Ranking the top 10 players without a Super Bowl ring
Katherine TerrellSep 20, 2026, 06:00 AM ET
- Katherine Terrell came back to ESPN to cover the New Orleans Saints in the summer of 2022. She left the company in 2019 after joining in 2016 to cover the Cincinnati Bengals. Katherine is a graduate of LSU and a Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native, and she has covered the NFL since 2013.
Every NFL player has the same goal: win a Super Bowl ring.
But football is the ultimate team sport, and with the exception of maybe someone such as Tom Brady, it's hard for one player to will his team over the championship finish line. In the NFL today, active players such as Baltimore Ravens' Calais Campbell (19th season) and New Orleans Saints' Cameron Jordan (16th season) are still chasing a Super Bowl ring. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (ninth season) has taken his team to the AFC Championship Game twice in eight tries and ran into Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs dynasty both times.
How hard is it to win a Super Bowl? We ranked 10 of the best retired players who played at least half their careers in the Super Bowl era but never won a ring. Some of them made multiple appearances in the big game and came up just short, while others never made it beyond the conference championship. The methodology, which utilized Pro Football reference approximate values, included ESPN analyzing the statistics and intangibles of players in the Super Bowl era who didn't win a ring and put together a list ranking the best of the best.
Here are 10 of the best players in NFL history who finished their careers without a Super Bowl win. Let's start with a Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback who spent his career with the Miami Dolphins.
COUNTDOWN TO SUPER BOWL LXI: ESPN will televise the Super Bowl for the first time in February. We are counting down to the big game with a Super Bowl Top 10 series -- featuring rankings on everything from best catches and performances to biggest upsets -- that will run every other Sunday leading up to Super Bowl LXI on Feb. 14, 2027.
No. 1: Dan Marino, quarterback
Teams played for: Miami Dolphins (1983-99)
What you might have forgotten: Marino's 1984 season was the gold standard for quarterbacks for years to come. Quarterbacks chased after Marino's single-season record of 5,084 passing yards for more than 20 years before Tom Brady and Drew Brees passed it in 2011. That 1984 season, Marino's second and his first full season as a starter, is still considered one of the best seasons by a quarterback. He led the NFL in passing attempts (564), completions (362), passing touchdowns (48), passing yards (5,084) and rating (108.9), among other records.
Number of Super Bowls Marino appeared in: 1 (Super Bowl XIX)
Just how close did he come to winning a ring? Marino came into Super Bowl XIX with a 14-2 record as a starter that season and an MVP award. Unfortunately, he had to face the San Francisco 49ers' Joe Montana in his prime. Both quarterbacks passed for more than 300 yards for the first time in the game's history, but Montana's 339 passing yards and 59 rushing yards were too much to overcome in a 38-16 win by the Niners.
The Dolphins made it to two more AFC Championship Games, and Marino didn't play well in either of them, finishing with a 54.9 passer rating in a 31-14 loss to the New England Patriots in the 1985 AFC Championship Game and a 56.5 passer rating in a 29-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the 1993 AFC Championship Game.
Marino retired with an 8-10 record in the playoffs after 17 seasons with the Dolphins.
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1982 Sugar Bowl a great memory for Marino
Marino said it: "That was the burning desire. That is what I played for," Marino said on the day he retired in March 2000. "That has been a dream of mine my whole career. I wanted to know -- as a player -- how it feels to win a Super Bowl."
Why Marino is ranked No. 1: Though Marino's postseason play could be cause for debate, at his peak, he put up numbers that would still be respectable among quarterbacks today in a league that favors offenses. His 1984 season is among the greatest for a quarterback, but it ended without a ring due to the performance of another future HOF quarterback.
No. 2: Barry Sanders, running back
Teams played for: Detroit Lions (1989-98)
What you might have forgotten: The 5-foot-8 running back was picked third by the Lions in the 1989 draft, selected by a team whose last playoff win was 34 years before he got there. Sanders never had a Pro Bowl quarterback in his pro career, but he ran behind All-Pro left tackle Lomas Brown.
