Super Bowl betting is ramping up across the land as kickoff of Rams vs. Bengals draws closer and sportsbooks begin to unveil their robust Super Bowl 56 prop-wagering menus.
As bettors ponder hundreds of player props for Super Bowl 56 in Los Angeles, now is a good time to examine the statistical performances of the primary playmakers who have appeared in the last five Big Games.
Why did we settle on five? Two reasons: 1) Weather wasn’t an issue in any contest (and won’t be this year), and 2) With the lone exception of Tom Brady making four appearances, the last five Super Bowls have been consistently inconsistent, producing the following:
- The lowest-scoring game in Super Bowl history (16 points in SB 53)
- The second-highest scoring game in Super Bowl history (74 points in SB 52)
- A 62-point thriller in the first overtime game in Super Bowl history (SB 51)
- Two games that went Over the total; three that stayed Under the total; two won by underdogs; and three won by favorites
To crystalize the scoring parity we’ve seen on Super Sunday lately, consider that Super Bowls 51-55 featured combined point totals in the teens, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s. (And Super Bowl 50 was in the 30s.)
Along the way, we’ve seen plenty of statistical variations. Take, for instance, Brady: In his last four Super Bowls, he passed for 466 in SB 51 and a Big Game-record 505 yards in SB 52 (just 49 yards shy of Norm Van Brocklin’s single-game NFL record), but just 262 yards in SB 53 and 202 yards in SB 55.
So without further delay, here are the passing/rushing/receiving stats from Super Bowls 51 through 55, along with some notable trends you might find useful while plotting your Super Bowl betting plan of attack.
Editor’s Note: Looking to learn more about Super Bowl Props? Check out our complete Super Bowl Prop Betting Guide!
Quarterbacks
Super Bowl 51
Tom Brady, Patriots: 43 of 62, 466 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
Matt Ryan, Falcons: 17 of 23, 284 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs
Super Bowl 52
Nick Foles, Eagles: 28 of 43, 373 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT (also one receiving TD)
Tom Brady, Patriots: 28 of 48, 505 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs
Super Bowl 53
Tom Brady, Patriots: 21 of 35, 262 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT
Jared Goff, Rams: 19 of 38, 229 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT
Super Bowl 54
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs: 26 of 42, 286 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs (also one rushing TD)
Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers: 20 of 31, 219 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs
Super Bowl 55
Tom Brady, Bucs: 21 of 29, 201 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs: 26 of 49, 270 yards, 0 TDs, 2 INTs
Passing Trends
- The passing yardage leader threw for at least 262 yards in all five Super Bowls (the low mark being Brady in the Patriots-Rams snoozefest three years ago). Interestingly, though, only three of 10 QBs eclipsed 286 pass yards (all three topped it by a mile). And three (Goff, Garoppolo and, last year, Brady) failed to reach 230 yards.
- The last five championship quarterbacks have averaged 27.8 completions and 42.2 passing attempts on Super Sunday. The losing QBs averaged 22 completions on 37.8 attempts. In all, five of 10 had at least 26 completions; five had 21 or fewer completions; seven threw at least 35 passes, and three tossed fewer than 32. (In other words, Hall of Famer Bob Griese can sleep well at night, knowing his 6-for-7 passing performance in Super Bowl VIII shall forever remain safe in Super Bowl lore.)
- Only three of 10 QBs were picked off more than once (oddly enough, Mahomes did it in both of his Super Bowl appearances). Also, only Brady (twice) and Nick Foles have more than two TDs passes in the last five years. And there have been six total TD passes in the last three games (with Brady tossing half of those last year).
Running Backs
Super Bowl 51
LeGarrette Blount: 11 rushes, 31 yards
James White, Patriots: 6 rushes, 29 yards, 2 TDs
Devonta Freeman, Falcons: 11 rushes, 75 yards, 1 TD
Super Bowl 52
LeGarrette Blount, Eagles: 14 rushes, 90 yards, 1 TD
Jay Ajayi, Eagles: 9 rushes, 57 yards
Corey Clement, Eagles: 3 rushes, 8 yards
James White, Patriots: 7 rushes, 45 yards, 1 TD
Dion Lewis, Patriots: 9 rushes, 39 yards
Super Bowl 53
Sony Michel, Patriots: 18 rushes, 94 yards, 1 TD
Rex Burkhead, Patriots: 7 rushes, 43 yards
Todd Gurley, Rams: 10 rushes, 35 yards
C.J. Anderson, Rams: 7 rushes, 22 yards
Super Bowl 54
Damien Williams, Chiefs: 17 rushes, 104 yards, 1 TD … 4 catches, 29 yards, 1 TD
Raheem Mostert, 49ers: 12 rushes, 58 yards, 1 TD
Tevin Coleman, 49ers: 5 rushes, 28 yards
Deebo Samuel, 49ers: 3 rushes, 53 yards
Super Bowl 55
Leonard Fournette, Buccaneers: 16 rushes, 89 yards, 1 TD … 4 catches, 46 yards
Ronald Jones, Buccaneers: 12 rushes, 61 yards
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Chiefs: 9 rushes, 64 yards, 0 TDs
Rushing Trends
- The top-producing back rushed for at least 89 yards in each of the last four Super Bowls and ran for at least one touchdown in each of the last five. And this doesn’t include Patriots tailback James White’s record-setting receiving game in Super Bowl 51 (more on that in a moment).
