Best And Worst Super Bowl Passing Performances

by Chase Stuart on February 2, 2017

Joe Montana had what many consider to be the best performance in Super Bowl history. In Super Bowl XXIV against the Broncos, Montana completed 22 of 29 passes for 297 yards and 5 touchdowns, with 1 sack for 0 yards. Jerry Rice was the biggest beneficiary, catching 7 passes for 148 yards and 3 touchdowns, in a 55-10 blowout of the Broncos.

Do the math, and Montana averaged 13.23 Adjusted Net Yards per attempt that day. Making it even more impressive is that he was facing a Broncos defense that allowed just 3.89 ANY/A to opposing passers during the regular season. That means Montana averaged 9.35 additional ANY/A relative to the average Broncos opponent. Over 30 dropbacks, that’s 280 Adjusted Net Yards of Value that Montana added. That’s the most in Super Bowl history, just ahead of what Doug Williams did two years earlier against the Broncos.

In that game, Williams was 18/29 for 340 yards with 4 TDs and 1 INT, and one sack for 10 yards. That’s an ANY/A of 12.17, but it came against a slightly tougher defense: the Broncos allowed 3.77 ANY/A that season. So Williams was 8.40 ANY/A better than “expected” against Denver, over 30 dropbacks; that means he produced 252 ANY of value in the Super Bowl.

Below are those numbers for each of the 128 passers in Super Bowl history. For Super Bowls prior to 1981, I had to use estimated sack data rather than actual, with the formula for estimated sacks being simply (Team Sacks) * (QB Pass Attempts/Team Pass Attempts).

