Best QBs Who Have Never Won a Super Bowl
Some quarterbacks rack up stats, Pro Bowls, and unforgettable plays, but never capture a Super Bowl ring. This list celebrates 15 of the best players to have fallen just short. The names might surprise you, but their stories are unforgettable.
Donovan McNabb
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Donovan McNabb led the Eagles to four straight NFC title games, finally reaching Super Bowl XXXIX in 2004. He threw for 357 yards but lost to the Patriots. As a six-time Pro Bowler, he brought consistent playoff success to Philly and finished with more postseason appearances than not during his prime years.
Sonny Jurgensen
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Sonny Jurgensen lit up defenses throughout the 1960s. He threw for over 32,000 yards and led the NFL in passing five times, yet never reached the Super Bowl. Splitting his career between the Eagles and Washington, Jurgensen earned Hall of Fame honors, but never had the supporting cast to chase a ring.
Dan Fouts
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This athlete revolutionized passing in the late ’70s and early ’80s by becoming the first quarterback to throw 4,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. Dan Fouts reached two AFC title games but never made the Super Bowl. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame and remains a Chargers legend despite the ring that never came.
Steve McNair
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One yard. That’s how close Steve McNair came in Super Bowl XXXIV. His final throw to Kevin Dyson was stopped just short of the goal line. The 2003 co-MVP and three-time Pro Bowler never got back to the big game but left behind a legacy of toughness and unforgettable moments in Tennessee.
Carson Palmer
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Carson Palmer’s shot at glory in 2005 was crushed by a playoff-opening knee injury. Years later, he led the Cardinals to the 2015 NFC Championship but was blown out by Carolina. Palmer earned three Pro Bowls, nearly 47,000 passing yards, and a career marked by impressive comebacks, just not the Super Bowl kind.
Warren Moon
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This NFL superstar threw for over 49,000 yards and made nine Pro Bowls, but never played in a conference championship game. Despite Warren Moon’s Houston Oilers often being playoff contenders, postseason success eluded him. His Hall of Fame career still made history, since Moon was the first Black quarterback inducted.
Fran Tarkenton
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Fran Tarkenton helped the Vikings reach three Super Bowls in four seasons during the ’70s, all of which were losses. Still, he won league MVP in 1975 and retired as the all-time leader in most passing categories. He paved the way for dual-threat quarterbacks long before it became the norm.
Jim Kelly
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Buffalo’s four straight Super Bowl losses from 1990 to 1993 remain unmatched, which was unfortunate for Kelly. His closest call was Super Bowl XXV, a one-point loss after a missed field goal. He made five Pro Bowls, led a dominant offense, and remains one of the toughest, most respected quarterbacks in NFL history.
Matt Ryan
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Matt Ryan led the Falcons to a commanding 28-3 lead in Super Bowl LI, until the Patriots pulled off the greatest comeback in NFL history. That loss defined an otherwise stellar career. The 2016 MVP passed for over 62,000 yards and regularly competed with icons like Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers. Despite the numbers and accolades, the Lombardi Trophy slipped through his grasp.
Philip Rivers
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Philip Rivers stacked up 63,440 passing yards and 421 touchdowns over a long, fiery career, but the Super Bowl remained out of reach. His closest call came in 2007, when he played through a torn ACL in the AFC Championship Game. As an eight-time Pro Bowler, Rivers battled in an era ruled by Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, always in the mix but never over the top.
Dan Marino
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In just his second year, Dan Marino lit up the league with 5,084 passing yards and a trip to Super Bowl XIX. That would be his first and last appearance. He earned nine Pro Bowl selections and set numerous records. Still, Miami never quite built the roster needed to turn his greatness into a championship.
Randall Cunningham
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Randall Cunningham dazzled with speed and arm strength, finishing with nearly 30,000 passing yards and 207 touchdowns. He led the league in quarterback rushing when he retired and earned four Pro Bowl nods. Despite thrilling highlights, he never reached a Super Bowl, with a 3-6 playoff record across his career.
Boomer Esiason
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An NFL MVP in 1988, Boomer Esiason guided the Bengals to Super Bowl XXIII, where they fell to Joe Montana’s 49ers in a dramatic finish. Across 14 seasons, he passed for nearly 38,000 yards and 247 touchdowns. His quick release and on-field leadership made him a fan favorite and a defining figure in Cincinnati’s football history, even without a championship ring.
Cam Newton
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Cam Newton’s MVP season in 2015 carried Carolina to a 15-1 record and a Super Bowl appearance. However, it ended in a frustrating loss to the Broncos. Newton finished his career with 32,382 passing yards, 194 touchdowns, and 75 rushing scores, most ever by a QB. Unfortunately, he never returned to that Super Bowl stage.
Ken Anderson
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Ken Anderson led the Bengals to their first Super Bowl appearance in 1981 while earning league MVP along the way. Though they lost to the 49ers in Super Bowl XVI, Anderson’s 70.6% completion rate in 1982 set a benchmark that stood for decades. He topped the league in passer rating four times but never got another shot at the title.