Power Ranking the Greatest Franchises in NFL History

With the New York Giants' victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, the Giants joined two very select clubs, the first being teams with at least five Super Bowl appearances and the second being the even more exclusive group of squads with four Super Bowl victories.

Now that the Giants have made that mark in history it's time to rank their place in it, so here's a gander at the power rankings for the 10 NFL franchises that have made at least a handful of trips to the National Football League's biggest game since the Super Bowl era began.

10. Miami Dolphins

Super Bowl Appearances: 5

Wins: 2 (VII, VIII)

Losses: 3 (VI, XVII, XIX)

It seems like eons ago that the Miami Dolphins were a championship team.

In NFL terms it has been, with Miami's last Super Bowl win capping off their perfect season in 1973 and their last appearance in the big game being Dan Marino's sole trip to the Super Bowl in 1985.

9. Denver Broncos

Super Bowl Appearances: 6

Wins: 2 (XXXII, XXXIII)

Losses: 4 (XII, XXI, XXII, XXIV)

The Denver Broncos are no strangers to the Super Bowl, having played in six of them, but until quarterback John Elway led Denver to two straight Lombardi Trophies at the end of his career the Broncos had experienced nothing but misery in the NFL's title game, including three losses in four seasons under Elway (with two of the games being absolute blowouts).

8. Washington Redskins

Super Bowl Appearances: 5

Wins: 3 (XVII, XXII, XXVI)

Losses: 2 (VII, XVIII)

Included among the Washington Redskins three Super Bowl victories in five tries are wins led by a pair of rather unlikely quarterbacks, as both Doug Williams (XXII) and Mark Rypien (XXVI) took the Redskins all the way to a world championship.

7. Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders

Super Bowl Appearances: 5

Wins: 3 (XI, XV, XVIII)

Losses: 2 (II, XXXVII)

While the Oakland Raiders last trip to the Super Bowl was one they'd as soon forget (a 48-21 pasting at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and they haven't won a championship in over 25 years, the Raiders get the nod here over the Redskins, if only because the then Los Angeles Raiders downed Washington 38-9 when the two teams met in Super Bowl XVIII.

6. New England Patriots

Super Bowl Appearances: 7

Wins: 3 (XXXVI, XXXVII, XXXIX)

Losses: 4 (XX, XXXI, XLII, XLVI)

Had the New England Patriots held on to win Super Bowl XLVI, they would likely rank much higher on this list. Their seven appearances in the Super Bowl are indeed impressive, but there's only so high you can rank on a list like this when you've lost more of the big games than you've won.

5. Green Bay Packers

Super Bowl Appearances: 5

Wins: 4 (I, II, XXXI, XLV)

Losses: 1 (XXXII)

The Green Bay Packers are one of the most storied franchises in the history of the National Football League, and their record in the NFL's most important contest has been impressive, from quarterback Bart Starr leading Green Bay to victory in the first Super Bowl to Aaron Rodgers doing the same with the Packers over 40 years later.

4. New York Giants

Super Bowl Appearances: 5

Wins: 4 (XXI, XXV, XLII, XLVI)

Losses: 1 (XXXV)

The New York Giants' victory over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI launches them into the rarefied air of four-time ring winners, and while the Giants didn't make an appearance in the first 20 Super Bowls they've certainly made their presence felt since, winning four times in five tries.

3. Dallas Cowboys

Super Bowl Appearances: 8

Wins: 5 (VI, XXII, XXVII, XXVIII, XXX)

Losses: 3 (V, X, XIII)

The Dallas Cowboys have been a Super Bowl mainstay almost since the game's inception, appearing in the Super Bowl a record eight times over a 25-year span.

The Cowboys are also tied for second in Super Bowl wins with five, but their three losses in the NFL's preeminent showdown keep Dallas stuck at third in this Supergroup.

2. San Francisco 49ers

Super Bowl Appearances: 5

Wins: 5 (XVI, XIX, XXIII, XXIV, XXIX)

Losses: 0

The only team in NFL history to appear in at least five Super Bowls and win them all, the San Francisco 49ers have been the model of perfection in football's biggest showdown.

Whether it was quarterback Joe Montana's miracle comeback in Super Bowl XIX, the biggest blowout in Super Bowl history in Super Bowl XXIV, or Steve Young's six touchdown passes in Super Bowl XXIX, the 49ers have always gotten the job done on the NFL's biggest stage.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers

Super Bowl Appearances: 8

Wins: 6 (IX, X, XIII, XIV, XL, XLIII)

Losses: 2 (XXX, XLV)

Much like with the Cowboys, when many people think Super Bowl they think the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are tied with Dallas for the most Super Bowl appearances with eight.

However, no National Football League team has more Super Bowl rings than the Steelers' six, including a pair of back-to-back titles in the 1970s. As much as it pains me to say it, the Pittsburgh Steelers reign supreme among the franchises that have played in the Super Bowl.