Youngest Starting QBs in Super Bowl History: Where Brock Purdy Ranks

The San Francisco 49ers quarterback could make history at this year’s Super Bowl.
Youngest Starting QBs in Super Bowl History: Where Brock Purdy Ranks
Youngest Starting QBs in Super Bowl History: Where Brock Purdy Ranks /

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, aka Mr. Irrelevant, has made it further than any of his critics could have possibly imagined. On Feb. 11, when the second-year pro suits up for Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas against the Kansas City Chiefs, he’ll ink his name in the history books next to a select group of signal-callers in their early 20s.

When Purdy takes the field at Allegiant Stadium, he will become the third-youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl. He will be 24 years and 46 days old at kickoff, and if he wins, he will become the youngest starting QB ever to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.

Dan Marino and Ben Roethlisberger remain the two youngest starting quarterbacks in Super Bowl history, respectively. Marino was 23 years and 127 days old when he started for the Miami Dolphins on Jan. 20, 1985, and Big Ben was 23 years and 340 days old when he started for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Feb. 5, 2006.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy threw four interceptions against the Baltimore Ravens, ending his bid to win the MVP.
Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers has a chance to become the youngest starting quarterback to win the Super Bowl :: Cary Edmondson/USA TODAY Sports

The rest of the list includes high-profile names as well as a few the casual fan may be surprised to see. Jared Goff, who lost to Purdy’s 49ers in the NFC title game, was 24 years and 112 days old when he started Super Bowl LIII for the Los Angeles Rams and ranks fifth. Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, Jalen Hurts, and Joe Burrow also make the list.

Here’s an updated ranking of the youngest starting quarterbacks in Super Bowl history.

The 10 youngest starting quarterbacks in Super Bowl history 

1) Dan Marino, Dolphins (23 years, 127 days)
2) Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers (23 years, 340 days)
3) Brock Purdy, 49ers (24 years, 46 days)
4) David Woodley, Dolphins (24 years and 97 days)
5) Jared Goff, Rams (24 years, 112 days)
6) Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs (24 years, 138 days)
7) Tom Brady, Patriots (24 years, 184 days)
8) Jalen Hurts, Eagles (24 years, 189 days)
9) Drew Bledsoe, Patriots (24 years, 347 days)
T-10) Joe Burrow, Bengals (25 years, 65 days)
T-10) Russell Wilson, Seahawks (25 years, 65 days)


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Kristen Wong
KRISTEN WONG

Kristen Wong is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. She has been a sports journalist since 2020. Before joining SI in November 2023, Wong covered four NFL teams as an associate editor with the FanSided NFL Network and worked as a staff writer for the brand’s flagship site. Outside of work, she has dreams of running her own sporty dive bar.