Just as in the football card market, the roster of Super Bowl MVP award winners is centered around quarterbacks. Sure, there have been defensive players on losing teams who’ve won (hello, Chuck Howley), kick returners (yo, Desmond Howard) and players who made the difference playing another position. However, the MVP vote has gone to a quarterback about 83% of the time. Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes and Joe Montana account for over 32% of them.
In all, there have been 23 different Super Bowl MVP-winning quarterbacks over the years. Not really a huge number when you consider the game’s origin goes back to the 1966-67 season.
Winning a Super Bowl MVP can elevate a player’s profile to a whole new level. Just ask Joe Namath.
While it might not be the most important factor for card collectors, it certainly doesn’t hurt. Here’s a look at all 23 QBs who’ve taken home the hardware from the year’s biggest game and their rookie cards.
1. Bart Starr — Green Bay Packers
Super Bowl MVPs: I & II
Rookie Card: 1957 Topps #138
Starr guided the Packers past the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl I, throwing for 250 yards and two touchdowns in a 35–10 win at the LA Coliseum.
He followed that the following season with a precise and controlled performance against the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl II, completing 13 of 24 passes to secure a 33–14 victory. His 62-yarder to Boyd Dowler in the second quarter was the signature play as the Pack culminated the Vince Lombardi era with a fifth NFL title and second straight Super Bowl win. Back then, the Super Bowl MVP earned a new Corvette. Starr donated his to an auction that raised money for the Rawhide Boys Ranch, a cause he backed throughout his life.
Starr’s cool, cerebral style helped define the quarterback as a leader of championship teams in the early Super Bowl era.
Greatness was several years away when Topps printed his rookie card, one that arrived in the same set that housed Johnny Unitas’ first card. Today, both are among the most valuable vintage football cards you can own.
2. Joe Namath — New York Jets
Super Bowl MVP: III
Rookie Card: 1965 Topps #122
There wasn’t much offense in Super Bowl III, but Namath delivered on his famous guarantee by outmaneuvering the heavily favored Baltimore Colts, completing 17 of 28 passes for 206 yards in a 16–7 upset. His charisma and confidence symbolized the AFL’s emergence and legitimized the league in its early Super Bowl battles. It was a monumental moment for the upstart league that was soon to merge with the NFL.
Namath posed for what became his rookie card photo while in the hospital, recovering from knee surgery. The unique vertical oversized concept was something Topps utilized in hockey then, too, and would later bring back for its first two basketball sets in 1969 and 1970.
3. Len Dawson — Kansas City Chiefs
Super Bowl MVP: IV
Rookie Card: 1963 Fleer #47
Dawson led the Chiefs to a 23–7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, completing 12 of 17 passes for 142 yards. His 46-yard third quarter strike to Otis Taylor turned a relatively tight game into the second straight win for the younger league. Dawson’s leadership helped the Chiefs to what would be the second of seven Super Bowl appearances to date.
Of all of the vintage cards featuring Super Bowl MVPs, Dawson’s Fleer rookie is among the toughest with distribution of Fleer’s final AFL set fairly limited. Only 26 have graded PSA 9 with none higher.
4. Roger Staubach — Dallas Cowboys
Super Bowl MVP: VI
Rookie Card: 1972 Topps #200
There was a wind chill reading for Super Bowl VI at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. Despite less than ideal conditioins, Staubach led the Cowboys past the Miami Dolphins in a 24–3 victory, throwing two touchdown passes (to fellow future Hall of Famers Lance Alworth and Mike Ditka) while managing the clock with poise.
A former Navy officer who postponed his NFL debut to complete his military commitment, Staubach’s disciplined rise made him the perfect leader for the Cowboys’ first Super Bowl championship. He’d appear in three more Super Bowl games during the decade.
His Topps rookie card arrived in the second of what was a three series release of 1972 Topps. There are plenty available, which keeps prices for all but the best examples somewhat within reason.
5. Terry Bradshaw — Pittsburgh Steelers
Super Bowl MVPs: XIII & XIV
Rookie Card: 1971 Topps #156
Staubach was good but Bradshaw threw for 318 yards and four touchdowns against the Dallas Cowboys in the shootout that was Super Bowl XIII, orchestrating a 35–31 win for the Steelers.
