NFL: Power Ranking the Top 25 QBs Never to Win a Super Bowl
The NFL quarterback may be the toughest position to play in all of sports. Although not the most physically gifted athletes in general, they have to be the mentally toughest player on the team. They need to control their emotions, for the entire team feeds off their leadership and command.
We consistently praise those who win it all—as we should. Many wanted to crown Peyton Manning the greatest quarterback ever, but until he won his ring, thousands upon thousands of people knocked him—they knocked him down in that ‘Dan Marino’ category—great, but never able to win a ring.
Not everyone can win a Championship. There are dozens upon dozens of elite players in all sports who retired without ever winning a Championship.
Marino is the most notable in the world of football. Where does he rank on my list of the top 25 quarterbacks who never won a Super Bowl?
Honorable Mention
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Ron Jaworski
“Jaws” is best known for his analysis and commentating on ESPN (which I thoroughly enjoy), but he was also a quality quarterback during his time.
He known for his time with the Philadelphia Eagles, the team he represented in his only Pro Bowl in 1980.
He threw for over 28,000 yards, 179 touchdowns and 164 interceptions. He led the Eagles to their first Super Bowl appearance, though they lost to the Oakland Raiders.
Jim Hart
Jim Hart threw for 34,665 yards, 209 touchdowns and 247 interceptions. He played for two teams, the St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Redskins.
He was selected to four-straight Pro Bowls from 1974-1977 and was also elected the 1974 NFC Offensive Player of the Year.
Despite three straight seasons with at least 10 victories, he never reached the Promised Land aka Super Bowl.
Steve DeBerg
Steve DeBerg’s career spanned three decades as he played in the league for 21 seasons. He bounced around the league, playing for San Francisco, Denver, Tampa Bay twice, Kansas City, Miami and Atlanta.
Somehow, despite playing on six different teams and landing in Tampa Bay twice, he never won a Super Bowl ring.
He finished his career throwing for 34,241 yards, 196 touchdowns and 204 interceptions.
25. Steve Grogan
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Steve Grogan played his entire career with the New England Patriots, throwing for almost 27,000 yards, 182 touchdowns, 208 interceptions and rushing for over 2,000 yards and scoring 36 touchdowns.
He was beaten up during his career but started 76 consecutive regular season contests, good enough for No. 16 overall on the list of most consecutive starts by a quarterback.
24. John Brodie
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The 1970 MVP had his No. 12 jersey retired by the San Francisco 49ers, the only team he ever played for.
He was selected to the Pro Bowl twice during his career, which saw him throw for over 31,500 yards, 214 touchdowns and 224 interceptions.
He was one of the most prolific passers by the time he retired, and trailed only Johnny Unitas and Fran Tarkenton for most career passing yards at the time.
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23. Michael Vick
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Yes, Michael Vick.
Vick, despite his hiatus, is one of the most exciting football players of all time. During his time in Atlanta, he was one of the most profitable and well-like superstars in the league.
His ability to run with the ball from the quarterback position and throw down the field effortlessly made him a superstar attraction.
He stumbled with the dog fighting ring that landed him in jail, but last season he put together a remarkable season with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Right now, he has the Eagles well on their way to the Super Bowl, but it wouldn’t shock anybody if the ring eluded him.
Thus far in his career, he has been selected to four Pro Bowls and won the 2010 Comeback Player of the Year.
He has thrown for over 14,600 yards, 92 touchdowns and 58 interceptions while rushing for over 4,600 yards and 32 touchdowns.
22. Matt Hasselbeck
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Matt Hasselbeck is one of the best current quarterbacks without a Super Bowl ring on his finger.
He has been the face of the Seattle Seahawks for years and helped bring the franchise back to respectability with head coach Mike Holmgren during the new millennium.
The three-time Pro Bowl selection has thrown for nearly 30,000 yards, 176 touchdowns and 128 interceptions.
He led the Seahawks to six postseason appearances, highlighted by a Super Bowl appearance in 2005. Many still feel the Seahawks were screwed against the Pittsburgh Steelers that year.
21. George Blanda
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One of the all-time greats, George Blanda was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1981, selected to four AFL All-Star games and was the 1963 MVP.
He played for the Chicago Bears, Baltimore Colts, Houston Oilers and Oakland Raiders during his storied career.
He threw for almost 27,000 yards and 236 touchdowns, while he also made appearances as a kicker and even linebacker.
