There are only two teams that make the Super Bowl every year. That means there are 30 teams who don’t. In all likelihood, you probably pull for one of the teams that will sitting on their couches Sunday just like the rest of us. So, why did your team miss the Super Bowl, and will they have a chance to make it in the near future?
NON-PLAYOFF TEAMS:
New York Giants (3-14) –
As with a lot of the teams that won less than seven games, there was little to no hope for much of the year for the Giants. They released their $40M a year QB, Daniel Jones, a little past halfway in the year but held on to their head coach, Brian Daboll. 2025 will be another precarious year for the Giants.
Tennessee Titans (3-14) –
After the departure of Derrick Henry & firing of Mike Vrabel last offseason, the Titans lost their identity. However, the biggest reason they did not make the Super Bowl was not having a quarterback. The Titans will have to look for the future of their franchise this offseason.
Cleveland Browns (3-14) –
Ah yes, a team who has been on this list for the past six decades. The Browns are still having an issue finding a quarterback after Deshaun Watson went down with a season-ending injury in ’24 and will likely miss most of ’25. Now, with Miles Garrett requesting a trade, the future looks very bleak for the Cleveland Browns.
Las Vegas Raiders (4-13) –
The Raiders, much like the Browns, have not had sustainable success for a while. They had inconsistent QB play (AGAIN!), and they are stuck in this continued cycle of a rebuild. Pete Carroll is a Super Bowl winning head coach, so maybe he can bring some stability to the franchise.
New England Patriots (4-13) –
Having a rookie quarterback usually means a season like the Patriots had (unless you have Jayden Daniels). After the hiring of Mike Vrabel combined with Drake Maye taking the rookie stripes off, I think the Patriots are a couple of good drafts and free agent acquisitions from becoming competitive once again.
Jacksonville Jaguars (4-13) –
The poor Jaguars. Once every two decades they make a magical run to the AFC Championship Game. Outside of that, it has been Jacksonville being the doormat of the AFC. There were big expectations heading into 2024. However, after a subpar first half of the season from Trevor Lawrence and all of the injuries that piled on thereafter, the season was a complete wash. The Jags fired Doug Pederson and hired former Bucs OC Liam Coen. If Trevor Lawrence can return to 2022 form, the Jaguars could return to the playoffs as soon as 2025.
New Orleans Saints (5-12) –
The Saints thought they would be able to catch lightning in a bottle after the first three weeks of the year. Then, the wheels feel off. Derek Carr started to get beat up and a group of young backup QBs had to step in. This paired with the defense not living up to the hype led to a disappointing second half. The Saints are still the only team without a head coach in place, but they may have their future QB in Spencer Rattler. I still would not be confident in the future if I am a Saints fan.
Carolina Panthers (5-12) –
If only Bryce Young could have played the way he did in the final five games during the rest of the season. I believe the combo of Young and head coach Dave Canales could lead to some success in the near future. This is something that Carolina has not had a lot of since Ron Rivera and Cam Newton left town. However, the Panthers still have a lot of holes on both sides of the ball and will need to fill them via the draft and free agency.
Chicago Bears (5-12) –
Same story as the Patriots: no matter how good your rookie QB and the young weapons around him, the season concludes like this. However, before Jayden Daniels’ Hail Mary against the Bears in Week 8, Chicago looked like they could have done what the Commanders did do. They were 4-2 heading into that game but finished just 1-10 over the final 11 games. With offensive guru Ben Johnson as the Bears new leader of the sidelines, Chicago could make some noise in the very near future.
New York Jets (5-12) –
Aaron Rodgers. Yes, Aaron Rodgers is the reason the Jets went 5-12. Not necessarily because ARod is washed, but the chokehold he has had on this organization. All of his Green Bay buddies tried to join forces and have a last dance in New York. After firing Robert Saleh, it was safe to say that the music was cut off before the end of the dance. With the uncertainty at the QB spot and a brand-new HC in Aaron Glenn, the Jets future is up in the air.
San Francisco 49ers (6-11) –
Injuries derailed what could have been another great year for the Niners. Losing Christian McCaffrey not once but twice is like most teams losing their franchise QB for the year. The question now looms whether or not to pay Brock Purdy. I do not think this is paramount to the Niners’ future success, and I believe they will make another deep playoff run in the near future.
Dallas Cowboys (7-10) –
The most talked about 7-10 football team of all-time was the 2024 Dallas Cowboys. Let’s face it: in the current regime for Dallas, they are a fringe playoff team every single year. However, when they lose their QB early and never establish a running game for the entire season, 7-10 seems respectable. With the hiring of Brian Schottenheimer and return of Dak, it seems like the playoffs are still reachable but not too much more than that.
