Ranking The States That Produces The Most Super Bowl Starting Quarterbacks

Starting quarterbacks Drake Maye and Sam Darnold are set to square off when the New England Patriots meet the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 60 in San Francisco.

When they do, they’ll not only be representing their respective organizations, but also their home states: Maye from North Carolina and Darnold from California.

Which led us to thinking, which states have produced the most starting quarterbacks in Super Bowl history? And is there anything to those numbers?

What was found was fascinating. Of course, simple population numbers play a role. But it’s not as straight forward as you may think.

These are the five states that, by high school, have produced the most starting quarterbacks in the history of the Super Bowl.

1) California – 14

Number one is the obvious answer: California.

Not only does The Golden State just have an enormous number of high schools, but it’s also a highly competitive football state and has been for several decades.

With his appearance in the Super Bowl, Darnold, who attended San Clemente High School, becomes the 14th quarterback from California to start in the big game. Others include the obvious, such as Tom Brady and John Elway, and the not-so-obvious, like Joe Kapp, who started Super Bowl IV for the Minnesota Vikings.

Tom Brady, Serra (San Mateo): XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLII, XLVI, XLIX, LI, LII, LIII, LV
Sam Darnold, San Clemente: LX
Trent Dilfer, Aptos: XXXV
Tony Eason, Delta (Clarksburg): XX
John Elway, Granada Hills Charter (Granada Hills): XXI, XXII, XIV, XXXII, XXXIII
Vince Ferragamo, Banning (Wilmington): XIV
Jared Goff, Marin Catholic (Kentfield): LIII
Colin Kaepernick, Pitman (Turlock): XLVII
Joe Kapp, Hart (Newhall): IV
Billy Kilmer, Citrus Union (Azusa): VII
Daryle Lamonica, Clovis: II
Craig Morton, Campbell: V, XII
Jim Plunkett, James Lick (San Jose): XV, XVIII
Aaron Rodgers, Pleasant Valley (Chico): XLV

Pennsylvania – 9

For a number of years, Pennsylvania was the state for producing star quarterbacks in the NFL. From Joe Namath, to Joe Montana and Dan Marino, if you were a superstar quarterback in the NFL, there’s a good chance you came from the Keystone State.

These days, Pennsylvania doesn’t pump out quite as much elite football talent as it did in the past, but the state is still talent-rich, with Matt Ryan representing the last PA quarterback to start the Super Bowl.

Kerry Collins, Wilson (West Lawn): XXXV
Rich Gannon, St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia): XXXVII
Jeff Hostetler, Conemaugh Township (Davidsville): XXV
Jim Kelly, East Brady: XXV, XXVI, XXVII, XXVIII
Dan Marino, Central Catholic (Pittsburgh): XIX
Joe Montana, Ringgold (Monongahela): XVI, XIX, XXIII, XXIV
Joe Namath, Beaver Falls: III
Matt Ryan, William Penn Charter (Philadelphia): LI
Johnny Unitas, St. Justin’s (Pittsburgh): V

Louisiana – 7

When you’re home to the Manning brothers, you’re already off to a great start when it comes to producing Super Bowl starting (and winning) quarterbacks. Louisiana may not have the population of some of the other states on this list, but it’s a tradition-rich high school football state and has a penchant for turning out star quarterbacks.

While Peyton and Eli lead the way alongside Terry Bradshaw, Louisiana also produced some starting Super Bowl QBs that you may not have even heard of before today.

Terry Bradshaw, Woodlawn (Shreveport): IX, X, XIII, XIV
Jake Delhomme, Teurlings Catholic (Lafayette): XXXVIII
Stan Humphries, Southwood (Shreveport): XXIX
Eli Manning, Newman (New Orleans): XLII, XLVI
Peyton Manning, Newman: XLI, XLIV, XLVIII, 50
Doug Williams, Chaneyville (Zachary): XXII
David Woodley, Byrd (Shreveport): XVII

Texas – 5

Honestly, it’s a bit surprising that Texas isn’t higher on this list, especially when you consider that last year’s Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles involved a pair of starting quarterbacks who played their high school ball in the Lone Star State.

But up until Drew Brees in Super Bowl 44, no Texas quarterback had ever started in the Super Bowl. On the flip side of that, Texas quarterbacks have been immensely successful in the big game, with all five starters having claimed the Lombardi Trophy.

Drew Brees, Westlake (Austin): XLIV
Nick Foles, Westlake: LII
Jalen Hurts, Channelview: LVII
Patrick Mahomes, Whitehouse: LIV, LV, LVII, LVIII
Matthew Stafford, Highland Park (Dallas): LVI

Ohio – 4

Like Pennsylvania, Ohio is a tradition-rich high school football state that many would call the home to football, which explains how the Hall of Fame ended up in the small town of Canton, Ohio.

In fact, you can trace its Super Bowl roots all the way back to the very first Super Bowl, in which Ohio native Len Dawson started for the Kansas City Chiefs. The Hall of Famer may not have won that game, but he did win three years later in Super Bowl IV.

Ohio, like Texas, has had a high rate of success in the Super Bowl, with all four signal callers on this list having lifted the Lombardi Trophy.

Joe Burrow, Athens (The Plains): LVI
Len Dawson, Alliance: I, IV
Ben Roethlisberger, Findlay: XL, XLIII, XLV
Roger Staubach, Purcell Marian (Cincinnati): VI, X, XII, XIII