during Super Bowl 51 at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas.
The Super Bowl is the NFL’s biggest and brightest stage and thus, where true legends are made. All it takes is one insane performance for a player to go down in history as immortal. Let’s take a look back at the 10 GREATEST Super Bowl performances of all time.
Joe Montana, QB, 49ers – Super Bowl XXIV
Joe Montana #16, Quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers hands the ball off to running back #33 Roger Craig during the National Football League Super Bowl XXIII game against the Cincinnati Bengals on 22 January 1989 at the Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami, Florida, United States. The 49ers won the game 20 – 16. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Allsport/Getty Images)
Joe Montana will forever be recognized as one of the greatest players to ever step on a football field and that is in large part to the display of dominance and precision that he routinely put on. But what made Montana really special—was his ability to elevate his performance in the biggest games, when the pressure was the highest. Like Super Bowl XXIV against the Denver Broncos, which was nothing short of legendary!
Montana completed 22 of 29 passes for 297 yards and set a Super Bowl record with five touchdown passes, orchestrating one of the most lopsided victories in Super Bowl history, leading the 49ers to a 55-10 win.
Jerry Rice, WR, 49ers – Super Bowl XXIII
Jerry Rice #80, Wide Receiver for the San Francisco 49ers runs the ball during the National Football League Super Bowl XXIII game against the Cincinnati Bengals on 22 January 1989 at the Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami, Florida, United States. The 49ers won the game 20 – 16. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Allsport/Getty Images)
As great as his quarterbacks, Joe Montana and Steve Young were, Jerry Rice also deserves a ton of credit for what he did to redefine the receiver position and impact the game at an unprecedented level for his position. Like his two signal callers, Rice did well to really elevate himself and his teammates in the big moments, like Super Bowl XXIII.
This big moment came against the Cincinnati Bengals, where Rice dropped a record-setting 215 receiving yards on 11 catches, accompanied by a critical touchdown, all of which was pivotal in securing a 20-16 victory for the 49ers. Rice’s MVP-winning performance highlighted his nearly-unmatched playmaking ability and what many would later go on to describe as the “clutch gene” and further solidified his status as an NFL immortal.
Steve Young, QB, 49ers – Super Bowl XXIX
SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES: San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback Steve Young is chased out of the pocket during first quarter action against the Jacksonville Jaguars18 August. The Jaguars defeated the 49ers 28-20. AFP PHOTOS/Monica M. DAVEY AFP PHOTOS/mmd (Photo credit should read MONICA M. DAVEY/AFP via Getty Images)
While it is no small task to follow a legend, Steve Young did well to step out on his own from the long shadow cast by Joe Montana, by shining in the spotlight of Super Bowl XXIX with a performance for the ages.
Young connected on six touchdown passes, a Super Bowl record, against the San Diego Chargers, securing a 49-26 victory and silencing any of the remaining doubters about where he stood among the game’s elite. Nothing like six touchdowns, 325 passing yards and MVP honors to quiet the haters real quick!
Tom Brady, QB, Patriots – Super Bowl LI
HOUSTON, TX – FEBRUARY 05: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots takes the field prior to Super Bowl 51 against the Atlanta Falcons at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
As much as people love to bang on the Falcons for their role in the outcome of Super Bowl LI, Tom Brady’s performance in that game really should be more of the focus… After all, that was the stuff of legends and showed why throughout his career his team always had a never-say-die attitude. They always knew that with Tom under center they always had a chance regardless of what the score or situation was.
Brady famously rallied the New England Patriots in this one from a 28-3 deficit against the Atlanta Falcons, finishing the game with a monster total of 466 passing yards and two touchdowns in a historic overtime win. This comeback, arguably the greatest in Super Bowl history, cemented Brady’s legacy as the GOAT in the eyes of many and was undoubtedly one of the greatest Super Bowl performances we’ve ever seen.
Doug Williams, QB, Redskins – Super Bowl XXII
1987: Doug Williams #17 of the Washington Redskins scrambles with the ball during a 1987 NFL season game. (Photo by: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
This is a special one because not only did Doug Williams shatter records in Super Bowl XXII, but also barriers that delivered an inspiring message that resonated far beyond the football field.
On the field, he accumulated 340 passing yards and four touchdowns in just one quarter, putting his team firmly in the driver’s seat and all but guaranteeing a victory. This gave him a chance to showcase his explosive playmaking ability and leadership, guiding the Washington Redskins to a 42-10 victory over the Denver Broncos.
