What NFL Teams Have Never Won A Super Bowl?

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The Super Bowl is the highest level of professional football in the United States, and just about every NFL team dreams of one day hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. Unfortunately, some teams have never had the chance to experience the thrill of winning a Super Bowl.

From perennial losers to new franchises, there have been a handful of NFL teams that have made the NFL playoffs but been absent from the Super Bowl victory party. The list of teams that have never won a Super Bowl is a mix of historic clubs and young upstarts, all of whom have yet to taste the ultimate glory of professional football.

From the Detroit Lions to the Jacksonville Jaguars, these teams have all come close to a Super Bowl victory but have yet to break through and win the big game.

As of January 2023, there are 12 NFL teams that have never won a Super Bowl:

Arizona Cardinals
Atlanta Falcons
Buffalo Bills
Carolina Panthers
Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Browns
Detroit Lions
Houston Texans
Minnesota Vikings
Tennessee Titans
Washington Football Team
Jacksonville Jaguars

Here’s a look at some of the teams who are yet to get their hands on the Super Bowl trophy…

Detroit Lions

After a slow start to their history, the Lions have been a consistent contender in the NFL since the 1950s. Since that time, Detroit has made the playoffs 29 times, but the Lions have been unable to climb over the championship hump. Despite high expectations after a 10-6 record in 1995, Detroit lost in the wild-card round of the NFL Playoffs. The team has made the playoffs in the two subsequent seasons but has lost in the wild-card round each time. While the Lions have been very competitive over the past couple of decades, they have struggled to break through in their division and are often left settling for wild-card berths.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Many people will look at the Jaguars and wonder how a team with so much talent has never made it to a Super Bowl. After all, Jacksonville has been a consistent threat to make noise in the AFC for over a decade now. With a young, talented roster led by a dynamic quarterback in Blake Bortles, the Jaguars have the talent to make a run at the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, they have yet to do so, likely because they’ve struggled to put it all together when it matters most. The Jaguars have been eliminated in the divisional round of the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, and they have not won a playoff game since 1999.

Houston Texans

The Texans have been one of the most consistent franchises in the NFL since they entered the league in 2002 as an expansion team. Houston has made the playoffs in eight of its 16 seasons and has won a single playoff game in each of their past two trips to the postseason. The Texans’ lone playoff win came in 2017 when they managed to defeat the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card Round. Unfortunately for Houston, though, they were eliminated by the Patriots the following week after a 34-16 loss. Although Houston has been close on a number of occasions, the team has yet to break through and make a serious run at a Super Bowl victory.

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals have made the playoffs only 8 times since their founding in 1920, and only twice in the last 30 years. Additionally, they have been playing in a tough division (NFC West) which has been dominated by teams such as the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks.

Cleveland Browns

The Browns’ history is full of heartbreak, particularly in regard to their inability to win a championship. Cleveland last won a title in 1964, but the team has been unable to get back to that level of success. The Browns have been a consistent playoff contender over the past few seasons, but they have been unable to get past the AFC Championship Game. After losing in the AFC Championship Game in both 2016 and 2018, the Browns have yet to reach the playoffs in consecutive seasons since returning to the league in 1999.

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons have been a consistent playoff team since Dan Quinn was hired as head coach in 2015. Atlanta won the NFC South in three of its four seasons under Quinn, but the team has been unable to win a playoff game in that time. The Falcons reached the Super Bowl in 2017 but were defeated by the Patriots in a dramatic game. The loss was particularly disappointing given that Atlanta blew a 28-3 lead and lost the game 34-28. While the Falcons’ collapse was historic, Atlanta still has plenty of promising young stars on the roster, so a Super Bowl victory may not be too far off.

Carolina Panthers

The Panthers were one of the most dominant teams in the NFL over the past decade, winning three consecutive NFC South titles from 2015 to 2017. Carolina reached the Super Bowl in 2015 and again in 2017, but the team was unable to win the championship. The Panthers were defeated by the Broncos in 2015 and the Patriots in 2017, but they have since lost a step, missing the playoffs in 2018. Carolina’s roster is aging, and the team may have missed an opportunity to win a title during its prime.

Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers have played in Los Angeles since 2017, but they trace their history back to the city of San Diego, where they spent their first 49 seasons as a franchise. The Chargers have been a playoff team in each of their past three seasons in Los Angeles, but they have yet to win a playoff game. Los Angeles has been unable to get past the Divisional Round of the playoffs, losing to the Patriots in 2017 and the Ravens in 2018.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans were one of the best teams in the NFL in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but they played in the AFC East at the time and struggled to make a run at a championship. Tennessee did make the Super Bowl in 1999 and went 14-2 in 2003, but the team lost each time. Over the past decade, the Titans have been a consistent playoff team, but they have not been able to break through and win a game in the postseason. Tennessee has lost in the Divisional Round of the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, and the team is in danger of missing the playoffs altogether this year.

Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals have been a consistent playoff team since 2001, but they have been unable to win a playoff game during that stretch. Cincinnati has lost in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs in each of the past three seasons and has not played in a conference championship game since 1990. The Bengals appear to be on their way to another playoff appearance this season, but their inability to win when it matters most may prevent them from ever winning a Super Bowl.

Minnesota Vikings

There are a few reasons why the Minnesota Vikings have not won a Super Bowl. One of the main reasons is that they have not had consistent success in the playoffs. The team has made it to the Super Bowl four times (1970, 1974, 1975, 1977) but have lost all four of them. Additionally, the Vikings have not had a lot of sustained success throughout the regular season, which is necessary to make it to the Super Bowl. Furthermore, the Vikings have had a history of having a strong defense but weak offense, which has made it difficult for them to compete with some of the more well-rounded teams in the league. They also have had some instability in terms of head coaches and front office. Finally, the Vikings have had some bad luck in the playoffs, losing close games and having some unfortunate injuries.

Washington Football Team

The Washington Football Team (formerly the Washington Redskins) has never won a Super Bowl for a variety of reasons. One of the main reasons is that the team has not had consistent success in the playoffs. The team has made it to the Super Bowl five times (1972, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1991) but have lost all five of them. Also, the team has struggled to find a consistent quarterback, which is critical for success in the NFL.