CSC Academic All-Americans starting at quarterback for both the Chiefs and 49ers at Super Bowl LVIII
Related Content
Patrick Mahhomes photos/videos courtesy of Texas Tech Athletics. Brock Purdy photos/videos courtesy of Iowa State Athletics.
Mahhomes/Purdy are the first pair of Academic All-American QBs to face off in the Super Bowl since Brees/Manning in 2010
For the first time since 2010, and only the second time ever, two former College Sports Communicators Academic All-American quarterbacks will square off in the Super Bowl.
Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs is playing in his fourth Super Bowl in the last five years, while Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers is playing in his first.
The only other time two AAA QBs have met in the big game was when Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints defeated Peyton Manning’s Indianapolis Colts in SBXLIV in 2010.
Mahomes earned second-team Academic All-American honors as a marketing major while at Texas Tech University (2016). Purdy was a two-time second team Academic All-American (2020, 2022) as a communication studies major at Iowa State University.
"Patrick Mahomes and Brock Purdy have proven to be the best of the best leading their teams to the Super Bowl, and that’s no surprise to us because of their success as Academic All-Americans in college,” said College Sports Communicators Executive Director Erik Christianson. “Excellence on and off the field, which we celebrate every year with our Academic All-America program, will be on full display on Super Bowl Sunday.”
CSC (formerly CoSIDA) has operated the Academic All-America program since 1952, making it the longest running and premier award for athletic and academic success across college sports. It is the second oldest college sports awards program overall, behind only the Heisman Trophy.
Mahomes and Purdy are not the only Academic All-Americans in the big game, scheduled for Feb. 11 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Christian McCaffrey of the 49ers is the most decorated former AAA playing in the 2024 Super Bowl. He was a two-time first-team Academic All-American (2015, 2016), including being named the 2016 NCAA Division I Football Academic All-American of the Year at Stanford University.
Other Academic All-Americans on rosters in this year’s Super Bowl include:
- Nick Bolton (Chiefs/University of Missouri) — 2020 Second Team
- Mike Caliendo (Chiefs/Western Michigan University) — 2020 First Team
- Jack Cochrane (Chiefs/University of South Dakota) — 2021 Second Team
- Bryan Cook (Chiefs/University of Cincinnati) — 2021 Second Team
- Drue Tranquill (Chiefs/University of Notre Dame) — 2016 First Team, 2018 Second Team
In three of the past four Super Bowls, an Academic All-American was named the MVP of the game, including Mahomes twice (2020, 2023) and Cooper Kupp (Eastern Washington University) of the Los Angeles Rams in 2022. Kupp is the only former AAA to be named MVP who was not a quarterback.
Some of the greatest Super Bowl quarterbacks were named Academic All-Americans during their college days before their NFL stardom, beginning in the first Super Bowl with Len Dawson (Purdue University) of the Chiefs. In recent years, the list includes Peyton Manning (University of Tennessee), Eli Manning (University of Mississippi) and Drew Brees (Purdue University).
Among former AAA QBs, Peyton Manning and Mahomes have each played in four Super Bowls, winning two. Peyton Manning entered the Academic All-America Hall of Fame® in 2018 and said this following his induction:
“When I enrolled at the University of Tennessee I aspired to be the best student possible academically as well as the best athlete possible on the field. I was fortunate to be selected Academic All-SEC in addition to being named Academic All-America. I admire all other individuals who achieved this status as well and I am honored again to join such a select group of former student-athletes who are entering the (CSC) Academic All-America Hall of Fame,” Manning said.
Through 2023, the Academic All-America Hall of Fame includes 69 football players, many of whom made their marks in the NFL and the Super Bowl. The list includes legends such as Marv Levy, Cris Collinsworth, Adam Vinatieri, Steve Young and Pat Tillman, among others.
The Chiefs lead the NFL in 2023-24 with six former Academic All-Americans on the roster, followed by the Eagles and Lions with four each. In total, 60 NFL players this season are former AAAs, including 30 on playoff rosters. (See chart below)
CBS, which will air the game, has multiple Academic All-Americans and others connected to College Sports Communicators, including AAA HOFers James Lofton and Tiki Barber. Legendary CBS announcer Jim Nantz, who will call his seventh Super Bowl and participate in his ninth overall, is a winner of the CSC Jake Wade Award, presented annually to an individual who has made outstanding contributions in the media.
AAA Hall of Famer Alex Smith (University of Utah) will be part of ESPN’s coverage as part of NFL Primetime. A reporter for the NFL Network, Stacey Dales (University of Oklahoma) is also an AAA Hall of Famer.
