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Top 10 Greatest NFL Players Without a Super Bowl Ring

By Erik Lambert

Barry Sanders #20, Running Back for the Detroit Lions during the National Football Conference Central game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on 10 November 1991 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida, United States. The Buccaneers won the game 30 - 21. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Allsport/Getty Images)
Barry Sanders #20, Running Back for the Detroit Lions during the National Football Conference Central game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on 10 November 1991 at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida, United States. The Buccaneers won the game 30 - 21. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Allsport/Getty Images) /
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CANTON, OH – AUGUST 7: Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins speaks to the crowd during the 2005 NFL Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony on August 7, 2005 in Canton, Ohio. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CANTON, OH – AUGUST 7: Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins speaks to the crowd during the 2005 NFL Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony on August 7, 2005 in Canton, Ohio. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

#1:  Dan Marino

It was a tight race but there’s a clear #1. Nobody can possibly top Dan Marino. He was the greatest quarterback of his era from a statistical perspective. He accomplished feats decades ahead of their time including over 5,000 yards passing in a season and 48 touchdown passes in a season. His incredible accuracy and quick release made him a terror for defense for a long time. Almost like a boogeyman to secondaries.

Sadly, he was still just one man. Year after year he seemed to carry the Miami Dolphins into the playoffs and every time he would run into a team that was simply better put together than his. People couldn’t have believed that 1984 would be the only year he’d make a Super Bowl. To have it end so badly against the dynasty 49ers puts a stain on his career. One that ended with him being the all-time leading passer in NFL history.

That’s not fair, but it is the cold reality of professional sports. Not everybody gets to have that special moment.

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