Winning three championships in a row, known as a “three-peat,” is one of the hardest things to do in professional sports.

Yankees Joe Torre (Photo by USA TODAY/USA TODAY NETWORK) Lakers Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal (Photo by Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY via Imagn Images)
The term was first used by former Los Angeles Lakers coach Pat Riley in 1988, and since then, it has become an epitome of dominance in major American sports leagues like the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL. However, very few teams have achieved this level of success.

The last team to pull off a three-peat in American pro sports was the Los Angeles Lakers, who won three straight NBA titles from 2000 to 2002.

The Lakers’ success in the early 2000s was built around Shaquille O’Neal, who was named Finals MVP all three years, and Kobe Bryant, who became one of the league’s biggest stars. Their first championship in 2000 came after an impressive 67-15 regular season. The playoffs tested them with relentless battles, but they refused to back down, most notably staging a dramatic Game 7 comeback against the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference Finals.

The next year, they were even more dominant, finishing the playoffs with a 15-1 record, which stood as the best ever until the Golden State Warriors went 16-1 in 2017. In 2002, the Lakers capped off their three-peat by sweeping the New Jersey Nets in the Finals.

Has Any NFL Team Ever Three-Peated?

No NFL team has ever won three Super Bowls in a row, making it the only one of the four major leagues without a true three-peat in the Super Bowl era. The closest any team has come was the Green Bay Packers, who won three straight championships from 1965 to 1967. However, only the last two were official Super Bowl wins since the Super Bowl era had just begun. Many teams have won back-to-back Super Bowls, including the New England Patriots (2003-2004), the Dallas Cowboys (1992-1993), and the Pittsburgh Steelers (1974-1975, 1978-1979).

But none of them could win a third in a row. The most recent attempt at an NFL three-peat came in the 2024 season when the Kansas City Chiefs, after winning back-to-back Super Bowls, made it to the big game again. However, their hopes were demolished by the Philadelphia Eagles, who dominated them with a 40-22 victory.

Three-Peats In American Sports History

The NBA has had the most three-peats. Before the Lakers, only three other NBA teams had managed to win three in a row, including the Boston Celtics (1959-1966), the Chicago Bulls (1991-1993, 1996-1998), and the Minneapolis Lakers (1952-1954). The Celtics’ run from 1959 to 1966 remains the most dominant, winning eight straight championships. The Bulls, led by Michael Jordan, pulled off the rare double three-peat, winning three consecutive titles from 1991 to 1993 and again from 1996 to 1998.

MLB

In MLB, the New York Yankees have been the most successful franchise in terms of three-peats, achieving the feat three times (1936-1939, 1949-1953, and 1998-2000). The Oakland Athletics are the only other MLB team to accomplish a three-peat, winning three straight World Series from 1972 to 1974.
Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Eric Bolte/Imagn Images)
NHL

The NHL has also seen three-peats, with the Montreal Canadiens (1956-1960, 1976-1979) and Toronto Maple Leafs (1947-1949, 1962-1964) achieving the milestone. The only U.S.-based team to win three straight Stanley Cups is the New York Islanders, who won four consecutive championships from 1980 to 1983.

College Sports

College sports have also seen multiple three-peats. UCLA’s men’s basketball program won an astounding seven straight championships from 1967 to 1973 under legendary coach John Wooden. In women’s college basketball, the University of Connecticut (2002-2004, 2013-2016) and Tennessee (1996-1998) have both completed the feat. The last true three-peat in college football came from the University of Minnesota, which won national titles from 1934 to 1936.