Sanders, whose elusive running style gave defenses fits, abruptly retired on the eve of the 1999 season after making 10 All-Pro teams and winning two NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors and a shared MVP award with Brett Favre in 1997. Sanders retired with 15,269 rushing yards, the second most in NFL history at the time and still fourth all time. His 18,190 yards from scrimmage ranks seventh.
Number of Super Bowls appeared in: 0
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Sanders modeled his game off of Dorsett
Just how close did he come to winning a ring? Sanders' third season was his best chance for a Super Bowl appearance after the Lions made it to the NFC Championship Game, but the Lions were soundly defeated 41-10 by Washington. Sanders rushed only twice in the second half and finished with 11 carries for 44 yards. The Lions' 38-6 win against the Dallas Cowboys in the 1991 NFC divisional round was their last playoff win until the 2023 season.
Sanders said it: "I had already achieved a level of success that gave me much satisfaction and pride. I didn't need to pass Walter [Payton and the career rushing record] to prove that to myself," Sanders wrote in his book: "Barry Sanders: Now You See Him ... His Story in His Own Words."
Why Sanders is ranked No. 2: Sanders left the game with the impression that he still had a lot more to give. His career is full of what-ifs -- what if he had played longer, or for a more successful team? While 30 is often considered an age in which running backs decline, Sanders had 1,780 all-purpose yards that final season. He never reached the physical point of no return -- he simply chose to walk away.
No. 3: Anthony Munoz, left tackle
Teams played for: Cincinnati Bengals (1980-92); Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1993 preseason)
What you might have forgotten: When Munoz went into the Hall of Fame in 1998, he was described as "one of the most dominant offensive tackles in NFL history." Munoz was a big reason the Bengals had a run of sustained success in the 1980s. With Munoz paving the way for quarterback Ken Anderson, the Bengals' offense transformed from a bottom-two unit in his first season to a top-three group in Year 2.
Number of Super Bowls appeared in: 2 (Super Bowl XVI, XXIII)
Just how close did he come to winning a ring? The Bengals were one of many teams that lost to Montana and his Super Bowl successes with the Niners. Cincinnati turned the ball over four times in a 26-21 loss to San Francisco in Super Bowl XVI. The Bengals faced Montana again in Super Bowl XXIII, and he took the Niners on a 92-yard scoring drive late in the fourth quarter to win 20-16.
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Munoz pushes rehab in order to play in the Rose Bowl
Munoz said it: Last year on the "NFL Players Second Act Podcast," Munoz said all he wanted was a chance despite his injury history. The Bengals gave it to him, and three days into camp, the third pick in the 1980 draft realized he had greater ambition. "I told myself, I don't only want to compete, I want to be the best. I want to be a Pro Bowler every year," he recalled.
Why Munoz is ranked No. 3: How much impact can a left tackle have? The Bengals had seven top-10 offenses and four playoff appearances when he was there, and their 1990 win in the AFC wild-card round was their last playoff victory until the 2021 season. But Munoz, who earned 11 consecutive All-Pro and Pro Bowl nods, wasn't just a great tackle. He caught four touchdown passes and had a long career despite multiple knee surgeries before he turned pro. Munoz was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary team in 2019.
No. 4: Dick Butkus, linebacker
Teams played for: Chicago Bears (1965-73)
What you might have forgotten: Mean, tough and nasty are just some of the adjectives to describe the linebacker. He had the shortest career of anyone on this list, playing nine years and 119 games. Butkus retired in 1973 at 31 because of injuries, but he left a huge legacy in his brief NFL career. Butkus wasn't going to set any sprint records, but his sideline-to-sideline speed and ferocity struck fear in his opponents.
What made Butkus different? Beyond his terrifying on-field demeanor, he had a knack for getting to the ball. According to Pro Football Reference, he finished his career with 22 interceptions and 25 fumble recoveries, including seven recovered as a rookie. Forced fumbles were not a tracked statistic in the era he played.
Number of Super Bowls appeared in: 0
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Chris Berman: No player intimidated opponents more than Dick Butkus
Just how close did he come to winning a ring? Not close at all. The Bears had a losing season during six of his eight seasons in the Super Bowl era and finished 1-13 in 1969, the season he won the first of his two NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards and got six votes for MVP.
What was said about Butkus: "He is the most intense player I have ever seen. Butkus is the Bear defense," Green Bay Packers quarterback Bart Starr said in 1979.
