While every NFL wants to go out on top, few get that opportunity to do so. For a select group of quarterbacks, they were able to retire on their terms after winning the Super Bowl.
Which Quarterbacks Retired After Winning a Super Bowl?
When I said a select group, I meant a minuscule group at that. In the 54 previously-played Super Bowls, only two winning quarterbacks chose to retire as their next move rather than return, choosing to go out on top of the mountain. Even more amazing is that both QBs played for the same franchise when it happened.
Super Bowl XXXIII Was the Last Game John Elway Played
After finally winning his first Super Bowl in 1997, Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway decided to come back for one final ride in Mile High.
The defending Super Bowl champion Broncos entered the game with an AFC-best 14–2 regular season record. The Falcons were making their first Super Bowl appearance after also posting a 14–2 regular season record.
The 1998 Broncos fired on all cylinders during the regular season. As a result, they ranked second in the NFL with 501 points and third in total offense with 6,276 yards. While Elway threw for over 2,806 yards, he didn’t need to do much more.
RB Terrell Davis had one of the greatest single seasons ever in 1998. Davis rushed for 2,008 yards, caught 25 passes for 217 yards, and scored 23 touchdowns. He won both the NFL Most Valuable Player Award and the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award. Consequently, Denver’s offensive dominance continued into Super Bowl XXXIII.
Denver scored 17 consecutive points to build a 17–3 lead in the second quarter, from which Atlanta never recovered. Elway has a fantastic game as well. He completed 18 of 29 passes for 336 yards with one touchdown and one interception and also scored a 3-yard rushing touchdown. At 38 years old, Elway became the oldest player at the time to be named Super Bowl MVP.
After a few months away from the game, Elway made his decision public. Elway cited his chronic left knee as a big reason for his decision. He also stated that due to his age (38), he was getting injured more often than ever before.
Elway ended his career with 51,475 passing yards, 300 touchdowns, one NFL MVP and first-team All-Pro, and two Super Bowl titles.
Peyton Manning Ended His Career in Denver After Hoisting the Lombardi Trophy
Go figure — the only time a quarterback has won a Super Bowl and retired happened for the same franchise. Separated by 18 years, Peyton Manning followed Elway’s path in retiring after winning a Super Bowl.
The longtime Indianapolis Colts’ QB joined the Denver Broncos in 2012 following his release from the team after drafting Andrew Luck. Additionally, in his second year with the team, Manning led the Broncos to a 13-3 record and a Super Bowl XLVIII spot. However, they ran into a buzzsaw in the form of the Seattle Seahawks with a final score of 43-8.
Manning would have his shot at redemption in 2015. After a 12-4 regular season, the Broncos matched up with Cam Newton and the red-hot Carolina Panthers. This was a matchup of strength vs. strength, also. Carolina had the number one scoring offense where the Broncos had the number one defense in the NFL for that season.
In the end, Denver’s’ defense made the difference. Thus, the Broncos took an early lead in Super Bowl 50 and never trailed. Additionally, Denver recorded 7 sacks and forced 4 turnovers. Manning finished the game 13 of 23 for 141 yards with one interception. However, his final throw of the game and his career was a two-point conversion late in the game.
Manning became the first to start two Super Bowls with multiple franchises, with different head coaches each time (Dungy, Caldwell, Fox, and Kubiak). As a result, he’s the first quarterback to lead two franchises to a Super Bowl victory.
Super Bowl-Winning Quarterbacks
1960s
- Super Bowl I – Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers
- Super Bowl II – Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers
- Super Bowl III – Joe Namath, New York Jets
1970s
- Super Bowl IV – Len Dawson, Kansas City Chiefs
- Super Bowl V – John Unitas, Baltimore Colts
- Super Bowl VI – Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys
- Super Bowl VII – Bob Griese, Miami Dolphins
- Super Bowl VIII – Bob Griese, Miami Dolphins
- Super Bowl IX – Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Super Bowl X – Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Super Bowl XI – Ken Stabler, Oakland Raiders
- Super Bowl XII – Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys
- Super Bowl XIII – Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers
1980s
- Super Bowl XIV – Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Super Bowl XV – Jim Plunkett, Oakland Raiders
- Super Bowl XVI – Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers
- Super Bowl XVII – Joe Theismann, Washington Redskins
- Super Bowl XVIII – Jim Plunkett, Los Angeles Raiders
- Super Bowl XIX – Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers
- Super Bowl XX – Jim McMahon, Chicago Bears
- Super Bowl XXI – Phil Simms, New York Giants
- Super Bowl XXII – Doug Williams, Washington Redskins
- Super Bowl XXIII – Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers
1990s
- Super Bowl XXIV – Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers
- Super Bowl XXV – Jeff Hostetler, New York Giants
- Super Bowl XXVI – Mark Rypien, Washington Redskins
- Super Bowl XXVII -Troy Aikman, Dallas Cowboys
- Super Bowl XXVIII -Troy Aikman, Dallas Cowboys
- Super Bowl XXIX – Steve Young, San Francisco 49ers
- Super Bowl XXX – Troy Aikman, Dallas Cowboys
- Super Bowl XXXI – Brett Favre, Green Bay Packers
- Super Bowl XXXII – John Elway, Denver Broncos
- Super Bowl XXXIII – John Elway, Denver Broncos
2000s
- Super Bowl XXXIV – Kurt Warner, St. Louis Rams
- Super Bowl XXXV – Trent Dilfer, Baltimore Ravens
- Super Bowl XXXVI – Tom Brady, New England Patriots
- Super Bowl XXXVII – Brad Johnson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Super Bowl XXXVIII – Tom Brady, New England Patriots
- Super Bowl XXXIX – Tom Brady, New England Patriots
- Super Bowl XL – Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Super Bowl XLI – Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
- Super Bowl XLII – Eli Manning, New York Giants
- Super Bowl XLIII – Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
2010s
- Super Bowl XLIV – Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
- Super Bowl XLV – Aaron Rogers, Green Bay Packers
- Super Bowl XLVI – Eli Manning, New York Giants
- Super Bowl XLVII – Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
- Super Bowl XLVIII – Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
- Super Bowl XLIX – Tom Brady, New England Patriots
- Super Bowl L – Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos
- Super Bowl LI – Tom Brady, New England Patriots
- Super Bowl LII – Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles
- Super Bowl LIII – Tom Brady, New England Patriots
2020s
- Super Bowl LIV – Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
