Has a Kicker Ever Won Super Bowl MVP? Answer & Analysis

By Sarah Miller · December 3, 2050

Yes, a kicker has never won Super Bowl MVP. Despite several standout performances, no placekicker has been awarded the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player honor as of Super Bowl LVIII in 2024.

Understanding the Super Bowl MVP Award

The Super Bowl Most Valuable Player (MVP) is awarded to the player who delivers the most impactful performance in the championship game of the National Football League (NFL). Since Super Bowl I in 1967, the award has been dominated by quarterbacks, with a few running backs, wide receivers, and defensive players also earning recognition.

Criteria for Winning Super Bowl MVP

Game-changing plays that directly influence the outcome
Statistical dominance (e.g., passing yards, touchdowns, tackles)
Clutch performances under pressure
Overall impact on both offensive and defensive strategy

Kickers often contribute significantly in close games, but their role is typically more limited in scope compared to skill-position players, making it difficult to accumulate the type of highlight-reel moments that sway MVP voting.

Closest Kicker Performances to MVP Contention

While no kicker has ever won the award, a few have come remarkably close due to critical contributions in tightly contested games:

Adam Vinatieri (Super Bowl XXXVI and XXXVIII): Made game-winning field goals in both contests, helping the New England Patriots secure victories.
Stephen Gostkowski (Super Bowl XLIX): Scored 14 points, including key field goals, in a narrow win over the Seahawks.
Matt Bahr (Super Bowl XXV): Connected on 5-of-5 field goals for the New York Giants in a low-scoring defensive battle.

Despite these clutch efforts, the MVP went to quarterbacks both times—Tom Brady in XXXVI and XXVIII, and Phil Simms in XXV.

Why Kickers Haven't Won Super Bowl MVP

Several structural and perceptual factors explain why kickers remain excluded from the MVP list:

Limited Touches and Visibility

Kickers typically participate in only a handful of plays per game. Even in high-pressure situations, their total involvement is minimal compared to quarterbacks, who touch the ball on nearly every offensive snap.

Positional Bias in MVP Voting

The media panel that votes on the Super Bowl MVP tends to favor players with high visibility and statistical output. Quarterbacks account for over 80% of all Super Bowl MVPs, reinforcing a narrative bias toward offensive leaders.

Impact vs. Decisiveness

While a field goal may decide the game, voters often perceive drives culminating in touchdowns—or game-saving defensive stands—as more impactful than a single kick, even if equally decisive.

Player	Super Bowl	Team	Field Goals	Extra Points	Total Points	MVP Winner
Adam Vinatieri	XXXVI	New England Patriots	3/3	2/2	11	Tom Brady
Adam Vinatieri	XXXVIII	New England Patriots	4/4	1/1	13	Tom Brady
Matt Bahr	XXV	New York Giants	5/5	0/0	15	Ottis Anderson
Stephen Gostkowski	XLIX	New England Patriots	3/3	5/5	14	Tom Brady
Greg Zuerlein	LIII	Los Angeles Rams	2/2	1/1	7	Julian Edelman

Table data source:1, 2

The table highlights several elite kicking performances in Super Bowl history where players scored 11 or more points with perfect accuracy. Despite this, the MVP was awarded to quarterbacks or running backs each time, underscoring the challenge kickers face in gaining MVP recognition. Even dominant scoring efforts are often overshadowed by multi-dimensional performances from skill players.

Historical Context and Future Possibility

Given the evolving nature of football, a scenario where a kicker wins Super Bowl MVP is not impossible—but it would require an extraordinary set of circumstances:

A shutout or near-shutout game where field goals are the sole source of points
A kicker contributing on multiple special teams plays (e.g., onside kicks, fake field goals)
An injury-depleted team relying heavily on field position and precision kicking

Even then, voter psychology remains the biggest barrier. As long as narratives center on quarterbacks leading drives, kickers will remain on the outskirts of MVP consideration.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kickers and Super Bowl MVP

Has a kicker ever been named Super Bowl MVP?

No, as of 2025, no kicker has ever won the Super Bowl MVP award. Despite several clutch performances, the honor has always gone to quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, or defensive players.

Who came closest to winning Super Bowl MVP as a kicker?

Adam Vinatieri, after making game-winning field goals in Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII, is widely regarded as the closest any kicker has come to winning the award. However, Tom Brady received the MVP both times for leading the game-winning drives.

Why don't kickers usually win Super Bowl MVP?

Kickers have limited touches and fewer opportunities to impact the game compared to quarterbacks or defensive stars. The MVP is typically awarded to players with high visibility, statistical dominance, and narrative appeal—categories where kickers are at a disadvantage.

Has a special teams player ever won Super Bowl MVP?

Yes, though not a pure kicker. Desmond Howard (Super Bowl XXXI) won MVP primarily for his kickoff and punt returns, becoming the first and only special teams-focused player to earn the award. This shows that exceptional special teams play can be recognized, but it remains extremely rare.

Could a kicker ever win Super Bowl MVP in the future?

Theoretically, yes. If a kicker scores all of a team's points in a low-scoring game, makes a pivotal tackle, or executes a trick-play touchdown pass, they could become a viable candidate. However, overcoming voter bias toward offensive leaders remains a significant hurdle.