Nothing defines a quarterback’s legacy more than a Super Bowl. While stats and personal accolades are nice, a quarterback’s greatness is measured more by how he and his team perform on pro football’s biggest stage.
Perhaps no one knows this better than Jalen Hurts, the Eagles quarterback, who on Sunday night became the 21st quarterback in history to start in multiple Super Bowls. Playing in his second Super Bowl, Hurts became the first quarterback in history to defeat a team that had previously beaten him and his team in the big game. In the process, Hurts and the Eagles ended the Chiefs‘ quest to become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls.
Here’s where Hurts and his counterpart on Sunday night, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, currently rank among every quarterback that has made multiple Super Bowl starts.
Here’s the following criteria used when making the rankings:
- Super Bowl record
- Super Bowls played in
- Super Bowl MVP awards won
- Performance in Super Bowl appearances
21. Fran Tarkenton, Vikings
- Super Bowl record: 0-3
Tarkenton is a Hall of Famer who retired as the NFL’s career passing leader. He’s one of the best quarterbacks of his era, but he and the Vikings consistently came up short in the big game. The Vikings’ offense scored just 21 points in Tarkenton’s three Super Bowl appearances.
20. Jim Kelly, Bills
- Super Bowl record: 0-4
Like Tarkenton, Kelly is a Hall of Fame quarterback whose teams fell flat on the NFL’s biggest stage. Kelly played decent in Super Bowl XXV, Buffalo’s first of four consecutive losses in the Super Bowl. But he threw a then-Super Bowl record four picks in Buffalo’s loss to Washington the following year. Kelly left his third Super Bowl early with an injury. He and the Bills offense were shut out in the second half in his fourth and final Super Bowl start.
Despite his lack of success in the big game, Kelly still holds the record for the most consecutive Super Bowl starts, a testament to his and the Bills’ resiliency.
19. Joe Theismann, Washington
- Super Bowl record: 1-1
Theismann didn’t play particularly well in either of his Super Bowl stats, which came in consecutive years. His best play in Super Bowl XVII was his deflection of his own pass that nearly resulted in a pick six. A year later, he was on the wrong side of what was at the time the most lopsided score ever played in a Super Bowl (it remains the worst Super Bowl loss by a defending champion). He threw a pick six in that game that contributed to Washington’s 38-9 loss to the Raiders.
18. Russell Wilson, Seahawks
- Super Bowl record: 1-1
Wilson played well in Seattle’s blowout win over the Broncos, a game that was dominated by the Seahawks‘ defense. Wilson completed just 57.1% of his passes against the Patriots in the following year’s Super Bowl, though. His game-sealing pick to Malcolm Butler in the final seconds has gone down as one of the most shocking plays in Super Bowl history. The pick cost Seattle a chance at back-to-back Super Bowls.
17. Bob Griese, Dolphins
- Super Bowl record: 2-1
Griese made several clutch throws in each of Miami’s Super Bowl wins. But he threw for less than 100 yards in both games and continues to hold the record for the fewest yards thrown by a Super Bowl-winning quarterback (73 in Super Bowl VIII). In his first Super Bowl, Griese’s offense became the first unit not to score a touchdown in the Super Bowl.
16. Brett Favre, Packers
- Super Bowl record: 1-1
Favre would have won MVP in the Packers’ Super Bowl win over the Patriots if not for the exploits of Desmond Howard, who became the first special teams player to win the honor. Favre threw three touchdowns in the following year’s Super Bowl against the Broncos, but his two turnovers loomed large in the Packers becoming the first NFC team in 14 years to lose a Super Bowl.
15. Len Dawson, Chiefs
- Super Bowl record: 1-1
- Super Bowl IV MVP
Dawson played well in the first half of Super Bowl I, but his interception early in the second half opened the floodgates as the Packers ultimately ran away with the game. Dawson didn’t let that happen again three years later, as he threw the game-clinching score as the Chiefs won the final game ever played between the AFL and the NFL.
