Power Ranking Every Super Bowl MVP

With Super Bowl XLVII in the books, the 2012 NFL season has come to a close. The Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl, and Joe Flacco won Super Bowl MVP.

His three touchdowns in the first half led the way as Baltimore built a big lead over the San Francisco 49ers. The last question that remains is just where Flacco's performance ranks all-time compared to every other Super Bowl MVP winner.

Join us as we rank Flacco and every Super Bowl MVP winner in NFL history.

Key Game Stats: Four receptions for 79 yards

The worst Super Bowl MVP distinction goes to Fred Biletnikoff. His four receptions and 79 yards were rather pedestrian for any game MVP.

In this Super Bowl, the Oakland Raiders jumped out to a 16-0 lead in the second quarter on the Minnesota Vikings. They never looked back and cruised to an easy 32-14 win.

Biletnikoff winning the award was rather surprising, especially considering that running back Pete Banaszak managed to rush for two touchdowns. However, Biletnikoff was a bigger name at the time and took home MVP honors in surprising fashion.

Key Game Stats: Three combined sacks

Super Bowl XII brought about the only time in Super Bowl history that two players shared MVP honors. Unfortunately, neither Randy White nor Harvey Martin made much sense as an MVP choice.

Sure, the Dallas Cowboys were able to force the Denver Broncos to commit eight turnovers, but neither White nor Martin recovered a fumble or an interception. If anything, the fact that Dallas' cornerbacks held the Broncos to only eight completions on the day should have won them the MVP trophy.

Key Game Stats: 309 passing yards and two touchdowns

When looking at what Terry Bradshaw did in Super Bowl XIV, you might be surprised to see this performance ranked so low on our list.

However, along with his 309 passing yards and two touchdowns, Bradshaw also threw three interceptions. Those three interceptions kept the Los Angeles Rams in the game for a while.

Had Bradshaw not thrown those three interceptions, the Pittsburgh Steelers would have likely had a much larger win than 31-19.

Key Game Stats: 142 passing yards and one touchdown

We have to remember that it was a different game back when Len Dawson was quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs. However, 142 passing yards and a touchdown isn't impressive no matter when you were playing, especially as a Super Bowl MVP.

Dawson also threw an interception in this game; a game in which the Chiefs had little difficulty from the Minnesota Vikings. A better choice for MVP might have been wide receiver Otis Taylor, who finished the game with six receptions, 81 yards and a touchdown.

Key Game Stats: 202 passing yards and one touchdown

The Green Bay Packers won both Super Bowl I and II, and Bart Starr was the MVP in both games. It's his second MVP performance that lands him this low on the list.

In the game against the Oakland Raiders, Starr only managed to throw for 202 yards and a touchdown. However, what really brings him down in our rankings is that he only completed 13 of his 24 pass attempts. 

Starr is no doubt one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game, but this Super Bowl MVP performance wasn't his best.

Key Game Stats: 157 passing yards, one touchdown and one rushing touchdown

Joe Montana is the only player to ever win three Super Bowl MVPs, but his performance in his first ever Super Bowl was easily his worst.

While he did tally two total touchdowns, his 157 passing yards were pretty pedestrian. On top of that, Montana slowed down in the second half, giving the Cincinnati Bengals a chance to make a comeback.

Montana would play much, much better in his other Super Bowl wins, but his first Super Bowl was rather rough.

Key Game Stats: Five total tackles and four passes defensed

Super Bowl XXXV was the same year that Ray Lewis won NFL Defensive Player of the Year. This is the only logical explanation for why he won Super Bowl MVP.

While his four passes defensed were undeniable, he only had five tackles. Considering Jamaal Lewis had over 100 rushing yards and a touchdown, watching the defensive Lewis raise the MVP trophy was certainly surprising.

He'll have another chance in his final game to put together a better MVP performance and redeem himself from this rather unimpressive game.

Key Game Stats: 206 passing yards

The only reason that Joe Namath ranks even this high is because he won a Super Bowl that many consider to be one of the greatest upsets of all time.

