Top 5 iconic RBs who never won a Super Bowl feat. Adrian Peterson

A Super Bowl championship is not assured even if you are one of the NFL's top running backs. This is because football is a team sport, meaning that even the finest players cannot lead a team to victory by themselves. The fact that some of the greatest running backs in history never won the Lombardi Trophy is proof of that.

Here are the top five running backs who did not win the Super Bowl throughout their careers:

Top 5 running backs never to win a Super Bowl

5] Earl Campbell

Houston Oilers former running back Earl Campbell - Source: Imagn

Five-time Pro Bowler and Hall of Famer Earl Campbell very likely would have won a Super Bowl if he had spent more than eight seasons in the NFL.

During his first three seasons, Campbell led the league in rushing, and his 1,900-yard rush in 1980 is still regarded as one of the best in NFL history.

Campbell received multiple honors during his career with the Houston Oilers, including NFL Offensive Player of the Year (three times), NFL Rookie of the Year, and NFL Most Valuable Player. However, he retired without a Super Bowl.

4] LaDainian Tomlinson

Former Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson - Source: Getty

LaDainian Tomlinson excelled as a running back throughout his playing career. He carried for 1,815 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2006, making it one of the best running back seasons in history. In addition to winning the NFL MVP title that year, he set a record for the most touchdowns ever in a season with 31 total.

Despite his dominance, Tomlinson never took home a Super Bowl trophy. He did, however, lead the NFL in rushing twice and rushing touchdowns three times, and he was a six-time All-Pro.

In 2017, Tomlinson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame after finishing his career third in total touchdowns (162) and seventh in rushing (13,684).

3] Adrian Peterson

Ex Minnesota Viking Adrian Peterson - Source: Imagn

Despite playing in a time when quarterbacks and the passing game were the norm, Adrian Peterson made a name for himself and was awarded one NFL MVP.

Peterson received the Offensive Rookie of the Year award five years before his MVP-winning season, having run for 1,341 yards in 14 appearances with the Minnesota Vikings.

Peterson, who concluded his career with 14,918 rushing yards and 120 rushing touchdowns, was selected to seven Pro Bowls and led the league in rushing yards three times. The Super Bowl, the championship he most desired, was the only one he failed to win throughout his career.

2] Eric Dickerson

Former NFL running back Eric Dickerson - Source: Getty

Eric Dickerson is notable for having set the record for the most rushing yards in a single season in 1984 with 2,105 yards. The five-time First-team All-Pro running back ran for more than 13,000 yards in 11 seasons.

Despite receiving numerous individual honors throughout his career, he was never able to reach the Super Bowl. In 1985, while playing with the Rams, he lost to the Chicago Bears in the only NFC Championship Game he ever participated in.

1] Barry Sanders

Former Detroit Lions great Barry Sanders - Source: Imagn

One may argue that Barry Sanders is the best running back in NFL history, but the fact that he never played in or won a Super Bowl could potentially undermine that claim.

Before his sudden retirement following the 1998 season, he was able to rush for no less than 1,000 yards in each of his ten playing seasons thanks to his elusiveness. Sanders notably spent his whole playing career with the Detroit Lions, one of the four organizations in the league today that have never made it to the Super Bowl.

Although Sanders amassed 15,269 rushing yards and averaged 99.8 yards per game—the second-highest in history—he only scored a touchdown in one postseason game during his career.

While playoff success eluded Sanders, he won one NFL MVP award, two Offensive Player of the Year awards, and the Offensive Rookie of the Year. He was also selected to six first-team All-Pro, four second-team All-Pro, and 10 Pro Bowls.