Where Super Bowl Quarterbacks Played in High School
For only the second time in Super Bowl history, a quarterback from North Carolina will take the field when Super Bowl LX kicks off at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who starred at Myers Park High School in suburban Charlotte, will face Seattle Seahawks QB Sam Darnold, a Southern California native from San Clemente High School. While Maye becomes just the second starting Super Bowl quarterback from the Tar Heel State, Darnold joins an exclusive group as the 14th different California quarterback to start in football's championship game.
Darnold and his 13 California predecessors have combined for 29 Super Bowl starts—more than any other state. Tom Brady of Serra High School (San Mateo) holds the record with 10 Super Bowl starts at quarterback.
Former California High School QBs to Start in a Super Bowl:
- Super Bowl II - Daryle Lamonica, Clovis High School
- Super Bowl III - Joe Kapp, Hart High School
- Super Bowls V & XII - Craig Morton, Campbell High School
- Super Bowl VII - Billy Kilmer, Citrus Union High School
- Super Bowl XIV - Vince Ferragamo, Banning High School (Wilmington)
- Super Bowls XV and XVIII - Jim Plunkett, Overfelt High School
- Super Bowl XX - Tony Eason, Delta High School
- Super Bowls XXI, XXII, XXIV, XXXII and XXXIII - John Elway, Granada Hills High School
- Super Bowl XXXV - Trent Dilfer, Aptos High School
- Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLII, XLVI, XLIX, LI, LII, LIII and LV - Tom Brady, Serra High School (San Mateo)
- Super Bowl XLV - Aaron Rodgers, Pleasant Valley High School
- Super Bowl XLVII - Colin Kaepernick, Pitman High School
- Super Bowl LIII - Jared Goff, Marin Catholic High School
- Super Bowl LX - Sam Darnold, San Clemente High School
Darnold and Maye represent the 119th and 120th quarterbacks to start a Super Bowl since Bart Starr and the Green Bay Packers defeated Len Dawson and the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl I at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on January 15, 1967. Since that inaugural championship game, former high school quarterbacks from 24 different states have started under center.
Pennsylvania ranks second behind California with 15 starts from nine different Keystone State quarterbacks. Louisiana follows with 14 starts from seven quarterbacks, while Texas has contributed 10 starts from five quarterbacks and Ohio rounds out the top five with nine starts from four different signal-callers.
States with Former HS Quarterbacks to Start in a Super Bowl:
- California – 29 starts (14 quarterbacks)
- Pennsylvania – 15 starts (9 quarterbacks)
- Louisiana – 14 starts (7 quarterbacks)
- Texas – 10 starts (5 quarterbacks)
- Ohio – 9 starts (4 quarterbacks)
- Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey – 4 starts each
- Alabama, Illinois, Iowa, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Washington – 3 starts each
- New York, North Carolina, Virginia – 2 starts each
- Arizona, Connecticut, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Utah – 1 start each
Super Bowl Starting Quarterbacks and Their High Schools
| Super Bowl | Team | Starting QB | High School (State) |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Green Bay Packers | Bart Starr | Sidney Lanier (Alabama) |
| Kansas City Chiefs | Len Dawson | Alliance (Ohio) | |
| II | Green Bay Packers | Bart Starr | Sidney Lanier (Alabama) |
| Oakland Raiders | Daryle Lamonica | Clovis (California) | |
| III | New York Jets | Joe Namath | Beaver Falls (Pennsylvania) |
| Baltimore Colts | Earl Morrall | Muskegon (Michigan) | |
| IV | Kansas City Chiefs | Len Dawson | Alliance (Ohio) |
| Minnesota Vikings | Joe Kapp | Hart (California) | |
| V | Baltimore Colts | Johnny Unitas | St. Justin's (Pennsylvania) |
| Dallas Cowboys | Craig Morton | Campbell (California) | |
