NFL Analysis
2/7/24
9 min read
Ranking the 10 Best Super Bowl Player Performances of All Time
In just a few days, the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers will kick off in Las Vegas for Super Bowl LVIII.
That makes now a good time to take a look back at 10 of the best Super Bowl performances of all time, in anticipation of another great matchup this weekend.
10 Best Player Performances in the Super Bowl
10. Jerry Rice, WR, San Francisco 49ers 
Super Bowl XXIX
Given this game's final score — the 49ers beat the San Diego Chargers 49-26 — Jerry Rice’s ranking here got knocked down a little bit. Still, how can you not include a 10-reception, 149-yard and three-touchdown game on this list?
Rice has had some absolutely monster performances in Super Bowls, earning the title as one of the NFL’s most clutch players of all time. Against the Chargers, Rice set the tone early with a long touchdown down the middle of the field to start the scoring for San Francisco, and he and the offense kept their foot on the gas for the remainder of the game.
Super Bowl XXIV Studs#49ers QB Joe Montana hits Jerry Rice for their third TD connection of the evening.
— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) January 29, 2022
Montana becomes the then-career leader in Super Bowl TD passes with 10.
Rice sets a SB single-game record with three receiving TDs, a record he would later tie in SB XXIX. pic.twitter.com/Xix3bxrkxz
9. Nick Foles, QB, Philadelphia Eagles 
Super Bowl LII
With all the Hall of Fame–caliber of players on this list, Nick Foles’ name does look a bit odd, but you can't justify leaving him off. Foles went toe-to-toe with Tom Brady and outdueled him to bring home the Philadelphia Eagles' first Lombardi Trophy.
In the Eagles' 41-33 victory, Foles threw for 373 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. To get the win against one of the best coaches of all time, Bill Belichick, Philadelphia had to lean on Foles. And he never once looked intimidated or outmatched.
Of course, we can’t forget Foles’ historic “Philly Special,” either, which put the cherry on top of one of the most underrated quarterback performances in a Super Bowl.
5 years ago today, everyone witnessed a pretty special play in Super Bowl LII.
— NFL (@NFL) February 4, 2024
The Philly Special 🦅 pic.twitter.com/gbYtubd6ne
8. Emmitt Smith, RB, Dallas Cowboys 
Super Bowl XXVIII
In a game where the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Buffalo Bills 30-13, you might imagine Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Jay Novacek had huge days for Dallas. But that was not the case at the Georgia Dome for Super Bowl XXVIII.
Emmitt Smith was the man of the show.
He single-handedly won the game, Dallas' fourth Super Bowl. Smith rushed for 132 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries, accounting for all the offensive touchdowns. He always had a track record for showing up big in big games, but on a day when the Cowboys' passing game was nonexistent, Smith put the offense on his back and led the team to a second consecutive victory over the Bills in the Super Bowl.
#UnDiaComoHoy en 1994, los #DallasCowboys arrollaron a los #BillsMafia conquistando la SB XXVIII, su segundo triunfo consecutiva. MVP Un imparable y asombroso Emmitt Smith.. ABRO HILO #NFL @MariaChef pic.twitter.com/MlyUjUGXpl
— Victor Hasbani (@VictorHasbani84) January 30, 2021
7. Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore Ravens 
Super Bowl XLVII
The game that started the “Is Joe Flacco elite?” debate was the Baltimore Ravens' 34-31 victory over San Francisco. In a back-and-forth shootout, Flacco and the Ravens were able to outduel the Colin Kaepernick–led 49ers on the way to the Ravens' second Super Bowl victory.
Flacco threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns — connecting with WR Anquan Boldin, TE Dennis Pitta and WR Jacoby Jones in the first half to put the Ravens up 21-6 heading into halftime.
Flacco’s performance led him to be named the game's MVP and earned him a six-year, $120.6 million contract with Baltimore.
Joe Flacco is a Super Bowl MVP send tweet pic.twitter.com/Zu3r3GFz55
— Depressed B (@BarstoolBanks) February 13, 2022
6. Von Miller, Edge, Denver Broncos 
Super Bowl 50
One of the most dominant defensive Super Bowl performances came from the Von Miller–led Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50. The Carolina Panthers had a 17-1 record heading into the game, and Miller and the Denver defense dominated them in a 24-10 victory.
In a game in which Peyton Manning and the Broncos' offense couldn't get anything going against the Panthers' defense, Miller wreaked havoc and dominated Cam Newton and Carolina's offense for four quarters. One of the lasting images from Super Bowl 50 is Newton looking skittish going after a Miller-caused strip sack.