What made the performance all the more special, meaningful, and impactful was that Williams’ groundbreaking MVP outing broke the color barrier for African American quarterbacks in the Super Bowl and did so in emphatic fashion.
Terrell Davis, RB, Broncos – Super Bowl XXXII
SAN DIEGO, : Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis (C) runs between Green Bay Packers defenders Gabe Wilkins (L) and Eugene Robinson (R) in the first quarter of Super Bowl XXXII at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA 25 January. AFP PHOTO/Don EMMERT (Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP via Getty Images)
Despite battling through migraines and allegedly being essentially rendered blind by the affliction, Terrell Davis delivered one of the best and most gritty performances the Big Game has ever seen in Super Bowl XXXII. Davis proved to be the heart and soul of the Denver Broncos’ victory over the Green Bay Packers, rushing for 157 yards and three touchdowns in route to MVP honors.
His effort led the Broncos to a 31-24 win, marking the franchise’s first Super Bowl victory in its history, and making him an NFL legend forever.
James White, RB, Patriots – Super Bowl LI
HOUSTON, TX – FEBRUARY 05: James White #28 of the New England Patriots celebrates rushing for a 1-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons during Super Bowl 51 at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
While Tom Brady got a lot of the shine during their epic 28 to 3 comeback against the Atlanta Falcons, there was another member of the New England Patriots offense that was a major contributor to that historic W.
Running back, James White, set a Super Bowl record with 14 receptions, totaling 110 receiving yards, and tacked on 29 rushing yards, all in route to scoring three touchdowns, including the game-winning score in overtime. In all honesty, there was a very legitimate case for White to take home the MVP honors in that game rather than Brady—and I have to think that if it weren’t for the name recognition that Brady carries he would’ve! The performance was that special.
Marcus Allen, RB, Raiders – Super Bowl XVIII
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 13: Marcus Allen attends a “Once a Raider, Always a Raider” alumni reunion before a preseason game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on August 13, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Raiders defeated the 49ers 34-7. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
There have been few Super Bowl showings over the years that were more iconic than Marcus Allen of the Raiders. His then-Los Angeles Raiders were going up against a juggernaut Washington Redskins team and he was an absolute wrecking ball all game for them, earning himself MVP honors in the process and leading the Raiders to a commanding victory.
Allen’s 191 rushing yards, included a memorable 74-yard touchdown run during which he instinctively and brilliantly reversed his field, showcasing a rare blend of agility and awareness. This run, along with the rest of his Super Bowl performance was breathtaking and will go down as one of the all-time greats!
Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Cardinals – Super Bowl XLIII
Larry Fitzgerald (#11) of the Arizona Cardinals breaks away from James Harrison (#92) of the Pittsburgh Steelers for a touchdown during Super Bowl XLIII on February 1, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The Steelers edged Arizona 27-23 for their sixth Super Bowl title. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
Impacting the game, especially one with the magnitude of a Super Bowl, as a wide receiver is no small task, but that is exactly what Larry Fitzgerald did with his performance in Super Bowl XLIII. The man was downright electrifying.
He hauled in seven catches, each of which seemed to come at crucial junctures, keeping drives alive and the Cardinals in contention, for 127 yards and two touchdowns, including a dramatic 64-yard go-ahead score late in the game that nearly won the game for Arizona. This was a truly special Super Bowl performance even though his team ended up coming up a little bit short at the end.
Kurt Warner, QB, Rams – Super Bowl XXXIV
St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner celebrates winning Super Bowl XXXIV at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta 30 January, 2000. The Rams defeated the Tennessee Titans 23-16. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO/Steve SCHAEFER (Photo by STEVE SCHAEFER / AFP) (Photo by STEVE SCHAEFER/AFP via Getty Images)
Kurt Warner’s rags-to-riches story in which he went from grocery store clerk to NFL quarterback reached the ultimate climax in Super Bowl XXXIV, where he threw for a then-record 414 yards and two touchdowns, leading the St. Louis Rams to a narrow 23-16 victory over the Tennessee Titans.
Warner’s MVP performance was a fitting ending to what will almost certainly go down as one of the NFL’s most remarkable Cinderella stories ever. It was a narrative so compelling it seemed scripted for Hollywood—and then it was!
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