1. Malcolm Smith, Super Bowl 48
If you asked a fan who won the Super Bowl MVP for the Seattle Seahawks, many would know it was someone strange, but many couldn't name them. This, of course, was the time of the Legion of Boom. Kam Chancellor, Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, and Bobby Wagner led this defense to victory on most nights. Yet, linebacker Malcolm Smith won the MVP for the Super Bowl.
Smith did have one of the biggest plays of the game. He took an interception 69 yards to the house. However, it was a completely dominating performance. Peyton Manning looked lost, and the Seahawks won the game 43-8. It's hard to pick an MVP for a blowout, but it is surprising the voters didn't go with one of the Seahawks many stars.
His career didn't exactly transcend into stardom after his MVP performance. Of course, he had a bigger profile. More people knew his name, and that probably got him his two-year $7 million deal when he signed with the Raiders.
After his two years with the Raiders, he was never a regular starter again. He bounced between the 49ers, Cowboys, Jaguars, and Browns before retiring after the 2021 season. Listen, say what you want about Smith, but worst Super Bowl MVP is still a Super Bowl MVP, and that can't be taken away.