Sometimes, the most talented team doesn’t win it all. Whether it was bad luck, a costly mistake, or just running into a buzzsaw at the wrong time, these teams had everything—except a Lombardi Trophy.
From dominant defenses to offenses loaded with Hall of Famers, these squads looked like Super Bowl champions on paper… but never got to hoist the trophy. Let’s count down the most stacked NFL teams that somehow didn’t win it all.
10. 2018 New Orleans Saints
The 2018 Saints were built for a Super Bowl run. Drew Brees was playing at an MVP level, Michael Thomas was unguardable, and the defense had finally caught up with the offense. They went 13-3 and were rolling through the playoffs—until the refs swallowed their whistles. A blatant pass interference on Rams DB Nickell Robey-Coleman somehow wasn’t called in the NFC Championship, robbing the Saints of a Super Bowl trip.
9. 2011 Green Bay Packers
Fresh off a Super Bowl win, the Packers looked even better in 2011. Aaron Rodgers was unstoppable, winning MVP while leading Green Bay to a 15-1 record. Then the playoffs started. The Packers came out flat in the Divisional Round against the Giants, turned the ball over four times, and got bounced early. Green Bay’s defense, which had been shaky all year, finally caught up with them at the worst possible time.
8. 2015 Carolina Panthers
Cam Newton was an unstoppable force in 2015 and Carolina’s defense, led by Luke Kuechly and Josh Norman, was equally dominant. Then they ran into the Denver Broncos’ defense in Super Bowl 50. Von Miller turned into a one-man wrecking crew, forcing two game-changing fumbles, and the Panthers’ offense collapsed. Cam’s decision to not dive on a loose ball became an infamous moment, and Carolina has never been the same since.
7. 2004 Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles finally got over the hump in 2004, with Donovan McNabb playing at an elite level and Terrell Owens dominating defenses (when he wasn’t feuding with teammates). The defense, led by Brian Dawkins, was elite, and they breezed through the NFC. Then came the Super Bowl. Despite T.O. playing on a broken leg, the Eagles couldn’t keep up with Tom Brady’s Patriots. They had their chances, but a late-game meltdown—and McNabb allegedly throwing up in the huddle—sealed their fate.
6. 1998 Minnesota Vikings
This team had everything. Rookie Randy Moss torched defenses, Cris Carter caught everything, and Randall Cunningham had a career resurgence. The Vikings set the NFL record for points in a season and looked like an unstoppable juggernaut. Then, in the NFC Championship, Gary Anderson—who hadn’t missed a kick all season—missed a crucial field goal late in the game. The Falcons took advantage, won in overtime, and the Vikings’ Super Bowl dreams were gone.
5. 2007 New England Patriots
The 2007 Patriots weren’t just great—they were perfect. Tom Brady threw 50 touchdowns, Randy Moss set the single-season TD record, and New England went 16-0 in the regular season. They seemed inevitable. Then, in Super Bowl XLII, the Giants’ defense battered Brady, and the unthinkable happened: Eli Manning, under pressure, heaved a desperate pass that David Tyree somehow pinned to his helmet. That play kept the drive alive, the Giants scored, and the Patriots’ perfect season died.
4. 1990 Buffalo Bills
This was the most complete Bills team of their Super Bowl run. Jim Kelly was slinging it, Thurman Thomas was a force, and the defense was rock solid. They should have won Super Bowl XXV. But then Scott Norwood stepped up for a game-winning field goal… and missed. Wide right. The Bills would go on to lose four straight Super Bowls, but this was the one they should have won.
3. 2013 Denver Broncos
Peyton Manning set the all-time single-season records for passing yards (5,477) and touchdowns (55) in 2013. The Broncos led the league in scoring and seemed poised to dominate in Super Bowl XLVIII. Instead, the Seahawks’ defense wrecked them. The game started with a botched snap for a safety, and it only got worse from there. Denver got embarrassed 43-8, and their historic offense became a footnote.
Read More: The Most Unexpected Draft Picks Who Became NFL Superstars
2. 2011 San Francisco 49ers
This team had everything—an elite defense, a strong running game, and a quarterback in Alex Smith who finally seemed to be putting it together. They were a win away from the Super Bowl in the NFC Championship Game. Then, Kyle Williams happened. He fumbled twice on punt returns, including one in overtime that set up the Giants’ game-winning field goal. If he had just held onto the ball, the 49ers might have won it all.
Read More: Top 20 NFL Cinderella Stories That Will Leave You Speechless
1. 2016 Atlanta Falcons
You knew this would be No. 1. Matt Ryan was the MVP, Julio Jones was unstoppable, and the Falcons had the Patriots dead to rights in Super Bowl LI. Up 28-3 in the third quarter, all they had to do was run the ball and manage the clock. Instead, they kept throwing, took sacks, made awful decisions, and let Brady do Brady things. The Patriots completed the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history, and Falcons fans still wake up screaming “28-3!” at night.
Read More: Ranking the 15 Best Defensive Teams in NFL History
