Unsung Super Bowl Quarterbacks Shine As Collectors Hunt Hidden Gems

The Super Bowl has long been a stage for legends, but not every quarterback who hoists the Lombardi Trophy is a household name. As the countdown to Super Bowl 60 between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks enters its final days, fans and collectors alike are looking back at the unsung heroes who seized their moment on football’s biggest stage. While Hall of Famers like Tom Brady, Joe Montana, and Peyton Manning are fixtures in Super Bowl lore, the annals of NFL history are filled with quarterbacks whose flashes of brilliance defined a season, a franchise, and sometimes, a whole era—even if their fame didn’t last.

Take Jim Plunkett, for example. Once considered a bust with the New England Patriots, Plunkett reinvented himself with the L.A. Raiders, leading them to Super Bowl glory not once, but twice. In Super Bowl XV, Plunkett’s Raiders dispatched Ron Jaworski’s Eagles 27-10, and three years later, he piloted the Silver and Black to a 38-9 demolition of Joe Theismann’s Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII. Despite his two rings, Plunkett’s memorabilia remains surprisingly affordable. His 1972 Topps rookie card, in top PSA 9 condition, recently sold for $389 and $350, with signed PSA 10 examples fetching $399 and $338. In a hobby obsessed with stars, Plunkett is a reminder that winning on the field doesn’t always mean winning in the marketplace.

Another quarterback who carved his name into Super Bowl history is Jim McMahon. The brash leader of the 1985 Chicago Bears, McMahon guided his team to a dominant 46-10 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX. That Bears team, famed for their swagger and suffocating defense, became instant legends. McMahon himself was on the cusp of a superstar career until a rotator cuff injury derailed his trajectory the following season. He finished his career with 100 touchdown passes, 90 interceptions, and a remarkable 67-30 record as a starter. Despite his achievements, McMahon’s 1983 Topps rookie card is a bargain hunter’s dream, with PSA 9 examples recently selling for $79 and $70, and even BGS 10-graded cards going for as little as $42.

Then there’s Jeff Hostetler, whose moment came in January 1991. The New York Giants were heavy underdogs against the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXV, but Hostetler’s steady hand and Scott Norwood’s infamous “wide right” field goal attempt sealed a 20-19 Giants victory. Hostetler’s career stats—58% completion rate, 94 touchdowns to 71 interceptions, and a 51-32 record as a starter—don’t leap off the page, but his single greatest triumph is immortalized in Super Bowl lore. In the world of collectibles, Hostetler’s 1990 Fleer rookie card is a hidden gem, with PSA 10 examples selling for just $35 and $23.

Mark Rypien is another name that may not ring out like Brady or Montana, but his performance in Super Bowl XXVI was nothing short of masterful. Rypien led Washington to a 37-24 win over the Buffalo Bills in January 1992, cementing his place in the upper echelon of Super Bowl quarterbacks. Over his 11-year career, Rypien posted a 56.1% completion rate, 115 touchdowns, 88 interceptions, and a 47-31 record as a starter. Despite this, his 1989 Topps rookie card recently sold for $100 with autograph and PSA 9 grade, while unsigned cards routinely fetch less than $30.

Trent Dilfer may be the very definition of a game manager, but for one magical season, he was the man at the helm of the Baltimore Ravens’ 2000 Super Bowl run. Dilfer’s Ravens crushed the New York Giants 34-7 in Super Bowl XXXV, and while his career numbers—55.5% completion, 113 touchdowns, 129 interceptions, and a 58-55 record—are modest, his place in history is secure. Dilfer’s rookie cards from 1994 can be had for under $10, though rarer inserts like the Upper Deck SP Premier Prospects have sold for as much as $179.

Of course, not all Super Bowl MVPs are underappreciated. Nick Foles, for instance, etched his name into Philadelphia sports lore with an electrifying performance in Super Bowl LII. Stepping in as a backup, Foles threw for 373 yards, three touchdowns, and even caught a touchdown pass in the famous “Philly Special,” leading the Eagles to a 41-33 win over the Patriots. His remarkable day earned him MVP honors and a permanent place in NFL history.

Some Super Bowl performances are so iconic they transcend statistics. Joe Namath’s 206 passing yards and zero touchdowns in Super Bowl III might seem pedestrian, but his guarantee that the underdog Jets would shock the Baltimore Colts came true, making him a legend. Similarly, Joe Montana’s cool demeanor and clinical execution in Super Bowls XIX and XXIV—331 yards and three touchdowns in a 38-16 win over Miami, and a jaw-dropping five touchdowns in a 55-10 rout of Denver—cemented his legacy as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.

Other unforgettable MVP performances include Marcus Allen’s 191 rushing yards and two touchdowns (including a 74-yard dash) for the Raiders in Super Bowl XVIII, Terrell Davis’ 157 rushing yards and three touchdowns for the Broncos in Super Bowl XXXII, and Doug Williams’ history-making 340 yards and four touchdowns for Washington in Super Bowl XXII. Jerry Rice, the NFL’s greatest receiver, torched the Bengals for 11 catches, 215 yards, and a touchdown in Super Bowl XXIII, while Steve Young’s six touchdown passes in Super Bowl XXIX set a new standard for quarterback excellence.

As collectors scour auction sites for the next big find, it’s clear that Super Bowl stardom doesn’t always translate into hobby gold. The latest monthly auction charts are dominated by the likes of Tom Brady, Matthew Stafford, and Peyton Manning, whose cards fetch eye-popping sums—like the $48,600 spent on a 2000 Playoff Contenders Tom Brady Rookie Ticket, or the $31,211 paid for a dual-inscription Manning/Brady card. Yet, for every superstar, there’s a Plunkett, McMahon, Hostetler, Rypien, or Dilfer—quarterbacks who seized their moment and delivered under the brightest lights, even if their rookie cards remain bargains for now.

With Super Bowl 60 just around the corner, the stage is set for another potential hero to emerge. Will it be a future Hall of Famer or another unsung quarterback ready to write his own chapter in NFL history? One thing’s for sure: when the confetti falls and the MVP is crowned, collectors and fans alike will be watching closely—not just for the next big play, but for the next name to add to the list of unforgettable Super Bowl stories.