Why Butkus is ranked No. 4: He commanded so much respect that he received MVP votes three times -- an unusual feat for his position and his team's place at the bottom of the league -- and he did it on a right knee so badly injured that he sometimes used crutches right up until game time.
No. 5: Bruce Smith, defensive end
Teams played for: Buffalo Bills (1985-99); Washington (2000-03)
What you might have forgotten: If Brady's 89,214 career passing yards is the new modern standard that quarterbacks dream of reaching, then Smith's 200 sacks is its defensive counterpart. Smith was compiling double-digit sack seasons long after many of his counterparts had retired. He had his 200th and final sack at age 40, one of only three players in league history to record a sack at that age.
Number of Super Bowls appeared in: 4 (Super Bowl XXV, XXVI, XXVII, XXVIII)
Just how close did he come to winning a ring? "Wide right." The first of Smith's four Super Bowl appearances ended in a 20-19 loss to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXV due to a missed field goal attempt. Smith sacked Giants quarterback Jeff Hostetler in the end zone for a safety in the second quarter. Smith started three more Super Bowls for the Bills, but all of them were lopsided losses.
What was said about Smith: "You had to know where he was on the field at all times," quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who was sacked 12.5 times by Smith, told ESPN in 2016. "He was just such a physical presence, played with such great intensity, had such great speed that he could single-handedly ruin a game if you didn't pay close attention to him."
Why Smith is ranked No. 5: Let's just say 200 sacks speaks for itself. Smith had a rare combination of durability and longevity that kept him at the top of his game through his career. Smith played in 279 games and forced 45 fumbles (7th all time). He was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year twice and received votes for the award nine times. Smith was named to the NFL's 100th anniversary team.
No. 6: Tony Gonzalez, tight end
Teams played for: Kansas City Chiefs (1997-08); Atlanta Falcons (2009-13)
What you might have forgotten: Tight ends such as Rob Gronkowski, Travis Kelce and Jimmy Graham became stars in the NFL because of their receiving abilities. But Gonzalez paved the way for the modern tight end, creating mismatches due to his 6-foot-5 frame.
Gonzalez could line up all over the field, box out defenders and become a nightmare in the red zone during an era before it was typical to use a tight end in that fashion. Gonzalez put up receiving numbers comparable to the game's best wideouts and still ranks sixth with 15,127 receiving yards.
He only got better as he aged. Gonzalez made the Pro Bowl in each of his final 15 seasons, fumbled once in his final 14 seasons and averaged less than 10 yards per reception only once in his career. After his second season, he never had fewer than 60 receptions in any season and missed only two games in his career.
He was still so good at 36 that the Falcons' front office lobbied for him to come back when he was mulling retirement. He returned for one more season, catching 83 passes for 859 yards and eight touchdowns against much younger defenders.
Number of Super Bowls appeared in: 0
Just how close did he come to winning a ring? Gonzalez got his first and only playoff win in his final season when the Falcons beat the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC divisional round. Gonzalez had a second-quarter touchdown that put Atlanta up by 10 points going into halftime of the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers, but the Falcons lost 28-24. Gonzalez caught all eight of his targets in that game.
What was said about Gonzalez: "When you look at how we utilized him as a weapon, there's a lot of tight ends in the game today that are doing those things that we first started with Tony," former Chiefs quarterback Trent Green said in a segment counting down the NFL's Top 100 Greatest Players.
Why Gonzalez is ranked No. 6: Gonzalez still holds the record for most receiving yards and receptions by a tight end and is second in touchdowns (111) and games played (270). If he isn't the greatest tight end, he is certainly among the very best.
No. 7: Alan Page, defensive tackle
Teams played for: Minnesota Vikings (1967-78); Chicago Bears (1978-81)
What you might have forgotten: Page was the most decorated of the famed Purple People Eaters defensive front in the 1960s and 1970s, swarming quarterbacks in the NFC North for a decade. In 1971, he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year and the league's first defensive MVP, a feat only Lawrence Taylor has accomplished since Page retired in 1981. What made Page great wasn't just the sacks, although he had a lot of them, at least unofficially. According to Pro Football Reference, Page had 148.5 sacks in 15 seasons, including an 18-sack season in 1977, ranking eighth on the unofficial list.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame also credits him with 23 fumble recoveries and 28 blocked kicks.