Arizona Cardinals (8-9) –
When does the Kyler Murray experience finally end for the Cardinals? He plays at an MVP level for about six games a year, but in the other 11, he is just mediocre or worse. Unfortunately for Arizona, they have already paid their quarterback. Until they can get rid of Kyler, or he can play more consistently, the Cardinals will be stuck in this repetitive cycle of being average.
Miami Dolphins (8-9) –
The Dolphins, much like the team above, have also paid a quarterback they probably should not have. The issue for Miami is that Tua Tagovailoa is good when he is on the field, but he just has not been on the field very much the past two years. Tyreek Hill seems like he wants out of Miami, so even if Tua can avoid the injury bug, he may have to do so without his number one weapon in 2025. The future seems like it is not trending well for the Dolphins.
Indianapolis Colts (8-9) –
Wow, three straight teams who went 8-9 and missed their starting quarterback for a significant amount of time this season. Second-year QB Anthony Richardson seemed to regress even when he was on the field in Indy. Joe Flacco had a couple of nice games, but the offense was far too inconsistent to make the postseason, much less the Super Bowl. AR will have to take some big steps in the right direction for the Colts to become a contender. After all, RB Jonathan Taylor is only getting older.
Atlanta Falcons (8-9) –
The Falcons had three different seasons: the good with Kirk Cousins, the bad with Kirk Cousins, and the start of the Michael Penix Jr. era. For Falcons fans, the future looks good. They have a generational talent at RB in Bijan Robinson, a breakout season from WR Drake London, and a high ceiling QB in Penix. Unfortunately for the Falcons, they still owe Kirk Cousins a lot of money. If they can dump Cousins and some of his money, the Falcons could rebuild their defensive front in free agency and contend in 2025.
Cincinnati Bengals (9-8) –
The Bengals are in the best situation possible out of any team that missed the postseason. However, they still missed the playoffs. The defensive lulls and just the inability to stop the opposing offense is the reason because of this. This was likely the last season that Joe Burrow is going to play with both Jamarr Chase and Tee Higgins. So, while the future is still good for the Bengals because of Joe Burrow, this may have been the final season of their offensive powerhouse era.
Seattle Seahawks (10-7) –
What an odd season for the Seahawks. Geno Smith was up and down. The defense was good, but inconsistent. The running game was much of the same. The Seahawks seem to be in a weird spot of being a semi-contender, but not a Super Bowl contender This team is just meh.
PLAYOFF TEAMS
Los Angeles Chargers (AFC #5 Seed, Eliminated by HOU in Wild Card) –
The first team to be eliminated from the postseason was the LA Chargers, and much of America was surprised. Out of the AFC wild card teams, the Chargers had some people thinking that they could get hot and make a deep run. However, the Chargers just did not show up in the wild card round. I believe the future is still very bright with the combo of HC Jim Harbaugh and QB Justin Herbert. The Chargers need to add some more weapons alongside Ladd McConkey and continue to bolster the defense but are closer to contention than most in the AFC.
Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC #6 Seed, Eliminated by BAL in Wild Card) –
The stagnant Steelers. Mike Tomlin is one of the best coaches in NFL History, but he cannot get out of this rut that the Steelers are in. They always are a “winning” football team, but with Russell Wilson as your QB, the wild card round was about as far as you are ever going to go. However, with the defense still intact, Pittsburgh is in a window where they must go get a quarterback so they can win now. If they can acquire a veteran signal caller either via free agency or a trade, the Steelers could be ready to rival the AFC’s elite in the short term.
Denver Broncos (AFC #7 Seed, Eliminated by BUF in Wild Card) –
The Broncos are in a great spot. They have Sean Payton as their HC, a rookie QB who was great in the regular season, Bo Nix, and one of the most talented young defenses in the NFL. However, as we have noted throughout, having a rookie QB is only going to take you so far. The Broncos may be set up for the future as good as any team in the NFL. They still have to build around Bo Nix on offense, but Denver could be a team to watch out for as soon as 2025, and I don’t believe that’s a hot take.
