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Every Non-Quarterback to Win Super Bowl MVP
The Pete Rozelle Trophy is given to the most impactful player in the Super Bowl: the MVP. More often than not, that results in the winning quarterback adding some hardware to his trophy case.
It’s hard to argue against the signal caller winning it, given that the quarterback touches the ball on every play. However, there have been plenty of years when fans scoff and declare that the wrong person won the award.
Non-Quarterback MVP
And there have been other years where the quarterback’s play was overshadowed by a Herculean effort from a teammate.
Typically, that player comes from the offensive side of the ball, but a handful of defenders have been named MVP as well.
These are the players we’re breaking down in this list. Every non-quarterback to be named the Super Bowl MVP.
Super Bowl MVP Beyond the Quarterback Position
Roughly 57% of the time, a quarterback is named Super Bowl MVP. A panel made up of 16 media members working the Super Bowl selects the MVP. A fan vote is also used, but fan voting accounts for only 20% of the vote.
That leaves 43% to the other positions.
Wide receivers have won eight Super Bowl MVP awards, while running backs have won seven. Defensive players account for 10.
Super Bowl | Year | Player | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Super Bowl V | 1971 | Chuck Howley | LB | Dallas Cowboys |
Super Bowl VII | 1973 | Jake Scott | S | Miami Dolphins |
Super Bowl VIII | 1974 | Larry Csonka | RB | Miami Dolphins |
Super Bowl IX | 1975 | Franco Harris | RB | Pittsburgh Steelers |
Super Bowl X | 1976 | Lynn Swann | WR | Pittsburgh Steelers |
Super Bowl XI | 1977 | Fred Biletnikoff | WR | Oakland Raiders |
Super Bowl XII | 1978 | Harvey Martin, Randy White | DL | Dallas Cowboys |
Super Bowl XVII | 1983 | John Riggins | RB | Washington |
Super Bowl XVIII | 1984 | Marcus Allen | RB | Los Angeles Raiders |
Super Bowl XX | 1986 | Richard Dent | DL | Chicago Bears |
Super Bowl XXIII | 1989 | Jerry Rice | WR | San Francisco 49ers |
Super Bowl XXV | 1991 | Ottis Anderson | RB | New York Giants |
Super Bowl XXVIII | 1994 | Emmitt Smith | RB | Dallas Cowboys |
Super Bowl XXX | 1996 | Larry Brown | CB | Dallas Cowboys |
Super Bowl XXXI | 1997 | Desmond Howard | KR/WR | Green Bay Packers |
Super Bowl XXXII | 1998 | Terrell Davis | RB | Denver Broncos |
Super Bowl XXXV | 2001 | Ray Lewis | LB | Baltimore Ravens |
Super Bowl XXXVII | 2003 | Dexter Jackson | S | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Super Bowl XXXIX | 2005 | Deion Branch | WR | New England Patriots |
Super Bowl XL | 2006 | Hines Ward | WR | Pittsburgh Steelers |
Super Bowl XLIII | 2009 | Santonio Holmes | WR | Pittsburgh Steelers |
Super Bowl XLVIII | 2014 | Malcolm Smith | LB | Seattle Seahawks |
Super Bowl 50 | 2016 | Von Miller | LB | Denver Broncos |
Super Bowl LIII | 2019 | Julian Edelman | WR | New England Patriots |
Super Bowl LVI | 2022 | Cooper Kupp | WR | Los Angeles Rams |
Defensive Players Who Changed the Course of the Super Bowl
Chuck Howley (LB): Howley is the only losing player in history to win Super Bowl MVP. Dallas lost to Baltimore in Super Bowl V, but the linebacker forced a fumble and intercepted two passes.
Jake Scott (S): Scott intercepted two passes (including one in the end zone) in Super Bowl VII to help the Dolphins finish a perfect season. It remains the only undefeated championship season in NFL history.
Harvey Martin and Randy White (DE, DL): Martin and White led a Dallas defense that was absolutely suffocating in Super Bowl XII. The Cowboys forced eight turnovers and racked up four sacks.
Richard Dent (DE): Dent forced two fumbles and piled up 1.5 sacks in Super Bowl XX, leading Chicago to a dominant victory over New England.
