Ok, so let’s take a look at some teams with winning traditions. That is, teams that have won multiple Championships and or Super Bowls. After all that is what is needed to have a winning tradition. If you don’t win the big game you can’t have a winning tradition.
First up: Detroit
Overall record for 79 years. 490-583-32, for a winning percentage of .457. But they have 4 NFL championships, so they have to be considered having a winning Tradition. Never mind that the last one was in 1957. And since that fateful year they have gone .421 and been to the playoffs 9 times. 9 times in 52 years. Man that’s a winning tradition. But they have those Championships. You have to count them; after all they won them in the same time period as 6 of the Packers championships. They had to have decades of success to win 4 Championships.
Next up: Philadelphia.
Overall record for 76 years, 499-535-26, .483. They have 3 NFL Championships to their name. Last one was 1960. Win over the Packers. They must have been good. Lost the super Bowl in 1980 and 2004. Umm, maybe they don’t have that winning tradition after all. Let’s see. 1961 to 2003. 305-329-12 .481 yeah, I suppose since they have 3 Championships, they could have a winning tradition. One Super Bowl and they are in for sure.
Next: San Francisco.
Yup, I’m going there. It’s all about “winning tradition” after all. So let’s look at San Francisco’s winning tradition. 5 Super Bowls in 13 years, 159-56-1. Good record. How about the previous 34 years? 224-234-14 for a winning percentage of .489. In those 34 years they made it to the playoffs 5 times. But man, what a winning tradition. Since their last Super Bowl in 94, 120-120-0. An even .500. But damn they have that winning tradition and decades of success. Well at least one decade of success.
And last, one of my favorites, New England.
Started playing pro ball in 1960 in that other league the AFL, which really wasn’t pro football until the first NFL-AFL World Championship game in 1966. They have won an amazing 3 Super Bowls in 4 years. Not as good as the Packers 3 in 3 years. Oops, the Packers never won 3 Super Bowls in a row. They have an overall record of 387-360-9, .518. But let’s see how they got to that “winning tradition”. Let’s start with the first Super Bowl win. From 2001 on they have an amazing 107-37-0 record, .743. So that is what gives them their winning tradition. Now, let’s see how that winning tradition was formed prior to 2001. 1960-2000. 280-323-9 for an outstanding .464 winning percentage. They made it to the playoffs 10 times in 40 years. Losing 3 Championship games. 2 of them Super Bowls. (Really only 2. Because the 1963 AFL Championship game does not count. Because, well it was the AFL and not really a professionally league yet.) Again, decades of success.
So there you have it. Teams that won the Big game with winning traditions. Some won their big games in the past. Some won more recently. But they all have two things in common. Decades of "success” and at least 3 Championships rings.