The Super Bowl MVP was first handed out in 1967 when the Super Bowl I took place in Los Angeles in a matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs. Since then, the Super Bowl MVP has been awarded to 58 players, as of January 2025. Until 1989, the award was presented by the SPORT magazine, after which the league started handing them out itself. As of January 2025, the latest recipient of the Super Bowl MVP is Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, while Tom Brady sits atop the list of players who have won the Super Bowl MVP most times. According to Sports Illustrated, the Pete Rozelle Trophy is awarded to the Super Bowl game’s most valuable player.
List of Super Bowl MVP winners by position
Out of the 58 Super Bowls that have taken place, 33 times the Super Bowl MVP Award has gone to a quarterback, as of January 2025.
| Position | Total |
| Quarterback | 33 |
| Wide receiver | 8 |
| Running back | 7 |
| Linebacker | 4 |
| Defensive end | 2 |
| Safety | 2 |
| Cornerback | 1 |
| Defensive tackle | 1 |
| Kick returner/Punt returner | 1 |
Furthermore, the offensive players also lead the defensive players by a whopping margin. However, in 1977, for the first and only time, there was a co-Super Bowl MVP in Randy White and Harvey Martin, both on the defensive side (via Pro Football Reference).
Intriguingly, only one special teams member won this prestigious award: Desmond Howard of the Green Bay Packers, in Super Bowl XXXI against the New England Patriots.
FAQs on Super Bowl
A. According to CBS Sports, Chuck Howley is the only player in the history of the Super Bowl era to win the MVP on the biggest stage while on the losing team.
A. Bart Starr, quarterback of the Green Bay Packers, won the first Super Bowl MVP.
A. Tom Brady has won five Super Bowl MVPs.
A. The Super Bowl MVP trophy is also named as Pete Rozelle Trophy, as per Sports Illustrated.
