The greatest surprise Super Bowl stars

Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Jared Goff, Todd Gurley all played in Super Bowl LIII, but none of them scored a touchdown. Sony Michel did.

The New England Patriots running back was actually the only player on the field who found pay dirt in the lowest-scoring Super Bowl ever. While he did gain 931 rushing yards in the 2018 season with six scores on the ground, his 94 yards and touchdown during the Super Bowl wasn't completely expected, especially as a rookie with so many veteran studs on the field with him.

There are few people who will never have to buy a drink in Philadelphia. Nick Foles is one of them.

Despite being an underdog in every playoff game, Nick Foles led Philadelphia to the Super Bowl after Carson Wentz went down with an ACL injury in Week 14, setting up a duel with Tom Brady and New England. The Eagles were expected to lose to the more experienced Patriots team, but Foles looked like he was playing with house money, shredding the New England's defense with his quick reads and passes. But what he will always be remembered for is his part in the Philly Special, where he caught a touchdown pass to show that the Eagles weren't afraid to pull anything out of the bag in the biggest game of the year. After starting the year as a forgotten backup, Foles finished the Super Bowl with 373 yards, four total touchdowns, a championship ring and an MVP. Nothing encapsulated his wild ride more than when he grabbed the Lombardi Trophy and let out an astonished, "Wow."

In the spring of 2014, Malcolm Butler was trying to figure out what he was going to do after going undrafted. At the beginning of the 2014 season, he was listed as the fifth-string cornerback on the New England Patriots' depth chart. By February 2015, the former University of West Alabama player was Super Bowl hero. Butler was still the fifth-string cornerback coming into Super Bowl XLIX, but he replaced Kyle Arrington at the nickel corner in the third quarter of the game. With 20 seconds left in the game and the Seattle Seahawks on the 1-yard line poised to take the lead, he intercepted a Russell Wilson pass by beating Ricardo Lockette to the spot on a quick slant to secure the victory for the Patriots. Tom Brady may have gotten the Super Bowl MVP, but he was willing to give Butler the truck that went along with the award. Not bad.

The former USC linebacker sweated out the 2011 NFL Draft before being selected in the seventh round by the Seattle Seahawks. He had a pretty unremarkable career until the 2013 postseason, when he really blossomed into a big-time player. At Super Bowl XLVIII, it wasn’t Richard Sherman or Michael Bennett leading the way for Seattle — it was Smith. He picked off Peyton Manning twice, one of which was returned for a touchdown, and he recovered a fumble. He was named Super Bowl MVP for his dominating performance.

Before he was a Pro Bowl wide receiver, Jordy Nelson was just a guy trying to find his place on the Green Bay Packers. The 2010 postseason was his coming-out party. Nelson was overshadowed by more established receivers like Donald Driver and Greg Jennings. In the Super Bowl, however, it was the former Kansas State Wildcat who shined. Nelson grabbed nine balls and took them 140 yards with one touchdown. He went on to become one of Aaron Rodgers’ favorite targets.

Heading into the 2007 postseason, New York Giants wide receiver David Tyree had four catches for 35 yards. In the playoffs, he was rarely utilized, hauling in one pass for 4 yards going into the Super Bowl. No one was expecting him to be a factor in the game, but he showed up when the Giants needed him. The New England Patriots were on the verge of completing the first perfect season since the Miami Dolphins in 1972. They came so close to putting themselves in a great position to win by nearly taking down Eli Manning for a sack on third-and-5 with 1:15 left in the game. Only Manning never went down. Instead, he fired a prayer that was answered by Tyree in the form of a 32-yard reception that he pinned against his helmet. He would be out of the league in three years, but he will be immortal in NFL lore.

No one is denying that the 2006 Indianapolis Colts were Peyton Manning’s team, but when he found himself in his first Super Bowl, he couldn’t get the job done on his own. Manning got what he was so rarely afforded during the regular season: help. With all eyes on Manning, it was Dominic Rhodes who was the key cog that made the Indianapolis offense move. He gained 113 yards on 21 carries with one touchdown. Manning may have gotten the MVP Award, but it could have easily been given to Rhodes.

If you said Dexter Jackson was going to be the most productive player on a defense featuring Ronde Barber, Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp, Simeon Rice and John Lynch in a championship game, you were already in a straitjacket. However, that’s exactly what happened at Super Bowl XXXVII. It wasn’t that he was unproductive all year. Jackson started all 16 games in 2002 and had three interceptions as a free safety. But he definitely saved his best for the Super Bowl. He picked off Oakland Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon twice after being a nonfactor in the prior playoff games, and he was named Super Bowl MVP.

