Super Bowl MVP: Unexpected Heroes Are Part of Big Game Lore

• Patrick Mahomes, Saquon Barkley, and Jalen Hurts have the best odds for Super Bowl LIX MVP
• Quarterbacks have won the MVP in 33 of the 58 Super Bowls played
• Unheralded players have given standout, MVP-caliber performances

The Super Bowl MVP is a frequent topic of discussion before the game. For Super Bowl LIX, the odds-on favorite is Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (currently at +110). Next is Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (+245). After that comes Philly quarterback Jalen Hurts (+325). The next closest candidate is Travis Kelce (+1600).

Since stars drive the NFL, there is a preference to give the award to a recognizable name even if it is at the expense of a more deserving player. However, there may be value in looking at under-the-radar names who could give standout performances. It’s happened in the past. Let’s look at players who came from seemingly nowhere for “Big Game Fame.”

Super Bowl I – Max McGee, SE, Green Bay Packers

The veteran end McGee was not expecting to play much, if at all. He planned to retire after the game. However, an injury to Boyd Dowler called him into service and he caught 7 passes for 138 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Super Bowl III – Matt Snell, RB, New York Jets

Jets quarterback Joe Namath won the award with an efficient, mistake-free performance after his brash prediction that New York would upset the heavily favored Colts. But Snell carried the team on his back, rushing to 121 yards on 30 carries, scoring the first and only touchdown of the game.

Super Bowl VII – Jake Scott, DB, Miami Dolphins

Before the game, the easy picks for MVP were quarterback Bob Griese (returning from a broken leg and dislocated ankle), fullback Larry Csonka, and wide receiver Paul Warfield. However, true to head coach Don Shula’s team-oriented concept, free safety Jake Scott won the award having intercepted two Billy Kilmer passes helping Miami beat Washington 14-7 in their undefeated season.

Super Bowl XII – Harvey Martin, DE & Randy White, DT – Dallas Cowboys

Quarterback Roger Staubach was the easy pregame pick. He played well, completing 17 of 25 passes for 183 yards and 1 touchdown. Running back Robert Newhouse had a case after rushing for 55 yards on 14 carries and throwing a 29-yard touchdown pass on a halfback option to Golden Richards.

Martin and White shared the MVP, combining for 3 sacks and tormenting Broncos QB Craig Morton, helping to hold him to 39 yards passing.

Super Bowl XV – Kenny King, RB, Oakland Raiders

Jim Plunkett won the MVP. But running back Kenny King — who shared the rushing attack duties with Mark Van Eeghen — made perhaps the game’s biggest play. With Oakland leading 7-0 over the Eagles in the first quarter, King caught a pass from a scrambling Plunkett and ran 80 yards down the sideline for a touchdown.

Super Bowl XX – Richard Dent, DE, Chicago Bears

The Bears blew out the Patriots so completely and so early that picking an MVP was difficult. Had Walter Payton scored a touchdown or gained 100+ yards, then he would have been an agreeable choice. The writers and the league were certainly not giving the MVP to the deserving candidate, QB Jim McMahon. Dent recorded 1.5 sacks in the game.

Super Bowl XXII – Doug Williams, QB, Washington Redskins

Williams had to win the award based on being the first Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl and the suffocating attention that narrative was getting. Statistically, he warranted it. But running back Timmy Smith — who was fourth on Washington’s depth chart — ran for 204 yards on 22 carries and 2 touchdowns.

Super Bowl XXX – Larry Brown, CB, Dallas Cowboys

Brown was overshadowed by his counterpart cornerbacks, first Kevin Smith and then Deion Sanders. He was not known for his hands and never did anything overtly spectacular. But Steelers quarterback Neil O’Donnell hit him twice like he was the intended receiver and he walked away with the MVP.

Super Bowl XXXI – Desmond Howard, KR, Green Bay Packers

No one would have picked Howard to win the Super Bowl MVP in a game that featured Brett Favre and Drew Bledsoe. In his career, he never did much as a receiver despite winning the Heisman Trophy at Michigan. But Howard ran a kickoff back 99 yards in the third quarter to put the game away. He totaled 244 yards on kick and punt returns.

Super Bowl XL – Hines Ward, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Ward caught 5 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown in the Steelers 21-10 win over the Seahawks. The obvious pregame choices were QB Ben Roethlisberger and RB Jerome Bettis. But Roethlisberger was horrendous completing 9 of 21 passes for 123 yards. He was intercepted twice. Bettis wasn’t much better.

Super Bowl XLIII – Santonio Holmes, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Holmes caught the game-winning pass with 35 seconds remaining in an entertaining Super Bowl. The surprising Cardinals nearly pulled off the upset. Overall, Holmes accrued 131 yards on 9 catches. ROLB James Harrison could have won the award based on his 100-yard interception return at the end of the first half.

Super Bowl LII – Nick Foles, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

Foles was called into action when starter Carson Wentz blew out his knee late in the season. In a game between Foles and Tom Brady, the likelier MVP is obvious. But Foles had the game of his life. Brady threw for 505 yards and obviously would have won the MVP had the Patriots pulled it out.

Super Bowl LIII – Julian Edelman, WR, New England Patriots

The Pats’ 13-3 win over the Rams was a painful watch. Tom Brady wasn’t great completing 21 of 35 passes with no TDs and an interception. Edelman caught 10 balls for 141 yards. Running back Sony Michel could have won the MVP based on his 94 yards on 18 carries and scoring the game’s lone TD.

Players to Watch in Super Bowl LIX

While the obvious choices for Super Bowl MVP are the big names for KC (Mahomes and Kelce) and Philly (Barkley, Hurts, A.J. Brown), some players have been major contributors and are key parts of the game plan. They could stand out.

For the Chiefs, those names include wide receiver Xavier Worthy and tight end Noah Gray. For the Eagles, tight end Dallas Goedert and linebacker Zack Baun could be crucial. Philly running back/kick returner Will Shipley had a huge NFC Championship Game against Washington and nearly broke two kickoffs for TDs.

So which players do you think will make their presence felt in Super Bowl LIX?