Number of Super Bowls appeared in: 4 (Super Bowl IV, VIII, IX, XI)
Just how close did he come to winning a ring? The Vikings were heavy favorites against the Chiefs in Super Bowl IV after finishing the regular season with the league's top offense and defense. But the game wasn't even close, as the Chiefs quickly pulled away for a 23-7 upset.
Page said it: "A defensive player should think of himself more as an aggressor, not as a defender," Page said in a write-up by the Hall of Fame.
Why Page is ranked No. 7: The MVP award hasn't gone to any player but a running back or quarterback since Taylor won the honor in 1986. That statistic alone shows how hard it is for a defensive player to be a part of the conversation, and Page's 1971 season was stellar. The Associated Press credited him with 109 solo tackles, 10 sacks and three safeties. But it wasn't just that one season for Page. He was a key part of a Vikings defense that allowed the fewest points in the league for three straight seasons and was a top-five scoring defense for seven of his seasons.
No. 8: Deacon Jones, defensive end
Teams played for: Los Angeles Rams (1961-71); San Diego Chargers (1972-73); Washington (1974)
What you might have forgotten: One of the NFL's most prolific pass rushers played in an era when sacks weren't counted. Jones has claimed he coined the term "sack" to describe what it meant to take down a quarterback.
The "Secretary of Defense," as he was later known, joined the Rams as a 14th-round draft pick. Though sacks didn't become official until 1982, Pro Football Reference estimates he had 173.5 in his career, which would have put him No. 3 on the all-time list. Jones popularized the "head slap" technique to slow down offensive linemen on his way to the quarterback, and as a result, it was banned by the NFL after he retired following the 1974 season.
Number of Super Bowls appeared in: 0
Just how close did he come to winning a ring? Not close. The Rams made two playoff appearances during Jones' tenure and had successful seasons, but lost both of their games in the NFC divisional round. He made the playoffs in his final season with Washington, but finished his career with another divisional loss.
Jones said it: "Sacking the quarterback is just like you devastate a city or you cream a multitude of people," Jones said in a 1984 interview. "It's like you put all of the offensive players in one bag, and I just take a baseball bat and beat on the bag."
Why Jones is ranked No. 8: Jones was one of six players, including Butkus and Page, to be unanimously voted onto the NFL's All-Time team. Jones was one of the best pass rushers in the game, and unofficially had three seasons of at least 20 sacks, according to Pro Football Reference.
No. 9: LaDainian Tomlinson, running back
Teams played for: San Diego Chargers (2001-09); New York Jets (2010-11)
What you might have forgotten: No running back has come close to touching Tomlinson's single-season records of 28 rushing touchdowns and 31 all-purpose touchdowns set in his 2006 MVP season. Tomlinson led the league that season with 1,815 rushing yards and an average of 113.4 rushing yards per game. Tomlinson retired with 13,684 rushing yards (7th all time), 18,456 yards from scrimmage (6th all time) and 162 total touchdowns (3rd all time).
Number of Super Bowls appeared in: 0
Just how close did he come to winning a ring? Tomlinson reached the AFC Championship Game twice, in 2007 with the Chargers and 2010 with the Jets. But the Chargers matched up against a Patriots team that went to the Super Bowl with an 18-0 record (before falling to the Giants). Tomlinson left that game after one series because of a knee issue.
Tomlinson said it: "Those were championship days, for not only myself and my teammates, but my family as well," Tomlinson said when he retired. "So, I'm OK with never winning a Super Bowl championship. I know we've got many memories that we can call championship days."
Why Tomlinson is ranked No. 9: The Chargers had HOF-caliber quarterbacks in Brees and later Phillip Rivers, but they asked a lot of Tomlinson when those two were starting their careers. Tomlinson always responded, leading the league twice in touches in his first two seasons and then in yards and touchdowns in Rivers' first two seasons as a starter.
