5 NFL teams that are Super Bowl or bust
As the new season nears, Super Bowl aspirations are paramount for many teams. Some will be thrilled with a 9-8 finish and might even throw a parade ... here's looking at you, Las Vegas Raiders. Meanwhile, others will consider their seasons a failure even if they finish as the top-seeded team but fail to make a deep run in the playoffs … hello, Dallas Cowboys.
Borrowing the term "Super Bowl or Bust" from sports media journalist and TV analyst Chris Broussard, we can describe teams that will consider their seasons as failures if they don't make it to the Super Bowl. Of course, every team in the NFL dreams of reaching the pinnacle game and feels the sting when they fall short, but some teams have exceptionally high expectations.
The pressure to reach the ultimate game of the season will only intensify as the season kicks off and progresses. Here are the top five teams facing the most pressure, in no particular order.
#1, Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens finished the regular season last year as the top team in the AFC, and their quarterback, Lamar Jackson, was named MVP. They had a decent playoff run, winning the conference divisional game against the Houston Texans 34-10 before crashing out against the Kansas City Chiefs, who eventually won the Super Bowl, in the AFC championship game.
As impressive as last season was, the Ravens and their fans will feel they left something on the table and will be hungry to go for the title this season. With the addition of Derrick Henry, the Ravens' running game, which has always been a threat to any team, has become more dynamic, and the pressure is on to perform.
#2, San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers made a return to the Super Bowl last season after their previous appearance in the 2019-20 season and lost both games against the Kansas City Chiefs. They will be looking to make a return again this season with dynamic quarterback Brock Purdy, who has proven to be an elite QB.
With the rest of the star-studded squad present in the 49ers, it will be a huge blow if they do not get back, especially considering they arguably have a top five player at almost every position.
Although there have been contract talks with key players like Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams, Kyle Shanahan's team will look to get all that sorted out before the start of the new season and hope to replicate their last season's success and go one better by winning it.
#3, New York Jets
This one is a bit controversial, considering that it has been over a decade since the Jets made the playoffs. However, with the hope that their veteran quarterback will stay healthy throughout the season, the Jets are already in Super Bowl conversations.
Aaron Rodgers said before the start of last year that the Jets' lone Super Bowl trophy was getting lonely, but he got injured in the first quarter on what was his fourth snap of the season.
With his return, the pressure is back for them to make a deep playoff run. The Super Bowl will be their goal, having invested so much in their QB, and anything less than that will be considered a drop in expectations.
#4, Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys are considered America's team, and although they have not been to the Super Bowl in nearly three decades, it is clear the team is primed for a return to the big game or will experience a bust.
A lot of contracts seem to be hanging on what their performance in the playoffs looks like. The QB, head coach and offensive coordinator all have one year left on their contracts, a sign from the team that this season's playoff performance is consequential to who stays or leaves after the end of the season. There are few teams with more pressure going into the new season compared to the Cowboys.
#5, Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals made their Super Bowl appearance in the 2021-22 season against the Los Angeles Rams and lost, but they have been looking to make a repeat appearance in the big game.
Joe Burrow is the only active QB to have beaten Mahomes in the playoffs, and although they lost the AFC championship game against the Chiefs in the 2022-23 season, last season was not a success due to injuries to Burrow.
However, they have high expectations to make a run for it this season. With some disgruntled players due to contract talks, this might be the last season the squad's core players play together. So, it could be their last opportunity to get to the Super Bowl and not just make an appearance but win it this time to mark what has been considered their window a success.
There are teams with high expectations to get to the Super Bowl, like the Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles, to mention a few, but each of them has less to lose in comparison.
The Chiefs, coming off back-to-back Super Bowl wins, can afford to have an off year, even though they are in search of making history with a three-peat.
The Bills and Eagles have not been in the best possible position, with the Bills losing star receiver Stefon Diggs, among other key players, and the Eagles hoping to have left their supernatural funk of last year behind them.