No rookie has ever led their club to a Super Bowl victory. Two players, though, have won the Super Bowl in their first year as starters. Both Kurt Warner and Tom Brady led their clubs to the Super Bowl and won it in their debut seasons as starters.
A quarterback can become a starter in his first season if the other team's starter is injured or misses time due to suspension or retirement. A rookie usually wins the starting job based on ability rather than experience because most teams prefer not to risk injury or poor performance from the start. However, there are some exceptions such as when the veteran is lacking in skill sets needed of a starter.
Overall, no rookie has ever won a Super Bowl. But two quarterbacks have done so in their first season as a starter. The odds are against any given player becoming a starter in the NFL and winning the Super Bowl. But if you do happen to be one of these rare players, then you should be happy with your career.
In 2004, Roethlisberger was named AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. At the age of 23, he became the NFL's youngest Super Bowl winner, leading the Steelers to a 21-10 triumph over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL.
Roethlisberger played only one season at Georgia before being selected by Pittsburgh with the number 11 pick in the 2003 draft. He replaced Terry Bradshaw, who retired after 16 seasons with the team, as their quarterback.
As a rookie, Roethlisberger led the league in passing yards (4,081) and touchdowns (39). He also threw five interceptions and was sacked 42 times. The Steelers went 12-4 during his first season, winning the AFC North title. They defeated Jacksonville 24-17 in the Divisional Round before falling to Tampa Bay 38-27 in the Conference Championship Game.
In 2005, Roethlisberger was again named AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. He completed 303 of 461 passes for 3,674 yards, 39 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while playing all 16 games for a 12-4 record. The Steelers lost in the AFC Championship Game to Denver 20-19 after blowing a 19-3 lead.
Peyton Manning is the only starting quarterback who has won two Super Bowls with separate clubs. He led the Indianapolis Colts to two Super Bowls, winning the first in 2007. He then moved on to Denver. However, his second stint with the Broncos was cut short when he was injured in the fourth game of the 2016 season.
Other than that, the most wins by a QB in a single Super Bowl appearance is three by Tom Brady with New England. He has also been part of five championship games but never won one himself. He lost as a starter in the first four seasons before leading the Patriots to their first title in 2002.
The most losses by a QB in a single Super Bowl appearance is two by Ben Roethlisberger with Pittsburgh. He lost as a starter in both of his appearances with Pittsburgh before being replaced by Kevin Kolb and Jeff Hostetler.
A QB can appear in multiple Super Bowls without playing in every game. This has been the case for several prominent players including Manning (Indianapolis), Brady (New England), and Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh).
Manning and Brady have each won two titles with different teams. No other player has even come close.
Warner, Kurt. Undrafted: Drafted Warner, the first undrafted quarterback to win a Super Bowl, is widely regarded as the greatest Cinderella story in NFL history. He progressed from stacking shelves at a grocery store to climbing the pro football ladder, first in the Arena League and then in Europe, before making an NFL squad.
During the Super Bowl era, 25 quarterbacks were selected first overall in the NFL Draft. Seven of them lived up to the hype, while two more made their Super Bowl debuts later in their careers. Six different teams have won the Super Bowl. So Lawrence will be in good company among the league's active No. 1 quarterbacks.
This list excludes NFL titles prior to the introduction of the Super Bowl in 1967. There have been several Hall of Famers who were the first overall choice in the NFL draft but never won a Super Bowl, including Bruce Smith, Earl Campbell, and, yes, O.J. Simpson. How Many No. 1 Overall Picks in NFL History Have Won a Super Bowl?
Burrow had previously received a welcoming letter from Bengals president Mike Brown, as well as a No. 9 jersey for him and his parents. No No. 1 overall NFL draft selection has ever led his club to a Super Bowl in the same year he was taken, and that won't happen in 2020, as Cincinnati still has a lot of issues to work through.
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