The countdown to Super Bowl LX continues, and the MVP market continues to grow more and more fascinating by the day.
Sam Darnold has been a hot favourite since markets opened, but the recent shoulder injury to Drake Maye has seen the Pats’ signal caller drift slightly in betting, with Seattle playmakers Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Kenneth Walker on the next line of betting.
It’s a quarterback award, but as you’ll see below, some of the most memorable Super Bowl MVP performances have come at other positions.
Will Darnold or Maye add their name to the list? Or could we see a surprise standout emerge on Monday to crack our Top 10?
Honourable Mentions
Julian Edelman – Super Bowl LIII
10 catches, 141 yards
No one will blame you if you’ve deleted this game from your memory. Edelman was flawless in helping capture the Pats their sixth Super Bowl title though, reeling in 10 catches against a Sean McVay defence that ranked bottom 10 in completions.
John Riggins – Super Bowl XVII
166 rushing yards, 1 TD
Another one from Washington’s glory days. Riggins’ overall numbers back in 1982 don’t leap out on paper, but when you look at his playoff numbers – 444 yards and 3 TDs in just three games – it’s easy to understand why he’s regarded as one of the all-time great Super Bowl MVPs.
10. Phil Simms – Super Bowl XXI
268 passing yards, 3 TDs
Simms’ numbers aren’t eye-popping compared to others on this list. But the fact he led the Giants to their first ring after erasing a half-time deficit has to count for something. Most of his good work came in the second half, which also earned him the best playoff passer rating (88 per cent) until Brady went one better in the 2007 AFC Divisional Round.
9. Patrick Mahomes – Super Bowl LVIII
333 passing yards, 2 TDs
Mahomes gets the nod here after torching a Niners defence that had ranked among the best in the league all year. San Francisco finished the regular season Top 10 in sacks while allowing only 24 touchdowns in the red zone.
8. Troy Aikman – Super Bowl XXVIII
273 passing yards, 4 TDs
One of Aikman’s best games came on the biggest stage when he put paid to the Bills in a 52-17 rout. Another heartbreaker for Buffalo, but the end to a 15-year drought for the Cowboys and the start of something very special.
7. Jerry Rice – Super Bowl XXIII
11 catches, 215 yards, 1 TD
We touched on Rice earlier, but he’s still worthy of his own spot – only for a different game. Montana was equally electric in the Niners’ win over the Bengals in 1989, but Rice’s game-tying touchdown in the fourth quarter stands alone as the key moment that led to back to back rings.
6. Kurt Warner – Super Bowl XXXIV
414 passing yards, 2 TDs
Not just one of the best to ever play the position, but also one of the best to do so for a very long time. Warner’s 73-yard completion to Isaac Bruce remains one of the most replayed moments in Super Bowl history, right after Kevin Dyson being tackled on the one-yard line for the Titans.
5. Doug Williams – Super Bowl XXII
340 passing yards, 4 TDs
One of the NFL’s most famous rags to riches story. Williams was a backup at one point for the Redskins and the first black quarterback to earn a Super Bowl ring. The 1987 Broncos weren’t known for giving up points, let alone 42 unanswered on the biggest stage.
4. Malcolm Smith – Super Bowl XLVIII
10 tackles, fumble recovery, INT for a TD
Monstrous numbers from a guy who sometimes gets forgotten about. Smith’s career spanned only 10 years, but he remains the biggest reason why the Seahawks currently have at least one Lombardi in their trophy cabinet.
3. Joe Montana – Super Bowl XXIV
297 yards, 5 TDs
Montana’s famous duel with Dan Marino only four years earlier could easily rival this performance, but five touchdowns – three of which were caught by Jerry Rice – is pretty hard to argue against.
2. Steve Young – Super Bowl XXIX
325 passing yards, 6 TDs
If the Pats don’t beat the Falcons in OT, you could argue Steve Young probably deserves the top spot on this list. Regardless, the timing of Young’s performance remains almost unmatched. A year after the Niners decided to part ways with Joe Montana and name young the starter, they were quickly rewarded.
1. Tom Brady – Super Bowl LI
466 passing yards, 2 TDs
A consensus No. 1 on most Super Bowl MVP lists, and one that should stand the test of time. The first Super Bowl game to reach overtime, plus the largest comeback in Super Bowl history.