A large quantity of Super Bowl MVPs have or will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Hello, Joe Montana, Tom Brady, Peyton MAnning, et al.
There are many other members from the “Hall of Very Good” that also captured MVP honors, like Jake Scott, Phill Simms and Ottis Anderson.
And then there are some guys who were inconsistent and/or simply not impactful throughout their playing careers. But these nine guys stepped up big-time on the grandest stage, earning Super Bowl MVP honors for their efforts.
9. Nick Foles
This guy looked to be nothing more than a one-year wonder. Foles tossed 27 touchdowns against just two interceptions in 2013, leading the Eagles to an NFC East division title.
But Foles’ 2014 season was cut short due to injury, and he was later traded to the St. Louis Rams. After struggling as their starter for 11 games, Foles was let go — and he opted to join the Kansas City Chiefs as Alex Smith’s backup in 2016.
Foles returned to Philly in 2017, but he had to step in as the starter when Carson Wentz went down with an ACL tear in Week 14. Foles guided the underdog Eagles to Super Bowl 52, where they met the defending champion New England Patriots.
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Many expected Philly’s magical run to end at the hands of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. Instead, Foles looked like a seasoned veteran who had already won multiple Super Bowls.
He torched New England’s secondary all game long, tossing 373 yards and three touchdowns while catching one TD pass — the Philly Special. The Eagles won 41 to 33, and Foles was named MVP after leading the franchise to their first ever Super Bowl championship.
Foles made five more starts for an injured Wentz in 2018, leading the Eagles back into the playoffs. But the fun ride in Philly ended after he signed a four-year contract worth $88 million with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Of course, Foles struggled mightily in Duval County and eventually lost his starting job to Gardner Minshew.
Foles will never be the Eagles starter again, and since he always struggles outside of their offense, it’s safe to say that he’ll be career backup from here on out.
But hey, a Super Bowl ring and an MVP award is pretty good for a guy who’s spent the majority of his career as a backup.
8. Santonio Holmes
Drafted 25th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2006, Holmes became a nice complement to Hines Ward and Heath Miller in the passing game. Holmes gave Pittsburgh some much-needed speed over the middle of the field, and he put up very solid numbers in the Steel City.
Holmes recorded over 800 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons in Pittsburgh. His best year took place in 2009, where Holmes recorded 79 receptions for 1,248 yards and five touchdowns.
That said, Holmes was never a Pro Bowler, and he only hit the 1,000-yard mark once in his career. Luckily for the Steelers, Holmes broke through with an ultra-dominant performance…when his team needed it most.
In Super Bowl 43 against the Arizona Cardinals, Holmes caught nine passes for 131 yards and a touchdown. He set up the game-winning drive by catching a 40-yard pass before being tackled near the five.
Two plays later, Roethlisberger made a pinpoint accurate throw to Holmes in the back of the end zone; the latter made a jaw-dropping tip-toe catch to give Pittsburgh the lead. The defense held on for a 27-23 victory, and Holmes was rightfully named MVP for his efforts.
Holmes was traded to the New York Jets in the 2010 offseason, but he never came close to repeating his success in Pittsburgh — although the Super Bowl 43 MVP did enough to help them reach the 2009 and 2010 AFC Championship Games. No Pro Bowls and only one 1,000-yard season. But the man was a Super Bowl champion and MVP, so he’s certainly not going to complain about how his career went down.
7. Desmond Howard
The 1991 Heisman Trophy winner was an eh-okay wide receiver during his NFL playing career. Howard, simply put, did practically all of his damage in the special teams game.
Though Howard made a lot of big plays for the Green Bay Packers, he was only a one-time Pro Bowler in his career. Howard wasn’t exactly a Devin Hester when it came to kick and punt returns. But he was solid.
That said, as every Packer fan will tell you, Howard chose the perfect time to put up the best performance of his career. That would be Super Bowl 31, where Green Bay met the Drew Bledsoe-led Patriots.
Howard recorded 154 kick return yards on just four returns. He also had 90 punt return yards on six attempts.
But his 99-yard kickoff return touchdown in the third quarter essentially put the game away — as well as the case for who should win Super Bowl MVP. Howard’s TD helped the Packers build a 14-point lead, and the defense prevented New England from scoring again.
Howard’s performance ensured that he *probably* never had to buy a drink in Green Bay again. But aside from this, as well as the 2000 Pro Bowl season, there’s not a whole lot to remember from Howard’s NFL career.
6. Joe Flacco
The Baltimore Ravens just needed an average quarterback to complement their power rushing game and stingy defense, led by Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Terrell Suggs. Joe Flacco fit the bill nicely after Baltimore took him 18th overall in 2008.
Flacco never put up fancy stats; his career high in touchdowns is 27, and he only hit 4,000 passing yards once. But he was able to manage the game for Baltimore, and Flacco always turned his game on in the postseason. Always.
The Ravens made the AFC Championship in two of Flacco’s first four seasons, but they lost on both occasions. However, they finally pulled through in 2012 — defeating Tom Brady’s Patriots in the AFC title game to punch a Super Bowl 47 ticket.
Flacco entered the big game with eight touchdowns against zero interceptions in the 2012-13 postseason. He picked up right where he left off, torching the San Francisco 49ers’ fierce defense with 22 completions for 287 yards and three touchdowns.
Flacco’s Ravens performed a goal line stand for the ages near the end of the game, and Baltimore melted enough clock down to clinch their second Super Bowl of the 21st century.
Flacco was unsurprisingly named Super Bowl MVP after his clutch performance. The Ravens rewarded their Super Bowl-winning QB with a whopping six-year extension worth $120.6 million…which obviously turned out to be a problem in the long run.
