Super Bowl 56: 10 likeliest players to win MVP

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 30: Quarterback Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals rolls out to pass against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half of the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 30, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images) /

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INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 17: Aaron Donald #99 of the Los Angeles Rams warms up before the game against the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at SoFi Stadium on January 17, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

6. Von Miller, Rams edge rusher

Speaking of other-worldly defensive players, it’s hard to leave out Von Miller – a former Super Bowl MVP. The defensive end made Cam Newton’s day a misery in Super Bowl 50 and there’s a likelihood he can do the same to Joe Burrow on Sunday – especially if the Bengals consistently double-team Donald.

Miller piled up the sacks after joining the Rams and currently leads all edge defenders in pressures in the postseason, per PFF. The Rams’ incredibly talented defensive line is going to cause all sorts of problems for the Bengals’ offensive line, and even with Burrow’s incredible pocket awareness, he’s going to get hit. Miller could be the one to capitalize on those moments and become the first-ever defensive player to win multiple Super Bowl MVPs.

5. Aaron Donald, Rams defensive tackle

A three-time Defensive Player of the Year, a seven-time All-Pro player, and one of the greatest football players of all time, Aaron Donald has had quite a career and is still only 30-years-old. Adding a Super Bowl ring would be another testament to his ability, but put a Super Bowl MVP award on top of that and it has a nice ring to it.

Donald racked up the second-most pressures in the NFL this season in what was considered, incredibly, a relatively down year by his exceptional standards. Even if Donald doesn’t win his fourth Defensive Player of the Year title this season, he’s still recognized as the unanimous demigod of the NFL. He’s also up against a porous Bengals offensive line that has allowed 37 total pressures in three postseason games – and that’s without playing against a player of Donald’s magnitude. He could wreak havoc.

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