Greatest Sports Dynasties of All Time

Love them or hate them, these teams dominated the competition and won tons of championships.

A sports dynasty is when a franchise has a prolonged run of success. We have seen a fair share of sports dynasties, even when rules like salary caps, free agency and revenue sharing were created to thwart their formation.

Dynasties can happen in high school, college, professional or international sports. Some runs last three or four years with core players and changing role players. Others last three or four decades with entirely new players.

No dynasty is created equal, but love them or hate them, they dominated the competition. These are the greatest sports dynasties of all time.

Note: Rankings are based on championships won, individual players, the era in which they played and overall dominance.

Honorable Mention: 1990s Buffalo Bills

Andre Reed had 941 pass receptions with the Buffalo Bills. Mark Duncan / AP Photo

Sport: Football (NFL)

Years: 1990-93

Head coach: Marv Levy

Notable players: Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, Bruce Smith

Key stats: 49-15 (.766 winning percentage), 4 postseason appearances, 4 Super Bowl appearances

Championships: 0

Bottom Line: 1990s Buffalo Bills

Thurman Thomas was the NFL MVP in 1991. Bill Sikes / AP Photo

You can’t be a dynasty if you don’t win a championship, but the early 1990s Bills are as close as you can get to being a dynasty without winning everything. In fact, they might be the greatest team that never won a title. No NFL team had more wins than Buffalo’s 49 from 1990 to 1993, and only the San Francisco 49ers scored more points. Buffalo dominated the AFC and was the No. 1 postseason seed three times.

The only problem was that other conference. After losing Super Bowl XXV — their first Super Bowl — by one point to the New York Giants to close out the 1990 season, the Bills’ next three Super Bowls weren’t even close, and they posted an average margin of defeat of 16.5 points in the big game against the NFC.

Would things have gone different if Scott Norwood’s field goal had not been wide right? Buffalo fans can dream. It beats having the same recurring nightmare.

50. 1990s Atlanta Braves

John Smoltz won 210 games with the Braves. Elise Amendola / AP Photo

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Years: 1991-99

Manager: Bobby Cox

Notable players: Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Chipper Jones

Key stats: 860-532 (.618 winning percentage), 8 postseason appearances, 5 World Series appearances

Championships: 1 (1995)

Bottom Line: 1990s Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves won the 1995 World Series against the Cleveland Indians. Andrew Innerarity / AP Photo

The Braves won 14 straight divisions from 1991 to 2005 and became true championship contenders in the 1990s. They were led by one of the greatest rotations in major league history with Hall of Famers Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz combing for seven of nine NL Cy Young awards during this stretch.

But the trio often came up short when it mattered most. They went to five World Series and led in four of them, yet only ended up with one ring. The 1991 World Series stings the most as Atlanta held a 3-2 series lead against the Minnesota Twins before losing by one run in extra innings in both Games 6 and 7.

Most teams have to win at least two championships to be considered a dynasty, but there are exceptions to every rule. The Braves are one of them.

49. 2010s Cleveland Cavaliers

Kyrie Irving played six seasons with the Cavaliers to open his NBA career. Tony Dejak / AP Photo

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Years: 2014-18

Head coach: David Blatt, Tyronn Lue

Notable players: LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love

Key stats: 211-117 (.643 winning percentage), 4 postseason appearances, 4 NBA Finals appearances

Championships: 1 (2016)

Bottom Line: 2010s Cleveland Cavaliers

LeBron James, center, led the Cavaliers to their first NBA title in 2016. Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP Photo

The 2.0 LeBron Cavaliers are another outlier in the dynasty debate. Yes, they dominated a watered-down Eastern Conference and, only they won one championship in 2016. But what a glorious title it was.

Everything was against those Cavs from a record-73-win Warriors team to being down 3-1 in the Finals to Cleveland’s 52-year championship drought. LeBron and company overcame it all and turned Cleveland into Believe-land for real.

Sure, the joy was short-lived. But because titles in Cleveland are like dog years — one is equal to seven — the 2.0 LeBron Cavs are worthy of the dynasty tag.

48. 1970s Montreal Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens goalie Ken Dryden was tough to beat. John C. Hillary / AP Photo

Sport: Hockey (NHL)

Years: 1975-79

Head coach: Scotty Bowman

Notable players: Guy Lafleur, Steve Shutt, Jacques Lemaire, Ken Dryden

Key stats: 229-46-45 (.786 winning percentage), 4 postseason appearances, 4 Stanley Cup Final appearances

Championships: 4 (1976-79)

Bottom Line: 1970s Montreal Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens captain Yvan Cournoyer celebrates with teammates after winning the Stanley Cup in 1976. AP Photo

While the WHA was plucking NHL stars left and right from other teams, the Canadiens held onto their top players, and they were the foundation of their late 1970s dynasty.

They set NHL records during this period, including most points (132) and fewest losses (8), both of which came during the 1976-77 season. The following season, they then had a 28-game unbeaten streak, which is the second-longest in NHL history.

The Canadiens won four straight Stanley Cups — and six of the 10 Cups in the decade — but their dreams of a five-peat ended during the 1979-80 season following the retirements of three Hall of Fame players. And the team fell in seven games in the quarterfinals.

47. U.S. Dream Team

Michael Jordan and the U.S. “Dream Team” were unstoppable at the 1992 Olympics. Susan Ragan

Sport: International Basketball (FIBA)

Years: 1992-2002

Head coach: Chuck Daly, Don Nelson, Lenny Wilkens, Rudy Tomjanovich, George Karl

Notable players: Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Karl Malone, Shaquille O’Neal, David Robinson

Key stats: 1 FIBA World Cup gold medal. 4 FIBA AmeriCup gold medals

Championships: 3 (1992, 1996, 2000 — Olympics)

Bottom Line: U.S. Dream Team

Charles Barkley, Chris Mullins, John Stockton

The U.S. basketball team won gold after beating Croatia 117-85 in the 1992 Olympics finals. John Gaps III / AP Photo

Starting in 1992, the International Basketball Association allowed NBA players to compete in international tournaments like the Olympics and the World Championships/World Cup. Thus, the “Dream Team” was born.

That dream cruised through the 1992 Olympics, winning by an average of 44 points per game. More success would follow in subsequent USA Basketball teams composed of NBA players, although that margin of victory shrank throughout the 1990s.

After reaching a 58-game win streak, the United States’ run of perfection ended during the 2002 World Championships. During a group stage loss to Argentina, the 2002 squad became the first USA Basketball team composed of NBA players to lose a game.

46. 1940s St. Louis Cardinals

Stan Musial led the St. Louis Cardinals to three World Series titles. Warren M. Winterbottom / AP Photo

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Years: 1942-46

Manager: Billy Southworth, Eddie Dyer

Notable players: Stan Musial, Enos Slaughter, Howie Pollet, Whitey Kurowski

Key stats: 509-263-9 (.657 winning percentage), 4 postseason appearances, 4 World Series appearances

Championships: 3 (1942, 1944, 1946)

Bottom Line: 1940s St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals beat the New York Yankees to win the 1942 World Series. AP Photo

Only World War II could keep the Cardinals out of the World Series during this dynasty as Stan Musial’s military service in 1945 made that the only year they didn’t play in the Fall Classic.

