The 2017 Philadelphia Eagles are the last team to have removed themselves from the dreaded list of NFL franchises that haven’t won a Super Bowl. Fast forward six years later, and that very list has remained at 12 clubs.
While some of these Super Bowl-less franchises are knocking on the door and getting very close, others are lagging far behind and don’t seem anywhere near a Lombardi Trophy path.
So, with that all said, let’s dive into our rankings for all 12 Super Bowl-less NFL franchises based on when we expect them to win it all.
Who are the NFL teams on the verge of winning the Super Bowl soon, and who are far from it?
12. Tennessee Titans
There isn’t a whole lot to love about the state of the Titans…at least compared to the other non-Super Bowl-winning franchises.
Quarterback Will Levis has plenty of upside, but he still has to establish himself as a quality starting QB. DeAndre Hopkins, Tyler Boyd, and Calvin Ridley form a dynamic trio at wideout, but both are closer to the end of their primes than in.
There aren’t any young cornerstones on defense outside of Jeffery Simmons…and we’re skeptical L’Jarius Sneed can retain his all-world form outside of Kansas City. Stay tuned,
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though.
The Titans also play in a tough AFC South with three promising young quarterbacks in CJ Stroud, Trevor Lawrence and Anthony Richardson. The Titans have far-and-away the worst roster in the division, adding more concern here.
11. Carolina Panthers
Carolina would be a bit higher on this list if not for the fact that they have football’s worst owner in David Tepper. But alas, the organization is still being held back by an over-his-head owner who has to learn to be hands-off.
2023 first overall pick Bryce Young is still an enigma. We don’t know if his tough rookie year was just a season of growing pains or if he’ll be a bust.
There is a nucleus to like on offense, though. Young has a trio of young, enticing weapons: Xavier Legette, Ja’Tavion Sanders, and Jonathan Brooks. If newcomers Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis come as advertised and upgrade the o-line, the Panthers could emerge as a contender sooner than we expect.
The Panthers are also low on this list because of the state of their defense. They traded superstar pass-rusher Brian Burns to the New York Giants, and star corner Jaycee Horn hasn’t been able to stay healthy.
There’s just a lack of quality difference-makers on defense here, so Young must hit superstar mode very soon if Carolina is to scratch its name off the list of non-Super Bowl-winning franchises.
10. Arizona Cardinals
Kyler Murray is the real-life version of Jekyll and Hyde. He’s almost MVP-caliber when he’s on his game…but maddeningly inconsistent and hard to watch when he’s not playing his best football.
But worse QBs have won Super Bowls, so we’re not overly worried about the position here. What we’re worried about is the lack of young star power and talent outside of Murray, tight end Trey McBride, and promising rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
Arizona still has a shaky offensive line and few impactful players on defense. All-Pro safety Budda Baker feels like someone who’s on borrowed time In The Desert as he enters his contract year.
The Redbirds have no proven game-wrecking pass-rushers and no premier shutdown corners. And don’t forget they play in a tough NFC West with the perennially contending San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, and a Seattle Seahawks club that’s always in the mix.
Like Tennessee, it’s not at all hard to envision the Cardinals’ Super Bowl-less drought lasting at least another decade.
9. Cleveland Browns
Browns fans may find this too low of a ranking, considering they went to the playoffs in 2023 with Joe Flacco as their QB. But the long-term outlook for this team isn’t, well, ideal.
Deshaun Watson hasn’t come close to living up to that fully guaranteed $230 million contract. If this is the Watson version the Browns will get, then they’re screwed.
Running back Nick Chubb is entering his contract year and coming off a serious knee injury, so it’s anybody’s guess how much more he’ll produce in Cleveland. Star wide receiver Amari Cooper also needs a new contract.
Superstar guard Joel Bitonio is entering his age-33 season, and stalwart offensive linemen Wyatt Teller and Jack Conklin will be in their 30s by the end of 2024.