Minnesota Vikings (NFC #5 Seed, Eliminated by LAR in Wild Card) –
The surprise of the NFL this season was the Minnesota Vikings, in more ways than one. After drafting J.J. McCarthy in the 2024 NFL Draft, we all believed he was the future. After his injury in the preseason, Sam Darnold knew it was his team and season. Well, Sammy D made the best of his opportunity until he didn’t. In the last two games of the year for the Vikes, Darnold was a big reason Minnesota could not get the job done. Now, that begs the question: do the Vikings bring back Darnold? I believe the Super Bowl window for Minnesota is not dependent on this but could push it back by a year or two if Minnesota decides to go with McCarthy.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFC #3 Seed, Eliminated by WAS in Wild Card) –
The NFC South was horrendous yet again, but Baker Mayfield & the Bucs were just good enough to win the division again. They were not good enough to get it done against Jayden Daniels who was on fire the final two months of Washington’s season, and Tampa Bay had no answer. Between Baker at QB, Bucky Irving at RB, and the other weapons on offense, Tampa Bay will be in playoff contention for the next couple of years, but I highly doubt they make it any farther than the divisional round in the Mayfield era.
Green Bay Packers (NFC #7 Seed, Eliminated by PHI in Wild Card) –
Injuries, injuries, injuries. The Packers may could be compared to the 2024 Atlanta Braves, as both of these two teams had so much promise, but injuries derailed their seasons. Jordan Love was clearly not himself in the playoff game against the Eagles. Despite this, the Packers were in that game. Green Bay will be back and better in 2025: so much so, I believe Green Bay makes it to AT LEAST the NFC Championship Game.
Houston Texans (AFC #4 Seed, Eliminated by KC in Divisional) –
After a sophomore slump from C.J. Stroud to begin 2024, the Texans still made it to the second round of the postseason. Stroud cleaned up a lot of his early season mistakes and played some of his best football later in year. However, as good he and the Texans Defense was playing, Houston was never going to defeat the two-time defending Super Bowl Champs. However, look for the Texans to be the NFL-version of the 90s Rockets: they can capitalize and get a ring if the rest of the AFC has a down year in the future. But that’s a big IF.
Baltimore Ravens (AFC #3 Seed, Eliminated by BUF in Divisional) –
What a heartbreaker for Lamar Jackson & the Ravens. I honestly do not have a good reason that the Ravens did not make the Super Bowl other than the turnovers in the lost against Buffalo. This was the very best version of Lamar Jackson paired with a rejuvenated Derrick Henry and a top five defense in the NFL. With that being said, I really want to believe the Ravens can repeat this performance in 2025. If they do, they will win the Super Bowl.
Detroit Lions (NFC #1 Seed, Eliminated by WAS in Divisional) –
Wow, talk about being surprised. I was as shocked as I have ever been watching sports in my young life. A #1 seed who was a near LOCK to win the NFC losing to a rookie QB at home in the playoffs is just unheard of. Again, just like the Ravens & Vikings, the Lions just had a very bad day. Though, also just like the previous two teams on this list, the near future is still very bright, and I believe the Lions will be competing with the Packers for NFC supremacy in years to come.
Los Angeles Rams (NFC #4 Seed, Eliminated by PHI in Divisional) –
Just as the Chargers were in the AFC, the Rams were a team this year who I thought could catch fire and upset some teams in the postseason. They did that in the wild card round but could not overcome the Eagles in the snow. The Rams’ run defense was just good enough to stop Saquon Barkley. Now, with Cooper Kupp on the trade block & the uncertainty if Matt Stafford will return, I do not feel good about the future of the Rams. They may begin a new era of rebuilding in 2025.
Buffalo Bills (AFC #2 Seed, Eliminated by KC in AFC CG) –
Josh Allen is the NFL version of Charles Barkley. That is it. There are no good reasons that have to do with the Bills as to why they are not in the Super Bowl. The reason Buffalo is not playing for a Lombardi Trophy is because Patrick Mahomes & the Kansas City Chiefs exists. I know that seems like poor analysis, but that is why the Bills have not made a Super Bowl appearance yet. The future still looks great for Buffalo, but they have to find a way to overcome Kansas City in January.
Washington Commanders (NFC #6 Seed, Eliminated by PHI in NFC CG) –
Jayden Daniels is just a rookie, but he is so much different than any other rookie QB I have ever seen. A lot of teams had their seasons cut short because of a rookie QB, but the Commanders made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game because of their own. The reason Washington did not make it over the hump was the lack of talent everywhere else. Washington must improve their front seven, add a running back, and another weapon outside around Jayden Daniels. Even with all of those holes to fill, the Commanders have one of the best futures out of any franchise in the NFL because they have Jayden Daniels, and 31 other teams don’t.
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