What makes a great NFL team? Super Bowl championships, for starters. That's why Lombardi Trophies receive most of the attention as part of a formula we've devised in order to rank all 32 active teams from most to least accomplished.
Based on Super Bowl wins, Super Bowl appearances, Hall of Famers produced, division titles and all-time modern-era regular-season records, we've put together comprehensive yet extremely disputable power rankings covering the first 49 years of the Super Bowl era.
The criteria (points)
- Super Bowl wins (10 each)
- Super Bowl losses (5 each)
- Hall of Famers (3 each)
- Division titles (1 each)
- All-time winning percentage (points are the reserve of their Super Bowl-era ranking)
* For teams that haven't been around since 1966, the first four point tallies are prorated for 49 seasons.
The rankings ...
1. Dallas Cowboys (164 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 50
- Super Bowl losses: 15
- Hall of Famers: 45
- Division titles: 22
- All-time winning percentage: 32
The Cowboys have the highest regular-season winning percentage in modern NFL history, they are tied for second all time with five Super Bowl wins and are tied for first with eight appearances. They also have 15 Hall of Famers in the Super Bowl era and have won a ridiculous 22 division titles.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (161 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 60
- Super Bowl losses: 10
- Hall of Famers: 39
- Division titles: 21
- All-time winning percentage: 31
The Steelers are right there with Dallas thanks to an extra Super Bowl victory, but they fall just short using our system because they've produced two fewer Hall of Famers and trail by one division title. These two, though, are in a group of their own.
3. San Francisco 49ers (129 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 50
- Super Bowl losses: 5
- Hall of Famers: 27
- Division titles: 19
- All-time winning percentage: 28
The 49ers have been to two fewer Super Bowls and don't have as many Hall of Famers or division titles.
4. Oakland Raiders (126 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 30
- Super Bowl losses: 10
- Hall of Famers: 45
- Division titles: 16
- All-time winning percentage: 25
The Raiders have produced 15 Hall of Famers and have -- rather quietly, at least for those outside of Raider Nation -- been to five Super Bowls. Throw in that they have the eighth-best regular-season winning percentage during the Super Bowl era and 16 division titles in that span and you actually have one of the most successful franchises in modern history.
5. Green Bay Packers (124 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 40
- Super Bowl losses: 5
- Hall of Famers: 42
- Division titles: 14
- All-time winning percentage: 23
They're on the Cowboys' and Steelers' level in terms of Hall of Famers but have been to three fewer Super Bowls and rank 10th all time in terms of regular-season winning percentage.
6. New England Patriots (112 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 40
- Super Bowl losses: 20
- Hall of Famers: 12
- Division titles: 16
- All-time winning percentage: 24
New England doesn't hang in when it comes to producing Hall of Famers, but a lot of that has to do with the fact its two biggest legends -- Tom Brady and Bill Belichick -- are still active. The Pats weren't really a heavyweight until around the turn of the century, but they're catching up now.
7. Washington Redskins (108 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 30
- Super Bowl losses: 10
- Hall of Famers: 39
- Division titles: 8
- All-time winning percentage: 21
They haven't done much of late, but the Redskins have produced 13 Hall of Famers in the Super Bowl era and have been to five Super Bowls, winning three.
8. Miami Dolphins (104 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 20
- Super Bowl losses: 15
- Hall of Famers: 27
- Division titles: 13
- All-time winning percentage: 29
The Dolphins have been to five Super Bowls -- winning two of them -- and have the fourth-highest winning percentage of the modern era. They edge out the Colts with that fifth Super Bowl and higher winning percentage and beat out the Broncos because of their edge in the Hall of Famer category.
9. Minnesota Vikings (104 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 0
- Super Bowl losses: 20
- Hall of Famers: 39
- Division titles: 18
- All-time winning percentage: 27
I was a bit surprised to discover that the Vikings have the sixth-highest regular-season winning percentage in modern NFL history, ahead of teams like the Ravens, Packers, Patriots and Colts. Throw in 13 Hall of Famers and they fare pretty well for a franchise that hasn't won a Super Bowl. On this scale, that's enough to edge out Super Bowl winners Denver, Indy, Baltimore, Kansas City and Chicago.
