Pressure to Win

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Jul 17, 2007

Pressure to Win

Who's under the most pressure to win a Super Bowl now that Peyton Manning no longer owns that burden? Here's a look at the 10 most likely candidates, beginning with Donovan McNabb, who's experienced three losses in NFC Championship games and one in a Super Bowl. Tick tock. Tick tock.

Daniel Snyder

The marketing magnate who paid $800 million for the Redskins in 1999 and has poured millions into high-priced (and well-publicized) players and coaches, has yet to win a title as Washington's owner.

Rex Grossman

Leading the Bears to the Super Bowl in his first season as a starter did nothing to quiet Grossman's many critics, who think the young quarterback is too erratic to carry this team to a championship.

Randy Moss

The mercurial but talented wideout arrives in New England this season sans NFL title and under great pressure to lead the Patriots back to the championship.

Michael Vick

Vick's fans are still waiting for him to deliver on the enormous potential he has had since entering the league as the No. 1 pick in 2001. He has dazzled enough in spurts to earn one of the largest contracts in NFL history, but he needs to perform more consistently to reach the promised land.

LaDanian Tomlinson

A case could be made that there's more pressure on quarterback Philip Rivers than on Tomlinson to deliver San Diego a Super Bowl title. But given that LT's the reigning league MVP and a sure-fire Hall of Famer, we'll side with those who feel the burden falls more on his broad shoulders and shifty feet.

Eli Manning

Now that older brother Peyton has finally raised the Lombardi Trophy, Eli knows critics will start asking if he can do the same. Oh, and he's playing for a franchise that hasn't won the big one since January 1991. No pressure there.

Terrell Owens

He reeled in nine catches for 122 yards during his one Super Bowl appearance with the Eagles in 2005, but his outspoken nature earned him a ticket out of Philly. For all the ill-will he's created, he knows a Super Bowl title would be a good way to go out.

Wayne Huizenga

Once arguably the NFL's premiere franchise, winning nine AFC East titles and two Super Bowls in the 1970s and 1980s, Miami has failed to reach a conference championship game since Huizenga bought the team in 1990.

Carson Palmer

The former Heisman winner and No. 1 pick has been the face of the Bengals' surge over the past few years, and he knows his legacy is intertwined with the city's title hopes.