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Players With the Most Super Bowl Rings

Players With the Most Super Bowl Rings

The ultimate goal of every NFL team is to win the Super Bowl. The legacies of great players are defined by the titles they won, or lost. Many players can help their teams earn a championship, but it takes a truly special player, combined with a great organization, to start and maintain a dynasty.

The NFL existed in some form for more than four decades before the creation of the Super Bowl — initially an exhibition between the champion of the NFL and its new rival league the AFL. The leagues merged for the 1970 season, but the Super Bowl persisted and is now the most-watched event on television each year.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed NFL records on Pro-Football Reference to determine the NFL players with the most Super Bowl rings.

Nearly all of the athletes who have won a large number championships did so decades ago. Over time, the NFL has added more franchises and lengthened the season, ratcheting up the level of competition. With more games and more teams competing for a spot in the playoffs, the road to the Super Bowl has become tougher.

Only two players in NFL history have ever won five Super Bowl rings. There are more than 30 other players tied for third place with four Super Bowl championships. Almost all of these players were members of a great dynasty — be it the Pittsburgh Steelers’ four Super Bowl teams in the 1970s or the San Francisco 49ers in the 1980s and early 1990s. The Niners won five Lombardi trophies in the span of 14 years, but no player was on the team for all of those 14 seasons.

Source: Andy Lyons / Getty Images

34. Adam Vinatieri
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Kicker: New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts
> Years active: 1996-present
> Accolades: 3x Pro Bowl, 3x All-Pro

One of the greatest clutch kickers of all time, Adam Vinatieri hit game-winning 48- and 41-yard field goals to give the Patriots their first two Super Bowls. After helping New England win a third Super Bowl in four years, Vinatieri signed as a free agent with the Indianapolis Colts, where he won his fourth ring in 2007.

Source: The Z.L. Furness Archive / Gus Macentyre / Wikimedia Commons

33. Steve Furness
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Defensive tackle/defensive end: Pittsburgh Steelers
> Years active: 1972-1981
> Accolades: n/a

Steve Furness worked his way from being a reserve defensive tackle in his early career to starting alongside Joe Greene on Pittsburgh’s vaunted Steel Curtain defense. Furness recorded a key sack in both Super Bowls XIII and XIV.

32. L.C. Greenwood
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Defensive end: Pittsburgh Steelers
> Years active: 1969-1981
> Accolades: 6x Pro Bowl, 2x All-Pro

Though he has not made the NFL Hall of Fame like many of his Steelers teammates, L.C. Greenwood was a dominant force, making six Pro Bowls, and being named an All-Pro twice. His finest moment as a Steeler was likely Super Bowl X, when he sacked Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach four times, including on the first play of the game.

Source: Justin K. Aller / Getty Images

31. John Stallworth
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Wide receiver: Pittsburgh Steelers
> Years active: 1974-1987
> Accolades: 3x Pro Bowl, 1x All-Pro, Hall of Fame

John Stallworth’s first two NFL seasons happened to be the Pittsburgh Steelers first two Super Bowl-winning seasons, 1974 and 1975. He was used sparingly early on, but developed into a great weapon. In his final two Super Bowl wins, Stallworth recorded a combined six catches for 236 yards and three touchdowns.

Source: Getty Images / Getty Images

30. Franco Harris
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Running back: Pittsburgh Steelers
> Years active: 1972-1984
> Accolades: 9x Pro Bowl, 1x All-Pro, Hall of Fame

Franco Harris was the starting running back or fullback for the entirety of the Steelers 1970s dynasty. An instant star, Harris made the Pro Bowl in each of his first nine seasons. He amassed more than 15,000 total yards in his Hall of Fame career and was named MVP of Super Bowl IX.

Source: George Rose / Getty Images

29. Eric Wright
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Defensive back: San Francisco 49ers
> Years active: 1981-1990
> Accolades: 2x Pro Bowl, 1x All-Pro

Eric Wright had a knack for making big plays in big moments as a cornerback during the San Francisco 49ers dynasty of the 1980s. The University of Missouri product helped seal the Niners’ first title, when he intercepted Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson late in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XVI. He also intercepted Dan Marino in Super Bowl XIX.

Source: Courtesy of Topps

28. Gerry Mullins
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Guard: Pittsburgh Steelers
> Years active: 1971-1979
> Accolades: n/a

A versatile player, Gerry Mullins played right tackle, left guard, and right guard for the high-powered Pittsburgh Steelers offense in the 1970s. Mullins started at right guard in all four Super Bowls the Steelers won during that era.

