Super Bowl MVP – Who Ya Got?

The Super Bowl MVP award, officially known as the Pete Rozelle Trophy, is the most prestigious individual honor in American sports. Since 1967, it has served as the definitive stamp of a legendary performance on the world’s biggest stage.

As we prepare for Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium, here is a look at the history of those who have hoisted the trophy and the favorites to join them tonight.

The History of the Super Bowl MVP

The award was born with the “AFL-NFL World Championship Game” (Super Bowl I), where Green Bay’s Bart Starr became the first recipient. Since then, the award has become a reflection of the league’s evolution—most notably its transition into a pass-heavy, quarterback-driven era.

1. The Quarterback Hegemony

Of the 59 previous trophies awarded, 34 have gone to quarterbacks. The logic is simple: in the modern NFL, the player touching the ball on every play is most likely to dictate the outcome.

• Tom Brady holds the record with 5 MVPs (four with New England, one with Tampa Bay).

• Joe Montana and Patrick Mahomes follow with 3 each.

• Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw, and Eli Manning are the only other multi-time winners (2 each).

2. The Defensive & Special Teams “Unicorns”

Winning the award as a non-quarterback requires a truly historic statistical output.

• The Rare Defenders: Only 10 defensive players have ever won. Von Miller (SB 50) was the last to do it, joining icons like Ray Lewis and Richard Dent.

• The Special Teams Legend: Desmond Howard (SB XXXI) remains the only special teams player to win the award, thanks to his 99-yard kickoff return that sealed the game for Green Bay.

• The Only Co-MVPs: In Super Bowl XII, the Dallas Cowboys’ Harvey Martin and Randy White shared the trophy—the first and only time it has been split.

3. The Ultimate Anomaly

In Super Bowl V, Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley made history by becoming the first—and so far only—player to win Super Bowl MVP while playing for the losing team. Despite the Baltimore Colts winning the game, Howley’s two interceptions were so dominant that voters couldn’t ignore him

Super Bowl LX: MVP Betting Odds

Matchup: Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots

Heading into tonight’s clash in Santa Clara, the odds are heavily favoring the signal-callers, but a few skill-position players are gaining “sharp” steam.