Denver’s Von Miller was pretty spectacular against Carolina and Cam Newton in Super Bowl 50. The pass-rushing linebacker racked up five tackles, two and a half sacks, and a pair of critical forced fumbles that basically won the game for the Broncos.
It was a Super Bowl MVP-worthy performance, but where does it rank among the all-time greats, on the NFL’s biggest stage? Here are the 10 best Super Bowl performances:
10. Terrell Davis, Super Bowl XXXII: 30 Carries for 157 Yards and 3 TDs
Davis really only starred in the league for four years before injuries led him into early retirement, but he made those four seasons count, rushing for over 1,000 yards in each one—including 2,008 in 1998. He also ran for better than 100 yards in seven of his eight playoff games. This one saw him reach the end zone three times as the Broncos pulled off the upset in beating Green Bay 31–24.
9. Joe Namath, Super Bowl III: 17/28 Passing for 206 Yards and 1 Guarantee
This one wasn’t just the Jets versus the Colts. It was the upstart AFL against the established NFL, and the new league had already been on the wrong end of the first two Super Bowls. Before the game, Namath famously guaranteed victory—and he delivered—managing the New York Jets to a 16–7 win over the 18-point favorite Baltimore Colts.
8. Von Miller, Super Bowl 50: 2.5 Sacks, 2 Forced Fumbles
His numbers don’t jump out at you, but both forced fumbles were at the expense of Cam Newton and led directly to touchdowns. The first was in the opening quarter and was recovered by Malik Jackson in the end zone for a touchdown to give Denver a 10–0 lead. The second occurred late in the fourth quarter and was recovered by T.J. Ward at Carolina’s 9-yard line, who returned it to the 4. Three plays later, Denver punched into the end zone to take a 24–10 lead.
