NFL Players You Forgot Won Super Bowl MVP

If you fired up an online quiz focused on Super Bowl MVPs, many players who landed the award may be obvious.

Since 2000, for example, plenty of quarterbacks—Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Patrick Mahomes, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers—would be among the first guesses. You probably even remember Joe Flacco and Nick Foles because of their position, too.

But how about Deion Branch? Malcolm Smith? Could you conjure up their standout performance from a Super Bowl?

That's the focus of this lovely trip down memory lane: the Super Bowl MVP winners that NFL watchers are most likely to have forgotten.

Dexter Jackson, S, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Al Bello/Getty Images

SAN DIEGO - JANUARY 26: MVP safety Dexter Jackson #34 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers makes a second quarter interception against the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII at Qualcomm Stadium on January 26, 2003 in San Diego, California. The Buccaneers defeated the Raiders 48-21. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

On a night filled with defensive dominance from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, safety Dexter Jackson landed the MVP.

Perhaps it's a good thing that ballots were collected early.

Bucs linebacker Dwight Smith returned two interceptions for touchdowns, but his second happened in the final seconds of the 48-21 demolition of the Oakland Raiders. As a result, Jackson—who also snatched two picks—exited Super Bowl XXXVIl on the exclusive list.

Jackson otherwise put together a modest 10-year career with the Bucs, Arizona Cardinals and Cincinnati Bengals. Along the way, he collected 488 total tackles with 17 interceptions.

Deion Branch, WR, New England Patriots

Photo by Heinz Kluetmeier/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images

UNITED STATES - FEBRUARY 06: Football: Super Bowl XXXIX, New England Patriots Deion Branch (83) in action vs Philadelphia Eagles Michael Lewis (32) and Sheldon Brown (24), Jacksonville, FL 2/6/2005 (Photo by Heinz Kluetmeier/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (SetNumber: X72638 TK2)

After shocking the St. Louis Rams to win the Super Bowl during the 2001 season, the New England Patriots soon had a Tom Brady-led dynasty. Their triumph to cap the 2004 season made it three rings in four years.

Brady's third game MVP had to wait, though.

Instead, the trophy went to wide receiver Deion Branch. He put together a clutch 10-catch, 143-yard performance against the Carolina Panthers a year earlier and followed it up with another standout game opposite the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX.

Branch corralled 11 passes for 133 yards on a night when Brady only completed 23 passes for 236 yards. Branch made six receptions for 95 yards on New England's three second-half scoring drives.

Thanks to his second productive showing in the biggest spotlight, the Pats outlasted the Eagles 24-21.

Santonio Holmes, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Photo by Al Tielemans /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images

Football: Super Bowl XLIII: Pittsburgh Steelers Santonio Holmes (10) sitting out of bounds after making game winning touchdown catch vs Arizona Cardinals during 4th quarter. View of Steelers teammate Mewelde Moore (21) and referee, NFL field judge Greg Gautreaux (80), gesturing TD. Sequence. Tampa, FL 2/1/2009 CREDIT: Al Tielemans (Photo by Al Tielemans /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X81783 TK2 R2 F45 )

The moment you read Santonio Holmes' name, the vision of his game-winning touchdown might've flashed in your head.

Late in Super Bowl XLIII, the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver toe-tapped his way to glory. Holmes somehow caught the iconic six-yard pass behind three Arizona Cardinals defenders to seal a 27-23 victory.

The touchdown placed an exclamation point on Holmes' excellent night.

Ben Roethlisberger completed 21 passes for 256 yards, connecting with Holmes nine times for 131 yards. Most impressively, all nine of his catches occurred scoring drives. In addition to his touchdown, Holmes made receptions of 14, 13 and 40 yards on the winning possession.

Malcolm Smith, LB, Seattle Seahawks

Rich Graessle/Icon SMI/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

02 February 2014: LB Malcolm Smith (53) of the Seattle Seahawks picks up the ball fumbled by TE Julius Thomas (80) of the Denver Broncos during Super Bowl XLVIII between the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon SMI/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Just over a decade after Tampa's defensive showcase, the Seattle Seahawks shut down the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII.

During a season in which Peyton Manning broke NFL passing records, the Seahawks held the Broncos to just 306 yards and generated four takeaways. Seattle linebacker Malcolm Smith accounted for two of them, returning an interception 69 yards for a touchdown and recovering a fumble that resulted in yet another Seahawks score.

The wildest part is Smith, who posted 10 tackles in the 43-8 victory, had served as a rotational piece for half of the 2013 campaign. He effectively became a consistent full-time player in December.

Smith, nevertheless, ended the season as a part of Super Bowl history.

Julian Edelman, WR, New England Patriots

Set Number: X162458 TK1

Football: Super Bowl LIII: New England Patriots Julian Edelman (11) at line of scrimmage vs Los Angeles Rams at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Atlanta, GA 2/3/2019 CREDIT: David E. Klutho (Photo by David E. Klutho /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X162458 TK1 )

In one of the uglier Super Bowl matchups, Julian Edelman stood out among the few effective offensive players.

Edelman took home the MVP after producing game-high totals of 10 receptions for 141 yards. Although he didn't have a touchdown, Edelman snagged key catches on two of New England's three scoring drives and helped the Patriots defeat the Los Angeles Rams 13-3.

"He deserves it," Brady said of Edelman afterward. "That was one of the best games he's ever played."

The honor served as a career capstone for Edelman, a reliable slot receiver who ranks second in franchise history in catches (620), fourth in yards (6,822) and ninth in touchdowns (36).