Super Bowl LVII Passing Players Prop: How Many Players Will Throw a Pass?
Other than the Two Starting Quarterbacks, Of Course
Super Bowl Typically Features Unusual Passers
The Super Bowl is when teams go all out. That means coaches pulling out their best and sometimes craziest “trick plays” that typically include a non-quarterback throwing a pass. Whether this works or not, it has become a staple in the Super Bowl especially in recent years. As such, the Super Bowl passing players’ props market features a decent shot we see someone other than Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts sling the rock.
The ‘Philly Special’ Part Two?
It just so happens Philadelphia is back in the Super Bowl and they put up arguably the greatest trick play in NFL history. Known now as the “Philly Special”, the Eagles saw running back Corey Clement pitch the ball to tight end Trey Burton who then passed it to quarterback Nick Foles for a touchdown. With the play, Foles became the first player to both throw and catch a touchdown pass.
“I vividly remember standing next to Doug [Pederson] and thinking he was going to call it,” Burton said. “And then he didn’t call it.” And then the Eagles practiced it again just before the Super Bowl to which Burton recalled: “Let’s put it this way, it wasn’t the prettiest. But Nick [Foles] caught it every single time in the end zone in practice. That’s all that matters.”
That was five years ago and only three players are left from that time on the Eagles’ offense. Jason Kelce is still the center so he has familiarity with being part of this trick play and he could be a catalyst to start another one.
Per the Super Bowl passing players’ props,there is a 43.5 percent chance (+130) we see a third player attempt a pass. But to score a touchdown, that’s a longshot at 22-1 and for a quarterback to pull off what Foles did, it’s 12-1 to make a proper reception and 35-1 to score a touchdown.
Travis Kelce and the Best Non-QBs to Pull It Off?
The Eagles used Burton, who rarely got game-time action prior because he had experience as a quarterback in his earlier life. This time around, Travis Kelce is one of the more notable players with similar experiences. Kelce was a three-year letter winner as a quarterback for his high school. He also got to play QB in Cincinnati during the Wildcat formation.
Kelce has made four career passing attempts in the NFL while completing two in 2020. During last season’s Wild Card round, Kelce completed one pass for a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers as KC easily won and advanced in its NFL playoff bracket. But this season, Kelce or anyone else on the team other than punter Tommy Townsend, has yet to attempt a pass.
As for the Eagles, no one outside of their quarterbacks has thrown a pass. Running back Kenneth Gainwell may be a good bet to attempt, however, as he played quarterback in high school. Rookie receiver Britain Covey also played as a quarterback in his high school.
Super Bowl History of Trick Plays
In four of the last 10 Super Bowls, someone other than the starting quarterback attempted to throw a pass. Last year, both Super Bowl teams: Cincinnati and Los Angeles engineered trick plays to mixed results. Running back Joe Mixon successfully completed a six-yard touchdown pass to Tee Higgins. Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp was not as successful as he was not able to hit quarterback Matthew Stafford. They still won the game.
This was the last Super Bowl to cash this particular type of Super Bowl passing players’ prop bet. Prior to this was the Philly Special in Super Bowl LII, which also featured a not-so-epic play from Tom Brady for the opposing Patriots. He may be the “GOAT” as far as throwing the ball, but catching it is another thing as he and receiver Danny Amendola found out the hard way.
Before this, the Patriots failed on another trick play for Super Bowl LI a year earlier. Receiver Julian Edelman missed a connection with running back Dion Lewis. And in 2014, the Seattle Seahawks backup quarterback Tarvaris Jackson missed his only passing attempt in a game that was already out of hand for his team.
Gardner Minshew and Chad Henne, each team’s backups for Super Bowl LVII, could see action if it’s a blowout as well. Other than that, Mahomes and Hurts are off the NFL injury report so don’t expect to see them unless either of the two get hurt again.
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