Can Christian Gonzalez Win Super Bowl MVP? Best Odds for Super Bowl 2026
This season's turnaround for the New England Patriots has been a remarkable turnaround, going from a four-win last season to an appearance today in Super Bowl 2026 against the Seattle Seahawks. While most of the spotlight has been sophomore QB Drake Maye (and rightly so), the defense - led by shutdown cornerback Christian Gonzalez - has been a major factor in why this squad has found so much success.
But, can Christian Gonzalez win Super Bowl MVP? History will show us that's rare, but if anyone is able to break that mold it could very well be the New England defender. And if you choose to make it one of your Super Bowl predictions, and it hits, you're gonna have a good time.
๐ Can Christian Gonzalez win Super Bowl MVP 2026?
I mean, sure, anyone can. I mean, not you and I, but anyone playing could do something remarkable and be a shocking winner. Once, a kick returner (Desmond Howard, Super Bowl XXXI) was named the game MVP.
Unfortunately for Gonzalez's chances, that's exactly the same number of MVP awards that cornerbacks have won in the Big Game. Dallas Cowboys cornerback Larry Brown is the only pure CB to win the Super Bowl MVP, claiming the award in 1996. Two other defensive backs have won the award, both playing at the safety position: Jake Scott of the Miami Dolphins in 1973 and Dexter Jackson of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003.
So, Gonzalez can absolutely win Super Bowl MVP 2026, and now we're going to look at how he can do it.
Given that he's seeing about +10000 odds (or longer) to capture the award at most of the best Super Bowl betting sites, operators clearly don't think he has a great chance of getting the job done. Even on the short end, those odds imply about a 0.99% chance of the cornerback being named the MVP.
๐ The "Larry Brown Blueprint"
Brown is the only true cornerback to get the job done, and to join him we can assume that Gonzalez is going to need a performance that is in the same stratosphere as the Cowboys' man.
First, Gonzalez will need to do his bit to keep things in check for Seahawks QB Sam Darnold. Brown held Pittsburgh Steelers QB Neil O'Donnell to just 239 passing yards with one touchdown in his MVP performance.
But perhaps more importantly, he came up with two interceptions of the losing quarterback, picking up 77 yards in the process. Brown made seven tackles, five of which were solo, and recorded two passes defended.
One thing that Brown didn't do is come up with a pick-six, so that's not necessarily a criteria.
🧷 Safeties to win Super Bowl MVP
- Dexter Jackson's MVP game also had two interceptions, both recorded in the first half. That carried more weight than the two interceptions by teammate Dwight Smith (both of which were returned for TDs) once the game was already out of reach.
- Jake Scott's MVP game also featured two interceptions for the safety, neither of which went for a touchdown.
๐ Christian Gonzalez's postseason so far
Gonzalez's postseason so far has been elite. According to Next Gen Stats, he's allowing a completion on just 39.3% of the 28 targets. That's the best mark in the postseason for any defender that's seen at least 20 targets, and its in the top five for those that have seen at least 10 targets. Over the course of the season, it would have led the league (although it's a big ask to keep that up for a whole year).
However, he's recorded just one interception along the way, and based on what we know about the blueprint to win it, he'll have to step that up today.
His hands will be full with Seattle wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who he'll be tasked with shadowing throughout the day. Smith-Njigba is a frontrunner to win the MVP award today. He was just crowned the NFL Offensive Player of the Year, and holding him in check will be pivotal for the Patriots to win and beyond necessary for Gonzalez to claim the MVP.
🏈 Can Gonzalez stop JSN?
The Seahawks wideout will be frequently looked at today, and we've looked at his day from numerous angles:
๐ฎ Will Gonzalez win the Super Bowl MVP?
If you want to make a small wager on those +10000 odds, just to cover yourself, then I wouldn't disagree with it. If the Patriots win, Gonzalez will need to have a big role in shutting down the Seahawks offense.
However, for me the answer to this is no, Christian Gonzalez will not win Super Bowl MVP.
I fall in the camp of just not believing he'll be able to accrue the stats that he'll need to sway the judges in his corner. There's no harm in a small bet here, but I wouldn't get carried away and put all my eggs in this MVP basket.
๐ Live Super Bowl MVP odds 2026
If you want a more in-depth look at how this award looks, our Super Bowl MVP odds have you covered. Here's a look at the live odds.
๐บ How to watch Super Bowl 2026: Seahawks vs. Patriots
- Date: Sunday, Feb. 8
- Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara, Calif.)
- TV/Streaming: NBC/Peacock
See our full breakdown for how to watch Super Bowl 2026, including TV info and streaming options for Seahawks vs. Patriots in Super Bowl 60.
โ Super Bowl 60 FAQs
Who is favored to win the Super Bowl?
The Seattle Seahawks are the Super Bowl favorites with odds of -240 to beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 2026. Those odds carry an implied probability of 70.59% for the Seahawks to win the Super Bowl, according to our odds converter.
When is the Super Bowl?
The Super Bowl will be on Sunday, Feb. 8, at 6:30 p.m. ET from Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
Where is the Super Bowl?
Super Bowl 60 will be at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Who's playing in the Super Bowl?
The NFC champion Seattle Seahawks will face the AFC champion New England Patriots in Super Bowl 2026.
📃 Affiliate disclosure
Sportsbook Review may receive a commission if you sign up through our links. Not intended for use in MA. Bonuses not applicable in Ontario. 21+ only. (Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
Related Articles
