Super Bowl 60 has shaped up as a defensive slugfest, with the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks locked in a battle that has defied the usual fireworks of the NFL’s biggest night. With offenses stalling and defenses dominating, the spotlight has unexpectedly swung to a position that’s rarely in the MVP conversation: kicker. As of midway through the third quarter on February 9, 2026, Seahawks kicker Jason Myers has been the only player to put points on the board, drilling four field goals and giving Seattle a 12-0 advantage over New England. Could this be the year a kicker finally claims the Super Bowl MVP award?
Let’s set the stage: Both teams entered Super Bowl 60 with defenses that had carried them through the playoffs, and that theme has carried over to the big game. The first half saw the Seahawks take a 9-0 lead, all courtesy of Myers, who connected on field goals from 33, 39, and 41 yards. The Patriots, meanwhile, struggled to generate any consistent offense, and their defense did just enough to keep the game within reach. As the third quarter ticked on, Myers added another 41-yarder, tying the Super Bowl record for most field goals in a single game. The others to achieve this feat? Don Chandler, Ray Wersching, Harrison Butker, and Jake Elliott.
But here’s the kicker—pun intended: No kicker has ever won Super Bowl MVP. Not once, in the 59 previous editions of the game, has a player whose primary job is to split the uprights walked away with the trophy. The closest any special teams player has come was Desmond Howard, who won the award in Super Bowl 31 for his electrifying 99-yard kick return touchdown and 244 all-purpose yards. According to USA TODAY, Howard remains the only player to earn the honor primarily for special teams contributions. Even legendary clutch performances by kickers like Adam Vinatieri—who booted two game-winners for the Patriots—weren’t enough to sway voters away from quarterbacks like Tom Brady.
Quarterbacks have dominated the MVP conversation, and for good reason. Through the first 59 Super Bowls, 34 MVP trophies have gone to QBs, with the rest sprinkled among wide receivers (8), running backs and fullbacks (7), linebackers (4), defensive linemen (3), safeties (2), cornerbacks (1), and that lone kick returner. In fact, Super Bowl 12 saw the only split MVP award, with Harvey Martin and Randy White sharing the honor as defensive linemen for the Cowboys.
So, what makes Myers’ case unique? For starters, he’s the only player to score in Super Bowl 60 so far, and his four field goals have not only given Seattle a commanding lead but have also tied a Super Bowl record. If he manages to notch a fifth, he’d stand alone in the record books. The distances haven’t been chip shots, either—his successful attempts from 33, 39, 41, and 41 yards demonstrate both range and reliability under the brightest lights. It’s the kind of performance that, in a game devoid of offensive fireworks, becomes impossible to ignore.
But Myers isn’t the only Seahawk making waves. Running back Kenneth Walker has quietly put together a stellar first half, rushing for 94 yards at a brisk 6.7 yards per carry. Some of Myers’ field goal opportunities have been set up by Walker’s big gains, and if the Seahawks’ offense finds the end zone in the second half, Walker could quickly become a more traditional MVP candidate. Still, as things stand, Myers is the name on everyone’s lips—a rarity for a kicker on Super Bowl Sunday.
It’s worth noting that while no kicker has ever won Super Bowl MVP, the position has received league-wide recognition before. In 1982, Washington’s Mark Moseley became the only kicker in NFL history to win the regular season MVP award, converting 20 of 21 field goal attempts during a strike-shortened nine-game campaign. Many believed quarterback Dan Fouts deserved the honor, but Moseley’s consistency in a season of chaos won the day. Still, the Super Bowl has proven a much tougher nut to crack for kickers seeking top billing.
Why the bias against kickers when it comes to MVP? Part of it is the nature of the award. The Super Bowl MVP is often decided by a panel of media members and a fan vote, and the tendency is to reward flashy, game-changing plays—long touchdown passes, pick-sixes, or jaw-dropping catches. Kickers, by contrast, are often seen as specialists who capitalize on opportunities set up by others. Even when their points are the difference between victory and defeat, the narrative usually favors the quarterback who led the drive or the receiver who made the clutch catch.
Yet, as this year’s Super Bowl has shown, sometimes it’s the kicker who carries the day. With both defenses refusing to budge and neither quarterback able to find a rhythm, Myers’ steady foot has been Seattle’s most valuable asset. If the game ends as it stands, or if Myers adds to his total, voters may have no choice but to break with tradition.
There’s also the matter of history. The list of Super Bowl MVPs reads like a who’s who of NFL legends: Bart Starr, Joe Namath, Len Dawson, Franco Harris, Jerry Rice, Steve Young, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Patrick Mahomes, and, of course, Tom Brady—who has won the award five times. Defensive players like Ray Lewis, Dexter Jackson, and Von Miller have also had their day in the sun. But never has a kicker’s name been etched onto the MVP trophy.
As fans across the globe tune in for the rest of Super Bowl 60, the question lingers: Could Jason Myers finally shatter the glass ceiling for kickers? If the game continues in this vein, with Myers providing all the points in a defensive standoff, it may be hard to deny him. And with a Super Bowl record within reach, history could be made in more ways than one.
For now, the action is ongoing, and both teams will look to adjust as the second half unfolds. But one thing is certain—Jason Myers has already made Super Bowl 60 a night to remember for kickers everywhere. Whether it’s enough to rewrite the MVP record books remains to be seen, but the conversation has never felt more real.