Only four quarterbacks replaced an injured starter during the season and then started and won that year's Super Bowl: Plunkett, Hostetler, Brady and Foles. Morrall won a ring in 1972, but Griese started that Super Bowl.
Back to the trend of the hour: Eagles star quarterback sidelined by a blood clot in his leg
Poly Rating · from the trend of the hour
Backup Quarterback Won Super Bowl: Top 10 Injury Takeovers
Tom Brady's 2001 rescue season ended with a 77.3 postseason passer rating and an upset of a 14-point favorite; Nick Foles's 2017 run ended at 115.7.
- No. 1: Nick Foles (Eagles, 2017)
- 10 places
- 7 AIs
01Final list
7 AIs each built their own list of ten independently. Here is one result that is easy to check: every place has a reason, a source, and the list of AIs that included it.
A bright badge means this AI put the entry on its list. A dim badge means it did not.
- 1
Nick Foles (Eagles, 2017)
He replaced an MVP candidate in Week 14 and posted a 115.7 postseason rating with Super Bowl MVP. With Foles, the No. 1 seed was a home underdog. One answer gave 100.6 for the rating.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Qwen, DeepSeek. Did not include: Meta, Ernie.In their lists: Claude: 1 · ChatGPT: 1 · Gemini: 1 · Qwen: 2 · DeepSeek: 1
What each AI noted 5
- Claudeplace 1
His 352-yard, three-touchdown NFC title game came behind a top-five defense (fourth in points allowed, 18.4), and he won Super Bowl LII 41-33.
- ChatGPTplace 1
An MVP-candidate starter went down; Foles answered with a 115.7 postseason rating and Super Bowl MVP.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 1
Facing an MVP void and underdog spreads in every playoff game, he threw for 373 yards and caught the 'Philly Special' to beat Brady in a 41-33 Super Bowl shootout.
Source ↗ - Qwenplace 2
The Philly Special capped a playoff run where he threw for 970 yards and 6 TDs.
Source ↗ - DeepSeekplace 1
From backup to Super Bowl MVP with a 115.7 postseason passer rating.
5 of 7 - 2
Tom Brady (Patriots, 2001)
He had no NFL starts when Bledsoe was hurt in Week 2, yet he went 11-3 and beat a 14-point Super Bowl favorite. His postseason rating was only 77.3, with the 6th-ranked defense behind him.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Qwen, DeepSeek. Did not include: Meta, Ernie.In their lists: Claude: 2 · ChatGPT: 3 · Gemini: 2 · Qwen: 1 · DeepSeek: 2
What each AI noted 5
- Claudeplace 2
A 5-of-10 relief appearance for 46 yards in Week 2 became an 11-3 run as the starter, ending with a 20-17 upset of the 14-2 Rams.
Source ↗ - ChatGPTplace 3
Brady had never started an NFL game when Drew Bledsoe was hurt; New England finished by beating a 14-point Super Bowl favorite.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 2
A 199th draft pick with one career pass replaced a $103-million franchise star, overcame a 14-point Super Bowl spread, and launched a six-ring dynasty with a zero-timeout final drive.
Source ↗ - Qwenplace 1
A 6th-round draft pick took over in Week 2 and invented the modern clutch drive.
Source ↗ - DeepSeekplace 2
A sixth-round backup replaced Bledsoe and won Super Bowl XXXVI.
Source ↗
5 of 7 - 3
Jim Plunkett (Raiders, 1980)
He took over after Pastorini broke his leg in Week 5 and won four playoff games and Super Bowl MVP, with only the 10th-ranked defense, the least help of any winner here.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Qwen, DeepSeek. Did not include: Meta, Ernie.In their lists: Claude: 4 · ChatGPT: 2 · Gemini: 5 · Qwen: 5 · DeepSeek: 6
What each AI noted 5
- Claudeplace 4
He replaced Pastorini after the starter broke a leg five weeks in, and the 11-5 wild card team won all four playoff games.