The Cardinals were remarkably consistent when at full strength as they finished first in both OPS and team ERA all four of the years they advanced to the World Series.

Musial won two of his three National League MVPs during this run, and the era was the highlight of his 22-year career, which ended in 1963, as he never played in another postseason game after 1946.

45. Bad Boy Detroit Pistons

Dennis Rodman made his NBA debut with the Pistons in 1986 at the age of 25. Bob Galbraith / AP Photo

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Years: 1986-91

Head coach: Chuck Daly

Notable players: Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Dennis Rodman, Bill Laimbeer

Key stats: 278-132 (.678 winning percentage), 5 postseason appearances, 3 Finals appearances

Championships: 2 (1989, 1990)

Bottom Line: Bad Boy Detroit Pistons

Bill Davidson and Detroit Pistons players

Detroit Pistons owner Bill Davidson holds the Larry O’Brien Trophy after his team swept the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1989 NBA Finals. Doug Pizac / AP Photo

The Eastern Conference belonged to the 76ers in the early 1980s, the Celtics in the mid-’80s and the Detroit Pistons in the late ’80s.

But just as impressive as the Pistons’ run was, the defining moment of this dynasty may be the way it ended. In the 1991 Eastern Conference finals, the Pistons were swept by the Bulls after Detroit had beaten Chicago in each of the previous three postseasons.

Before the final buzzer, the Pistons walked off the court right in front of the Bulls’ bench and refused to shake their opponents’ hands. It was the end of one legendary NBA chapter and the beginning of a new one.

44. 1970s Miami Dolphins

Larry Csonka rushed for 6,737 yards and 53 touchdowns in eight seasons with the Miami Dolphins. AP Photo

Sport: Football (NFL)

Years: 1971-73

Head coach: Don Shula

Notable players: Bob Griese, Larry Csonka, Paul Warfield, Nick Buoniconti

Key stats: 36-5-1 (.869 winning percentage), 3 postseason appearances, 3 Super Bowl appearances

Championships: 2 (1972, 1973)

Bottom Line: 1970s Miami Dolphins

The 1972 Dolphins were the first (and still only) NFL team to go undefeated in a season. AP Photo

This was a very short dynasty, but what it lacked in quantity it made up for in quality.

After losing in the Super Bowl in 1971, the Dolphins didn’t lose again for 20 months. That includes the magical 1972 season in which they became the first team in NFL history to post a perfect season with a 17-0 record in the regular and postseasons.

The success continued the following year, and even though they lost two games, they won another Super Bowl. The 1971-73 Dolphins were the first team to make three straight Super Bowls. Only the 1990s Bills and 2010s Patriots have followed suit.

43. 1970s Oakland Athletics

Reggie Jackson hit 269 home runs in 10 seasons with the A’s. AP Photo

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Years: 1971-1975

Manager: Dick Williams, Al Dark

Notable players: Catfish Hunter, Reggie Jackson, Vida Blue, Bert Campaneris

Key stats: 476-326 (.594 winning percentage), 5 postseason appearances, 3 World Series appearances

Championships: 3 (1972, 1973, 1974)

Bottom Line: 1970s Oakland Athletics

The A’s won three straight World Series from 1972 to 1974. AP Photo

The 1970s Athletics were incredibly balanced as they finished in the top three in both home runs and team ERA all five years of their run from 1971 to 1975.

Manager Dick Williams led the A’s to back-to-back championships in 1972 and 1973 before resigning prior to the 1974 season. He was fed up with owner Charlie Finley, who had cycled through 10 managers over the previous 10 years, so Williams left Oakland before Finley had a chance to fire him if the team started slow.

But the A’s had no such problems in 1974 and won their third straight World Series title.

42. 1940s/50s Minneapolis Lakers

George Mikan was the NBA’s first superstar. Charles Knoblock / AP Photo

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Years: 1948-1954

Head coach: John Kundla

Notable players: George Mikan, Vern Mikkelsen, Jim Pollard, Slater Martin

Key stats: 273-131 (.676 winning percentage), 6 postseason appearances, 5 Finals appearances

Championships: 5 (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954)

Bottom Line: 1940s/50s Minneapolis Lakers

The Minneapolis Lakers won five NBA championships in six seasons from 1949 to 1954. AP Photo

This dynasty could also be known as the “George Mikan Lakers” as Mikan was the NBA’s first dominant big man.

The Lakers even won another title that preceded this era, capturing the NBL championship in 1947-48 before joining the NBA a year later and winning a title in their inaugural season.

On a per-season basis, the Minneapolis Lakers were even more successful than the Los Angeles Lakers, with five titles in 12 years in Minnesota compared to 11 titles in 60 years in Los Angeles.

41. Houston Comets

Houston Comets star Tina Thompson, right, drives against the Los Angeles Sparks in 1998. Mark J. Terrill / AP Photo

Sport: Basketball (WNBA)

Years: 1997-2000

Head coach: Van Chancellor

Notable players: Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, Tina Thompson

Key stats: 98-24 (.803 winning percentage), 4 postseason appearances, 4 Finals appearances

Championships: 4 (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000)

Bottom Line: Houston Comets

Cynthia Cooper, Tammy Jackson, Tina Thompson

The Houston Comets won four straight WNBA titles from 1997 to 2000. Pat Sullivan / AP Photo

The Comets had the luxury of being awarded Sheryl Swoopes and Cynthia Cooper in the WNBA’s initial player allocation and getting the No. 1 draft pick to add Tina Thompson.

The “Big Three,” as they were known, led the Comets to the league’s best record in three out of the four seasons from 1997 to 2000 and lost only two postseason games over that span.

They likely would have kept on winning if age and injury didn’t get to them in 2001, when Cooper retired and Swoopes missed the entire season with a torn ACL.

40. Trinity Squash

Kush Kumar is a Trinity squash legend. Trin_Squash / Twitter

Sport: College Squash (NCAA)

Years: 1999-present

Head coach: Paul Assaiante

Notable players: Basit Ashfaq, Kush Kumar

Key stats: 378-11 (.972 winning percentage), 22 NESCAC championships

Championships: 17 (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018)

Bottom Line: Trinity Squash

The Trinity squash team has had a lot to celebrate over the years. Dick Druckman / Trinity College

Squash isn’t played everywhere, but it’s very popular in the Northeast where Trinity competes in the NESCAC. You don’t have to understand the sport in order to understand that their 252-game unbeaten streak was historic.

Trinity didn’t lose a game from 1998 to 2012, and they won 13 straight national championships over that span. That streak was not only the longest in college squash history, but it remains the longest in college sports history.

Even in their “down” years during the run of this dynasty, they still managed to finish as national runner-up three different times.

