John Elway, Ed Reed, Jerome Bettis, LeSean McCoy and Darrelle Revis are just several of the notable NFL greats who won a Super Bowl championship at or near the very-very end of their careers.
But of course, the vast majority of NFLers never get their hands on football’s ultimate prize. You only get so many opportunities at it, and you best not miss over and over again when the chances are plenty.
There are several notable NFL stars and veterans who are running out of time to win it all. And if they don’t win the Super Bowl in 2023, you may as well pencil ‘em down as guys who’ll retire ring-less.
With that said, here are 10 NFL stars who enter 2023 with one last shot at a Super Bowl championship.
Ryan Tannehill
Don’t think anybody would have critiqued the Tennessee Titans if they decided to cut bait with Ryan Tannehill. But nope, new GM Ran Carthon wants to see what Tannehill can do in a contract year — with promising rookie Will Levis right behind him on the depth chart.
Tannehill was already kind of on the hot seat entering 2022 following a second straight one-and-done postseason outing. He was inconsistent over his 12 starts before suffering a season-ending ankle injury.
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The Titans imploded without Tannehill, failing to win a single game once he went down to injury. Instead of beginning the rebuild, the Titans chose to keep him around for at least one more kick at the can here in 2023.
So this is it for Tannehill. Now-or-never. If he can’t stay healthy and perform well for the Titans in 2023, he probably won’t be a regular starting QB again. And that means kissing a chance at a Super Bowl championship goodbye.
The Levis selection immediately put Tannehill on borrowed time. Will that extra pressure make or break Tannehill in 2023? To be determined.
Keenan Allen
The five-time Pro Bowler is on the longggggg list of San Diego slash Los Angeles Chargers greats who have suffered an unbelievable amount of gut-wrenching defeats.
Consider this: Since Allen’s 2013 rookie year, the Chargers have won two playoff games — never getting past the Divisional Round. He’s had the fortunes of playing with two great QBs in Philip Rivers and Justin Herbert, but it just never ever comes together for the Bolts when it matters most.
Many thought the Chargers would release Allen this offseason, but they wound up restructuring his deal. But nobody said they can’t move on after the 2023 season…
Allen is injury-prone and no longer the WR1 in La La Land. That honor belongs to Mike Williams, not to mention the Chargers also used their first-round pick on TCU standout Quentin Johnston.
The Chargers are a borderline Super Bowl contender, but if they don’t go on a deep run in 2023, changes will be made. And that may include moving on from an oft-injured wideout on the wrong side of 30.
And if the Chargers decide to cut bait with Allen next year, which other contenders will want to take a chance on a fading asset? Allen and company better show up for the big moments here in 2023, because the window of opportunity for a Super Bowl is closing for multiple Chargers — including Allen.
Tyron Smith
Smith’s spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame is essentially locked up. He’ll go down as one of the greatest offensive tackles the game has ever seen, with eight Pro Bowl nods and a 2010s All-Decade Team spot on his resume.
Since the Cowboys’ last Super Bowl championship season in 1995, the club has never gotten past the Divisional Round. Smith, unfortunately, is among the Cowboys who’s stomached his fair share of brutal playoff losses.
The soon-to-be 33-year-old is entering his contract year with Dallas. Considering that Jerry Jones rarely keeps fading veterans on his roster long-term, it feels like 2023 will be Smith’s final year in Dallas.
While Dak Prescott, Zack Martin, Tony Pollard, Trevon Diggs, CeeDee Lamb and DeMarcus Lawrence will still have several chances of winning it all beyond 2023, Smith is undoubtedly on borrowed time here.
Also consider that Smith will be 34 years of age in 2024. Will he even be a starter by that point? Maybe on a mediocre or rebuilding club, but not a team in win-now mode like the Cowboys.
Smith has done his part in trying to help the Cowboys win that elusive sixth Super Bowl. But this is truly his last shot at adding the only thing missing on what has been an otherwise near-flawless career: A Super Bowl ring.
Cameron Jordan
Few active NFLers have gone through more postseason heartbreak than New Orleans Saints’ superstar Cameron Jordan. Just to name a few: The 2011 divisional-round thriller at Candlestick Park. The Minneapolis Miracle. The NOLA No-Call. The overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings — google “Kyle Rudolph push-off” in the 2019 NFC Wild Card Round…et al.
Jordan only seems to get better with age, but the same can’t be said for the only NFL team he has ever known. The eight-time Pro Bowler and 2010s All-Decade Team member is entering his age-34 season, and the Saints’ competitive window is rapidly closing.
Rather than begin the inevitable rebuild, they signed ex-Las Vegas Raiders’ QB Derek Carr to captain the offense.
Now, playing in the pathetic NFC South certainly improves the Saints’ chances of going on a deep postseason run in 2023. But if they fail to accomplish that goal? Rebuild time will be over, and that likely means cutting ties with Jordan and other key veterans.