Source ↗ - ChatGPTplace 2
He replaced Dan Pastorini in Week 5 and won four playoff games, the last as Super Bowl MVP.
- Geminiplace 5
A discarded former first-overall pick inherited a 2-3 squad after a Week 5 leg fracture and authored the first wild-card Super Bowl championship in NFL history.
Source ↗ - Qwenplace 5
A former bust led an 11-game win streak and the first wild-card Super Bowl champ.
Source ↗ - DeepSeekplace 6
A former No. 1 pick revived his career as a backup and won Super Bowl XV MVP.
5 of 7 - 4
Jeff Hostetler (Giants, 1990)
He had two career starts when Simms broke his foot, then won five straight and Super Bowl XXV. He had the league's best defense behind him (211 points allowed).
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Qwen, DeepSeek. Did not include: Meta, Ernie.In their lists: Claude: 3 · ChatGPT: 4 · Gemini: 4 · Qwen: 6 · DeepSeek: 5
What each AI noted 5
- Claudeplace 3
He did not lose after taking over for the injured Simms, but he had the league's best defense, 211 points allowed.
Source ↗ - ChatGPTplace 4
Two career starts before Phil Simms broke his foot; five straight wins afterward delivered the title.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 4
Holding two starts across seven NFL seasons, he stepped in for an injured Phil Simms, committed zero postseason turnovers, and controlled the ball for a record 40 minutes to defeat Buffalo.
Source ↗ - Qwenplace 6
A career backup threw 2 TDs and 0 INTs to stun the Bills in Super Bowl XXV.
Source ↗ - DeepSeekplace 5
A backup with two career starts won Super Bowl XXV behind the NFL's top defense.
5 of 7 - 5
Colin Kaepernick (49ers, 2012)
He made his first NFL start when Smith had a concussion, posted a 100.9 postseason rating, ran for a then-record 181 yards for a quarterback and reached the Super Bowl. He had the 2nd-ranked defense behind him.
Included it: ChatGPT, Gemini, Qwen. Did not include: Claude, Meta, DeepSeek, Ernie.In their lists: ChatGPT: 6 · Gemini: 9 · Qwen: 10
What each AI noted 3
- ChatGPTplace 6
His first playoff start included a then-record 181 rushing yards by a quarterback.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 9
Replacing a concussed starter with a 104 passer rating, he ran for an NFL playoff record 181 yards against Green Bay and drove to within five yards of a Super Bowl title.
Source ↗ - Qwenplace 10
A read-option specialist took over after a concussion and reached the Super Bowl.
Source ↗
3 of 7 - 6
Frank Reich (Bills, 1992)
With Kelly hurt, he threw 4 TD to come back from 35-3 and won the next round too, behind a mid-table defense: 14th, or 12th in another answer.
Included it: ChatGPT, Gemini. Did not include: Claude, Meta, Qwen, DeepSeek, Ernie.In their lists: ChatGPT: 5 · Gemini: 10
What each AI noted 2
- ChatGPTplace 5
With Jim Kelly hurt, Reich erased a 32-point playoff deficit and won the next round too.
- Geminiplace 10
Subbing for a Hall-of-Famer with torn ligaments, he overcame a 35-3 deficit in the greatest playoff comeback ever and won twice before returning the reins.
Source ↗
2 of 7 - 7
Brock Purdy (49ers, 2022)
The last pick of the draft had no starts when he took over as third-stringer. He won two playoff games with a 109.8 rating, but the league's best defense (16.3 per game) did much of the work.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Qwen. Did not include: Meta, DeepSeek, Ernie.In their lists: Claude: 5 · ChatGPT: 8 · Gemini: 8 · Qwen: 9
What each AI noted 4
- Claudeplace 5
Mr. Irrelevant went 5-0 as a third-stringer thrust into the role, but behind the league's best defense (16.3 points per game).
Source ↗ - ChatGPTplace 8
The draft’s final pick had zero career starts before replacing the team’s second injured starting quarterback.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 8
The final pick of the draft became the first rookie third-stringer to win two playoff starts, averaging 28.4 team points until an elbow tear halted a Super Bowl trip.
