Over the years, the Super Bowl MVP award has seen remarkable performances from some of the game's greatest players. The first recipient was Green Bay Packers quarterback Bart Starr, who also won the following year.
The award was originally presented by SPORT magazine, but since 1990, it has been handed out by the NFL. In Super Bowl XXV, the MVP trophy was renamed the Pete Rozelle Trophy in honour of the former NFL commissioner, with Ottis Anderson being the first to receive this newly named award.
Tom Brady holds the record for the most Super Bowl MVP awards, with five to his name - four with the New England Patriots and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Other multiple-time winners include Joe Montana and Patrick Mahomes, each with three, and Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw, and Eli Manning, each with two. Notably, Chuck Howley remains the only player to have won the MVP from the losing team, achieving this in Super Bowl V.
The MVP award has primarily been dominated by quarterbacks, who have claimed the honour 33 times in 58 games. However, other positions have also made their mark, including wide receivers, running backs, and defensive players. Unique occurrences in the award's history include Harvey Martin and Randy White sharing MVP honours in Super Bowl XII and Desmond Howard winning as a returner in Super Bowl XXXI.
Here is the full list of every Super Bowl MVP winner in NFL history:
2024: Patrick Mahomes (QB - Kansas City Chiefs)
2023: Patrick Mahomes (QB - Kansas City Chiefs)
2022: Cooper Kupp (WR - Los Angeles Rams)
2021: Tom Brady (QB - Tampa Bay Bucaneers)
2020: Patrick Mahomes (QB - Kansas City Chiefs)
2019: Julian Edelman (WR - New England Patriots)
2018: Nick Foles (QB - Philadelphia Eagles)
2017: Tom Brady (QB - New England Patriots)
2016: Von Miller (OLB - Denver Broncos)
2015: Tom Brady (QB - New England Patriots)
2014: Malcolm Smith (MLB - Seattle Seahawks)
2013: Joe Flacco (QB - Baltimore Ravens)
2012: Eli Manning (QB - New York Giants)
2011: Aaron Rodgers (QB - Green Bay Packers)
2010: Drew Brees (QB - New Orleans Saints)
2009: Santonio Holmes (WR - Pittsburgh Steelers)
2008: Eli Manning (QB - New York Giants)
2007: Peyton Mannings (QB - Indianapolis Colts)
2006: Hines Ward (WR - Pittsburgh Steelers)
2005: Deion Branch (WR - New England Patriots)
2004: Tom Brady (QB - New England Patriots)
2003: Dexter Jackson (FS - Tampa Bay Bucaneers)
2002: Tom Brady (QB - New England Patriots)
2001: Ray Lewis (MLB - Baltimore Ravens)
2000: Kurt Warner (QB - St Louis Rams)
1999: John Elway (QB - Denver Broncos)
1998: Terrell Davis (RB - Denver Broncos)
1997: Desmond Howard (WR - Green Bay Packers)
1996: Larry Brown (RCB - Dallas Cowboys)
1995: Steve Young (QB - San Fransisco 49ers)
1994: Emmitt Smith (RB - Dallas Cowboys)
1993: Troy Aikman (QB - Dallas Cowboys)
1992: Mark Rypien (QB - Washington Redskins)
1991: Ottis Anderson (RB - New York Giants)
1990: Joe Montana (QB - San Fransisco 49ers)
1989: Jerry Rice (WR - San Fransisco 49ers)
1988: Doug Williams (QB - Washington Redskins)
1987: Phil Simms (QB - New York Giants)
1986: Richard Dent (RDE - Chicago Bears)
1985: Joe Montana (QB - San Fransisco 49ers)
1984: Marcus Allen (RB - Los Angeles Raiders)
1983: John Riggins (FB - Washington Redskins)
1982: Joe Montana (QB - San Fransisco 49ers)
1981: Jim Plunkett (QB - Oakland Raiders)
1980: Terry Bradshaw (QB - Pittsburgh Steelers)
1979: Terry Bradshaw (QB - Pittsburgh Steelers)
1978: Randy White (RDT - Dallas Cowboys) &ย Harvey Martin (RDE - Dallas Cowboys)
1977:ย Fred Biletnikoff (WR - Oakland Raiders)
1976: Lydd Swann (WR - Pittsburgh Steelers)
1975: Franco Harris (FB - Pittsburgh Steelers)
1974: Larry Csonka (FB - Miami Dolphins)
1973: Jake Scott (FS - Miami Dolphins)
1972: Roger Staubach (QB - Dallas Cowboys)
1971: Chuck Howley (LLB - Dallas Cowboys)
1970: Len Dawson (QB - Kansas City Chiefs)
1969: Joe Namath (QB - New York Jets)
1968: Bart Starr (QB - Green Bay Packers)
1967: Bart Starr (QB - Green Bay Packers)