39. 2010s San Francisco Giants

Buster Posey was 2010 NL Rookie of the Year and 2012 NL MVP. Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP Photo

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Years: 2010-14

Manager: Bruce Bochy

Notable players: Buster Posey, Tim Lincecum, Madison Bumgarner, Pablo Sandoval

Key stats: 436-374 (.538 winning percentage), 3 postseason appearances, 3 World Series appearances

Championships: 3 (2010, 2012, 2014)

Bottom Line: 2010s San Francisco Giants

Pablo Sandoval and 2014 San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants won three World Series titles in five seasons from 2010 to 2014. Jeff Roberson / AP Photo

After years of being centered around Barry Bonds, the Giants began building a more balanced team toward the end of the 2000s.

They were never an offensive juggernaut, but the team excelled at the little things like moving baserunners over and hitting with runners in scoring position. But the crux of the team was their pitching staff with such stars Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Madison Bumgarner.

Even though the Giants failed to make the postseason in the years in which they didn’t win the World Series, three titles in five years are still special. And it’s something just four other franchises have accomplished.

38. Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United

David Beckham, left, is one of Manchester United’s best players ever. Uwe Lein / AP Photo

Sport: Soccer (EPL)

Years: 1992-2013

Head Coach: Sir Alex Ferguson

Notable players: David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney

Key stats: 528-114-168 (.756 winning percentage), 2 Champions League titles

Championships: 13 (1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013)

Bottom Line: Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United

Manchester United won 13 Premier League titles from 1993 to 2013. Adam Butler / AP Photo

Manchester United wasn’t always the cream of the crop in English football, but Sir Alex Ferguson deserves supreme credit for making them that.

He led the team to 13 of its 20 First Division titles and led ManU to its only two UEFA Champions League championships. Ferguson also helped develop homegrown stars like David Beckham and Gary Neville while bringing in transfers such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane. T

he highlight year of this dynasty was the 1998-99 season when Manchester United became the only English team to win the treble as they won the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.

37. 1970s Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach became “America’s Quarterback.” AP Photo

Sport: Football (NFL)

Years: 1970-78

Head coach: Tom Landry

Notable players: Roger Staubach, Bob Lilly, Randy White, Tony Dorsett, Calvin Hill

Key stats: 94-34 (.734 winning percentage), 8 postseason appearances, 5 Super Bowl appearances

Championships: 2 (1971, 1977)

Bottom Line: 1970s Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry led the team to two Super Bowl championships. AP Photo

From 1966 to 1983, the Cowboys made the postseason 17 times in 18 years, but it was during the nine-year period from 1970 to 1978 that they became “America’s Team.”

This period coincided with Roger Staubach becoming the starting quarterback, and he was just one of the team’s many stars as 13 Cowboys from this era ended up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Steelers are known as the team of the 1970s for their four Super Bowls, but no team had more wins from 1970 to 1978 than the Cowboys, who had 94.

36. UNC Women’s Soccer

Crystal Dunn is a North Carolina soccer legend. Gregory Bull / AP Photo

Sport: College Soccer (NCAA)

Years: 1982-2012

Head coach: Anson Dorrance

Notable players: Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly, Crystal Dunn, Tobin Heath

Key stats: 689-42-29 (.926 winning percentage), 31 NCAA tournament appearances, 24 championship game appearances

Championships: 21 (1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2012)

Bottom Line: UNC Women’s Soccer

The UNC women’s soccer team won 21 NCAA titles from 1982 to 2012. Paul Sakuma / AP Photo

Coach Anson Dorrance coached the North Carolina men’s soccer team for three years before also taking over the women’s program. He coached both teams from 1979 to 1988 – and even though he led the men’s team to a Final Four – he recognized something special with the women’s squad and ditched the UNC men’s team.

It proved to be the right decision as the UNC women’s soccer team has become the most prestigious in the nation. It won nine straight championships from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s and won nine more since then.

Perhaps the greatest women’s soccer player of all time, Mia Hamm, was a Tar Heel, and she was a five-time champion thanks to redshirting in 1991 to focus on the Women’s World Cup.

35. 1960s/70s Los Angeles Lakers

Wilt Chamberlain was the 1972 NBA Finals MVP. David Smith / AP Photo

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Years: 1961-73

Head coach: Fred Schaus, Butch van Breda Kolff, Joe Mullaney, Bill Sharman

Notable players: Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Gail Goodrich, Wilt Chamberlain

Key stats: 609-364 (.626 winning percentage), 12 postseason appearances, 9 Finals appearances

Championships: 1 (1972)

Bottom Line: 1960s/70s Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers have won a lot of big games in franchise history. AP Photo

Even the greats can’t win them all. These Lakers teams had as much talent as any teams in NBA history, but they are more defined by failures than successes.

Jerry West went to seven NBA Finals before getting his first championship. Elgin Baylor was on the losing end of eight NBA Finals and then retired midseason in the 1971-72 season, the year the Lakers broke through and won their first title after relocating from Minneapolis.

The Lakers fell to the Celtics six times in the Finals during this run, and, ironically, it was a former Celtic who helped get them over the hump. Hall of Fame player Bill Sharman became the Lakers’ coach in 1971, and he led the team to a then-record 69 wins and a Finals victory over the Knicks.

34. Hendrick Motorsports

Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the Winn-Dixie 250 at Daytona International Speedway in 2003. Terry Renna / AP Photo

Sport: Stock Car Racing (NASCAR)

Years: 1995-2016

Owner: Rick Hendrick

Notable drivers: Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Key stats: 1 Xfinity series championship, 3 Camping world truck series championships

Championships: 12 (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016)

Bottom Line: Hendrick Motorsports

Jeff Gordon won the Winston Cup Championship in 1995. Gene Blythe / AP Photo

Founded in 1984 by Rick Hendrick, it took over a decade for Hendrick Motorsports to find its groove. Having Jeff Gordon as a driver helped as Gordon won three of the team’s four Cup Series Championships from 1995 to 1998.

Hendrick won just once over the following seven years, but they found a new superstar driver in the 2000s in Jimmie Johnson. Driving the No. 48 car co-owned by Gordon and Rick Hendrick, Johnson won an unprecedented five straight championships from 2006 to 2010.

Johnson then added two more titles later to push Hendrick Motorsports (12) past Petty Enterprises (11) for the most NASCAR Cup Series championships.

33. 1930s/40s Yankees

Joe DiMaggio led the Yankees to nine World Series titles. AP Photo

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Years: 1936-43

Manager: Joe McCarthy

Notable players: Joe DiMaggio, Lefty Gomez, Red Ruffing, Bill Dickey

Key stats: 799-427-15 (.650 winning percentage), 7 World Series appearances

Championships: 6 (1936, 1937, 1938,1939, 1941, 1943)

Bottom Line: 1930s/40s Yankees

Lou Gehrig scored 1,888 career runs with the Yankees. OTBaseballPhoto / Twitter

In 1935, the Yankees released 40-year-old Babe Ruth, signaling a new beginning, and it didn’t take them long to again become baseball’s premier franchise.

