Worst Super Bowl player of all time

[Bubbler]

I know it's back in the day, but Craig Morton was a perfectly wretched QB for two different teams in two different Super Bowls, one of which (1970 Cowboys) could've won if he'd only been mediocre, or even poor.

Every QB that suited up for Denver sucked in Super Bowl XII. Morton, Craig Penrose, Norman Weese, Charley Johnson, Bubby Brister ...

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

Max Lane's nearly getting Bledsoe killed against the Packers is right up there.
So is Tony Eason's turtle act against the Bears.

 

[pseudo]

Thurman Thomas hands down the worst Super Bowl Performer. 1991 vs Redskins missed first 2 plays due to misplacing his helmet ended up with 2 fumbles 10 carries for 13 yards. The next 2 Super Bowls he played in were not much better 11 caries / 17 yds and 16 carries / 37 yds.

The Bills needed Thomas to show up big and he did not. I believe he is the # 1 reason the Bills lost the 4 Super Bowls they played in.

Sorry... Thomas is MVP of XXV if the Bills win.

Had bad games, but not close to the worst.

Kelly was worse on his own team.

Some would argue Thomas deserved the MVP in XXV anyway. I'll stay out of that, since my bias is clear.

XXV: Tie between Kelly, who now admits he should have called more running plays, and the four Pro Bowl defenders who couldn't make a stop on third-and-long. Thank you all for not picking the easy-but-wrong answer, Norwood.
XXVI: No goats in Buffalo, because Washington was just that damn good. The concussed Kelly probably shouldn't have played the second half.
XXVII: Again, tough to pick someone out, because that team needed a miracle just to get out of the wild-card round. Kelly and Reich for their turnovers, perhaps, but I'll go with corners J.D. Williams and Nate Odomes for their cameo appearances in Mike Irvin's highlight reel.
XXVIII: Thurman's fumble.

 

[Simon_Cowbell]

I know it's back in the day, but Craig Morton was a perfectly wretched QB for two different teams in two different Super Bowls, one of which (1970 Cowboys) could've won if he'd only been mediocre, or even poor.

Every QB that suited up for Denver sucked in Super Bowl XII. Morton, Craig Penrose, Norman Weese, Charley Johnson, Bubby Brister ...

The late Norris Weese

 

[Simon_Cowbell]

Max Lane's nearly getting Bledsoe killed against the Packers is right up there.
So is Tony Eason's turtle act against the Bears.

Dunno if Jonathan Odgen could have stopped Reggie White indoors.

 

[Boom_70]

Boom, you are incorrect. The main reason the Bills lost those 4 Super Bowls was that their defense was never good enough.

Defense was on field too long because the Bills could never establish the run. Here is summary of Thomas work in SB's 26/27/28 - not very impressive for a guy that the Bills needed to have big games.

Here is good summary from wikipedia

Super Bowl XXVI
Thomas is noted for a mishap in Super Bowl XXVI. Thomas has a pre-game ritual where he places his helmet at the 40-yard line prior to a game. Prior to the game, his helmet was moved in order for the stage to be set up for Harry Connick, Jr. to perform the national anthem. This caused Thomas to worry on where his helmet was, causing him to miss Buffalo's first two offensive plays (one was a botched running play to Kenneth Davis, the other was a weak run to Davis). He went on to gain just 13 rushing yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. He also caught 4 passes for 27 yards[1].


Super Bowl XXVII
For the second year in a row, Thomas had a dismal performance in the Super Bowl. He scored the first points of the game for his team on a 2-yard touchdown run, but was limited to just 19 rushing yards on 11 carries and 4 receptions for 10 yards in Buffalo's 52-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. He also committed a costly fumble that was converted into a Dallas touchdown.

However, it must be noted that Thomas was still recovering from a hip injury he suffered in the first game of the postseason. As a result, running back Kenneth Davis got the majority of carries in the game.


[edit] Super Bowl XXVIII
Thomas had yet another disappointing Super Bowl performance in this game, which the Bills lost to the Cowboys 30-13. He scored the only touchdown of the game for his team, but was limited to just 37 rushing yards on 16 carries. He was a reliable target as a receiver out of the backfield, catching 7 passes for 52 yards but he lost 2 fumbles that led to 10 Dallas points. The second fumble came at the start of the second half, and it was returned for a game tying touchdown that swung the momentum for the Cowboys. Thomas's performance in the AFC title game prior to the Super Bowl was far better. In the Bills 30-13 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, he rushed for 186 yards, caught 2 passes for 22 yards, and scored 3 touchdowns.

 

[BTExpress]

Jimmy Orr is STILL wide open . . . and waving his arms like crazy.


So until further notice, Earl Morrall in Super Bowl III is the leader in the clubhouse.

 

[Steak Snabler]

Jimmy Orr is STILL wide open . . . and waving his arms like crazy.


So until further notice, Earl Morrall in Super Bowl III is the leader in the clubhouse.

