The 5 Worst Quarterbacks To Ever Win A Super Bowl: Ranked By Stats And Context
The debate over the "worst" quarterback to win a Super Bowl is one of the NFL's most enduring and fascinating arguments, and as of late 2025, the list remains a testament to the fact that football is the ultimate team sport. While every Super Bowl-winning quarterback earns a permanent place in history, a closer look at their season statistics, career trajectory, and, most importantly, the strength of the defense and running game they were supported by, reveals a handful of players who were, arguably, carried to the Lombardi Trophy. This analysis cuts through the nostalgia, focusing on the cold, hard numbers and the contextual dominance of their surrounding team to determine which signal-callers were the least impactful on their championship run.
The key to understanding this ranking is the concept of a "game manager"—a quarterback whose primary job is to avoid mistakes rather than make game-winning plays. These players often benefited from all-time great defenses that suffocated opponents, allowing the offense to play conservatively. The following five quarterbacks, while champions, are the most frequently cited examples of players whose rings owe more to their teammates than to their own elite performance.
The 5 Quarterbacks Who Were Carried to a Super Bowl Victory
The following list ranks the five worst starting quarterbacks to win a Super Bowl, prioritizing those whose statistical output was lowest and whose team context (specifically, an elite defense) was strongest.
#5: Nick Foles (Philadelphia Eagles, Super Bowl LII)
Nick Foles is a unique entry on this list because his Super Bowl performance was, statistically, one of the greatest ever. He threw for 373 yards, 3 touchdowns, and had a 106.1 passer rating, earning him the Super Bowl LII MVP award in the Eagles' victory over the New England Patriots.
The Case for Inclusion: Foles makes the list not because of his play in the Super Bowl, but because of his career context. He was a career backup who took over for an injured Carson Wentz late in the 2017 season. His career passer rating of 87.5 is solid but unexceptional, and he became a journeyman after his championship run, failing to secure a long-term starting role anywhere. He is the ultimate "one-hit wonder" on a championship list—a player who caught lightning in a bottle for a single, brilliant playoff run, but whose overall career profile does not belong in the conversation of elite Super Bowl-winning QBs.
- Super Bowl LII Stats: 28/43, 373 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT, 106.1 Passer Rating (Super Bowl MVP).
- Career Context: A perennial backup whose career was defined by this one, incredible playoff stretch.
#4: Jim Plunkett (Oakland/L.A. Raiders, Super Bowl XV & XVIII)
Jim Plunkett is one of only a handful of quarterbacks to win multiple Super Bowls, which makes his inclusion feel controversial. However, his career trajectory before and after his championship seasons reveals a player who was highly inconsistent and often struggled to maintain a starting role.
The Case for Inclusion: Plunkett was the first overall pick in the 1971 NFL Draft but was largely considered a bust throughout the 1970s. By 1980, he was a 33-year-old backup who only got his chance after a mid-season injury to starter Dan Pastorini. He went on to win Super Bowl XV and was named the MVP, but his regular season numbers were often pedestrian. He is the poster child for the "Comeback Player" who found success late in his career on teams built around a powerful running game and a tough defense. While he had great Super Bowl games, his career consistency places him near the bottom of all two-time champions.
- Super Bowl XV Stats: 13/21, 261 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT, 122.8 Passer Rating (Super Bowl MVP).
- Career Context: A former No. 1 overall pick who was a backup and a journeyman before his unexpected late-career revival with the Raiders.
#3: Jeff Hostetler (New York Giants, Super Bowl XXV)
Jeff Hostetler spent the first seven years of his career as a backup, primarily to Phil Simms, and only became the starter late in the 1990 season after Simms suffered a foot injury. He then led the Giants through the playoffs and a dramatic 20-19 victory over the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXV.