The Baltimore Colts entered this game as huge favorites, but Joe Namath famously guaranteed a win for his New York Jets. They went on to win 16-7, and Namath and his 206 passing yards were good enough to win Super Bowl MVP.

Key Game Stats: 247 passing yards and one touchdown

While Peyton Manning will go down as one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game, his lone Super Bowl win wasn't overly impressive.

He completed nearly 66 percent of his passes, but only for 247 yards and one touchdown. Manning also threw an interception.

Thankfully, Manning was playing the Chicago Bears and the completely inept Rex Grossman. This allowed the Indianapolis Colts to cruise to a victory and for Manning to raise his lone Super Bowl MVP trophy.

Key Game Stats: 145 passing yards and one touchdown

Everyone remembers Super Bowl XXXVI as the Super Bowl that introduced us all to a man named Tom Brady. What they don't seem to remember is that Brady was less than spectacular in this game.

The New England Patriots defense completely shut down the high-scoring offense of the St. Louis Rams. Brady completed less than 60 percent of his passes in this game.

But they all remember the final drive that Brady led to give Adam Vinatieri a chance to win that game. However, even on that drive, Brady didn't make many spectacular throws, with three of his five completions going to his running back.

Brady was good enough to pull a huge upset over the better team, but his performance in Super Bowl XXXVI wasn't quite as impressive as everyone seems to remember.

Key Game Stats: 102 rushing yards and one touchdown

Had Scott Norwood's final field goal not sailed wide right, Thurman Thomas would have been a worthier Super Bowl MVP than Ottis Anderson. Thomas finished the game with 135 rushing yards, 55 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Unfortunately, Norwood did miss, and Anderson took home MVP honors. His 102 rushing yards were a respectable amount, but nothing eye-popping.

Following this Super Bowl, Anderson struggled to make much of an impact and was out of the league three years later.

Key Game Stats: 119 passing yards and two touchdowns

Super Bowl VI was was of the least eventful Super Bowls, as the Dallas Cowboys absolutely dominated the Miami Dolphins. They won by a final score of 24-3.

Roger Staubach managed two touchdown passes despite only completing 12 passes in this game. With his 19 attempts, that gave him an average of just over six yards per attempt.

It was nothing special, but Staubach certainly did enough to warrant the MVP trophy in this game.

Key Game Stats: Two sacks and two forced fumbles

The 1985 Chicago Bears were one of the greatest teams to ever play the game, and their dominance in Super Bowl XX was evidence of that. They manhandled the New England Patriots by a score of 46-10, with their defense living up to expectations.

Richard Dent certainly had himself a fine game with two sacks and two forced fumbles. He was a force throughout the entire game and kept the Patriots offense in check.

Any number of players on the Bears defense could have won this award, but Dent was just as deserving as any other player.

Key Game Stats: 11 receptions and 133 yards

In the New England Patriots' third Super Bowl in four years, Deion Branch was named Super Bowl MVP after pulling in 11 receptions for 133 yards.

While Tom Brady did throw two touchdowns to make the case for his third MVP trophy, Branch made big play after big play. His 11 receptions also happened to tie him with Jerry Rice and Dan Ross for the most in Super Bowl history, which certainly helped his case.

Key Game Stats: 250 yards and two touchdown passes

In the first Super Bowl, Bart Starr officially made his mark in the league by leading the Green Bay Packers to victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. It was an easy win led by Starr's two touchdown passes and the Packers' addition of another three touchdowns on the ground.

Both of Starr's touchdowns went to Max McGee, who finished Super Bowl I with seven receptions, 138 yards and two touchdowns. McGee would have certainly been worthy of MVP honors in this game, but Starr was the more polarizing figure and did a great job leading Green Bay in this game.

Starr will always be remembered for winning Super Bowl I, which helps to bump him up in our rankings due to significance. 

Key Game Stats: Two interceptions

Dexter Jackson may be one of the most undeserving Super Bowl MVPs in NFL history. That doesn't mean he didn't play quite well for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII, but rather that the award should have gone to another player.