| VI | Dallas Cowboys | Roger Staubach | Purcell (Ohio) |
| Miami Dolphins | Bob Griese | Rex Mundi (Indiana) | |
| VII | Miami Dolphins | Bob Griese | Rex Mundi (Indiana) |
| Washington Redskins | Billy Kilmer | Citrus Union (California) | |
| VIII | Miami Dolphins | Bob Griese | Rex Mundi (Indiana) |
| Minnesota Vikings | Fran Tarkenton | Athens (Georgia) | |
| IX | Pittsburgh Steelers | Terry Bradshaw | Woodlawn (Shreveport, Louisiana) |
| Minnesota Vikings | Fran Tarkenton | Athens (Georgia) | |
| X | Pittsburgh Steelers | Terry Bradshaw | Woodlawn (Shreveport, Louisiana) |
| Dallas Cowboys | Roger Staubach | Purcell (Ohio) | |
| XI | Oakland Raiders | Ken Stabler | Foley (Alabama) |
| Minnesota Vikings | Fran Tarkenton | Athens (Georgia) | |
| XII | Dallas Cowboys | Roger Staubach | Purcell (Ohio) |
| Denver Broncos | Craig Morton | Campbell (California) | |
| XIII | Pittsburgh Steelers | Terry Bradshaw | Woodlawn (Shreveport, Louisiana) |
| Dallas Cowboys | Roger Staubach | Purcell (Ohio) | |
| XIV | Pittsburgh Steelers | Terry Bradshaw | Woodlawn (Shreveport, Louisiana) |
| Los Angeles Rams | Vince Ferragamo | Banning (Wilmington, California) | |
| XV | Oakland Raiders | Jim Plunkett | Overfelt (California) |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Ron Jaworski | Lackawanna (New York) | |
| XVI | San Francisco 49ers | Joe Montana | Ringgold (Pennsylvania) |
| Cincinnati Bengals | Ken Anderson | Batavia (Illinois) | |
| XVII | Washington Redskins | Joe Theismann | South River (New Jersey) |
| Miami Dolphins | David Woodley | C.E. Byrd (Louisiana) | |
| XVIII | Los Angeles Raiders | Jim Plunkett | Overfelt (California) |
| Washington Redskins | Joe Theismann | South River (New Jersey) | |
| XIX | San Francisco 49ers | Joe Montana | Ringgold (Pennsylvania) |
| Miami Dolphins | Dan Marino | Pittsburgh Central Catholic (Pennsylvania) | |
| XX | Chicago Bears | Jim McMahon | Roy (Utah) |
| New England Patriots | Tony Eason | Delta (California) | |
| XXI | New York Giants | Phil Simms | Southern (Kentucky) |
| Denver Broncos | John Elway | Granada Hills (California) | |
| XXII | Washington Redskins | Doug Williams | Chaneyville (Louisiana) |
| Denver Broncos | John Elway | Granada Hills (California) | |
| XXIII | San Francisco 49ers | Joe Montana | Ringgold (Pennsylvania) |
| Cincinnati Bengals | Boomer Esiason | East Islip (New York) | |
| XXIV | San Francisco 49ers | Joe Montana | Ringgold (Pennsylvania) |
| Denver Broncos | John Elway | Granada Hills (California) | |
| XXV | New York Giants | Jeff Hostetler | Conemaugh Twp. (Pennsylvania) |
| Buffalo Bills | Jim Kelly | East Brady (Pennsylvania) | |
| XXVI | Washington Redskins | Mark Rypien | Shadie Park (Washington) |
| Buffalo Bills | Jim Kelly | East Brady (Pennsylvania) | |
| XXVII | Dallas Cowboys | Troy Aikman | Henryetta (Oklahoma) |
| Buffalo Bills | Jim Kelly | East Brady (Pennsylvania) | |
| XXVIII | Dallas Cowboys | Troy Aikman | Henryetta (Oklahoma) |
| Buffalo Bills | Jim Kelly | East Brady (Pennsylvania) | |
| XXIX | San Francisco 49ers | Steve Young | Greenwich (Connecticut) |
| San Diego Chargers | Stan Humphries | Southwood (Louisiana) | |
| XXX | Dallas Cowboys | Troy Aikman | Henryetta (Oklahoma) |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Neil O'Donnell | Madison (New Jersey) | |
| XXXI | Green Bay Packers | Brett Favre | Hancock North Central (Mississippi) |
| New England Patriots | Drew Bledsoe | Walla Walla (Washington) | |
| XXXII | Denver Broncos | John Elway | Granada Hills (California) |
| Green Bay Packers | Brett Favre | Hancock North Central (Mississippi) | |
| XXXIII | Denver Broncos | John Elway | Granada Hills (California) |
| Atlanta Falcons | Chris Chandler | Everett (Washington) | |
| XXXIV | St. Louis Rams | Kurt Warner | Regis (Iowa) |
| Tennessee Titans | Steve McNair | Mount Olive (Mississippi) | |
