30 greatest players to never win a Super Bowl

18. Kellen Winslow, TE, San Diego Chargers

For those who remember the NFL of the 1960s and the majority of the 1970s, it was about running the football and playing physical defense. The passing game wasn’t an afterthought but receivers didn’t have the freedom that they do today. There was plenty of physical contact downfield, hence quarterbacks didn’t throw for the amount of touchdowns you see today while interceptions were much more common.

That began to change in 1978 when the league implemented the rule regarding contact beyond five yards. Offensive linemen also suddenly had the luxury of extending their arms when it came to pass protection. That was good news for a lot of players and coaches.

The San Diego Chargers were a team that were primed for those rule changes. Suddenly led by Don Coryell in the midst of the 1978 season, the Bolts overcame a 2-6 start to finish 9-7. Hall of Famer Dan Fouts was throwing the football to Charlie Joiner and rookie wideout John Jefferson. A year later, the club used a first-round pick on University of Missouri tight end Kellen Winslow.

In today’s era where we see the likes of Rob Gronkowski, Jimmy Graham and Travis Kelce, to name a few, Winslow was a few decades ahead of his time. He finished his nine-year career with 541 catches, good for 6,741 yards and 45 touchdowns. The Pro Football Hall of Famer led the NFL in receptions in both 1980 (89) and ’81 (88) and the AFC (54) during the nine-game ’82 season. And who could forget his Herculean effort in the 1981 AFC Divisional Playoff overtime win over the Dolphins at Miami?

Next: No. 17