That player was Dwight Smith, who also had two interceptions. However, both of Smith's interceptions were returned for touchdowns.

They did both come in the second half after Tampa Bay had already built a huge lead, but Smith still deserved this award. Thankfully for Jackson, we are just ranking Super Bowl MVPs based on how well they played, and Jackson played quite well.

Key Game Stats: Five receptions, 123 yards and one touchdown

Super Bowl XL will always be remembered as one of the worst officiated games in NFL history. In fact, few will ever remember that Hines Ward was the MVP of this game.

His statistics were definitely worthy of winning Super Bowl MVP. He averaged 24.6 yards per reception, including a 43-yard touchdown pass to seal the win in the fourth quarter.

Ward was always one of the league's most polarizing figures, so seeing him finally win a Super Bowl and Super Bowl MVP was good for the league.

Key Game Stats: Two interceptions

The great thing about Larry Brown winning Super Bowl MVP was that Brown was actually a backup cornerback to start the season. He was the nickel cornerback before an injury to Kevin Smith propelled Brown into the starting lineup.

Brown responded with one of the better seasons of his career and capped it off with a Super Bowl MVP. His two interceptions in Super Bowl XXX were crucial in the Dallas Cowboys beating the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Brown also became the first cornerback to win Super Bowl MVP.

Key Game Stats: Two interceptions

Had this Super Bowl not completed the first and only perfect season in NFL history, Jake Scott would have ranked much lower in our rankings of Super Bowl MVPs.

However, with a final score of 14-7, the Miami Dolphins desperately needed Scott's two interceptions to beat the Washington Redskins. One of his interceptions came on the second offensive possession of Washington and really set the tone for the remainder of the game.

Scott will always be remembered as the Super Bowl MVP of the only perfect team in the history of the NFL.

Key Game Stats: 158 rushing yards and one touchdown

While the Pittsburgh Steelers were known for their defense heading into Super Bowl IX, it was Franco Harris who led the way to the Steelers' first Super Bowl win.

Harris had 34 carries in this game, a rather astounding number. He successfully kept the ball out of the hands of the Minnesota Vikings and let the Steelers play their style of football.

His 158 rushing yards broke the record for most rushing yards in a Super Bowl, which was set by Larry Csonka just one year earlier.

Key Game Stats: Two interceptions and a fumble recovery

The main reason Chuck Howley ranks this high is because he is the only Super Bowl MVP in NFL history to play for a losing team. That's right: Howley didn't even play for the Baltimore Colts, the winner of Super Bowl V.

This Super Bowl was one of the sloppiest Super Bowls ever played. Neither team could do much of anything, and the Colts won by a final score of 16-13.

While Howley officially won MVP honors, he refused to accept the award because his team lost.

Key Game Stats: 292 passing yards and two touchdowns

Mark Rypien helped the Washington Redskins build a 24-0 lead early in the third quarter, and the Buffalo Bills were never able to recover. His 292 yards and two touchdowns were far superior to what Jim Kelly was able to do, as he threw four interceptions.

Rypien also became the third different starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl for the Redskins, which was the first time a franchise did that in NFL history.

Key Game Stats: 132 rushing yards and two touchdowns

In the Dallas Cowboys' second-straight Super Bowl win, Emmitt Smith was the player who dominated the game.

With the Cowboys and Buffalo Bills tied at 13-13 in the third quarter, Smith scored back-to-back touchdowns. This gave Dallas a 14-point lead and officially put the game out of reach for the Bills.

Smith became the only player in NFL history to lead the league in rushing yards, win the Most Valuable Player award and Super Bowl MVP in the same season.

Key Game Stats: 296 passing yards and one touchdown

The most recent Super Bowl MVP comes in at No. 23 in our rankings. 

Eli Manning was hot throughout the playoffs and continued his strong play against the New England Patriots. He completed 75 percent of his passes, but it was the final drive that ultimately ranks him this high.

With the New York Giants down by two points with just under four minutes remaining, Manning drove the ball down the field. He set up a short Ahmad Bradshaw touchdown run to give New York a 21-17 lead.

