The NFL is one of the most prestigious sports leagues in the world. So many great athletes graced the football field and left their prestigious marks.
Sadly, not all football careers are created equal. While many greats had the opportunity to have a Super Bowl ring on their resume, others have not been as fortunate. Some have come close, but with no cigar, no entry into the champions club.
That doesn't mean you cannot appreciate their greatness. Picking a list of the five greatest to never win a Super Bowl, however, is a daunting task. Some players are more deserving than others, for the simple fact that the situation they played in was so painful, the chances to win a ring were essentially slim to none.
Let's take a look at five greats who should have won a Super Bowl, but never got that opportunity.
5. Barry Sanders, RB, Detroit Lions
If somehow, the Detroit Lions are the champions of the NFC at the end of this season, there is a good chance Barry Sanders will be the honorary presenter of the George Halas Trophy. He and Calvin Johnson, both of whom never got the opportunity to win a ring during their tenures in the Motor City.
Drafted third overall in 1989 out of Oklahoma State, Sanders immediately brought relevance to the Motor City, something that had not been seen on the gridiron since Bobby Layne. The Pistons were the talk of the town, but Sanders was a human highlight-reel, especially his 2,000-yard season when he beat Bill Parcells and the New York Jets to achieve that feat.
Sadly, quarterbacks like Scott Mitchell and Andre Ware hindered Sanders' chances to win a ring. Yes, he won a playoff game against a very young Cowboys team, but Erik Kramer was leading the charge. The following game in the NFC Title game, Scott Conover's blunders against Charles Mann ruined Sanders' best shot to win a ring. Sanders deserves a ring, and if Detroit wins a ring this year, he deserves an honorary one.
4. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals
HE. WAS. SO. CLOSE. If Santonio Holmes doesn't make the biggest toe-tap touchdown in recent memory, the Arizona Cardinals would have a ring in their trophy case and Larry Fitzgerald is not on this list. Sadly, it just wasn't meant to be, and it's extremely painful. Considering what Fitzgerald, fresh out of Pittsburgh, first walked into.
For much of their history, the desert has largely been a site of hosting a Super Bowl while their team has faltered beneath the hot sun. Fitzgerald was different. He made that franchise respectable. Once Kurt Warner, Anquan Boldin, Edgerrin James, and others came into the fold, the Birds became a respectable bunch and went on a historic run that was so close to a happy ending.
Arizona made it back to the NFC Title game in 2015, but the Cam Newton Panthers ended that dream in a hurry. It's such a shame that No. 11 doesn't have a Super Bowl ring on his finger. He came so close to making that happen, but the Steelers just had fate on their side, and it's something he will have to live with.
3. Dick Butkus, LB, Chicago Bears
Prayers and condolences to the Butkus family. In the Windy City, no defensive player EVER defined the city like Dick Butkus. No. 51 was a nightmare. His growl, his ferocity, his intensity, and the fact that he was a homegrown prospect. He and Gale Sayers (RIP) never won a ring, and that's beyond a shame.
The tough part is that Butkus played for the Bears during a time when they could never be a competitive team, similar to what they are right now. Butkus was it. Sayers the same. No matter how terrifying he was, he couldn't do it by himself. That's just the sad part of the situation. The organization was a mess during Butkus' tenure and it was almost impossible to succeed.
Chicago has had it rough for decades. 2006 doesn't even matter, because that was just a magic carpet ride waiting to collapse. Great players have come and gone, and nothing changes. Dick Butkus, though he played in the 60's, never got a chance to be a champion, and it's just so sad. RIP Dick Butkus.
2. Bruce Matthews, OL, Tennessee Titans
ONE. YARD. SHORT. If Kevin Dyson got in the endzone, there is a chance the Titans could have won the game. However, the NFL's most versatile offensive linemen of his generation was so dominant and everywhere he started, nobody was coming through.
Fresh out of USC in 1983, Matthews took over the Houston Oilers line and instantly became a block of granite. Even when the franchise moved to Tennessee, Matthews' intensity never changed, and he held his own against great teams like the Baltimore Ravens. He played until he was 40 years old, which is insane for an offensive linemen, but that's just a fact.
There's no denying that Matthews is one of the best linemen to ever play, and his place on the NFL Top 100 solidifies that. Unfortunately, he was never able to win the big game, and it's such a shame that it couldn't happen, considering his impact on the game and his family name.
1. LaDanian Tomlinson, RB, San Diego Chargers
The running back position looks low these days, but back in the day, they were the stars of the team. However, when it came to production, excitement, and pure joy to watch, there was NO ONE more explosive, more elusive, and more productive than LaDanian Tomlinson. The former TCU Horned Frog was unbelievable.
After the debacle of the Ryan Leaf era, the Chargers needed someone to sell to their franchise. The team drafted Tomlinson and Drew Brees. Though Brees did make it to the big show, it was with the Saints. Tomlinson made it as far as the AFC Title Game, losing to Tom Brady and the Patriots and then Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers. However, LT's 2006 season was the stuff of legend.
The stats don't lie. LT was the stuff of legend. No. 21 is a sacred number in San Diego. Even though the franchise moved to LA, Tomlinson jerseys are still on full display and fans still believe him to be one of the best who ever lived. It's just a shame that he never won a ring nor had the opportunity to play on the NFL's biggest stage.