(NEXSTAR) — The stage is nearly set for Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas and while most NFL teams have won Lombardi trophies, there are some teams that haven’t won — or even competed for — their own.
Across all 57 Super Bowls (this year’s is Super Bowl 58, in case you aren’t familiar with Roman numerals), there are a dozen teams that have yet to win big. Four of those have yet to even play in the Super Bowl.
Those teams are the Detroit Lions, the Cleveland Browns, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Houston Texans. The Browns made the playoffs this year, but were knocked out by the Texans during the Wild Card round. The Texans were then beaten by the Baltimore Ravens.
This season, the Lions reached the NFC Championship for the first time in 32 years, marking only the second such appearance in franchise history.
Here are the NFL teams that have played in the Super Bowl, but have yet to win, in order of their most recent appearances. We’ve also listed how many total appearances they’ve made:
- Minnesota Vikings: 4, last appearance 1977
- Buffalo Bills: 4, last appearance 1994
- Cincinnati Bengals: 3, last appearance 2022
- Carolina Panthers: 2, last appearance 2016
- Atlanta Falcons: 2, last appearance 2017
- Los Angeles Chargers: 1, last appearance 1995 (while playing in San Diego)
- Tennessee Titans: 1, last appearance 2000
- Arizona Cardinals: 1, last appearance 2005
The Bills — whose four Super Bowl losses were consecutive, starting in 1991 — fell two games short of another Super Bowl appearance after losing to the Kansas City Chiefs, 27-23, during the Divisional Round.
The New England Patriots, which have made the most Super Bowl appearances of any team at 11, have just a 6-5 record. That ties them with the Denver Broncos, who have a record of 3-5 in the big game, for the most Super Bowl losses.
The Patriots are also tied for the most Super Bowl wins with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have a 6-2 record when it comes to the final game of the NFL season.
As for the teams with a chance at playing in the big game this year, the Chiefs have a 3-2 Super Bowl record, the Ravens have a 3-1 record, and the 49ers have a 5-2 record. San Francisco has lost to both the Ravens and the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
FAQs
Four of them -- the Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars -- have never reached the big game, while five others have fallen short despite multiple title appearances. Here is a look at all 12 teams who have never won a title, along with their number of Super Bowl appearances.
What team has played in 4 Super Bowls but never won? ›
Which NFL team will be the first to win a Super Bowl? However, not every NFL team has won a Super Bowl. The Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings are tied for the most Super Bowl appearances without an actual victory (4).
Which teams have been to the Super Bowl 4 times and never won with one team losing 4 times in a row? ›
The record books also say the Buffalo Bills are the only team to play in four straight Super Bowls. Heck, only one other team -- the '71-'73 Miami Dolphins -- even made it to three in a row. But the Bills lost those four Super Bowls by an average score of 35-18.
How many NFL teams have never made a Super Bowl appearance? ›
Four NFL teams — the Browns, Lions, Jaguars, and Texans — have never appeared in the Super Bowl.
What is the only team to never go to the Super Bowl? ›
Four of those have yet to even play in the Super Bowl. Those teams are the Detroit Lions, the Cleveland Browns, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Houston Texans. The Browns made the playoffs this year, but were knocked out by the Texans during the Wild Card round.
Who is the only team to lose 4 Super Bowls? ›
Eight teams have appeared in Super Bowl games without a win. The Minnesota Vikings were the first team to appear four times without a win, while the Buffalo Bills played in a record four consecutive Super Bowls, losing in each. The Patriots and Broncos are tied for the most Super Bowl losses at five.
What is the oldest team to never win a Super Bowl? ›
The Cardinals are the oldest franchise (1920) that hasn't won a Super Bowl. The Lions (1930) are the second-oldest with a win, followed by the Browns (1950). Eight teams have appeared in a Super Bowl but have never won: Buffalo Bills (four appearances)
What is the oldest NFL team? ›
The Arizona Cardinals are the oldest established team in the NFL. They were established in 1898 as an independent team and joined the NFL in its founding year of 1920.
Who lost the most Super Bowls? ›
The New England Patriots and Denver Broncos are tied for the most Super Bowl losses with five each. The Patriots still have a winning record in Super Bowls at 6-5. The Broncos, however, are 3-5 in Super Bowl appearances.
Who is the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl? ›
The youngest head coaches to win the Super Bowl are Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay in 2022 and Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin in 2009. Both were 36 years old.
Gilbert did not play in his final game on an NFL roster. Gilbert is the only player in NFL history to be a member of five straight Super Bowl teams; four with the Bills (XXV–XXVIII) and one with the Chargers (XXIX). All five teams lost.
Which artist has the most watched halftime show so far? ›
At the top of the Super Bowl mountain stands Rihanna. Bad Girl Riri owns the record for the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show (121.017 million viewers).
What team has the most Super Bowl wins? ›
New England Patriots Pittsburgh Steelers
The Houston Texans are the youngest NFL franchise, joining the league in 2002. The Texans have not reached the Super Bowl in their 22 seasons, falling to the Baltimore Ravens in the 2023 AFC divisional round after beating the Cleveland Browns in the wild-card round.
What is the oldest NFL team without a Super Bowl? ›
The Cardinals are the oldest franchise (1920) that hasn't won a Super Bowl. The Lions (1930) are the second-oldest with a win, followed by the Browns (1950).
What is the only team in the NFL to neither host nor play in the Super Bowl? ›
The Browns are the only team in the league that has neither hosted the championship game nor participated in it. Cleveland is yet to host a Super Bowl. That's because it is not feasible to hold a game of that significance at the team's stadium due to the harsh winters in Ohio.
What team has played in the most Super Bowls? ›
