More than 26,000 men have played in the National Football League. Only 48 of them can claim to be a Super Bowl MVP.
There have been 56 Super Bowls prior to 2023. Five players have won the award more than once — all quarterbacks, believe it or not. In one Super Bowl, two players received the award (Dallas' Harvey Martin and Randy White). But most of the men who've won Super Bowl MVP have done it only once, one career-defining moment on the biggest stage in American sports.
Below, we've broken down the history of the Super Bowl MVP award, including which player has won it more than any other (it's not a surprising name).
MORE: Ranking the Super Bowl MVPs | Biggest whiffs
Who has won the most Super Bowl MVP awards?
The G.O.A.T. has won the most Super Bowl MVP awards. That's right, the answer is Tom Brady. He's claimed seven rings in his career, and five of those times he was also named Super Bowl MVP.
Five players in total have claimed the award multiple times. They're all quarterbacks. They are as follows:
- Tom Brady - 5
- Joe Montana - 3
- Bart Starr - 2
- Terry Bradshaw - 2
- Eli Manning - 2
Fittingly, both of Manning's Super Bowl MVP awards (one more than his brother, Peyton) came against Brady, the king of the Super Bowl MVP winners.
As of February 2021, the last decade's worth of Super Bowl MVP award winners are all active, giving them at least an outside shot of claiming a second and joining this even more exclusive club. Patrick Mahomes claimed Super Bowl MVP for the first time in just his second season as a starter and could have a decade or more to add to his particular total.
Super Bowl MVPs
Year | Super Bowl | MVP | Team | Pos |
1967 | I | Bart Starr | Packers | QB |
1968 | II | Bart Starr (2) | Packers | QB |
1969 | III | Joe Namath | Jets | QB |
1970 | IV | Len Dawson | Chiefs | QB |
1971 | V | Chuck Howley | Cowboys | LB |
1972 | VI | Roger Staubach | Cowboys | QB |
1973 | VII | Jake Scott | Dolphins | S |
1974 | VIII | Larry Csonka | Dolphins | RB |
1975 | IX | Franco Harris | Steelers | RB |
1976 | X | Lynn Swann | Steelers | WR |
1977 | XI | Fred Biletnikoff | Raiders | WR |
1978 | XII | Harvey Martin/Randy White | Cowboys | DE/DT |
1979 | XIII | Terry Bradshaw | Steelers | QB |
1980 | XIV | Terry Bradshaw (2) | Steelers | QB |
1981 | XV | Jim Plunkett | Raiders | QB |
1982 | XVI | Joe Montana | 49ers | QB |
1983 | XVII | John Riggins | Redskins | RB |
1984 | XVIII | Marcus Allen | Raiders | RB |
1985 | XIX | Joe Montana (2) | 49ers | QB |
1986 | XX | Richard Dent | Bears | DE |
1987 | XXI | Phil Simms | Giants | QB |
1988 | XXII | Doug Williams | Redskins | QB |
1989 | XXIII | Jerry Rice | 49ers | WR |
1990 | XXIV | Joe Montana (3) | 49ers | QB |
1991 | XXV | Ottis Anderson | Giants | RB |
1992 | XXVI | Mark Rypien | Redskins | QB |
1993 | XXVII | Troy Aikman | Cowboys | QB |
1994 | XXVIII | Emmitt Smith | Cowboys | RB |
1995 | XXIX | Steve Young | 49ers | QB |
1996 | XXX | Larry Brown | Cowboys | CB |
1997 | XXXI | Desmond Howard | Packers | KR/PR |
1998 | XXXII | Terrell Davis | Broncos | RB |
1999 | XXXIII | John Elway | Broncos | QB |
2000 | XXXIV | Kurt Warner | Rams | QB |
2001 | XXXV | Ray Lewis | Ravens | LB |
2002 | XXXVI | Tom Brady | Patriots | QB |
2003 | XXXVII | Dexter Jackson | Buccaneers | S |
2004 | XXXVIII | Tom Brady (2) | Patriots | QB |
2005 | XXXIX | Deion Branch | Patriots | WR |
2006 | XL | Hines Ward | Steelers | WR |
2007 | XLI | Peyton Manning | Colts | QB |
2008 | XLII | Eli Manning | Giants | QB |
2009 | XLIII | Santonio Holmes | Steelers | WR |
2010 | XLIV | Drew Brees | Saints | QB |
2011 | XLV | Aaron Rodgers | Packers | QB |
2012 | XLVI | Eli Manning (2) | Giants | QB |
2013 | XLVII | Joe Flacco | Ravens | QB |
2014 | XLVIII | Malcolm Smith | Seahawks | LB |
2015 | XLIX | Tom Brady (3) | Patriots | QB |
2016 | L | Von Miller | Broncos | LB |
2017 | LI | Tom Brady (4) | Patriots | QB |
2018 | LII | Nick Foles | Eagles | QB |
2019 | LIII | Julian Edelman | Patriots | WR |
2020 | LIV | Patrick Mahomes | Chiefs | QB |
2021 | LV | Tom Brady | Buccaneers | QB |
2022 | LVI | Cooper Kupp | Rams | WR |