For the first time in nearly three decades, a running back has won Super Bowl MVP.
Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III earned the Pete Rozelle Trophy as MVP of the Big Game as Seattle rolled past the New England Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl 60. It was the Seahawks’ second Super Bowl championship in franchise history.
Walker, a fourth-year pro, racked up over 150 yards from scrimmage against New England. He rushed for 135 yards on 27 carries (5.0 average) and caught two passes for 26 yards.
The performance helped make Walker the first running back to win MVP honors in the Big Game since Terrell Davis in Super Bowl 32. Walker’s 135 rushing yards tied for the eighth-most in Super Bowl history and were the most since Davis put up 157 in Super Bowl 32.
From other running backs who have won the award and more, here’s what to know about Super Bowl MVP.
How is the Super Bowl MVP decided?
Fans and the media vote on the Super Bowl MVP, though they don’t have an equal say.
The NFL handpicks 16 media members covering the game to cast an MVP ballot and that select group accounts for 80 percent of the vote. The other 20 percent comes from the fans, who can vote online starting at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
An MVP has been honored for every Super Bowl, but the trophy, which is named after longtime NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle, was first given out at Super Bowl 25.
Can the Super Bowl MVP be from the losing team?
Yes, the Super Bowl MVP can come from the losing team. But it’s extremely rare.
Has a player on the losing team ever won Super Bowl MVP?
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley was named MVP of Super Bowl 5 after falling to the Baltimore Colts 16-13 on a late field goal. Howley recorded two interceptions and one fumble recovery to become the first defensive player to win Super Bowl MVP, and the first and only player from a losing team to win the award.
Can more than one player win Super Bowl MVP?
There have been co-MVPs in just one Super Bowl, and it also involved the Cowboys. Defensive end Harvey Martin and defensive tackle Randy White shared MVP honors in Super Bowl 12 when the Cowboys defeated the Denver Broncos. Martin and White combined for three sacks in a 27-10 win where Dallas forced a staggering eight turnovers and limited Denver to 156 total yards.
Who’s won the most Super Bowl MVPs?
The player with the most Super Bowl rings also has the most Super Bowl MVPs. Tom Brady was named MVP in five of his seven championship triumphs. The legendary quarterback won four Super Bowl MVPs with the Patriots and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Patrick Mahomes is tied with Joe Montana for the second-most Super Bowl MVPs at three apiece. Mahomes has earned MVP honors in each of his three Super Bowl wins.
The only other players to win the award multiple times are Terry Bradshaw (2), Eli Manning (2) and Bart Starr (2). No non-quarterback has won more than one Super Bowl MVP.
How many running backs have won Super Bowl MVP?
Walker became the eighth running back to win Super Bowl MVP, joining Larry Csonka (Super Bowl 8), Franco Harris (Super Bowl 9), John Riggins (Super Bowl 17), Marcus Allen (Super Bowl 18), Ottis Anderson (Super Bowl 25), Emmitt Smith (Super Bowl 28) and Terrell Davis (Super Bowl 32).
The Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29–13 in Super Bowl LX behind a dominant performance that produced a Super Bowl record-tying seven sacks and a record-breaking five field goals from Jason Myers.
Super Bowl MVPs by position
The quarterback position has the most Super Bowl MVPs – and by a wide margin.
A quarterback has taken home MVP honors in 34 of the 60 Super Bowls. The positions with the second-most Super Bowl MVPs are running back and wide receiver at eight apiece.
Here’s a full breakdown of Super Bowl MVP winners by position:
Quarterback: 34
Running back: 8
Wide receiver: 8
Linebacker: 4
Defensive end: 2
Safety: 2
Cornerback: 1
Defensive tackle: 1
Returner: 1
List of Super Bowl MVPs
Super Bowl 1: QB Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers
Super Bowl 2: QB Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers
Super Bowl 3: QB Joe Namath, New York Jets
Super Bowl 4: QB Len Dawson, Kansas City Chiefs
Super Bowl 5: LB Chuck Howley, Dallas Cowboys
Super Bowl 6: QB Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys
Super Bowl 7: S Jake Scott, Miami Dolphins
Super Bowl 8: RB Larry Csonka, Miami Dolphins
Super Bowl 9: RB Franco Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
Super Bowl 10: WR Lynn Swann, Pittsburgh Steelers
Super Bowl 11: WR Fred Biletnikoff, Oakland Raiders
Super Bowl 12: DE Harvey Martin and DT Randy White, Dallas Cowboys
Super Bowl 13: QB Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers
Super Bowl 14: QB Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers
Super Bowl 15: QB Jim Plunkett, Oakland Raiders
Super Bowl 16: QB Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers
Super Bowl 17: RB John Riggins, Washington
Super Bowl 18: RB Marcus Allen, Los Angeles Raiders
Super Bowl 19: QB Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers
Super Bowl 20: DE Richard Dent, Chicago Bears
Super Bowl 21: QB Phil Simms, New York Giants
Super Bowl 22: QB Doug Williams, Washington
Super Bowl 23: WR Jerry Rice, San Francisco 49ers
Super Bowl 24: QB Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers
Super Bowl 25: RB Ottis Anderson, New York Giants
Super Bowl 26: QB Mark Rypien, Washington
Super Bowl 27: QB Troy Aikman, Dallas Cowboys
Super Bowl 28: RB Emmitt Smith, Dallas Cowboys
Super Bowl 29: QB Steve Young, San Francisco 49ers
Super Bowl 30: CB Larry Brown, Dallas Cowboys
Super Bowl 31: Returner Desmond Howard, Green Bay Packers
Super Bowl 32: RB Terrell Davis, Denver Broncos
Super Bowl 33: QB John Elway, Denver Broncos
Super Bowl 34: QB Kurt Warner, St. Louis Rams
Super Bowl 35: LB Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens
Super Bowl 36: QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Super Bowl 37: S Dexter Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Super Bowl 38: QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Super Bowl 39: WR Deion Branch, New England Patriots
Super Bowl 40: WR Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers
Super Bowl 41: QB Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
Super Bowl 42: QB Eli Manning, New York Giants
Super Bowl 43: WR Santonio Holmes, Pittsburgh Steelers
Super Bowl 44: QB Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
Super Bowl 45: QB Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Super Bowl 46: QB Eli Manning, New York Giants
Super Bowl 47: QB Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
Super Bowl 48: LB Malcolm Smith, Seattle Seahawks
Super Bowl 49: QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Super Bowl 50: LB Von Miller, Denver Broncos
Super Bowl 51: QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Super Bowl 52: QB Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles
Super Bowl 53: WR Julian Edelman, New England Patriots
Super Bowl 54: QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Super Bowl 55: QB Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Super Bowl 56: WR Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams
Super Bowl 57: QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Super Bowl 58: QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Super Bowl 59: QB Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Super Bowl 60: RB Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show transformed the field into a Puerto Rican setting, praising Latino culture through music and guest appearances.
Editor’s note: The original version of this story was published in February 2025.