Source: Gene Sweeney Jr. / Getty Images

27. Matt Millen
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Linebacker: Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins
> Years active: 1980-1991
> Accolades: 1x Pro Bowl

Matt Millen has the unique distinction of being the only player to win Super Bowls for four different cities. Millen helped the Raiders franchise win two Super Bowls — first in Oakland his rookie year, then in Los Angeles. He moved onto the San Francisco 49ers, and helped them win Super Bowl XXIV. He technically won a Super Bowl with the Washington Redskins during the 1991 season, though the team put him on the inactive list going into the playoffs.

Source: Cindy Ord / Getty Images

26. Terry Bradshaw
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Quarterback: Pittsburgh Steelers
> Years active: 1970-1983
> Accolades: 3x Pro Bowl, 1x All-Pro, 1x MVP, Hall of Fame

Before drafting Terry Bradshaw first overall in 1970, the Pittsburgh Steelers were a hapless franchise, making the playoffs just once since their founding in 1933. Bradshaw’s leadership and penchant for throwing it deep helped the Steelers make 11 playoff appearances in his 14 years and win four championships. Bradshaw was twice named Super Bowl MVP.

Source: George Rose / Getty Images

25. Mike Wilson
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Wide receiver: San Francisco 49ers
> Years active: 1981-1990
> Accolades: n/a

Mike Wilson served as a backup option for the San Francisco 49ers in the 1980s. He never amassed more than 450 receiving yards in a season, and though he has four Super Bowl rings, made only one catch in his Super Bowl career.

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

24. Jack Lambert
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Linebacker: Pittsburgh Steelers
> Years active: 1974-1984
> Accolades: 9x Pro Bowl, 6x All-Pro, 1 Defensive Player of the Year, Hall of Fame

Jack Lambert helped establish the physical tone that became the Steelers’ calling card in the 1970s. Lambert was named Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1974, Pittsburgh’s first Super Bowl season. He went on to earn Pro Bowl appearances in each of his next nine seasons, as well as six All-Pro designations to go along with his four rings.

Source: Courtesy of Topps

23. Larry Brown
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Tackle/tight end: Pittsburgh Steelers
> Years active: 1971-1984
> Accolades: 1x Pro Bowl

Larry Brown was initially drafted as a tackle, but the Steelers moved him to tight end. He started at tight end during Pittsburgh’s first two Super Bowl runs, though he didn’t catch a lot of passes at that position. The team moved him to right tackle, where he started for the next eight seasons, winning two more titles and his only Pro Bowl spot in 1982.

Source: Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images

22. Joe Montana
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Quarterback: San Francisco 49ers
> Years active: 1979-1994
> Accolades: 8x Pro Bowl, 3x All-Pro, 2x MVP, Hall of Fame

Joe Montana led the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl MVP in three of them. “Joe Cool” was the perfect quarterback to run head coach Bill Walsh’s West Coast offense. Montana and the Niners picked defenses apart during the 1980s, making the playoffs nine of the 10 years in which Montana was the starting QB.

Source: Courtesy of Topps

21. Loren Toews
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Linebacker: Pittsburgh Steelers
> Years active: 1973-1983
> Accolades: n/a

Loren Toews served as a backup linebacker for much of the Steelers’ 1970s dynasty, though he did start for the team for a few years, including 1978, the year the team won its third title.

Source: Thos Robinson / Getty Images

20. Jack Ham
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Linebacker: Pittsburgh Steelers
> Years active: 1971-1982
> Accolades: 8x Pro Bowl, 6x All-Pro, Hall of Fame

Jack Ham was born and raised in Pennsylvania and went to Penn State before being drafted by his home-state Steelers. Ham was a dominant force at linebacker. He was named to the All-Pro team for six straight years, starting in 1974 until 1979 — the years in which the 1970s Steelers won their first and last Super Bowls, though he missed the final Super Bowl due to injury.

Source: George Rose / Getty Images

19. Mel Blount
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Defensive back: Pittsburgh Steelers
> Years active: 1970-1983
> Accolades: 5x Pro Bowl, 2x All-Pro, 1 Defensive Player of the Year, Hall of Fame

Mel Blount was one of three consecutive Steelers to take home the Defensive Player of the Year award during the 1970s. Blount won it in 1975, when he led the NFL with 11 interceptions (he was preceded by Joe Greene and followed by Jack Lambert). Blount had an important interception in both Super Bowl IX and Super Bowl XIII to help the Steelers pull out the victory in close games.

Source: Brian Bahr / Getty Images

18. Bill Romanowski
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Linebacker: San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos
> Years active: 1988-2003
> Accolades: 2x Pro Bowl

Bill Romanowski’s playing career was filled with controversial and sometimes violent incidents. But it was also filled with success. Romanowski won back-to-back titles with the San Francisco 49ers in the 1988 and 1989 seasons, as well as with the Denver Broncos in 1997 and 1998.

