For the last handful of years, there have been 12 NFL teams without a Super Bowl victory in their franchise's history. The NFL has largely been dominated by stretches of elite play by specific teams and quarterbacks, and the dynasty has reigned supreme in a league that tries harder than any other in pro sports to maintain parity.
Still, the idea of 12 different franchises being without a Super Bowl win adds to the intrigue of each individual season, and there are a handful of teams that appear very close to winning their first Super Bowl ever this coming season.
In the AFC, the teams without any Super Bowl wins are the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Houston Texans. Which quarterbacks in the AFC could realistically lead their team to its first Lombardi trophy in 2025?
AFC QBs who could win first Super Bowl in franchise history in 2025
1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
The reigning league MVP is arguably the most likely quarterback on any team in the NFL without a Super Bowl win that could actually get the job done this coming season. At the same time, if Allen hasn't been able to get the Bills to the big stage at this point in his career, what more can he realistically do? The Bills simply cannot shake the Kansas City Chiefs.
This is the next in a long line of "this year is the year" types of years for the Bills.
2. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Out of any quarterback on this list, the closest one to ending his team's Super Bowl drought is Joe Burrow. Burrow has a chance to be the league MVP anytime he's fully healthy, and we saw him on a different level for the majority of last season. The problem last year wasn't Joe Burrow, but the Bengals' horrendous defense letting them down.
The Bengals have a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback and offense, but will their defense be able to keep up?
3. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Even without Brandon Staley and with Jim Harbaugh leading the charge, the Los Angeles Chargers still found a way to "Charger" on the biggest stage last season. The Chargers, and frankly Justin Herbert, were the biggest disappointment of the postseason in the AFC last year.
I don't know that we should all expect that to change in 2025, but the Chargers are a good team and you just never know. Herbert has to be better in big games or this one is never going to happen.
4. CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
I almost forgot to put CJ Stroud on this list initially because the hype train for the Houston Texans is no longer charging out of control like it was a year ago at this time. The Texans had a really rough second year of the Demeco Ryans/CJ Stroud era, but they still found a way to not only make the playoffs, but win a game as well.
This might be one of the more underrated teams in the NFL right now because everyone expected so much of them last year. Stroud could lead the Houston Texans to a championship with his ability to make big plays in the clutch.