New
Nfl Legends Who Never Won A Super Bowl
Dan Marino lost the only Super Bowl he ever played in.
George Gojkovich/Contributor/Getty Images
- Many NFL greats fell short of winning the sport's greatest achievement: a Super Bowl.
- The Buffalo Bills' Jim Kelly led the team to four consecutive Super Bowls in the '90s but never won.
- Meanwhile, others like Cris Carter and Warren Moon never made it to the big game.
Winning the Super Bowl is what every professional football player strives to achieve.
But while many players have made their mark on the sport by winning a Super Bowl or two (or seven), there are plenty of great players who fell short of winning on football's biggest stage but still achieved legendary success.
Take Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton: He went to the Super Bowl three times in four years during the '70s with the Minnesota Vikings but was never able to secure a ring. Buffalo Bills Hall of Famer Jim Kelly faced a similar fate in the '90s, losing four consecutive Super Bowls.
On the other hand, the Kansas City Chiefs have had no problem securing Super Bowl rings — they're after their third consecutive win at Super Bowl LIX — and it's up to the Philadelphia Eagles to disrupt their legacy on February 9 at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
With the big game quickly approaching, we put together a (subjective) list of the greatest NFL players who never won a Super Bowl but definitely should have.
Julius PeppersJulius Peppers and the Carolina Panthers lost the Super Bowl in 2004.
Simon Bruty/Contributor/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images
Some players take a while to adjust to the demands of the NFL — Julius Peppers was not one of them. The defensive end and linebacker entered the league with a bang, winning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and setting the tone for the rest of his 17-season long career.
Although his only Super Bowl appearance came in 2004, where the Panthers lost to the New England Patriots 32-29, Peppers finished his career as a nine-time Pro Bowler and still holds the record for second-most forced fumbles and fourth-most sacks in NFL history.
In February 2024, he was announced as a first-ballot inductee to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Throughout his career, he played for the Panthers, Chicago Bears, and Green Bay Packers.
Junior SeauJunior Seau lost the Super Bowl in 1995 and 2007.
George Gojkovich/Contributor/Getty Images
Linebacker Junior Seau was a star who fell short with both the Patriots and Chargers in the Super Bowl.
Seau played an impressive 20 seasons in the NFL, during which he reached the Pro Bowl 12 times and tallied 56 sacks and 18 interceptions. He reached the Super Bowl twice in his career: once with San Diego in 1995 and later as a part of the undefeated 2007 New England Patriots squad which lost to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII.
The NFL star died by suicide in 2012 and was posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
Eric DickersonEric Dickerson never made it to a Super Bowl.
George Gojkovich/Contributor/Getty Images
Eric Dickerson sits atop the leaderboard for single-season rushing yards thanks to his 2,105-yard season in 1984, but he couldn't translate that success into a Super Bowl victory.
Throughout his 11 seasons, the Hall of Fame running back and his iconic googles made six Pro Bowls and rushed for more than 13,000 yards.
He never made it to a Super Bowl and lost in his only NFC Championship Game appearance during the 1985-1986 season to the Chicago Bears.
Warren MoonWarren Moon never made it to a conference championship.
William R. Sallaz/RETIRED/Contributor/Getty Images
Warren Moon is statistically one of the best quarterbacks ever, but he is rarely talked about ... likely because he never won a Super Bowl.
Throughout Moon's 17 seasons, he played for four different teams, threw for just under 50,000 passing yards, and tossed 291 touchdowns.
The Hall of Fame and All-Pro quarterback played in nine Pro Bowls but never reached even an AFC or NFC Championship, let alone the Super Bowl.
Terrell OwensTerrell Owens and the Philadelphia Eagles lost Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005 to the Patriots.
Al Messerschmidt/Staff/Getty Images
The NFL may never see another player as theatrical as Terrell Owens. The wide receiver put up incredible stats throughout his 15-season tenure — nearly 16,000 receiving yards and 153 touchdowns — but his indelible antics and the way he was known to divide locker rooms tend to stand out more to many.
His only Super Bowl appearance was with the Eagles in 2005, which they lost to the New England Patriots.
Cris CarterCris Carter never made it to a Super Bowl.
Joseph Patronite/Contributor/Getty Images
Cris Carter is regarded as one of the best wide receivers in NFL history, but he and the Minnesota Vikings never made it to the Super Bowl.
Carter started his career in 1987 as a fourth-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles, but truly began to shine after he joined the Vikings in 1990. Throughout his time in Minnesota, Carter led the team in receptions for 10 consecutive seasons. He was named to the NFL's All-Decade team of the 1990s and remains the sixth all-time leading receiver with 1,101 receptions.
Carter and the Vikings came the closest to a chance at winning the Super Bowl in the 1998 NFC Championship against the Atlanta Falcons, but a missed field goal allowed Atlanta to win in overtime. Carter later retired in 2002 after a brief stint with the Miami Dolphins and was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013.
Tony GonzalezTony Gonzalez never made it to a Super Bowl.
Streeter Lecka/Staff/Getty Images
Before Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce elevated the tight-end position to a new standard, Gonzalez was arguably the best in the game.
