Philip Rivers and the Top 5 NFL Quarterbacks Without a Super Bowl Ring

The careers of NFL quarterbacks, whether they like it or not, are defined by championships.  Those who don't win rings need to build their legacy with consistent winning seasons and eye-popping stats.

Once you get past the likes of Big Ben, Brady, Manning and Rodgers, there is a whole crop of signal-callers doing all they can to build a legacy and get their respective teams to the pinnacle of the sport.

Here are the top five NFL quarterbacks who do not own a Super Bowl ring.

5. Tony Romo

The bright lights of Dallas and weight of the star on his helmet put unbelievable pressure on Romo to be successful.

Statistically, when healthy, Romo is elite.  Nobody, not even Cowboy fans, can come to an agreement as to why Romo has not been able to get Dallas over the hump.  Time will tell whether big stats will be enough to keep Cowboy fans and Jerry Jones happy, or if the lone star state eventually calls for his head. 

4. Matt Ryan

Ryan has been everything we thought he would be when he came into the league—efficient but not spectacular.  He has put together a couple decent regular seasons, but like Romo, he cannot seem to get over the hump.  He's starting to build a reputation as a guy who can't win the big one, but one Super Bowl would change the perception of Matty Ice drastically.

3. Matt Stafford

It was only one season, but oh, what a season it was! We finally got to see what Stafford was capable of when at full health and with a dangerous arsenal of receivers at his disposal.

If Stafford can put together another campaign like 2011 and win a couple playoff games, he could be at the top of this list.

2. Michael Vick

Vick has been at or near the top of these lists ever since he came into the league.

In 2012, he'll have the best chance he's had in his career to get his name off this list, as the Eagles are arguably the most talented team on paper on the NFL.

Health will be key, but if all the pieces come together, this could be the season Vick gets that elusive championship.

1. Philip Rivers

Rivers is often sited as the most talented quarterback to come out of the 2004 draft class that including Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger.  Unlike those two, however, Rivers has not been able to collect any of that Super Bowl jewelry.

To get his name off this list, he'll need to have perhaps the best season of his career, and certainly one better than last year.  San Diego is in rebuilding mode and looks to be at least a season away from returning to serious contention.

So who did we miss?  Let's hear your thoughts!