Has a kicker or punter ever won Super Bowl MVP?

Determining value is difficult, and so it’s no surprise the Super Bowl MVP award usually goes to quarterbacks. From Super Bowl 1 to 59, 34 of the 60 MVP award winners were quarterbacks. And just to clarify, there were 60 winners in the first 59 games because Harvey Martin and Randy White split it in Super Bowl 12.

One notable fact is that a kicker or punter has never won the MVP award. The only special teams player to win the award was Desmond Howard at Super Bowl 31. Although he played wide receiver, Howard won the award because of his work as the Packers’ kick returner. The Patriots had cut the Packers lead to 27-21 in the third quarter, but then Howard ran back the ensuing kickoff for a 99-yard touchdown to secure the game.

There have been some notable performances by punters and kickers, but it’s never been enough to secure the award. Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri had two game-winning field goals, but Tom Brady won the award in both games.

In Super Bowl 53, New England punter Ryan Allen had an outside shot at the award in the Patriots 13-3 win over the the Rams. He had five punts that averaged 43 yards, and dropped the Rams inside their own 20 three separate times. Given that Julian Edelman finished with 10 receptions for 141 yards, it’s not surprising he took home the MVP award.

The Seahawks and Patriots are facing off in Super Bowl 60. Michael Dickson gets a lot of love for his work as a punter, and Jason Myers has been an important cog for Seattle. Maybe the drought ends in 2026?