Which NFL Teams Have Never Won a Super Bowl?

Cleveland Browns fans during the teams' NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday, Nov. 16, 2009, in Cleveland.
(AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)
  • Twelve teams haven’t won a Super Bowl.
  • Four of the 12 teams have no Super Bowl appearances (Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, and Jacksonville Jaguars).
  • The Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings have appeared in the most Super Bowls without winning (four).

Every NFL fan’s ultimate desire is to see their team win the Super Bowl at least once. 

That hasn’t happened for the fan bases of 12 NFL teams yet to lift the Lombardi Trophy.

Seven of the 12 teams that haven’t won a Super Bowl have been around since the AFL and NFL merged in 1966, leading to Super Bowl I in 1967.  

You can check out the latest Super Bowl odds at the BetMGM online sportsbook to see which of these teams has the best chance of winning their first Super Bowl. 

Which NFL Teams Have Never Won a Super Bowl?

Team NameYear EstablishedSuper Bowl Appearances
Arizona Cardinals18980
Atlanta Falcons19652
Buffalo Bills19594
Carolina Panthers19952
Cincinnati Bengals19683
Cleveland Browns19440
Detroit Lions19300
Houston Texans20020
Jacksonville Jaguars19950
Los Angeles Chargers19591
Minnesota Vikings19614
Tennessee Titans19991

Teams Without a Super Bowl Appearance

Detroit won championships before the AFL and NFL merged in 1966, but have the Lions ever been to the Super Bowl? 

The answer is no. 

The Lions, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, and Jacksonville Jaguars haven’t made a Super Bowl appearance. 

Those unenviable and extended runs without a Super Bowl appearance are much worse for the Lions and Browns, founded in 1930 and 1944, respectively, well before the Texans (2002) and Jaguars (1995). 

NFL Teams That Have Never Won a Super Bowl

Arizona Cardinals

The oldest franchise without a Super Bowl, the Arizona Cardinals, was founded in 1898. The Cardinals made their only Super Bowl appearance in 2009, losing in the final seconds to the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons have two Super Bowl appearances, losing 34-19 to the Denver Broncos in 1999 and falling 34-28 to the New England Patriots in 2017. The 2017 loss was the most difficult to swallow as the Falcons blew a 25-point lead, eventually losing in overtime. 

Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills have the most sordid Super Bowl history of the non-winners, losing in an unprecedented four consecutive Super Bowls from 1991 to 1994, two of which to the Dallas Cowboys. 

The Bills haven’t returned to the Super Bowl since 1993, the last of those four defeats. 

Carolina Panthers 

Considering their first season in the NFL was in 1995, the Carolina Panthers have done quite well, making it to two Super Bowls. 

The Panthers lost 32-29 to the New England Patriots in 2004 and 24-10 to the Denver Broncos in 2016. 

Cincinnati Bengals 

The Cincinnati Bengals made it to three Super Bowls, the first in 1982. The Bengals’ next Super Bowl appearance came in 1989. Both of those appearances resulted in losses to the San Francisco 49ers. 

Cincinnati returned to the Super Bowl in 2022, losing 23-20 to the Los Angeles Rams. 

Cleveland Browns

With no Super Bowl appearances, the Cleveland Browns’ claim to fame is their four championships before the AFL-NFL merger (1950, 1954, 1955, 1964).

Since 2002, the Browns have made the playoffs twice (2020, 2023). 

Detroit Lions

Of the 12 teams on this list, the Lions should be among those with the best NFL odds to win the Super Bowl for the foreseeable future. That’s little consolation for a fanbase that hasn’t seen their team advance to a Super Bowl. 

The Lions won five NFL championships before the AFL-NFL merger but are an abject 3-13 in the playoffs during the Super Bowl era. 

Houston Texans

The Houston Texans, one of the most recent additions to the NFL, entered the league in 2002. They advanced to the divisional round five times but haven’t made a Super Bowl appearance. 

Jacksonville Jaguars 

Like the Texans, the Jaguars haven’t advanced to a Super Bowl and are a comparatively new addition to the NFL. Since entering the league in 1995, the Jaguars have made it to the AFC championship game three times (1996, 1999, 2017). 

Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers made their only Super Bowl appearance when the franchise was in San Diego, losing 49-26 to the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 1995. 

The franchise relocated to Los Angeles for the 2017 season.  

Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings share the dubious record with the Bills for the most Super Bowl appearances (four) without a victory. 

The Vikings made it to the Super Bowl in 1970, 1974, 1975, and 1977, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Oakland Raiders, respectively. They have lost four NFL championship games since, the most recent in 2017.

Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans advanced to their only Super Bowl in 2000, losing 23-16 to the St. Louis Rams. Since that fateful Super Bowl setback, they have lost two AFC championship games.

About the Author

Gary Pearson

Read More @newagejourno

Gary Pearson is a freelance sports writer specializing in hockey, soccer, and NFL coverage. He has contributed to various sports and sports betting publications, including Covers.com, Yardbarker, NJ.com, the Miami Herald, the Canadian Press, and the Calgary Herald.

Gary Pearson is a freelance sports writer specializing in hockey, soccer, and NFL coverage. He has contributed to various sports and sports betting publications, including Covers.com, Yardbarker, NJ.com, the Miami Herald, the Canadian Press, and the Calgary Herald.