The Los Angeles Rams are coming off a Super Bowl title in February, thanks to a heroic final offensive drive and a game-sealing play by Aaron Donald. While L.A. became the fifth different Super Bowl champion in the past five seasons, 12 NFL franchises have yet to taste the ultimate victory:
- Arizona Cardinals
- Atlanta Falcons
- Buffalo Bills
- Carolina Panthers
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Cleveland Browns
- Detroit Lions
- Houston Texans
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Minnesota Vikings
- Tennessee Titans
In contrast, four organizations have hoisted the Lombardi Trophy at least five times: The New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers each have six titles, while the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers own five championships apiece.
So, with the 2022 NFL season on the horizon, we ask the question:
Which fan base is most deserving of a Super Bowl title?
The Lombardi Trophy felt like it was within Josh Allen's grasp last year, but the flip of a coin abruptly dashed all of the Bills' hopes and dreams. They didn't deserve that. They didn't deserve those four consecutive Super Bowl losses in the early 1990s, either. This fan base is one of the most faithful in all of sports. Give Bills Mafia a title and let them celebrate in the streets for weeks.
Are you really asking me this question? Because there is no other answer I can give you than the fans of the New England Patriots, who have suffered, what, three years now without a Super Bowl title? Look, fans in Minnesota don't deserve a title because they've never had one and don't know what they are missing. Pats fans know. It's like if you never gave your children a donut, they might desire one, but ultimately, they don't know what it tastes like. The Patriots were getting donuts on the regular. Now you take it away, and they can't function.
I kid, but just barely.
The real answer is the Chicago Bears. It's a fan base that was blessed with the undisputed greatest team in NFL history. But it's as if somebody sold his/her soul for that team -- I'm guessing it was my dad -- because the Bears haven't been so excellent since. If there is a fan base that deserves a Super Bowl, it's the Chicago faithful. And if you thought the Cubs' victory celebration was something, the Bears' next Super Bowl parade is going to make that look like the grand opening of a country fair headlined by none of the original members of Quiet Riot.
I'm going with the Arizona Cardinals, one of those 12 franchises yet to win a Super Bowl. They routinely have talented teams and have come close to the Lombardi over the last 15 seasons, most notably with the crushing loss to the Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII.
With big expectations in the Kliff Kingsbury-Kyler Murray era, the Cards have lived up to the hype out of the gate in each of the last two seasons ... before disappearing into the abyss down the stretch. This fan base's hunger to win a title grows with each disappointing finish. Could this be the year? Arizona would deserve it.
No fan base deserves the joy of a Super Bowl more than Bills Mafia. Rain, snow or shine, they are out there breaking tables and filling up the stadium -- and it doesn't matter if the team finishes deep in the cellar or falls a field goal shy of the Lombardi Trophy. Bills fans are loyal and they deserve a championship. Luckily for them, this year's team could get the job done, thanks to brilliant roster building by Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott.