With the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos just days away from clashing, we count down the 10 greatest NFL players in Super Bowl history.
By Robby Sabo
Of course, we already know this thanks to Cam Newton and his Carolina Panthers getting ready to take on Peyton Manning and his Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50.
It’s amazing, really. To think that there’s been 50 of these games already. But alas, there has been, as we continue to grow older with each passing game.
Getting back on topic, 50 remains the number of the moment, and all publishing outlets have been making sure you, the reader, knows this.
Lists are coming fast and furious. Ranking all 50 Super Bowls, top 50 moments, even the 50 greatest Super Bowl players are just a few that come to mind.
In fact, that last one was so appealing that we did one as well.
Here are the top 50 Super Bowl players of all time:
No. 50 through No. 11 (In no particular order)
- Joe Namath (QB-NYJ)
- Bart Starr (QB-GB)
- Jack Lambert (LB-PIT)
- Ted Hendricks (LB-BAL,OAK)
- Ray Lewis (LB-BAL)
- Jake Scott (S-MIA)
- Troy Aikman (QB-DAL)
- Phil Simms (QB-NYG)
- Terrell Davis (RB-DEN)
- Lynn Swan (WR-PIT)
- John Elway (QB-DEN)
- Mel Blount (CB-PIT)
- Doug Williams (QB-WAS)
- Steve Young (QB-SF)
- Franco Harris (RB-PIT)
- Larry Csonka (RB-MIA)
- John Stallworth (WR-PIT)
- Manny Fernandez (DT-MIA)
- Gene Upshaw (G-OAK)
- Ronnie Lott (DB-SF)
- Joe Jacoby (T-WAS)
- Mike Webster (C-PIT)
- Deion Sanders (CB-SF,DAL)
- Franco Harris (RB-PIT)
- Randy Cross (OL-SF)
- L.C. Greenwood (DE-PIT)
- Rod Martin (OLB-OAK)
- Chuck Howley (LB-DAL)
- Ty Law (CB-NE)
- Steve Young (QB-SF)
- Jay Novecek (TE-DAL)
- Reggie White (DE-PHI)
- Anthony Munoz (L-CIN)
- James Harrison (OLB-PIT)
- Larry Brown (CB-DAL)
- John Riggins (RB-WAS)
- Roger Staubach (QB-DAL)
- Randy White (DL-DAL)
- Roger Craig (RB-SF)
- Jim Plunkett (QB-OAK)
Though he only played in one game – Super Bowl III – New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath has to be sniffing the Top 10 on this list.
His impact, his importance alone is worth its weight in gold. Daringly guaranteeing victory for the underdog AFL Champions, Namath changed the way we looked at the AFL-NFL Championship forever.
Now, let’s get onto the big show.
10. Joe Greene (LB-PIT)
The stats won’t jump out at you. In fact, “Mean” Joe Greene’s stats are very ordinary over four Super Bowl appearances.
Understand one very important thing, though: The Steel Curtain was dominant in winning four Super Bowls, and because of that very notion, their best defensive player needs to be in the Top 10.
9. Adam Vinatieri (K-NE)
A kicker in the Top 10 Super Bowl players of all time? Absolutely.
New England Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri was every bit as gold as any player on the Pats’ two first championships.
Yes, while it’s always Tom Brady who receives the admiration, it was actually Brady who only drove his offense into field goal range. Vinatieri had the tough part of winning the game not once, but twice with long distance field goals.
Not only did he nail the game-winners in Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII, he won a third in New England and a fourth in Indianapolis with the Colts.
Vinatieri only trails Jerry Rice with a total of 34 career Super Bowl points.
8. Emmitt Smith (RB-DAL)
The only thing scarier than Troy Aikman handing off to Emmitt Smith on one of Norv Turner’s famous lead draws, was the five massive bodies paving the way.
That legendary offensive line allowed the NFL’s all-time leading rusher to rush for five touchdowns (most in Super Bowl history) and 289 yards (ranks third).
Smith has three Super Bowl rings.
7. Kurt Warner (QB-STL,ARZ)
Nothing has been, nor will ever be more improbable than the 1999 season of St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner.
Just years earlier serving as a grocery store manager, Warner went on to fill in for the injured Trent Green and capture the NFL MVP and Super MVP for head coach Dick Vermeil.
All in all, Warner won one Super Bowl while playing in three. Incredibly, Warner is the owner of the three most prolific passing days in Super Bowl history (414 passing yards in Super Bowl XLI, 377 yards in Super Bowl XLIII, and 365 in Super Bowl XXXVI).
6. Eli Manning (QB-NYG)
How Eli Manning found his way out of the grasp of the New England Patriots rush, and found David Tyree for the most spectacular play in Super Bowl history, we still don’t know.
What we do know is this New York Giants quarterback is money when it counts most.
Unlike his big brother, this Manning has the uncanny ability to raise his game when the moment is at its most hectic. He knocked off Tom Brady and Bill Belichick not once, but twice in the big game.
Let’s also not forget he led the way in stunning the world while beating the unbeatable 18-0 Pats in Super Bowl XLII.
5. Charles Haley (DL-DAL,SF)
Who was the final piece of the puzzle that changed the fortunes of the Dallas Cowboys and doomed the San Francisco 49ers?
Charles Haley, that’s who.
After already winning two titles in San Francisco, Haley then went to Dallas and racked in three more.
His five Super Bowls are most ever and 4.5 sacks a Super Bowl record.
4. Terry Bradshaw (QB-PIT)
Although the Steel Curtain received most of the acclaim during those Super Sundays in Pittsburgh in the 1970s, the true leader of the squad came behind center.
Terry Bradshaw is tied with Tom Brady and Joe Montana as the only three quarterbacks to have won four Super Bowls. And he wasn’t just a game manager in all four. It was Bradshaw who led the way in Super Bowls XIII and XIV, taking MVP honors in both games.
3. Jerry Rice (WR-SF)
The man, the myth, the legend – San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice is the best non-quarterback to ever compete in the Super Bowl.
He owns Super Bowl career records for receptions (33), receiving yards (589) and touchdowns (8). No one else has more than three TD catches, a total Rice matched alone in Super Bowl XXIX. His single-game record of 215 receiving yards made him Super Bowl XXIII’s MVP – the game in which John Taylor caught the winning touchdown on a perfectly-timed slant pattern.
2. Tom Brady (QB-NE)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady owns the record for most career starts in the big game with an incredible six. He’s, of course, tied with Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw with four rings.
Brady is the all-time leader in passes (247), completions (164), yards (1,605), and TDs (13). Super Bowl XLIX did a lot for Brady’s Super Bowl career, as his three previous victories were more Bradshaw-like, rather than Montana-like.
Still, Brady one of the most clutch performers of all-time.
1. Joe Montana (QB-SF)
Nobody can surpass Joe Montana for tops on this list.
Not only is he tied with Brady and Bradshaw for the most Super Bowl victories in history as quarterback, he’s perfect. And this doesn’t just mean a perfect 4-0, it means his script was flawless.
Whether it was a 55-10 blowout, like we saw in Super Bowl XXIV against John Elway’s Denver Broncos, or a two-minute drive against the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII that started with a John Candy spotting in the crowd, Montana has done it all.
Montana collected three Super Bowl MVPs, had 11 touchdowns to zero interceptions, and owns the record for best passer rating for a career in the big game with a ridiculous 127.8 mark.