But hey, the Ravens had to award Flacco. Even though he never regained that magical form for the Ravens again, Flacco left a lasting legacy in Baltimore: As a Super Bowl 47 champion and MVP.
Hard to beat that.
5. Doug Williams
Williams was the starting quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1978 to ‘82, and his numbers were something else. He went 33-33-1 as the starter, and he had 73 touchdowns against 73 interceptions. He should have just changed his name to “Mr. 500.”
Following a short stint in the USFL, Williams joined the Washington Redskins in 1986. He saw practically zero playing time that year, but Williams briefly took over the starting reigns when No. 1 quarterback Jay Schroeder suffered an injury in Week 1.
Though Williams only made two starts that year, head coach Joe Gibbs decided to start him over Schroeder for the postseason. Williams did just enough to help the Redskins sneak through the NFC Divisional Round as well as the Conference Championship Game.
Williams led Washington to a Super Bowl 22 showdown against John Elway’s high-flying Denver Broncos. But like everybody else on this list, Williams picked the perfect night for his career performance.
Williams embarrassed Elway in the quarterback duo, tossing 340 yards on just 18 completions for four touchdowns. The Redskins destroyed the Broncos by a final score of 42-10, and Williams was named Super Bowl MVP.
But injuries — as well as the rise of backup Mark Rypien — led to Williams playing just 15 total games over the 1988 and ‘89 campaigns. Williams then decided to retire, and Rypien led Washington to a Super Bowl 26 championship to cement dynasty status.
4. Deion Branch
During the early years of the New England Patriots’ dynasty, Tom Brady didn’t have any Grade-A pass catchers to work with. His best receiver was Deion Branch, but the latter was more suited to be a No. 2 or 3 pass-catcher.
Branch only hit the 800-yard mark three times in his career, though he recorded 998 during the 2005 season. But you get the idea now: Branch was very solid, but far from a game-changer.
However, like so many of Bill Belichick’s players over the years, Branch simply turned his game up a notch when the Patriots needed it most.
The Patriots met Donovan McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 39, and Brady was locked in with Branch from start to finish.
Branch finished the game with 11 receptions and 133 yards. To put it into perspective, Brady had 236 passing yards that night. Only 103 of those were to guys not named Branch. Just think about that.
Branch helped the Patriots move the ball consistently, and the defense kept McNabb and company in check for a 24-21 victory. The win gave the Patriots their third Super Bowl in four years, and Branch was named Super Bowl 39 MVP.
Branch finished his career with 518 receptions for 6,644 yards and 39 touchdowns. Solid, but nothing spectacular. His name is still secured in NFL immortality because of that one big game, though.
3. Malcolm Smith
The Seahawks were carried by the ‘Legion of Boom’ defense that consisted of Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor. They also had tremendous supporting pieces in corner Byron Maxwell and pass-rushers Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril.
But it was Malcolm Smith who played hero not once, but twice, during the Seahawks’ Super Bowl 48 run.
Smith was the one who intercepted Colin Kaepernick’s endzone-bound pass — which was batted away by Richard Sherman — to save the Seahawks in the 2013 NFC Championship Game.
Smith’s clutch performance didn’t end there. In Super Bowl 48 against the Denver Broncos’ record-setting offense, Smith recorded a 69-yard pick-six off of Peyton Manning. He also had 10 combined tackles and one forced fumble.
The Seahawks blew out the Broncos 43 to 8, winning their first Super Bowl in franchise history. Smith was named the MVP, but he never repeated that magic again, and he has since bounced around from team to team.
2. Dexter Jackson
The 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers had one of the greatest defenses EVER! Led by future Hall of Famers Derrick Brooks and Warren Sapp, the Bucs defense featured five first-team all-pros. In their first year under head coach Jon Gruden, Tampa Bay allowed just 12.3 points per game.
The Bucs met Gruden’s old team, the Oakland Raiders, in Super Bowl 37. Tampa’s opponent was led by 2002 MVP Rich Gannon and the GOAT of wideouts, Jerry Rice.
But Tampa Bay’s defense dominated the Oakland offense all game long, sacking Gannon five times while recording as many interceptions off of him. Five INTs in a Super Bowl? Yep. This Tampa unit was something else alright.
But none of the Buccaneer’s first-team all-pros were named Super Bowl 37 MVP. Rather, it was safety Dexter Jackson, who had two interceptions in the game.
However, many were shocked to learn that Jackson had won the award. Simeon Rice had two sacks and one forced fumble, and Dwight Smith had two pick-sixes in the contest. Surely, Smith deserved it over Jackson…no?
Hey, Jackson won’t ever complain about it. The Super Bowl 37 championship and MVP honors were the defining moments of his career, which wasn’t anything memorable outside of this special night.
1. Larry Brown
He wasn’t a Pro Bowler, and he only played in the NFL for eight years from 1991 to ‘98. That doesn’t sound like somebody who would be enshrined in Super Bowl lore, now does it?
Well actually, cornerback Larry Brown was part of all three Dallas Cowboys’ Super Bowl championship teams in the ‘90s. And he played a monumental in the third one, when the Cowboys met the Steelers in Super Bowl 30 — looking to cement dynasty status.
Brown recorded two interceptions off of Steelers’ quarterback Neil O’Donnell in the game — one in the third quarter and another in the fourth. Brown’s heroics paced Dallas to a 27-17 victory, as they clinched their fifth Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.
Brown wasn’t a true game-changer by any means throughout his career…except for when the Cowboys really needed somebody to step up.
Who do you think is the worst player to win Super Bowl MVP?
