The goal for every team is to bring home a championship. Scratch the St. Louis Blues from teams longing for their first crown after capturing the 2019 Stanley Cup. And, you can scratch the Toronto Raptors, who are celebrating their first title won Thursday in Oakland against Golden State.
NFL
Teams that have not won a title in the Super Bowl era.
Arizona Cardinals
All Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray have to do to win the franchise’s first Super Bowl is go from worst to first. It doesn’t appear to be happening in the near future.
Atlanta Falcons
They were so close to not being part of this list. Up 28-3 on the Patriots and then disaster struck in Super Bowl LI. Dan Quinn has a quarterback in Matt Ryan whose window for a championship is starting to slip. The Falcons need to right themselves quickly and show they are the team from a few years ago and not the one that has failed to resemble championship quality since.
Detroit Lions
Matt Patricia brought a New England Patriots Super Bowl pedigree to the Lions. It did not work or help in his first season. The NFC North has three tougher teams. It’s hard enough to navigate your way into the playoffs in the division, let alone have a sub-.500 team turn into a Super Bowl winner.
Buffalo Bills
There isn’t a ton of traffic within the division for the Bills to find their way to the playoffs. However, as Josh Allen enters his second season, the reality is with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick present the best hope is a wild-card spot. And that means you still have to find a way to get by the Patriots to get to the Super Bowl. Reality is a fifth Super Bowl appearance doesn’t feel close.
Carolina Panthers
Cam Newton isn’t as old as Matt Ryan, but he has a lot of wear on his body due to his style of quarterbacking. Passing, running and taking quite the pounding. Ron Rivera is another NFC South coach looking at critical times if he hopes to find a championship for Carolina.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are starting over with Zac Taylor. However, Andy Dalton remains at the controls. Feels like a lot of changes have to occur for Cincinnati to challenge in its division, let alone for a spot in the big game.
Cleveland Browns
A team that was bottom of the barrel for so long seems to have so much going for it. Baker Mayfield has brought a winning attitude to Cleveland. The challenge now in a challenging division is to take the next step and go from topping .500 to becoming a viable contender. Freddie Kitchens has a lot to deliver in his first year as coach. However, things finally seem to be aligning for the Browns and it wouldn’t be stunning if they find their way to the big game and eventually a ring.
Houston Texans
There is a lot to like about the Houston Texans. They have a high-powered offense led by Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins. The defense can be fierce with J.J. Watt as the centerpiece. The division is far from overpowering. With some improvement, Bill O’Brien could find a way to get Houston into a position to challenge for its first Super Bowl crown.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Tom Coughlin runs the show upstairs. He’s not going to tolerate another sub-par season. The Jags added a Super Bowl-winning QB in Nick Foles. Could 2018 have been an aberration or will Coughlin need to make changes to the coaching staff after 2019? The picture is murky but don’t be surprised if it changes for the better.
Los Angeles Chargers
This is a team battling time as Philip Rivers continues to play at an elite level without getting to the Super Bowl. Will Anthony Lynn be able to rally Los Angeles to another step up … and soon. There is a ton of talent on both sides of the ball. It wouldn’t be shocking for the Chargers to take another step, but they need to do it pronto.
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings have had four chances to win a Super Bowl and have come away with zero rings. It has been a while since the Purple People appeared in the big game. They made four appearances from 1970-77 and have not been back since. The hope that Kirk Cousins was going to be the missing piece did not come to fruition in 2018. Will it in the future?
Tennessee Titans
The Titans are another team with a coach with Super Bowl pedigree in Mike Vrabel. He’s brought a winning attitude to Tennessee. However, it’s gonna take improvement from Marcus Mariota to turn the team into a playoff menace, let alone Super Bowl contender.
NHL
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What teams are still vying for their first Stanley Cup?
Buffalo Sabres
The closest the Buffalo Sabres have come to winning the Stanley Cup were losing efforts in The Final in 1975 and ’99. Despite a lot of high draft picks, they don’t appear to be close to capturing their first. A playoff spot would be a huge improvement.
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets were a fun team this season. They have improved but still have rounds to gain to have a shot at their first Cup. Coach John Tortorella is a major asset.
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers made one Final, being swept in 1996 by the Colorado Avalanche. Doesn’t seem like a return is on the near horizon.
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators had a shot at their first championship in 2017, but fell to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. It is tough to get a return trip to the Final but Nashville could find its way to another run in the near future.
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators’ lone shot at the Stanley Cup came in 2007, when they lost in five games to the Anaheim Ducks. They are nowhere near a return to a shot at glory.
Minnesota Wild
The only team in the major four sports in Minnesota to win a championship is the Twins. Ouch. That’s some rough time for fans.
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks make deep, long playoff runs and manage to come away with no championships. Their actual only Final appearance was in 2016 when they lost to the Penguins in six.
Las Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights had a shot at the title in their expansion season. Will they recreate the magic and get a Stanley Cup? Despite being in Las Vegas, I wouldn’t bet on it.
Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks are 0-3 in Stanley Cup Final rounds, having twice lost seven-game series.
NBA
What NBA teams are looking to capture their first championship? Sorry, ABA titles don’t count.
*Atlanta Hawks
This one gets an asterisk because the franchise had more success and won multiple crowns as the St. Louis Hawks.
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets had a great history in the ABA. They have made two runs to the NBA Finals and came up short both times. They were swept by the Lakers in 2002 and lost to the Spurs in six in 2003.
Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets can look at Michael Jordan’s rings. That’s about as close as they will get to a title for a while.
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets, like the Nets, have a strong ABA history. There was dramatic improvement in the 2018-19 season and if they continue to get better they would be a threat to earn their first NBA ring.
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers have made one NBA Finals appearance, losing to the Lakers in 2000. They have had some excellent teams but have not been able to return to the Finals round.
Los Angeles Clippers
Well, the Clippers have a championship coach in Doc Rivers. Despite having played in Buffalo, San Diego and Los Angeles, the team has never made it to the NBA Finals.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies are one of those teams that are around and around but never seem to gain any ground.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves are another of the Minnesota teams in the Big Four sports that have zero rings.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder had a shot at the Heat in 2012, but fell in five games. Loads of talent but never have made another deep, deep run.
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic made it to The Finals in 1995 and 2009. They managed one win in the two series, total.
New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans are nowhere near winning a title. They have to hope Zion Williamson delivers what they are expecting and can get a large haul if they trade Anthony Davis to become a contender.
Phoenix Suns
The Suns made it to the NBA Finals twice, in 1976 and 1993. No rings. They managed two wins in each last round.
Sacramento Kings
The Kings have zero appearances in the NBA Finals since relocating to Sacramento.
Utah Jazz
The Jazz made it to the NBA Finals in 1997 and ’98 but ran into the buzzsaw that was Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls each time.
MLB
There are teams still looking to win their first World Series.
Colorado Rockies
Not only are the Rockies looking for their first World Series championship, they are still seeking their first World Series victory. They were swept by the Red Sox in 2007.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers’ lone World Series appearance happened in 1982 when they lost to the Cardinals in a seven-game series.
Seattle Mariners
The Mariners have no World Series appearances in their history.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays lost their lone World Series appearance to the Phillies in five games in 2008.
Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers made it to the World Series in 2010 and 2011, losing in five and seven games, respectively.
San Diego Padres
The Padres have made it to two World Series and won a grand total of one game.
Washington Nationals
No World Series appearances for the Washington Nationals in franchise history. Nada.