An aging Lou Gehrig led them to three straight World Series wins from 1936 to 1938 before retiring in 1939 due to the ALS disease that now bears his name. But the Yankees had another MVP waiting to seize the spotlight, and Joe DiMaggio won his first MVP in 1939 as the Yankees became the first team to win four straight World Series titles.

They then won two more championships over the next four years, including in 1943 when DiMaggio missed the entire season due to his service during World War II.

32. Carmel (Indiana) Girls Swimming

Carmel swimmer Taylor Baughman in 2002. Darron Cummings / AP Photo

Sport: High school swimming

Years: 1986-present

Head coach: Ray Lawrence, Tony Young, Ken Stopkotte, Tom Burchill, Chris Plumb

Notable players: Claire Adams, Veronica Burchill, Grace Pangburn

Key stats: Surpassed Punahou School’s (Hawaii) all-time high school record of 29 state titles

Championships: 34 (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)

Bottom Line: Carmel (Indiana) Girls Swimming

The Carmel swim team has won 34 straight championships. Tom Strattman / AP Photo

Located in central Indiana, the city of Carmel has been named by Money magazine as the best place to live in America. Carmel High is the only public high school in the city, and it’s unofficially the best place to win in America.

Even though the swim program has cycled through five different coaches, all they do is win and no high school swimming program – boys or girls – has won more championships than the Carmel Greyhounds.

The last time they didn’t win a state championship, Indiana legend Reggie Miller hadn’t even been drafted by the Pacers.

31. 1950s/60s Montreal Canadiens

Jean Beliveau, center, won 10 Stanley Cups in his 20-year career with the Montreal Canadiens. AP Photo

Sport: Hockey (NHL)

Years: 1955-60

Head coach: Toe Blake

Notable players: Jean Beliveau, Jacques Plante, Dickie Moore

Key stats: 202-91-57 (.659 winning percentage), 5 postseason appearances, 5 Stanley Cup Final appearances

Championships: 5 (1956, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960)

Bottom Line: 1950s/60s Montreal Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens players give coach Toe Blake a ride after winning the 1957 Stanley Cup. AP Photo

The Canadiens won eight championships before this dynasty but never more than two in a row. They were in a different class than the rest of the NHL from 1955 to 60 as their point differential was plus-415 over this span while no other team had a positive differential.

They were just as dominant in the postseason. They never faced a Game 7 and saw just two Game 6’s over a five-year span. Surprisingly, the Canadiens won just one MVP award during this era as Jean Beliveau won both that and the Art Ross Trophy in 1955-56.

30. 1980s/90s Washington Redskins

Joe Theismann played his entire career with the Washington Redskins. P.Binks / AP Photo

Sport: Football (NFL)

Years: 1982-91

Head coach: Joe Gibbs

Notable players: Joe Theismann, John Riggins, Art Monk, Charles Mann

Key stats: 107-45 (.704 winning percentage), 7 postseason appearances, 4 Super Bowl appearances

Championships: 3 (1982, 1987, 1991)

Bottom Line: 1980s/90s Redskins

Joe Gibbs won 154 games in 16 seasons as Redskins coach. P. Binks / AP Photo

Joe Gibbs took over as head coach in 1981, and he made an immediate impact by going to back-to-back Super Bowls in 1982 and 1983.

Gibbs was known for his work with the offensive line – nicknamed “The Hogs” – and six different linemen made a Pro Bowl under Gibbs’ tenure. The Hogs paved the way to the Redskins scoring 541 points in 1983, which was the most in NFL history at the time.

But the Skins were more than just an offensive powerhouse and led the NFL in scoring defense during their first Super Bowl win and finished second in scoring defense in their last Super Bowl win.

29. 1970s Cincinnati Reds

Pete Rose, right, scored 2,165 runs in his big league career. AP Photo

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Years: 1970-76

Manager: Sparky Anderson

Notable players: Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, Dave Concepcion

Key stats: 683-443 (.607 winning percentage), 5 postseason appearances, 4 World Series appearances.

Championships: 2 (1975, 1976)

Bottom Line: 1970s Cincinnati Reds

Cincinnati Reds players rejoice after winning the 1975 World Series. Harry Cabluck / AP Photo

“The Big Red Machine” consisted of the all-time hit leader, three Hall of Famers and an assortment of players who combined for 34 All-Star selections during their dynasty.

Pete Rose, Joe Morgan and Johnny Bench combined to win five of the seven NL MVP awards during this span as their nickname was based off their powerful batting lineup. In addition to those three, their starting lineup also consisted of Tony Perez, Dave Concepcion, George Foster, Ken Griffey Sr. and Cesar Geronimo. The lineup had a sub-nickname within the Big Red Machine nickname and were called the “Great Eight.”

During the Reds’ championship-winning teams of 1975 and 1976, the Reds went 69-19 when the Great Eight played together.

28. 1980s/90s Duke Basketball

Christian Laettner was one of the best college basketball players of all time. Charles Rex Arbogast / AP Photo

Sport: College basketball (NCAA)

Years: 1989-94

Head coach: Mike Krzyzewski

Notable players: Christian Laettner, Bobby Hurley, Grant Hill

Key stats: 147-32 (.821 winning percentage), 5 NCAA Tournament appearances, 4 Final Fours

Championships: 2 (1991, 1992)

Bottom Line: 1980s/90s Duke Basketball

Duke’s Brian Davis (23) leads the Blue Devils in celebration at the trophy presentation after winning their first-ever NCAA Final Four championship in Indianapolis Monday, April 2, 1991. Duke defeated Kansas 72-65. At far left is Grant Hill (33), Christian Laettner (32) is at far right. Michael Conroy / AP Photo

Duke came into national prominence in the 1980s, but it wasn’t until the early 1990s that they became champions. After getting run out of the gym by UNLV in the 1990 national championship game, Duke got up off the mat and ended the Running Rebels’ 45-game winning streak the following year in the Final Four.

Led by Christian Laettner and Bobby Hurley, the Blue Devils went on to win back-to-back titles in 1991 and 1992. Duke had a dip the following season, then was back in the title picture in 1994 behind senior Grant Hill, but the team fell to Arkansas in the national title game.

However, this five-year stretch expanded the profile of Duke, and after decades of only getting interest from recruits on the East Coast, they became a national program and have since attracted talent from everywhere.

27. 1980s/90sMiami Hurricanes Football

Miami quarterback Vinny Testaverde won the Heisman Trophy in 1986. Joe Skipper / AP Photo

Sport: College football (NCAA)

Years: 1983-92

Head coach: Howard Schnellenberger, Jimmy Johnson, Dennis Erickson

Notable players: Michael Irvin, Bernie Kosar, Vinny Testaverde, Gino Torretta

Key stats: 97-14 (.874 winning percentage), 29-game winning streak

Championships: 4 (1983, 1987, 1989, 1991)

Bottom Line: 1980s/90sMiami Hurricanes Football

Miami coach Jimmy Johnson, left, led the Hurricanes to a national title in 1987. Joe Skipper / AP Photo

Anytime a team wins titles under multiple coaches within a span, then that truly points to the strength of the program rather than one individual. Miami won four titles under three coaches and posted an NCAA-record 58-game home winning streak during this dynasty.

