Ranking NFL players who were Heisman winners and Super Bowl MVPs
By Dani Bostick
3. Jim Plunkett, QB, Stanford University
Jim Plunkett was a Stanford quarterback who won the Heisman trophy in 1970, selected over both Joe Theismann of Notre Dame, who went on to play for the Washington Redskins, and Archie Manning of Ole Miss, whose biggest claim to fame at this point is siring Eli and Peyton Manning.
The New England Patriots’ first-overall draft pick in 1971, Plunkett became the MVP of Super Bowl XV on January 25, 1981 when he led the Raiders to an improbable victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, who were favored to win by three points and had sacked Plunkett eight times in their regular season matchup. The victory was a personal triumph for Plunkett. Though he was named NFL Rookie of the Year in 1971, he found himself a free agent in 1978 after disappointing seasons with the Patriots and then the San Francisco 49ers.
Initially signed as a backup by the Los Angeles Raiders in 1978, Plunkett eventually earned the starting position in 1980 after Dan Pastorini suffered a season-ending broken leg. During his team’s Super Bowl run, Plunkett enjoyed tremendous depth at wide receiver and running back. Bob Chandler, Cliff Branch, Kenny King, and Mark van Eeghen made their quarterback look like a star, providing a variety of reliable options through the air and on the ground.
Plunkett’s victory over the Eagles was certainly impressive. He would earn his second Super Bowl victory with the Raiders in 1984, the year fellow Heisman winner Marcus Allen was named Super Bowl MVP.
Had it not been for a lucky break, however, Plunkett could have been one of many Heisman winners to underperform and disappoint in the NFL. Instead, he was a two-time Super Bowl winner.
Next: 2. Marcus Allen