Source ↗ - Qwenplace 9
Mr. Irrelevant led a 5-game win streak before falling in the NFC title game.
Source ↗
4 of 7 - 8
Earl Morrall (Dolphins, 1972)
He went 9-0 after Griese broke his ankle, behind the league's best defense. Griese came back during the AFC title game and started the Super Bowl.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Qwen. Did not include: Meta, DeepSeek, Ernie.In their lists: Claude: 7 · ChatGPT: 7 · Gemini: 7 · Qwen: 4
What each AI noted 4
- Claudeplace 7
Nine straight wins in place of Griese, but he was benched for the Super Bowl and the league's top defense gets much of the credit.
Source ↗ - ChatGPTplace 7
Morrall won all nine regular-season starts after Bob Griese broke his ankle, then Griese returned to start the Super Bowl.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 7
At age 38, he entered in Week 5 for an injured Pro Bowler and won 11 consecutive starts to deliver the only 17-0 undefeated season in NFL history.
Source ↗ - Qwenplace 4
A 38-year-old backup preserved the only undefeated season in NFL history.
Source ↗
4 of 7 - 9
Case Keenum (Vikings, 2017)
He went 11-3 as a starter after Bradford's knee injury and threw the Minneapolis Miracle, but he won one playoff game, with a 73.5 rating, behind the No. 1 scoring defense.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Qwen. Did not include: Meta, Gemini, DeepSeek, Ernie.In their lists: Claude: 6 · ChatGPT: 9 · Qwen: 8
What each AI noted 3
- Claudeplace 6
He started Week 2 after Bradford's injury, and in the Divisional Round his 'Minneapolis Miracle' beat the Saints 29-24.
Source ↗ - ChatGPTplace 9
The replacement for Sam Bradford went 11–3 as a starter and threw the Minneapolis Miracle pass.
- Qwenplace 8
A journeyman threw the Minneapolis Miracle to reach the NFC Championship.
Source ↗
3 of 7 - 10
Kurt Warner (Rams, 1999)
He won Super Bowl XXXIV with a record 414 yards. Green was hurt in the preseason, not mid-season, so Warner fits the criteria only loosely.
Included it: Claude, Gemini, Qwen, DeepSeek. Did not include: ChatGPT, Meta, Ernie.In their lists: Claude: 8 · Gemini: 3 · Qwen: 3 · DeepSeek: 3
What each AI noted 4
- Claudeplace 8
Green's preseason knee injury made him the starter from Week 1, so he is a backup only loosely. He then threw 41 TD, won the MVP award and set a Super Bowl record with 414 yards.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 3
From bagging groceries to replacing an injured $17-million starter, he broke the Super Bowl passing record with 414 yards and captured both regular season and Super Bowl MVPs.
Source ↗ - Qwenplace 3
A grocery bagger threw 41 TDs and birthed the Greatest Show on Turf.
Source ↗ - DeepSeekplace 3
From backup to league MVP and Super Bowl XXXIV champion.
4 of 7
02Worth knowing
What the AIs noticed while building the list.
Hostetler, Morrall, Purdy and Keenum all played behind the league's No. 1 scoring defense, which is why they rank below Foles, Brady and Plunkett.
Reich's two playoff wins owe the most to the quarterback himself: Buffalo's defense was mid-table, and he threw four TD in the 32-point comeback.
No open source gives how far the spread moved when a starter was ruled out. A closing line, such as Philadelphia's 2.5-point underdog spread, is not that move.
03Questions people ask
How many backup QBs have won the Super Bowl?
Four replaced an injured starter during the season and then started and won it: Plunkett, Hostetler, Brady and Foles. Broader lists that include Warner, Dilfer, Staubach and others count 7 to 10.
What backup QB won the Super Bowl most recently?
Nick Foles. He replaced the injured Carson Wentz and won Super Bowl LII 41-33 as MVP, with a 115.7 postseason passer rating.
