The 10 greatest individual defensive performances in Super Bowl history

Super Bowls are usually remembered for offensive fireworks, miraculous fourth-quarter drives and MVP quarterbacks hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Yet as the old football adage goes, offense sells tickets while defense wins championships. A select few defenders have delivered singular, game-altering performances on the NFL's biggest stage. Here are the 10 best individual defensive performances in Super Bowl history, four of which earned Most Valuable Player honors.

The ranking is part of a Super Bowl Top 10 series running every other Sunday ahead of Super Bowl LXI on Feb. 14, 2027, ESPN's first Super Bowl telecast.

No. 1 is Von Miller in Super Bowl 50, Denver's 24-10 win over Carolina on Feb. 7, 2016. The Broncos outside linebacker had a first-quarter strip-sack of Cam Newton that was recovered in the end zone for a touchdown and a 10-0 lead, then jarred the ball loose from Newton again deep in Carolina territory late in the fourth with Denver up 16-10, setting up the game-sealing touchdown. Miller posted 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles and was the unanimous MVP, the 10th defensive player and fourth linebacker to win it.

No. 2 is Raiders linebacker Rod Martin in Super Bowl XV, a 27-10 win over Philadelphia on Jan. 25, 1981. He picked off Ron Jaworski three times, in the first, third and fourth quarters, a Super Bowl record that still stands, though shared, and added five tackles.

No. 3 is Bears defensive end Richard Dent in Super Bowl XX, a 46-10 rout of New England on Jan. 26, 1986. The "Sack Man" of Chicago's "46 defense," who led the NFL with 17.5 sacks that season, recorded 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and three tackles while hounding Tony Eason, and won MVP. He is the last true defensive end to do so.

No. 4 is Packers defensive end Reggie White in Super Bowl XXXI, a 35-21 win over New England on Jan. 26, 1997. The "Minister of Defense" set a Super Bowl record with three sacks of Drew Bledsoe, all in the second half, including back-to-back takedowns that flipped momentum after the Patriots pulled within a touchdown.

No. 5 is Buccaneers cornerback Dwight Smith in Super Bowl XXXVII, a 48-21 win over Oakland on Jan. 26, 2003. He is the only player in Super Bowl history with two pick-sixes, both off league MVP Rich Gannon: a 44-yard return that made it 34-3 in the third quarter and a 50-yarder in the final seconds.

No. 6 is Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald in Super Bowl LVI, a 23-20 win over Cincinnati on Feb. 13, 2022. Fighting through constant double and triple teams, he blew up a third-and-1 run in the final minute, then pressured Joe Burrow into a game-ending incompletion on fourth down. Many believed he deserved MVP over teammate Cooper Kupp.

No. 7 is Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley, the first non-quarterback and first player from a losing team to win MVP, after 10 tackles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery in a 16-13 Super Bowl V loss dubbed "The Blunder Bowl" for its 11 combined turnovers. No. 8 is Dallas safety James Washington, whose 46-yard fumble return touchdown 54 seconds into the third quarter of Super Bowl XXVIII tied a game the Cowboys trailed 13-6 at halftime and won 30-13; he finished with 11 tackles, an interception and a forced fumble. No. 9 is Panthers defensive end Kony Ealy, who matched the Super Bowl record with three sacks and became the only player with multiple sacks and an interception in the same game, all on 23 snaps in a 24-10 loss to Denver.

No. 10 is Seahawks linebacker Malcolm Smith, who had 10 tackles, a fumble recovery and a 69-yard pick-six off Peyton Manning in Seattle's 43-8 rout of Denver in Super Bowl XLVIII and won MVP. Honorable mentions include Jake Scott, Stephon Gilmore, Larry Brown, L.C. Greenwood and Rodney Harrison.