Source: Courtesy of Topps

17. Mike Wagner
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Defensive back: Pittsburgh Steelers
> Years active: 1971-1980
> Accolades: 2x Pro Bowl

Playing at the back end of Pittsburgh’s Steel Curtain defense, Mike Wagner made sure opposing quarterbacks couldn’t throw over the top. Wagner had crucial interceptions in Super Bowls IX and X.

Source: Courtesy of Topps

16. Dwight White
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Defensive end: Pittsburgh Steelers
> Years active: 1971-1980
> Accolades: 2x Pro Bowl

Though Dwight White is sometimes overshadowed by the Hall of Fame players on the Pittsburgh Steelers defense, he always brought his ‘A’ game to the Super Bowl. He recorded a safety in Super Bowl IX, two sacks in Super Bowl X, one sack in Super Bowl XIII, and a tackle for loss in Super Bowl XIV.

Source: Courtesy of Topps

15. Randy Grossman
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Tight end: Pittsburgh Steelers
> Years active: 1974-1981
> Accolades: n/a

Early in his career, Randy Grossman was a seldom-used tight end for the Steelers, though he did catch a touchdown pass in Super Bowl X — his only catch of the game. He developed into a good target for Terry Bradshaw, posting a career-high 37 catches and 448 yards in the 1978 season.

Source: Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images

14. Ronnie Lott
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Defensive back: San Francisco 49ers
> Years active: 1981-1994
> Accolades: 10x Pro Bowl, 6x All-Pro

Ronnie Lott was one of the most feared defensive backs in NFL history, known for his big hits from the safety position. The Hall of Famer also had tremendous coverage skills — so good, in fact, that he initially played cornerback. Lott played corner for four full seasons, during which he won two Super Bowls with San Francisco, before making the switch. He would go on to win two more titles and earn five All-Pro designations at safety.

Source: Jason Merritt / Getty Images

13. Rocky Bleier
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Running back: Pittsburgh Steelers
> Years active: 1968-1980
> Accolades: n/a

Rocky Bleier is one of few players to win a college championship as well as multiple Super Bowls. Bleier was a running back at Notre Dame, where he won the 1966 National Championship. In the NFL, he mostly took a backseat to Franco Harris.

Source: Courtesy of Topps

12. Mike Webster
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Center: Pittsburgh Steelers
> Years active: 1974-1990
> Accolades: 9x Pro Bowl, 5x All-Pro, Hall of Fame

Mike Webster was a backup for the Steelers’ first two Super Bowls, but he later became the leader of their offensive line. Webster made five All-Pro teams in his 17 seasons and was later named to the Hall of Fame. Sadly, Webster died in 2002 and became the first NFL player to be diagnosed with CTE, the brain condition associated with the repeated blows to the head football players often receive.

Source: Courtesy of Topps

11. Sam Davis
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Guard: Pittsburgh Steelers
> Years active: 1967-1979
> Accolades: n/a

Even though Sam Davis had started at left guard for years, he was not in the starting 11 for the Steelers’ first two Super Bowls due to injury. In his final two seasons, Davis got the opportunity to start the Super Bowl, winning both. After helping the Steelers win Super Bowl XIV, Davis retired a champion.

Source: Al Messerschmidt / Getty Images

10. Marv Fleming
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Tight end: Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins
> Years active: 1963-1974
> Accolades: n/a

Marv Fleming became the first player in NFL history to win four Super Bowl rings. He helped the Green Bay Packers win the first and second Super Bowls as starting tight end. After seven years in Green Bay, Fleming signed with the Miami Dolphins, where he again won back-to-back Super Bowls, including as a member of the legendary ’72 Dolphins, who remain the only undefeated Super Bowl champions.

Source: Joe Robbins / Getty Images

9. Donnie Shell
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Defensive back: Pittsburgh Steelers
> Years active: 1974-1987
> Accolades: 5x Pro Bowl, 3x All-Pro

The Steelers’ first two Super Bowl seasons, 1974 and 1975, were Donnie Shell’s first two NFL seasons, and he played relatively little. But by the time the Steelers won their third and fourth titles, Shell had become an All-Pro safety and a crucial piece of the Steel Curtain defense.

