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What to know about Super Bowl MVP award: Past winners, voting process and more

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is already in exclusive company with a pair of Super Bowl MVPs

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The Lombardi Trophy isn’t the only piece of hardware that will be awarded at Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.

The most valuable player from the Kansas City Chiefs versus San Francisco 49ers showdown at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday will take home the Pete Rozelle Trophy.

An MVP has been honored for every Super Bowl, but the trophy, which is named after longtime NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle, was first given out at Super Bowl XXV. And one player in this year’s Big Game already owns a pair of them.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes earned MVP honors after leading the Chiefs to comeback wins over the 49ers in Super Bowl LIV and the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. Mahomes is already in exclusive company with multiple Super Bowl MVPs and he would join even more rarefied air by capturing a third one.

From that, other past winners, the voting process and more, here’s everything you need to know about the Super Bowl MVP award:

Who votes on the Super Bowl MVP?

Fans and the media vote on the Super Bowl MVP, though they don’t have an equal say. 

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The NFL handpicks 16 media members covering the game to cast an MVP ballot and that select group accounts for 80 percent of the vote. The other 20 percent comes from the fans, who can vote online.

Can the Super Bowl MVP be from the losing team?

Yes, the Super Bowl MVP can come from the losing team. But it’s extremely rare.

Nearly 68 million adults are expected to place a wager on the Chiefs-49ers match-up, according to the American Gaming Association.

Has a player on the losing team ever won the Super Bowl MVP?

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley was named MVP of Super Bowl V after falling to the Baltimore Colts 16-13 on a late field goal. Howley recorded two interceptions and one fumble recovery to become the first defensive player to win Super Bowl MVP and the first and only player from the losing team to win the award.

Who has won the most Super Bowl MVPs?

The player with the most Super Bowl rings also has the most Super Bowl MVPs. Tom Brady was named MVP in five of his seven championship triumphs.

He won four Super Bowl MVPs with the New England Patriots and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The only other players with multiple Super Bowl MVPs are Joe Montana (3), Terry Bradshaw (2), Eli Manning (2), Bart Starr (2) and Patrick Mahomes (2). So Mahomes could join Brady and Montana as the only players to win the award at least three times.

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Super Bowl MVPs by position

To no surprise, the quarterback position has produced the most Super Bowl MVPs – and by a wide margin. 

A quarterback has taken home MVP honors in 32 of the 57 Super Bowls. The position with the second-most Super Bowl MVPs is wide receiver at eight.

Here’s a full breakdown of Super Bowl MVP winners by position:

Quarterback: 32

Wide receiver: 8

Running back: 7

Linebacker: 4

Defensive end: 2

Safety: 2

Cornerback: 1

Defensive tackle: 1

Returner: 1

List of Super Bowl MVPs

Super Bowl I: QB Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers

Super Bowl II: QB Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers

Super Bowl III: QB Joe Namath, New York Jets

Super Bowl IV: QB Len Dawson, Kansas City Chiefs

Super Bowl V: LB Chuck Howley, Dallas Cowboys

Super Bowl VI: QB Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys

Super Bowl VII: S Jake Scott, Miami Dolphins

Super Bowl VIII: RB Larry Csonka, Miami Dolphins

Super Bowl IX: RB Franco Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers

Super Bowl X: WR Lynn Swann, Pittsburgh Steelers

Super Bowl XI: WR Fred Biletnikoff, Oakland Raiders

Super Bowl XII: DE Harvey Martin and DT Randy White, Dallas Cowboys

Super Bowl XIII: QB Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers

Super Bowl XIV: QB Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers

Super Bowl XV: QB Jim Plunkett, Oakland Raiders

Super Bowl XVI: QB Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers

Super Bowl XVII: RB John Riggins, Washington

Super Bowl XVIII: RB Marcus Allen, Los Angeles Raiders

Super Bowl XIX: QB Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers

Super Bowl XX: DE Richard Dent, Chicago Bears

Super Bowl XXI: QB Phil Simms, New York Giants

Super Bowl XXII: QB Doug Williams, Washington

Super Bowl XXIII: WR Jerry Rice, San Francisco 49ers

Super Bowl XXIV: QB Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers

Super Bowl XXV: RB Ottis Anderson, New York Giants

Super Bowl XXVI: QB Mark Rypien, Washington

Super Bowl XXVII: QB Troy Aikman, Dallas Cowboys

Super Bowl XXVIII: RB Emmitt Smith, Dallas Cowboys

Super Bowl XXIX: QB Steve Young, San Francisco 49ers

Super Bowl XXX: CB Larry Brown, Dallas Cowboys

Super Bowl XXXI: Returner Desmond Howard, Green Bay Packers

Super Bowl XXXII: RB Terrell Davis, Denver Broncos

Super Bowl XXXIII: QB John Elway, Denver Broncos

Super Bowl XXXIV: QB Kurt Warner, St. Louis Rams

Super Bowl XXXV: LB Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens

Super Bowl XXXVI: QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Super Bowl XXXVII: S Dexter Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Super Bowl XXXVIII: QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Super Bowl XXIX: WR Deion Branch, New England Patriots

Super Bowl XL: WR Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers

Super Bowl XLI: QB Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts

Super Bowl XLII: QB Eli Manning, New York Giants

Super Bowl XLIII: WR Santonio Holmes, Pittsburgh Steelers

Super Bowl XLIV: QB Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

Super Bowl XLV: QB Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Super Bowl XLVI: QB Eli Manning, New York Giants

Super Bowl XLVII: QB Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens

Super Bowl XLVIII: LB Malcolm Smith, Seattle Seahawks

Super Bowl XLIX: QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Super Bowl 50: LB Von Miller, Denver Broncos

Super Bowl LI: QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Super Bowl LII: QB Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles

Super Bowl LIII: WR Julian Edelman, New England Patriots

Super Bowl LIV: QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

Super Bowl LV: QB Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Super Bowl LVI: WR Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams

Super Bowl LVII: QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

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