Miller finished with 2.5 sacks, three quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, six tackles and one pass defended. He helped limit Newton to completing just 43 percent of his passes and having zero touchdowns, 265 passing yards and 45 rushing yards.
With four minutes left in Super Bowl 50, MVP Von Miller strip sacks Carolina's Cam Newton, who appears to hesitate when attempting to recover his own fumble.
— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) February 8, 2022
The #Broncos' TJ Ward recovers and, four plays later, Denver scores to salt away its third Super Bowl title.
OTD in 2016 pic.twitter.com/0HCcknbkgd
5. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers 
Super Bowl XLV
In Aaron Rodgers' lone Super Bowl appearance — and win — he was able to put up an all-time performance.
The Green Bay Packers beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25, and Rodgers threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns on his way to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. Let down by multiple drops and spotty play-calling, Rodgers was asked to win the game for the Packers — and he did just that. His ability to fit in so many tight-window throws was one of the more impressive things about his Super Bowl XLV performance.
Rodgers has yet to get back to a Super Bowl since 2011. His MVP performance in Super Bowl XLV may be the only one we see from one of the best quarterbacks to ever do it.
5. #GoPackGo - #HereWeGo 2011→SB XLV, La obra maestra del fabuloso Aaron Rodgers 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼304 yards, 3 magnificos Touchdowns y el título de MVP👇 @Marce_Vargas88 @ciscovargas93 @PackersESP
— Victor Hasbani (@VictorHasbani84) February 27, 2021
pic.twitter.com/kfzDUvxv4G
4. Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots 
Super Bowl XXXVIII
Tom Brady was still a bit of an unknown when the New England Patriots kicked off against the Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII.
But after a 32-29 win and the Patriots' second Super Bowl victory in three years, Brady's story took off.
Against Carolina, Brady outdueled Jake Delhomme — Brady threw for 354 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He also constructed a six-play, 37-yard drive that Adam Vinatieri capped by drilling a 41-yard field goal to win Super Bowl XXXVIII for New England.
Here’s the Patriots game winning drive in Super Bowl XXXVIII.
— Pats Buzz (@PatsBuzz) August 15, 2023
Tom Brady threw for 354 yards and 3 touchdowns. Deion Branch had 10 catches for 143 yards and a touchdown. 🏆
pic.twitter.com/VlamL9btxh
3. Kurt Warner, QB, St. Louis Rams 
Super Bowl XXXIV
One of the most dominant quarterback performances of the Super Bowl era belongs to Kurt Warner in Super Bowl XXXIV.
Throwing for 414 yards and two touchdowns on 24 completions, Warner dominated the Tennessee Titans through the air in a game where Marshall Faulk rushed for only 17 yards on 10 carries. Warner's ability to spread the ball around to nine different receivers in the St. Louis Rams' 23-16 win was a big reason they came out on top.
With just over two minutes remaining, NFL and Super Bowl MVP Kurt Warner raises and fires a 73-yard touchdown strike to Isaac Bruce — the winning score of Super Bowl XXXIV.#Rams 23, Titans 16
— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) January 30, 2022
This date in 2000 pic.twitter.com/28YgpEBKuK
2. Jerry Rice, WR, San Francisco 49ers
Super Bowl XXIII
In Super Bowl XXIX, Rice had 11 receptions for 215 yards and a touchdown. Need I say more?
One of the most dominating games ever by a wide receiver came on the biggest stage of them all and led the 49ers to their third Super Bowl win in the 1980s — a 20-16 triumph over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Rice’s monster game pushed San Francisco past the Bengals in a game that came down to the wire in the fourth quarter. His touchdown catch tied the score in the fourth quarter and allowed the 49ers to win the game late with a Joe Montana touchdown pass to John Taylor.
Jerry Rice had a legendary performance in the 1989 super bowl
— uSTADIUM Fantasy (@uSTADIUMFantasy) April 30, 2019
- 11 catches
- 215 yards
- 1 TD
- MVP
🐐
pic.twitter.com/lctiBUVjaZ
1. Steve Young, QB, San Francisco 49ers
Super Bowl XXIX
Steve Young’s six-touchdown game in Super Bowl XXIX will go down as one of the most dominating Super Bowl performances in NFL history. Those six passing touchdowns lifted San Francisco to its lopsided 49-26 victory over San Diego.
Young completed 67 percent of his passes for 325 yards and added 49 yards on the ground. His dominant performance allowed the 49ers to hoist their fifth Lombardi Trophy — with the chance to get No. 6 this weekend in Las Vegas.
325 yards and SIX touchdowns 😳
— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) August 7, 2019
Steve Young SHOWED OUT in Super Bowl XXIX.
Greatest Super Bowl QB performance ever? pic.twitter.com/FxCzftfLVf
