History Says Ernest Jones IV is Super Bowl LX MVP Sleeper Pick

The only prior time the Super Bowl was held at Levi's Stadium, a linebacker earned game MVP honors. Could Seattle's Ernest Jones IV walk away with two titles?

Jan 17, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13) reacts after an interception against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half in an NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

He was a Super Bowl champion during his rookie season in the National Football League. Fifth-year linebacker Ernest Jones IV has certainly found a home with the Seattle Seahawks. A third-round draft choice by the Los Angeles Rams in 2021, the University of South Carolina product played in 15 games for Sean McVay’s team. He totaled 58 defensive stops and three special teams’ tackles. He finished with seven tackles, one sacks, and one pa ss defensed in the team’s 23-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI.

Fast forward to 2025 and the Seahawks, Jones’s third NFL team thanks to the Rams sending him to Tennessee in 2024, and the Titans dealing him to Seattle later that season. Despite missing two games in ‘25, he led Mike Macdonald’s club with 126 tackles and five interceptions. He was also credited with seven passes defensed. In two postseason games, he’s combined for a club-high 14 tackles, along with one interception and a forced fumble.

Only five teams allowed fewer total yards per game than the Seahawks, who gave up an NFL-low 292 points. Hence it stands to reason that a Seattle defender could very well be in the running for Super Bowl LX MVP honors should Macdonald’s defense come up big against the New England Patriots next Sunday. And a big game by Jones could thrust him into the spotlight for what has proven to be a very rare honor on Super Sunday given his position.

Feb 2, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Seattle Seahawks outside linebacker Malcolm Smith (53) returns a recovered fumble past Denver Broncos tight end Julius Thomas (80) in the third quarter in Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Only four times in 59 previous Super Bowls has a linebacker garnered Most Valuable Player honors. The first was Dallas’ Chuck Howley, who remains the only member of a losing team to earn such accolades via the Cowboys’ loss to the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl V.

A mere 30 years later, Ravens’ warrior Ray Lewis captured the award in Baltimore’s 34-7 win over the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV at Tampa. Of course, there was Seattle’s Malcolm Smith coming up huge in the Seahawks’ 43-8 demolition of the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVII. He finished the game with nine tackles on defense, returned a Peyton Manning interception 69 yards for a score, and recovered a fumble.

Feb 7, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller (58) forces a fumble as he hits Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl 50 at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Finally, there’s Denver’s Von Miller, who spent Super Bowl 50 (at Levi’s Stadium) harassing Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers a mere 10 years ago in a 24-10 Broncos’ victory.

Of course, odds are that either Sam Darnold or Drake Maye—providing either comes up big--will walk away with the award next week. After all, a quarterback has captured MVP honors 34 times in the series’ 59 contests. It would be pretty ironic if a Seattle Super Bowl win sees a linebacker win the award for the second time in as many victories. And imagine if defenses rules the day once again on Super Bowl Sunday at Santa Clara?

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