30 greatest players to never win a Super Bowl

28. Jim Otto, C, Oakland Raiders

He’s probably better known for his jersey number than his impressive career with the Silver and Black. Jim Otto wasn’t the only player in NFL history to wear double zero (Houston Oilers’ fans will certainly remember wide receivers Ken Burrough). But the combination of that Oakland Raiders’ uniform and the relentless performer wearing it probably evokes thoughts of the “The Longest Yard” (original version) and the vaunted “Mean Machine.”

In any case, the key here is that Otto was quite the football player. He spent 15 seasons in the middle of the Raiders’ offensive front and for a spell was surrounded by fellow Pro Football Hall of Famers such as tackle Art Shell and guard Gene Upshaw.

His career began in 1960, the first season of the American Football League, and ended in 1974 with the Raiders coming up one win short of what would have been a second Super Bowl appearance for the franchise at the time.

The former University of Miami performer actually played in Super Bowl II against Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers. Oakland came up short that afternoon at the Orange Bowl, 33-14, the lone Big Game appearance for the talented center. But there have been few players more durable than Otto.

The 12-time Pro Bowler and 10-time All-Pro played in all 210 regular-season games in 15 seasons with the franchise. And in an era when offensive linemen were even less the center of attention than they are today, the reliable Otto became a bit of a household name.

Next: No. 27