Who are the Super Bowl MVPs throughout history?

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes was named Super Bowl MVP for the second time in 2023, as he led the Kansas City Chiefs to their third Super Bowl victory, narrowly beating Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35. Mahomes won the award just days after being named NFL MVP.

Most Valuable Players: all-time records

Most Valuable Player in a Super Bowl is an outstanding individual award available for an American footballer; over the course of 57 Super Bowls, six players have been named more than once.

If you want to be named MVP in a Super Bowl, it helps to be a quarterback. A lot. More than half of the MVPs in the Super Bowl’s history have been QBs, with all the players who have been named more than once being quarterbacks.

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Now-retired legend Tom Brady holds the record for most awards as Super Bowl MVP, having been named on five occasions.

Brady also won the Super Bowl twice more, where he was not named MVP: Super Bowl XXXIX vs Philadelphia Eagles, won by the Patriots 24-21, with wide receiver Deion Brach being named MVP for his 133 receiving yards and 11 catches, a Super Bowl record; and, Super Bowl LIII vs Los Angeles Rams, won by the Patriots 13-3, with wide receiver Julian Edelman being named MVP for his 141 receiving yards.

Super Bowl LVII MVP odds

As usual, the two quarterbacks were the favorites to be named MVP at Super Bowl LVII, with Patrick Mahomes as a slight favorite. He was quoted at +130, while Jalen Hurts was next up, at +145.

Outside the quarterbacks, the Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce was at +1,400, and Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Tyreek Hill and Miles Sanders both follow at +2,500. Check out Mahomes’ stats via the team at SofaScore.

Chiefs MVPs

Aside from Mahomes, there is one other Chiefs player who was named Super Bowl MVP: and back in 1969 at Super Bowl IV, quarterback Len Dawson was awarded the trophy for his performance in the Chiefs’ 23-7 win over the Minnesota Vikings.

MVPs on the losing side

Only one player has been named Super Bowl MVP from the losing team: Chuck Howley, in the Cowboy’s 16-13 defeat to the Baltimore Colts. He recorded two interceptions but the decision was widely felt to be an odd one, with the Colts’ tight end John Mackey recording two catches for 80 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

Most times named MVP

Tom Brady, as noted above, tops the list with five Super Bowl MVP Trophies. He’s followed by five other quarterbacks who have recorded two or more:

Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers: 3 (XVI, XIX, XXIV)

Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers: 2 (XIII, XIV)

Eli Manning, New York Giants: 2 (XLIII, XLVI)

Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers: 2 (I, II)

Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (LIV, LVII)

MVPs by position

Quarterback: 32

Running back: 7

Wide receiver: 8

Linebacker: 4

Defensive end: 2

Safety: 2

Cornerback: 1

Defensive tackle: 1

Kick returner: 1 (Desmond Howard, who returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown and celebrated by dancing the robot)

Joint MVP Trophies

On one occasion the MVP was awarded jointly, in Super Bowl XII, when the Dallas Cowboys’ Harvey Martin (defensive end) and Randy White (defensive tackle) picked up the trophy.

Full list of Super Bowl MVPs