Eleven NFL legends facing their last chances to win a Super Bowl

Regarding Lionel Messi’s title with Argentina in the World Cup, we review the potential members of the Hall of Fame who, in the final part of their careers, are still waiting for their first ring

This Sunday, Lionel Messi conquered — along with the rest of the Argentine National Teamthe world Cup, the only major trophy in the world of football that was missing from an exceptional career. This is his fifth participation in the contest, and although it is not yet time to talk about a possible presence in the 2026 tournament, we could potentially have the last of him in the world Cup.

With today’s victory, Messi avoided that ungrateful fate that was shared, before him, by so many figures who gave everything for their sport without being able to win the world Cup. names like Alfredo Di Stéfano, Ferenc Puskás, Eusebio, Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini or Cristiano Ronaldo –so far–, just to mention a few of them soon.

If indeed, we are before the last participation of Messi in a world Cupjoins his name to that of legends such as Pelé, Dino Zoff, Miroslav Klose or Francesco Tottiwho said goodbye to the contest at the top.

In the nflhistory is also replete with examples in both instances. John Elway, Jerome Bettis, Michael Strahan, Ray Lewis, and Peyton Manning said goodbye to professional football with a ring super bowl. To the other side, Dan Fouts, Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, and Warren Moon they forged a career of Hall of Famewithout having tasted the honey of triumph in the super bowl.

Keeping the proportions, starting from the world Cup is an event every four years, while the super bowl is carried out annually, we take advantage of the fact that the closing of Qatar 2022 coincides with a Sunday day of nfl –what ever– to take a look at potential members of the Hall of Famestill active, who are facing their last, or one of their last opportunities, to get a ring of super bowl.

One of two first-round wide receivers from the 2011 Draft on our list, Green spent the better part of a career that led to seven Pro Bowls playing for a good Cincinnati Bengals team that could never really grow into a big team. Green was part of a Cincy team that made the playoffs five straight years, twice as AFC North champion, from 2011 to 2015, failing to win a single postseason game. Since 2021 he has been playing for the Cards, with whom he also made it to the postseason that year, but also losing in his first playoff duel. Among active players, Green is sixth in receptions (722), fourth in receiving yards (10,406), and also fourth in receiving touchdowns (69). Injuries have seriously slowed him down in recent years, but Green’s numbers may be enough to land him in Canton, eventually.

Two picks after Green, Jones was taken sixth overall in 2011 by the Atlanta Falcons, who paid a lot of draft capital to trade for the Alabama star. Jones appeared with the Falcons in Super Bowl LI, one they memorably blew out against the New England Patriots after holding a 28-3 fourth-quarter lead. If Green’s numbers are impressive, Jones’s are even more so. He is a seven-time Pro Bowl selection with two first-team All-Pro inclusions, and was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2010s. He played the 2021 campaign with the Tennessee Titans and in the current one he is with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the reality is that he has already been going for three years without enjoying great health, which has caused a drastic drop in his level of play. .

The son of a six-time Pro Bowl selection — tight end Steve Jordan, who from 1982-1994 for the Minnesota Vikings — Cam Jordan has surpassed his father on the field. He is a seven-time Pro Bowl selection, with a first-team All-Pro appointment, and a member of the 2010s NFL All-Team. Jordan landed with the Saints via the first round of the 2011 draft, two years after New Orleans won it all in Super Bowl XLIV. Jordan has been a part of six Saints postseasons to date, staying four times in the Divisional Round and once in the NFC Championship Game, but Jordan — who is second on the active player list in sacks , with 112.5– is still waiting to win his first championship ring.

Few shone as brightly in the early years of his career as Mack, upon his arrival by the then-Oakland Raiders, via the first round of the 2014 draft. He has six Pro Bowl invites, three first-team All-Pro designations , including a year in which he was picked at two different positions, winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2016. Another member of the league’s all-team for the 2010s, Mack was traded from the Raiders to the Chicago Bears in 2018, and from there to the Chargers for this year. He currently ranks 11th on the NFL sack list with 83.5. Mack has only played in three playoff games, one with Oakland and two with Chicago, all three ending in defeat.