The Case for Inclusion: Hostetler's inclusion is based on his role as a quintessential game manager for a team built on a dominant defense and a relentless ball-control offense. The Giants' strategy was simple: run the ball, control the clock, and let the defense win the game. While Hostetler's Super Bowl stats were efficient (20/32 for 222 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 93.5 rating), the game is remembered for the Giants' NFL-record 40:33 time of possession, which limited the opportunities for the high-powered Bills offense. Hostetler's career as a whole was that of an average starting QB, but his Super Bowl win was a masterclass in not losing the game, rather than winning it with quarterback heroics.
- Super Bowl XXV Stats: 20/32, 222 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 93.5 Passer Rating.
- Team Context: The Giants set a Super Bowl record for time of possession, relying on their defense and running game to win the closest Super Bowl in history at the time.
The Two Worst Super Bowl Winning Quarterback Performances By The Numbers
These two quarterbacks sit atop the "worst" list due to their historically low statistical output in the championship game or their championship season, where the dominance of their defense was undeniable.
#2: Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowl XL)
Ben Roethlisberger is a future Hall of Famer and a two-time Super Bowl champion, which makes his presence here shocking. However, his performance in his first Super Bowl win, Super Bowl XL against the Seattle Seahawks, is statistically the worst by any winning quarterback in history.
The Case for Inclusion: Roethlisberger holds the infamous record for the lowest passer rating by a Super Bowl-winning quarterback at a dismal 22.6. His stat line was truly poor: 9 completions on 21 attempts for just 123 yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions. The Steelers won the game 21-10, largely due to a dominant defensive performance and a strong running game, which included a key rushing touchdown by Roethlisberger himself. The Steelers defense was ranked #1 in the league that year, a clear sign that the team was built on stopping the opponent, not out-dueling them.
- Super Bowl XL Stats: 9/21, 123 yards, 0 TDs, 2 INTs, 22.6 Passer Rating (Lowest Ever for a Winning QB).
- Team Context: The 2005 Steelers were led by a top-ranked defense, which allowed them to overcome the worst passing performance by a winning QB in Super Bowl history.
#1: Trent Dilfer (Baltimore Ravens, Super Bowl XXXV)
There is a near-universal consensus among NFL analysts that Trent Dilfer is the worst quarterback to ever win a Super Bowl as a starter. His championship season with the 2000 Baltimore Ravens is the definitive example of a team winning *despite* its quarterback's limitations.
The Case for Inclusion: Dilfer was not the Ravens' starter at the beginning of the 2000 season; he took over for Tony Banks midway through the year. While he went 7-1 as a starter, his regular season passer rating was a low 76.6, and he threw for only 1,502 yards in 11 games. In the playoffs, his job was simple: do not turn the ball over. The 2000 Ravens defense, led by Ray Lewis, is widely considered one of the greatest defensive units of all time, ranking #1 in the NFL in points and yards allowed. This defense carried the team, pitching two shutouts and allowing only one offensive touchdown across four playoff games (including the Super Bowl). Dilfer’s contribution was minimal, perfectly embodying the definition of a QB who was carried to a title.
- 2000 Regular Season Stats: 1,502 yards, 12 TDs, 11 INTs, 76.6 Passer Rating.
- Super Bowl XXXV Stats: 12/25, 153 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT.
- Team Context: The 2000 Ravens defense is arguably the greatest in NFL history, allowing only one offensive touchdown in the entire playoff run.
The Enduring Legacy of the "Game Manager"
The quarterbacks on this list prove that Super Bowl success is not solely dependent on a gunslinger's arm. The term "game manager" is often used dismissively, but in the context of a championship team with a historic defense and a bruising running game, it is a necessary—if unflashy—role. Trent Dilfer's 2000 season, in particular, solidified the idea that a team can win a title by simply minimizing mistakes at the quarterback position, provided the defense is legendary.
While modern football has shifted toward high-volume passing offenses, making it less likely for a quarterback with Dilfer or Roethlisberger's Super Bowl XL stat lines to win today, the historical fact remains: these players have rings, and their stories serve as a powerful reminder that every Super Bowl ring is a team achievement, regardless of the star power of the man under center.
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