Speaking of streaks, they also were adept at stopping long winning streaks. They ended a 23-game streak by Notre Dame, a 22-game streak by Nebraska and a 20-game streak by Oklahoma in between 1984 and 1989.

Even during the years Miami didn’t win the national championship, the Hurricanes were very much in contention and finished in the top three of the AP Poll seven straight years from 1986 to 1992.

26. 2000s/10s Spain National Team

Gerard Pique helped Spain with the 2010 World Cup. Antonio Calanni / AP Photo

Sport: Soccer (UEFA)

Years: 2007-12

Head coach: Vicente del Bosque

Notable players: Iker Casillas, Gerard Pique, David Villa, Xavi, Andres Iniesta

Key stats: 2 European championships, 35-match unbeaten streak

Championships: 1 (2010 World Cup)

Bottom Line: 2000s/10s Spain National Team

Spain won the Euro 2012 soccer championship. Gregorio Borgia / AP Photo

It’s hard for a national team to become a dynasty because you could often go months without playing, and every game you have a new set of teammates. But Spain’s national team managed to separate itself from the rest of the world during this stretch, winning every competition that mattered.

They claimed the 2008 European Championship and then won the 2010 FIFA World Cup. They then entered the 2012 European Championship as the hunted but still rose to the occasion to win that tournament.

The victory made them the only soccer team ever to win three consecutive major titles, and they also tied a record unbeaten streak of 35 games along the way.

25. 2010s Miami Heat

Chris Bosh helped the Miami Heat win back-to-back NBA titles in 2012 and 2013. Larry W. Smith / AP Photo

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Years: 2010-2014

Head coach: Erik Spoelstra

Notable players: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Ray Allen

Key stats: 224-88 (.718 winning percentage), 4 postseason appearances, 4 Finals appearances

Championships: 2 (2012, 2013)

Bottom Line: 2010s Miami Heat

LeBron James won his first two NBA titles with the Miami Heat. Lynne Sladky / AP Photo

If you ask most NBA experts, they’ll probably say that the “Heatles” underachieved during their four-year run. Yes, they won two championships, but in those two years the Heat fell short, Miami was the favorite in one and had even odds in the other.

The Heat’s last run together was a five-game Finals loss to the Spurs and LeBron James admits that if they won that series, then he likely would have re-signed instead of returning to Cleveland.

Still, though, this Heat dynasty ushered in the super team era featuring multiple All-Star players in their primes.

24. 1970s/80s Raiders

Quarterback Jim Plunkett led the Raiders to two Super Bowl titles. Pete Leabo / AP Photo

Sport: Football (NFL)

Years: 1976-83

Head coach: John Madden, Tom Flores

Notable players: Ken Stabler, Jim Plunkett, Cliff Branch, Ted Hendricks

Key stats: 80-37 (.684 winning percentage), 5 postseason appearances, 3 Super Bowl appearances

Championships: 3 (1976, 1980, 1983)

Bottom Line: 1970s/80s Raiders

Tom Flores won 83 games as the Raiders’ head coach and two Super Bowls. AP Photo

In the decade preceding this dynasty, the Raiders advanced to seven conference championships and one Super Bowl.

They finally got over the hump, starting in 1976, and even as they changed coaches and quarterbacks over the following seven years, they kept on living up to Al Davis’ mantra of “Just Win Baby.”

Not even relocation could stop the Raiders. The team moved from Oakland to Los Angeles in 1982 and won its third Super Bowl of this era following the 1983 season.

23. 1940s Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears, in white, beat the Washington Redskins 73-0 in the 1940 NFL championship game. AP Photo

Sport: Football (NFL)

Years: 1940-46

Head coach: George Halas, Luke Johnsos, Hunk Anderson

Notable players: Sid Luckman, George Wilson, Bulldog Turner

Key stats: 54-17-3 (.750 winning percentage), 5 postseason appearances, 5 NFL championship game appearances.

Championships: 4 (1940, 1941, 1943, 1946)

Bottom Line: 1940s Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears have a long tradition of winning — and celebrating winning. AP Photo

It wasn’t the 1985 Bears or the Dick Butkus-era Bears that got the nickname “Monsters of the Midway.” It was the 1940s Bears.

George Halas won back-to-back championships to start off the decade before heading off to serve in World War II. He pulled a novel act of picking co-coaches, and they advanced to two more championship games, splitting them. After a couple of down years in 1944 and 1945, Halas returned from the war to lead Chicago to another championship in the 1946 season.

The most important game of this Bears dynasty was the 1940 NFL championship game. There, Halas introduced his T-formation offense, which dumbfounded the Redskins, and Chicago stomped its way to a 73-0 victory. That remains the biggest blowout in NFL history.

22. De La Salle (California) Football

De La Salle High School 12 straight state football titles from 1992 to 2003. Tammy Lechner / AP Photo

Sport: High school football

Years: 1992-2003

Head coach: Bob Ladouceur

Notable players: Maurice Jones-Drew, T.J. Ward, D.J. Williams

Key stats: 151-game winning streak, 7 national championships

Championships: 12 (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003)

21. De La Salle (California) Football

De La Salle had a 151-game winning streak. Paul Sakuma / AP Photo

The longest win streak in high school football took place in Northern California at De La Salle.

For over a decade, the team didn’t lose a game while competing in one of California’s top divisions. Not only that, but in later years during its run, the school played a national schedule and took on the top teams from across the nation.

You would think that with this kind of success, coach Bob Ladouceur was pumping out future NFL players left and right. But only eight of his players went onto the NFL, and Ladouceur had a relatively small population pool to select from as De La Salle has barely 1,000 students.

21. Joe Torre’s New York Yankees

Andy Pettitte won some big games for the New York Yankees. Ben Margot / AP Photo

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Years: 1996-2003

Manager: Joe Torre

Notable players: Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte

Key stats: 786-506-2 (.608 winning percentage), 8 postseason appearances, 6 World Series appearances.

Championships: 4 (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000)

Bottom Line: Joe Torre’s New York Yankees

The Yankees spread a lot of good news in the late 1990s. Mark Lennihan / AP Photo

These Yankees were loaded with superstars and balanced in hitting and pitching. During their eight-year run from 1996 to 2003, they led the American League in batting average and team ERA while Joe Torre did a great job of managing egos.

Their best team was in 1998 when the Yankees went 114-48 in the regular season and then 11-2 in the postseason en route to winning the World Series. That was a then-AL record for most wins in a season, and the .704 winning percentage by the team is the second-best in Yankees franchise history.

