Winning a Super Bowl is the ultimate dream for any quarterback, but let’s be real—some of these guys were just along for the ride. Whether they were saved by an all-time defense, a legendary running game, or sheer dumb luck, these QBs managed to hoist the Lombardi Trophy despite performances that ranged from “meh” to “how did that happen?”
So, let’s rank the worst quarterbacks to ever win a Super Bowl. Remember, this isn’t personal—it’s just football. (Okay, maybe it’s a little personal.)
13. Joe Namath (Super Bowl III – New York Jets)
Look, Namath gets credit for the guarantee, the swagger, and the fur coats, but his actual Super Bowl performance? A pedestrian 206 yards, zero touchdowns, and a game plan that mostly consisted of handing off the ball. The Jets’ defense did the real work. Broadway Joe made the Hall of Fame based on vibes alone.
12. Doug Williams (Super Bowl XXII – Washington)
Yes, he had a historic second quarter, and yes, he absolutely torched the Broncos in that game. But his overall career? Pretty uninspiring. Williams was a journeyman QB who had a losing record as a starter and was benched multiple times in his career. Still, that one quarter was legendary, so we’ll give him some slack.
11. Jim McMahon (Super Bowl XX – Chicago Bears)
Was McMahon cool? Absolutely. Was he a world-class trash talker? 100%. Was he also propped up by the most dominant defense in NFL history? You bet. The ‘85 Bears could’ve won that Super Bowl with a department store mannequin under center.
10. Mark Rypien (Super Bowl XXVI – Washington)
Rypien had one Pro Bowl-caliber season and made the most of it. But after that? He completely fell off the map. He was out of Washington just two years later and bounced around as a backup. The ‘91 Washington team was absolutely stacked, and Rypien was the definition of a guy who got hot at the right time.
9. Nick Foles (Super Bowl LII – Philadelphia Eagles)
Philly fans, don’t come for me—Foles did go nuclear in the Super Bowl and outdueled Brady, which is insane. But let’s not pretend he was an elite QB. Foles had multiple seasons where he looked lost, got benched, and then returned to Philly just in time for one magical playoff run. His career was like a Hollywood script—unbelievable and wildly inconsistent.
8. Brad Johnson (Super Bowl XXXVII – Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Johnson was fine. Just fine. But that 2002 Bucs defense was one of the best in NFL history, and they carried him to the promised land. He was a classic game manager—nothing flashy, nothing exciting, just handing it off and throwing short passes while Derrick Brooks and Warren Sapp destroyed people.
7. Jeff Hostetler (Super Bowl XXV – New York Giants)
Hostetler took over for Phil Simms late in the 1990 season and rode the coattails of Bill Parcells’ defense to a Super Bowl win. He wasn’t bad in the big game, but he also wasn’t exactly the reason they won. His career afterward? Uneventful, to say the least.
6 Jim Plunkett (Super Bowls XV, XVIII – Oakland/LA Raiders)
Plunkett’s story is kind of cool—he was a failed No. 1 overall pick who revived his career with the Raiders. But let’s be honest, he was wildly inconsistent. He threw more interceptions (164) than touchdowns (164) in his career, which is not exactly Hall of Fame material.
5. Joe Flacco (Super Bowl XLVII – Baltimore Ravens)
Ah yes, the eternal debate: Is Joe Flacco elite? No. No, he is not. Flacco played out of his mind in the 2012 playoffs, but outside of that? He was a slightly above-average QB who cashed in on that Super Bowl run with a massive contract and then spent the next several years proving why he absolutely didn’t deserve it.
4. Trent Dilfer (Super Bowl XXXV – Baltimore Ravens)
Dilfer is basically the poster child for “QB Who Just Didn’t Mess Up.” The Ravens’ defense, led by Ray Lewis, was the real MVP. Dilfer threw for a whopping 153 yards in the Super Bowl. If you’re wondering why he wasn’t the starter the following year, well… so were we.
3. Earl Morrall (Super Bowl V – Baltimore Colts)
Morrall played most of the season in place of Johnny Unitas but got benched during the Super Bowl for being bad. He was essentially the prequel to the Hostetler story—an aging backup who filled in admirably but wasn’t particularly good.
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2. Craig Morton (Super Bowl XII – Dallas Cowboys)
Morton was so bad in this Super Bowl that the Cowboys won despite him completing only 4 of 15 passes for 39 yards. That’s not a typo. Dallas’ defense won this game, and Morton was just out there trying not to mess it up (and failing).
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1. Eli Manning (Super Bowls XLII, XLVI – New York Giants)
Yes, Eli beat Tom Brady twice, and yes, he had clutch moments. But let’s not act like he was some kind of football deity. In his two Super Bowl-winning seasons, he threw 20 and 16 interceptions, respectively. The Giants’ defense (and the helmet catch) did a lot of heavy lifting. If David Tyree’s head doesn’t exist, we’re not even having this conversation.
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