SAN FRANCISCO – AUGUST 10: (L-R) Former San Francisco 49er players Steve Young, Jerry Rice and Joe Montana stand with a Super Bowl trophy during a public memorial service for former 49ers coach Bill Walsh August 10, 2007 at Monster Park in San Francisco, California. NFL Hall of Famer Bill Walsh, who was known by many as “The Genius” for leading the San Francisco 49ers to three Super Bowl championships, died last week at the age of 75 after a long battle with leukemia. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The 50 greatest players in Super Bowl history

35. Timmy Smith – Washington Redskins, Super Bowl XXII

Doug Williams was so good that night in a blowout victory over Denver that Smith wasn’t MVP despite the fact he ran for a Super Bowl-record 204 yards while scoring two touchdowns. Sure, a lot of his yards came in garbage time, but Smith also had three runs of 19 yards or more in a huge second quarter.

34. Hines Ward – Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowls XL, XLIII and XLV

TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 01:  Wide receiver Hines Ward #86 of the Pittsburgh Steelers is over come with emotion as he celebrates on the field after the Steelers won 27-23 against the Arizona Cardinals during Super Bowl XLIII on February 1, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.  (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Ward had 166 receiving yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh’s two victories last decade, and he added 78 yards and a touchdown in a 2010 Super Bowl loss to Green Bay.

33. Michael Irvin – Dallas Cowboys, Super Bowls XXVII, XXVIII, XXX

The Hall of Famer had 256 yards and a pair of touchdowns in Dallas’ three Super Bowl victories in the early-1990s.

32. John Stallworth – Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowls IX, X, XIII, XIV

There have been 10 70-yard receptions in Super Bowl history, and Stallworth caught two of them. He didn’t play a large role in Pittsburgh’s first two Super Bowl victories, but he went over 100 yards in each of the next two, scoring three touchdowns.

31. Santonio Holmes – Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowl XLIII

His incredible game-winning catch earned him MVP of the 2008 Super Bowl, a game in which Holmes caught nine passes for 131 yards.

30. Antonio Freeman – Green Bay Packers, Super Bowls XXXI and XXXII

Freeman caught an 81-yard touchdown pass in Green Bay’s 1996 Super Bowl victory over New England and finished with nine catches, 126 yards and two touchdowns in a losing effort the next year. He’s one of five receivers with multiple 100-yard Super Bowl performances.

29. Roger Craig – San Francisco 49ers, Super Bowls XIX, XXIII, XXIV

The running back went over 100 yards from scrimmage in all three Super Bowls he played in, scoring four touchdowns in three victories.

28. Ray Lewis – Baltimore Ravens, Super Bowls XXXV and XLVII

Lewis didn’t make much of an impact when Baltimore beat San Francisco to win the Super Bowl in his last professional game, but he was an absolute force as the MVP of the 2000 game.

27. Isaac Bruce – St. Louis Rams, Super Bowls XXXIV and XXXVI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpmuBnBsIJM

The Rams probably don’t win the 1999 Super Bowl if Bruce doesn’t make a 73-yard touchdown catch late in the fourth quarter. He had 162 yards that night and added 56 in a close 2001 loss to the Patriots.

26. Brett Favre – Green Bay Packers, Super Bowls XXXI and XXXII

26 Jan 1997:  Quarterback Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers celebrates with tight end Jeff Thomason during Super Bowl XXXI against the New England Patriots at the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.  The Packers won the game, 35-21. Mandatory Credit:

Favre had five touchdowns and only one interception in his two Super Bowls, but he won only one and the rest of his numbers weren’t great.

25. Reggie White – Green Bay Packers, Super Bowls XXXI and XXXII

The legendary defensive end had three sacks — all in the second half — in Green Bay’s 1996 Super Bowl victory over New England.

24. John Riggins – Washington Redskins, Super Bowls XVII and XVIII

30 Jan 1983:  Running back John Riggins #44 of the Washington Redskins looks on during the Super Bowl XVII against the Miami Dolphins at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.  The Redskins won the game, 27-17. Mandatory Credit: Allsport  /Allsport

The Super Bowl XVII MVP defined workhorse with a 166-yard performance on a ridiculous 38 rushing attempts in a 27-17 victory that night over the Dolphins. And he gets a few extra points for a 64-yard performance in a losing effort the next year, and for averaging 6.5 yards per carry in the fourth quarters of those games.

23. Franco Harris – Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowls IX, X, XIII, XIV

The Super Bowl IX MVP carried the Steelers with 158 yards on 34 carries in a 16-6 victory that night, enabling Pittsburgh to win despite completing only nine passes. He’d rush for at least 65 yards in two more Super Bowls and has a record 354 total rushing yards in his four championship victories.

22. Kurt Warner – St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals, Super Bowls XXXIV, XXXVI and XLIII

http://gty.im/84729993

Here are the three most prolific passing performances in the history of the Super Bowl:

1. Kurt Warner, 414 (1999)
2. Kurt Warner, 377 (2008)
3. Kurt Warner, 365 (2001)

The problem is that passing yards are overrated and Warner won just one of those three games. He’s only the 17th highest-rated passer in Super Bowl history, but he does have an MVP award and has put up some monster numbers.

21. Roger Staubach – Dallas Cowboys, Super Bowls VI, X, XII, XIII

The Hall of Fame quarterback had a passer rating of 108.3 in his two Super Bowl victories, earning MVP honors in 1972.

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About Brad Gagnon

Brad Gagnon has been passionate about both sports and mass media since he was in diapers -- a passion that won't die until he's in them again. Based in Toronto, he's worked as a national NFL blog editor at theScore.com, a producer and writer at theScore Television Network and a host, reporter and play-by-play voice at Rogers TV. His work has also appeared at CBSSports.com, Deadspin, FoxSports.com, The Guardian, The Hockey News and elsewhere at Comeback Media, but his day gig has him covering the NFL nationally for Bleacher Report.

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