| XXXV | Baltimore Ravens | Trent Dilfer | Aptos (California) |
| New York Giants | Kerry Collins | Wilson (West Lawn, Pennsylvania) | |
| XXXVI | New England Patriots | Tom Brady | Serra (San Mateo, California) |
| St. Louis Rams | Kurt Warner | Regis (Iowa) | |
| XXXVII | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Brad Johnson | Owen (North Carolina) |
| Oakland Raiders | Rich Gannon | St. Joseph's Prep (Pennsylvania) | |
| XXXVIII | New England Patriots | Tom Brady | Serra (San Mateo, California) |
| Carolina Panthers | Jake Delhomme | Teurlings Catholic (Louisiana) | |
| XXXIX | New England Patriots | Tom Brady | Serra (San Mateo, California) |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Donovan McNabb | Mt. Carmel (Chicago, Illinois) | |
| XL | Pittsburgh Steelers | Ben Roethlisberger | Findlay (Ohio) |
| Seattle Seahawks | Matt Hasselbeck | Xaverian Brothers (Massachusetts) | |
| XLI | Indianapolis Colts | Peyton Manning | Isidore Newman (Louisiana) |
| Chicago Bears | Rex Grossman | Bloomington South (Indiana) | |
| XLII | New York Giants | Eli Manning | Isidore Newman (Louisiana) |
| New England Patriots | Tom Brady | Serra (San Mateo, California) | |
| XLIII | Pittsburgh Steelers | Ben Roethlisberger | Findlay (Ohio) |
| Arizona Cardinals | Kurt Warner | Regis (Iowa) | |
| XLIV | New Orleans Saints | Drew Brees | Westlake (Austin, Texas) |
| Indianapolis Colts | Peyton Manning | Isidore Newman (Louisiana) | |
| XLV | Green Bay Packers | Aaron Rodgers | Pleasant Valley (California) |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Ben Roethlisberger | Findlay (Ohio) | |
| XLVI | New York Giants | Eli Manning | Isidore Newman (Louisiana) |
| New England Patriots | Tom Brady | Serra (San Mateo, California) | |
| XLVII | Baltimore Ravens | Joe Flacco | Audubon (New Jersey) |
| San Francisco 49ers | Colin Kaepernick | Pitman (California) | |
| XLVIII | Seattle Seahawks | Russell Wilson | Collegiate School (Richmond, Virginia) |
| Denver Broncos | Peyton Manning | Isidore Newman (Louisiana) | |
| XLIX | New England Patriots | Tom Brady | Serra (San Mateo, California) |
| Seattle Seahawks | Russell Wilson | Collegiate School (Richmond, Virginia) | |
| 50 | Denver Broncos | Peyton Manning | Isidore Newman (Louisiana) |
| Carolina Panthers | Cam Newton | Westlake (Atlanta, Georgia) | |
| LI | New England Patriots | Tom Brady | Serra (San Mateo, California) |
| Atlanta Falcons | Matt Ryan | Penn Charter (Pennsylvania) | |
| LII | Philadelphia Eagles | Nick Foles | Westlake (Austin, Texas) |
| New England Patriots | Tom Brady | Serra (San Mateo, California) | |
| LIII | New England Patriots | Tom Brady | Serra (San Mateo, California) |
| Los Angeles Rams | Jared Goff | Marin Catholic (California) | |
| LIV | Kansas City Chiefs | Patrick Mahomes | Whitehouse (Texas) |
| San Francisco 49ers | Jimmy Garoppolo | Rolling Meadows (Illinois) | |
| LV | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Tom Brady | Serra (San Mateo, California) |
| Kansas City Chiefs | Patrick Mahomes | Whitehouse (Texas) | |
| LVI | Los Angeles Rams | Matthew Stafford | Highland Park (Texas) |
| Cincinnati Bengals | Joe Burrow | Athens (Ohio) | |
| LVII | Kansas City Chiefs | Patrick Mahomes | Whitehouse (Texas) |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Jalen Hurts | Channelview (Texas) | |
| LVIII | Kansas City Chiefs | Patrick Mahomes | Whitehouse (Texas) |
| San Francisco 49ers | Brock Purdy | Perry (Arizona) | |
| LIX | Kansas City Chiefs | Patrick Mahomes | Whitehouse (Texas) |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Jalen Hurts | Channelview (Texas) | |
| LX | New England Patriots | Drake Maye | Myers Park (North Carolina) |
| Seattle Seahawks | Sam Darnold | San Clemente (California) |
Tags
- High School Football
- NFL Players and Legends
