5 Players Who Won Super Bowl MVP Without Scoring a Touchdown

Scoring a touchdown in the Super Bowl might be the greatest moment in 90% of all careers in NFL history. Doing so also gives you a much higher chance of winning Super Bowl MVP, one of the sport's highest individual honors. While several other players, including Ray Lewis, Fred Biletnikoff, and Randy White have all received the highest honor in the sport's biggest game without finding the end zone, these five stars stood out as the best Super Bowl performers that did not score a touchdown.

5. Chuck Howley, Super Bowl V

In the first post-merger Super Bowl, the Baltimore Colts took down Tom Landry's Dallas Cowboys on a last-second field goal by wide receiver/kicker Jim O'Brien. That didn't do much to take away from an awesome performance from Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley, who intercepted Earl Morrall and Johnny Unitas while also recovering a fumble. Howley remains the only player on a losing team to win Super Bowl MVP.

4. Julian Edelman, Super Bowl LIII

Edelman and Sony Michel were the two New England Patriots who appeared to have a pulse in the Super Bowl in 2019, as it was Edelman who prevented most of the Patriots' second-half drives from stalling. Edelman caught 10 passes for 141 yards in the game, which accounted for more than half of Tom Brady's passing yards in that contest. Edelman got ring No. 3 and Super Bowl MVP No. 1 in last year's game. Shouldn't it have gone to a defender, though?

3. Richard Dent, Super Bowl XX

With Mike Singletary leading the '85 Bears defense into battle against an overmatched New England Patriots team, it was the Hall of Famer Dent, who led the NFL in sacks with 17 in 1985, who set the tone early in a 46-10 drubbing by the Bears. Dent recorded two sacks of Patriots QB Steve Grogan and forced two fumbles, which was the best performance any member of the greatest defense of all time produced in that blowout.

2. Jake Scott, Super Bowl VII

Back in the good old days when safeties could wear No. 13, Scott was a member of the "No-Name" defense that helped the Dolphins cap off the greatest single season and only unbeaten season in football history. Washington Redskins quarterback Billy Kilmer was intercepted three times in a 14-7 loss, with Scott picking up two of those interceptions. Scott made five Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams, but this is still his finest hour as a football player.

1. Joe Namath, Super Bowl III

A Matt Snell touchdown run and three Jim Turner field goals provided all the points the New York Jets needed in the franchise's sole Super Bowl appearance and win in Super Bowl III, but it was Namath who took home MVP honors. Namath completed 17 of his 28 passes for 206 yards, 133 of which went to George Sauer, as he led a vastly undermanned Jets squad to a stunning 16-7 upset of the Colts. That image of Namath, who guaranteed a win beforehand, trotting off with his finger upraised in exultation is one of the seminal videos in NFL history.