Before he was legendary kicker Adam Vinatieri, he was just trying-not-to-mess-up Adam Vinatieri. You can’t become a diamond without a little pressure. Before the 2001 postseason, Vinatieri’s biggest claim to fame was kicking a ball that Green Bay Packers returner Desmond Howard took to the house in Super Bowl XXXI. By the time Super Bowl XXXVI rolled around, he knocked in game-tying and game-winning field goals against the Raiders in a blizzardy AFC championship game. With the game and a championship on the line in the Super Bowl, Vinatieri knocked in a 48-yard bomb for the victory. His ice-cold legend would only grow from there.

The 1999 St. Louis Rams were known as the Greatest Show on Turf, but it wasn't because of the defense. When the Rams reached Super Bowl XXXIV, everyone figured it was going to be Kurt Warner who would determine the outcome. However, it was one defensive play that sealed the championship for the Rams. Linebacker Mike Jones was the only player between Kevin Dyson and the end zone when the Tennessee wide receiver was just a couple of yards from a touchdown that would set up a game-tying PAT. Jones was able to take Dyson down 1 yard short of the goal line, sealing the Super Bowl for the Rams.

Before Dante Hall and Devin Hester, Desmond Howard was the X-factor, and he picked a great time to show off his athleticism. The former Heisman Trophy winner wasn’t utilized much as an offensive weapon during the year, but he showed how important special teams were when he gained 244 return yards, including a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that put a dagger in the New England Patriots’ hearts in Super Bowl XXXI.

Brown was already having a career year for the Dallas Cowboys in 1995 with six interceptions, but he didn’t make a name for himself until Super Bowl XXX. The 12 ^th -round pick of the Dallas Cowboys had two second-half interceptions that set up two Emmitt Smith rushing touchdowns. He became the first cornerback named Super Bowl MVP, but his career was never the same. He signed a lucrative deal with Raiders only to be waived after playing just 12 games in two years.

On a team with Ken Norton, Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith, James Washington was just another guy. He had himself a solid career, but he had one moment when he became a superstar. Facing Jim Kelly and the Buffalo Bills high-powered offense, Washington got a rare start and flourished. He recovered a tide-changing fumble and returned it 48 yards for a lead-taking touchdown. He added an interception and 11 tackles to help the Cowboys win their second straight Super Bowl.

When Phil Simms broke his leg late in the 1990 season, many thought the Giants’ Super Bowl chances were dead. Head coach Bill Parcells inserted backup quarterback Jeff Hostetler and never looked back. Hostetler won the final two games of the regular season and provided a steady hand for the Giants through the playoffs. His biggest moment came in Super Bowl XXV, going 20-of-32 with 222 passing yards. He engineered the go-ahead, third-quarter touchdown drive that eventually led to the Giants to the win.

By most accounts, Washington Redskins running back Timmy Smith was an invisible player in 1987. In seven games, he had only 29 carries and gained 126 yards. He was marginally more effective in the postseason, but his Super Bowl game was one for the ages. He set the Super Bowl rushing record in his first career start, gaining 204 yards and scoring twice. This was supposed to be his huge break in the NFL, but instead a contract holdout and injuries made this his only significant achievement. What a hell of an achievement though.

While Doug Williams was great in relief, he was 0-2 as a starter before taking over the lead quarterback position from Jay Schroeder in the playoffs. He was unremarkable, completing 41.8 percent of his passes, but he still secured the two wins necessary to reach the Super Bowl. Williams went to another level with a league title on the line. He finished Super Bowl XXII with a 62 percent completion percentage, 340 yards and four touchdowns. He did all that after a six-hour root canal surgery. The Super Bowl MVP was the first African-American quarterback to win the championship game.

The former USC linebacker was selected in the 12^th round of the 1977 NFL Draft, so he was accustomed to being overlooked. With characters like Art Shell, Kenny King, Ted Hendricks and Lester Hayes on the roster, no one noticed Martin. People knew his name after Super Bowl XV. Martin picked off Eagles QB Ron Jaworski three times to help the Raiders win, 27-10. He went on to have a good career with two Pro Bowl selections, but his Super Bowl performance was his signature moment.

Age is just number, and Max McGee is proof of that. At 34 years old, McGee was a backup for the Green Bay Packers, but after star receiver Boyd Dowler separated his shoulder on the first offensive drive, McGee was thrust into service — and he thrived. The veteran end caught seven passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns from Bart Starr. Starr may have been awarded the MVP, but he wouldn’t have gotten there without the grizzled vet.