Rk	Quarterback	Year	Tm	Opp	Boxscore	Result	Score	ANY/A	Opp ANY/A	DrpB	Value
1	Joe Montana*	1989	SFO	DEN	Super Bowl XXIV	W	55-10	13.23	3.89	30	280
2	Doug Williams	1987	WAS	DEN	Super Bowl XXII	W	42-10	12.17	3.77	30	252
3	Kurt Warner	2008	ARI	PIT	Super Bowl XLIII	L	23-27	8.64	3.17	45	246
4	Jim Plunkett	1980	OAK	PHI	Super Bowl XV	W	27-10	14.55	3.44	22	244
5	Jake Delhomme	2003	CAR	NWE	Super Bowl XXXVIII	L	29-32	9.59	3.26	37	234
6	Joe Montana*	1984	SFO	MIA	Super Bowl XIX	W	38-16	10.72	4.43	36	227
7	Terry Bradshaw*	1978	PIT	DAL	Super Bowl XIII	W	35-31	9.59	3.01	34	224
8	Steve Young*	1994	SFO	SDG	Super Bowl XXIX	W	49-26	11.03	5.31	39	223
9	Troy Aikman*	1992	DAL	BUF	Super Bowl XXVII	W	52-17	11.32	4.53	31	211
10	Joe Montana*	1988	SFO	CIN	Super Bowl XXIII	W	20-16	9.53	4.46	40	203
11	Phil Simms	1986	NYG	DEN	Super Bowl XXI	W	39-20	12.42	4.89	26	196
12	Kurt Warner	1999	STL	TEN	Super Bowl XXXIV	W	23-16	9.51	5.72	47	178
13	Jim McMahon	1985	CHI	NWE	Super Bowl XX	W	46-10	12.05	4.00	21	169
14	Aaron Rodgers	2010	GNB	PIT	Super Bowl XLV	W	31-25	8.29	4.34	42	166
15	Terry Bradshaw*	1975	PIT	DAL	Super Bowl X	W	21-17	10.95	3.13	21	164
16	Joe Flacco	2012	BAL	SFO	Super Bowl XLVII	W	34-31	9.54	4.88	35	163
17	John Elway*	1998	DEN	ATL	Super Bowl XXXIII	W	34-19	10.72	5.29	29	158
18	Bart Starr*	1966	GNB	KAN	Super Bowl I	W	35-10	8.65	2.86	25.9	150
19	Tom Brady	2003	NWE	CAR	Super Bowl XXXVIII	W	32-29	7.69	4.74	48	142
20	Joe Namath*	1968	NYJ	BAL	Super Bowl III	W	16-7	6.53	1.91	29.9	138
21	Terry Bradshaw*	1979	PIT	RAM	Super Bowl XIV	W	31-19	10.19	3.78	21	135
22	Mark Rypien	1991	WAS	BUF	Super Bowl XXVI	W	37-24	8.70	4.62	33	135
23	Daryle Lamonica	1967	OAK	GNB	Super Bowl II	L	14-33	4.89	1.28	37	134
24	Ken Stabler*	1976	OAK	MIN	Super Bowl XI	W	32-14	8.71	2.39	21	133
25	Drew Brees	2009	NOR	IND	Super Bowl XLIV	W	31-17	8.03	4.96	40	122
26	Bart Starr*	1967	GNB	OAK	Super Bowl II	W	33-14	6.50	2.23	28	119
27	Troy Aikman*	1995	DAL	PIT	Super Bowl XXX	W	27-17	8.72	4.76	25	99
28	Russell Wilson	2013	SEA	DEN	Super Bowl XLVIII	W	43-8	9.84	5.94	25	97
29	Tom Brady	2004	NWE	PHI	Super Bowl XXXIX	W	24-21	7.40	4.63	35	97
30	Ken Anderson	1981	CIN	SFO	Super Bowl XVI	L	21-26	6.00	3.55	39	96
31	Peyton Manning	2009	IND	NOR	Super Bowl XLIV	L	17-31	6.84	4.76	45	94
32	Roger Staubach*	1978	DAL	PIT	Super Bowl XIII	L	31-35	5.46	2.84	35	92
33	Jim Kelly*	1990	BUF	NYG	Super Bowl XXV	L	19-20	6.61	3.71	31	90
34	Brett Favre*	1996	GNB	NWE	Super Bowl XXXI	W	35-21	7.75	4.94	32	90
35	Russell Wilson	2014	SEA	NWE	Super Bowl XLIX	L	24-28	9.54	5.86	24	88
36	John Elway*	1986	DEN	NYG	Super Bowl XXI	L	20-39	6.33	4.17	40	86
37	Roger Staubach*	1977	DAL	DEN	Super Bowl XII	W	27-10	5.83	2.90	29.5	86
38	Colin Kaepernick	2012	SFO	BAL	Super Bowl XLVII	L	31-34	8.42	5.66	31	85
39	Fran Tarkenton*	1973	MIN	MIA	Super Bowl VIII	L	7-24	4.03	1.21	30	85
40	Brett Favre*	1997	GNB	DEN	Super Bowl XXXII	L	24-31	6.28	4.31	43	85
41	Len Dawson*	1969	KAN	MIN	Super Bowl IV	W	23-7	4.85	0.96	20	78
42	Jeff Hostetler	1990	NYG	BUF	Super Bowl XXV	W	20-19	6.88	4.68	34	75
