10. Troy Aikman – Dallas Cowboys, Super Bowls XXVII, XXVIII, XXX
The Hall of Fame quarterback had a lot of help from Emmitt Smith, but he still posted a 111.9 passer rating and threw only one interception in Dallas’ three early-1990s Super Bowl victories. His four-touchdown MVP performance against Buffalo in 1992 was one of the best in Super Bowl history.
9. Emmitt Smith – Dallas Cowboys, Super Bowls XXVII, XXVIII, XXX
The Hall of Fame running back rushed for over 100 yards in two of Dallas’ three early-1990s Super Bowls, winning MVP for his 132-yard, two-touchdown performance in a lopsided victory over the Bills. His five rushing touchdowns are still the most in Super Bowl history, and the Cowboys were 3-0 in those three appearances.
8. Phil Simms – New York Giants, Super Bowl XXI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PHjR54cr64
Although the Giants won anyway, it’s a shame Simms was injured for Super Bowl XXV, because another performance like the one he had in a win over the Broncos in 1986 might have been enough to get Simms into the Hall of Fame.
That night against Denver, Simms completed 22 of 25 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns in a turnover-free, MVP performance. His completion percentage (88.0) and passer rating (150.9) are still both the highest in Super Bowl history.
7. Steve Young – San Francisco 49ers, Super Bowl XXIX
He may have started only the one Super Bowl, but Young tossed a record six touchdown passes that night in a blowout victory over the Chargers. That 134.8 passer rating is the fifth-highest in Super Bowl history.
6. Eli Manning – New York Giants, Super Bowls XLII and XLVI
Manning led game-winning drives to complete fourth-quarter comebacks in both of his Super Bowls, beating the heavyweight Patriots twice. That explains why he’s a two-time Super Bowl MVP, which is all you need.
5. Bart Starr – Green Bay Packers, Super Bowls I and II
http://gty.im/493968631
It’s wild to think about how many Super Bowls the Hall of Fame quarterback would have won had the majority of his career not come prior to the Super Bowl era. But he was named MVP of the first two Super Bowls, posting a 106.0 passer rating in a pair of Packer victories.
4. Tom Brady – New England Patriots, Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLII, XLVI and XLIX
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA0VWLhCh-k
The three-time Super Bowl MVP has a record 13 touchdown passes in his six appearances, although 19 quarterbacks have higher Super Bowl passer ratings and Brady has still thrown four interceptions while averaging just 6.5 yards per attempt in the big game.
The key for Brady is that he’s led game-winning drives in all four of his Super Bowls, two of which have been fourth-quarter comebacks.
3. Terry Bradshaw – Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowls IX, X, XIII, XIV
http://gty.im/175668627
Everyone talks about Pittsburgh’s Steel Curtain defense, but Bradshaw needed to generate 35 points for the Steelers offense in their 35-31 victory over Dallas in the 1978 Super Bowl. The Hall of Fame quarterback earned that game’s MVP for his four-touchdown performance that night, and he followed that up with another MVP effort despite three interceptions in 1979.
Bradshaw had a triple-digit passer rating in all four of his Super Bowl victories, and his 11.1 yards-per-attempt average is the highest among quarterbacks with multiple Super Bowl appearances.
2. Jerry Rice – San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders, Super Bowls XXIII, XXIV, XXIX and XXXVII
The 1988 Super Bowl MVP had a record 215 receiving yards in a victory over Cincinnati that night, but he also had 140-plus yards and three touchdowns in victories in 1989 and 1994. Rice finished his career with eight Super Bowl touchdowns, which is the most in history by a three-score margin.
1. Joe Montana – San Francisco 49ers, Super Bowls XVI, XIX, XXIII and XXIV
The four-time champion won three MVP awards, and he very easily could have won four had Jerry Rice not caught so many of his passes in the 1988 game. His 11-to-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio is unheard of and his 127.8 Super Bowl passer rating is the highest all time among quarterbacks with at least two championship starts.
In 49 years, quarterbacks have posted a passer rating of 115 or higher 14 times in the Super Bowl. Three of those belong to Montana, who had a triple-digit rating in all four of his victories.