Source: Getty Images

8. Ted Hendricks
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Linebacker: Baltimore Colts, Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
> Years active: 1969-1983
> Accolades: 8x Pro Bowl, 4x All-Pro, Hall of Fame

The 6 foot 7 Ted Hendricks earned the nickname “The Mad Stork” for his lanky frame. He also earned a spot in Canton as a determined, dominant linebacker. Originally drafted by the Baltimore Colts, he helped that franchise win Super Bowl V before moving on to Green Bay for a season, then to the Raiders. He was a member of all three Raiders Super Bowl teams, retiring on top after helping the Los Angeles Raiders win Super Bowl XVIII.

Source: George Rose / Getty Images

7. Keena Turner
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Linebacker: San Francisco 49ers
> Years active: 1980-1990
> Accolades: 1x Pro Bowl

Keena Turner was a key piece in making the San Francisco 49ers defense championship caliber in the 1980s. Prior to his arrival, the 49ers defense was consistently one of the worst in the NFL. During the nine seasons in which Turner held the starting right outside linebacker spot, the San Francisco defense ranked among the top 10 eight times and won four Super Bowls. His best season was 1984, when he earned his only Pro Bowl spot and won his second ring.

Source: Justin K. Aller / Getty Images

6. Joe Greene
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Defensive tackle: Pittsburgh Steelers
> Years active: 1969-1981
> Accolades: 10x Pro Bowl, 4x All-Pro, 2 Defensive Player of the Year, Hall of Fame

“Mean” Joe Greene is one of seven players in NFL history to be named Defensive Player of the Year multiple times. As a defensive tackle, Greene set the physical, intimidating tone for the rest of the vaunted Pittsburgh defense. Greene was a Pro Bowler in 10 of his first 11 seasons, including in each of Pittsburgh’s first four championship seasons.

Source: Courtesy of Steel City Collectibles

5. Jon Kolb
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Tackle: Pittsburgh Steelers
> Years active: 1969-1981
> Accolades: n/a

Jon Kolb was one of just two players, along with Gerry Mullins, to start all four of the Steelers Super Bowl victories in the 1970s. Kolb was never honored with a Pro Bowl or All-Pro spot, but he was a consistent starter at left tackle for the team during the 1970s, rarely missing a game.

Source: Jared Wickerham / Getty Images

4. Lynn Swann
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Wide receiver: Pittsburgh Steelers
> Years active: 1974-1982
> Accolades: 3x Pro Bowl, 1x All-Pro, Hall of Fame

Though Lynn Swann was seldom used in 1974 — his rookie season and the Steelers’ first Super Bowl season — he soon became a key piece of the Steelers offense. The next season, Swann earned a Pro Bowl spot and was named Super Bowl X MVP for his four-catch, 161-yard performance, which included a spectacular juggling catch that is still considered one of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history.

Source: Al Bello / Getty Images

3. Jesse Sapolu
> Rings: 4
> Position, team(s): Center: San Francisco 49ers
> Years active: 1983-1997
> Accolades: 2x Pro Bowl

While five other 49ers on this list won four championships in the 1980s, Jesse Sapolu is the only San Francisco player who stuck around long enough to win a fourth ring in the 1990s. Drafted in 1983, Sapolu was a mainstay on San Francisco’s offensive line, rarely missing a game. A versatile player, Sapolu moved between left guard and center. He even made the Pro Bowl in back-to-back seasons, once as a guard and once as a center.

Source: George Rose / Getty Images

2. Charles Haley
> Rings: 5
> Position, team(s): Defensive end: Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers
> Years active: 1986-1999
> Accolades: 5x Pro Bowl, 2x All-Pro, Hall of Fame

The first player to win five Super Bowl rings, Charles Haley caught the end of one dynasty and helped establish another. Drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 1986, Haley was a key member of the 1988 and 1989 49ers championship teams, recording double-digit sacks both seasons. After clashing with 49ers’ management, Haley was traded to the Dallas Cowboys after the 1991 season. He then won three Super Bowls in his first four seasons in Dallas. Haley was a terrific big game player. In his five Super Bowl appearances, he recorded 4.5 sacks.

Source: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images

1. Tom Brady
> Rings: 5
> Position, team(s): Quarterback: New England Patriots
> Years active: 2000-present
> Accolades: 14x Pro Bowl, 3x All-Pro, 3x MVP

Tom Brady is widely considered to be the greatest quarterback of all time. And he is without a doubt the most successful. Brady famously fell to the sixth round in the 2000 NFL Draft, but when he took over for an injured Drew Bledsoe in 2001, he ended up leading the franchise to its first-ever Super Bowl victory over the heavily favored St. Louis Rams. Since he became the starting QB, Brady not only has never had a losing season, but also led the Pats to eight Super Bowls, winning five rings and four Super Bowl MVPs — and he’s not done yet. Even at 41, Brady is a top-tier quarterback and has the Pats poised to be successful.

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