Tom Brady's comeback came up short, and Manning won his second Super Bowl MVP.

Key Game Stats: 145 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns

While the Miami Dolphins didn't go undefeated as they won their second-straight Super Bowl, Larry Csonka still ranks higher than Jake Scott in our rankings. 

The biggest reason is because Csonka was an absolute beast for Miami as they beat the Minnesota Vikings. His 33 rushing attempts and 145 rushing yards were both Super Bowl records.

Key Game Stats: 261 passing yards and three touchdowns

Jim Plunkett started off Super Bowl XV with a bang. He threw two of his three touchdown passes in the first quarter, giving the Oakland Raiders an early 14-0 lead.

His third touchdown pass and his second to receiver Cliff Branch put the Raiders up 24-3 in the third quarter. The Philadelphia Eagles were unable to make a comeback, eventually losing 27-10.

While Plunkett was definitely deserving of this award, it was a little surprising that outside linebacker Rod Martin and his three interceptions didn't win him Super Bowl MVP.

Key Game Stats: 287 passing yards and three touchdowns

It appeared as if Joe Flacco was going to end up having a much better game than he actually did in Super Bowl XLVII. All three of his touchdown passes came in the first half, as did the majority of his passing yards. He slowed down quite a bit in the third and fourth quarter, as the San Francisco 49ers fought their way back into the game.

However, when the Baltimore Ravens needed a big play in the second half, Flacco delivered a huge throw. With the 49ers completely shutting down Ray Rice and Bernanrd Pierce, the Ravens needed their quarterback in the worst way.

While it looked like Colin Kaepernick might ultimately steal the show in the second half, Flacco came out on top and cemented his place in NFL history.

Key Game Stats: Nine receptions, 131 yards and one touchdown

We all remember Santonio Holmes' game-winning touchdown reception with only six seconds remaining. It was one of the best catches in Super Bowl history and a huge reason why he is No. 20 in our rankings.

What we don't always remember is that Holmes was dominant for the entire game-winning drive, not just the touchdown reception. In that final drive, Holmes had three receptions for 67 yards before his final six-yard reception.

He'll always be remembered for his tip-toe catch, but Holmes played a brilliant game throughout Super Bowl XLIII.

Key Game Stats: 255 passing yards and two touchdowns

It didn't take Eli Manning long to catch up to his brother Peyton in terms of Super Bowl wins. In fact, one year after Peyton hoisted the Super Bowl MVP trophy, Eli did the same thing.

Manning pulled one of the all-time surprise wins by stopping the New England Patriots from completing a 19-0 season. His final drive, made extremely famous by David Tyree's helmet catch, was a thing of absolute beauty.

Key Game Stats: 336 passing yards, one touchdown and one rushing touchdown

After Terrell Davis led John Elway and the Denver Broncos to their first Super Bowl, Elway was the catalyst behind the Broncos winning their second Super Bowl.

He was extremely efficient and dominant in his dismantling of the Atlanta Falcons. His 336 passing yards and two total touchdowns helped Denver build a 31-6 lead in the fourth quarter.

This was also Elway's final game in the NFL, which makes it all the more significant. 

Key Game Stats: 273 passing yards and four touchdowns

In the first of three Super Bowls over a four-year span, Troy Aikman put on a show against the Buffalo Bills.

He completed 22 of his 30 passing attempts for 273 yards and four touchdowns. He also added 28 yards on the ground, giving him 311 total yards on the day.

Aikman's performance was the beginning of a dynasty in Dallas, and it was a truly remarkable performance.

Key Game Stats: 304 passing yards and three touchdowns

It seems like forever, but it was just two years ago that Aaron Rodgers put together one of the better games in Super Bowl history in Super Bowl XLV.

He was extremely impressive throughout the entire playoffs, but he brought his game to a whole other level against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Rodgers effectively evaded any pass rush that the Steelers brought and was able to consistently move the ball down the field.

This included putting together a scoring drive late in the fourth quarter to give the Green Bay Packers a 31-25 lead. It was this win that officially put Rodgers in the "elite" category of quarterbacks.