He followed with 309 yards and two touchdowns (a 43-yard strike to Lynn Swann and a 73-yarder to John Stallworth) against the Los Angeles Rams in XIV, leading Pittsburgh to a 31–19 victory. Bradshaw was the heart of the Steel Curtain era, guiding a defense-first team to dynasty status and redefining the modern passing quarterback.
His 1971 Topps rookie card arrived with the first-year cardboard of fellow Steeler great Joe Greene. Of the more than 6,500 submitted for grading to PSA, only 21 have been returned in a Gem Mint 9 holder, with just three 10s. In 2021, one of the latter sold for $430,500.
6. Jim Plunkett — Oakland Raiders
Super Bowl MVP: XV
Rookie Card: 1972 Topps #65
Plunkett guided the Raiders past the Philadelphia Eagles 27–10, completing 16 of 21 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns and a passer rating of 145.0.
Plunkett’s resurgence after early career struggles exemplified perseverance, turning him into a late-blooming Super Bowl hero.
His 1972 Topps rookie card pictures the former Stanford star in a slightly airbrushed photo taken during preparation for the annual College All-Star game in Chicago. It’s plentiful and generally inexpensive.
7. Joe Montana — San Francisco 49ers
Super Bowl MVPs: XVI, XIX, XXIV
Rookie Card: 1981 Topps #216
Montana led the 49ers past the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XVI with a late-game drive to win 26–21, passed for 331 yards and three touchdowns against the Miami Dolphins in XIX, and threw five touchdown passes in a 55–10 rout of the Denver Broncos in XXIV.
Montana has the highest career passer rating in Super Bowls when throwing 40+ pass attempts, with a 127.8 rating.
Montana’s poise under pressure earned him the nickname “Joe Cool,” and he helped establish the 49ers as a dominant NFL dynasty. His 1981 Topps rookie card isn’t hard to find but high-grade, well-centered copies can bring big prices. Little known fact: Montana has a regional rookie card in the Gardner’s/Holsum Bread set in which he’s wearing a fu manchu mustache. You can be excused for buying that one instead of the run-of-the-mill rookie card.
8. Phil Simms — New York Giants
Super Bowl MVP: XXI
Rookie Card: 1980 Topps #225
Simms completed 22 of 25 passes (a record 88%) for 268 yards and three touchdowns in his first Super Bowl, dismantling the Denver Broncos in a 39–20 win. His near-perfect accuracy set a Super Bowl single-game passer rating record (150.9).
It demonstrated the Giants’ rising offensive prowess under Bill Parcells. They’d win another four years later, but this time running back Ottis Anderson was named MVP.
His rookie card photo might be the most uninspiring of all-time as Topps continued its late 70s malaise. It’s an easy score at under $10, even in nice, but ungraded form.
9. Doug Williams — Washington Redskins
Super Bowl MVP: XXII
Rookie Card: 1979 Topps #48
Williams came off the bench to lead Washington to the Super Bowl during a strike-marred 1987 season. He threw four touchdown passes against the Denver Broncos in a 42–10 victory, including a record-setting 35-point second quarter. His 340 yards passing set a Super Bowl record. Williams was the first Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl MVP, breaking barriers while commanding a historically dominant second-quarter performance.
His long forgotten rookie card became hot for awhile in the late 1980s and is still somewhat popular for its historical significance. Mint 9 copies usually bring low three-figures.
10. Mark Rypien — Washington Redskins
Super Bowl MVP: XXVI
Rookie Card: 1989 Score #105
Rypien led the Redskins to a 37–24 win over the Buffalo Bills, completing 18 of 33 passes for 292 yards and two touchdowns. His precise passing and timing solidified Washington’s 1990s dynasty and marked the team’s third Super Bowl title.
Rypien has more than one rookie card but the 1989 Score set has been popular through the years. This Super Bowl MVP’s cards aren’t pricey, even in 10 grade slabs.
11. Troy Aikman — Dallas Cowboys
Super Bowl MVP: XXVII
Rookie Card: 1989 Score #270
Aikman threw four touchdown passes in a 52–17 rout of the Buffalo Bills, exploiting mismatches and controlling the tempo. Aikman’s leadership and consistency were central to the Cowboys’ dominance in the 1990s, cementing their status as “America’s Team.” He’d win two more Super Bowls but XXVII was his only MVP.
