Often, there’s a hollowness to a great NFL career when a worthy player ends his playing days without ever winning a Super Bowl.
One of the most celebrated players in that category is former Miami Dolphins quarterback and Hall of Famer – and native Pennsylvanian -- Dan Marino.
With Pennsylvania sports betting in mind, PennStakes.com utilized Pro-Football-Reference.com to look at the best current players who are in a similar place. By utilizing the players’ respective Hall of Fame Monitor Rankings, PennStakes.com was able to determine the active players headed to the playoffs who are most deserving to win the 2024 Super Bowl, considering their career accomplishments.
PennStakes.com – your source for PA sportsbook apps - took special notice of the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers who fall into that category.
Best Active Players Without A Super Bowl Win
Eagles Newcomer Tops the List
At the top of the “most deserving” list is a 2023 addition to the Eagles roster, wide receiver Julio Jones. Jones has impeccable Hall of Fame credentials, accumulated mostly with the Atlanta Falcons. Jones has a Hall of Fame Monitor Rating of 108.30. Jones has 914 career receptions for 13,703 yards and 66 touchdowns over 13 seasons, 10 of them with the Falcons.
Jones came tantalizingly close to that Super Bowl win following the 2016 season, but the Falcons squandered a 28-3 lead as they lost to New England, 34-28, in overtime. When he joined Philadelphia during the season, it appeared Jones was in position to make another run, but end-of-season troubles dropped the Eagles’ Super Bowl odds, even though they have qualified for the playoffs as a wild card.
Another outstanding player who is approaching the end of his career is Steelers cornerback Patrick Peterson, who has a Hall of Fame Monitor Rating of 84.80. The Steelers also have qualified for the playoffs as a wild card, and Peterson, who spent 10 campaigns in Arizona with multiple Pro Bowl selections, has been a veteran presence in the Pittsburgh secondary this past season.
Two other Steelers who are possibilities for the Hall of Fame but who have not won Super Bowls are defensive tackle Cameron Heyward (Hall of Fame Monitor Ranking 61.78) and linebacker T.J. Watt (57.93). Heyward, who has spent all his 13 seasons in the NFL with the Steelers, has been selected to the Pro Bowl six times and has 80.5 career sacks, while often playing an interior line position, and 647 total tackles. Watt, in his seventh season with Pittsburgh (57.93 Hall of Fame Monitor Ranking), has 96.5 career sacks, primarily as an outside pass rusher. Watt suffered what has been reported as an MCL sprain and might return in the playoffs at some point. His injury certainly didn’t help the Steelers’ Super Bowl odds.
Other current Pro Bowl-caliber players who have yet to win a Super Bowl and are with teams headed to the playoffs are (with their Hall of Fame Monitor Ranking): Dallas offensive guard Zack Martin (88.68); Dallas offensive tackle Tyron Smith (73.15); San Francisco offensive tackle Trent Williams (61.45); Cleveland offensive guard Joel Bitonio (43.43); Buffalo wide receiver Stefon Diggs (41.90) and Cleveland defensive end Myles Garrett (39.45).
ESPN Bet Pennsylvania has the Eagles at +1500 to win the Super Bowl, which is sixth among the 14 playoff teams. The Steelers, at +15000, are the longest shot on the board.