43	Len Dawson*	1966	KAN	GNB	Super Bowl I	L	10-35	4.20	1.92	32.1	73
44	Eli Manning	2007	NYG	NWE	Super Bowl XLII	W	17-14	6.54	4.62	37	71
45	Earl Morrall	1970	BAL	DAL	Super Bowl V	W	16-13	6.80	2.35	15	67
46	Roger Staubach*	1971	DAL	MIA	Super Bowl VI	W	24-3	6.67	3.61	21	64
47	Peyton Manning	2006	IND	CHI	Super Bowl XLI	W	29-17	5.49	3.86	39	64
48	Steve McNair	1999	TEN	STL	Super Bowl XXXIV	L	16-23	5.62	3.96	37	62
49	Bob Lee	1976	MIN	OAK	Super Bowl XI	L	14-32	10.88	4.63	9.2	58
50	Tom Brady	2014	NWE	SEA	Super Bowl XLIX	W	28-24	6.08	5.01	51	55
51	Joe Montana*	1981	SFO	CIN	Super Bowl XVI	W	26-21	7.30	5.14	23	50
52	Peyton Manning	2013	DEN	SEA	Super Bowl XLVIII	L	8-43	4.18	3.19	50	49
53	Terry Bradshaw*	1974	PIT	MIN	Super Bowl IX	W	16-6	6.50	3.45	16	49
54	Brad Johnson	2002	TAM	OAK	Super Bowl XXXVII	W	48-21	6.18	4.90	34	44
55	Ben Roethlisberger	2010	PIT	GNB	Super Bowl XLV	L	25-31	5.15	4.09	41	43
56	Jim Plunkett	1983	RAI	WAS	Super Bowl XVIII	W	38-9	6.44	4.84	27	43
57	Kurt Warner	2001	STL	NWE	Super Bowl XXXVI	L	17-20	5.68	4.78	47	42
58	Joe Theismann	1982	WAS	MIA	Super Bowl XVII	W	27-17	2.85	1.22	26	42
59	Bob Griese*	1973	MIA	MIN	Super Bowl VIII	W	24-7	7.88	2.72	8	41
60	Tom Brady	2001	NWE	STL	Super Bowl XXXVI	W	20-17	5.64	4.22	28	40
61	Ron Jaworski	1980	PHI	OAK	Super Bowl XV	L	10-27	4.63	3.59	38	39
62	Vince Ferragamo	1979	RAM	PIT	Super Bowl XIV	L	19-31	4.39	3.26	28.8	32
63	Eli Manning	2011	NYG	NWE	Super Bowl XLVI	W	21-17	7.02	6.36	43	29
64	Trent Dilfer	2000	BAL	NYG	Super Bowl XXXV	W	34-7	5.46	4.69	28	22
65	Troy Aikman*	1993	DAL	BUF	Super Bowl XXVIII	W	30-13	5.48	4.78	29	20
66	Joe Kapp	1969	MIN	KAN	Super Bowl IV	L	7-23	2.49	1.76	27.7	20
67	Roger Staubach*	1975	DAL	PIT	Super Bowl X	L	17-21	2.16	1.82	31	10
68	Tom Brady	2011	NWE	NYG	Super Bowl XLVI	L	17-21	6.07	5.87	43	8
69	Bob Griese*	1972	MIA	WAS	Super Bowl VII	W	14-7	3.38	3.23	13	2
70	Johnny Unitas*	1968	BAL	NYJ	Super Bowl III	L	7-16	2.71	2.80	24	-2
71	John Elway*	1997	DEN	GNB	Super Bowl XXXII	W	31-24	3.55	3.65	22	-2
72	Johnny Unitas*	1970	BAL	DAL	Super Bowl V	W	16-13	2.00	2.35	9	-3
73	Pete Beathard	1966	KAN	GNB	Super Bowl I	L	10-35	1.26	1.92	5.9	-4
74	David Woodley	1982	MIA	WAS	Super Bowl XVII	L	17-27	3.67	4.17	15	-7
75	Matt Hasselbeck	2005	SEA	PIT	Super Bowl XL	L	10-21	4.50	4.69	52	-10
76	Dan Marino*	1984	MIA	SFO	Super Bowl XIX	L	16-38	4.06	4.25	54	-10
77	Ben Roethlisberger	2008	PIT	ARI	Super Bowl XLIII	W	27-23	6.33	6.71	33	-12
78	Norris Weese	1977	DEN	DAL	Super Bowl XII	L	10-27	1.00	2.12	11.6	-13
79	Bob Griese*	1971	MIA	DAL	Super Bowl VI	L	3-24	2.50	3.13	24	-15
80	Steve Grogan	1985	NWE	CHI	Super Bowl XX	L	10-46	2.18	2.74	34	-19
81	Donovan McNabb	2004	PHI	NWE	Super Bowl XXXIX	L	21-24	4.53	4.91	55	-21
82	Frank Reich	1992	BUF	DAL	Super Bowl XXVII	L	17-52	3.39	4.25	33	-28
83	Fran Tarkenton*	1976	MIN	OAK	Super Bowl XI	L	14-32	3.68	4.63	35.8	-34
84	Tom Brady	2007	NWE	NYG	Super Bowl XLII	L	14-17	4.70	5.42	53	-38
85	Stan Humphries	1994	SDG	SFO	Super Bowl XXIX	L	26-49	3.67	4.45	51	-40