Source ↗What backup QBs won the Super Bowl?
SI's broad list: Morrall, Staubach, Bradshaw, Plunkett, Williams, Hostetler, Warner, Dilfer and Brady, plus Foles in Super Bowl LII.
Why do counts of backup Super Bowl winners differ?
Lists differ on whether to count preseason replacements (Warner), coaching switches (Dilfer) or a backup whose starter came back for the final (Morrall). That is why counts run from 4 to 10.
04How we counted
In plain words, no formulas.
1The question
Top 10 Backup Quarterbacks Who Stepped In for an Injured Starter and Saved the Season
2Why this topic
It weighs what each backup achieved against how big the gap was and how much help he had, which a list of Super Bowl winners does not show.
3Where it applies
United States, NFL history
4What we looked at
- Started the season as the second- or third-string quarterback and took over mid-season after the starter was injured or became ill
- Size of the gap they had to fill: the starter's level compared with the backup's starts and rating before taking over, plus how far the point spread moved when the starter was ruled out
- What they achieved: playoff wins, conference titles, Super Bowls, postseason passer rating
- How much help they had: the team's defensive ranking in points allowed, so a strong defense is not credited to the quarterback
- Pro Football Reference team season pages — Points allowed and league rank, team record and playoff results
- Pro Football Reference player pages — Starts before taking over and postseason passing
- NFL Operations Record and Fact Book — Official Super Bowl results, MVP awards and postseason records
- Pro Football Reference Vegas lines — Closing spreads for each game; these do not show how far the line moved when the starter was ruled out
5Who ranked
7 AIs, each building its own list of ten independently and naming a source for every place: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Gemini, Qwen, DeepSeek, Ernie.
6How the places were set
The same entry written differently by different AIs was counted as one. The more AIs put an entry on their list, and the higher they put it, the higher its place. "AI agreement" shows how many of the AIs had it on their own list. Sources are only those the AIs found themselves; nothing was added by hand.
05Each AI's own list
🇺🇸 Claude10 places · 2 notes
The same question, answered by Claude alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Nick Foles (Eagles, 2017)
His 352-yard, three-touchdown NFC title game came behind a top-five defense (fourth in points allowed, 18.4), and he won Super Bowl LII 41-33.
- 2Tom Brady (Patriots, 2001)
A 5-of-10 relief appearance for 46 yards in Week 2 became an 11-3 run as the starter, ending with a 20-17 upset of the 14-2 Rams.
Source ↗ - 3Jeff Hostetler (Giants, 1990)
He did not lose after taking over for the injured Simms, but he had the league's best defense, 211 points allowed.
Source ↗ - 4Jim Plunkett (Raiders, 1980)
He replaced Pastorini after the starter broke a leg five weeks in, and the 11-5 wild card team won all four playoff games.
Source ↗ - 5Brock Purdy (49ers, 2022)
Mr. Irrelevant went 5-0 as a third-stringer thrust into the role, but behind the league's best defense (16.3 points per game).
Source ↗ - 6Case Keenum (Vikings, 2017)
He started Week 2 after Bradford's injury, and in the Divisional Round his 'Minneapolis Miracle' beat the Saints 29-24.
Source ↗ - 7Earl Morrall (Dolphins, 1972)
Nine straight wins in place of Griese, but he was benched for the Super Bowl and the league's top defense gets much of the credit.
Source ↗ - 8Kurt Warner (Rams, 1999)
Green's preseason knee injury made him the starter from Week 1, so he is a backup only loosely. He then threw 41 TD, won the MVP award and set a Super Bowl record with 414 yards.
Source ↗ - 9Trent Dilfer (Ravens, 2000)
The Super Bowl-winning starter completed fewer than half his passes in the final, because the Ravens' defense carried the team.
- 10Nick Foles (Eagles, 2018)
He stepped in for the injured Wentz again, in the playoffs this time, and won a wild-card game by one point (16-15 over Chicago).
