INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The NFL’s Super Bowl 56 MVP award was the only mystery left of the 2021-2022 season after the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 23-20. In a contest that saw the Rams flash at different points throughout the game on both sides of the ball, there was some debate over who should receive the award. But only one can earn the Pete Rozelle Trophy, which is given to the Super Bowl MVP.
Who won the Super Bowl 56 MVP award?
The Super Bowl 56 MVP award went to Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp. And while a case could have been made that a number of Rams players should have been the Super Bowl 56 MVP — Matthew Stafford, Aaron Donald, and Von Miller, for example -– it was Kupp who made the impact plays that helped lead the Rams to victory over the Bengals.
A wide receiver winning this award is a rarity. In the 55 previous Super Bowls, quarterbacks have earned the MVP honors 31 times. Running backs and receivers have the next most, with seven apiece. Additionally, it is rare that a defensive player brings home the Super Bowl MVP.
Now, in 2022, another wide receiver has been added to the list of Super Bowl MVP award winners, giving that position an eighth representative. He’s the first receiver to win the award since Julian Edelman of the Patriots won it in Super Bowl 53.
Cooper’s performance in Super Bowl 56
Kupp finished Super Bowl 56 against the Bengals with 10 targets, 8 receptions, and 92 yards. He also had 7 yards rushing on the ground. However, his 2 touchdowns played a pivotal role in the Rams winning the game.
Kupp’s first touchdown came in the second quarter with 12:51 remaining. On that 6-play, 75-yard drive, Kupp caught an 11-yard pass from Stafford to give the Rams a 13-3 lead.
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Kupp made the game-winning 1-yard catch two plays after he was slow to get up after a catch. While the initial ruling was a touchdown, offsetting penalties forced the Rams to replay the down.
This 15-play, 79-yard drive took 4 minutes and 48 seconds off the clock, giving the Bengals just one more chance to come back with 1:52 remaining. However, the Rams defense, led by Aaron Donald, was able to stop the Bengals on a fourth-and-1 at the Rams’ 49-yard line.
Has Cooper Kupp ever won an MVP award?
Cooper Kupp has never won a Super Bowl MVP award. And while this is the second time the Rams have appeared in the Super Bowl while Kupp was on the roster, he did not play in Super Bowl 53 against the New England Patriots due to a knee injury.
If the Rams can keep this core group of players together over the next several years, it’s not far-fetched that Kupp wins another MVP award later in his career.
Historical News and Notes
Winning two awards in the same year
Kupp joins Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Montana as the only players to win the Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl Most Valuable Player in the same season. Montana had won both in 1989.
Postseason reception record now belongs to Kupp
Kupp recorded 33 receptions during the 2021 postseason and surpassed Travis Kelce (31 receptions during the 2020 postseason) for the most receptions in a single postseason all-time.
Will Kupp catch Larry Fitzgerald?
He also registered 478 receiving yards this postseason, trailing only Larry Fitzgerald (546 receiving yards in 2008) for the most in a single postseason ever.
Sorry, but it’s Matthew Stafford who should have won the SB MVP. Who led the team to the game-winning drive late in the 4th quarter? Any QB who throws for 3 TD’s in the Super Bowl most likely deserves the MVP, and in this case, they expressly brought Stafford in to get the team over the QB hump, which is EXACTLY what he did. If it were Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers with the exact same game stats, you know they would be the MVP of the game. Cooper had a great year and a great game, no doubt, but it was Stafford who delivered the goods to a greater degree, especially since the Rams had ZERO RUNNING GAME!