Top 10 NFL players without a Super Bowl ring
theScore's NFL Top 10 is a two-week series in which editors take a look at football's best, worst, and most interesting, highlighting everything from the overpaid to the most versatile and marketable.
Top 10 NFL Series | |
---|---|
Journeymen | Under 6-feet tall |
Versatile | Never scored TD |
Overpaid | Ringless vets |
Born outside U.S. | Small-school |
Undrafted | Marketable |
Many Hall of Famers have retired without having won a Super Bowl. These 10 current players are in danger of joining them.
The only criteria for making this list of the best players without a Super Bowl ring is to have played a minimum of eight seasons.
10. DeSean Jackson, WR, Buccaneers
10 seasons
In the blink of an eye, a decade has past in Jackson's career. He starred as an Eagle then suited up for the rival Redskins and now he's going into Year 2 with the Buccaneers. It must have been hard for him to watch Philadelphia capture its first Super Bowl in franchise history without him.
9. LeSean McCoy, RB, Bills
8 seasons
Where did the time go? It seems like yesterday when Shady was reversing field while playing with the likes of Jackson and Michael Vick in Philly. Now, he has more than 10,000 yards on his tires as he trudges through the snow in Buffalo. Like Jackson, McCoy may forever pine missing out on a championship with the Eagles.
8. Antonio Brown, WR, Steelers
8 seasons
For all the individual and team success Brown has enjoyed, he's yet to lead the Steelers to Super Bowl glory. His only appearance in the big game came in his rookie season, and he recorded just one catch for 1 yard in a losing effort.
7. Philip Rivers, QB, Chargers
14 seasons
In 14 fiery seasons, Rivers has played in nine total playoff contests and just one conference championship game. The gunslinger is still chucking 'em, but he's running out of time. Luckily for him, the Chargers are stocked for a surprise run in the AFC in 2018.
6. Calais Campbell, DE, Jaguars
10 seasons
Campbell seems to be getting better with age, and he's getting closer to reaching the mountaintop as well. The Jaguars took the Patriots to the limit in the 2017 AFC Championship Game, but that's now two conference title games Campbell has lost in his last two trips to the playoffs. He's still only 31 years old, however, so he may get a few more cracks at it.
5. Frank Gore, RB, Dolphins
13 seasons
Gore is one of the few players on this list who has played in a Super Bowl. He toiled for eight seasons with the 49ers before reaching Super Bowl XLVII, only to lose to the Ravens by three points. In the five seasons since, he's climbed to No. 5 on the all-time rushing list, but hasn't gotten any closer to capturing the elusive Lombardi Trophy.
4. Antonio Gates, TE, Free agent
15 seasons
After 15 seasons, Gates is currently without a team, but he remains an active player and therefore deserves inclusion on this list. His credentials are worthy of the Hall of Fame. Perhaps he will sign with a Super Bowl favorite to finally get his shot at a ring.
3. Julius Peppers, DE, Panthers
16 seasons
Peppers is the longest-tenured member of this list. The active leader in sacks (No. 4 all-time) has been chasing a Super Bowl ring for some time now. His first eight seasons in Carolina were fruitless, as was his four-year stint in Chicago. A move to Green Bay resulted in more playoff disappointment. He can only hope his search will end back home with the Panthers.
2. Adrian Peterson, RB, Free agent
11 seasons
Peterson is also currently without a team, but he's yet to give up on the dream. The former NFL MVP, four-time All-Pro, and seven-time Pro Bowler has played in just five career playoff games. His postseason resume is severely lacking for a player who will go down as one of the best running backs to play the game.
1. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Cardinals
14 seasons
Fitzgerald has done it all. He's won the Walter Payton Man of the Year award and has been named to All-Pro teams and Pro Bowls. He's third on the all-time receptions list and will pass Tony Gonzalez for second with another 92 catches. Larry's first appearance in a Super Bowl was the stuff legends are made of. The only thing missing on his resume is a Lombardi Trophy.
Top 10 NFL Series | |
---|---|
Journeymen | Under 6-feet tall |
Versatile | Never scored TD |
Overpaid | Ringless vets |
Born outside U.S. | Small-school |
Undrafted | Marketable |
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)
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