Source ↗
What Claude noticed
Hostetler (211 points allowed, 1st in 1990) and Purdy (16.3 per game, 1st in 2022) both played behind the league's best scoring defense, so I rank them below Foles and Brady.
Morrall won nine straight for the 1972 Dolphins, but Griese started the Super Bowl after relieving Morrall in the AFC title game.
🇺🇸 ChatGPT10 places · 1 notes
The same question, answered by ChatGPT alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Nick Foles, 2017 Philadelphia Eagles
An MVP-candidate starter went down; Foles answered with a 115.7 postseason rating and Super Bowl MVP.
Source ↗ - 2Jim Plunkett, 1980 Oakland Raiders
He replaced Dan Pastorini in Week 5 and won four playoff games, the last as Super Bowl MVP.
- 3Tom Brady, 2001 New England Patriots
Brady had never started an NFL game when Drew Bledsoe was hurt; New England finished by beating a 14-point Super Bowl favorite.
Source ↗ - 4Jeff Hostetler, 1990 New York Giants
Two career starts before Phil Simms broke his foot; five straight wins afterward delivered the title.
Source ↗ - 5Frank Reich, 1992 Buffalo Bills
With Jim Kelly hurt, Reich erased a 32-point playoff deficit and won the next round too.
- 6Colin Kaepernick, 2012 San Francisco 49ers
His first playoff start included a then-record 181 rushing yards by a quarterback.
Source ↗ - 7Earl Morrall, 1972 Miami Dolphins
Morrall won all nine regular-season starts after Bob Griese broke his ankle, then Griese returned to start the Super Bowl.
Source ↗ - 8Brock Purdy, 2022 San Francisco 49ers
The draft’s final pick had zero career starts before replacing the team’s second injured starting quarterback.
Source ↗ - 9Case Keenum, 2017 Minnesota Vikings
The replacement for Sam Bradford went 11–3 as a starter and threw the Minneapolis Miracle pass.
- 10Michael Vick, 2010 Philadelphia Eagles
After Kevin Kolb’s opening-game concussion, Vick powered a division title with the league’s 21st-ranked scoring defense.
Source ↗
What ChatGPT noticed
The four Super Bowl-winning starters in this strict injury-takeover group are Plunkett, Hostetler, Brady and Foles; Morrall won a ring in 1972, but Griese started that Super Bowl.
🇺🇸 Gemini10 places
The same question, answered by Gemini alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Nick Foles (2017, Philadelphia Eagles)
Facing an MVP void and underdog spreads in every playoff game, he threw for 373 yards and caught the 'Philly Special' to beat Brady in a 41-33 Super Bowl shootout.
Source ↗ - 2Tom Brady (2001, New England Patriots)
A 199th draft pick with one career pass replaced a $103-million franchise star, overcame a 14-point Super Bowl spread, and launched a six-ring dynasty with a zero-timeout final drive.
Source ↗ - 3Kurt Warner (1999, St. Louis Rams)
From bagging groceries to replacing an injured $17-million starter, he broke the Super Bowl passing record with 414 yards and captured both regular season and Super Bowl MVPs.
Source ↗ - 4Jeff Hostetler (1990, New York Giants)
Holding two starts across seven NFL seasons, he stepped in for an injured Phil Simms, committed zero postseason turnovers, and controlled the ball for a record 40 minutes to defeat Buffalo.
Source ↗ - 5Jim Plunkett (1980, Oakland Raiders)
A discarded former first-overall pick inherited a 2-3 squad after a Week 5 leg fracture and authored the first wild-card Super Bowl championship in NFL history.
Source ↗ - 6Doug Williams (1987, Washington Redskins)
After replacing an injured starter, he overcame an initial 10-0 deficit by throwing four touchdowns in a record-shattering 35-point single quarter in Super Bowl XXII.
Source ↗ - 7Earl Morrall (1972, Miami Dolphins)
At age 38, he entered in Week 5 for an injured Pro Bowler and won 11 consecutive starts to deliver the only 17-0 undefeated season in NFL history.
