Bo Nix injury: Ranking every backup QB who has won Super Bowl

Only four teams remain in the NFL playoffs. The Super Bowl is so close that all of the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, and Denver Broncos can taste it. Unfortunately for the Broncos, quarterback Bo Nix fractured his ankle with just a couple of plays remaining in their overtime win in the AFC Divisional Round. That injury puts a huge damper on Denver’s Super Bowl hopes, as Jarrett Stidham, a somewhat unproven backup, will be taking over under center.

All hope isn’t lost for the Broncos, though. In fact, there have been nine instances in which a backup quarterback led his team to a Super Bowl victory. In preparation for a potential Stidham miracle run, here is a ranking of each backup quarterback-turned-Super Bowl champion.

9. Trent Dilfer, Baltimore Ravens: Super Bowl XXXV

Trent Dilfer is regarded as one of the worst Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks ever. Perhaps that is because he wasn’t supposed to be the Baltimore Ravens’ starting QB in the first place. Tony Banks was the team’s starter in 2000, but after four straight weeks without an offensive touchdown, the Ravens switched things up and promoted Dilfer.

He’d go on to win Super Bowl XXXV in blowout fashion, 34-7. In all likelihood, it might not have mattered who quarterbacked the Ravens this year, as their defense was arguably the best defensive unit in NFL history. Dilfer only had 1,502 yards and 12 touchdowns, but it didn’t matter because Ray Lewis, Ron Woodson, and the rest of the defense completely thwarted opposing offenses.

That year, the Ravens only allowed 10.3 points per game and 970 total rushing yards, the latter of which was a record during a 16-game season.

8. Earl Morrall, Miami Dolphins: Super Bowl VII

Earl Morrall had one of the most unique careers in NFL history. The 1956 second overall pick played 21 years in the NFL. He won three Super Bowls and an NFL championship. He had two Pro Bowl nods that were separated by more than a decade, and he was the 1968 MVP.

However, he spent most of his career as a backup. Whenever Morrall subbed in, though, he tended to make waves. In 1968, for example, Morrall replaced an injured Johnny Unitas early in the season. Unitas is one of the greatest players in NFL history. In relief of Unitas, Morrall would go on to earn his MVP and lead the Baltimore Colts to a Super Bowl III appearance, although they were upset in the AFL-NFL clash.

Morrall would go on to find Super Bowl success, though. In 1972, his first year with the Miami Dolphins, he’d go 9-0 in the regular season, once taking over for the injured Bob Griese. The winning continued through the playoffs, but Griese was given his job back ahead of Super Bowl VII. It didn’t really matter who was quarterbacking the team, as the Dolphins had one of the greatest running back tandems ever with Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris. Griese only threw 11 passes in the Super Bowl. Miami’s “No Name Defense” was also elite, too. It all resulted in the Dolphins accomplishing the only perfect season in NFL history.

Without Morrall, the Dolphins wouldn’t have accomplished this feat, as he played more that year than Griese did. However, he ranks as low as he does on this list because he spent most of his career on the bench, including during Super Bowl VII.

7. Doug Williams, Washington Redskins: Super Bowl XXII

Doug Williams was a starter for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to start his career, but when he joined the Washington Redskins in 1986 after a few seasons in the USFL, Williams served as a backup. With the Redskins, Williams would make a habit of subbing in for Jay Schroeder and finding success.

He led the team to victory after starting the game on the bench three times during the 1987 season. Still, Williams only had two starts that year during the regular season. Williams’ 94.0 passer rating proved that he had talent, though, and he was the man for the job come playoff time.

Williams orchestrated one of the most dominant championship victories ever when the Redskins beat the Denver Broncos 42-10 in Super Bowl XXII. His second-quarter performance was one of the greatest single-quarter performances in NFL history, as he threw all four of his touchdowns in that period. At the time, his 331 passing yards were a Super Bowl record. Williams would eventually be replaced by Mark Rypien during the very next season.

6. Jeff Hostetler, New York Giants: Super Bowl XXV

Jeff Hostetler was nothing more than Phil Simms’ backup from 1984 to 1990. His lack of playing time led to the quarterback contemplating retirement during the 1990 season, but when Simms suffered a season-ending injury in Week 15, Hostetler finally got his chance

He made the most of it, not losing a game for the rest of the season. That included Super Bowl XXV, where the Giants succeeded in one of the biggest championship upsets ever with a 20-19 win over the Buffalo Bills. The win afforded Hostetler more opportunities in the future, as he was an occasional starter for the Giants in each of the next two seasons and the regular starter for the Raiders over the four years to follow.

5. Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles: Super Bowl LII

The most recent backup to go on to win the Super Bowl was Nick Foles. During the 2017 season, the Philadelphia Eagles were led by Carson Wentz, who was in the midst of an MVP-caliber season. Wentz was the second overall pick in 2016, and it looked like he was quickly turning into a superstar.

