Young stars who led their teams to the Super Bowl

Namath made his assure after which backed it up on when the lights had been on, main the upstart New York Jets to a monster upset of the Baltimore Colts in Tremendous Bowl III. Broadway Joe wasn’t spectacular however he was regular, and his star standing was cemented after engineering maybe the largest shocker in professional soccer historical past to that time.

Foreman was a workhorse with a present for catching passes, and he amassed over 9,000 yards from scrimmage in a comparatively brief profession. He was named Offensive Rookie of the Yr in 1973 when his 1,163 yards from scrimmage helped Minnesota attain the Tremendous Bowl towards Miami. Nevertheless, he and his teammates had been bottled up in a 24-7 Dolphins win.

Harris’ 1974 season was his third within the league, and he helped the Steelers attain their first Tremendous Bowl, dashing for 1,006 yards throughout the season at nearly 5 yards per carry. Within the Tremendous Bowl he was even higher, slashing by way of the Vikings protection for 158 yards and a landing en path to profitable MVP honors.

Pittsburgh was the crew of the Seventies, and so it was that the Steelers had many younger stars play large roles in huge moments. Swann led the league with 11 landing catches in his second season, however he saved his largest heroics for the Tremendous Bowl, the place he made two spectacular catches early within the recreation after which sealed Pittsburgh’s second straight title with a 64-yard landing catch. For his efforts, he was named the sport’s MVP.

Dorsett lived as much as the hype that got here with being the second-overall choose within the 1977 draft, dashing for 1,007 yards whereas averaging almost 5 yards per carry. His sturdy work continued in Tremendous Bowl XII, the place he rushed for 65 yards and a landing to assist Dallas to a 27-10 overcome Denver.

Clark’s 1981 marketing campaign was his finest as an expert. He piled up 1,105 yards on 85 catches, however no play in his profession was extra well-known than the one merely often known as “The Catch,” a leaping landing seize that propelled San Francisco to an NFC championship recreation victory over the Dallas Cowboys, 28-27.

A harmful menace each dashing and receiving, Allen rolled up over 1,600 yards from scrimmage within the 1983 season. He capped off his huge yr with a flourish, reversing area and juking defenders on his technique to a clinching 74-yard run within the Tremendous Bowl, a play that helped earn him the MVP Award and may be probably the most well-known run within the recreation’s historical past.

Craig was an ideal slot in Bill Walsh‘s West Coast offense, dashing for 649 yards and catching 71 passes for 675 yards in 1984. Although he did not win it, he additionally had an important case for Tremendous Bowl MVP, dashing for a landing and catching two extra because the 49ers cruised previous Miami.

There have been higher gamers, to make certain, on the 1985 Chicago Bears. None had extra of a cult following than William “Fridge” Perry. The Bears’ rookie defensive sort out had 5 sacks on the season and memorably (or infamously, relying on how you’re feeling about Walter Payton) rushed for a 1-yard landing in Chicago’s 46-10 rout of New England.

Bavaro notched 1,001 yards receiving in his second season with the Giants, and he earned back-to-back first-team All-Professional honors in 1986 and 1987. He was instrumental to the Giants passing assault, and he had 4 catches for 51 yards and a landing in New York’s 39-20 win over Denver.

You possibly can examine Timmy Smith’s profession numbers if you would like, however just one recreation on his resume issues, and that’s Tremendous Bowl XXII. You may make the argument that Smith does not warrant inclusion right here, as his profession was brief and largely undistinguished. However within the Tremendous Bowl he exploded out of nowhere for 204 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries, serving to energy Washington to a 42-10 victory.

The Payments misplaced the Tremendous Bowl, however it wasn’t Thomas’ fault, as he rushed for 135 yards and a landing in a shedding effort. His season was excellent as effectively. He led the league in yards from scrimmage with 1,829, the second of 4 straight years during which he would accomplish the feat. 

Smith was already a recognized commodity coming into his third season, having led the league in dashing the yr earlier than. He was even higher in Yr 3, placing up 1,713 yards on the bottom, and he did not decelerate within the Tremendous Bowl. Smith rushed for 108 yards and a landing on 22 carries, serving to Dallas cruise previous the Payments.

John Elway by no means may recover from the hump within the Tremendous Bowl. He was all the time a person preventing alone towards a superior opponent. Terrell Davis modified all that. Davis ran for 1,750 yards throughout the common season, and he was even higher within the Tremendous Bowl, rolling up 157 yards and three touchdowns on his technique to profitable the MVP Award.

Torry Holt obtained all of the press because the distinguished understudy to Isaac Bruce, and for good motive. That mentioned, Hakim was second on the crew in landing catches, with eight, and he averaged almost 19 yards per catch. He was quieted within the Tremendous Bowl however was a productive member of the Best Present on Turf.

As soon as upon a time, Tom Brady was a humble second-year quarterback with a pair of unlikely playoff victories underneath his belt. He was inserted because the starter within the third recreation of New England’s season and by no means seemed again. Within the Tremendous Bowl he took the ball with lower than two minutes to play in a 17-17 recreation, and the remainder, as they are saying, is historical past.

Jackson, within the high quality custom of Dallas’ Larry Brown years prior, was a strong if unspectacular defensive again for the Buccaneers. He began all 16 video games in 2002 at free security and was a gentle presence. His two interception, MVP-winning efficiency within the Tremendous Bowl was the spotlight of an in any other case common 10-year profession.