Oh, and the Browns play in the toughest division in football right now. All three of their AFC North have superior young star power that will keep them in contention for years to come, meaning the Browns will not be short of obstacles to win their first Super Bowl.
It just feels like if they don’t win it all within the next two years, the window will shut, and another rebuild will commence. Hence, the Super Bowl-less drought will continue to drag on…
8. Atlanta Falcons
We know there’s no changing the past, but man, if the Falcons just held onto that 28-3 lead in Super Bowl 51…
Alas, the Falcons faithful are still awaiting the franchise’s first Lombardi Trophy nearly a decade later. What we can say is that with this current group, it’s the best chance the Falcons will have had at winning it all since the last time they made the postseason back in 2017.
The Falcons went 7-10 with lackluster quarterback play in 2023. Having signed Pro Bowl QB Kirk Cousins to lead the star-studded offense, Atlanta is finally in a good spot to contend for multiple championships.
Cousins Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts, and Drake London headline a deep offensive unit that boasts one of the best o-lines, led by Chris Lindstrom and Jake Matthews.
The defense should improve under new head coach Raheem Morris. Jessie Bates, AJ Terrell, and Grady Jarrett are a nice foundation to build around.
The Falcons’ window will stay open even longer if 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. proves to be a capable successor to Cousins. That’s a big “if,” though, and we’re still unsure if the Falcons made the right pick in taking Penix so early.
Atlanta also ranks higher than four other teams because they play in football’s worst division. It’s just…are they good enough to compete with the top dogs like the 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Detroit Lions in the NFC? Stay tuned…
7. Los Angeles Chargers
If there’s one thing that has held back the Bolts up to this point in the Justin Herbert era, it’s inept coaching. But that finally stands to change with the legendary Jim Harbaugh taking over the reins in La La Land.
Truth be told, the Bolts only cracked the top seven here because of Harbaugh and Herbert. A top-tier head coach and a superstar QB are the two main recipes for winning a championship, and the Chargers have both of those locked down.
The defense relies too much on aging veterans Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, and Derwin James. Also, the wide receiver corps is a giant question mark with both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams long gone.
That said, a Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt tandem at offensive tackle provides extra reason for optimism. If the Bolts can properly rebuild the defense and receiving corps over these next couple of years, they could finally return to AFC heavyweight status.
Playing in the same division as Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs ain’t easy, but a Harbaugh-Herbert tandem means that Los Angeles isn’t super far off from potentially winning a Super Bowl. The long-term outlook is very promising.
6. Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings are in a bit of a reset after letting Kirk Cousins walk to free agency. They used a pair of 2024 first-round picks on Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy and Alabama edge-rusher Dallas Turner, providing head coach Kevin O’Connell with a couple more potential long-term cornerstones.
What we like about Minny is the long-term outlook on offense. They extended Justin Jefferson, the best wide receiver in football, for $140 million over four years. Tight end TJ Hockenson and young wideout Jordan Addison ensure that McCarthy won’t be short of weapons when he takes over the reins.
We’d like to see them add a little more talent on defense, but Turner, Jonathan Greenard, and Ivan Pace are a nice foundation to build around. O’Connell is one of the best offensive minds in the game, so it’s not hard to project this offense to eventually develop into a top-10 unit.
With plenty of young talent on offense, the Vikings are set up nicely long-term. Now, let’s see if it eventually culminates in the franchise’s first Super Bowl.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars
2023 was supposed to be a big step forward for the Jaguars, who instead imploded late in the season to miss out on the playoffs.
We’re of the belief that Trevor Lawrence has yet to fully hit his ceiling. With Travis Etienne, Christian Kirk, Evan Engram, Gabe Davis, and Brian Thomas Jr. headlining a terrific set of playmakers, 2024 is the time for T-Law to break out and establish himself as a five-star QB.
The Jags’ D is a work in progress, but Travon Walker, Josh Allen, Foyesade Oluokun, and Arik Armstead lead a dangerous front seven that can take over a game on any given Sunday. If they can shore up the secondary, this defense could eventually grow into a top-five unit.
