It's been nearly six decades since the first Super Bowl was played and we've seldom seen running backs wind up winning Super Bowl MVP. Now, we're getting another thrilling matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs, with two bad run defenses, one elite star running back, and a quality late-round running back who has made a name for himself during his second season in the league.
In this article, we'll review a few notable Super Bowl MVP winners from the past, assess the current NFL MVP betting market on some of the best sports betting apps available, and predict whether or not Christian McCaffrey or Isiah Pacheco can wind up winning the Super Bowl 58 MVP.
If you're physically present in a state with legal online sports betting, at least 21 years old, and a first-time customer at particular online sportsbooks, make sure to sign using several of the best online sportsbook promo codes to wager on the top sports betting sites in the country ahead of Sunday's kickoff from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Super Bowl MVP History
Recent Super Bowls have resulted in the MVP award going to the winning team's quarterback. This includes Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who won Super Bowl 54 MVP with 286 yards and two touchdowns in a comeback win over San Francisco while winning the Super Bowl 57 MVP with 182 yards and three touchdowns recorded.
The 49ers and their fanbase haven't had a Super Bowl MVP to brag about since quarterback Steve Young threw 325 yards and six touchdowns in a 49-26 win over the San Diego Chargers in 1995. Prior to that win, Jerry Rice and Joe Montana had won three Super Bowl MVPs between themselves from 1982 - 1989.
Prior to Mahomes' two Super Bowl MVPs in 2020 and 2023, the Chiefs' only previous Super Bowl MVP was awarded to quarterback Len Dawson during Super Bowl 4 back in 1970. Dawson recorded 142 passing yards and a touchdown during a 23-7 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
Runnings Backs Who Have Won Super Bowl MVP
There have been six running backs who have won Super Bowl MVP since Super Bowl 1 occurred in 1967.
The last running back to win Super Bowl MVP was Terrell Davis of the Denver Broncos during Super Bowl 32. It was well-deserved, as Davis converted 30 carries for 157 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a 31-24 win over Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers.
Prior to Davis' Super Bowl MVP win in 1997, five other running backs received this highly-coveted trophy. Pittsburgh running back Franco Harris in Super Bowl 9, John Riggins for Washington in Super Bowl 17, Marcus Allen for Oakland in Super Bowl 18, New York Giants running back Otis Anderson during Super Bowl 25, and Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl 28.
All of these Super Bowl MVP-winning running backs recorded at least 100 rushing yards and a touchdown, with Smith and Davis each getting 30 carries and winding up with 130 rushing yards and multiple touchdowns.
Will A Running Back Win Super Bowl 58 MVP?
If the 49ers beat the Chiefs, San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey could win the Super Bowl 58 MVP trophy.
There's also a small possibility that McCaffrey could go off against a porous Kansas City run defense and log huge numbers and win Super Bowl MVP despite losing to the Chiefs outright, which has happened once before with linebacker Chuck Howley of the Dallas Cowboys during Super Bowl 5. McCaffrey is available to wager in Super Bowl 58 MVP betting markets anywhere from +440 to +475 at sportsbooks such as BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars.
Kansas City running back Isiah Pacheco has been dominant in most matchups and has a good chance to produce big numbers against the 49ers' leaky run defense as well. Pacheco has much longer odds available to wager, starting at +2800 odds on BetMGM Sportsbook and DraftKings, while +3000 exists on FanDuel and Caesars. If the Chiefs win, it could be due to their run game and defense, which has been their recipe for success during the 2023 season, so Pacheco is worth a small investment at such a lucrative number.
This article is part of our Betting Promotions series.
