By John Turney
Stop if you heard this before: Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen will be home for the Super Bowl.
Sound familiar? It should. It's been that way the entirety of Allen's seven-year NFL career, with the Kansas City Chiefs dismissing him and the Bills from the playoffs four of the past five seasons. The latest setback occurred last weekend, with the Chiefs prevailing 32-29, keeping Allen's streak of missing Super Bowls intact.
It was the fourth time Allen lost to Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs, and the first time one quarterback beat the other that many times in a five-year span. So that makes Allen unique. But missing the Super Bowl? That doesn't.
Two-time MVP Lamar Jackson hasn't played in one. Nor, for that matter, have some of the NFL's all-time greats. Some, like Hall-of-Famers Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers, were stuck on underwhelming Chicago Bears' teams that couldn't reach the playoffs, let alone the Super Bowl. The same goes for Browns' tackle Joe Thomas. Then there were others whose teams made the playoffs but didn't go far.
However, my interest is with none of them.
I'm here to choose the 10 greatest players who didn't play in Super Bowls, but who, like Allen and Jackson, came close by playing in one or more conference championship games. Call it a misery index ... as in: The greater the heartbreak, the more you move up the list ... and let's call it now.
Here are my picks:
1. Dan Fouts—The leader of "Air Coryell" had the San Diego Chargers close. He lost the AFC championship game twice and a divisional playoff game in three straight years - 1980-82. That was his window, and it slammed shut after that. He still put up numbers and picked up his Gold Jacket but never played in the Big Game ... and, in terms of legacy, that means more for quarterbacks than other positions.
2. Merlin Olsen—Like Fouts, Olsen came close to playing in a Super Bowl. The Rams played in NFC championship games in 1974-76, losing all three -- twice to the Vikings and once to the Cowboys. The 14-time Pro Bowler would be on most people's "Mt. Rushmore" of defensive tackles.
3. LaDainian Tomlinson—The Patriots stopped Tomlinson's Chargers twice. Then, in 2010, the Pittsburgh Steelers shut the door on his Jets. So Tomlinson never held the Lamar Hunt Trophy after an AFC title game. One of the best all-around running backs, Tomlinson could run, catch, block, run short and run long. But he couldn't run his teams to the Super Bowl in two title tries.
4. Earl Campbell—Twice he led the Houston Oilers to an AFC championship game ... and by "led," I mean that without him they don't get there. In fact, without him, they wouldn't make the playoffs, period. He was the Oilers' offense, but that wasn't enough. The Steelers were a better, more complete team and twice the "Tyler Rose" fell one game short of playing in a Super Bowl.
5. Barry Sanders—One of the top-five running backs in league history, Sanders played in only one NFC championship game. That happened in his third season (1991), and it never happened again despite the Lions reaching the playoffs five of his 10 NFL seasons. Sanders was an elite player, but he wasn't enough to push Detroit over the hump.
6. Randall McDaniel—Offensive linemen are people, too, and this Hall-of-Fame guard fits perfectly on this list. He played 14 seasons, including 11 in the playoffs, and never advanced to the Big Game. The closest he came was 1998 when his Vikings lost in the NFC championship game after a missed Gary Anderson field goal (his first of the season) ended that dream. Nine times his team advanced to the playoffs but never won a conference championship. Ouch.
7. John Randle—Another Vikings' star, Randle is one of the best pass-rushing defensive tackles in the history of the NFL. He was a seven-time Pro Bowler, six-time All-Pro, all-decade choice and member of the league's 100th anniversary team who produced 137-1/2 sacks. Like McDaniel, he got close to making the Super Bowl in 1998, and the rest you know. Just read the paragraph above.
8. Eric Dickerson—Like Barry Sanders, Dickerson is one of the top running backs the game has seen. But his Rams' team only made one championship game, only to be shut out by the Bears (1985). He played for four teams, and all were one-dimensional ...with Dickerson the one dimension. But it was never enough.
9. Steve Largent—The Seattle wide receiver played in an AFC championship game in 1983 in a Cinderella playoff run. The Seahawks snuck into the playoffs with a 9-7 record, proceeded to beat John Elway and the Broncos and then upset the 12-4 Miami Dolphins. However, they couldn't handle the Raiders. It was the first and last time Largent played in a conference title game, though he'd make three more playoff appearances.
10. Tony Gonzalez—The 14-time Pro Bowler was on six playoff teams, but it wasn't until his second-to-last year in the NFL that he got his closest shot at a Super Bowl. That was the 2012 season when the Falcons hosted the NFC championship gamer, only to be beaten by San Francisco, 28-24.
updated: 2/5/2025
BW ...
ReplyDeleteI think of Adrian Peterson as well, who like Dickerson, was the Vikings one, take-it-to-the-house dimension, until Brett Favre comes along.
Suddenly, the team has its chance to go all the way, but instead, the NFC Championship turns into an instructional video for today's game in how NOT to hit the QB, and once Peterson starts fumbling the ball, it becomes contagious to the rest of the team, who lose a heart-breaking game. Yes, Favre threw another bad postseason interception but the way his body was being hit like a pinata, its amazing the Vikings even got to overtime.
Ironically, Merlin Olsen called many Super Bowls (4 games to be exact) with Dick Enberg on T.V. You’re right, he should be on the Mount Rushmore of defensive linemen. Also had a masters in economics and was a great actor.
