Name recognition and popularity will be the theme for this year's big game and no player is more popular than #15 for the Chiefs. That's why even though the Kansas City Chiefs opened as underdogs for the Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers, Patrick Mahomes opened as the favorite for the games Most Valuable Player award.
Patrick Mahomes has won the award twice already and now sits as the clubhouse leader at +125 to do it again. Mahomes, along with Bart Starr and Terry Bradshaw has 2 trophies on his mantle that say Super Bowl MVP, while Joe Montana, has three and was the first three-time winner. They all trail Tom Brady though. Brady has five MVP trophies under his belt. San Francisco's signal caller Brock Purdy comes in second for the odds to win the award at +220. The Super Bowl MVP has traditionally been dominated by quarterbacks. The QB position has won the award 32 times in 57 games. They have also won 12 of the last 17.
If you want to go against the grain and are looking for odds for a non QB to win it this year there are some good options. Christian McCaffrey, who will be the likely winner of offensive player of the year, can be had at 5 to 1 odds, and he is coming off of the NFC Championship game where he scored two TDs. History is against McCaffrey though, because a running back has not won the Super Bowl MVP since Terrell Davis won it back in 1997. Isaiah Pacheco will also be a popular pick at his elevated 40 to 1 odds. The Niners just got gashed by Aaron Jones and the Lions running game in back to back weeks.
Other notable players odds are Deebo Samuel at 38 to 1, Rashee Rice at 80 to 1, George Kittle at 80 to 1, and Nick Bosa leads the way for defensive players at 100 to 1. Then there is Mr. Swift ... or Travis Kelce. He will be a popular pick because, well, he is popular. Kelce comes in at 15 to 1 and that number is sure to fall with some Swifties putting action on her man. Kelce has been on fire in the playoffs. In three playoff games he has 23 catches for 262 yards with three touchdowns. If Kelce wins the award this year he will be the first tight ends to ever do so.