Morrall's got two rings (with big assists from Johnny U. and Griese, but still). How does that make him worse than Tarkenton?

 

[Simon_Cowbell]

Jimmy Orr is STILL wide open . . . and waving his arms like crazy.


So until further notice, Earl Morrall in Super Bowl III is the leader in the clubhouse.

Morrall's got two rings (with big assists from Johnny U. and Griese, but still). How does that make him worse than Tarkenton?

I wouldn't say Earl got much of an assist from Griese at all in 1972.

THAT is what makes the perfect season so incalcuable... almost entirely done with the backup QB.

 

[Steak Snabler]

Jimmy Orr is STILL wide open . . . and waving his arms like crazy.


So until further notice, Earl Morrall in Super Bowl III is the leader in the clubhouse.

Morrall's got two rings (with big assists from Johnny U. and Griese, but still). How does that make him worse than Tarkenton?

I wouldn't say Earl got much of an assist from Griese at all in 1972.

THAT is what makes the perfect season so incalcuable... almost entirely done with the backup QB.

I meant just in the Super Bowl. Griese played the whole game. But you're right, they wouldn't have gotten there without ole buzzcut ...

 

[outofplace]

Jimmy Orr is STILL wide open . . . and waving his arms like crazy.


So until further notice, Earl Morrall in Super Bowl III is the leader in the clubhouse.

Morrall's got two rings (with big assists from Johnny U. and Griese, but still). How does that make him worse than Tarkenton?

I wouldn't say Earl got much of an assist from Griese at all in 1972.

THAT is what makes the perfect season so incalcuable... almost entirely done with the backup QB.

True, but it was also a very different game than it is now. Offenses were far more reliant on the run and the rule changes that opened up the passing game were years away at that point.

Not that quarterback play didn't matter, but an NFL team is a hell of a lot less likely to have that kind of success without its quarterback now than it was then.

 

[Piotr Rasputin]

Thomas did deserve the MVP for Super Bowl XXV . . . . .

Based on regular-season performance that year and reputation coming in thanks to that performance, Rich Gannon for the Raiders was the worst Super Bowl performer of my lifetime. Five interceptions (half his regular-season NFL MVP total), three returned for scores. "I forgot to check the safeties," was his excuse later.

Yes, I'm biased. But I'm shocked he didn't make the list yet.

 

[Simon_Cowbell]

Jimmy Orr is STILL wide open . . . and waving his arms like crazy.


So until further notice, Earl Morrall in Super Bowl III is the leader in the clubhouse.

Morrall's got two rings (with big assists from Johnny U. and Griese, but still). How does that make him worse than Tarkenton?

I wouldn't say Earl got much of an assist from Griese at all in 1972.

THAT is what makes the perfect season so incalcuable... almost entirely done with the backup QB.

True, but it was also a very different game than it is now. Offenses were far more reliant on the run and the rule changes that opened up the passing game were years away at that point.

Not that quarterback play didn't matter, but an NFL team is a hell of a lot less likely to have that kind of success without its quarterback now than it was then.

Nice, purty logic, but the reality is that the first 10 Super Bowl winners had a HOF QB starting the game.

 

[Simon_Cowbell]

Thomas did deserve the MVP for Super Bowl XXV . . . . .

Based on regular-season performance that year and reputation coming in thanks to that performance, Rich Gannon for the Raiders was the worst Super Bowl performer of my lifetime. Five interceptions (half his regular-season NFL MVP total), three returned for scores. "I forgot to check the safeties," was his excuse later.

Yes, I'm biased. But I'm shocked he didn't make the list yet.

Good point.

Another awful SB MVP pick in that one... Simeon Rice set the tone and totally dominated.

 

[outofplace]

Jimmy Orr is STILL wide open . . . and waving his arms like crazy.


So until further notice, Earl Morrall in Super Bowl III is the leader in the clubhouse.

Morrall's got two rings (with big assists from Johnny U. and Griese, but still). How does that make him worse than Tarkenton?

I wouldn't say Earl got much of an assist from Griese at all in 1972.

THAT is what makes the perfect season so incalcuable... almost entirely done with the backup QB.

True, but it was also a very different game than it is now. Offenses were far more reliant on the run and the rule changes that opened up the passing game were years away at that point.

Not that quarterback play didn't matter, but an NFL team is a hell of a lot less likely to have that kind of success without its quarterback now than it was then.

Nice, purty logic, but the reality is that the first 10 Super Bowl winners had a HOF QB starting the game.

Man, you'd argue the color of the sky, wouldn't you?

 

[Simon_Cowbell]

Jimmy Orr is STILL wide open . . . and waving his arms like crazy.


So until further notice, Earl Morrall in Super Bowl III is the leader in the clubhouse.

Morrall's got two rings (with big assists from Johnny U. and Griese, but still). How does that make him worse than Tarkenton?