14. Kurt Warner, Rams/Cardinals
- Super Bowl record: 1-2
- Super Bowl XXXIV MVP
Warner’s Super Bowl career was bizarre. He won his first Super Bowl, throwing for a then-Super Bowl record 414 yards that included the game-winning touchdown pass to Isaac Bruce. Warner then threw for the second- and third-highest passing totals in Super Bowl history in his next two big games, but his teams lost both times in excruciating fashion. Warner threw a pick six in the Rams‘ Super Bowl loss to the Patriots that was at the time the second-largest upset in Super Bowl history. One of his most famous Super Bowl plays was his pick six to Steelers linebacker James Harrison that Harrison returned 100 yards for a score.
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13. Peyton Manning, Colts/Broncos
- Super Bowl record: 2-2
- Super Bowl XLI MVP
Like Warner, Manning’s Super Bowl career was a roller coaster. The highs included his MVP performance in the Colts‘ win over the Bears and later becoming the first quarterback to win Super Bowls with multiple franchises (Manning retired following Denver’s 24-10 win over Carolina). The lows include throwing pick sixes in each of his Super Bowl losses that included a 43-8 thumping against Seattle in Super Bowl XLVIII.
12. Roger Staubach, Cowboys
- Super Bowl record: 2-3
- Super Bowl VI MVP
Staubach shined in the Cowboys’ first Super Bowl win, throwing a pair of scores as Dallas went 13-0 with him under center that season. Staubach played decent in the Cowboys’ second Super Bowl win, but he threw a combined four interceptions in Dallas’ two Super Bowl losses to Pittsburgh that were decided by a combined eight points. He had three picks and was sacked seven times in the Cowboys’ first Super Bowl loss to Pittsburgh.
11. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
- Super Bowl record: 2-1
Roethlisberger became the youngest quarterback to win the Super Bowl when Pittsburgh defeated Seattle in Super Bowl XL. But he also made unwanted history by recording the lowest passer rating ever by a Super Bowl-winning quarterback. Roethlisberger made up for that performance in his second Super Bowl that was capped off by his game-winning touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes. Roethlisberger and the Steelers started slowly against the Packers in Super Bowl XLV and ended up on the short side of a 31-25 score.
10. Jalen Hurts, Eagles
- Super Bowl record: 1-1
- Super Bowl LIX MVP
Hurts made plenty of history in his first two Super Bowl starts. In his first Super Bowl, Hurts became the first quarterback to run for three touchdowns in the big game. He did have a fumble that led to a score in the Chiefs’ eventual 38-35 win, but that mistake was largely overshadowed by his overall performance that (in addition to his rushing touchdowns) included 304 yards and a touchdown through the air.
Hurts was just as good (if not better) in leading the Eagles to a win over the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. He completed 77.3% of his passes with two touchdowns. Hurts also ran for a score while breaking his own single-game Super Bowl rushing record for a quarterback, running for a game-high 72 yards.
9. Jim Plunkett, Raiders
- Super Bowl record: 2-0
- Super Bowl XV MVP
Plunkett owns some pretty good real estate when it comes to Super Bowl history. His MVP performance came in a game that saw the Raiders become the first wild-card team to win the Super Bowl. Plunkett threw three touchdowns in Oakland’s upset win over the Eagles.
Three years later, Plunkett helped the Raiders pull off another upset, as Los Angeles routed defending champion Washington in what was at the time the most lopsided score in Super Bowl history.
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8. John Elway, Broncos
- Super Bowl record: 2-3
- Super Bowl XXXIII MVP
Elway carried Denver to three Super Bowls early in his career, but the Broncos lost each time to superior teams. The tables turned late in Elway’s career when he had more talent around him. The Broncos shocked the Packers in Super Bowl XXXII in a game that included Elway’s famous “helicopter” run that set up a touchdown. Elway retired a year later after winning MVP honors in the Broncos’ second Super Bowl win in as many years. Elway threw for 336 yards and ran and passed for scores in the final game of his Hall of Fame career.
7. Bart Starr, Packers
- Super Bowl record: 2-0
- 2-time Super Bowl MVP
The standard bearer for Super Bowl quarterbacks, Starr helped the Packers defeat the AFL’s first two Super Bowl representatives by a combined score of 68-24. His 250 passing yards in Super Bowl I stood as the Super Bowl single-game record for a dozen years. Starr had an MVP performance that day despite his top receiver getting knocked out of the game in the first quarter.