Key Game Stats: 354 passing yards and three touchdowns

Tom Brady's second Super Bowl victory went much, much better in terms of production than his first Super Bowl win.

The fourth quarter of this game between the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers produced a record 37 points. Brady contributed two touchdowns in that fourth quarter, and he also led New England down the field to put Adam Vinatieri within range to kick a game-winning field goal.

This was Brady's second MVP trophy in just three years and made him recognized as one of the best playoff quarterbacks to ever play the game.

Key Game Stats: 288 passing yards and two touchdowns

Efficiency is the key word when looking at what Drew Brees did in Super Bowl XLIV.

His 32 completions in this game tied Tom Brady for the most completions in a Super Bowl. However, what separates him from Brady is the fact that Brees only needed 39 attempts to get 32 completions.

That is a ridiculous completion percentage of 82 percent in the biggest game of Brees' life. On top of that, Brees also successfully breathed life back into a franchise that was barely holding on before he arrived.

All these reasons add up to making Brees our 14th-best Super Bowl MVP.

Key Game Stats: 99-yard kick return touchdown and 244 all-purpose yards

It may seem strange to see a player who was primarily a special teams player ranked this high, but Desmond Howard certainly deserves it.

His 90 punt return yards are a Super Bowl record, and his 244 total return yards are also tied for an NFL record. However, what truly makes Howard's performance in Super Bowl XXXI so impressive was his clutch 99-yard kickoff return touchdown.

After the New England Patriots cut the Green Bay Packers' lead to six points in the third quarter, Howard went to work. His touchdown (and ensuing two-point conversion) put the Packers up by a score of 35-21.

Howard's performance is what every special teams player hopes to accomplish one day.

Key Game Stats: 331 passing yards, three touchdowns and one rushing touchdown

Joe Montana's second Super Bowl MVP was quite a bit better than his first.

After trailing 10-7 in the first quarter, Montana and the San Francisco 49ers completely took over the game. They scored 21 straight points (14 produced by Montana) in the second quarter and went on to win by a score of 38-16.

Montana's 331 passing yards set a new record for most passing yards in a Super Bowl. His 59 rushing yards also broke a record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a Super Bowl.

While both those records have since been broken, it still shows just how dominant a performance Montana put together to win Super Bowl XIX.

Key Game Stats: 318 passing yards and four touchdowns

In his first ever Super Bowl, Terry Bradshaw played one of the best games of his entire life.

He ended up setting numerous Super Bowl records, including most passing yards and touchdowns in a Super Bowl. His touchdown pass to John Stallworth in the second quarter that covered 75 yards also tied Johnny Unitas for a Super Bowl record.

The Pittsburgh Steelers needed every bit of Bradshaw's performance, as they barely eked out a win over the Dallas Cowboys by a score of 35-31.

Key Game Stats: Four receptions, 161 yards and a touchdown

While four receptions certainly isn't anything to boast about, it's the way Lynn Swann made those four receptions that was so impressive.

First, his yards per reception average was a ridiculous 40.25 yards per catch. His 64-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter was what ultimately won the game for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Second, three of Swann's four receptions have to be considered some of the most memorable catches in Super Bowl history. It was truly a remarkable performance from a truly remarkable receiver.

Key Game Stats: 166 rushing yards and one touchdown

What John Riggins did in Super Bowl XVII was incredible. 

His 38 carries is still a Super Bowl record for most rushing attempts, and his most impressive play came on a crucial 4th-and-1. Riggins got the handoff and rumbled 43 yards to give the Washington Redskins a 20-17 lead in the fourth quarter.

With the way the NFL continues to shift more toward the quarterback, we may never see another Super Bowl performance like Riggins' from a running back.

Key Game Stats: 414 passing yards and two touchdowns

After winning the Most Valuable Player award during the regular season, Kurt Warner looked to add to his trophy case with a Super Bowl MVP.

He came out firing instantly against the Tennessee Titans and never slowed down. His 414 passing yards are still the most by a quarterback in the Super Bowl. In fact, Warner holds down the top three spots in that category.

