A dozen NFL teams are still on the hunt for their first Super Bowl triumph – and four are just looking for their first trip to the title game, period.
Winning the Super Bowl is everything when it comes to the NFL, but for a dozen franchises, that dream has yet to be realized.
For every historically successful team like the Patriots, Steelers, 49ers and Cowboys, there’s an also-ran still trying to climb the mountain. It’s not an easy trophy to win by any means, and so for this group of 12 teams (as of 2024), the wait could go on and on.
The 12 NFL Teams Without a Super Bowl Win
Glory isn’t for anybody. Presented in alphabetical order, here are the teams that have yet to win it all and be crowned NFL champions in the Super Bowl era:
Arizona Cardinals
Arizona took part in one of the craziest Super Bowls ever but ultimately fell short against the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-23 in Super Bowl XLIII (Feb. 2009). That’s the extent of their Super Bowl experience and was the closest the great Larry Fitzgerald ever got to lifting the Lombardi.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons had it all sewn up against the mighty New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI (Feb. 2017) — until they didn’t. Instead, the Falcons famously blew a 28-3 third-quarter lead and fell in overtime 34-28 (the first Super Bowl to ever go to OT), becoming a footnote in another one of Tom Brady’s championship chapters.
Prior to that, Atlanta was handled with considerable ease by John Elway’s Denver Broncos, 34-19 in Super Bowl XXXIII (Jan. 1999).
Buffalo Bills
Poor Buffalo. Four straight years in the 1990s, the Bills won the AFC championship. And four straight years the Bills lost the Super Bowl.
It started with Scott Norwood’s infamous wide-right kick that sealed a 20-19 loss to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXV (Jan. 1991). The following year, the Bills fell behind 24-0 to Washington and lost 37-24 in Super Bowl XXVI (Jan. 1992).
The following two seasons ended the same way: lopsided Super Bowl defeats to the Cowboys. The 52-17 drubbing in Super Bowl XXVII (Jan. 1993) is tied for the third-most lopsided result in Super Bowl history, which made the 30-13 loss in Super Bowl XXVIII (Jan. 1994) appear tame by comparison. Buffalo actually led the latter 13-6 at halftime before getting skunked in the second half.
There’s renewed hope with QB Josh Allen at the helm, but the Bills have yet to taste the ultimate triumph.
Carolina Panthers
For a relatively young franchise (est. 1995), the Panthers have made it to the Super Bowl twice, but they’ve fallen both times. In Super Bowl XXXVIII (Feb. 2004), they became the Patriots’ second victim in three seasons in a game that featured scoreless first and third quarters yet still wound up 32-29.
In Super Bowl 50 (Feb. 2016), they lost to Peyton Manning’s Broncos, after a 15-1 regular season and Cam Newton’s MVP run ultimately not being enough to overcome a ruthless Denver defense.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals have made it to the title game on three occasions, falling by a combined 12 points in the three defeats. The first two times, Super Bowl XVI (Jan. 1982) and Super Bowl XXIII (Jan. 1989), they succumbed to Joe Montana’s 49ers. No shame in that.
The most recent loss was to Matthew Stafford’s L.A. Rams in Super Bowl LVI (Feb. 2022), a game they were primed to win until Cooper Kupp caught his second TD of the game with 1:25 to go to seal a 23-20 triumph for a team playing in its home stadium.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns never won the Super Bowl before departing for Baltimore to become the Ravens in 1996, and they have never reached the Super Bowl since relaunching a franchise in Cleveland in 1999. All of their title success predates the Super Bowl era.
Detroit Lions
The Lions are among the top contenders now, but they’ve still never made it to the Super Bowl in their history. Collapsing despite holding a 17-point halftime lead on the 49ers in the 2023 NFC Championship game was the latest blow for a title-starved franchise.
Houston Texans
The Texans have never reached the Super Bowl, but they’re forgiven to a degree, given that they’re a team that’s only been around since 2002. That’s still over 20 years of futility, but they lack the baggage and history of the other also-rans and are optimistic that with C.J. Stroud at quarterback, postseason glory will follow.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars have reached the AFC Championship game on three occasions (1996, 1999, 2017), but they’ve never made it all the way to the Super Bowl. Regardless of whether Myles Jack was down vs. the Patriots in ‘17 or not, the Jags are still seeking that first berth in the title game.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers, back when they were in San Diego, were absolutely manhandled by Steve Young, who had a Super Bowl-record six TD passes in a 49-26 thrashing in Super Bowl XXIX (Jan. 1995). They haven’t been back since.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings match the Bills with four Super Bowl defeats, which is a distinction that no team is proud of holding. Minnesota’s Super Bowl sadness came in the 1970s, with double-digit losses to the Chiefs (Super Bowl IV; Jan. 1970), Dolphins (Super Bowl VIII; Jan. 1974), Steelers (Super Bowl IX; Jan. 1975) and Raiders (Super Bowl XI; Jan. 1977). The Vikings didn’t top seven points in those first three losses.
They nearly made it back to the Super Bowl to cap the 1998 season, but Gary Anderson’s first missed kick of the season gave the Falcons the opening they needed to stun the top-seeded Vikings, who were 15-1 in the regular season.
Tennessee Titans
The Titans lost the lone Super Bowl in which they’ve played by a literal yard, falling to the St. Louis Rams in one of the wildest finishes ever in Super Bowl XXXIV (Jan. 2000). Kevin Dyson was tackled at the one-yard line on the game’s final play, sealing a 23-16 defeat.
It was Dyson who scored on the Music City Miracle, the last-gasp kick return that sparked Tennessee’s run to the championship game.
How Do Super Bowl Records Impact Fantasy Football?
Winning the Super Bowl doesn’t necessarily have a direct impact on fantasy football, but generally speaking, the best teams are going to feature the best and most prolific players.
So if you can pinpoint the best and most explosive teams in the NFL, then you can pick off the top skill-position players on those teams for your fantasy squads. It’s not a foolproof method necessarily, but it is a good starting point, especially if you’re a fantasy football beginner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which team has won the most Super Bowls?
The Patriots and Steelers each have six Super Bowl wins, followed by the Cowboys and 49ers with five apiece.
How many NFL teams have never been to a Super Bowl?
Four franchises have never been to a Super Bowl: The Browns, Lions, Texans and Jaguars.
Which team won the first Super Bowl?
The Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl I, a 35-10 triumph in January 1967 that allowed coach Vince Lombardi to lift a trophy that would go on to be named after him.
Chase Fantasy Super Bowl Success With Sleeper
If reading this gives you Super Bowl fever, then chase your own trophy by playing fantasy football with Sleeper. You can start either by signing up on the website or downloading the app, where you can play free season-long fantasy leagues or Sleeper Picks, a paid-entry Daily Fantasy Sports contest.
Sleeper offers a unique and ad-free user experience, with customization options that allow you and your friends to cater your league to your specific liking.
