The 5 Least-Deserving Super Bowl MVPs In History

Feb 6, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; NFL former player Desmond Howard on the red carpet prior to the NFL Honors award ceremony at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

The Super Bowl MVP award is probably the second-most prestigious in the NFL next to the primary MVP award for the regular season.

It represents the player who showed up for their team when all the chips were down and he had to be at his best. Unfortunately like the main MVP it’s had a number of undeserving recipients. Or perhaps a better way to put it is there were teammate who should’ve gotten it instead. Proof positive that the voter process, as most other things in football, can be flawed. So who were the least-deserving winners to date?

#5: Bart Starr (QB, Green Bay Packers, 1967)

This was likely the residual effect of what happened in the Ice Bowl when Bart Starr won the second-coldest game ever played with his iconic quarterback sneak. Otherwise how did he win the award for 202 yards passing and a touchdown? Especially when Willie Davis dismantle the Oakland Raiders offense with three sacks. This was proof of the times though. Starr was a quarterback, but he was also White in a still racially-charged era of America. Otherwise Davis would’ve been the hands down winner.

#4: Dexter Jackson (S, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2002)

Anybody who knows how to read a stat line should’ve balked when Dexter Jackson was chosen for MVP in Super Bowl XXXVII. Though he made two interceptions in that game, he wasn’t the only one to do so. In fact his own teammate Dwight Smith was the other one. The only difference was that he returned both of his for touchdowns. Jackson didn’t do it for either of his. Smith had two picks and put 12 crucial points on the board. That award was his all the way.

#3: Joe Namath (QB, New York Jets, 1968)

Let’s face it. The moment Namath guaranteed a Super Bowl III victory, he was virtually guaranteed the MVP award if the Jets ended up winning. His stat line wouldn’t matter. It didn’t. In truth he had a rather average day with 206 yards passing, no TDs or turnovers. Meanwhile he kept feeding the ball to fullback Matt Snell who ran for 121 yards and a touchdown. He also caught four of those Namath passes for 40 yards. Unfortunately Broadway Joe’s popularity eclipsed everything.

#2: Jake Scott (S, Miami Dolphins, 1972)

Having two interceptions in the Super Bowl looks like the prerequisite to winning MVP honors. As this list as shown though, it’s often the easy way out. Anybody who had bothered to watch Super Bowl VII saw that the real star on defense for the Dolphins was defensive tackle Manny Fernandez. He was quite literally unblockable. Not only did he smother the Washington Redskins running game, reportedly making 17 tackles, he also delivered a sack. His presence was a key factor in Scott making those relatively easy plays.

#1: Desmond Howard (KR, Green Bay Packers, 1996)

Look it’s plainly understood that the kick return for a touchdown Howard produced in Super Bowl XXXI was the pivotal momentum swing of the game. At that point the Patriots had been mounting a comeback and that score squashed. It still doesn’t make up for the big plays Brett Favre made with three touchdowns or Reggie White made with three sacks including two huge ones to end the game. Key as the play was, it’s still just one play. Howard was inconsequential the rest of the time. Favre and White were the ones who really won that game.

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