Chargers not included among list of NFL teams deserving of Super Bowl title

The Chargers are one of 12 teams who have yet to win a single Super Bowl during their franchise’s history and unfortunately did not win during their lone appearance in 1994. I hate that I had to type those words out. but they’re necessary for setting up some context.

In a recent panel over at NFL.com, a group of six former players and analysts got together and each offered up one fan base who deserves a Super Bowl title the most entering the 2023 season.

Believe it or not, the Chargers were NOT one of the six teams picked. In fact, the six teams picked weren’t entirely made up of franchises lacking a Super Bowl win. One of the analysts actually picked a club with FIVE SUPER BOWLS ALREADY! It seemed fairly odd for someone to land at that decision, but apparently one of the winningest franchises in history is more deserving of the Chargers when it comes to making it to the promised land.

For those curious, here are the six teams who were deemed “worthy” and which analyst picked them:

• Detroit Lions (Jeffri Chadiha)
• Dallas Cowboys (David Carr)
• New York Jets (Judy Battista)
• Cincinnati Bengals (Marc Ross)
• Buffalo Bills (Nick Shook)
• Jacksonville Jaguars (Maurice Jones-Drew)

From the start, I don’t know how you pick the Cowboys — a team that has five championships — over any other team that’s been struggling to win just one for their entire existence. There are fans who have been born and died without seeing their team win a championship but sure, the Cowboys definitely deserve it more. So true.*

*obvious sarcasm

Teams like the Lions and Jets are certainly understandable to pick as they’ve simply been near or at the bottom of the NFL for the better part of the past 15 years. Those fans have have ridden the struggle bus for long enough. The same could be said for the Jaguars, as well.

Now the Bills — despite being one of the best teams in recent years — did lose those four consecutive Super Bowls in the 90s and that’s probably enough agony for fans to go through to deserve a title. We all know the Bengals go this close to winning it two seasons ago and that combined with how long the franchise went without a playoff victory certainly convinces me that they’re one of the best cases for a topic such as this.

When I clicked on this article, I would have put good money down on the Chargers being one of the teams included. That’s how confident I was. But alas, the analysts don’t think the team and their fan base has been through enough. The playoff-less 2010 season apparently wasn’t enough. The most recent 27-0 implosion against the Jaguars also doesn’t add up to “deserving” a championship, either.

Sigh...

In a perfect world, the Chargers just do the damn thing and snatch this year’s Lombardi Trophy from the grasps of every other team looking to do the same. Will it happen? You’re guess is as good as mine, but we’re all about to have an absolute blast waiting to find out this season.