Quarterbacks who consistently make the NFL Playoffs often appear in more Super Bowls, but that's not always the case. One would assume that teams that seem to make it to the postseason every year would be good enough to compete for Super Bowls, but that's not always the case.
Sometimes a quarterback has to will their team through long stretches of postseason heartbreak before making it to the promised land. That has been the unfortunate case for these six quarterbacks.
QBs with longest stretches in NFL history of playoff starts without starting in a Super Bowl
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#1 - Aaron Rodgers - 16 starts
Aaron Rodgers earns the longest streak in NFL history and it is also an active streak after losing to the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round of the 2021 NFL Playoffs. He has not been back to the big game since winning his first and only Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers in 2010. He is also 0-4 in Conference Championship games since his one victory.
#2 - Dan Marino - 14 starts
Dan Marino is one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, he is also a player who spent his entire career with one team in an unsuccessful bid to win a Super Bowl. During his time with the Miami Dolphins, he set almost every career passing record in the NFL before he retired, including yards and touchdowns. He accomplished just about everything a player could on his way to the Hall of Fame, except winning a ring.
NFL QBs with longest run of postseason starts without starting a Super Bowl
#3 (tied) - Drew Brees - 12 starts
Drew Brees' postseason frustrations are similar to those of Aaron Rodgers' struggles. Brees won the Super Bowl a year prior to Rodgers and unfortunately the legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback was unable to get back to one after that and retired back in 2020. This despite appearing in the NFL playoffs seven times since winning his lone Super Bowl ring.
#3 (tied) - Philip Rivers - 12 starts
Philip Rivers is one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history that never appeared in a Super Bowl. He enjoyed plenty of success in the regular season and made the postseason many times. Unfortunately, he was always eliminated from the playoffs before reaching his ultimate goal. Rivers retired with a underwhelming postseason record of 5-7.
#3 (tied) - Peyton Manning - 12 starts
After winning one ring with the Indianapolis Colts in 2007, Peyton Manning suffered a long postseason drought before returning to another Super Bowl. He switched teams and moved to the Denver Broncos in 2012. While there he appeared in another Super Bowl and won his second ring. He is the only player on the list to have appeared in more than one Super Bowl, in turn making him the only player to have won two championship rings.
#3 (tied) - Joe Flacco - 12 starts
Joe Flacco made 12 postseason starts in his career before finaling getting an opportunity to play in the big game. He didn't waste it, as he helped the Baltimore Ravens win a championship in 2013. He hasn't been back to another one since then, as he now mostly serves as a back-up quarterback in the NFL. He was most recently with the New York Jets but is now a free agent.
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