1989 marked the year in which all top rookies were actually pictured on cards during their rookie seasons as Score and Pro Set jumped into the mix. Topps didn’t include him until its late year traded set. That one and the Pro Set issue can be had for just a few bucks while the Score rookie featuring the sweaty-haired future broadcaster will run significantly more.
12. Steve Young — San Francisco 49ers
Super Bowl MVP: XXIX
Rookie Card: 1984 USFL #52
Young completed 24 of 32 passes for 325 yards and six touchdowns against the San Diego Chargers in a 49–26 win. This win finally freed Young from the shadow of Joe Montana, allowing him to claim his long-awaited Super Bowl triumph and cement his legacy.
There’s always been some debate about which card is Young’s rookie–his 1984 USFL issue from the boxed set or the ’86 Topps, which was his first NFL bubble gum card. We’re going with the USFL issue since it’s rarer and does picture him in a pro uniform.
13. John Elway — Denver Broncos
Super Bowl MVP: XXXIII
Rookie Card: 1984 Topps #63
Elway led the Broncos to a 34–19 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, completing 18 of 29 passes for 336 yards and a touchdown, winning his second Super Bowl and first MVP award. He also ran for a score in what was the last NFL game of his career.
Both Elway and Dan Marino have their rookie cards in the 1984 Topps set. Elway’s card is much tougher to land in a high-grade holder.
14. Kurt Warner — St. Louis Rams
Super Bowl MVP: XXXIV
Rookie Cards: 1999 Collector’s Edge Pro Signatures
Warner completed 24 of 45 passes for 414 yards and two touchdowns against the Tennessee Titans, including a last-minute drive to win 23–16.
Warner’s improbable rise from grocery store stocker to NFL MVP inspired one of the most remarkable Cinderella stories in league history.
The story of his first rookie card is a great one (told by Jeff Morris here), but he shares it with teammate Tony Horne so we’re partial to the 1999 Edge Pro Signatures Warner rookie auto, numbered to just 500. There are several other Warner rookies but for scarcity and a nice, clean look with an autograph in the middle, we’ll showcase this one.
15. Tom Brady — New England Patriots
Super Bowl MVPs: XXXVI, XXXVIII, XLIX, LI, LV
Rookie Card: 2000 Upper Deck Black Diamond #126
Winning one Super Bowl MVP is a lifetime achievement. Brady did it five times–four as a Patriot and then as a Tampa Bay Buc– and won two others for his record total of seven rings. Most memorable? The historic comeback from 28–3 down against Atlanta in Super Bowl LI.
Brady cards have gone bananas since the rings and awards began piling up. There are numerous options for his rookies, the majority of which picture him in his University of Michigan uniform. The Upper Deck Black Diamond is sneaky great. Not only does it show him in his Pats practice gear, it has a more modern look, dates to UD Black’s final year and is rare enough to be a great one to hold:
There are 2,400 copies of the card, which is part of the “Rookie Gems” subset, which featured 30 different rookies. If you want something really special, the Gold parallel version is limited to only 500.
16. Peyton Manning — Indianapolis Colts
Super Bowl MVP: XLI
Rookie Card: 1998 Topps Chrome #165
Manning completed 25 of 38 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown to lead the Colts past the Chicago Bears 29–17 on a rainy Miami evening. Prince’s halftime show was probably better, but Manning was solid enough to keep the Colts in command. He’d win another one after joining the Denver Broncos later in his career but Von Miller was named MVP of that game.
There are plenty of Manning rookie cards in 1998 including the pricey Playoff Contenders autographs, but let’s not overthink it. The Topps Chrome brand is a stalwart, the base card is plentiful enough that you can own a nice one for a reasonable price and the low angle image of the young Manning in dropback mode is a classic.
17. Eli Manning — New York Giants
Super Bowl MVPs: XLII & XLVI
Rookie Card: 2004 Bazooka
Eli outdueled the New England Patriots twice, including the “Helmet Catch” drive in XLII that resulted in a monumental upset and a fourth-quarter winning drive in XLVI. Known for his clutch late-game heroics, Eli cemented his reputation as a giant-slayer against one of football’s most dominant dynasties.