Jordan has come close-ish to reaching the Super Bowl with the Saints. But this is really his last real good chance of winning it all. No pressure on him and his teammates.
Demario Davis
Speaking of Cameron Jordan’s teammates…
Davis is in practically the same position as Jordan. He seems to get better with age, but the Saints’ are really running out of time to win a second Lombardi Trophy before the painful rebuilding period arrives.
Davis is also entering his age-34 season. He’s not getting any younger, and what are the odds he’ll continue to play at a Pro Bowl level beyond 2023? They certainly aren’t good.
Davis is coming off his sixth-straight season of recording 100-plus tackles. He and Jordan have been one of football’s most disruptive defensive duos, and the only thing missing for both is a championship.
Teammates like Alvin Kamara, Ryan Ramcyzk and Marshon Lattimore are young enough to know that there’s still plenty of time to win a championship. But for the pair of 34-year-old defensive stalwarts, this is the last opportunity to hoist that Lombardi Trophy. Pure and simple.
Randall Cobb
Few NFL players have been unluckier in the postseason than Cobb. He was drafted by the Packers in 2011 — just a couple of months after the team defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl 45.
Aaron Rodgers’ longtime pal was also on the wrong end of two NFC Championship Game losses while with the Packers. To be honest, Cobb shouldn’t be a starter anymore — but Rodgers’ made the Packers bring him back in 2021 — and he made the New York Jets do the same when they landed the four-time MVP in a blockbuster trade.
So here it is. Cobb enters his age-33 season — potentially his last in the NFL. He’s reunited with Rodgers and a Jets team that suddenly carries massive championship aspirations.
If the Jets can’t win it all in 2023, they won’t hesitate to move on from Cobb. They basically brought him in as a favor for Rodgers. And if the Jets don’t win the Super Bowl, which championship contender will realistically want to sign him in his age-34 season next year?
It’s now or never for Cobb.
Duane Brown
“Big Play” Slay was oh-so-close to removing himself from eligibility on this list back in February. But Slay and his Philadelphia Eagles fell just short of winning Super Bowl 57, dropping an all-time heartbreaker to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the big game.
The Eagles seemed ready to move on from Slay when they released him in March, only to bring back the five-time Pro Bowler on a two-year extension.
Slay may be entering his age-32 season, but he remains at the top of his game. But as loaded as this Philly team is, 2023 might be the last real opportunity for this current mix of stars to win it all.
Consider that they could lose all of Jason Kelce, Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham and Lane Johnson to retirement or free agency. And by 2024, the 49ers shouldn’t be the only NFC team posing as a realistic threat to the Eagles.
If Philly falls short of its ultimate goal this season, don’t be surprised if Howie Roseman begins a youth movement by moving on from Slay and others. Even if Slay finishes out his deal with the Eagles, it’s hard to think the 2024 group will be the ultra-dominant and star-studded unit they are now.
So yeah, consider this Slay’s last shot at a championship. No pressure on him at all.
Khalil Mack
The 2016 Defensive Player of the Year has two years left on his deal with the Chargers. But given his age, injury history and recent production, it’s fair to call 2023 a “put up or shut up year” for Mack in La La Land.
Mack hasn’t hit double-digit sacks in a season since 2018. He had eight last season, but Pro Football Focus also graded him at just 71.1 on the year. That means he’s slightly above-average but certainly nothing close to “elite” anymore.
The top Super Bowl contenders won’t be keen on adding a man in his mid-30s in 2024 or 2025, should the Chargers decide to cut ties with him. The seven-time Pro Bowler has a real shot to win it all here with Herbert, Joey Bosa et al. But while those guys are just in the midst of their primes, Mack is already past his.
If he wants to retire with a ring on his resume, Mack and the Bolts better stop the whole “Chargers gonna Charger” thing and actually do something in the postseason.
Patrick Peterson
Non-QBs aside, there’s a case to be made that Peterson is the best active NFLer over the age of 30 without a Super Bowl championship on his resume. He’s not elite anymore, but Peterson made a strong case as the best cornerback of his era — specifically throughout the 2010s decade.
After two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Peterson signed a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency. It’s a good fit for both sides, no doubt. It’s also Peterson’s last chance to collect a ring before he calls it quits on his Hall of Fame career.
The Steelers will be competitive thanks to their mix of young and veteran star power. TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith, Cameron Heyward, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Kenny Pickett, Diontae Johnson, Najee Harris et al. You get the drill.
But Peterson isn’t young and still in his prime like those guys. If he doesn’t perform up to his usual standards in 2023, the Steelers will move on after one year and find a better solution at corner.
And if Peterson can’t produce in Steel City? There might not be a single team out there keen on giving Peterson a starting cornerback role in 2024. Throw in how ridiculously stacked the entire AFC is right now, and this year really shapes up to being Peterson’s final shot at a Super Bowl.
Which other NFL stars have one last shot at winning a Super Bowl in 2023?
