This Crazy Super Bowl Trend Says Jalen Hurts & the Eagles Only Have a 30.35% Chance of Winning the Super Bowl
- Starting QBs wearing single-digit uniform numbers are 17-21 all-time in Super Bowl competition
- Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts wears jersey #1
- Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is #15. Starting QBs wearing that jersey are 5-3 in Super Bowl play
At the conclusion of the Super Bowl game, members of the winning team – either the Philadelphia Eagles or Kansas City Chiefs – will wag their index fingers in the air, indicating that they are #1. But will it be the team with Jalen Hurts (#1) at quarterback?
Super Bowl history says no.
Jalen Hurts wears #1 for the Philadelphia Eagles, who are 1.5-point favorites over the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2023 Super Bowl odds. Patrick Mahomes, starting QB for the Chiefs, wears #15. Starting QBs wearing that number in the Super Bowl are 5-3, a .625 winning percentage.
Hurts will be the second starting QB to wear #1 in a Super Bowl game. In Super Bowl 50, Cam Newton was #1 for the Super Bowl favorite Carolina Panthers. They lost to the Denver Broncos, who had Peyton Manning (#18) at QB.
Singling Out Starting QBs
The legacy of starting QBs with single-digit uniform numbers in the Super Bowl is not good. They are 17-21 overall, a 30.35% success rate.
Single Digit QB vs Double Digit QB Super Bowl Records
| QB Number | Overall Record | ATS As Favorite | ATS As Underdog |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double Digit | 16-12 | 9-5-1 | 7-5-1 |
| Single Digit | 12-16 | 5-7-1 | 5-9-1 |
The historical point spreads for the Super Bowl are showing that straight up, single digit starting QBS are 11-7 as a favorite and 6-14 as an underdog. Against the spread, single jersey number QBs are 7-10-1 as the betting choice and 7-12-1 as the underdog.
Last season saw a #9 showdown at QB in the Super, as Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams defeated Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals. It was the fifth time in Super Bowl history that both starting QBs wore single digit numbers.
Best Quarterback Numbers in the Super Bowl
The first single-digit starting QB was Daryle Lamonica (#3) of the Oakland Raiders in the second Super Bowl game. As 13.5-point underdogs, the Raiders lost SU and ATS 33-14 to the Green Bay Packers and QB Bart Starr (#15).
Single digit QBs were 0-4 SU and ATS the first four times one of them started a Super Bowl game. They were 2-9 SU and 1-10 ATS through their first 11 Super Bowl appearances.
Super Bowl Winningest QB By Uniform Number
| QB Number | Record | Winning Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 5-2 | .714 |
| 16 | 7-3 | .700 |
| 9 | 4-2 | .667 |
| 15 | 5-3 | .625 |
| 12 | 18-13 | .581 |
Preview all of the Super Bowl betting promos prior to kick-off.
Washington’s Joe Theismann (#7) beat the Miami Dolphins 27-17 in Super Bowl 17 as a 3-point underdog to be the first single-digit QB Super Bowl winner. In Super Bowl 20, Jim McMahon (#9) was the first single-digit QB to win the Super Bowl as the betting choice. He and the Chicago Bears won and covered 46-10 over the New England Patriots as the 10-point chalk.
Useless trivia time – Theismann was the first winning Super Bowl QB to wear a single-digit jersey. The things you learn.
— Rick Snider's Washington (@Snide_Remarks) January 15, 2014
The lower the number of the starting QB, the greater the chance of Super Bowl failure. Between #1 (0-1), #2 (0-1), #3 (1-2), #4 (1-1) and #5 (1-2), those digits are a combined 3-7 SU, a .300 winning percentage. Between 1-3, it’s even worse. They’re 1-4 SU, a .200 winning percentage.
However, the higher the lower number, the more likely that victory can be achieved. There’s been 14 Super Bowl wins between #7 (5-10), #8 (5-2) and #9 (4-2).
Eagles Super Bowl Odds
Hurts is carrying on a unique Philadelphia Super Bowl tradition as a QB with single digit on his jersey. This is the fourth Super Bowl appearance for the Eagles. In all four games, their starting QB went with just one number on his jersey.
Ron Jaworski (#7) got this trend started against the Raiders in Super Bowl 15 as a 3-point favorite. However, Jaws was picked off three times and the Eagles were humbled 27-10.
Super Bowl Losingest QB By Uniform Number
| QB Number | Record | Winning Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0-1 | .000 |
| 2 | 0-1 | .000 |
| 13 | 1-3 | .250 |
| 14 | 1-3 | .250 |
| 7 | 5-10 | .333 |
Donovan McNabb (#5) led Philly into Super Bowl 39 to face Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. The Pats were 7-point favorites. New England won 32-29, but even though McNabb threw three interceptions, the Eagles were still able to cover.
In one of the greatest Super Bowl upsets, it was a rematch between the Eagles and Patriots in Super Bowl 52. Brady was at the helm again for New England. However, the surprise starter for Philadelphia was Nick Foles (#9). The backup QB stepped in for starter Carson Wentz (#11) late in the year following a season-ending injury to Wentz. He led the Eagles to a 41-33 win as 4.5 point underdogs.
Five years ago today… what a special time… excited for Philly! Fly Eagles Fly! pic.twitter.com/PnuhYXY32l
— Nick Foles (@NickFoles) February 4, 2023
Hurts and the Eagles are carrying the favorite’s tag into Super Bowl 57. Single digit QBs are 4-5 SU and ATS over the past 10 big games.
When wagering at your favorite US betting sites, should you be taking this trend into account? That’s entirely your decision. One thing about Hurts, though. Throughout his career, he’s displayed a knack for overcoming perceived obstacles and bucking trends.
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An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
