Worst NFL QB performances in Super Bowl history

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger

The Super Bowl is the biggest game of every NFL season. In a winner-take-all showdown to crown a champion, it provides opportunities for players to become legends, especially quarterbacks. Unfortunately, there have been many times where a quarterback has failed to perform on the grand stage. Here are the five worst games by a quarterback in Super Bowl history.

Worst performances by a quarterback in Super Bowl history

#1 - Craig Morton, Denver Broncos - SB XII

Quarterback Craig Morton playing for the Denver Broncos (Image Credit; Getty Images)
Quarterback Craig Morton playing for the Denver Broncos (Image Credit; Getty Images)

Craig Morton had the worst performance of all time in the big game against the Dallas Cowboys. He completed just four of his 15 pass attempts for 39 yards and four interceptions. He had as many completions as he did interceptions before being benched in the third quarter of an embarrassing game.

#2 - Kerry Collins, New York Giants - SB XXXV

New York Giants quarterback Kerry Collins
New York Giants quarterback Kerry Collins

Kerry Collins was a big part of the reason why the New York Giants were blown out by the Baltimore Ravens, losing the game by a 34-7 score. Collins completed just 15 of his 39 passes for 112 yards while throwing four interceptions. He was only able to account for 28 yards in the entire second half of the game. The Ravens had an excellent defense, but Collins' performance was unacceptable.

Worst quarterback performances in Super Bowl history

Here are the worst games ever recorded by a quarterback in the history of the Super Bowl.

#3 - Rich Gannon, Oakland Raiders - SB XXXVII

Oakland Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon
Oakland Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon

Rich Gannon holds the Super Bowl record with five interceptions in a single game. Three of the five interceptions were returned for touchdowns by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense, another all-time record in the game. The Raiders were destroyed by a 48-21 score in a blowout from start to finish.

#4 - Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers - SB XL

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger

The strange part about Ben Roethlisberger making this list is that the Pittsburgh Steelers won the game against the Seattle Seahawks by a 21-10 score. He still played terribly, completing just nine of his 21 passes for 123 yards and two interceptions. His 22.6 quarterback rating is the worst in the last 20 years of the big game.

#5 - John Elway, Denver Broncos - SB XXIV

Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway
Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway

John Elway is one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, but his performance against the San Francisco 49ers is one he would probably rather forget. The Broncos lost 55-10 in the most lopsided game in Super Bowl history. Elway completed just ten of his 26 passes for 108 yards with two interceptions and a lost fumble.

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Edited by David Nyland