How many times has an NFL MVP won the Super Bowl?
Last year Patrick Mahomes failed to join the small list of players who has finished the season with the two biggest prizes.
It is one of sport’s great truisms that the best teams are not necessarily comprised of the best players. In the NFL, the annual Most Valuable Player award is the pinnacle of individual achievement but there are surprisingly few examples of those players going on to win a Super Bowl in the same year.
It looked like that list might get another entry last year, when Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was named MVP ahead of his team’s appearance at Super Bowl LIX. However a resounding loss to the Philadelphia Eagles ended that dream for another season. To date, only four players have been crowned MVP and Super Bowl champion in the same season.
Who has won the MVP and Super Bowl double?
- Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers, 1966
Bart Starr, quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, had a stellar 1966 season, leading his team to a 12-2 record and earning the NFL MVP award. In the 1966 NFL Championship Game, better known as the first-ever Super Bowl, Starr completed 16 of 23 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns, earning him Super Bowl MVP honours as the Packers defeated the Dallas Cowboys.
- Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers, 1989
Joe Montana, the legendary quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, won his third Super Bowl and was named the Super Bowl MVP in 1989. Montana led the 49ers to a 14-2 regular season record and was named the NFL MVP for his efforts. In the Super Bowl, Montana completed 22 of 29 passes for a Super Bowl record 357 yards and two touchdowns, solidifying his status as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
- Brett Favre, Green Bay Packers, 1996
Brett Favre, a three-time MVP and future Hall of Famer, led the Green Bay Packers to a 13-3 record in the 1996 season. Favre’s impressive play earned him the NFL MVP award and he continued his dominant play in the Super Bowl, throwing for 246 yards and two touchdowns as the Packers defeated the New England Patriots. Favre’s performance in the 1996 Super Bowl cemented his legacy as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.
- Kurt Warner, St. Louis Rams, 1999
Kurt Warner’s story is one of perseverance and determination. After spending years as a grocery store bagger and Arena Football League quarterback, Warner finally got his chance to start in the NFL in 1999. He made the most of it, winning the MVP award and leading the St. Louis Rams to a Super Bowl victory. In Super Bowl XXXIV, Warner threw for a then-Super Bowl record 414 yards and two touchdowns, earning him Super Bowl MVP honors.
Did Tom Brady ever win MVP and Super Bowl?
Interestingly, despite Tom Brady’s incredible record, he has never won the NFL Regular Season MVP and the Super Bowl in the same season.
Brady has won three NFL Regular Season MVP awards in his career (2007, 2010 and 2017), all for the New England Patriots, but in none of those seasons did they go on to win the Super Bowl. He has won seven Super Bowl championships throughout his career, but the MVP award for those Super Bowls was awarded to other players.
Has Patrick Mahomes ever won MVP and Super Bowl?
Likewise, Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes has never done the double. He won the NFL Regular Season MVP award in the 2018 season after throwing for 50 touchdowns and 5,097 yards and leading the Kansas City Chiefs to a 12-4 record and a division championship. However the Chiefs lost to the New England Patriots in the championship game, denying him a place in the history books.
Mahomes won his first Super Bowl in the 2019 season, when the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 31-20 in Super Bowl LIV. In that game Mahomes completed 26 of his 42 pass attempts for 286 yards and two touchdowns, earning him the Super Bowl MVP award for his performance. However he lost out to Lamar Jackson in the regular season MVP vote.
Related stories
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.
Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
Complete your personal details to comment