20. Roman Gabriel
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The four-time Pro Bowler was the 1973 Comeback Player of the Year and also the 1969 AP MVP.
He threw for almost 29,500 yards, 201 touchdowns and 149 interceptions.
He played for the Rams and Eagles during his career, but he is most known for his time in Los Angeles with the Rams, for which he will go down as one of the team's greatest quarterbacks ever.
19. John Hadl
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John Hadl threw for over 33,500 yards, 244 touchdowns and 268 interceptions while being selected to two Pro Bowls during his career.
He was a productive star in the AFL, but the Super Bowl will forever elude him.
He bounced around four teams—the Chargers, Rams, Packers and Oilers—but many believe he should be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
18. Dave Krieg
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Dave Krieg played in the NFL for 19 seasons and was elected to the Pro Bowl three times.
He is one of the all-time great Seattle Seahawk quarterbacks and threw for 38,147 yards, 261 touchdowns and won 101 games during his career.
He threw for five or more touchdowns in five games during his career (how do you like that, fantasy fanatics?).
17. Vinny Testaverde
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Vinny Testaverde was a highly respected man and quarterback as he was the No. 1 overall selection in the 1987 draft.
He was selected to two Pro Bowls during his career, which saw him throw for 46,223 yards, 275 touchdowns and 267 interceptions.
A journeyman during his 20-year career, he was never able to land on that one team that he could legitimately take to the Super Bowl and win.
His best opportunity came during his first stint with the New York Jets, but he fell to John Elway and the Denver Broncos in 1998.
16. Ken Anderson
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The 1981 MVP, Offensive and Comeback Player of the Year was selected to four Pro Bowls during his great career with the Cincinnati Bengals.
He threw for 197 touchdowns, 160 interceptions and 32,838 yards.
By the time of his retirement, he was among the all-time career leaders in many quarterback statistics and will one day be elected to the Hall of Fame.
15. Rich Gannon
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Rich Gannon skyrocketed to the top when he joined the Oakland Raiders and led their high-octane offense.
The Raiders have not been the same since Gannon won the 2002 MVP and took the team to the Super Bowl, where they lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He was selected to four straight Pro Bowls from 1999-2002 and finished his career tossing 28,743 yards, 180 touchdowns and 104 interceptions.
He threw five interceptions in his only Super Bowl appearance, but after having his career shortened due to injury, many (especially Oakland fans) would agree he deserved one more shot.
14. Archie Manning
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The numbers really don’t tell the Archie Manning story—he was a great talent on a terrible team.
It was great to see the Saints finally win the Super Bowl under Drew Brees and Sean Payton, but I couldn’t help but wish that the team signed Archie to back him up, so he could finally win a damn ring with the franchise.
The two-time Pro Bowler threw for 23,911 yards, 125 touchdowns and 173 interceptions.
But hey, at least he helped birth Peyton and Eli!
13. Doug Flutie
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Doug Flutie is best remembered for his Hail Mary at Boston College, helping his autistic son and the drop kick—but he was also a heck of a quarterback and overall football player. He consistently showed the heart and determination of a champion.
He was a shining star in college and the Canadian Football League, but he was also a fan favorite throughout his tenure in the NFL.
For his heroics and high character, he deserved to win a ring.
12. Sonny Jurgensen
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The Hall of Famer was one of the most prolific quarterbacks of his generation. The five-time Pro Bowler threw for 32,224 yards, 255 touchdowns and 189 interceptions.
He was selected to the Redskins’ Ring of Fame and the Philadelphia Eagles’ Honor Roll.
He threw for 400 or more yards in a game five times and also tossed five touchdowns in a game twice.
11. Boomer Esiason
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The 1988 MVP was selected to four Pro Bowls and was also awarded the 1995 Walter Payton Man of the Year.
He threw for 37,920 yards, 247 touchdowns and 184 interceptions and is one of the greatest players ever in Cincinnati Bengals history.
He was elected into the Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame and was one of the premier left-handed players of all-time.
10. Jim Everett
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Jim Everett threw for almost 35,000 yards, 203 touchdowns and 175 interceptions during his great career, though only selected to one Pro Bowl.
Unfortunately, Everett never made it back to the postseason following his 1989 NFC Championship loss.
He was consistently one of the most productive quarterbacks during his tenure in the league, though he failed to reach a Super Bowl.