Then, Wentz tore his ACL in Week 14, forcing Foles into action. Foles was somewhat uninspiring to end the regular season, but he carried the Eagles on a magical playoff run. Foles threw for 352 yards and three touchdowns against the Minnesota Vikings’ top-ranked defense in the NFC Championship Game. He was even better in the Super Bowl against a New England Patriots team that was in the midst of a dynasty.

In Super Bowl LII, Foles had 373 yards and three touchdowns en route to being named the Super Bowl MVP. The Eagles won 41-33, and the game is remembered as one of the best Super Bowls ever. Furthermore, Foles was on the receiving end of the Philly Special, one of the greatest moments in Super Bowl history. Foles was a career journeyman who played for six different teams. His run to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy will be remembered forever, though.

4. Jim Plunkett, Oakland Raiders: Super Bowl XV/Super Bowl XVIII

Jim Plunkett was a first overall pick known for having a cannon of an arm during his days with the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers. When the Oakland Raiders traded for him, though, he was stuck in reserve duty. Plunkett only threw 15 total passes over his first two seasons with the Raiders.

Plunkett’s first real opportunity with the Raiders wasn’t pretty, either. During the 1980 season, he had five interceptions in his first real action with the team after he took over for the injured Dan Pastorini. Even so, the gunslinger from Stanford got better as the season went on, and he led the Raiders to become the first Wild Card team to win the Super Bowl. A 261-yard, three-touchdown game earned Plunkett Super Bowl MVP honors. Plunkett is still just one of four Heisman Trophy winners to also become a Super Bowl MVP.

Plunkett would eventually be relegated back to the bench, but in 1983, his time to shine yet again came when Marc Wilson was hurt. Again, Plunkett led the Raiders, who were now located in Los Angeles, to a Super Bowl win, proving himself in the process as the ultimate big-game performer. Plunkett is a two-time Super Bowl winner who started off the season as a backup, but his career as a whole wasn’t quite as impressive as the next three players on this list.

3. Kurt Warner, St. Louis Rams: Super Bowl XXXIV 

Kurt Warner’s NFL story was more than just one of a backup-turned-Super Bowl winner. He went from grocery store worker to NFL player, which is even more impressive. Warner took a long time to get his feet under him in the NFL, but he made the most of his chance in 1999 when he took over for Trent Green. Green was the St. Louis Rams’ starting quarterback, but he tore his ACL in the preseason.

The offense thrived under Warner. As one of the greatest offensive units in NFL history, the Rams were coined “The Greatest Show on Turf.” Warner threw for 41 touchdowns during an MVP season and led St. Louis to a Super Bowl XXXIV victory. He was named the MVP of the game and would go on to have a long and successful career as a starter.

That included winning another MVP with the Rams, as well as eventually becoming a Pro Bowler with the Arizona Cardinals. Warner’s Rams had tons of offensive talent, including Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, and Torry Holt. Had Warner not gone from backup to starter, though, it seems unlikely that the greatest show on turf would have ever come to be.

2. Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys: Super Bowl VI

Roger Staubach won a Heisman Trophy at Navy, but he didn’t immediately play pro football. Staubach was drafted in 1964, but military service time with the Navy meant his NFL debut didn’t come until 1969. The quarterback didn’t necessarily come into the NFL guns a-blazing, either, as Craig Morton was the Dallas Cowboys’ primary starter during Staubach’s first two seasons.

Come 1971, the two would start to share quarterbacking duties. Tom Landry famously alternated the two quarterbacks every play during a Week 7 matchup. Landry eventually settled on Staubach as the full-time man under center. He’d go on to lead the team to a Super Bowl VI victory, in which he was named the MVP after throwing for 119 yards and two touchdowns.

From there, Staubach earned six Pro Bowl nods and won an additional MVP. He was a late bloomer who started his career as a backup, but he finished it as one of the greatest quarterbacks ever.

1. Tom Brady, New England Patriots: Super Bowl XXXVI

Tom Brady is the greatest player in NFL history, but he didn’t come into the league highly touted. In fact, Brady was just a sixth-round draft pick and started his career fourth on the Patriots’ depth chart. The Michigan product was glued to the bench as a rookie, and he started his second season on the sideline as well.

Drew Bledsoe started above Brady in 2001, but he took a hit that led to internal bleeding in New England’s second game of the season. Brady took over as the starter and never looked back, even leading the Patriots to a Super Bowl XXXVI victory in his first year leading the team. The Patriots’ championship fate was sealed with an Adam Vinatieri game-winning field goal kick.

This was, of course, just the start of Super Bowl success for Brady. He won six Super Bowls in total with the Patriots, as well as another championship with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The five-time Super Bowl MVP, three-time MVP, and five-time passing touchdowns leader is unquestionably the greatest player in NFL history, but his journey as the sport’s greatest winner started with him coming off the bench.

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