6. Eli Manning, Giants
- Super Bowl record: 2-0
- 2-time Super Bowl MVP
You can say what you want about Manning and whether or not he should have been part of this year’s Hall of Fame class. But you can’t argue Manning’s Super Bowl exploits that include two wins against the Patriots and Tom Brady. He slayed the dragon in Super Bowl XLII, throwing the game-winning touchdown pass as the Giants prevented the Patriots from going 19-0. His dime to Mario Manningham in the Super Bowl four years later set up the game-winning touchdown.
5. Troy Aikman, Cowboys
- Super Bowl record: 3-0
- Super Bowl XXVII MVP
Aikman’s steady play helped the Cowboys became the first team to win three Super Bowls over a four-year span. Aikman, whose 70% Super Bowl completion percentage is the highest by a quarterback with at least three Super Bowl starts, threw four touchdown passes in the Cowboys’ first Super Bowl win in the ’90s.
4. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
- Super Bowl record: 3-2
- 3-time Super Bowl MVP
Mahomes is one of just three players with at least three Super Bowl MVPs. He threw the game-changing play in the Chiefs’ first Super Bowl win over the 49ers, made several clutch plays down the stretch in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win over the Eagles and threw the game-winning touchdown pass in Kansas City’s overtime Super Bowl win over San Francisco. Those performances put Mahomes on the Mount Rushmore of Super Bowl quarterbacks.
But Mahomes’ Super Bowl legacy also includes two ugly losses by a combined 40 points. While his performance in Kansas City’s loss to Tampa Bay is somewhat justified (the Chiefs’ offensive line was decimated by injury), it’s hard to explain his poor performance in Sunday night’s blowout loss to the Eagles. Philadelphia’s defense obviously deserves credit, but Mahomes admittedly had a bad night at the absolutely worst time. His night included a pick six and another interception that set up an Eagles touchdown.
3. Terry Bradshaw, Steelers
- Super Bowl record: 4-0
- 2-time Super Bowl MVP
Bradshaw has one less Super Bowl MVP than Mahomes, but he never lost a Super Bowl and played big in each of Pittsburgh’s four Super Bowl wins. Bradshaw’s worst Super Bowl was his three-interception performance against the Rams in Super Bowl XIV. But that game also included three big completions from Bradshaw: a 47-yard touchdown to Lynn Swann, his game-winning, 73-yard touchdown pass to John Stallworth and a 45-yard completion to Stallworth that iced the game. Those plays earned Bradshaw his second consecutive Super Bowl MVP award.
2. Joe Montana, 49ers
- Super Bowl record: 4-0
- 3-time Super Bowl MVP
Montana was the Super Bowl’s greatest quarterback until Brady came along. He was the second quarterback to win four Super Bowls and the first player to win three Super Bowl MVP awards. Montana threw 11 touchdowns against zero picks in his four Super Bowls.
Montana’s Super Bowls also included some memorable moments. He outdueled Dan Marino in the greatest quarterback matchup in Super Bowl history, recording 400 total yards and four touchdowns. Four years later, Montana led the most iconic, game-winning drive in Super Bowl history that was culminated by his game-winning touchdown pass to John Taylor. Montana capped off his Super Bowl career a year later by throwing a then-Super Bowl record five touchdown passes as the 49ers set Super Bowl records for points scored (55) and margin of victory (45). Both records still stand today.
1. Tom Brady, Patriots/Buccaneers
- Super Bowl record: 7-3
- 5-time Super Bowl MVP
Brady proved that you can lose a Super Bowl and still be an all-time legend in the big game. Brady may have lost Super Bowls, but he more than made up for those losses by winning more Super Bowls (seven) than any NFL team, one more than the Patriots and Steelers.
The only five-time Super Bowl MVP, Brady’s Super Bowl highlights include his role in the Patriots’ stunning upset win over the Rams, his gritty performance in New England’s come-from-behind win over the Seahawks, the Patriots’ record-setting comeback against the Falcons and his three-touchdown performance with the Buccaneers in his final Super Bowl start.
Even in defeat, Brady made his mark in the Super Bowls. His 505 yards passing in New England’s loss to the Eagles remains the most passing yards ever by a quarterback in the big game.