9. Randall Cunningham
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This four-time Pro Bowler and 1992 Comeback Player of the Year threw for just shy of 30,000 yards and also tossed 207 touchdowns to 134 interceptions.
He was the signal-caller for the 1998 Minnesota Vikings team that set the points record with 556.
He threw for more than 400 yards in a game four times during his career.
8. Donovan McNabb
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Although Donovan McNabb is still active, I would be shocked to see him win a Super Bowl as a starting quarterback, let alone make it to another for the second time in his career.
Although I’ve never considered myself a McNabb fan, he’s been one of the most successful signal-callers of the new millennium.
He led the Eagles to four straight NFC Championship appearances and finally broke through the ceiling with the help of Terrell Owens in 2004 to appear in the Super Bowl, losing to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
The six-time Pro Bowler was named the 2004 NFC Offensive Player of the Year and has thrown for 36,250 yards, 230 touchdowns and 115 interceptions thus far in his remarkable career. He has also rushed for 3,400 yards and 28 touchdowns.
7. Y.A. Tittle
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This Hall of Famer was named to the Pro Bowl seven times and was the 1963 AP MVP.
His No. 14 jersey has been retired by the New York Football Giants, the team he led to three division titles.
He passed for 33,070 yards, 242 touchdowns and 248 interceptions, including a 36-touchdown season in 1963. In 1962, he posted a seven-touchdown performance.
6. Steve McNair
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Steve McNair is one of my favorite quarterbacks of all time. Like Brett Favre, he was one of the premier iron men of the game, giving it all and risking his body on every single play. He would pull through various injuries to suit up for his teammates.
It’s a damn shame he isn’t with us today and still devastating that he was not able to feel the happiness of winning a Super Bowl.
His performance against the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV was nothing short of amazing, especially on the final drive to end the game where his team came up one yard short.
He finished his career throwing for over 31,000 yards and 174 touchdowns while being selected to three Pro Bowls and winning the 2003 MVP Award with Peyton Manning.
Many might disagree, but he’s a Hall of Famer in my book.
5. Dan Fouts
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This Chargers great and Hall of Famer had his No. 14 jersey retired by San Diego. He was the 1982 Offensive Player of the Year and selected to the Pro Bowl six times, winning the 1983 Pro Bowl MVP.
He threw for over 43,000 yards, 254 touchdowns and 242 interceptions and threw for 400 or more yards in a game twice.
Fouts attended two AFC Championships during his tenure with San Diego, but failed to reach the coveted Super Bowl.
4. Fran Tarkenton
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The 1975 MVP and nine-time Pro Bowler is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time, ranking fifth among all QBs in most career wins with 124.
He held nearly every major record upon retirement, though the Super Bowl ring eluded him.
Still, he threw for over 47,000 yards and tossed 342 touchdowns to 266 interceptions.
The Hall of Famer also ran for 3,674 yards, fourth best among quarterbacks of all time.
Despite playing poor in three Super Bowls, it is difficult to disagree that he is one of the best to ever play the game.
3. Jim Kelly
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Jim Kelly captained one of the greatest offensive teams in the history of the league in the early 90s, as he led the Buffalo Bills to four straight Super Bowl appearances.
The four-time Pro Bowler and Hall of Famer had his No. 12 jersey retired by the Bills. In 11 years with Buffalo, he tossed for 35,467 yards, 237 touchdowns and 175 interceptions.
You have to feel for a guy who made it to four straight Super Bowls and couldn’t win a single one…
2. Warren Moon
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The nine-time Pro Bowler and Hall of Famer only has the NFL MVP and Super Bowl Championship eluding his grand career.
After going undrafted, he made a name for himself once again in the Canadian Football League before finally coming to the Houston Oilers.
He threw for nearly 50,000 yards and scored a total of 350 touchdowns (291 passing) in his remarkable career.
1. Dan Marino
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Arguably the greatest quarterback of all time, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that Dan Marino is the No. 1 quarterback never to win a Super Bowl.
What did this man not do?—besides win a Super Bowl…
The Hall of Famer threw for 61,361 yards and 420 touchdowns during his illustrious career. A nine-time Pro Bowler, he was also awarded the 1984 MVP, 1994 Comeback Player of the Year award and had his No. 13 jersey retired.
He had 147 career wins and deserved to win the big one.
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