10. Denver Broncos (101 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 20
- Super Bowl losses: 25
- Hall of Famers: 12
- Division titles: 14
- All-time winning percentage: 30
Seven Super Bowl appearances and 14 division titles for the third-winningest team in modern NFL history, but only four Hall of Famers and two championships.
11. Indianapolis Colts (95 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 20
- Super Bowl losses: 10
- Hall of Famers: 27
- Division titles: 16
- All-time winning percentage: 22
They've been to fewer Super Bowls than the Broncos but have won just as many championships and have produced twice as many Hall of Famers in the modern era. It's a tossup.
12. Baltimore Ravens (95 points*)
- Super Bowl wins: 50*
- Super Bowl losses: 0*
- Hall of Famers: 9
- Division titles: 10*
- All-time winning percentage: 26
Two Super Bowls in 19 years puts them on an elite pace similar to heavyweights Pittsburgh, Dallas and San Francisco, but they're still too young to be part of that elite group.
13. New York Giants (89 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 40
- Super Bowl losses: 5
- Hall of Famers: 21
- Division titles: 8
- All-time winning percentage: 15
About a handful of teams are neck-and-neck here, with the Giants taking a hit because they don't fare well in any modern-day categories except Super Bowl wins. Now, that's the most important category, which is why it is weighted that way, but that's not enough to make up for inferior results to Minnesota, Miami, Indy and Denver in all or most of the other fields. And keep in mind this isn't about what you've done for me lately.
14. St. Louis Rams (83 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 10
- Super Bowl losses: 10
- Hall of Famers: 30
- Division titles: 13
- All-time winning percentage: 20
The franchise won seven straight division titles in Los Angeles in the 1970s but has just one Super Bowl victory to show for all of its success, from that era to the Greatest Show on Turf in St. Louis.
15. Kansas City Chiefs (74 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 10
- Super Bowl losses: 5
- Hall of Famers: 33
- Division titles: 7
- All-time winning percentage: 19
The Chiefs have produced an impressive 11 Hall of Famers in the modern era, but they're still living off of two Super Bowl runs from the 1960s. They're tight with Buffalo and Chicago, but edge those teams out thanks to those Hall of Famers and a stronger all-time winning percentage.
16. Chicago Bears (68 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 10
- Super Bowl losses: 5
- Hall of Famers: 27
- Division titles: 10
- All-time winning percentage: 16
Both Buffalo and Chicago have had lots of Hall of Famers and some January letdowns, but the Bears have a much stronger modern-day winning percentage.
17. Buffalo Bills (67 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 0
- Super Bowl losses: 20
- Hall of Famers: 30
- Division titles: 8
- All-time winning percentage: 9
The Bills once made four consecutive Super Bowls and have a strong group of Hall of Famers that includes Jim Kelly, Andre Reed, Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas, O.J. Simpson, Marv Levy and Bill Polian, but they've gone 49 years without a title and are mired in the longest playoff drought in the NFL (15 years and counting).
18. Seattle Seahawks (65 points*)
- Super Bowl wins: 10
- Super Bowl losses: 15*
- Hall of Famers: 12*
- Division titles: 11*
- All-time winning percentage: 17
We prorate to give the Seahawks some more division championships, Hall of Famers and Super Bowl appearances in the next decade, but their all-time winning percentage remains low. If not for the past couple years, they would be near the bottom of this list.
19. San Diego Chargers (53 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 0
- Super Bowl losses: 5
- Hall of Famers: 24
- Division titles: 10
- All-time winning percentage: 14
The Bolts have never been especially good, but they've saved themselves here with 10 division titles and eight Hall of Famers.
20. Tennessee Titans (48 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 0
- Super Bowl losses: 5
- Hall of Famers: 24
- Division titles: 6
- All-time winning percentage: 13
The Titans/Oilers have produced a solid eight modern-day Hall of Famers, but they still have a losing record and have won only six division titles.
21. Philadelphia Eagles (43 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 0
- Super Bowl losses: 10
- Hall of Famers: 6
- Division titles: 9
- All-time winning percentage: 18
Reggie White and Bob Brown are their only two modern-day Hall of Famers, they've lost both Super Bowls they've played in and they're only 14 games over .500 during the Super Bowl era. Just a meager team.