New England’s first few Tremendous Bowl groups had been as a lot about protection as they had been offense, if no more so. Seymour was a stalwart up entrance and an All-Professional in 2003, tallying eight sacks, and he additionally recovered a fumble in New England’s 32-29 thriller over the Panthers.

Roethlisberger’s efficiency in Tremendous Bowl XL is thus far the worst by a profitable quarterback, however the work he did to get the Steelers there greater than made up for it. Roethlisberger threw for eight touchdowns and one interception in three straight highway wins for the sixth-seeded Steelers, as they turned the primary six seed ever to succeed in and win a Tremendous Bowl.

With apologies to Deion Sanders, Hester is the best return man in league historical past. He racked up 11 mixed punt and kick return touchdowns in his first two seasons and turned himself right into a strong menace at broad receiver. His electrifying rookie yr reached its apex when he returned the opening kickoff of Tremendous Bowl XLI for a landing, although that might be by far the largest Bears spotlight of the night.

Holmes had a great, not nice yr in 2008, catching 55 passes for 821 yards and 5 touchdowns. Nevertheless, within the playoffs he raised his recreation, accounting for a landing in all three Steelers wins, together with a spectacular toe-tap landing within the waning seconds to submit the profitable rating in Tremendous Bowl XLIII.

Matthews’ 2010 season was his finest as a professional, as he piled up 13.5 sacks, scored on a pick-six and compelled a pair of fumbles. He made maybe the largest play of Tremendous Bowl XLV, forcing a Rashard Mendenhall fumble that turned the tide of the sport and allowed the Packers to stave off a hard-charging Steelers crew. 

Wilson had a front-row seat to some of the dominant defensive performances in Tremendous Bowl historical past, however he was certainly not alongside for the journey. Wilson constructed on a extremely profitable rookie season with a good higher sophomore marketing campaign, making the Professional Bowl each instances. Within the Tremendous Bowl he was sharp, throwing for 206 yards and two scores. 

Clement had a superbly acceptable rookie season in 2017, posting 321 yards dashing and 123 receiving for the Eagles, and he added in six touchdowns besides. He was quiet in Philly’s first two playoff wins however exploded within the Tremendous Bowl for 4 catches, 100 yards and a pivotal, controversial landing catch that staked the Eagles to a 10-point lead halfway by way of the third quarter. 

Michel’s rookie season noticed him run for 931 yards because the chief of New England’s by-committee backfield, and in a defensive battle with the Rams, he gave the Patriots a wanted floor presence. Michel ran for 94 yards on 18 carries, and his 2-yard landing run broke a 3-3 tie halfway by way of the fourth quarter and was the profitable rating in New England’s 13-3 triumph. 

Mahomes and the Chiefs, who had been exceptionally explosive in two playoff victories previous to Tremendous Bowl LIV, video games that noticed them erase 24-0 and 17-7 deficits, respectively, seemed like that they had lastly dug themselves too deep a gap within the Tremendous Bowl. Trailing San Francisco 20-10 with underneath 9 minutes to play, and with Mahomes having thrown two second-half interceptions, Kansas Metropolis promptly ripped off 21 factors within the ultimate 6:13 of the sport to win, 31-20. Mahomes threw the game-winning rating to Damien Williams, and was named Tremendous Bowl MVP.

Tom Brady was the MVP of Tremendous Bowl LV, however the award simply may have gone to White, who spearheaded a defensive effort that held the Chiefs with out a landing, marking the primary time that had occurred in a recreation Patrick Mahomes began. Simply 22 years outdated on recreation day, the second-year linebacker from LSU had an interception, a go defensed, and a team-leading 12 tackles, together with two for losses, and was a pressure everywhere in the area. 

Burrow and Chase had been the driving forces that turned the Bengals from an also-ran right into a quick-strike offensive dynamo that got here inside a number of performs of profitable the Tremendous Bowl. Burrow solely turned 25 in December, and Chase was simply 21 for the whole lot of the season. Regardless of being sacked a league-leading 51 instances, Burrow led the NFL in completion proportion and yards per try, and Chase’s 1,455 receiving yards had been probably the most by a rookie for the reason that merger. Chase additionally snagged the single-game rookie receiving yardage file when he lit up the Chiefs for 266 yards in a 34-31 regular-season win.

Hurts was the lacking piece that made a stacked Philadelphia roster actually scary in 2022, and although the Eagles got here up simply brief of their quest for a second title in six years, it was hardly his fault. He tied Terrell Davis’ file with three dashing touchdowns, and threw for 304 yards and a rating. He had a bumpy 2023, as did the remainder of the Eagles, however the future continues to be very brilliant for one of many higher younger quarterbacks within the league.

You could possibly put second-year again Isiah Pacheco in right here, as he was a productive again for the second-straight postseason, however Rice appears like the most recent wonderful draft choose by the Chiefs. The second-round rookie from SMU, simply 23 years outdated, got here on sturdy in his ultimate six regular-season video games, averaging 7 catches and 86 yards per recreation, then adopted that up with a postseason the place he averaged 6 catches and 65 yards, and emerged as a dependable secondary menace within the passing recreation behind Travis Kelce.