20. 1960s Green Packers

Fullback Jim Taylor scored 81 touchdowns for the Green Bay Packers. Paul Shane / AP Photo

Sport: Football (NFL)

Years: 1960-67

Head coach: Vince Lombardi

Notable players: Bart Starr, Jim Taylor, Paul Hornung, Forrest Gregg, Ray Nitschke

Key stats: 82-24-4 (.764 winning percentage), 6 postseason appearances, 6 Super Bowl/NFL championship game appearances

Championships: 5 (1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967)

Bottom Line: 1960s Green Packers

Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi was one of the NFL’s greatest coaches. AP Photo

The Packers won six championships before this dynasty, but those weren’t in a cluster like this period when they won five in six years from 1961 to 1967.

The Packers successfully transitioned the league from the days of championship games to Super Bowls. Their wins in 1961, 1962 and 1965 were NFL championships while their wins in 1966 and 1967 were Super Bowl titles.

These teams were loaded with stars. Twelve different Packers from this era ended up in the Hall of Fame in addition to head coach Vince Lombardi, whose postseason winning percentage of .900 (9-1 record) is the best in NFL history.

19. 2010s Penn State Wrestling

Penn State is a wrestling powerhouse. Tom Gannam / AP Photo

Sport: College wrestling (NCAA)

Years: 2011-present

Head coach: Cael Sanderson

Notable players: Ed Ruth, Bo Nickal, Jason Nolf, Zain Retherford

Key stats: 122-9 (.931 winning percentage), 6 Big Ten championships

Championships: 8 (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)

Bottom Line: Penn State Wrestling

Penn State’s Ed Ruth, center, celebrates with teammates after they won the wrestling national title in 2013. Charlie Neibergall / AP Photo

Led by four-time NCAA champion and Olympic gold medalist Cael Sanderson, the Nittany Lions wrestling team has dominated the sport over the last decade. They had two separate four-peats with the last four championships all coming during undefeated seasons.

Sanderson has coached his wrestlers to 23 individual NCAA titles, and they’ve achieved 58 All-American selections combined. It wasn’t like Sanderson just picked up where his predecessor left off either.

Before he arrived, Penn State had just two national titles in the previous 100 years.

18. Kobe/Shaq Lakers

Kobe, left, and Shaq won three NBA titles together on the Lakers. Mark J. Terrill / AP Photo

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Years: 1999-2004

Head coach: Phil Jackson

Notable players: Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Derek Fisher, Robert Horry

Key stats: 287-123 (.700 winning percentage), 5 postseason appearances, 4 Finals appearances

Championships: 3 (2000, 2001, 2002)

Bottom Line: Kobe/Shaq Lakers

Shaquille O'Neal, Elden Campbell, Kobe Bryant, Eddie Jones, Derek Harper

The Shaq-Kobe dynasty started after the Lakers traded Elden Campbell and Eddie Jones to the Charlotte Hornets.

Practically every dynasty on this list was broken up by age, injury or another team/dynasty usurping the incumbent. The Kobe/Shaq Lakers came to an end due to a power struggle between the two principal actors.

They didn’t like each other much while they were teammates, which makes their three straight championships all the more amazing. But they could have and should have had twice as many.

Shaq estimates that they would have won “five or six” titles if they stayed together. They each won championships separately, but them not being together longer is one of the biggest “what ifs” in sports.

17. 1950/60s Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers

Brooklyn Dodger Jackie Robinson, right, steals home against the New York Yankees in the 1955 World Series. AP Photoo

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Years: 1955-66

Manager: Walter Alston

Notable players: Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Duke Snider, Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella

Key stats: 1,078-814-4 (.570 winning percentage), 6 World Series appearances

Championships: 4 (1955, 1959, 1963, 1965)

Bottom Line: 1950/60s Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers won four World Series from 1955 to 1965. AP Photo

The Dodgers of Flatbush, Brooklyn, came up short in nine World Series before 1955. Then they finally broke through, and they nearly won again in 1956 before falling in seven games to the New York Yankees. Shortly thereafter, the Dodgers headed west and relocated to Los Angeles where the iconic duo of Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale won three out of the four World Series they appeared in.

The Dodgers contrasted with power-hitting teams like the Yankees and New York/San Francisco Giants at this time and used small ball to put runs on the board. The team ranked just 10th in home runs during these dozen years from 1995 to 1966, but also ranked first in stolen bases and sacrifice hits.

16. 1980s Boston Celtics

Larry Bird led the Boston Celtics to three NBA titles. Steve Pyle / AP Photo

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Years: 1980-87

Head coach: Bill Fitch, K.C. Jones

Notable players: Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Dennis Johnson

Key stats: 432-142 (.753 winning percentage), 7 postseason appearances, 5 Finals appearances

Championships: 3 (1981, 1984, 1986)

Bottom Line: 1980s Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics celebrate after beating the Houston Rockets to win the 1986 NBA championship. Paul Benoit / AP Photo

Blessed with the greatest frontcourt in NBA history, the Celtics had high expectations to win every year. That’s why they fired coach Bill Fitch in 1983, just two years after he won an NBA championship.

Former Celtics player K.C. Jones became coach and responded by going to four Finals in his first four seasons – winning two of them. This Celtics dynasty was supposed to be carried in the late 1980s by Len Bias, who was the No. 2 overall pick in 1986, but he died from an overdose two years after the draft.

Larry Bird’s bad back also played a big part in the Celtics being overthrown by the Pistons toward the end of the decade as the best team in the East.

15. 2010s Golden State Warriors

Kevin Durant, left, helped the Golden State Warriors win two NBA titles. Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP Photo

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Years: 2014-19

Head coach: Steve Kerr

Notable players: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala

Key stats: 322-88 (.785 winning percentage), 5 postseason appearances, 5 Finals appearances

Championships: 3 (2015, 2017, 2018)

Bottom Line: 2010s Golden State Warriors

The Warriors won three NBA championships in four seasons from 2015 to 2018. Paul Sancya / AP Photo

No NBA dynasty on this list has a higher winning percentage than the Warriors, who became the second franchise to make five straight NBA Finals.

The regular-season highlight was the team going 73-9 and setting the single-season wins record in 2015-16, but not winning the championship that year keeps the Warriors from a better ranking.

The Warriors won a lot on the court and maybe even more off the court as their franchise value went from $750 million in 2014 to $3.5 billion in 2019.

14. 1990s Dallas Cowboys

Emmitt Smith is the NFL’s all-time leading rusher with 18,355 yards. David Longstreath / AP Photo

Sport: Football (NFL)

Years: 1992-95

Head coach: Jimmy Johnson, Barry Switzer

Notable players: Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Deion Sanders, Charles Haley

Key stats: 49-15 (.766 winning percentage), 4 postseason appearances, 3 Super Bowl appearances

Championships: 3 (1992, 1993, 1995)

Bottom Line: 1990s Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson, left, and quarterback Troy Aikman won two Super Bowls together. Charles Krupa / AP Photo

Bottom line: When Jimmy Johnson took over for the Cowboys in 1989, they had a 1-15 record. Just three years later, they were on top of the world as Super Bowl champs.

They repeated in 1993, but a power struggle between Johnson and owner Jerry Jones threatened to end their dynasty. They lost in the NFC championship game the following year under Barry Switzer before winning it all again in 1995.

