You might be wondering which NFL teams have never played in a Super Bowl? The answer is out of the 32 NFL teams, only four have never earned a spot to play in the game. Since the Super Bowl was created in 1966, there have been 20 different teams who have won the NFL championship. Of the remaining 12 teams, there are eight who have played in the Super Bowl, but they have never won a championship.
Which NFL Teams have Never Played in a Super Bowl?
The four teams who have never played in a Super Bowl are: Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Browns and Lions fans will argue that their teams won NFL championship games prior to the invention of the Super Bowl, but they haven’t won the Big Game still. Detroit did come close in the 2023 NFC Championship game with a 17-point lead over the 49ers at halftime. They did not come out on the right side of the matchup.
Who are the NFL Teams that Have Never Won a Super Bowl?
In addition to the Browns, Lions, Texans, and Jaguars, there are eight NFL teams who have played in the Super Bowl, but never won the game. They are Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, LA Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, and the Tennessee Titans. While frustrating for these fans, they are happy that they are not one of the answers to which NFL teams have never played in a Super Bowl.
Cleveland Browns NFL Playoff History
The Cleveland Browns were very successful winning championships prior to the advent of the Super Bowl. They won titles in 1950, 1954, 1955, and 1965. Since then, however, the team has yet to earn a spot in the Super Bowl. During the 1980s, the team lost three times in the AFC Title game to the Denver Broncos. Since 1990, the team has only made it to the NFL playoffs three times. Notably, they were recently in the 2024 NFL Playoffs, but Joe Flacco was unable to take them on a deep run into the playoffs.
Detroit Lions NFL Playoff History
Similar to Cleveland, Detroit won a number of NFL championships prior to the creation of the Super Bowl. They won four titles between 1935-1957. The team made the playoffs six times during the 1990s, and four appearances since then. Detroit made it to the 2024 NFC Championship game this year before losing to the 49ers by three points.
Houston Texans NFL Playoff History
Houston is the youngest team in the NFL. The team is the most recent expansion team in the league (2002). The franchise’s first winning season was not until 2009, and they first made the playoffs in 2011. Over the next decade, the Texans won the AFC South six times, but they were not able to earn a spot in the AFC Championship game in that timeframe. The team earned a spot in the 2024 NFL Playoffs, so maybe 2025 will be their year?
Jacksonville Jaguars NFL Playoff History
Jacksonville entered the NFL as an expansion team with the Carolina Panthers in 1995. The team made the playoffs four out of their first five years in existence. Since 2000; however, the Jags have only made it to the postseason four times. They have played in three AFC Championship games but have never made it to the Super Bowl. The closest the team came was in 2017 when they were beating the Patriots 20-10. They would go on to lose the game 24-20.
Will 2025 Change Things?
So now you know which NFL teams have never played in a Super Bowl. It’s hard to say if the luck will change for any of the four teams who have not played in a Super Bowl. If the 2025 Super Bowl doesn’t work out, it’s very possible in the 2026 or 2027 Super Bowl we see the Texans put things together beyond quarterback CJ Stroud and make it to the Big Game.
Similarly, the Detroit Lions are poised to make another run in 2025 and 2026. We will just have to wait and see. In the meantime, if you need help enjoying Super Bowl LVIII, we have a blank Super Bowl Squares grid that you can use for your Super Bowl party. Enjoy!
