Super Bowl History: Top 10 Wide Receiver Performances

The Super Bowl is where the "great" have always been born, and this continues to hold true today. Even when players come out on the losing side, they often leave behind some of their greatest performances while the entire world is watching.

And while the Super Bowl is a stage set for the Joe Montana's and Emmitt Smith's of the world, the great receivers of the NFL can also make a leap into history with epic performances.

Here are the Top 10 in Super Bowl history :

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10. Michael Irvin- Dallas Cowboys (Super Bowl XXVII)

Irvin had solid performances in all three Super Bowls he played in, but this one was easily his finest.

He caught six balls for 114 yards and two scores as he moved around as he pleased in Buffalo's secondary all day. He played a helping hand in the Cowboy's dominant 52-17 win over the Bills.

9. Antonio Freeman- Green Bay Packers (Super Bowl XXXII)

Freeman had a great performance in his first Super Bowl (a win), where he caught a then record 81-yard touchdown reception, but the Super Bowl loss to the Denver Broncos was where he really shined.

Freeman scored the first and last touchdowns of the game for the Packers, as he hauled in nine receptions for 126 yards in a 31-24 loss, giving John Elway his first Lombardi Trophy.

8. Santonio Holmes- Pittsburgh Steelers (Super Bowl XLIII)

Holmes comes in at number eight with one of the most thrilling and clutch performances by a receiver in Super Bowl history.

He grabbed nine passes for 138 yards, including the game-winning touchdown with just 35 seconds remaining. Holmes was on fire on the final drive, catching four passes that helped the Steelers march down the field and claim their record sixth Lombardi Trophy.

7. Lynn Swann- Pittsburgh Steelers (Super Bowl X)

Fellow Steelers great, Jonathan Stallworth, also deserves extreme consideration (see honorable mentions), but Swann is the last Steelers receiver to make this list, and quite arguably the best.

Swann made all four of his—even circus-like —catches count in a 21-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys, as he racked up 161 yards and a touchdown.

6. Larry Fitzgerald- Arizona Cardinals (Super Bowl XLIII)

While Fitzgerald didn't register the game winner like Santonio Holmes did (although he was close), his performance ranks higher and his numbers were better.

Fitz put the icing on the best postseason effort in NFL history by a receiver, notching seven catches for 127 yards and two scores, with the last giving the Cardinals a 23-20 lead late in the fourth quarter.

5. Max McGee- Green Bay Packers (Super Bowl I)

Many people forget about the old Super Bowls, and even if they remember them, they rarely remember how big of an impact Max McGee had for Bart Starr and the Green Bay Packers.

His seven catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns are enough to impress anyone, but two things get him into the top five in these all-time rankings:

He did it all in the first Super Bowl in NFL History, and he came into the game as a benchwarmer who had just four catches to his name for the season. Add in the fact that his efforts aided the Packers in trouncing the Kansas City Chiefs, 35-10, and you've got McGee at lucky No. 5.

4. Jerry Rice- San Francisco 49ers- (Super Bowl XXIV)

Rice comes in at four with his first of three appearances on this list, and all three of them could easily be argued as better than the other.

Rice recorded seven catches for 148 yards and three touchdowns in this one, helping the 49ers crush the Denver Broncos, 55-10. The best part was how Rice torched the league's best scoring defense, helping Joe Montana get one of his three Super Bowl MVP trophies.

3. Jerry Rice- San Francisco 49ers (Super Bowl XXIII)

Rice's second mark on this list could easily be the best Super Bowl performance by a receiver of all-time, but his lack of scores take him down a peg or two—literally.

Rice racked up the most yardage ever by a receiver to date in the big game, catching 11 passes for 215 yards and one score in an intense win over the Cincinnati Bengals, 20-16.

2. Ricky Sanders- Washington Redskins (XXII)

Sanders may not go down as having the greatest performance for a receiver in a Super Bowl, but it was magical enough to earn him second place.

While Timmy Smith (204 yards) and Doug Williams (four touchdowns) get all the credit and recognition, Sanders had arguably his best game as a pro, racking up 193 yards and two touchdowns off of nine receptions, giving him a gaudy 21.4 yards per catch.

He played a huge part in the Redskins destroying the Denver Broncos in the second quarter, and eventually winning, 42-10.

1. Jerry Rice- San Francisco 49ers (XXIX)

Rice saved quite arguably his best Super Bowl performance for his final Super Bowl win, as he caught 10 passes for 149 yards and three scores against the San Diego Chargers in a 49-26 49ers' win.

It was more impressive this time around, as he scored three times in a Super Bowl again and did it with a different quarterback other than Joe Montana. Regardless of how you figure the top five shake-out, there's no arguing that Jerry Rice ends the debate as the No. 1  guy on this list.

Honorable Mentions: Wes Welker, Jonathan Stallworth, Deion Branch, Rod Smith, Andre Reed, Isaac Bruce, Muhsin Muhammad, Terrell Owens, and Art Monk

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