Source ↗ - 8Brock Purdy (2022, San Francisco 49ers)
The final pick of the draft became the first rookie third-stringer to win two playoff starts, averaging 28.4 team points until an elbow tear halted a Super Bowl trip.
Source ↗ - 9Colin Kaepernick (2012, San Francisco 49ers)
Replacing a concussed starter with a 104 passer rating, he ran for an NFL playoff record 181 yards against Green Bay and drove to within five yards of a Super Bowl title.
Source ↗ - 10Frank Reich (1992, Buffalo Bills)
Subbing for a Hall-of-Famer with torn ligaments, he overcame a 35-3 deficit in the greatest playoff comeback ever and won twice before returning the reins.
Source ↗
🇨🇳 Qwen10 places · 2 notes
The same question, answered by Qwen alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Tom Brady (2001 Patriots)
A 6th-round draft pick took over in Week 2 and invented the modern clutch drive.
Source ↗ - 2Nick Foles (2017 Eagles)
The Philly Special capped a playoff run where he threw for 970 yards and 6 TDs.
Source ↗ - 3Kurt Warner (1999 Rams)
A grocery bagger threw 41 TDs and birthed the Greatest Show on Turf.
Source ↗ - 4Earl Morrall (1972 Dolphins)
A 38-year-old backup preserved the only undefeated season in NFL history.
Source ↗ - 5Jim Plunkett (1980 Raiders)
A former bust led an 11-game win streak and the first wild-card Super Bowl champ.
Source ↗ - 6Jeff Hostetler (1990 Giants)
A career backup threw 2 TDs and 0 INTs to stun the Bills in Super Bowl XXV.
Source ↗ - 7Trent Dilfer (2000 Ravens)
A journeyman managed the league's best defense to win Super Bowl XXXV.
Source ↗ - 8Case Keenum (2017 Vikings)
A journeyman threw the Minneapolis Miracle to reach the NFC Championship.
Source ↗ - 9Brock Purdy (2022 49ers)
Mr. Irrelevant led a 5-game win streak before falling in the NFC title game.
Source ↗ - 10Colin Kaepernick (2012 49ers)
A read-option specialist took over after a concussion and reached the Super Bowl.
Source ↗
What Qwen noticed
The betting market typically overreacts to a star QB injury; the Patriots' line actually stabilized once Tom Brady proved he could manage the 2001 offense.
Earl Morrall's 1972 run remains the highest-leverage relief job in sports history, preserving the only undefeated season in NFL history.
🇨🇳 DeepSeek10 places · 1 notes
The same question, answered by DeepSeek alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Nick Foles (Eagles, 2017)
From backup to Super Bowl MVP with a 115.7 postseason passer rating.
- 2Tom Brady (Patriots, 2001)
A sixth-round backup replaced Bledsoe and won Super Bowl XXXVI.
Source ↗ - 3Kurt Warner (Rams, 1999)
From backup to league MVP and Super Bowl XXXIV champion.
- 4Doug Williams (Redskins, 1987)
He threw four touchdowns in one Super Bowl quarter.
- 5Jeff Hostetler (Giants, 1990)
A backup with two career starts won Super Bowl XXV behind the NFL's top defense.
- 6Jim Plunkett (Raiders, 1980)
A former No. 1 pick revived his career as a backup and won Super Bowl XV MVP.
- 7Earl Morrall (Colts, 1970)
The only QB to come off the bench and lead a come-from-behind Super Bowl victory.
- 8Trent Dilfer (Ravens, 2000)
He managed the game while the Ravens' defense allowed 10.3 points per game.
- 9Roger Staubach (Cowboys, 1971)
He took over midseason and led the Cowboys to 10 straight wins and a Super Bowl VI MVP.
- 10Terry Bradshaw (Steelers, 1974)
He started as a backup, took over in Week 7, and won the first of four Super Bowls.
Source ↗
What DeepSeek noticed
Jeff Hostetler had just two career starts before taking over in 1990, yet the Giants' defense allowed only 13.2 points per game.