Super Bowl MVP voting update: Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Ken Walker - Who is winning?

Super Bowl MVP update: The Seattle Seahawks are set to win their second Super Bowl title on Sunday.

Updated on: Feb 09, 2026 9:15 AM IST

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UPDATE: Kenneth Walker won the Super Bowl MVP. He recorded 135 yards on 27 carries.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) passes against the New England Patriots (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

Super Bowl MVP update: The Seattle Seahawks are set to win their second Super Bowl title on Sunday. At the time of writing this story, Sam Darnold and co lead the New England Patriots 29-13 with about two minutes left in the game. However, now all fans can wonder about is the Super Bowl MVP.

How does Super Bowl MVP voting work?

Voting Breakdown

Media Panel (80% of vote): A panel of 16 sportswriters and broadcasters covering the game submits ballots around the 2-minute warning of the 4th quarter (or final plays). They rank players (one per team if desired), but only the winning team's votes count. Voters can adjust post-game if late plays change the outcome.

Fan Vote (20% of vote): Fans vote online via NFL.com/super-bowl/mvp-vote starting in the 4th quarter. The top fan vote-getter receives 2 votes, second gets 1 vote, third gets 0.5 votes (totaling 4 votes weighted to 20%).

Key Rules

Total Votes: 20 (16 media + 4 fan-weighted).

Timing: Media ballots due ~2-minute warning; fans vote from 4th quarter start until shortly after game ends.

Eligibility: Any player (offense/defense/special teams) from either team, but historically QBs win ~57% (33 of 59).

Announcement: Winner revealed post-game during trophy ceremony.

Super Bowl MVP odds

Here's a look at the Super Bowl MVP odds via BetMGM

Sam Darnold, Seahawks QB (+115)

Drake Maye, Patriots QB (+230)

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks WR (+500)

Kenneth Walker III, Seahawks RB (+700)

Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots RB (+3000)

Rashid Shaheed, Seahawks WR (+3300)

Stefon Diggs, Patriots WR (+5000)

Cooper Kupp, Seahawks WR (+6600)

Nick Emmanwori, Seahawks S (+8000)

TreVeyon Henderson, Patriots RB (+8000)

Marcus Jones, Patriots CB (+8000)

DeMarcus Lawrence, Seahawks DL (+10000)

Ernest Jones IV, Seahawks LB (+10000)

Kayshon Boutte, Patriots WR (+12500)

Devon Witherspoon, Seahawks CB (+12500)

Leonard Williams, Seahawks DL (+15000)

Christian Gonzalez, Patriots CB (+15000)

Hunter Henry, Patriots TE (+15000)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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