years. So the question for this article is where does this recent win put the Eagles in the ranking of greatest Superbowl franchise of all time?
Below is an all-time ranking of Superbowl franchises. This list is not ranking the best Superbowl teams necessarily, but rather the franchises that were the best when it mattered most. From the first to the worst, I ranked every team that played in at least one Superbowl. I kept in mind the full body of work, though considerations are made to teams that have recent performances. So which franchise reigns supreme? We start at the bottom and work up to that team which sits upon the lofty throne as the King of the Superbowl.
#28. (Previous 28) San Diego Chargers (0-1). Making one Superbowl and losing by 23 hardly deserves a spot on this list, but you made it to the game, so here you are at the bottom.
#27. (27) Tennessee Titans (0-1). It was a gritty game that came down to the final play where the Titans came up short. One yard short to be exact. A thrilling game but their only appearance in a 7 point loss.
#26. (26) Arizona Cardinals (0-1). Another riveting game that came down to the final seconds. I leapfrogged the Cards over the Titans just because it was more recent.
#25. (25) Carolina Panthers (0-2). Two appearances isn’t bad for a franchise that entered the league in 1995, but not being able to win one of them doesn’t get you higher on this list.
#24. (24) Atlanta Falcons (0-2). Whether it was a total collapse by the team or the will of an uncompromising Patriots squad, the Falcons fail to get a win in Superbowl 51 that would have put them much higher on the list.
#23. (23) Cincinnati Bengals (0-3). Three
appearances and 3 losses by a total of 12 points, including a narrow 3 point
loss in LVI. That’ll stick in your craw.
#22. (22) Minnesota Vikings (0-4). Some may argue
that the Vikes should be at the bottom with the most losses, but having been
there 4 times makes you better than the rest of the teams on this list so far.
#21. (21) Buffalo Bills (0-4). Another sorry
record, but almost had one in the closest Superbowl ever. It was an amazing 4
year stretch of consecutive appearances, most in a row by any team. It gives
them the edge over the Vikes.
#20. (20) N.Y. Jets (1-0). Finally a team with a
win! But 1 appearance in 1969? Okay, so it was amazing. Namath’s guarantee,
right right right. It’s been over 50 years and getting harder to justify a
higher spot on the list.
#19. (18) Chicago Bears (1-1). Who doesn’t remember
the Superbowl shuffle? My guess is most readers don’t because it was 40 years
ago. And since then, just one appearance and a 12-point loss.
#18. (17) Seattle Seahawks (1-2). A Marshawn Lynch
handoff away from landing much higher on this list, a shockingly bad call in
Superbowl XLIX lands them here. At the end of the day, Seahawks have just one
win in 3 tries.
#17. (16) New Orleans Saints (1-0). In 2010, the
Saints finally made it to the big game and once there completed the quest of
securing a title. They sit higher than the Jets at 1-0 by getting to the Superbowl
in this millennium.
#16. (15) Miami Dolphins (2-3). The franchise with the only undefeated Superbowl winning team in history makes the top 16. Without a winning record or an appearance in almost 40 years makes it hard to justify a higher slot.
#15. (14) St. Louis/L.A. Rams (2-3). In one of the more dramatic trades that paid off in recent history, the Rams made a blockbuster deal to get Matthew Stafford who in turn delivered a title to the franchise. Winning LVI and winning 2 of their last 3 appearances puts the Rams in the top 15.
#14. (19) Philadelphia Eagles (2-3). Eagles have been one of the better NFC franchises of the 2000s, making the big game 4 times over the last 17 years. As reigning NFL champions, the Eagles move farther up the list from last year’s rankings, but considering the franchise still has a losing record in the Superbowl makes it harder to place them higher.
#13. (13) Indianapolis/Baltimore Colts (2-2).
Redeemed the Broadway Joe debacle in ’69 with a championship two years later
and another in 2007. The Colts are the only franchise with more than 2
appearances and a break even Superbowl win-loss record.
#12. (12) Baltimore Ravens (2-0). They only made
the big game twice but they made it count when they did. A dominating
performance in their first appearance and another win just seven years ago.