Oh, and the Jaguars just so happen to have a Super Bowl-winning head coach in Doug Pederson, who knows a thing or two about succeeding on the grand stage.
The pieces are in place for the Jags to become a perennial Super Bowl contender. We wanna rank them higher, but let’s see these guys live up to their sky-high potential first.
4. Buffalo Bills
After yet another heartbreaking loss to Kansas City in the 2023 Divisional Round, the Bills decided to reload. Gone are Stefon Diggs, Mitch Morse, Gabe Davis, Tre’Davious White, Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde.
In come Keon Coleman, Curtis Samuel, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Cole Bishop, and DeWayne Carter. GM Brandon Beane is taking a necessary short-term step back so that the Bills can take plenty more forward over the long haul.
Josh Allen is a top-five QB in the game. Hate on Sean McDermott all you want, but most teams would do anything to have him as their coach. As long as he’s in charge, Buffalo will constantly churn out a championship-level defense.
Bills fans just gotta trust that McDermott and Beane will properly reconstruct the roster around Allen — and that No. 17 will continue to produce no matter who his receivers are.
Buffalo has endured plenty of heartbreak already in the Allen-McDermott era. But they HAVE to break through eventually…right?
3. Houston Texans
All the Texans did in year one with rookies CJ Stroud, DeMeco Ryans, Will Anderson Jr., and Tank Dell was win 10 games, the AFC South, and a wild card game before falling to the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Round.
Stroud played like an MVP in his rookie year, yet he’s only going to get better — especially with Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon joining his offensive arsenal led by Dell and Nico Collins.
Anderson Jr., Derek Stingley Jr., Jalen Pitre, and Danielle Hunter are a tremendous “core four” on defense. With a defensive genius like Ryans in charge, this D has the potential to be a top-five group for years to come.
There isn’t a weakness in the Texans, who have too much young and veteran star power to not succeed again in 2024 and beyond. This is a long-term title contender that will soon bring H-Town its first-ever championship.
2. Cincinnati Bengals
In Joe Burrow’s two healthy seasons, the Bengals have played in a Super Bowl and two AFC Championship Games. You can’t buy clutch genes, confidence, swagger, or poise — and the Burrow-led Bengals have it.
Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase are a top-three QB-receiving duo. Tee Higgins may not be here long-term, but the Bengals can trust their superstar QB to make it work with anyone. Throw in a rapidly improving o-line and a stingy defense, and you have a Bengals team that should be in the mix for a long, long time.
Burrow’s Bengals have given Mahomes’ Chiefs more headaches than any other NFL team. Unlike the Bills, Cincinnati has shown that they can beat the mighty Kansas City squad, which bumps them up higher on this list.
If you ask us, the Bengals are more likely to win multiple Super Bowls with Burrow than they are to go ringless.
1. Detroit Lions
Bite off those kneecaps, Motown! Your team is closer than ever to breaking through with the franchise’s first Super Bowl.
In year three of the Dan Campbell, the Lions won their first division title in 30 years as well as their first playoff game in 32 years. If not for a couple of blunders in the NFC title game against San Fran, Detroit would have reached its first-ever Super Bowl a year ago.
There are no weaknesses on this Detroit team. Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, Penei Sewell, Frank Ragnow, and Taylor Decker round out a ridiculously deep offense that can bully its way through any defense.
Speaking of D, the Lions traded for Carlton Davis and drafted the promising Terrion Arnold in round one, adding much-needed secondary depth to help rising star Brian Branch. Aidan Hutchinson has come into his own as an elite pass-rusher, while 2023 first-round pick Jack Campbell quickly developed into a game-changing linebacker.
So much star power on both sides of the ball. Most of these players are in their early to mid-20s, meaning the window is wide open. Add it all up, and Dan Campbell’s squad is unquestionably the best bet to be the next team that removes themselves from the list of non-Super Bowl-winning franchises.