There was little he couldn't do. Tomlinson could pass protect, run routes and excel in short yardage (74 of his 162 touchdowns were 3 or fewer yards). And 68 touchdowns were the go-ahead or tying score. He could throw touchdowns as well, with seven career passing TDs, including one to Brees in 2003.
No. 10: Randy Moss, wide receiver
Teams played for: Minnesota Vikings (1998-04, 2010), Oakland Raiders (2005-06), New England Patriots (2007-10), Tennessee Titans (2010), San Francisco 49ers (2012)
What you might have forgotten: Moss was a force from the moment he stepped on a field. He led the league in touchdowns as a rookie, earned NFL Rookie of the Year honors and got MVP votes at age 21. Moss led the league in touchdowns five times, including a personal-best 23 touchdowns during his first season with the Patriots in 2007. He also threw two touchdown passes and had a punt return for a touchdown. Moss still holds records for most receiving touchdowns in a season (23) and most receiving touchdowns in a rookie season (17). He is fourth in receiving yards (15,292) and second in receiving touchdowns (156).
Number of Super Bowls appeared in: 2 (Super Bowl XLII, XLVII)
Just how close did he come to winning a ring? A David Tyree helmet catch away. Moss had five catches and a touchdown in the Patriots' unforgettable loss to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII, but that wasn't his only Super Bowl appearance. He was also on the Niners team that lost 34-31 to the Baltimore Ravens during Super Bowl XLVII. In his rookie season, the 15-1 Vikings missed a field goal attempt that would have sealed the 1998 NFC Championship Game. (The Falcons beat them in OT.)
What was said about Moss: "In a lot of ways, he was the Michael Jordan of offenses in our league. He was a special player for a long, long time," Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said after Moss' first retirement in August 2011.
Why Moss is ranked No. 10: When analyzing Moss' career, the controversies will inevitably be remembered, such as the "When I want to play, I'll play" comments during the 2001 season. But what has been forgotten is how Moss changed the game after his brilliant rookie season. The Packers selected defensive backs with their first three picks in the 1999 draft to match up with the 6-foot-4 phenom. Teams specifically began developing coverages to stop one of the best deep threats ever.
Moss caught 77 passes from 11 different quarterbacks in the regular season that went for at least 40 yards or more (46 of them for touchdowns). Moss didn't have the longevity of some of the iron man linemen on the honorable mention list (although, he had a long career), but when he was at his best, he was practically unstoppable. There's a reason "You Got Mossed" is still used to describe spectacular plays to this day.
Honorable mentions
(Listed in no particular order)
Jim Otto, center: "Mr. Raider" played 15 seasons in Oakland and never missed a game in 210 starts. Otto's consistency and toughness put him in a rare category, and he played through a multitude of injuries. He anchored an offensive line that had several future HOFers and earned postseason honors for his first 13 seasons. His lone appearance in the title game was a 33-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl II.
Bruce Matthews, center/guard/tackle: Matthews played 19 seasons and 296 regular-season games, with his 293 starts trailing only Favre and Brady. Matthews' most unique quality was his versatility, as he could play anywhere on the line and made Pro Bowls at multiple positions. He didn't make it to the Super Bowl until his 18th season, when the Titans lost to the St. Louis Rams 23-16.
John Randle, defensive tackle: Randle went undrafted due to his 6-foot-1 and 240-pound size, but proved any doubters wrong during a 14-year career with the Vikings and Seahawks. He was a first-team All-Pro for six straight seasons from 1993 to 1998. He had eight straight seasons of double-digit sacks and finished with 137.5 sacks, the most all time by a defensive tackle.
Junior Seau, linebacker: Seau played 20 seasons and 268 games for the Chargers, Dolphins and Patriots. Seau was dominant in his Chargers years from 1990 to 2002, being named to 12 Pro Bowls and making eight All-Pro lists. He appeared in two Super Bowls, including the Chargers' lone Super Bowl, a 49-26 loss to the Niners in Super Bowl XXIX.
Fran Tarkenton, quarterback: Tarkenton was a dual-threat quarterback long before it was in style. In 18 seasons with the Vikings, he passed for 47,003 yards and ran for 3,674 yards. He led the Vikings to three Super Bowl appearances and held the NFL records for attempts, completions, yards and passing TDs until Marino eclipsed them.
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