Amid the mountain of Eli rookie cards is a hidden gem for the budget minded. You can grab Eli’s Bazooka rookie–a nice, clean image with “Rookie Card” right on the front–for around 5-7 bucks (often less). There are colored border parallels and even a “Bazooka Originals” jersey patch that don’t cost much more than that, despite not being all that plentiful.
18. Drew Brees — New Orleans Saints
Super Bowl MVP: XLIV
Rookie Card: 2001 Pacific Vanguard Premiere Date
Brees completed 32 of 39 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Saints to a 31–17 victory over the Colts. Brees’ precision passing revived New Orleans’ franchise and gave the city its first Super Bowl title after Hurricane Katrina.
Brees led the NFL in passing yards seven times and completion percentage six times.
Pacific Trading Cards has long since gone away, but the company produced a lot of great cards and the company’s Vanguard set of 2001 included a “Premiere Date” rookie card of Brees that’s numbered to only 115. A BGS 8.5 sold for $44 in an eBay auction last month. Congrats to the person who stole it.
19. Aaron Rodgers — Green Bay Packers
Super Bowl MVP: XLV
Rookie Card: 2005 Topps Turkey Red
Rodgers completed 24 of 39 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 31–25 victory. Rodgers’ combination of mobility and arm talent helped him emerge as the heir to Brett Favre and lead the Packers to their fourth Super Bowl championship and 13th NFL title in all.
Rodgers’ long and winding road dates back to 2005 with countless rookies, including autographs.. Many of the images show him in practice but Turkey Red puts him in the familiar green and gold. Ungraded copies can be had for $25 or less.
20. Joe Flacco — Baltimore Ravens
Super Bowl MVP: XLVII
Rookie Card: 2008 Bowman Gold parallel #170
The well-traveled Flacco completed 22 of 33 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns in a 34–31 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Flacco’s calm, big-play style earned him MVP honors in the “Harbaugh Bowl,” a rare sibling coaches Super Bowl matchup.
It put the cap on a postseason run that saw him tie Joe Montana’s single postseason record of 11 touchdown passes without an interception and Baltimore gave him a six-year contract worth over $120 million, a record for quarterbacks at the time.
Most of Flacco’s rookie cards are inexpensive. You can snare the gold parallel from his 2008 Bowman for a few bucks.
21. Nick Foles — Philadelphia Eagles
Super Bowl MVP: LII
Rookie Card: 2012 Panini Prizm #224
Foles threw for 373 yards and three touchdowns while catching a touchdown himself (“The Philly Special”) in Philadelphia’s 41–33 victory over the New England Patriots. Foles’ unexpected rise as a backup quarterback made Philadelphia’s upset one of the most memorable Super Bowl stories.
His 2012 rookie season was the first year for Panini’s immediately popular Prizm brand and you can grab the base version of this nice looking card for less than ten bucks.
22. Patrick Mahomes — Kansas City Chiefs
Super Bowl MVPs: LIV, LVII, LVIII
Rookie Card: 2017 Panini Contenders Rookie Ticket Patch
The first nine teams in the 2017 draft passed on Mahomes but the Kansas City Chiefs found a Future Hall of Famer in the Texas Tech product. He led the Chiefs to victories over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowls LIV and LVIII and also beat the Eagles in LVII. His combination of creativity, arm strength, and improvisation has redefined the modern quarterback.
Mahomes’ video game numbers and trio of Super Bowl wins turned him into one of the hottest names on the football card market during his career. If we’re going to splurge on a Super Bowl MVP from the current era, Mahomes is the guy. Amid the high-priced rookie autos in the ever popular Contenders line are some patch cards that can still be had for under $500. Seems pretty hard to go wrong there.
23. Jalen Hurts — Philadelphia Eagles
Super Bowl MVP: LIX
Rookie Card: 2020 Panini Mosaic Green parallel #222
Hurts threw two touchdown passes and ran for another to lead the Eagles to a 40–22 victory over Mahomes and the Chiefs. Hurts’ dual-threat skills and leadership herald a new era in quarterback play, blending power running with elite passing. He didn’t get a chance to defend his title in 2025 but he’ll be around awhile.
Prices may have dipped for now and there are plenty of low cost options with a little flair, like the green color match parallel from 2020 Panini Mosaic that can be had for less than 20 bucks.
