(Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
Throughout sports history, there have been many phenomenally great Championship teams, no noticeable flaws from top to bottom. It's rare when everyone seems to be clicking on all cylinders and the list of genuine contributors includes all members of a team.
Other times, truly great players are so desperate to win that ever important title, they try and jump on a team or jumpstart their team late in their career only to fall short in their last true chance to climb that mountain (see: Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Jim Kelly, Dan Marino, Ted Williams, Eric Dickerson, Barry Bonds, etc.).
And then there are other times, when a team is very solid from top-to-bottom but has a major glaring hole that it is able to make up for with tremendous performances in other areas.
Teams where one player is so bad, the term mediocre would bring prideful tears to their eyes. Situations where a team has a completely dominant defense, and their Quarterback may be comparable to a Rex Grossman, but the team actually somehow ends up closing the deal.
Other times, there are instances in which a player contributes literally nothing to the cause, but gets to sport the hardware and enjoy the moment that men thousands of times greater will never be able to experience in their lives.
Not to take anything away from the actual accomplishments of these types of players, but let's take a look at some of the most undeserving sports champions in recent years (in no particular order).
Trent Dilfer QB, Baltimore Ravens (Super Bowl XXXV)
Playing in only 11 games in the 2000-2001 NFL season, Trent Dilfer had a terrible statistical season, throwing only 12 TD’s along with 11 INT’s, completing only 134 of 226 pass attempts (59.3%) for 1,502 yards to earn a dismal QB rating of 76.6.
Luckily for him, it did not matter. During that season, the Baltimore Ravens defense had one of the best seasons in NFL history, allowing a shocking 10.3 points a game, and finishing with a +23 turnover differential, both easily first in the league.
While accomplishing a feat for the first time ever in NFL history, the Ravens scored a touchdown on offense, defense, and special teams to help minimize the amount of times Trent Dilfer actually had to make plays in the game.
Dilfer finished completing 12 of 25 pass attempts for 153 yards and 1 TD while Ray Lewis went on to win the game’s MVP trophy. Essentially, this was an offense where a three and out was considered a successful possession.
And while Trent Dilfer is one of the classier guys to ever be in the NFL, the Ravens won the Super Bowl despite him.
Ben Roethlisberger QB, Pittsburgh Steelers (Super Bowl XL)
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