Since the beginning of the Super Bowl era, the NFL has recognized the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the championship game. However, starting with Super Bowl XXV, this recognition is accompanied by a trophy, which honors the legendary commissioner, Pete Rozelle. While this award is the least important of the night, it is a recognition of the players who have stood up for their teams to win the title.

Last year, in Super Bowl LVIII, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes entered a select group of players who have won the Super Bowl MVP on three occasions. Interestingly, two of these awards came in games against the San Francisco 49ers.

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The first came in Super Bowl LIV, where he was the most valuable player in the showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers, while in Super Bowl LVII the title came against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The record belongs to Tom Brady, with five awards: four with the New England Patriots and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

While the rest of the players who won the award on more than one occasion are: Joe Montana (3), Terry Bradshaw (2), Eli Manning (2), Bart Starr (2) and Patrick Mahomes (2).

How is the Super Bowl MVP chosen?

This recognition is awarded by voting, a percentage corresponds to the fans (20%) in an online vote and another, the most important part (80%), by a group of 16 specialized journalists.

Normally the winning team’s quarterback is chosen as the Super Bowl MVP. However, in previous years it has been awarded to players in other positions: defensive players, linemen and even a kick returner. On one occasion, journalists even voted for a player from the losing team. However, these are very rare cases, which happened more than 50 years ago.

This is about Chuck Howley, linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys, in Super Bowl V, where his team fell 16-13 to the Baltimore Colts with a field goal at the end. That afternoon, Howley had two interceptions and recovered a fumble to become the first defensive player and the only player from the losing team to win the award so far.

By position, quarterbacks have won the trophy 33 of 58 times, while since 2000, they have won it 16 times. Of the remaining years, offensive players have the upper hand. Receivers have won eight times and running backs seven:

This is the breakdown by position:

• Quarterback: 32
• Receiver: 8
• Runner: 7
• Linebacker: 4
• Defensive end: 2
• Safety: 2
• Cornerback: 1
• Defensive tackle: 1
• Returner: 1

Super Bowl MVP players

• Super Bowl I: QB Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers
• Super Bowl II: QB Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers
• Super Bowl III: QB Joe Namath, New York Jets
• Super Bowl IV: QB Len Dawson, Kansas City Chiefs
• Super Bowl V: LB Chuck Howley, Dallas Cowboys
• Super Bowl VI: QB Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys
• Super Bowl VII: S Jake Scott, Miami Dolphins
• Super Bowl VIII: RB Larry Csonka, Miami Dolphins
• Super Bowl IX: RB Franco Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
• Super Bowl X: WR Lynn Swann, Pittsburgh Steelers
• Super Bowl XI: WR Fred Biletnikoff, Oakland Raiders
• Super Bowl XII: DE Harvey Martin and DT Randy White, Dallas Cowboys
• Super Bowl XIII: QB Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers
• Super Bowl XIV: QB Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers
• Super Bowl XV: QB Jim Plunkett, Oakland Raiders
• Super Bowl XVI: QB Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers
• Super Bowl XVII: RB John Riggins, Washington
• Super Bowl XVIII: RB Marcus Allen, Los Angeles Raiders
• Super Bowl XIX: QB Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers
• Super Bowl XX: DE Richard Dent, Chicago Bears
• Super Bowl XXI: QB Phil Simms, New York Giants
• Super Bowl XXII: QB Doug Williams, Washington
• Super Bowl XXIII: WR Jerry Rice, San Francisco 49ers
• Super Bowl XXIV: QB Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers
• Super Bowl XXV: RB Ottis Anderson, NY Giants
• Super Bowl XXVI: QB Mark Rypien, Washington Redskins
• Super Bowl XXVII: QB Troy Aikman, Dallas Cowboys
• Super Bowl XXVIII: RB Emmitt Smith, Dallas Cowboys
• Super Bowl XXIX: QB Steve Young, San Francisco 49ers
• Super Bowl XXX: CB Larry Brown, Dallas Cowboys
• Super Bowl XXXI: PR Desmond Howard, Green Bay Packers
• Super Bowl XXXII: RB Terrell Davis, Denver Broncos
• Super Bowl XXXIII: QB John Elway, Denver Broncos
• Super Bowl XXXIV: QB Kurt Warner, St. Louis Rams
• Super Bowl XXXV: LB Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens
• Super Bowl XXXVI: QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots
• Super Bowl XXXVII: S Dexter Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Super Bowl XXXVIII: QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots
• Super Bowl XXIX: WR Deion Branch, New England Patriots
• Super Bowl XL: WR Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers
• Super Bowl XLI: QB Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
• Super Bowl XLII: QB Eli Manning, New York Giants
• Super Bowl XLIII: WR Santonio Holmes, Pittsburgh Steelers
• Super Bowl XLIV: QB Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
• Super Bowl XLV: QB Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
• Super Bowl XLVI: QB Eli Manning, New York Giants
• Super Bowl XLVII: QB Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
• Super Bowl XLVIII: LB Malcolm Smith, Seattle Seahawks
• Super Bowl XLIX: QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots
• Super Bowl 50: LB Von Miller, Denver Broncos
• Super Bowl LI: QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots
• Super Bowl LII: QB Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles
• Super Bowl LIII: WR Julian Edelman, New England Patriots
• Super Bowl LIV: QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
• Super Bowl LV: QB Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Super Bowl LVI: WR Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams
• Super Bowl LVII: QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
• Super Bowl LVIII: QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

The choice of the Super Bowl MVP is made through a vote, in which both fans and the media can participate, although they do not have the same weight.

The NFL carefully selects 16 members of the media who cover the game to cast an MVP ballot, and that select group accounts for 80 percent of the vote. The other 20 percent comes from the fans, who can vote online.

The MVP votes are received before the last two minutes of the fourth quarter of that game.

The Super Bowl MVP does not receive any additional specific cash award for this title. However, all players on the winning team receive a cash bonus for winning the Super Bowl.

Many would expect that the MVP prize is only awarded to players of the winning team. Although it is very rare, it happened once in the past that a player from the losing team went home with the glamorous accolade.