By winning Super Bowl MVP, Warner joined the elite company of Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana, Emmitt Smith and Steve Young as the only players to ever win Super Bowl MVP after winning the MVP of the regular season.

Key Game Stats: 11 receptions, 215 yards and one touchdown

The greatest receiver to play the game certainly didn't slow down when he took his talents to the Super Bowl. Over the course of his career, Jerry Rice has set numerous career receiving records with 33 receptions, 589 yards and eight touchdowns in four Super Bowls.

His best performance came in Super Bowl XXIII, where his 11 receptions tied a Super Bowl record. His 215 receiving yards (more than half of Joe Montana's total yards) still stands as a Super Bowl record.

Rice dominated this game from start to finish. 

Key Game Stats: 157 rushing yards and three touchdowns

When the Denver Broncos entered Super Bowl XXXII against the Green Bay Packers, not many people gave them a chance to come away with the win.

However, Terrell Davis made sure that people remembered just how good of a running back he was. While he didn't have many "wow" moments in this win, Davis was extremely consistent throughout the contest.

His 157 rushing yards were extremely crucial in keeping the Packers offense off the field, and his three rushing touchdowns still stands as a Super Bowl record. Simply put, Davis dominated a very good team to rank as the sixth-best Super Bowl MVP ever.

Key Game Stats: 340 passing yards and four touchdowns

As great as Doug Williams was in Super Bowl XXII, his teammate Timmy Smith was also a deserving MVP candidate. However, there was too much history surrounding Williams to not give him the award at the end of the game.

Some of that history included the fact that Williams became the first African American quarterback to start a Super Bowl. Williams also managed to throw all four of his touchdown passes in the second quarter, as the Washington Redskins scored 42 unanswered points in this game.

Williams helped catapult the offense to a record 602 yards of total offense in one of the most dominating Super Bowl performances ever.

Key Game Stats: 191 rushing yards and two touchdowns

The entire Oakland Raiders team could have won Super Bowl MVP for their complete thrashing of an extremely talented Washington Redskins team.

However, Marcus Allen not only had the best individual performance, he also had a single play that will forever be remembered. In the third quarter, Allen took a handoff and put together a 74-yard touchdown run that was a thing of beauty.

That run alone would have been good enough to rank Allen quite high, but his overall performance brings him in at No. 4.

Key Game Stats: 268 passing yards and three touchdowns

The key word when trying to describe Phil Simms in Super Bowl XXI is perfection.

Simms headed into the second half against the Denver Broncos down by a score of 10-9. He then managed to not throw an incompletion the rest of the game to go along with two of his three touchdown passes.

His quarterback rating (150.92) and completion percentage (88 percent) are both Super Bowl records that are unlikely to be broken. While Simms often gets criticized, his play to win Super Bowl MVP in this game was absolutely brilliant.

Key Game Stats: 325 passing yards and six touchdowns

It didn't take Steve Young very long to establish himself as one of the best Super Bowl quarterbacks of all time. He started the game with back-to-back touchdowns on the San Francisco 49ers' first two possessions and never looked back.

He'd go on to throw another four touchdown passes to finish the day with a Super Bowl-record six touchdowns. He also had the most rushing yards of any player in the game with 49.

Young's performance in Super Bowl XXIX was certainly one of the greatest of all time, but he falls just short of topping out as the No. 1 Super Bowl MVP.

Key Game Stats: 297 passing yards and five touchdowns

This was Joe Montana's third Super Bowl MVP trophy, the most ever by a player. His five touchdown passes also set a record, though it was eventually broken by Steve Young five years later.

However, what really puts this performance on a level unlike any other is how Montana completely overwhelmed John Elway and the Denver Broncos, 55-10. This 45-point margin of victory is the largest in Super Bowl history.

Super Bowl XXIV gave Montana his fourth Super Bowl win, and he joined Terry Bradshaw as one of the only quarterbacks to rack up that many.

Joe Montana is the No. 1 Super Bowl MVP in NFL history.