Two Dallas players appear on our list, and both are offensive linemen. Martin, the first of them, can boast seven Pro Bowl invites, five First-Team All-Pro inclusions, and a spot on the NFL All-Team for the 2010s after joining Dallas via the first round of the draft. 2014 in a pick that, at the time, drew criticism when the Cowboys failed to select a skill position player. In recent years, Martin has been forced to line up, at times, even as a tackle, always delivering at a very high level. The former Notre Dame star has played in six postseason games to date, and he’s expected to add at least one more come January.

We included Peterson even though he doesn’t have a team, for two reasons. The first is that he has not officially announced his retirement, and has even recently stated that he still believes he can find a club today. Second, his grooming regimen is absolutely insane, and we’re not entirely counting on someone venturing to sign it, just yet. A 2007 first-round pick, Peterson is a seven-time Pro Bowl selection, four-time first-team All-Pro, and 2012 NFL MVP. Also, he was Offensive Rookie of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year , and NFL Comeback Player of the Year, plus he is fifth in league history with 14,918 rushing yards and fourth with 120 rushing touchdowns. He has been through seven teams in the NFL, but has only played in five postseason games, with just one win in that instance.

One of two secondary defensive players for the Vikes, Peterson began his career with the Cardinals after being selected in the first round in 2011. He was voted to the Pro Bowl in each of his first eight seasons in the league, all in Arizona. , and in three of those years he was part of the All-Pro first team. Also, he was named to the league’s 2010s All-Team. He has been with Minny for two years, but the current season has been his best season in years. The possibility has been floated that Peterson — third among active players in interceptions, with 32 — will lengthen his career a bit if he makes a successful transition to safety, though that remains to be seen. He’s only played in three postseason games in his life, one of them a win, but this year he’ll be back, barring any untimely injury.

A first-round pick of the Vikes in 2012, Smith has become an icon for Minnesota. Part of that is thanks to his six Pro Bowl selections, and one first-team All-Pro inclusion. He is the active leader in interceptions with 34, and is looking forward to playing his seventh postseason game next January. To date, he has won two, reaching the NFC Championship Game once.

tyron smithoffensive tackle, Cowboys

Another member of the NFL’s 2010s All-Star Team, Smith has been able to claim to be the NFL’s best left tackle at times in a career that includes eight Pro Bowl selections and two First-Team All-Pro designations. He barely made his season debut today, and injuries have dramatically reduced his games played in recent years. In fact, 2015 was his last full season. For Dallas, he has appeared in six playoff games, with two wins. Today, the Cowboys passed up the opportunity to guarantee his presence in the next postseason, although they received help from the Giants later.

JJ Wattdefensive end, Cardinals

It’s sometimes forgotten, but Watt is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, an absolutely incredible achievement. A first-round pick with the Houston Texans in 2011 via the first round of the draft, Watt owns, unbelievably, just five Pro Bowl invites, though he also has five first-team All-Pro designations. He’s playing his second season in Arizona, and he doesn’t look particularly close to the Super Bowl, which is a shame for the active player with the fifth-most sacks in NFL history, 108.5, and the only one in history with multiple sacks. campaigns of at least 20 captures. Injuries have robbed him of nearly three full seasons, but he has made plenty of playoff appearances, 11 times to be exact, with four wins. Of course, despite being a member of the ideal team of the 2010s, he has never made it past the Divisional Round.

Today, there are many who consider Williams the best offensive tackle in the NFL, even at 34 years of age. A 2010 first-round pick for Washington, he missed the ’19 season amid a dispute with the club, before landing with the Niners, where he’s resurrected his career in brilliant fashion. In total, he already has nine invitations to the Pro Bowl, and his only inclusion to the All-Pro first team so far came last year, an indication that his level of play is not on the decline, despite the seniority Williams played two playoff games with Washington, both lost, but last year he tasted his first postseason victory, and his second, before losing in the NFC Championship Game to the eventual champion Rams.

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Eleven NFL legends facing their last chances to win a Super Bowl