5 greatest NFL players to never win a Super Bowl

The NFL is one of the most prestigious sports leagues in the world. So many great athletes graced the football field and left their prestigious marks.

Sadly, not all football careers are created equal. While many greats had the opportunity to have a Super Bowl ring on their resume, others have not been as fortunate. Some have come close, but with no cigar, no entry into the champions club.

That doesn't mean you cannot appreciate their greatness. Picking a list of the five greatest to never win a Super Bowl, however, is a daunting task. Some players are more deserving than others, for the simple fact that the situation they played in was so painful, the chances to win a ring were essentially slim to none.

Let's take a look at five greats who should have won a Super Bowl, but never got that opportunity.

5. Barry Sanders, RB, Detroit Lions

If somehow, the Detroit Lions are the champions of the NFC at the end of this season, there is a good chance Barry Sanders will be the honorary presenter of the George Halas Trophy. He and Calvin Johnson, both of whom never got the opportunity to win a ring during their tenures in the Motor City.

Drafted third overall in 1989 out of Oklahoma State, Sanders immediately brought relevance to the Motor City, something that had not been seen on the gridiron since Bobby Layne. The Pistons were the talk of the town, but Sanders was a human highlight-reel, especially his 2,000-yard season when he beat Bill Parcells and the New York Jets to achieve that feat.

Sadly, quarterbacks like Scott Mitchell and Andre Ware hindered Sanders' chances to win a ring. Yes, he won a playoff game against a very young Cowboys team, but Erik Kramer was leading the charge. The following game in the NFC Title game, Scott Conover's blunders against Charles Mann ruined Sanders' best shot to win a ring. Sanders deserves a ring, and if Detroit wins a ring this year, he deserves an honorary one.