Yes, you read that correctly.
They haven’t played like it in the last few years, but according to the all-time NFL power rankings by CBS Sports’ Brad Gagnon, the Minnesota Vikings are the 9th most successful team in the Super Bowl era.
It’s surprising in the sense that the Vikings are the only team in the top 10 to have never won a Super Bowl, and their ranking places them higher than ‘Bowl winners including the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts.
But it’s not surprising when you consider the Vikings have the sixth-highest regular-season winning percentage in modern history. This combined this with a higher-than-average number of Hall of Famers (13), 18 division titles and four Super Bowl appearances (albeit, unsuccessful ones) pushes them up the table.
The rankings are compiled by giving a team 10 points for each Super Bowl win, 5 for a Super Bowl loss, 3 for each Hall of Famer, 1 for each division title, and their all-time winning percentage.
Christopher Gates, of the Daily Norseman, agrees, saying:
At the present time, I’d be willing to wager that the Minnesota Vikings are the most successful team in any professional sport that hasn’t won a championship. (Well, a championship that’s broadly recognized. . .we know the Vikings won the NFL Championship in 1969.) Honestly, I’m not sure what other team in any sport would even be close.
Making up to top three in the rankings are the Dallas Cowboys, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the San Francisco 49ers.