However, most people think it was simply Switzer winning with a roster that Johnson built, and if Johnson had stuck around, the Cowboys would have won four Super Bowls. At least.

13. 1920s/30s New York Yankees

Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth and the Bronx Bombers won four World Series from 1923 to 1932. AP Photo

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Years: 1921-32

Manager: Miller Huggins, Art Fletcher, Bob Shawkey, Joe McCarthy

Notable players: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Earle Combs, Tony Lazzeri

Key stats: 1,125-717-9 (.610 winning percentage), 7 World Series appearances

Championships: 4 (1923, 1927, 1928, 1932)

Bottom Line: 1920s/30s New York Yankees

Babe Ruth, Miller Huggins, and Lou Gehrig

New York Yankees manager Miller Huggins, center, Babe Ruth, left, and Lou Gehrig all are in the Baseball Hall of Fame. AP Photo

This is when Babe Ruth became the most famous man in America, and the Yankees became the preeminent franchise in sports.

After losing back-to-back World Series in 1921 and 1922, the Bronx Bombers won four over the next decade. Their best team was in 1927, when “Murderers’ Row” was born. They sat atop the AL for the entire season, Ruth hit an MLB-record 60 home runs, and they swept the Pirates in the World Series.

But this era was more than just Ruth and Lou Gehrig. They were two of the 16 Hall of Famers who wore pinstripes during this dynasty.

12. 1980s/90s Edmonton Oilers

Wayne Gretzky scored 583 goals in nine seasons with the Oilers. AP Photo

Sport: Hockey (NHL)

Years: 1982-90

Head coach: Glen Sather, John Muckler

Notable players: Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Paul Coffey

Key stats: 379-187-74 (.650 winning percentage), 8 postseason appearances, 6 Stanley Cup Finals appearances

Championships: 5 (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990)

Bottom Line: 1980s/90s Edmonton Oilers

Wayne Gretzky, “The Great One,” won four Stanley Cups with the Oilers. Larry Macdougal / AP Photo

This is one of those “what if” dynasties. Five Stanley Cup championships ae an amazing accomplishment, but you have to think it could have and should have been more.

If the Oilers’ front office had configured their finances better, the team would not have had to trade away Wayne Gretzky. They won another Stanley Cup after trading away Gretzky, but they still had a four-year window in which they could have won many more Cups.

While the Gretzky trade hurt the Oilers, it helped the NHL as a whole and led to a surge in popularity across the United States.

11. Tim Duncan’s San Antonio Spurs

Tim Duncan is the epitome of a winner. Tim Sharp / AP Photo

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Years: 1999-2014

Head coach: Gregg Popovich

Notable players: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, David Robinson, Kawhi Leonard

Key stats: 894-370 (.707 winning percentage), 16 postseason appearances, 6 Finals appearances

Championships: 5 (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014)

Bottom Line: Tim Duncan’s San Antonio Spurs

Tim Duncan, left, led the San Antonio Spurs to five NBA titles. Mark Lennihan / AP Photo

There were many changing parts over the Spurs’ five championship teams, but the one on-court constant was Tim Duncan. The two-time MVP went 15 years in between his first and last title, which is the second-longest span between championships in NBA history.

During this dynasty, the Spurs made the playoffs every season, and the only time they didn’t win at least 50 games was a lockout-shortened season in which only 50 games were played.

Thanks to this long period of sustained excellence, the Spurs now have the highest winning percentage of any team in NBA history.

10. Alabama Football

Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in 2019. Vasha Hunt / AP Photo

Sport: College football (NCAA)

Years: 2009-present

Head coach: Nick Saban

Notable players: A.J. McCarron, Tua Tagovailoa, C.J. Mosley, Minkah Fitzpatrick

Key stats: 138-15 (.902 winning percentage), 6 SEC championships, 7 national championship game appearances

Championships: 5 (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017)

Bottom Line: Alabama Football

Alabama head coach Nick Saban has led the Crimson Tide to five national championships. Gerald Herbert / AP Photo

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide dynasty is the turnover he’s experienced at the most important position. He’s had six different starting quarterbacks with four of them leading Alabama to national championships.

It certainly helps when those quarterbacks have an elite defense to cover for them, and that has been the strength of Saban’s teams. Alabama has allowed the fewest points of any FBS team since 2009 and has allowed over 500 points fewer than the next-best team.

It also doesn’t look like this Crimson Tide dynasty will be slowing down any time soon as Saban recently signed a contract extension through 2025.

9. 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers

Lynn Swann had 336 receptions in his nine-year NFL career, all with the Steelers. AP Photo

Sport: Football (NFL)

Years: 1974-79

Head coach: Chuck Noll

Notable players: Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, “Mean” Joe Greene

Key stats: 67-20-1 (.767 winning percentage), 6 postseason appearances, 4 Super Bowl appearances

Championships: 4 (1974, 1975, 1978, 1979)

Bottom Line: 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers won four Super Bowls in six seasons from 1974 to 1979. AP Photo

Bottom line: Few teams in sports were as dominating as the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s.

From 1974 to 1979, they won six AFC Central division titles and went to four Super Bowls, winning them all. Their point differential during that time was plus-886.

Success didn’t make them complacent, either. They maintained a championship level of intensity and were as mean as hungry junkyard dogs every year.

8. Showtime Lakers

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, right, is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer with 38,387 points. Robert H. Houston / AP Photo

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Years: 1979-91

Head coach: Jack McKinney, Paul Westhead, Pat Riley, Mike Dunleavy

Notable players: Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Michael Cooper

Key stats: 712-272 (.724 winning percentage), 12 postseason appearances, 9 Finals appearances

Championships: 5 (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)

Bottom Line: Showtime Lakers

Magic Johnson led the Lakers to five NBA titles. Reed Saxon / AP Photo

The Showtime era made the Lakers the NBA’s most prominent franchise. Owner Jerry Buss lured celebrities to games to bridge basketball and entertainment.

But on the court, the Lakers were essentially two different teams with Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. They were known for their fast-paced, open-court style, and if opportunities weren’t there, then they morphed into a half-court offense centered around Abdul-Jabbar.

Once “Cap” retired in 1989, the Lakers still made another Finals in 1991. However, the dynasty came to a sudden and unexpected end when Magic Johnson acquired HIV and retired immediately thereafter.

7. UConn Women’s Basketball

Connecticut is committed to winning. AJ Mast / AP Photo

Sport: College basketball (NCAA)

Years: 1994-present

Head coach: Geno Auriemma

Notable players: Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart

Key stats: 899-61 (.936 winning percentage), 25 NCAA tournament appearances, 19 Final Fours

Championships: 11 (1995, 2000, 2002, 203, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)

Bottom Line: UConn Women’s Basketball

Connecticut won 11 national titles from 1995 to 2016. Michael Conroy / AP Photo

It’s almost hard to believe, but Geno Auriemma never had a head coaching position at any level before joining UConn in 1985. Since then, he and UConn have only won more NCAA championships than any other basketball team ever, male or female.

