NFL Super Bowl MVP 2025: Not Jalen Hurts or Saquon Barkley, RGIII Names the Real Hero Behind the Eagles’ Second Lombardi Trophy

So the Eagles finally exorcised the demons of their past and Patrick Mahomes finally got vanquished on his home ground. But the real performance of the evening was one no one saw coming.

Yes, the Philly offense led by Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley put up 40 points and yes, Hurts took home the MVP, to no one’s surprise. But Robert Griffin III believes the offense and Hurts weren’t real MVPs on the night.

So who was?

According to the former quarterback, it was the Eagles’ defense led by Vic Fangio that was the real Super Bowl MVP. They not only halted the Chief’s offense (coached by offensive genius Andy Reid) but actually made Hurts’ and the O-Line’s job a lot easier on Sunday.

Kansas City and Mahomes didn’t cross the 50-yard line until the final two minutes of the third quarter.

The Eagles’ solid defense kept Mahomes caged and the defending champs didn’t bother the scoreboard much until the last minute of 3rd quarter when they finally scored a TD. So what did Fangio’s defense do differently this time around?

Well, for one, they targeted the most important piece of the Chiefs’ offense — Mahomes. They hurried and pressured him throughout the night, sacking him six times. They didn’t allow him to get comfortable in the pocket, forcing him to make fast throws.

The 2X MVP delivered inaccurate balls to his receivers on many occasions. He also threw costly interceptions, with one being a pick-six while the other gave the Eagles a very short field to get points. He also also lost the ball on a strip sack causing a fumble.

Fangio also made sure Mahomes didn’t try to leave the pocket too often for big gains. He did all that without blitzing very often or filling the box with extra pass rushers.

His usual 5 man D-Line did all the damage. Philadelphia generated pressure on seven of Mahomes’ 17 first-half dropbacks. Along with a young secondary defense, they limited the Chiefs’ offense to a mere 275 yards of offense.

Most fans agreed with RGIII, acknowledging the Eagles’ defense as dominant — though some argued it wasn’t quite on the same level as the 2013 Seahawks’ Legion of Boom.

Another chimed in and added –

Some, however, believe the credit should go not just to Vic Fangio, but also to Howie Roseman, who put together such a stellar roster:

On the other hand, frustrated Chiefs fans refuse to give credit to Fangio and the Eagles’ defense, claiming it was the Chiefs’ O-line that was to blame, and that Philly didn’t do anything special.

One fan even joked that Mahomes is 0-3 whenever Tom Brady is in the building.

RG3 isn’t alone in believing that the defense should have been the Super Bowl MVP rather than Hurts. Three-time Super Bowl-winning wideout, Michael Irvin shared the same sentiment. He too thinks the league should have bestowed the MVP award to the whole defense for what they did to the Chiefs offense and Mahomes.

Offense wins games, but defense wins championships — and the Eagles’ defense proved that on the biggest stage. They dominated the trenches, bringing intensity, physicality, and grit to every play.

Football, at its core, is about strength, power, and relentless effort — a true gladiator’s sport. And on that night, the Eagles’ defense was the gladiator.