Every season, every single NFL team goes out with the same objective in mind: to win the Super Bowl. You have your Super Bowl-winning dynasties, like the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, there are also teams that have never taken home a Super Bowl trophy and some that have never even made it that far.
Twelve NFL franchises haven’t won a Super Bowl as of 2022. Four of those franchises have never attended the Super Bowl, while eight of them have appeared at least once. In addition, five of the 12 teams who have never won a Super Bowl have suffered multiple defeats at the Super Bowl stage.
The Chiefs, Eagles, and Cowboys are among the recognizable teams that are once again in the race for the Lombardi Trophy at Super Bowl LVII. The Giants have clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2016, and the Bengals are back in the postseason after losing to the Rams in Super Bowl LVI.
Some teams are accustomed to competing on the major stage. However, for other people, the opportunity to compete for the Lombardi Trophy is extremely rare or even nonexistent. The 12 teams are listed below, along with a brief summary of how close each has been to winning the national championship.
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Minnesota Vikings
Despite four trips to the Super Bowl, the Vikings have failed to win the coveted championship. The team lost to the Chiefs in 1970, the Dolphins in 1974, the Steelers in 1975, and the Raiders in 1977 during each of its Super Bowl appearances in the 1970s. The last time Minnesota came close to winning the Super Bowl was in 2018 when the Vikings lost to the Eagles 38-7.
Buffalo Bills
From 1990 to 1993, the Buffalo Bills qualified for the Super Bowl four times in a row but lost each time. The first was a 20-19 defeat to the Giants, followed by defeats of 37-24 to Washington and 20-19 and 20-19 to the Cowboys in the Super Bowls. Since then, the Bills haven’t returned to the Super Bowl, but they did make it to the AFC Championship game in 2020, where they lost to the Chiefs.
Cincinnati Bengals
After three Super Bowl appearances, the Bengals are still vying for the Lombardi Trophy. In the 1980s, Cincinnati reached the championship game twice, in 1981 and 1988, but both times they fell to the 49ers. In 2022, the Bengals likewise advanced to the Super Bowl but lost to the Rams 23–20.
Atlanta Falcons
Despite making it to the Super Bowl twice, with an 18-year gap between each trip, the Falcons have never won. The first time around, the Broncos defeated the Falcons 34-19 to win handily. The following big game Atlanta played in came in 2017, which the Patriots won 34-28 in overtime. In the third quarter, the Falcons led 28-3 until New England staged an incredible comeback.
Carolina Panthers
In the history of their team, the Panthers twice reached the Super Bowl but came up short both times. The first occurred in 2003 when an Adam Vinatieri field goal with seconds remaining gave the Patriots a 32-29 victory over the Panthers. The Broncos triumphed 24-10 in 2015 after putting on a standout defensive display, which was the second loss for the Panthers.
Arizona Cardinals
In their lone Super Bowl participation in 2009, the Cardinals came dangerously close to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy but were defeated by the Steelers 27-23. Arizona has subsequently made several playoff appearances, even making it to the 2015 NFC Championship, but it has yet to claim its first Super Bowl victory.
The Cardinals may be in the running for a Super Bowl in the next year or two if Murray and a group geared for competition are successful. But despite competing for a berth in the fiercely competitive NFC West, this club continues to struggle with consistency concerns.
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans reached the Super Bowl in 1999, their first season with the new name, but were defeated by the Rams 23-16. The Titans were denied a Super Bowl triumph as a last-second Kevin Dyson dive to tie the game fell short. Since then, Tennessee has qualified for the playoffs nine times and has participated in two conference title games, but it has yet to return to the Super Bowl.
If the Titans want to win a Lombardi Trophy any time soon, they’ll need to find a better long-term quarterback. However, they remain closer than many.
Los Angeles Chargers
Philip Rivers, the Chargers’ all-time greatest passer, never led his team to the Super Bowl, but they did win the championship game in 1995. The Chargers faced off against the 49ers in the Super Bowl behind quarterback Stan Humphries, but lost 49-26. Since that Super Bowl participation, Los Angeles has only once advanced to the AFC Conference Final.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns haven’t participated in the Super Bowl since it was established in 1967. Before the 1990 season, Cleveland had won five conference championships, but they have only advanced to the postseason three times since then. In actuality, the Browns’ postseason absence lasted for 17 years, from 2003 to 2019.
Detroit Lions
The Lions have had little playoff success and have yet to win the Super Bowl. Detroit has only ever won one conference championship, in 1991, and has only made the playoffs 13 times overall. The Lions have had eight chances to win a playoff game since 1992, but they have yet to do so.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars have won three conference titles in the history of the team, but they have yet to win any of those games to make it to the Super Bowl. From 2008 to 2016, Jacksonville missed the playoffs. In 2017, they reached the conference championship but fell to the Patriots 24-20. Since then, the Jaguars have failed to reach the playoffs.
Houston Texans
The Texans have been around for 20 years, yet during that time they have never even made an appearance or won a Super Bowl. Six times, Houston has qualified for the playoffs, but it has never advanced past the divisional round. In its first eight seasons of existence, Houston also failed to reach the playoffs.
