What have been the four top professional sports leagues in America—the NFL, MLB, NHL, and NBA—since the early 1970s? Two of the main factors in the creation of this list were the number of championships won by the team and the number of players who had successful careers within it.
Which u.s. professional sports team has the most championships?
New York Yankees
The only significant major league baseball dynasty in the previous 50 years. The Yankees of Joe Torre celebrated winning the World Series in 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000. Then, in 2001 and 2003, they were defeated in the Finals. During this time, the Bronx produced many talented athletes who established successful careers, but two names, in particular, stand out: Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter.
Without a doubt, these two players carried the Yankees, but other players like Paul O’Neill, Jorge Posada, and Scott Brosius, to name a few, all made a difference in their own special way. The Yankees still have the resources necessary to “pack up” a team, but it is impossible to replace the sense of community they had in the late 1990s.
Los Angeles Lakers
A basketball team’s chances of dominance increase when it boasts two of the sport’s greatest players, as the Lakers did in the 1980s. The Lakers were, in fact, almost always the NBA team to win in the 1980s thanks to Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul Jabbar. The Lakers reached the championship game nine times and took home the trophy five times during the twelve seasons from 1979–80 to 1990–91. Like all dynasties, Pat Riley served as their head coach.
Chicago Bulls
Be aware that compared to other sports, basketball makes it much simpler to establish dynasties. The best players on a team play the majority of the game on the field of play, and only seven to eight players receive significant playing time. And Michael Jordan, the greatest player ever, played for the Bulls. The Bulls might have won eight consecutive championships from 1991–1998 if Jordan hadn’t chosen to try his luck in baseball, from 1995–1996 to 1997–1998. Jordan only participated in 17 games in 1994-95 and did not play in 1993-94. Jordan was surrounded by players who all understood their responsibilities, including Scottie Pippen, John Paxson, Tony Kukoc, Horace Grant, and Dennis Rodman.
New England Patriots
So far, I’ve heard complaints from Patriots supporters. A few things to think about are: The Patriots have lost three Finals games, which is more than most of the other great dynasties on this list. The San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers have never lost a game in football. The Patriots have been a dominant force for nearly 20 years, something that very few if any, teams have managed to do. The Patriots, however, actually had two mini-dynasties. Between 2001 and 2004, they won three Super Bowls. Ten years later, they won their fourth. Ten years without a victory is a long time.
Furthermore, Tom Brady was the only player who had been a part of the team for their previous victory in 2004, when they won titles in 2014, 2016, and 2018. Then there is the thorny issue of cheating. The Patriots’ first three Super Bowl appearances will always be viewed negatively in the eyes of many.
Steelers de Pittsburgh
There has never been a better football team over a period of seven or eight years than the Steelers in the 1970s. They are the only team to have won four Super Bowls in the last six years, to start. The 49ers’ winning streak of four games in nine years is the second-best in the league. Second, no fewer than 10 of the 22 starters (on offense and defense) have received Hall of Fame inductions. Ten! Terry Bradshaw at quarterback; Lynn Swann and John Stallworth at receivers; Franco Harris at running back; Mike Webster at the center; “Mean” at tackle. In Canton, Ohio, players like Joe Greene, linebackers Jack Lambert and Jack Ham, cornerback Mel Blount, safety Donnie Shell, and the dynasty’s creator, head coach Chuck Noll, are inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Islanders de New York
The Islanders were virtually unbeatable and won the Stanley Cup four years in a row (1979-1980 to 1982-1983), just like the Canadiens. In the spring of 1983, they even defeated Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers in the championship game. This group of players had it all, including a great goaltender who excelled in crucial situations (Billy Smith), a standout defenseman who was the team’s unsung hero (Denis Potvin), a versatile first center (Bryan Trottier), one of the greatest scorers in history (Mike Bossy), possibly the best supporting cast of forwards in NHL history (John Tonelli, Butch Goring, Bob Nystrom, and Clark Gillies), and a great (Al Arbour).
San Francisco 49ers
There were the 1985 Chicago Bears, the 1986 and 1990 Super Bowl champion New York Giants, and the Dallas Cowboys’ brief dynasty (three titles in four years). But the 49ers were the best in the NFL from the early 1980s to the mid-1990s. In 1981, 1984, 1988, and 1989, Joe Montana won four Super Bowls, and in 1994, Steve Young added a fifth. The Niners weren’t just making it to the Super Bowl, they were crushing the other runner-up team. They defeated John Elway and the Denver Broncos, 55-10, in 1989; Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins, 38-16; and the San Diego Chargers, 49-26, in 1994.
Montreal Canadiens
The greatest defenseman trio in NHL history, the “Big Three,” consisted of Guy Lapointe, Larry Robinson, and Serge Savard. Steve Shutt, Jacques Lemaire, Yvan Cournoyer, Pete Mahovlich, Bob Gainey, Réjean Houle, Pierre Mondou, Mario Tremblay, Doug Risebrough, and Yvon Lambert had depth up front that made almost all attacking lines risky. Guy Lafleur is this great team’s motivator and soul.
Oilers d’Edmonton
Three NHL dynasties followed each other from the middle of the 1970s to the end of the 1980s, and it is difficult to choose between them. But only the Oilers have won the Stanley Cup five times out of the three teams. The Oilers’ dynasty was undoubtedly built around Wayne Gretzky, but their final victory in 1989–1990 demonstrated that they were much more than just Marvel. At that point, Gretzky had already been traded to the Los Angeles Kings. In addition to having been able to count on one of the two or three best players in history in Gretzky, who was in Edmonton for the first four cups (1983-1984, 1984-1985, 1986-1987 and 1987-1988), the Oilers had one of the greatest leaders in sports history (Mark Messier), one of the best offensive defensemen (Paul Coffey),
San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Red Wings
The Spurs and the Detroit Red Wings were the final two teams to be considered for our top 10. The Spurs have five championships to the Wings’ four (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014). (1997, 1998, 2002 and 2008). Amazingly, the two organizations exhibited striking similarities during their prime, placing a high value on consistency and endurance.
David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker have all been outstanding and reliable players for Spurs during this time. Greg Popovich, one of the greatest coaches in sports history, was more significant than Duncan as a member of that team.