Larry Brown (CB): Brown intercepted two passes in Super Bowl XXX, leading the Cowboys to their fifth Super Bowl win.
Ray Lewis (LB): In terms of statistics, Super Bowl XXXV wasn’t Lewis’ best game. However, he led a dominant Baltimore defense that allowed just 152 yards to the Giants.
Dexter Jackson (S): Jackson’s two interceptions helped propel Tampa Bay to a victory and becoming the first safety since Scott to win Super Bowl MVP.
Malcolm Smith (LB): Smith had 10 tackles, a pick 6 and a fumble recovery for Seattle, leading the team to a dominant win in Super Bowl XLVIII.
Von Miller (LB): Miller forced two fumbles and sacked Cam Newton 2.5 times to win Super Bowl 50 MVP. The Broncos allowed just 10 points to the NFL’s No. 1 offense.
Skill Position Players to Win Super Bowl MVP
Larry Csonka (RB): Csonka took 33 carries for 145 yards and two touchdowns in Super Bowl VIII for Miami.
Franco Harris (RB): Harris took home Super Bowl IX honors, rushing for 158 yards and a score for the Steelers.
Lynn Swann (WR): Swann caught four passes for 161 yards and a touchdown, helping the Steelers go back-to-back in Super Bowl X.
Fred Biletnikoff (WR): Super Bowl XI went to the Raiders behind Biletnikoff’s four catches for 79 yards.
John Riggins (RB): Riggins ran for 166 yards and a touchdown, propelling Washington to a victory in Super Bowl XVII.
Marcus Allen (RB): Allen scored twice and rushed for 191 yards for the Raiders, winning Super Bowl XVIII.
Jerry Rice (WR): Rice nabbed 11 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown, securing a championship for the 49ers.
Ottis Anderson (RB): Leading the Giants to a squeaker over the Bills in Super Bowl XXV, Anderson rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown.
Emmitt Smith (RB): Smith took a whopping 30 carries for 132 yards and two touchdowns, propelling Dallas to a win in Super Bowl XXVIII.
Desmond Howard (WR/KR): Howard racked up 244 all-purpose yards—including a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown—in Green Bay’s victory in Super Bowl XXXI.
Terrell Davis (RB): Davis rumbled and stumbled for 30 carries, 157 yards and three touchdowns in Denver’s Super Bowl XXXII win.
Deion Branch (WR): Branch caught 11 passes for 133 yards, becoming the first of two Patriots wide receivers to win Super Bowl MVP (Super Bowl XXXIX).
Hines Ward (WR): The Steelers won Super Bowl XL behind a stellar effort from Ward, who caught five passes for 123 yards and a touchdown.
Santonio Holmes (WR): Holmes caught nine passes for 131 yards and an incredible touchdown to win Super Bowl XLIII, winning MVP in the process.
Julian Edelman (WR): Edelman paced the New England offense in Super Bowl LIII, securing 10 catches for 141 yards.
Cooper Kupp (WR): Kupp’s two touchdown (and 92 yard) performance for the Rams earned him Super Bowl LVI honors.
Non-Quarterbacks Who Should Have Won Super Bowl MVP
Chris Jones, Super Bowl LIV (DT): Jones was a force for Kansas City in Super Bowl LIV. He was the driving factor behind 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s first interception, had two consecutive pass breakups in the fourth quarter and faced constant double teams.
Justin Tuck, Super Bowl XLII (DT): Tuck led a Giants defensive line that hounded Tom Brady and the Patriots all game long. He finished with two sacks, two QB hits and two tackles for a loss.
Matt Snell, Super Bowl III (RB): Broadway Joe Namath got the MVP honors, but the Jets didn’t throw the ball a single time in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl III. Instead, the team kept handing the ball to Snell, who finished with 160 total yards and a touchdown.
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Nathan Cunningham is a writer for Sports Illustrated and Minute Media. Throughout his career, he has written about collegiate sports, NFL Draft, Super Bowl champions, and more. Nathan has also been featured in FanSided and 90Min. Nathan loves colorful uniforms, mascots and fast-break pull-up 3-pointers. He graduated from BYU in 2016 with a degree in journalism.