Pretty impressive for a team that has only been in existence since 1996.
#11. (11) Denver Broncos (3-5). Okay, so they have
a losing record. But 8 appearances is an impressive feat. They are also 3-1 in
their last 4. Like collegiate sports rankings, I am giving a good deal of
weight to the fact that they have been clutch in their more recent games.
#10. (10) Tampa Bay
Buccaneers (2-0). Another team that only made the Superbowl two times, but boy
do they show up when they get there. The first win was the ultimate of all
redemption games as Jon Gruden’s Bucs blew out the Raiders by 27. Redemption
because Gruden had coached the Raiders in the previous season. The second win
was Tom Brady’s seventh. Almost as impressive as their first win, they won this
game by 22. Now THAT’S how you Superbowl!
#9. (9) Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders (3-2). 5
appearances and a winning record gets your franchise in the top ten. Unfortunately,
their last win was in 1984, albeit a dominating performance. Hard to put
them much higher than 9, but a respectable placement.
#8. (8) Washington Redskins/Commanders (3-2). Washington
won 3 in 10 years from the mid 80s to the mid 90s. I know they lost to the
Raiders and I have them higher on the list, but since that game the Washington
franchise is 2-0 & with an average margin of victory of 23. The Raiders 0-1
and lost by 27.
#7. (7) New England Patriots (6-5). No team has made it to more Superbowls or has more wins. Cemented as a dominant Super bowl franchise, the Patriots have won the title 6 times. While their recent dominance in getting to the big game has been extremely notable, losses loom large. This ranking is measuring success in the big game and barely over .500 isn’t a great overall mark.
#6. (6) Kansas City Chiefs (4-3) The Chiefs are having a Superbowl revival for their franchise. After a 40 year lull at the top of the AFC, the Chiefs have now made the big game in five times in the last 6 years winning 3 of them. However it is about how you perform when you get to the big game that gets a team higher on this list. Their 3 losses including a loss in their last game keeps them outside the top 5.
#5. (5) Green Bay Packers (4-1). Truly great
franchises get into the top 5 and the Packers are just that. Winning the first
ever two Superbowl titles, one in the 90s and another in 2011. Winning 4 out of
5 is an impressive feat when it comes to winning when it matters most.
#4. (4) N.Y. Giants (4-1). Equally impressive
resume to the Pack. A title in the 80s, a title in the 90s, and 2 titles since
2008 gets them the #4 spot on the list. They edge the Packers with a more
recent title. The Giants are another franchise that has mastered the art of
winning in the end and have done it across several eras.
#3. (3) Dallas Cowboys (5-3). They are 3-0 in their
last 3 games, but failing to close over the span of their appearances is their
biggest drawback. That and not having been in a Superbowl in over 20 years, not
to mention nine franchises on this list have a better winning percentage.
Still, the Cowboys are an amazing Superbowl franchise and they land at #3. By
the way, If there is a debate over which division is the best in the big game,
stop now. 3 NFC East teams in the top 8 with a combined record of 12-6.
#2. (2) San Francisco (5-3). The 49ers had a chance
this year to take home the crown but fell short in overtime. While only 4 teams
have been to the big game more, they have not closed enough to be called king.
They owned the 80s with 3 Superbowl wins in that span, plus another in January
1990. Oh, and they won that game by 23. Getting to the Superbowl recently helps
cement this spot over the Cowboys and their win percentage puts them top 2...but
losing their last 3 appearances keeps them off the throne.
#1. (1) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2). Still reigning,
the Steelers are your King of the Superbowl. Only the Patriots have been to
more but no team has more wins. Pittsburgh was the team of the 70s, securing
their 4th victory in 1980 and had won 4 Superbowls in 6 years. They also won 2
more over the last 2 decades. Only two teams have 6 Superbowl wins but when the
game matters most, the Steelers are simply more clutch at coming away with the
win. Congrats to the Steelers. You sit on the throne as king and it is well
deserved. Wave your towels, Steeler Nation…your team is THE Superbowl King!
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