Kelley: NFL Should Introduce Tom Brady Super Bowl MVP Award

In 1970 the National Football League renamed their Super Bowl trophy after Vince Lombardi. The legendary coach led the Green Bay Packers to victories in the first two Super Bowl games. The game’s Most Valuable Player has been given out since that first game, with Bart Starr taking home the honor. But unlike the team award, it does not bear the name of an NFL legend. It is time for that to chance.

The NFL should rename the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award after the player who has won the most of them, Tom Brady.

Brady’s Super Bowl Dominance

Not only is Tom Brady the greatest player in Super Bowl history, it is not particularly close. With all due respect to the legacy of Joe Montana and the potential of Patrick Mahomes, Brady is in a class of his own. Consider the following numbers:

An NFL quarterback plays in four Super Bowls, winning three. He takes home two Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Awards. The player passes for 1,883 yards (second most in history behind Brady), and 10 touchdowns (third behind Brady and Montana). That quarterback would be a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame and considered among the greatest in league history. Those numbers are the difference between Tom Brady and the No. 2 ranked QB in each category.

Tom Brady Super Bowl MVP

In recent years the NBA has started to name awards after legends of the sport. This includes the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award. It is a nice way to honor a great of the game. And in an era where attention spans are increasingly shrinking, history should be celebrated.

Vince Lombardi passed away before the NFL’s ultimate prize was named in their honor. But why wait? Having Bill Russell present players with the NBA Finals MVP was a wonderful tradition while he was still a living legend. Tom Brady handing the award to Super Bowl Sunday’s brightest star would make an incredible moment even more special.

Super Bowl Sunday has become a virtual national holiday in the United States. And no player is more associated with the NFL’s special day than Tom Brady. The league should ensure that continues long into the future by recognizing the greatest to ever do it on the biggest stage.