Auriemma has coached 11 AP Player of the Year winners, and under his leadership, UConn has the two longest win streaks in college basketball history — 111 wins and 90 wins.

From 2008 to 2019, UConn had advanced to 12 straight Final Fours, also a record.

6. 1980s/90s San Francisco 49ers

Joe Montana was one of the NFL’s greatest big-game quarterbacks. Eric Risberg / AP Photo

Sport: Football (NFL)

Years: 1981-94

Head coach: Bill Walsh, George Seifert

Notable players: Joe Montana, Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Roger Craig, Ronnie Lott

Key stats: 159-56-1 (.738 winning percentage), 12 postseason appearances, 5 Super Bowl appearances

Championships: 5 (1981, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1994)

Bottom Line: 1980s/90s San Francisco 49ers

Brent Jones, William Floyd, Steve Young, Merton Hanks

The 49ers won Super Bowl XXIX in 1995. Susan Walsh / AP Photo

The length of the Niners’ dynasty is what makes it so special. They had two entirely different teams when you compare their first Super Bowl (1981) to their last (1994).

It wasn’t just Joe Montana being substituted for Steve Young. The entire 53-man roster turned over between those two championships as well as their head coach.

The strength of these 49ers teams was their high-powered West Coast offense. San Francisco finished in the top four in yards in 13 out of these 14 seasons.

5. UCLA Basketball

UCLA basketball star Kareem Abdul Jabbar, then known as Lew Alcindor, in 1968. AP Photo

Sport: College basketball (NCAA)

Years: 1963-1975

Head coach: John Wooden

Notable players: Lew Alcindor, Bill Walton, Jamaal Wilkes, Gail Goodrich, Walt Hazzard

Key stats: 335-22 (.938 winning percentage), 11 NCAA tournament appearances, 11 Final Fours

Championships: 10 (1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1979, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975)

Bottom Line: UCLA Basketball

John Wooden, The Wizard of Westwood, won 10 national championships at UCLA. AP Photo

The accomplishments of UCLA under John Wooden are simply astounding. They won an NCAA-record 88 straight games, had four perfect 30-0 seasons, won 38 straight NCAA tournament games and claimed seven straight national championships.

This was all done in an era when players couldn’t play as freshmen so the likes of Lew Alcindor and Bill Walton only played three years each in Westwood.

But despite the unparalleled success of the Bruins and the legacy of Wooden, they were not exempt from the hand of the NCAA. UCLA had a booster who was found to have given impermissible benefits to star players during this time, and that would result in the program going on probation after Wooden retired.

4. Tom Brady/Bill Belichick New England Patriots

Tom Brady won six Super Bowls with the Patriots. David Goldman / AP Photo

Sport: Football (NFL)

Years: 2001-19

Head coach: Bill Belichick

Notable players: Tom Brady, Tedy Bruschi, Rob Gronkowski, Vince Wilfork, Julian Edelman

Key stats: 232-72 (.763 winning percentage), 17 postseason appearances, 9 Super Bowl appearances

Championships: 6 (2001, 2003, 2004, 2014, 2016, 2018)

Bottom Line: Tom Brady/Bill Belichick New England Patriots

Champions. Matt Slocum / AP Photo

All good things come to an end — even the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick partnership. Belichick is perhaps the greatest coach in NFL history, and Brady is perhaps the greatest quarterback.

During their first three Super Bowls, the team was defense-first, and Tom Brady was more of a game manager. That flipped in 2007, and for the last three Super Bowls, the team was offense-first and centered around Brady.

Nearly as amazing as the two decades of dominance for the Patriots are some of the names of those quarterbacks who beat them in the playoffs: Nick Foles, Mark Sanchez, Jake Plummer, Ryan Tannehill and Joe Flacco.

3. Bill Russell’s Boston Celtics

Bill Russell is one of the biggest winners in sports history. Harold Filan / AP Photo

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Years: 1956-69

Head coach: Red Auerbach, Bill Russell

Notable players: Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, John Havlicek, Sam Jones, Tom Heinsohn

Key stats: 716-299 (.705 winning percentage), 13 postseason appearances, 12 Finals appearances

Championships: 11 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969)

Bottom Line: Bill Russell’s Boston Celtics

It was good to be the Celtics in the 1960s. AP Photo

During his NBA career, Bill Russell played in 27 postseason series and won 25 of them. He was the only constant amongst the Celtics’ 11 championship teams, with Sam Jones being the only other player with more than eight titles.

The Celtics morphed from a great offensive team to a great defensive team during their run, and they led the NBA in scoring during their first three titles and then led in scoring defense three times later in the run.

Along with the history made by winning 11 titles in 13 years, Russell also became the first black coach in North American pro sports and the first to win a championship.

2. Mickey Mantle/Yogi Berra Yankees

Yankees catcher Yogi Berra, right, was a three-time MVP and 18-time All-Star. AP Photo

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Years: 1947-1964

Manager: Bucky Harris, Casey Stengel, Ralph Houk, Yogi Berra

Notable players: Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Whitey Ford

Key stats: 1,748-1,052-10 (.624 winning percentage),15 World Series appearances

Championships: 10 (1947, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1962)

Bottom Line: Mickey Mantle/Yogi Berra Yankees

The Yankees won 10 World Series from 1947 to 1964. AP Photo

Yogi Berra was baseball’s version of Bill Russell or Tom Brady. Berra won 10 World Series rings with the Yankees between the late 40s and early 60s, which gives him the most championships in major league history.

The Yankees were in a different class than everyone else during this time, and they claimed 11 MVPs over this 18-year span. Their stardom went beyond just Berra and Mickey Mantle. Those two were among six different Bronx Bombers to win the MVP award during this time.

But these Yanks did leave some meat on the bone, so to speak. They also lost five World Series – four of which came in a Game 7.

1. 1990s Chicago Bulls

Michael Jordan, right, won six rings with the Bulls. Mark Duncan / AP Photo

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Years: 1990-98

Head coach: Phil Jackson

Notable players: Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, Dennis Rodman, Steve Kerr

Key stats: 490-166 (.747 winning percentage), 8 postseason appearances, 6 Finals appearances

Championships: 6 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998)

Bottom Line: 1990s Chicago Bulls

The GOAT and the Zen Master. Jack Smith / AP Photo

Imagine if Michael Jordan hadn’t played baseball. Chicago fans aren’t complaining about winning six NBA titles in eight seasons, but the Bulls might have had more. That’s how good Jordan was in his prime.

The core of Jordan and Scottie Pippen were together for three years, but the promotion of Phil Jackson to head coach is what really began the Bulls’ dominance. The Bulls were never really tested throughout their run and only faced two Game 7’s across 24 postseason series, and neither of those was in the Finals.

Chicago’s two three-peats were different rosters. The only players on any of the championship seasons from both three-peats were Pippen and Jordan. And they went six for six in NBA Finals. Can’t beat that winning percentage.