86	Gale Gilbert	1994	SDG	SFO	Super Bowl XXIX	L	26-49	-2.50	4.45	6	-42
87	Rich Gannon	2002	OAK	TAM	Super Bowl XXXVII	L	21-48	1.33	2.34	49	-50
88	Tony Eason	1985	NWE	CHI	Super Bowl XX	L	10-46	-3.11	2.74	9	-53
89	Boomer Esiason	1988	CIN	SFO	Super Bowl XXIII	L	16-20	2.60	4.37	30	-53
90	Jim Kelly*	1992	BUF	DAL	Super Bowl XXVII	L	17-52	-2.00	4.25	9	-56
91	Rex Grossman	2006	CHI	IND	Super Bowl XLI	L	17-29	2.90	4.98	29	-61
92	Cam Newton	2015	CAR	DEN	Super Bowl L	L	10-24	3.32	4.71	47	-65
93	Peyton Manning	2015	DEN	CAR	Super Bowl L	W	24-10	2.11	4.46	28	-66
94	Jim Kelly*	1993	BUF	DAL	Super Bowl XXVIII	L	13-30	3.43	4.70	53	-67
95	Fran Tarkenton*	1974	MIN	PIT	Super Bowl IX	L	6-16	-1.27	1.59	26	-74
96	Joe Theismann	1983	WAS	RAI	Super Bowl XVIII	L	9-38	2.51	4.53	41	-83
97	Ben Roethlisberger	2005	PIT	SEA	Super Bowl XL	W	21-10	1.14	5.15	22	-88
98	Drew Bledsoe	1996	NWE	GNB	Super Bowl XXXI	L	21-35	1.40	3.12	53	-91
99	Craig Morton	1970	DAL	BAL	Super Bowl V	L	13-16	-0.07	3.25	28	-93
100	Chris Chandler	1998	ATL	DEN	Super Bowl XXXIII	L	19-34	2.46	5.21	37	-102
101	John Elway*	1987	DEN	WAS	Super Bowl XXII	L	10-42	2.14	4.63	43	-107
102	Billy Kilmer	1972	WAS	MIA	Super Bowl VII	L	7-14	-1.60	2.04	30	-109
103	Earl Morrall	1968	BAL	NYJ	Super Bowl III	L	7-16	-3.76	2.80	17	-112
104	Jim Kelly*	1991	BUF	WAS	Super Bowl XXVI	L	24-37	1.41	3.33	63	-121
105	John Elway*	1989	DEN	SFO	Super Bowl XXIV	L	10-55	-0.40	4.27	30	-140
106	Neil O'Donnell	1995	PIT	DAL	Super Bowl XXX	L	17-27	1.74	4.93	53	-169
107	Craig Morton	1977	DEN	DAL	Super Bowl XII	L	10-27	-9.00	2.12	17.4	-193
108	Kerry Collins	2000	NYG	BAL	Super Bowl XXXV	L	7-34	-2.19	3.88	43	-261
	Antwaan Randle El	2005	PIT	SEA	Super Bowl XL	W	21-10	63.00	5.15	1	58
	Robert Newhouse	1977	DAL	DEN	Super Bowl XII	W	27-10	40.52	2.90	1.2	44
	Lawrence McCutcheon	1979	RAM	PIT	Super Bowl XIV	L	19-31	36.73	3.26	1.2	39
	Sam Havrilak	1970	BAL	DAL	Super Bowl V	W	16-13	25.00	2.35	1	23
	Gary Kubiak	1986	DEN	NYG	Super Bowl XXI	L	20-39	8.40	4.17	5	21
	Steve Sewell	1987	DEN	WAS	Super Bowl XXII	L	10-42	23.00	4.63	1	18
	Steve Young*	1989	SFO	DEN	Super Bowl XXIV	W	55-10	6.67	3.89	3	8
	Frank Reich	1991	BUF	WAS	Super Bowl XXVI	L	24-37	11.00	3.33	1	8
	Gary Kubiak	1989	DEN	SFO	Super Bowl XXIV	L	10-55	5.00	4.27	5	4
	Bill Musgrave	1994	SFO	SDG	Super Bowl XXIX	W	49-26	6.00	5.31	1	1
	Babe Parilli	1968	NYJ	BAL	Super Bowl III	W	16-7	-0.35	1.91	1.1	-2
	Zeke Bratkowski	1966	GNB	KAN	Super Bowl I	W	35-10	-0.81	2.86	1.1	-4
	Danny White	1977	DAL	DEN	Super Bowl XII	W	27-10	1.06	2.90	2.4	-4
	Tony Banks	2000	BAL	NYG	Super Bowl XXXV	W	34-7	0.00	4.69	1	-5
	Elvis Grbac	1994	SFO	SDG	Super Bowl XXIX	W	49-26	0.00	5.31	1	-5
	Tarvaris Jackson	2013	SEA	DEN	Super Bowl XLVIII	W	43-8	0.00	5.94	1	-6
	Don Strock	1982	MIA	WAS	Super Bowl XVII	L	17-27	0.00	4.17	3	-12
	Jay Schroeder	1987	WAS	DEN	Super Bowl XXII	W	42-10	-4.00	3.77	2	-16
	Steve Fuller	1985	CHI	NWE	Super Bowl XX	W	46-10	-2.20	4.00	5	-31
	Gary Cuozzo	1969	MIN	KAN	Super Bowl IV	L	7-23	-9.60	1.76	3.3	-38

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