Three Players Top The List of Best Players To Never Make The Playoffs

Published on December 27th, 2022 4:50 pm EST
Written By: Dave Manuel


If you make it to the NFL, you almost certainly were part of winning teams in both high school and college.

You got used to winning, and when you finally made it to the NFL, you expected the winning to continue.

In some cases, players will never taste the playoffs during their NFL careers.

In fact, there are some VERY good players that never got to experience the post-season during their illustrious Hall of Fame careers.

Here are arguably the three BEST players that never made it to the post-season during their NFL careers:

3) Joe Thomas.

One of the best ever at his position - in fact, Joe Thomas is a sure-fire Hall of Famer.

Thomas was named first-team All-Pro six times over the course of his career and was an amazingly durable athlete.

It just so happens that Thomas played for some VERY bad Cleveland Browns teams that never made it to the post-season.

2. Gale Sayers.

The youngest player to ever be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (34 years old).

Sayers was a five-time first-team All Pro, won two rushing titles, won Offensive Rookie of the Year and had 22 touchdowns in his rookie season.

Sayers' career was derailed by injuries, though he still managed to make an incredible impact over the course of his shortened career.

Unfortunately for Sayers, he never managed to play in the playoffs.

1. Dick Butkus.

One of the most feared defensive players of all time, Butkus won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award twice and was a 5x First-team All-Pro player.

One of the most feared tacklers of all time, Butkus recovered 27 fumbles over the course of his career and intercepted 22 passes.

Unfortunately for Butkus, the Bears weren't a very good team when he played for them, and he never managed to participate in the playoffs.

Butkus is also a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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Three Hall of Fame players. Zero playoff games.