NFL: Super Bowl MVPs- Are Kickers Left Out in the Cold?  

Super Bowl LX was a battle with few offensive fireworks, especially during the game’s first half. Not a single touchdown was scored in the first two quarters. The Seattle Seahawks headed into the locker room with a 9-0 lead thanks to field goals from kicker Jason Myers. By the time the clock ran out in the 4th quarter, Myers logged a Super Bowl record-breaking 5 field goals (just over half of the team’s 29 points), as the Seahawks went on to defeat the AFC Champion New England Patriots 29-13.

The game’s MVP, running back Kenneth Walker III, played a pivotal role in the Seattle victory with 161 total yards. While he was clearly deserving of the honor, there was more than a little rumbling that the award should have gone to Myers. There may be some merit to this argument, considering the fact that he was the only scorer for over 3 quarters of football. Additionally, Myers broke the record for Super Bowl field goals. Whether Myers deserved the award or not, nothing will change. No NFL kicker has received Most Valuable Player honors.

How the MVP is Chosen

The Most Valuable Player award is occasionally panned as a popularity contest. It has also been under fire for being handed off to the flashiest superstar on the field. Is this true, and what happens between kickoff and the final whistle to bring about a winner?

The NFL handpicks a 16-member panel of professional football writers and broadcasters who are actively covering the Super Bowl. Their decision is heavily weighted and holds 80% of the vote. The writers’ voting starts late in the game with a number of votes coming in near the two-minute warning. A panelist can change their vote before the game ends. This is usually in response to exceptional events during the close of the game.

As of 2001, fans can cast their ballots online using the NFL’s official website. Fan voting results account for the remaining 20% of the award’s decision. Fans can vote for the Super Bowl MVP beginning at the start of the 4th quarter, and voting closes as soon as the game ends.

While the MVP typically represents the winning team, this is not a requirement for selection. In the 60-season history of the game, only one player was dubbed most valuable from a losing team. His name is Chuck Howley.

Before fans were invited to vote in 2001, a select panel of 16 professional football writers and broadcasters would determine the Most Valuable Player.

The NFL Commissioner presents the Pete Rozelle Trophy, named after the late commissioner, during the Lombardi Trophy ceremony after the game. In addition to the trophy, the Super Bowl MVP will receive significant exposure and potential commercial contracts. The MVP’s team may give bonuses, and game sponsors often present cars. The NFL, however, does not award cash prizes to the Super Bowl MVP.

Historically, quarterbacks have claimed the most Super Bowl MVP awards. Kenneth Walker III’s MVP selection marks the first time since 1998 when Denver Broncos RB Terrell Davis won for his efforts in Super Bowl XXXII

For 60 Super Bowls, various positions claimed the award. The MVP breakdown is as follows:

• Quarterback: 34

• Wide Receiver: 8

• Running back/Fullback: 8

• Linebacker: 4

• Defensive line: 3

• Safety: 2

• Cornerback: 1

• Kick Returner: 1

Kickers do appear to be overlooked when choosing Super Bowl MVPs. However, the uproar over the perceived Jason Myers snub signals these much- maligned players are not forgotten by fans.