Winning a championship in any sport is no small feat, but taking home the Lombardi Trophy may be the most challenging of all. It is the quintessential team sport and even the most talented of players need a whole lot of help if they want to secure a win in the Super Bowl. As a result, we’ve seen more than a couple of exceptionally gifted players, Hall of Famers even, who haven’t been able to win a ring. Let’s rank the 15 best to never win the big game!
15. Jim Kelly
Jim Kelly is probably one of the first names that comes to mind for most people when they think about talented NFL players, who were not able to get over the hump and win a championship. Kelly, to his credit, did manage to lead the Buffalo Bills to four straight Super Bowl appearances in the early ’90s but in what can only now be described as tragic fashion, he was unable to secure a win in any of those games.
For whatever reason it seemed like the leadership ability and high-flying passing skills that he possessed and put on display throughout the regular season would vanish come playoff time. Just a devastating turn of events for the five-time Pro Bowler and one of the most respected players of his generation.
14. Steve Largent
Steve Largent spent his NFL career in the Pacific Northwest playing for the Seattle Seahawks, but these weren’t Pete Carroll’s Seahawks… Largent played on some bad teams over the years, in fact, he not only didn’t win a Super Bowl, but his teams never even really made a deep playoff run, which, if you ask me is a big reason why Largent has faded slightly out of the national consciousness despite retiring as the NFL’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown catches. Critics tend not to take a player seriously if their statistical contribution don’t correlate into W’s.
13. Tony Gonzalez
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Before Tony Gonzalez became one of the most recognizable figures in NFL media, he was better known for the way that he revolutionized the tight end position. Gonzalez played for two teams during his illustrious career: the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons and was regularly one of the most consistent pass-catchers in the game. In many ways, Gonzalez completely changed what it meant to be a tight end because he was such a big receiving threat. During his career, Tony amassed 1,325 receptions (second in NFL history at the time of his retirement), 15,127 yards, and 111 touchdowns.
He was a 14-time Pro Bowler and six-time First-team All-Pro selection, Gonzalez’s individual accolades seemingly knew no bounds, unfortunately, his personal success didn’t fully translate to postseason success. His only deep playoff run came with the Falcons in the 2012 season, which ended in a narrow NFC Championship Game loss.
12. Eric Dickerson
Eric Dickerson garnered quite a reputation during his playing days for his rec specs and dynamic running ability. The Hall of Fame running back set the record for most rushing yards in a season, with 2,105 yards—a mark that still stands. The five-time All-Pro was fast, explosive, and had elite vision. There was very little he couldn’t do on the gridiron—with the exception of winning a Super Bowl, of course!
After all, neither the Los Angeles Rams and Indianapolis Colts even made it to the Super Bowl when Dickerson was on the squad..
11. Alan Page
Alan Page will always be regarded as one of the most decorated defensive players in NFL history, due to the role he played on the Minnesota Vikings’ “Purple People Eaters” defense. His combination of intelligence, athleticism, and competitiveness made him a force on the field and the first defensive player to ever take home league MVP honors. The Vikings, however, could never get over the hump and despite making it to four Super Bowls in the 70s Page’s career finished with zero Lombardi’s.
10. Junior Seau
Junior Seau was known best during his playing days for his relentless energy and impressive instincts. play defined his 20-year career in the NFL, making him one of the most memorable linebackers in league history. Playing primarily for the San Diego Chargers, Seau’s passion and leadership on the field earned him 12 Pro Bowl selections and six First-team All-Pro nods. Despite his individual accolades and being the heart of the Chargers’ defense, Seau’s quest for a Super Bowl ring ended in heartbreak with the Chargers and later with the New England Patriots.
Junior Seau was known best during his playing days for his relentless energy and impressive instincts he put on display during his 20-year career in the NFL. All of that fiery energy on the field made him one of the most memorable linebackers the game has seen.
Seau played most of his career out in San Diego for the Chargers, earning him 12 Pro Bowl selections and six First-team All-Pro nods in the process, but he was never able to get to the top. Perhaps even more heartbreaking than his losses with the Chargers was his coming up short during the twilight of his career with the New England Patriots, who he had joined with the sole intent of winning a ring finally.
9. Andre Reed
As important as Jim Kelly was to the 90s Bills, there is a legitimate case that Andre Reed was even more vital to the team’s success. Reed was one of the most explosive wide receivers of his era, as he possessed a rare ability to turn short passes into long gains by ripping off chunks of yards after the catch. During his illustrious career, consistency was a hallmark for Reed, who racked up career totals of 951 career receptions and over 13,000 yards, but he was never able to get it done during the league’s biggest game, as his Bills famously lost four straight Super Bowls.
8. Dick Butkus
Dick Butkus is synonymous with the Chicago Bears and is often regarded as one of the most intimidating linebackers to ever play in the NFL thanks to his hard-hitting play style. Butkus played with a ferocity that instilled fear in the hearts of his opponents, but the eight-time Pro Bowl selection’s career was largely incomplete as he never was able to win a Super Bow.
7. Fran Tarkenton
Fran Tarkenton was one of the most exciting quarterbacks of his generation. He possessed mobility that was extremely rare at the time and helped to reinvent the quarterback position. His Minnesota Vikings were one of the better teams of that era as well, making four Super Bowls, but he failed to win any of them.
6. Deacon Jones
Deacon Jones deserves a slight pass on this one because part of his career actually did span back to the pre-Super Bowl days, but it is still kind of crazy that the Los Angeles Rams defensive end was never able to win one. The man was so dominant that he was literally credited with inventing the quarterback sack! You would think that a player of that caliber would have won at least one Super Bowl!
5. LaDainian Tomlinson
There have been few football players who were as single-handedly dominant as LT. Not only was he uber-talented as a running back, but also versatile, as he could catch passes, block, and even throw the ball fairly well, which we saw on display during a couple of trick plays. The 2006 NFL MVP, however, fell victim to a career played primarily for the Chargers and subsequently he never won a ring.
4. Randy Moss
The fact that Randy Moss, one of the most explosive wide receivers in NFL history, who also happened to play in two Super Bowls (XLII and XLVII), is insane. It is so ridiculous it sort of borders on the potential “cursed” territory. The Super Bowl loss at the end of his career with the Niners is one thing, but he also was on the 18-1 Patriots, which never should’ve lost to that Giants team.
3. Bruce Smith
While Jim Kelly and Andre Reed led the way on offense, Bruce Smith was the face of the 90s Bills defenses. The dominant defensive end spent most of his career with the Buffalo Bills, setting the all-time sacks record, and regularly finishing among the tops in the league. Smith, along with the rest of his Buffalo crew, never hoisted the Lombardi despite making four consecutive Super Bowl appearances.
2. Barry Sanders
During his relatively short but impactful NFL career, Barry Sanders, the Detroit Lions running back, dazzled the NFL with his elusive running style. In 10 seasons he accumulated over 15000 rushing yards and was widely considered among the top players in the league regardless of position. The 1997 NFL MVP, however, never saw the team success that he worked so hard for and finished his career without winning the Super Bowl.
1. Dan Marino
Dan Marino was the modern quarterback long before the archetype existed. The Miami Dolphins quarterback could move in the pocket and sling it with the best of them. He put up gaudy numbers over the years thanks to this skillset. The Dolphins, however, struggled to put the right pieces around him consistently and they regularly came up short. Marino is regarded by many to be the best quarterback never to win a Super Bowl.