- Despite the above note, it’s clear the term “workhorse running back” no longer applies on Super Sunday. No tailback from the last five Super Bowls reached the 20-carry threshold (only three had more than 14 carries). Also, there’s been just one 100-yard rusher (and only four players have amassed more than 75 rushing yards). Here’s why those stats are relevant when looking at Super Bowl betting rushing props for this year’s game: The 2021 Bengals and Rams ranked fifth and sixth overall in rush defense, respectively.
- While the yardage totals haven’t been great, running backs have succeeded in crossing the goal line: Seven of the last 10 top rushers for each team hit paydirt on Super Sunday.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Super Bowl 51
James White, Patriots: 14 catches, 16 targets, 110 yards, 1 TD
Julian Edelman, Patriots: 5 catches, 13 targets, 87 yards
Danny Amendola, Patriots: 8 catches, 11 targets, 78 yards, 1 TD
Malcolm Mitchell, Patriots: 6 catches, 7 targets, 70 yards
Martellus Bennett, Patriots: 5 catches, 6 targets, 62 yards
Chris Hogan, Patriots: 4 catches, 7 targets, 57 yards
Julio Jones, Falcons: 4 catches, 4 targets, 87 yards
Taylor Gabriel, Falcons: 3 catches, 5 targets, 76 yards
Austin Hooper, Falcons: 3 catches, 6 targets, 32 yards, 1 TD
Super Bowl 52
Corey Clement, Eagles: 4 catches, 5 targets, 100 yards, 1 TD
Nelson Agholor, Eagles: 9 catches, 11 targets, 84 yards
Alshon Jeffery, Eagles: 3 catches, 8 targets, 73 yards, 1 TD
Zach Ertz, Eagles: 7 catches, 9 targets, 67 yards, 1 TD
Torrey Smith, Eagles: 5 catches, 9 targets, 49 yards
Danny Amendola, Patriots: 8 catches, 11 targets, 152 yards
Chris Hogan, Patriots: 6 catches, 8 targets, 128 yards, 1 TD
Rob Gronkowski, Patriots: 9 catches, 15 targets, 116 yards, 2 TDs
Super Bowl 53
Julian Edelman, Patriots: 10 catches, 12 targets, 141 yards
Rob Gronkowski, Patriots: 6 catches, 7 targets, 87 yards
Brandin Cooks, Rams: 8 catches, 13 targets, 120 yards
Robert Woods, Rams: 5 catches, 10 targets, 70 yards
Josh Reynolds, Rams: 3 catches, 7 targets, 28 yards
Super Bowl 54
Tyreek Hill, Chiefs: 9 catches, 16 targets, 105 yards
Sammy Watkins, Chiefs: 5 catches, 6 targets, 98 yards
Travis Kelce, Chiefs: 6 catches, 6 targets, 43 yards, 1 TD
Kendrick Bourne, 49ers: 2 catches, 4 targets, 42 yards
Deebo Samuel, 49ers: 5 catches, 9 targets, 39 yards
Emmanuel Sanders, 49ers: 3 catches, 5 targets, 38 yards
George Kittle, 49ers: 4 catches, 7 targets, 36 yards
Super Bowl 55
Rob Gronkowski, Bucs: 6 catches, 7 targets, 67 yards, 2 TDs
Cameron Brate, Bucs: 3 catches, 3 targets, 26 yards
Antonio Brown, Bucs: 5 catches, 6 targets, 22 yards, 1 TD
Travis Kelce, Chiefs: 10 catches, 15 targets, 133 yards
Tyreek Hill, Chiefs: 7 catches, 10 targets, 73 yards
Receiving Trends
- As has been the case with running backs, 100-yard receiving games have been few and far between in recent Super Bowls. Only nine players in the last five Super Bowls have topped the century mark in receiving yards, and three did it in one game for one team (New England’s Danny Amendola, Chris Hogan, and Rob Gronkowski in the epic game vs. the Eagles). And two were running backs (including the Pats’ White, whose 14 receptions against Atlanta broke a Super Bowl record). In fact, only three non-Patriots have 100-yard receiving games in the last five Super Bowls: Eagles RB Corey Clement, Rams WR Brandin Cooks, Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill, and TE Travis Kelce.
- Interested in Super Bowl betting props in terms of total receptions? Note that 15 players had at least six catches in the past five Super Bowls; 11 had at least seven receptions, and six had at least nine receptions.
- No tight end not named Kelce or Gronkowski has tallied more than 67 receiving yards in any of the last five Super Bowls.
- When it comes to Super Bowl betting props, think twice before wagering on a wide receiver to catch a touchdown in this year’s Super Bowl. It’s happened just four times in the last five years, and only once in the last three games (Antonio Brown for Tampa Bay last year). Conversely, running backs/fullbacks have hauled in five touchdown catches; tight ends have recorded seven; and quarterbacks (Foles) have one in the last five Big Games.
