the way that Montana did when he was the starter in San Francisco, but his career was decorated as they come with multiple MVP awards and Pro Bowls—and in the one Super Bowl he won, Young absolutely balled out. Steve Young hucked an insane six touchdown passes in Super Bowl XXIX, setting a Super Bowl record. His performance not only earned him the Super Bowl MVP but also helped secure his legacy as one of the game’s best quarterbacks, especially when the lights were at their brightest.
WORST – Rex Grossman
Rex Grossman’s performance in Super Bowl XLI is frequently cited as one of the worst Super Bowl outings we’ve ever seen out of a starting quarterback. There were doubts about Grossman even going into the game, but once he stepped out onto the NFL’s biggest stage it was obvious that he was no match for the highest level of competition that the league had to offer that year. As the starting quarterback for the Chicago Bears, Grossman faced off against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in a game that was marred by inconsistencies and critical errors. Granted there were some weather elements he was battling in the rain-soaked contest, but still, Grossman threw for just 165 yards, with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown.
The Bears offense simply couldn’t get anything going with Grossman leading the way, despite Indy repeatedly keying in on the run and daring the quarterback to beat them. The Bears ultimately fell to the Colts 29-17 and Grossman was cemented as one of the worst QBs to ever step foot on a Super Bowl field.
GREATEST – Joe Montana
Until Tom Brady came around, it was widely believed that Joe Montana would forever remain undisputed as the best quarterback that the game had ever seen—not just in the regular season, but also specifically in terms of his ability to perform during the Super Bowl.
Over his storied career with the San Francisco 49ers, Montana led his team to four Super Bowl victories (XVI, XIX, XXIII, and XXIV), earning Super Bowl MVP honors three times—a testament to his poise and leadership in the most critical moments of the most critical games.
Perhaps the most iconic moment of Montana’s Super Bowl career, which really embodies that poise and leadership, came in Super Bowl XXIII, again against the Bengals. With the 49ers trailing late in the game, Montana orchestrated a 92-yard drive culminating in a game-winning touchdown pass to John Taylor with just 34 seconds remaining. This drive, often referred to simply as “The Drive,” epitomized Montana’s calm under pressure and earned him the moniker “Joe Cool.”
WORST – Craig Morton
The crazy thing about Craig Morton is that the old-time quarterback had the rare distinction of actually leading two separate franchises to Super Bowls: the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl V and the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XII. Morton, however, never had the chops to get his squad over the hump. In fact, in both games he was primary reason that his team came up short.
Super Bowl V came to be known as the “Blunder Bowl” because the game was so ugly. Morton completed just 12 of 26 passes for 127 yards and one touchdown, while also surrendering three interceptions. If he had played just marginally better, he might’ve been able to get a W because the final was 16 to 13.
Super Bowl XII was no better. In fact, it was worse. He completed four of 15 passes for 39 yards with no touchdowns and four interceptions before getting pulled from the game entirely. What made this game all the more painful for Morton was that his Broncos were going up against his former team—just adding to the humiliation.
GREATEST – Patrick Mahomes
While it may feel like it is too early in his career to put Patrick Mahomes atop the Mount Rushmore of Super Bowl quarterbacks, it is hard to argue against it at this point. To put it simply, Mahomes’ ascent in the NFL has been meteoric and, really, unprecedented. His performances in the Super Bowl have quickly established him as one of the greatest quarterbacks to grace the league’s grandest stage.
Since entering the league, he’s never been knocked out before the AFC Championship Game—and he’s gone two for three in Super Bowls, only losing the 2021 Super Bowl against Tom Brady in the Buccaneers home stadium with injuries all over the Chiefs Roster.
Mahomes has been dominant as they come. His crowning achievement came In Super Bowl LIV against the San Francisco 49ers. Despite facing a ten-point deficit late in the game, Mahomes orchestrated a stunning fourth-quarter comeback, leading the Chiefs to score 21 unanswered points to win the game 31-20. Mahomes was pivotal in this comeback, connecting on two touchdown passes in the final quarter, earning himself Super Bowl MVP honors in the process.
WORST – Trent Dilfer
Trent Dilfer’s inclusion among of the worst quarterbacks in Super Bowl history is somewhat nuanced, as it wasn’t so much his poor performance in the Super Bowl itself, after all, his team won the game… But rather the context of his career and the role he played in his team’s championship victory. Dilfer may have “won” Super Bowl XXXV as the starting quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens against the New York Giants, with the Ravens triumphing 34-7, but the game was utterly dominated by Baltimore’s historically good defense.
Dilfer himself? Well, he completed 12 of 25 passes for 153 yards and one touchdown. He may have done well to protect the football and get the W, but this performance is not indicative of a quarterback ready to win his team a Super Bowl, instead, one that merely didn’t lose it for them.
GREATEST – Troy Aikman
While Troy Aikman was clearly a beneficiary of playing for a dominant Cowboys dynasty in the 1990s, there is no denying that the signal caller deserves his fair share of credit for the team’s sustained success. Aikman’s reputation for being one of the greatest quarterbacks in Super Bowl history was well earned through his remarkable performances and leadership year in and year out in what was a very tumultuous city to play in during the 1990s.
Aikman led the Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories in four years (XXVII, XXVIII, and XXX), with his best performance coming in XXVII, where he completed 22 of 30 passes for 273 yards an four touchdowns, earning MVP honors against the Bills.
WORST – Neil O’Donnell
Neil O’Donnell’s performance in Super Bowl XXX, while playing as the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Dallas Cowboys earned him a nod on this dubious list of the worst quarterbacks in Super Bowl history.
For O’Donnell, it was a series of critical mistakes that cost his team a chance at victory and got him on this list. He completed 28 of 49 passes for 239 yards, but also surrendered two terrible picks to Cowboys defensive back, Larry Brown, both of which directly led to Dallas scoring opportunities. The second of the two picks came with the Steelers trailing by just three in the third quarter and allowed Dallas to extend their lead permanently.
