Drake Maye is set to make history on football’s biggest stage. When the New England Patriots take the field in Super Bowl LX, Maye will become one of the youngest quarterbacks ever to start a Super Bowl, doing so at just 23 years and 162 days old. In a league, and playing a position where experience is often considered essential, Maye’s rapid rise places him in rare company – alongside some of the most notable young passers the game has ever seen.
Only one quarterback in Super Bowl history will have been younger at kickoff.
The Five Youngest QBs to start a Super Bowl
Here’s a look at the five youngest quarterbacks to start a Super Bowl, and the circumstances that brought each of them to the sport’s grandest stage:
- Dan Marino
- Drake Maye
- Ben Roethlisberger
- Brock Purdy
- David Woodley
Dan Marino – 23 years, 127 days
Dan Marino remains the youngest quarterback ever to start a Super Bowl, a distinction he earned during the 84/85 season. In just his second year in the league, Marino rewrote the NFL record books, throwing for over 5,000 yards and 48 touchdowns – numbers that were unprecedented at the time and remain impressive to this day.
Marino led the Miami Dolphins to Super Bowl XIX, where they ultimately fell to the San Francisco 49ers. Despite the loss, his performance that season cemented his status as a generational talent and set the benchmark for early-career quarterback success.
Marino would go on to play fifteen more seasons before calling time on his Hall of Fame career – but he never made it back to the Big Game.
- Super Bowl Result: Loss
Drake Maye – 23 years, 162 days
Drake Maye slots in just behind Marino on the all-time list.
After the Patriots opened the season with long Super Bowl odds as high as 75-1, Maye orchestrated one of the most dramatic turnarounds in recent NFL history. The second-year quarterback surged into the MVP conversation while leading New England to a 14-3 record and a dominant playoff run through the AFC.
When he takes his first snap on Super Bowl Sunday at 23 years and 162 days old, Maye will become the second youngest QB to start the game.
If he wins, Drake Maye would be the youngest QB to ever start and win the Super Bowl.
- Super Bowl Result: TBD – the spread currently sits at 4.5 points, with Maye and the Patriots as healthy underdogs.
Ben Roethlisberger – 23 years, 340 days
Ben Roethlisberger reached the Super Bowl early in his career during the 2005 season, just two years after being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Known for his size, durability, and poise, Roethlisberger guided the Steelers to a 21-10 victory in Super Bowl XL against the Seattle Seahawks.
Though his individual performance in the game was… uneven, Roethlisberger became the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl, a record he still holds today, helping Pittsburgh secure its fifth Lombardi Trophy and beginning what would become a Hall of Fame-caliber career.
- Super Bowl Result: Win
Brock Purdy – 24 years, 46 days
Brock Purdy’s path to the Super Bowl was anything but conventional.
The former “Mr. Irrelevant” of the 2022 NFL Draft ascended from third-string quarterback to franchise centerpiece, ultimately leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl at just 24 years and 46 days old. Purdy’s poise, efficiency, and command of Kyle Shanahan’s offense helped redefine expectations for young quarterbacks thrust into high-pressure situations.
His appearance reinforced the idea that preparation and system fit can accelerate success – even on the sport’s biggest stage.
Purdy played well in Super Bowl LVIII, throwing for 255 yards and a touchdown, but the 49ers lost in overtime to the Kansas City Chiefs.
- Super Bowl Result: Loss
David Woodley – 24 years, 97 days
David Woodley rounds out the top five youngest QBs after starting Super Bowl XVII for the Miami Dolphins during the 1982/83 season. At 24 years and 97 days old, Woodley helped guide Miami through a strike-shortened season and into a championship matchup with Washington.
While his Super Bowl performance was challenging – he completed just four passes – Woodley’s inclusion on this list reflects how rare it is for young, lesser experienced QBs to pilot a team to the biggest football game of the year.
- Super Bowl Result: Loss
History favors experience
A look at the list above makes one thing clear: the Super Bowl has traditionally favored experience. Among the quarterbacks who reached the game at such a young age before Drake Maye, only Ben Roethlisberger finished the night hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. Even then, Roethlisberger’s performance was largely forgettable – he completed just nine passes for 123 yards with two interceptions, though he did score a pivotal rushing touchdown in Pittsburgh’s win.
Still, history isn’t destiny. Every season brings a new set of circumstances, every matchup tells a different story, and every quarterback writes his own path. The Patriots – and Drake Maye – enter Super Bowl LX riding momentum, confidence, and belief, with no shortage of reasons to think they can defy precedent.
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