While teams like the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Kansas City Chiefs have racked up Super Bowl victories and made it look easy, quite a few teams are still trying to win their first Lombardi Trophy.
Over a third of the league’s teams have never won a Super Bowl, and four franchises have never even played in the big game. Let’s break down which squads are still searching for their first title.
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
Buffalo Bills Suffered Four Straight Super Bowl Losses
The most devastating inclusion on this list is the Buffalo Bills, who lost back-to-back-to-back-to-back Super Bowls from 1990 to 1994. They had every opportunity to hoist the Lombardi Trophy after winning four consecutive AFC Championship Games. To this day, they are the only team in NFL history to advance to four straight Super Bowls.
However, they couldn’t finish the job. 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 played on that stage: the Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, and Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Texans and Jags get a bit of a pass since they haven’t been around as long as the other squads. Houston’s first NFL season was 2002, while Jacksonville’s was 1995. However, it’s worth noting that the Carolina Panthers were also added as an expansion team in 1995, and they have played in two Super Bowls (although they haven’t won it yet). Still, it’s easier to understand why the Texans and Jaguars haven’t played in the big game.
Cleveland and Detroit, on the other hand, have been around way longer and also hold this distinction. The Browns won four NFL championships (1950, 1954, 1955, and 1964) and so did the Lions (1935, 1952, 1953, and 1957), but those predate the Super Bowl era, which began in 1967.
Oldest NFL Team Without A Super Bowl Win
The Arizona 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 haven’t won a Lombardi Trophy.
Twenty years before the first Super Bowl, 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
T7) Kansas City Chiefs (3)
- IV (1970) 23-7 vs. Minnesota Vikings
- LIV (2020) 31-20 vs. San Francisco 49ers
- LVI (2023) 38-35 vs. Philadelphia Eagles
T7) 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
T7) 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
T7) Washington Commanders (3)
- XVII (1983) 27-17 vs. Miami Dolphins
- XXII (1988) 42-10 vs. Denver Broncos
- XXVI (1992) 37-21 vs. Buffalo Bills
T10) Baltimore / Indianapolis Colts (2)
- V (1971) 16-13 vs. Dallas Cowboys
- XLI (2007) 29-17 vs. Chicago Bears
T10) Baltimore Ravens (2)
- XXXV (2001) 34-7 vs. New York Giants
- XIVII (2013) 34-31 vs. San Francisco 49ers
T10) Miami Dolphins (2)
- VII (1973) 14-7 vs. Washington Redskins
- VIII (1974) 24-7 vs. Minnesota Vikings
T10) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2)
- XXXVII (2003) 48-21 vs. Oakland Raiders
- LIV (2021) 31-9 vs. Kansas City Chiefs
T10) 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