Super Bowl MVP history: NFL players who have won the award in the Big Game

The Super Bowl takes center stage this Sunday and the MVP award will be awarded to the brightest star in the Big Game.

There have been 59 Super Bowls. A quarterback has been named Super Bowl MVP 34 times (57.6%). Seven of the last 10 Super Bowl MVPs have been quarterbacks. Jalen Hurts is the reigning Super Bowl MVP. The Eagles quarterback won the award after the Eagles dominated the Chiefs in the Big Game a year ago.

Tom Brady is the only player to have won five Super Bowl MVP awards.Joe Montana and Patrick Mahomes have won three times; only three others have won the award twice: Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw and Eli Manning. In Super Bowl 60, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp has a chance to join this elite list.

It's important to highlight the rarity of a regular-season MVP also winning the Super Bowl MVP. Throughout Super Bowl history, this accomplishment has occurred only seven times. The players who achieved this are: Bart Starr (1966), Terry Bradshaw (1978), Joe Montana (1989), Emmitt Smith (1993), Steve Young (1994), Kurt Warner (1999) and Patrick Mahomes (2022).

A defensive player has won the Super Bowl MVP award only 10 times.

The most recent was linebacker Von Miller, who won Super Bowl 50 with theDenver Broncos a decade ago. Dallas Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howleyis the only Super Bowl MVP from a losing team, taking home the honors in Super Bowl 5.

Here is a complete list of every Super Bowl MVP throughout the years.

Who has won Super Bowl MVP?

• 1 - Bart Starr, QB, Packers, 16-for-23, 250 yards, 2 TDs
• 2 - Bart Starr, QB, Packers, 13-for-24, 202 yards, 1 TD
• 3 - Joe Namath, QB, Jets, 17-for-28,206 yards
• 4 - Len Dawson, QB, Chiefs, 12-for-17,142 yards, 1 TD
• 5 - Chuck Howley, LB, Cowboys, 2 interceptions, 2 tackles, fumble recovery
• 6 - Roger Staubach, QB, Cowboys, 12-for-19, 119 yards, 2 TDs
• 7 - Jake Scott, S, Dolphins,2 interceptions, 2 tackles
• 8 - Larry Csonka, FB, Dolphins, 33 carries, 145 yards, 2 TDs
• 9 - Franco Harris, RB, Steelers, 34 carries, 158 yards, 1 TD
• 10 - Lynn Swann, WR, Steelers, 4 catches, 161 yards, 1 TD
• 11 - Fred Biletnikoff, WR, Raiders, 4 catches, 79 yards
• 12 - Harvey Martin and Randy White, DL, Cowboys; Martin, 2 sacks, White 1 sack; Dallas defense forced eight turnovers
• 13 - Terry Bradshaw, QB, Steelers, 17-for-30, 318 yards, 4 TDs
• 14 - Terry Bradshaw, QB, Steelers, 14-for-21, 309 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs
• 15 - Jim Plunkett, QB, Raiders,13-for-21,261 yards, 3 TDs
• 16 - Joe Montana, QB, 49ers, 14-for-22, 157 yards, 1 TD
• 17 - John Riggins, RB, Washington, 38 carries, 166 yards, 1 TD
• 18 - Marcus Allen, RB, Raiders, 20 carries, 191 yards, 2 TDs
• 19 - Joe Montana, QB, 49ers, 24-for-35,331 yards, 3 TDs
• 20 - Richard Dent, DE, Bears, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles
• 21 - Phil Simms, QB, Giants, 22-for-25,268 yards, 3 TDs
• 22 - Doug Williams, QB, Washington, 18-for-29, 340 yards, 4 TDs
• 23 - Jerry Rice, WR, 49ers, 11 catches, 215 yards, 1 TD
• 24 - Joe Montana, QB, 49ers, 22-for-29,297 yards, 5 TDs
• 25 - Ottis Anderson, RB, Giants, 21 carries, 102 yards, 1 TD
• 26 - Mark Rypien, QB, Washington, 18-for-33, 292 yards, 2 TDs
• 27 - Troy Aikman, QB, Cowboys, 22-for-30, 273 yards, 4 TDs
• 28 - Emmitt Smith, RB, Cowboys, 30 carries, 132 yards, 2 TDs
• 29 - Steve Young, QB, 49ers, 24-for-36,325 yards, 6 TDs
• 30 - Larry Brown, CB, Cowboys, 2 interceptions
• 31 - Desmond Howard, KR, Packers, 244 all-purpose yards, 99-yard kick return TD
• 32 - Terrell Davis, RB, Broncos, 30 carries, 157 yards, 3 TDs
• 33 - John Elway, QB, Broncos, 18-for-29, 336 yards, 1 TD
• 34 - Kurt Warner, QB, Rams, 24-for-45, 414 yards, 2 TDs
• 35 - Ray Lewis, LB, Ravens, 5 total tackles, 4 passes defensed
• 36 - Tom Brady, QB, Patriots, 16-for-27, 145 yards, 1 TD
• 37 - Dexter Jackson, CB, Buccaneers, 2 interceptions
• 38 - Tom Brady, QB, Patriots, 32-for-48, 354 yards, 3 TDs
• 39 - Deion Branch, WR, Patriots, 11 catches, 133 yards
• 40 - Hines Ward, WR, Steelers, 5 catches, 123 yards, 1 TD
• 41 - Peyton Manning, QB, Colts, 25-for-38, 247 yards, 1 TD
• 42 - Eli Manning, QB, Giants, 19-for-34, 255 yards, 2 TDs
• 43 - Santonio Holmes, WR, Steelers, 9 catches, 131 yards, 1 TD
• 44 - Drew Brees, QB, Saints, 32-for-39, 288 yards, 2 TDs
• 45 - Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers, 24-for-39, 304 yards, 3 TDs
• 46 - Eli Manning, QB, Giants, 30-for-40, 296 yards, 1 TD
• 47 - Joe Flacco, QB, Ravens, 22-for-33, 287 yards, 3 TDs
• 48 - Malcolm Smith, LB, Seahawks, Interception for TD, fumble recovery, 10 tackles
• 49 - Tom Brady, QB, Patriots, 37-for-50, 328 yards, 4 TDs
• 50 - Von Miller, LB, Broncos, Six tackles, 2.5 sacks, one pass defended
• 51 - Tom Brady, QB, Patriots, 43-for-62, 466 yards, 2 TDs
• 52 - Nick Foles, QB, Eagles, 28-for-43, 373 yards, 3 TDs, 1 TD reception
• 53 - Julian Edelman, WR, Patriots, 10 catches, 141 yards
• 54 - Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs, 26-for-42, 286 yards, 2 TDs
• 55 - Tom Brady, QB, Buccaneers, 21-for-29, 201 yards, 3 TDs
• 56 -Cooper Kupp, WR, Rams, 8 catches, 92 yards, 2 TDs
• 57 - Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs, 21-for-27, 182 yards, 3 TDs
• 58 - Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs, 34-for-46, 333 yards, 2 TDs
• 59 - Jalen Hurts, QB, Eagles, 17-for-22, 221 yards, 3 total TDs

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Super Bowl MVP history: Who has won the award?