Tom Brady has won the most career Super Bowl MVP awards with a total of five (shocking, we know). Statistically, quarterbacks are most likely to win the award, and while the Stafford vs. Burrow matchup will be an interesting one, there are other players just as deserving of the Super Bowl LVI MVP award. Tune in Sunday at 6:30 p.m. EST for Super Bowl LVI, celebrate at an official Super Bowl party, and read below for our MVP predictions and the complete list of Super Bowl MVPs.
Okay, listen: no kicker has ever been named Super Bowl MVP, but if anyone is going to change history, McPherson could be the guy to do it. The Bengals rookie is 12-for-12 on field goals in the playoffs, kicking the team into two straight postseason victories. While we aren’t holding our breath for a kicker to snag the award, if Bengals vs. Rams stays a close game, McPherson could be the team’s saving grace yet again.
Only three defensive linemen (one being defensive tackle) have won the Super Bowl MVP award in its 55-year history. Two games ago, the Bengals gave up nine sacks — it’s not farfetched to believe Donald can knock Burrow off his feet a few times on Sunday. As one of the best defensive players in the NFL, Donald had 12.5 sacks during the regular season and added 1.5 more in the playoffs. If he puts up numbers, we could witness another defensive tackle claim Super Bowl MVP.
With 145 catches for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns, Kupp has been Stafford’s go-to guy. In the postseason alone, Kupp has 25 catches for 386 yards and four touchdowns — and gone over 140 yards in each of the last two games. Without a doubt, Kupp is in the running for Super Bowl MVP, assuming he plays up to standard on Sunday. If the Rams win and Kupp puts up the numbers he has been, we could see the MVP award go to a wide receiver (which only happens occasionally).
While the Rams are most “likely” to win, an underdog story is never boring. Burrow may have absorbed nine sacks two games ago, but he’s been on his A-game ever since. He’s the reason the Bengals claimed an AFC Championship over the Kansas City Chiefs, and he will likely be the reason the team wins or loses on Sunday. Super Bowl LVI will be Burrow’s second Super Bowl appearance as a pro and if he can perform the way he did against the Chiefs, he has great potential to win the Super Bowl MVP award.
Statistically, quarterbacks are most likely to win the Super Bowl MVP award. So if history repeats itself, we’ll see the award toggle between Stafford and Burrow. Stafford is an obvious choice for two reasons: he’s the quarterback on the team most likely to win, and he’s the quarterback of the “home” team. Like we mentioned in our Super Bowl Winners post, a Bengals win would be a fun story, but the Rams are an all-star team made to win. If Stafford plays the way he has been, he’ll likely cement himself as not only Super Bowl MVP, but a Hall of Famer.