I wouldn't say Earl got much of an assist from Griese at all in 1972.

THAT is what makes the perfect season so incalcuable... almost entirely done with the backup QB.

True, but it was also a very different game than it is now. Offenses were far more reliant on the run and the rule changes that opened up the passing game were years away at that point.

Not that quarterback play didn't matter, but an NFL team is a hell of a lot less likely to have that kind of success without its quarterback now than it was then.

Nice, purty logic, but the reality is that the first 10 Super Bowl winners had a HOF QB starting the game.

Man, you'd argue the color of the sky, wouldn't you?

YOU are the one offering contrarian crapola to everything.

 

[outofplace]

Jimmy Orr is STILL wide open . . . and waving his arms like crazy.


So until further notice, Earl Morrall in Super Bowl III is the leader in the clubhouse.

Morrall's got two rings (with big assists from Johnny U. and Griese, but still). How does that make him worse than Tarkenton?

I wouldn't say Earl got much of an assist from Griese at all in 1972.

THAT is what makes the perfect season so incalcuable... almost entirely done with the backup QB.

True, but it was also a very different game than it is now. Offenses were far more reliant on the run and the rule changes that opened up the passing game were years away at that point.

Not that quarterback play didn't matter, but an NFL team is a hell of a lot less likely to have that kind of success without its quarterback now than it was then.

Nice, purty logic, but the reality is that the first 10 Super Bowl winners had a HOF QB starting the game.

Man, you'd argue the color of the sky, wouldn't you?

YOU are the one offering contrarian crapola to everything.

No, I'm not!

Seriously, it's not the same game. Since the rule changes in the late '70s, the NFL has become more and more quarterback-oriented. You don't even have to run the ball and stop the run particularly well to win any more. The Patriots are average at both and look what they are doing?

Take Brady away and put in even an average quarterback and no way that team is 16-0.

 

[Simon_Cowbell]

Jimmy Orr is STILL wide open . . . and waving his arms like crazy.


So until further notice, Earl Morrall in Super Bowl III is the leader in the clubhouse.

Morrall's got two rings (with big assists from Johnny U. and Griese, but still). How does that make him worse than Tarkenton?

I wouldn't say Earl got much of an assist from Griese at all in 1972.

THAT is what makes the perfect season so incalcuable... almost entirely done with the backup QB.

True, but it was also a very different game than it is now. Offenses were far more reliant on the run and the rule changes that opened up the passing game were years away at that point.

Not that quarterback play didn't matter, but an NFL team is a hell of a lot less likely to have that kind of success without its quarterback now than it was then.

Nice, purty logic, but the reality is that the first 10 Super Bowl winners had a HOF QB starting the game.

Man, you'd argue the color of the sky, wouldn't you?

YOU are the one offering contrarian crapola to everything.

No, I'm not!

Seriously, it's not the same game. Since the rule changes in the late '70s, the NFL has become more and more quarterback-oriented. You don't even have to run the ball and stop the run particularly well to win any more. The Patriots are average at both and look what they are doing?

Take Brady away and put in even an average quarterback and no way that team is 16-0.

You put Matt Cassel on the Dolphins and they aren't 17-0.

More reliance on the passing game or not.

 

[outofplace]

Jimmy Orr is STILL wide open . . . and waving his arms like crazy.


So until further notice, Earl Morrall in Super Bowl III is the leader in the clubhouse.

Morrall's got two rings (with big assists from Johnny U. and Griese, but still). How does that make him worse than Tarkenton?

I wouldn't say Earl got much of an assist from Griese at all in 1972.

THAT is what makes the perfect season so incalcuable... almost entirely done with the backup QB.

True, but it was also a very different game than it is now. Offenses were far more reliant on the run and the rule changes that opened up the passing game were years away at that point.

Not that quarterback play didn't matter, but an NFL team is a hell of a lot less likely to have that kind of success without its quarterback now than it was then.

Nice, purty logic, but the reality is that the first 10 Super Bowl winners had a HOF QB starting the game.

Man, you'd argue the color of the sky, wouldn't you?

YOU are the one offering contrarian crapola to everything.

No, I'm not!

Seriously, it's not the same game. Since the rule changes in the late '70s, the NFL has become more and more quarterback-oriented. You don't even have to run the ball and stop the run particularly well to win any more. The Patriots are average at both and look what they are doing?

Take Brady away and put in even an average quarterback and no way that team is 16-0.

You put Matt Cassel on the Dolphins and they aren't 17-0.

More reliance on the passing game or not.

Of course not. The guy has barely played. At least those Dolphins had a backup with experience to turn to. Actually, if you look it up, Morrall had better regular-season numbers than Griese that year. Higher percentage. Higher yards per attempt. Better touchdown-to-interception ration.

But really, the running game carried that team. Two 1,000-yard rushers (Csonka and Morris), not to mention 521 yards from Jim Kiick.

 

[zagoshe]

Ben Roethlisberger.