22. New York Jets (40 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 10
- Super Bowl losses: 0
- Hall of Famers: 15
- Division titles: 4
- All-time winning percentage: 11
The Jets have been close to useless since winning the Super Bowl in 1968, winning just two division championships since the 1970 merger.
23. Cleveland Browns (35 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 0
- Super Bowl losses: 0
- Hall of Famers: 18
- Division titles: 10
- All-time winning percentage: 7
The Browns won nine division titles between 1967 and 1989 and have produced six Hall of Famers in the modern era. But they have a .452 winning percentage and have never even been to a Super Bowl.
24. Carolina Panthers (34 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 0
- Super Bowl losses: 10*
- Hall of Famers: 0
- Division titles: 12*
- All-time winning percentage: 12
They've won an impressive five division titles in 20 seasons and have made one Super Bowl appearance. If they continue on this pace, they should add some Hall of Famers and continue to climb.
25. Cincinnati Bengals (32 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 0
- Super Bowl losses: 10
- Hall of Famers: 6
- Division titles: 8
- All-time winning percentage: 8
Only two Super Bowl appearances, no championships and just two Hall of Famers in 47 years for a team that has an all-time winning percentage of just .452.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (31 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 10
- Super Bowl losses: 0
- Hall of Famers: 12*
- Division titles: 8*
- All-time winning percentage: 1
The losingest franchise in modern NFL history is saved by that 2002 Super Bowl, a team that possessed two of its three Hall of Famers.
27. New Orleans Saints (30 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 10
- Super Bowl losses: 0
- Hall of Famers: 9
- Division titles: 5
- All-time winning percentage: 6
Feels weird listing the Saints below teams like the Eagles, Browns and Bengals because New Orleans has a championship and those franchises do not. But outside of that one season, the Saints -- who have only begun to gain respect in the past several years -- have generally been terrible. Five division titles and only three Hall of Famers in 48 years for a franchise that has the sixth-worst winning percentage in modern NFL history.
28. Arizona Cardinals (29 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 0
- Super Bowl losses: 5
- Hall of Famers: 15
- Division titles: 5
- All-time winning percentage: 4
To the Cards' credit, they fare well with Hall of Famers during the modern era (Dan Dierdorf, Jackie Smith, Roger Wehrli, Aeneas Williams, Larry Wilson). The problem is that they're one of eight original Super Bowl-era franchises without a title and they've won their division only five times in nearly half a century.
29. Atlanta Falcons (22 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 0
- Super Bowl losses: 5
- Hall of Famers: 6
- Division titles: 6
- All-time winning percentage: 5
Around since Day 1, and yet just six division titles, two Hall of Famers and only one Super Bowl loss. As one of eight original Super Bowl-era franchises without a championship, they don't deserve much love.
30. Detroit Lions (20 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 0
- Super Bowl losses: 0
- Hall of Famers: 15
- Division titles: 3
- All-time winning percentage: 2
At least Atlanta has been to a Super Bowl. The Lions have won just three division titles in half a century and only the Buccaneers have a lower all-time regular-season winning percentage. Detroit is the only team that has been active for all 49 years of the Super Bowl era without reaching the big game once.
31. Jacksonville Jaguars (15 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 0
- Super Bowl losses: 0
- Hall of Famers: 0
- Division titles: 5*
- All-time winning percentage: 10
The Jags have won just two division titles in 20 years and have never made a Super Bowl or produced a Hall of Famer.
32. Houston Texans (11 points)
- Super Bowl wins: 0
- Super Bowl losses: 0
- Hall of Famers: 0
- Division titles: 8*
- All-time winning percentage: 3
Even if we prorate those two division titles, the Texans are too young. The 13-year-old franchise can't have Hall of Famers yet, and they've done nothing outside of two solid seasons.
Brad Gagnon has covered the NFL since 2007. You can also read his work at Bleacher Report, Awful Announcing and This Given Sunday. In order to sound more professional, he wrote this blurb in the third person. Follow him on Twitter. Or don’t. It’s entirely your choice.
