“The Amazing Race” has been a reality TV fixture since it debuted on CBS in 2001. For more than 30 seasons, we have watched teams of two race around the world, striving to not arrive last at the end of a leg to avoid the possibility of elimination. Throughout the years, various teams have proven to be dominant forces during the season and appear to be shoo-ins to win, yet have unfortunately come up just short of winning the $1 million prize. Scroll through our photo gallery to see the 15 best teams to never win “The Amazing Race.”
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Eric and Jeremy (Season 9)
Image Credit: Courtesy of CBS Eric Sanchez and Jeremy Ryan were a dominant force in Season 9, hitting six of the first nine mats in first place. With an average position of 1.75 throughout the entirety of the race, they fell short of taking home the prize after Eric stumbled at the final Roadblock. They wound up finishing in second place behind BJ Averell and Tyler MacNiven.
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Justin and Diana (Season 27)
Image Credit: Courtesy of CBS Justin Scheman and Diana Bishop set a franchise record after winning five legs in a row in Season 27. They won seven legs total for an average position of 2.04. After making a critical mistake at the final Roadblock, Kelsey Gerckens and Joey Buttitta passed them by for the title. Justin and Diana finished in second place.
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Kris and Jon (Season 6)
Image Credit: Courtesy of CBS Kris Perkins and Jon Buehler were fan favorites who won a total of four legs in Season 6. Despite their harmonious, bicker-free run and an average position of 2.17, this duo couldn’t beat engaged models Freddy Holliday and Kendra Bentley to the finish line.
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Art and JJ (Seasons 20 and 31)
Image Credit: Courtesy of CBS Art Velez and JJ Carrell were an intense duo that made most of the other teams to despise them throughout Season 20. Nevertheless they won three legs and held an impressive average position of 2.25. After stumbling at the final Roadblock, they came in second place to Rachel and Dave Brown. Art and JJ returned in Season 31, but Art’s leg cramping caused them to be eliminated first.
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Kristi and Jen (Season 30)
Image Credit: Courtesy of CBS Kristi Leskinen and Jen Hudak were a dominant force that placed in the top three in all but one leg throughout Season 30. With an average position of 2.36, these professional skiers struggled with a puzzle in the final stretch, landing them in third place, while Cody Nickson and Jessica Graf took home the top prize.
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Frank and Margarita (Season 1)
Image Credit: Courtesy of CBS Frank and Margarita Mesa may have been a separated couple, but they united as a team to win three legs of the inaugural season. The had an average position of 2.38 and were in striking distance to win, but after Frank thought he knew a better route to the finish line than their cab driver did, they wound up placing second behind lawyers Rob Frisbee and Brennan Swain.
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Rob and Amber (Seasons 7 and 11)
Image Credit: Courtesy of CBS Rob and Amber Mariano may be best known for both winning “Survivor,” but they also formed one of the most successful “Amazing Race” teams ever. Over the course of two seasons, they won seven legs and managed an incredible average position of 2.42 and 2.75 in their respective outings. They ultimately placed second in Season 7 to Uchenna and Joyce Agu, and went home in eighth place in Season 11 after winning the first three legs.
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Tyler and Korey (Seasons 28 and 31)
Image Credit: Courtesy of CBS Tyler Oakley and Korey Kuhl were best friends and fan favorites who won a combined nine legs over the course of two seasons. Their average position of 2.42 landed them in third place in Season 28, ultimately losing to Dana Borriello and Matt Steffanina. In Season 31, their average position of 2.75 was able to get them just one step closer as they suffered another heartbreaking loss on the final leg, this time to Colin Guinn and Christie Woods — a dynamite team from Season 5 that would definitely be on this list if they hadn’t won.
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Matt and Redmond (Season 29)
Image Credit: Courtesy of CBS Matt Ladley and Redmond Ramos were a competitive, sometimes hostile duo that held an average position of 2.55 in Season 29. They managed to win two legs throughout the season but ultimately their risky strategy landed them in fourth place in the all-strangers season ultimately won by Brooke Camhi and Scott Flanary.
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Jet and Cord (Seasons 16, 18 and 24)
Image Credit: Courtesy of CBS Jet and Cord McCoy were a pair of cowboy brothers who put their dominant forces on display for three seasons of “The Amazing Race.” Unfortunately, they lost all three contests, but their most successful showing was in Season 16, when they held an average position of 2.58 and placed second to another pair of brothers, Dan and Jordan Pious.
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Misti and Jim (Season 25)
Image Credit: Courtesy of CBS Misti and Jim Raman, who passed away in 2019, were married dentists who steamrolled the competition throughout most of Season 25. After winning an impressive five legs and holding an average position of 2.58, the duo struggled at the final Roadblock and were passed up by winners Amy DeJong and Maya Warren.
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Nicole and Travis (Season 23)
Image Credit: Courtesy of CBS Nicole and Travis Jasper dominated the first two-thirds of Season 23 and won three legs before hitting turbulence in the final stretch. They held an average position of 2.58 before ultimately finishing in third place behind winners Jason Case and Amy Diaz.
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Brodie and Kurt (Season 28)
Image Credit: Courtesy of CBS Brodie Smith and Kurt Gibson were a team of pro frisbee players who looked like they were about to sail to victory with an average position of 2.6. They ultimately finished in a disappointing fifth place and were not able to live up to their potential in the social media stars season won by Dana Borriello and Matt Steffanina.
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Andy and Tommy (Season 19)
Image Credit: Courtesy of CBS Andy Finch and Tommy Czeschin were a pair of pro snowboarders who quickly became fan favorites in Season 19. They won an impressive six legs, but were only able to manage an average position of 2.64 when they finished in a disappointing fourth place. Ernie Halvorsen and Cindy Chiang were the winners.
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Leo and Jamal (Season 23, 24 and 31)
Image Credit: Courtesy of CBS Leo Temory and Jamal Zadran are enthusiastic cousins better known as the “Afghanimals.” Their cutthroat style of play was resented by competitors, but fans loved watching this free-spirited duo for three seasons. They won a combined six legs over three seasons, finishing in fourth place their first two attempts and upgrading to third place in Season 31 behind winners Colin Guinn and Christie Woods.
