The last time Baltimore fans were celebrating a championship, Ray Lewis was holding the MVP hardware. Lewis tallied a solid-if-not-spectacular 3 tackles, 2 assists and 4 passes defended in Super Bowl XXXV, but the award recognized his role as the best player on a stalwart unit.
This time around some people thought Lewis was more a liability than a legend, and quarterback Joe Flacco won the award. But Lewis' presence on the team may have sparked the Ravens' run. Here are the seven other men whose performances in the big game led to an MVP award.
The 8 Defensive Players To Win Super Bowl MVP Slideshow
Dexter Jackson, Super Bowl XXXVII
The Buccaneers free safety picked off Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon twice in the first half.
Ray Lewis, Super Bowl XXXV
He didn't stuff the box score, but Lewis led a spectacular effort. His Ravens blanked the Giants offense as New York scored its points on a kickoff return for a touchdown.
Larry Brown, Super Bowl XXX
Brown picked off two passes in the second half of the game, both of which led to touchdowns.
Richard Dent, Super Bowl XX
One of many stars on Chicago's rock-solid defense, Dent had a stellar performance against the Patriots. He tallied 1.5 sacks and forced two fumbles in the Chicago rout.
Randy White and Harvey Martin, Super Bowl XII
White and Martin are the only co-MVPs in Super Bowl history, and they certainly deserved the honor. Their spectacular pressure on Broncos quarterback Craig Morton helped force eight turnovers, and they led a defensive unit which held Denver to just 8 completions in 25 attempts.
Jake Scott, Super Bowl VII
Scott helped the Dolphins cap off their perfect season with a pair of interceptions in the Super Bowl.
Chuck Howley, Super Bowl V
Howley's two interceptions and one fumble recovery were enough to win him MVP honors. It was not enough to push his Cowboys past the Colts. The linebacker became the first player from a losing team to win the MVP award.