He never made it to a Super Bowl but came close during the 2012-13 season, when the Falcons competed against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship. Gonzalez made the Pro Bowl 14 of his 17 seasons and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
LaDainian TomlinsonLaDainian Tomlinson holds the record for most points scored in a single season.
John Cordes/Contributor/Sporting News Archive via Getty Images
LaDainian Tomlinson is widely considered one of the best running backs in NFL history, but he never made it to the Super Bowl.
In lieu of a Super Bowl victory, the Hall of Fame running back is remembered for numerous accolades including setting the single-season record for points scored (186), winning MVP in 2006, and appearing in five Pro Bowls.
In addition to his time spent with the Chargers and Jets, he is also known for his ambitious philanthropy.
Anthony MuñozAnthony Muñoz lost two Super Bowls with the Cincinnati Bengals.
George Gojkovich/Contributor/Getty Images
Anthony Muñoz is one of the greatest offensive linemen in NFL history, but he and the Cincinnati Bengals lost two Super Bowls to the San Francisco 49ers in 1982 and 1989.
Despite not winning a Super Bowl, Muñoz still boasts an impressive resume, being named to 11 consecutive Pro Bowls and earning 11 consecutive All-Pro selections.
Randy MossRandy Moss lost both Super Bowls he played in.
The Sporting News/Contributor/Sporting News via Getty Images
Randy Moss set multiple league records but lost both Super Bowls he played in.
Moss' legendary 14-season career included stints with five different teams and numerous accolades such as the single-season record for receiving touchdowns with 23.
Despite making Super Bowl appearances with both the Patriots and the 49ers, Moss and co. could never overcome the final hurdle and win it all.
Jim KellyJim Kelly played in four Super Bowls, but never brought home the trophy.
Owen C. Shaw/Contributor/Getty Images
Few people have been as close to winning a Super Bowl — and know the frustration of losing — better than Jim Kelly.
The Hall of Fame quarterback led the Bills to the playoffs in eight of his 11 seasons and to the Super Bowl four consecutive times from 1991 to '94 but couldn't win any of the four games.
Until Josh Allen set a new record in 2020, Kelly held the Bills' single-season record for the most touchdown passes thrown.
Fran TarkentonFrank Tarkenton led the Vikings to three Super Bowls in four years, but couldn't get the big win.
Focus on Sport/Contributor/Getty Images
Similar to Kelly, the Vikings' Fran Tarkenton made the Super Bowl three times in four years from 1973 to 1976 but left empty handed.
What's even worse is that he broke down during each performance, throwing multiple interceptions and failing to put up the kind of points required to win the Super Bowl.
The Hall of Fame quarterback is remembered as the original scrambler and at the time of his retirement, he held many league records, which are still impressive by today's standards.
Bruce SmithBruce Smith played in four Super Bowls with the Bills.
Focus on Sport/Contributor/Getty Images
Though an argument could really be made that the entire Buffalo Bills team from '91 to '94 deserved to win a Super Bowl, Bruce Smith is one of those players who leaves us scratching our heads as to how he never won.
The defensive end is the NFL's all-time sacks leader with 200 and a Hall of Famer, not to mention one of the fiercest defensive players to ever step on the field.
Dan MarinoDan Marino lost the only Super Bowl he ever played in.
George Gojkovich/Contributor/Getty Images
Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino is arguably the most prolific passer in NFL history, but he lost his lone Super Bowl game in 1985 to the 49ers.
Marino's sole Super Bowl appearance came the same season he threw for a jaw-dropping 5,084 passing yards — he was the first player to throw for more than 5,000 yards — and 48 touchdowns.
He did play in two other AFC championships, but never ended up making it back to the big show. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005.
Barry SandersBarry Sanders never won a Super Bowl.
Focus On Sport/Contributor/Getty Images
Barry Sanders has the fourth-most rushing yards in NFL history (15,269) but never won a Super Bowl.
Sanders was the first player in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his 10 seasons in the league. The closest Sanders ever got to the Super Bowl was the 1991 NFC Championship Game.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
Champ BaileyChamp Bailey played in his only Super Bowl in 2014.
Rich Kane/Contributor/Corbis/Icon Sports Wire via Getty Images
Champ Bailey is widely considered one of the best cornerbacks to ever play the game, but he and the Denver Broncos fell short of the Super Bowl title in a 43-8 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in 2014.
Still, Bailey holds the record for most defended passes in NFL history (203), he was a 12-time Pro Bowler, and he was chosen for the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 2000s.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019 as a first-ballot entry.
Larry FitzgeraldLarry Fitzgerald's only Super Bowl appearance came in 2009, where the Cardinals lost to the Steelers.
Mark Cornelison/Contributor/Lexington Herald-Leader/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
Eleven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald lost the only Super Bowl he ever played in.
Fitzgerald and the Arizona Cardinals lost 27-23 to the Pittsburgh Steelers at Super Bowl XLIII in 2009.
He spent all 17 seasons of his career with the Cardinals, amassing the second-most career receiving yards of all time (17,492) and the second-most receptions of all time (1,432).
Fitzgerald will be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026 and is expected to be first-ballot choice.
Read the original article on Business Insider
