Bengals Legends Make Best-to-Never-Win-Super-Bowl List

Ken Anderson, Boomer Esiason, and Carson Palmer named among top QBs without a ring

Feb. 25, 2026 at 2:55am

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The Cincinnati Bengals had several legendary quarterbacks named to FOX Sports' list of the top 10 NFL quarterbacks who never won a Super Bowl. Bengals Ring of Honor members Ken Anderson and Boomer Esiason were listed as honorable mentions, while Carson Palmer came in at No. 7 on the ranking.

Why it matters

The Bengals have struggled to win a Super Bowl, going 0-3 in their appearances. This list highlights the team's history of talented QBs who couldn't quite get over the hump and win the big game, putting added pressure on current star QB Joe Burrow to finally deliver a championship for the long-suffering Bengals fanbase.

The details

Anderson and Esiason both lost their lone Super Bowl appearances with the Bengals, while Palmer never won a playoff game for the organization. The full top 10 list from FOX Sports also included honorable mentions for Randall Cunningham, Cam Newton, and Vinny Testaverde.

  • The list was released by FOX Sports this week.

The players

Ken Anderson

A Bengals Ring of Honor member and one of the team's all-time great quarterbacks, Anderson lost his only Super Bowl appearance.

Boomer Esiason

Another Bengals Ring of Honor QB, Esiason also lost his lone Super Bowl trip with the team.

Carson Palmer

The No. 7 QB on the list, Palmer never won a playoff game during his time with the Bengals.

Joe Burrow

The Bengals' current star QB, who is hoping to avoid joining this unfortunate list of QBs who never won a Super Bowl.

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What they’re saying

“That's of paramount importance. You have to identify where you're weak and figure out a way to be strong in that area. That's the NFL year in and year out. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. You have to attack that period with intent to get better.”

— Joe Burrow

What’s next

The Bengals have a crucial offseason ahead as they look to build around Burrow and finally end their Super Bowl drought.

The takeaway

The Bengals' history of talented QBs who couldn't win the big one underscores the pressure on Joe Burrow to break that mold and deliver the franchise's first Super Bowl championship.