ReplyDelete“A man of all seasons”
Fouts was actually in two AFC Championship games, not three. Not sure if that moves him down the list or not. As a Vikings fan, I've always felt that anyone associated with 41-0 should not be given any sympathy. Yes, that includes McDaniel and Randle, also Moss, etc. That loss to a really nondescript Giants team was a true disgrace, by far the worst moment in Viking history -- yes, much worse than the 4 Super Bowl losses, all of which were to epic teams. Losing 41-0 to Kerry Collins et al should not have even happened in pre-season, let alone with a Super Bowl bid at stake.
ReplyDeleteBW ...
DeleteTotally agree on the Vikings, they dogged it that day. Sad for Cris Carter to be a part of that loss. He was livid with the team defense for the 98 NFC Champ loss and 99 divisional with Jeff George, as well. Randle was a non-factor in both championship losses. This loss also made it easier for management to move on from Dennis Green the following season. I felt he deserved another season at least.
OJ Simpson
ReplyDeleteOJ did not play in one or more conference championship games (not playoff games), which I believe is the qualifier to make this list.
DeleteRight, he was not close enough, being in playoffs just twice and not getting too far. He would be more or less like a Deacon Jones ... in playoffs but never on a team that advanced.
DeleteDick Butkus....Gayle Sayers.....
ReplyDeleteThey didn't get to playoffs -- list was (1) be HOFer and (2) been fairly close to Super Bowl and fell short ... so had to be a great player who suffered a lot
DeleteIf you really want to account for suffering of a HOFer who made multiple conference championships but never made the Super Bowl, then perhaps Tom "I Never Moved" Mack might top the list. Four NFC Championship losses, including the infamous so-called phantom penalty called on him in the 1974 NFC Championship that set off a chain of disastrous events for the Rams.
DeleteMack would qualify, but I put Merlin as the Rams' representative. The criteria for this list was the greatest players with great pain, so, as great as Tom Mack was -- and he did have more pain (add in 1978 NFCCG) he was not quite to the level of the top 10 players ... but if there were a top 20, he, Cris Carter and others would be on it. You'' notice that Mack had a wait a long time for the Hall, the top 10 were guys who right in very quickly.
DeleteFouts did not lose three AFC Championship games as you mentioned, it was just two. I don't know if that should push him down your list or not. I think Marv Hubbard should be considered for your list. He played in 4 losing AFC Conference Championship games (1970, 1973, 1974, 1975), and one AFL "Conference" championship game (1969) to boot, with the winner of that one going to Super Bowl IV. His career started after Oakland made Super Bowl II, and he was on injured reserve during their 1976 Super Bowl winning season. Although perhaps since he was still technically part of the Super Bowl winners his misery was slightly less than not being there at all? I guess you could swap in quite a few Raiders (Tony Cline, Bob Moore, etc.) as multiple championship game losers without making a Super Bowl. James Harris was also technically on 5 championship game losers (Rams 1974, 1975, 1976, Chargers 1980, 1981, although he didn't throw a pass for either of those Chargers teams) without making a Super Bowl.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, my mistake, updated it .. it was 2 AFCCG then the 1982 divisional. Thanks. As hair as Hubbard only HOFers were considered -- so had to be kind of close to SB but also an all time great.
DeleteBW ...
DeleteJimmy Johnson, Ken Houston and Derrick Thomas also qualify ...
Johnson and Thomas got to championship games -- so yeah, they were considered. Houston never did, though at 0-5 at playoffs you could argue a high 'pain' factor
DeleteBW ...
DeleteI thought about Houston because of the 1967 AFL Championship game his rookie season.
Yeah. that is true, but AFL playoff system then was pretty simple -- no divisional playoff, just the two division winners playing for the AFL Championship. So technically, you're right, but I didn't think it was strong enough to be in the top ten. Maybe he would be in yours.
DeleteBW ...
DeleteIts a fun exercise, because I might take Houston over a McDaniel or Gonzalez, simply because most on your list are skill positions that needed better play from their QBs. At least Tomlinson had one with Brees or Rivers but the other backs and receivers didnt. Ken Easley and Jacob Green also played with Largent on that 1983 Seattle team but QB Krieg had a miserable game against the Raiders.
Cris Carter isnt on our list but had to watch along with McDaniel and Randle as Anderson misses that FG that might have sent the Vikes to the SB. I feel it has also cost Anderson his shot at the HOF.
There are only ten slots. Carter is behind them the other Vikings because IMO he was not as highly ranked at his position as Randle and McDaniel were at theirs -- that is my opinion. Others may disagree. Randle and McDaniel are top 10 guys. Carter? I don't know but not top 10.
DeleteHouston, is top 10 safety but IMO he was not as close to a Super Bowl as the others ... the excercise was a two-part test. Best players with a high degree of being close but no cigar.
Ken Houston would be a top 20, as would D.T. among others. The weak AFL playoff format kind of an issue. His AFLCG more like a divisional game. Not to mention it wasn't much of a game, score wise.
But the list is always just my opinion. People will have varying opinions.
BW ...
DeleteNo problem John. I am still shaking my head over Vegas boasting about their SB betting haul, why? ... they didnt have Barkley cleaning them out when he failed to score the first or any TD during that game. Fans have to be careful about game-prop parlays.
Gambling is a fool's errand. The house is going to win. People win enough to keep them addicted. No one can see the future to a degree they can beat the house. I read there was one guy years ago who was so good he could move lines, but one in millions and millions is a case of the exceptions proves the rule.
DeleteHouston is one of the GOAts at safety and he just missed out on Washington getting good again in early 80s.
ReplyDeleteRight. And that's what he wasn't in my top 10, he missed out after he got there, Wash didn't do quite as well as they had in '71 and '72. I'd guess hat George Allen though he'd be a key to them getting back to and winning a Super Bowl when he traded for him.
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