Super Bowls with Academic All-American quarterbacks
| Year | Super Bowl | AAA Quarterbacks |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | I | Len Dawson (Kansas City Chiefs) |
| 1970 | IV | Len Dawson - MVP (Kansas City Chiefs) - Won |
| 1974 | VIII | Fran Tarkenton (Minnesota Vikings) |
| 1975 | IX | Fran Tarkenton (Minnesota Vikings) |
| 1977 | XI | Fran Tarkenton (Minnesota Vikings) |
| 1980 | XIV | Vince Ferragamo (Los Angeles Rams) |
| 1982 | XVI | Ken Anderson (Cincinnati Bengals) |
| 1983 | XVII | Joe Theismann (Washington Redskins) - Won |
| 1984 | XVIII | Joe Theismann (Washington Redskins) |
| 1991 | XXV | Jeff Hostetler (New York Giants) - Won |
| 1995 | XXIX | Steve Young - MVP (San Francisco 49ers) - Won |
| 2007 | XLI | Peyton Manning - MVP (Indianapolis Colts) - Won |
| 2008 | XLII | Eli Manning - MVP (New York Giants) - Won |
| 2010 | XLIV | Drew Brees - MVP (New Orleans Saints) defeated Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts) |
| 2012 | XLVI | Eli Manning - MVP (New York Giants) - Won |
| 2014 | XLVIII | Peyton Manning (Denver Broncos) |
| 2016 | 50 | Peyton Manning (Denver Broncos) - Won |
| 2020 | LIV | Patrick Mahomes - MVP (Kansas City Chiefs) - Won |
| 2021 | LV | Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs) - Won |
| 2023 | LVII | Patrick Mahomes - MVP (Kansas City Chiefs) - Won |
| 2024 | LVIII | Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs) vs. Brock Purdy (San Francisco 49ers) |
Super Bowl MVPs that were Academic All-Americans
| Year | Super Bowl | MVP |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | IV | Len Dawson (Kansas City) - Quarterback |
| 1995 | XXIX | Steve Young (San Francisco 49ers) - Quarterback |
| 2007 | XLI | Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts) - Quarterback |
| 2008 | XLII | Eli Manning (New York Giants) - Quarterback |
| 2010 | XLIV | Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints) - Quarterback |
| 2012 | XLVI | Eli Manning (New York Giants) - Quarterback |
| 2020 | LIV | Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs) - Quarterback |
| 2022 | LVI | Cooper Kupp (Los Angeles Rams) - Wide Receiver |
| 2023 | LVII | Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs) - Quarterback |
Academic All-Americans on 2023-24 NFL rosters
| Team | Conference | # AAAs | Academic All-Americans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | AFC Playoffs | 6 | Nick Bolton, Mike Caliendo, Jack Cochrane, Bryan Cook, Patrick Mahomes, Drue Tranquill |
| Eagles | NFC Playoffs | 4 | Thomas Booker, Britain Covey, Landon Dickerson, Jake Elliott |
| Lions | NFC Playoffs | 4 | John Cominsky, Aidan Hutchinson, Josh Paschal, Shane Zylstra |
| Broncos | AFC | 3 | Tyler Badie, Greg Dulcich, Matt Henningsen |
| Chargers | AFC | 3 | Austin Ekeler, Justin Herbert, Easton Stick |
| Falcons | NFC | 3 | Drew Dalman, Parker Hesse, Desmond Ridder |
| Rams | NFC Playoffs | 3 | Jordan Fuller, Cooper Kupp, Carson Wentz |
| Ravens | AFC Playoffs | 3 | Justice Hill, Charlie Kolar, David Ojabo |
| Seahawks | NFC | 3 | Jake Bobo, Cody Thompson, Andrew Whitaker |
| Titans | AFC | 3 | Jack Gibbens, Will Levis, Calvin Throckmorton |
| 49ers | NFC Playoffs | 2 | Christian McCaffrey, Brock Purdy |
| Bengals | AFC | 2 | Sam Hubbard, Max Scharping |
| Bills | AFC Playoffs | 2 | Kingsley Jonathan, Khalil Shakir |
| Cowboys | NFC Playoffs | 2 | Earl Bostick Jr., Cooper Rush |
| Jaguars | AFC | 2 | Luke Fortner, Zay Jones |
| Raiders | NFC | 2 | Matthew Butler, Daniel Carlson |
| Bears | AFC | 1 | Kendall Williamson |
| Browns | AFC Playoffs | 1 | Dustin Hopkins |
| Bucs | NFC Playoffs | 1 | Anthony Nelson |
| Cardinals | NFC | 1 | Blake Gillikin |
| Colts | AFC | 1 | Alec Pierce |
| Dolphins | AFC Playoffs | 1 | Braxton Berrios |
| Giants | NFC | 1 | John Michael Schmitz |
| Packers | NFC Playoffs | 1 | Anders Carlson |
| Panthers | NFC | 1 | Henry Anderson |
| Patriots | AFC | 1 | Cody Davis |
| Saints | NFC | 1 | Derek Carr |
| Steelers | AFC Playoffs | 1 | Chandon Sullivan |
| Texans | AFC Playoffs | 1 | Jalen Pitre |
| Vikings | NFC | 1 | Harrison Phillips |
| Commanders | NFC | 0 | |
| Jets | AFC | 0 |
About Academic All-America®
Academic All-American is a title reserved for college student-athletes who perform at an elite level in their chosen sport and in the classroom. The all-time list of 40,000+ Academic All-Americans includes major sports stars and some of the world’s most accomplished individuals in medicine, business, science and the arts. Established in 1952 and selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC), Academic All-America is the longest running and premier award for athletic and academic success across championship college sports at all NCAA levels, the NAIA, two-year colleges and Canadian institutions. Click here to learn more about the program.
About College Sports Communicators
College Sports Communicators is the premier membership association for all strategic, creative and digital professionals working in intercollegiate athletics across all levels for colleges, universities and conferences across the United States and Canada. CSC provides year-round leadership, community, professional development/education, recognition and advocacy for its more than 4,200 members. Founded in 1957 as the College Sports Information Directors of America, the organization rebranded in 2022 to position itself as a more inclusive organization for communicators in all types of roles and to lead an industry change where strategic and creative professionals are more aligned. CSC’s signature work includes the annual CSC Unite convention each June and the administration of the prestigious Academic All-America® program and Hall of Fame. Since 1952, more than 40,000 of the world’s most elite student-athletes have been recognized with Academic All-America status in all sports.
Tap to unmute
An error occurred.
Try watching this video on www.youtube.com, or enable JavaScript if it is disabled in your browser.