While teams like the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Kansas City Chiefs have hoisted the Lombardi Trophy multiple times and made it look rather easy, there are quite a few teams that have never won a Super Bowl.
Believe it or not, a third of the league’s teams have never won the big game, and four franchises have never even played on that stage. Let’s break down which clubs are still searching for their first championship ring.
12 NFL Teams Have Never Won a Super Bowl
These are the dozen NFL teams without a Super Bowl win:
- Arizona Cardinals
- Atlanta Falcons
- Buffalo Bills
- Carolina Panthers
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Cleveland Browns
- Detroit Lions
- Houston Texans
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Minnesota Vikings
- Tennessee Titans
Some teams have a better excuse than others, as the Texans played their first season in 2002, while the Jaguars and Panthers debuted in 1995. However, for teams like the Cardinals (1920), Lions (1930), and Browns (1946), their fans have been extremely patient in waiting for their team to compete for a title. Detroit and Cleveland have never even played in the big game, making things even tougher for those fanbases.
But perhaps the most devastating inclusion on this list is the Bills, who lost four consecutive Super Bowls from 1990 to 1994. They are the only team in NFL history to advance to four straight Super Bowls and could have been a dynasty. Instead, they failed to win a single title despite having every opportunity to do so.
In Super Bowl XXV, Buffalo lost to the New York Giants, 20-19, when Scott Norwood’s kick went wide right. The following year, the Bills were defeated by Washington, 37-24. Finally, in Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII, the Dallas Cowboys blew out the Bills (52-17 in the first meeting and 30-13 in the rematch).
Four NFL Teams Have Never Played In A Super Bowl
Of the teams that have never won a Super Bowl, four have never even played in the big game: the Browns, Lions, Texans, and Jaguars.
Again, the Texans and Jags get a bit of a pass since they haven’t been around as long as the other squads.
Cleveland and Detroit, on the other hand, have been around way longer and also hold this distinction. It’s worth noting that the Browns won four NFL championships (1950, 1954, 1955, and 1964) and so did the Lions (1935, 1952, 1953, and 1957) back in the day, but those titles predate the Super Bowl era, which began in 1967.
Oldest NFL Team Without A Super Bowl Win
The Cardinals are the oldest NFL team without a Super Bowl win. The franchise has been in the NFL in some form since 1920, yet they have never held the Lombardi Trophy.
Twenty years before the Super Bowl era got underway, Arizona won an NFL title in 1947. The Cardinals did play in Super Bowl XLIII in 2009, but they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-23.
Most Super Bowl Wins By Team
T1) New England Patriots (6)
- XXVI (2002) 20-17 vs. St. Louis Rams
- XXXVIII (2004) 32-29 vs. Carolina Panthers
- XXXIX (2005) 24-21 vs. Philadelphia Eagles
- XLIX (2015) 28-24 vs. Seattle Seahawks
- LI (2017) 34-28 vs. Atlanta Falcons
- LIII (2019) 13-3 vs. Los Angeles Rams
T1) Pittsburgh Steelers (6)
- IX (1975) 16-6 vs. Minnesota Vikings
- X (1976) 21-17 vs. Dallas Cowboys
- XIII (1979) 35-31 vs. Dallas Cowboys
- XIV (1980) 31-19 vs. Los Angeles Rams
- XL (2006) 21-10 vs. Seattle Seahawks
- XLIII (2009) 27-23 vs. Arizona Cardinals
T3) San Francisco 49ers (5)
- XVI (1982) 26-21 vs. Cincinnati Bengals
- XIX (1985) 38-16 vs. Miami Dolphins
- XXIII (1989) 20-16 vs. Cincinnati Bengals
- XXIV (1990) 55-10 vs. Denver Broncos
- XXIX (1995) 49-26 vs. San Diego Chargers
T3) Dallas Cowboys (5)
- VI (1972) 24-3 vs. Miami Dolphins
- XII (1978) 27-10 vs. Denver Broncos
- XXVII (1993) 52-17 vs. Buffalo Bills
- XXVIII (1994) 30-13 vs. Buffalo Bills
- XXX (1996) 27-17 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
T5) Green Bay Packers (4)
- I (1967) 35-10 vs. Kansas City Chiefs
- II (1968) 33-14 vs. Oakland Raiders
- XXXI (1997) 35-21 vs. New England Patriots
- XLV (2011) 31-25 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
T5) New York Giants (4)
- XXI (1987) 39-20 vs. Denver Broncos
- XXV (1991) 20-19 vs. Buffalo Bills
- XLII (2008) 17-14 vs. New England Patriots
- XLVI (2012) 21-17 vs. New England Patriots
T5) Kansas City Chiefs (4)
- IV (1970) 23-7 vs. Minnesota Vikings
- LIV (2020) 31-20 vs. San Francisco 49ers
- LVI (2023) 38-35 vs. Philadelphia Eagles
- LVIII (2024) 25-22 vs. San Francisco 49ers
T8) Denver Broncos (3)
- XXXII (1998) 31-24 vs. Green Bay Packers
- XXXIII (1999) 34-19 vs. Atlanta Falcons
- 50 (2016) 24-10 vs. Carolina Panthers
T8) Los Angeles / Oakland Raiders (3)
- XI (1977) 32-14 vs. Minnesota Vikings
- XV (1981) 27-10 vs. Philadelphia Eagles
- XVIII (1984) 38-9 vs. Washington Redskins
T8) Washington Commanders (3)
- XVII (1983) 27-17 vs. Miami Dolphins
- XXII (1988) 42-10 vs. Denver Broncos
- XXVI (1992) 37-21 vs. Buffalo Bills
T11) Baltimore / Indianapolis Colts (2)
- V (1971) 16-13 vs. Dallas Cowboys
- XLI (2007) 29-17 vs. Chicago Bears
T11) Baltimore Ravens (2)
- XXXV (2001) 34-7 vs. New York Giants
- XIVII (2013) 34-31 vs. San Francisco 49ers
T11) Miami Dolphins (2)
- VII (1973) 14-7 vs. Washington Redskins
- VIII (1974) 24-7 vs. Minnesota Vikings
T11) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2)
- XXXVII (2003) 48-21 vs. Oakland Raiders
- LIV (2021) 31-9 vs. Kansas City Chiefs
T11) Los Angeles / St. Louis Rams (2)
- XXXIV (2000) 23-16 vs. Tennessee Titans
- LVI (2022) 23-20 vs. Cincinnati Bengals
T16) New York Jets (1)
- III (1969) 16-7 vs. Baltimore Colts
T16) New Orleans Saints (1)
- XLIV (2010) 31-17 vs. Indianapolis Colts
T16) Chicago Bears (1)
- XX (1986) 46-10 vs. New England Patriots
T16) Seattle Seahawks (1)
- XLVIII (2014) 43-8 vs. Denver Broncos
T16) Philadelphia Eagles (1)
- LII (2018) 41-33 vs. New England Patriots