10 dark-horse Super Bowl MVP candidates who aren’t Patrick Mahomes, Brock Purdy

7. Trent McDuffie, CB, Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs’ first selection in the 2022 NFL draft has certainly come to his own as a defensive standout. Second-year pro Trent McDuffie is part of a secondary that has been superb throughout the season and during the playoffs. The former University of Washington product was the 21st overall selection a year ago and has enjoyed a monster 2023 campaign.

McDuffie finished second on the team with 80 tackles (60 solo stops). There were three sacks and a total of nine quarterback hits, while he knocked down seven passes. The aggressive defender led Andy Reid’s team with five forced fumbles. Although he was not named to the Pro Bowl (and as it turns out, won’t be going anyway), he earned All-Pro honors as the slot cornerback.

In these current playoffs, McDuffie has totaled nine tackles, four passes defensed and recovered a fumble in the AFC Championship Game win at Baltimore. In two seasons and a total of 33 overall games, he has yet to come up with an interception. Yet, he remains a very valuable part of Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.

Only three times in 57 Super Bowls has a defensive back earned game MVP honors. Dallas’ Larry Brown (XXX) remains the only cornerback to garner the award.