Despite their superior talent, sometimes athletes aren't able to win a championship in their career. Whether it be because a lack of supporting cast or lack of a clutch gene, these 20 legendary players across multiple sports were unable to capture a championship during their storied careers.
20. Earl Campbell
Getty Images
20. Earl Campbell
Getty Images
Playing Career: 1978-1985
Even though he didn't have a particularly long career, the fact that Campbell never won a championship is astounding. He's one of just three players ever to win the Heisman Trophy, be taken first overall in the NFL Draft and be a member of the College Football Hall of Fame as well as the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
19. Ernie Banks
Getty Images
19. Ernie Banks
Getty Images
Playing Career: 1953-1971
It's easy to see why one of the best players of all time never won a championship: He played for the Cubs. The closest he ever got was in 1969 when the team blew a huge division lead to the eventual World Series champion New York Mets.
18. Fran Tarkenton
Getty Images
18. Fran Tarkenton
Getty Images
Playing Career: 1961-1978
The legendary Vikings quarterback never won a Super Bowl, but boy was he close. Minnesota appeared in the Super Bowl four times, but lost every single time. Tarkenton must second guess himself about a few of those games.
17. Dan Fouts
Getty Images
17. Dan Fouts
Getty Images
Playing Career: 1973-1987
Fouts was a great quarterback for the San Diego Chargers, but he always fell short when it came to winning championships. Despite playing for 14 years for a pretty solid team, he was never able to reach the game's competitive peak.
16. Harmon Killebrew
Getty Images
16. Harmon Killebrew
Getty Images
Playing Career: 1954-1975
The late Killebrew is in the records books for various stat categories such as his 573 career home runs, but he's not in those same books as a World Series champion. He's one of the greatest players to ever play the game, but tragically he never captured that elusive title.
15. Dominique Wilkins
Getty Images
15. Dominique Wilkins
Getty Images
Playing Career: 1982-1999
Wilkins was a high flyer who had some very entertaining Slam Dunk contest matchups with MJ, but he never felt the same success in postseason games. Despite the fact his Hawks were pretty good, he was never able to get a ring. A lot of that probably has to do with the fact his career heavily overlapped with Jordan.
14. Robin Yount
Getty Images
14. Robin Yount
Getty Images
Playing Career: 1974-1993
Yount, who debuted at age 18, had plenty of seasons to try to win a World Series. It never happened for the shortstop, though, as the closest he got was in 1982 when his Brewers lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Cardinals in Game 7.
13. Carl Yastrzemski
Getty Images
13. Carl Yastrzemski
Getty Images
Playing Career: 1961-1983
Yaz is one of the best Red Sox of all time, but he predictably never won a title with the team that used to have one of the longest championship droughts ever. The lack of hardware won't keep Boston fans from cheering Yastrzemski every time he returns to Fenway Park, though.
12. Cris Carter
Getty Images
12. Cris Carter
Getty Images
Playing Career: 1987-2002
Carter, one of the best receivers of all time, played on some great Vikings teams, but he never reached the mountaintop. Playing alongside Randy Moss made the pair one of the best in NFL history, but they were still never able to capture a title.
11. O.J. Simpson
Getty Images
11. O.J. Simpson
Getty Images
Playing Career: 1969-1979
Even though Simpson's playing career has been overshadowed by his off-the-field issues over the past couple decades, he was one of the greatest running backs ever. Despite that, he was never able to put his team on his back and carry them to a Super Bowl title.
10. John Stockton
Getty Images
10. John Stockton
Getty Images
Playing Career: 1984-2003
Stockton was one of the best passers in league history, but he wasn't ever able to assist his team in winning a championship. Some of his Jazz teams made it so close, but when push came to shove, the 90s Bulls eliminated them in the Finals.
9. Karl Malone
Getty Images
9. Karl Malone
Getty Images
Playing Career: 1985-2004
Playing alongside Stockton, it's crazy the Jazz teams of the 1990s never won a championship. Malone wasn't the greatest in the Finals, though. Scottie Pippen once famously said after a Sunday NBA Finals game that apparently "The Mailman doesn't deliver on Sundays."
8. Charles Barkley
Getty Images
8. Charles Barkley
Getty Images
Playing Career: 1984-2000
Since he's such a character now, it's hard to remember that Barkley was one of the better players of his generation. Despite that, his Suns were never able to win a championship. Once again, he has Michael Jordan's Bulls to blame.
7. Patrick Ewing
Getty Images
7. Patrick Ewing
Getty Images
Playing Career: 1985-2002
Ewing's lack of championships is one of the more tragic stories in sports. He came very close several times, but when it came down to it, he was never able to knock down the clutch shot that pushed his team over the edge.
6. Jim Kelly
Getty Images
6. Jim Kelly
Getty Images
Playing Career: 1986-1996
Despite reaching the Super Bowl in nearly half of the seasons of his playing career, Kelly never won a ring. His Bills incredibly reached the Super Bowl four times in a row, losing every single time. Perhaps nobody on this list has been closer to that elusive championship than Kelly.
5. Elgin Baylor
Getty Images
5. Elgin Baylor
Getty Images
Playing Career: 1958-1971
Baylor was one of the best players in NBA history, but talent doesn't always ensure championships. His lack of supporting cast was evident and that partially cost him a chance at even further greatness in the league.
4. Ty Cobb
Getty Images
4. Ty Cobb
Getty Images
Playing Career: 1905-1928
Even though he played for over two decades, one of baseball's most controversial characters never won a World Series as a player. He's credited with setting 90 different major league records, but he went his playing life without capturing a championship.
3. Barry Sanders
Getty Images
3. Barry Sanders
Getty Images
Playing Career: 1989-1998
Sanders is generally remembered for cutting his potentially historic career incredibly short. Perhaps the fact he only played for about a decade contributed to the fact he was never a champion. Playing on the Lions also probably didn't help.
2. Dan Marino
Getty Images
2. Dan Marino
Getty Images
Playing Career: 1983-1999
Even though Kelly got closer than Marino did, you could call Marino the best quarterback to never win a title. It had to be more frustrating for him, because he had 16 chances to win it all and came up short each time.
1. Ted Williams
Getty Images
1. Ted Williams
Getty Images
Playing Career: 1939-1960
The greatest Red Sox player to ever live never won a title with the team. Obviously, his entire career covered much of the famous World Series drought. So despite hitting over 500 home runs and getting on base at a .482 career clip, he was never a champion.
There are several sports franchises that haven't been good in the past but are headed toward contention now. Expect these teams to win a title or two in the next few years. Read More
PREV
