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.

Super Bowl LVI MVP Predictions

5. Evan McPherson

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.

4. Aaron Donald

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.

3. Cooper Kupp

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).

2. Joe Burrow

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.

1. Matthew Stafford

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.

Super Bowl MVPs and Stats

NO. PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS
I Bart Starr, QB, Green Bay Two touchdown passes
II Bart Starr, QB, Green Bay 202 yards passing, 1 TD
III Joe Namath, QB, New York Jets 206 yards passing
IV Len Dawson, QB, Kansas City 142 yards passing, 1 TD
V Chuck Howley, LB, Dallas Two interceptions, fumble recovery
VI Roger Staubach, QB, Dallas 119 yards passing, 2 TDs
VII Jake Scott, S, Miami Two interceptions
VIII Larry Csonka, FB, Miami 33 carries, 145 yards rushing, 2 TDs
IX Franco Harris, RB, Pittsburgh 158 yards rushing, 1 TD
X Lynn Swann, WR, Pittsburgh 4 catches, 161 yards, 1 TD
XI Fred Biletnikoff, WR, Oakland 4 catches, 79 yards
XII Harvey Martin & Randy White, DL, Dallas Led Dallas defense that forced eight turnovers
XIII Terry Bradshaw, QB, Pittsburgh 318 yards passing, 4 TDs
XIV Terry Bradshaw, QB, Pittsburgh 309 yards passing, 2 TDs
XV Jim Plunkett, QB, Oakland 261 yards passing, 3 TDs
XVI Joe Montana, QB, San Francisco 157 yards passing, 1 TD
XVII John Riggins, RB, Washington 166 yards rushing, 1 TD
XVIII Marcus Allen, RB, Los Angeles Raiders 20 carries, 191 yards rushing, 2 TDs
XIX Joe Montana, QB, San Francisco 331 yards passing, 3 TDs
XX Richard Dent, DE, Chicago 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles
XXI Phil Simms, QB, New York Giants 268 yards passing, 3 TDs
XXII Doug Williams, QB, Washington 340 yards passing, 4 TDs
XXIII Jerry Rice, WR, San Francisco 11 catches, 215 yards, 1 TD
XXIV Joe Montana, QB, San Francisco 297 yards passing, 5 TDs
XXV Ottis Anderson, RB, New York Giants 102 yards rushing, 1 TD
XXVI Mark Rypien, QB, Washington 292 yards passing, 2 TDs
XXVII Troy Aikman, QB, Dallas 273 yards passing, 4 TDs
XXVIII Emmitt Smith, RB, Dallas 30 carries, 132 yards, 2 TDs
XXIX Steve Young, QB, San Francisco 325 yards passing, 6 TDs
XXX Larry Brown, CB, Dallas Two interceptions
XXXI Desmond Howard, KR, Green Bay 244 all-purpose yards, 99-yard kick return TD
XXXII Terrell Davis, RB, Denver 30 carries, 157 yards, 3 TDs
XXXIII John Elway, QB, Denver 336 yards passing, 1 TD
XXXIV Kurt Warner, QB, St. Louis 414 yards passing, 2 TDs
XXXV Ray Lewis, LB, Baltimore Led a dominant Ravens defense
XXXVI Tom Brady, QB, New England 145 yards passing, 1 TD
XXXVII Dexter Jackson, CB, Tampa Bay Two first-half interceptions
XXXVIII Tom Brady, QB, New England 354 yards passing, 3 TDs
XXXIX Deion Branch, WR, New England 11 catches, 133 yards
XL Hines Ward, WR, Pittsburgh 5 catches, 123 yards, 1 TD
XLI Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis 247 yards passing, 1 TD
XLII Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants 255 yards passing, 2 TDs
XLIII Santonio Holmes, WR, Pittsburgh 9 catches, 131 yards, 1 TD
XLIV Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans 32-of-39, 288 yards, 2 TDs
XLV Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay 24-of-39, 304 yards, 3 TDs
XLVI Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants 30-of-40, 296 yards, 1 TD
XLVII Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore 22-of-33, 287 yards, 3 TDs
XLVIII Malcolm Smith, LB, Seattle INT for TD, fumble recovery, 10 tackles
XLIX Tom Brady, QB, New England 37-of-50, 328 yards, 4 TDs
50 Von Miller, LB, Denver Six tackles, 2.5 sacks, one pass defended
LI Tom Brady, QB, New England 43-of-62, 466 yards, 2 TDs
LII Nick Foles, QB, Philadelphia 28-of-43, 373 yards, 3 TDs, 1 TD reception
LIII Julian Edelman, WR, New England 10 catches, 141 yards
LIV Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City 26-of-42, 286 yards, 2 TDs
LV Tom Brady, QB, Tampa Bay 21-of-29, 201 yards, 3 TDs
Data courtesy of ESPN.com
Photo by Patrick Ogilvie on Unsplash