List of NFL franchise post-season droughts
Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates This is a list of current and former National Football League (NFL) franchise droughts (multiple consecutive seasons of not reaching a certain achievement) related to the post-season and Super Bowl. The length of a drought is the number of seasons since the last time a franchise achieved a certain milestone. For a milestone that a franchise has never achieved, the length of the corresponding drought is equal to the number of seasons the franchise has been active.
All 32 active NFL teams have qualified for the playoffs and won at least one playoff game in their history. Of the 12 teams that have never won the Super Bowl, the seven who predate the institution of the game (the Cardinals, Lions, Oilers/Titans, Chargers, Browns, Bills, and Vikings) had all won an NFL or AFL championship prior to the AFL–NFL merger. In the case of the Vikings, however, the Super Bowl existed at the time they won their only league title (in 1969). Thus, the Vikings along with the other five teams (the Falcons, Bengals, Panthers, Jaguars and Texans, whose history is no older than the Super Bowl itself) are the only franchises to have never won the highest championship available to them. The Cardinals own the longest drought since a championship of any kind, at Template:Age seasons.
Note that for continuity purposes, the Cleveland Browns are officially considered to have suspended operations for the 1996, 1997, and 1998 seasons. Since returning Template:Age years ago, they have only made the playoffs three times, while the Baltimore Ravens are considered to be a separate team that began play in 1996. The Ravens, as a result of the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy, absorbed the Browns' personnel upon their suspension, but not their history.
Active team droughtsEdit
Post-season droughtsEdit
| Template:0^Template:0 | Longest drought in team history |
Playoff game victory droughtsEdit
Sortable table, click on the header arrows.
| Template:0^Template:0 | Longest drought in team history |
| Template:0♦Template:0 | Most consecutive losses in team history<ref>The record for most consecutive losses in NFL history is nine.</ref> |
| Template:0¤Template:0 | Tied for most consecutive losses in team history |
| Seasons since win |
Team | Last playoff game win | Loss streak | Playoff losses – teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Age | Miami Dolphins ^ | 2000 AFC Wild Card | 6 ♦ | 2000 divisional – Oakland 2001 wild card – Baltimore 2008 wild card – Baltimore 2016 wild card – Pittsburgh 2022 wild card – Buffalo 2023 wild card – Kansas City |
| Template:Age | Las Vegas Raiders ^ | 2002 AFC Championship | 3 ♦ | Super Bowl XXXVII – Tampa Bay 2016 wild card – Houston 2021 wild card – Cincinnati |
| Template:Age | New York Jets | 2010 AFC Divisional | 1 | 2010 AFC championship – Pittsburgh |
| Template:Age | Chicago Bears | 2010 NFC Divisional | 3 ¤ | 2010 NFC championship – Green Bay 2018 wild card – Philadelphia 2020 wild card – New Orleans |
| Template:Age | Arizona Cardinals | 2015 NFC Divisional | 2 | 2015 NFC championship – Carolina 2021 wild card – Los Angeles Rams |
| Template:Age | Carolina Panthers | 2015 NFC Championship | 2 | Super Bowl 50 – Denver 2017 wild card – New Orleans |
| Template:Age | Denver Broncos | Super Bowl 50 | 1 | 2024 wild card – Buffalo |
| Template:Age | Pittsburgh Steelers | 2016 AFC Divisional | 6 ♦ | 2016 AFC championship – New England 2017 divisional – Jacksonville 2020 wild card – Cleveland 2021 wild card – Kansas City 2023 wild card – Buffalo 2024 wild card – Baltimore |
| Template:Age | Atlanta Falcons | 2017 NFC Wild Card | 1 | 2017 divisional – Philadelphia |
| Template:Age | Indianapolis Colts | 2018 AFC Wild Card | 2 | 2018 divisional – Kansas City 2020 wild card – Buffalo |
| Template:Age | Los Angeles Chargers | 2018 AFC Wild Card | 3 | 2018 divisional – New England 2022 wild card – Jacksonville 2024 wild card – Houston |
| Template:Age | New England Patriots | Super Bowl LIII | 2 | 2019 wild card – Tennessee 2021 wild card – Buffalo |
| Template:Age | Minnesota Vikings | 2019 NFC Wild Card | 3 | 2019 divisional – San Francisco 2022 wild card – New York Giants 2024 wild card – Los Angeles Rams |
| Template:Age | Seattle Seahawks | 2019 NFC Wild Card | 3 | 2019 divisional – Green Bay 2020 wild card – Los Angeles Rams 2022 wild card – San Francisco |
| Template:Age | Tennessee Titans | 2019 AFC Divisional | 3 ¤ | 2019 AFC championship – Kansas City 2020 wild card – Baltimore 2021 divisional – Cincinnati |
| Template:Age | Cleveland Browns | 2020 AFC Wild Card | 2 | 2020 divisional – Kansas City 2023 wild card – Houston |
| Template:Age | New Orleans Saints | 2020 NFC Wild Card | 1 | 2020 divisional – Tampa Bay |
| Template:Age | Jacksonville Jaguars | 2022 AFC Wild Card | 1 | 2022 divisional – Kansas City |
| Template:Age | New York Giants | 2022 NFC Wild Card | 1 | 2022 divisional – Philadelphia |
| Template:Age | Dallas Cowboys | 2022 NFC Wild Card | 2 | 2022 divisional – San Francisco 2023 wild card – Green Bay |
| Template:Age | Cincinnati Bengals | 2022 AFC Divisional | 1 | 2022 AFC championship – Kansas City |
| Template:Age | Green Bay Packers | 2023 NFC Wild Card | 2 ¤ | 2023 divisional – San Francisco 2024 wild card – Philadelphia |
| Template:Age | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2023 NFC Wild Card | 2 | 2023 divisional - Detroit 2024 wild card - Washington |
| Template:Age | Detroit Lions | 2023 NFC Divisional | 2 | 2023 NFC championship - San Francisco 2024 divisional - Washington |
| Template:Age | San Francisco 49ers | 2023 NFC Championship | 1 | Super Bowl LVIII - Kansas City |
| 2024 playoff winners | ||||
| Template:Age | Houston Texans | 2024 AFC Wild Card | 1 | 2024 divisional – Kansas City |
| Template:Age | Baltimore Ravens | 2024 AFC Wild Card | 1 | 2024 divisional – Buffalo |
| Template:Age | Los Angeles Rams | 2024 NFC Wild Card | 1 | 2024 divisional – Philadelphia |
| Template:Age | Washington Commanders | 2024 NFC Divisional | 1 | 2024 NFC championship – Philadelphia |
| Template:Age | Buffalo Bills | 2024 AFC Divisional | 1 | 2024 AFC championship – Kansas City |
| Template:Age | Kansas City Chiefs | 2024 AFC Championship | 1 | Super Bowl LIX – Philadelphia |
| Template:Age | Philadelphia Eagles | Super Bowl LIX | 0 | 4-game win streak |
| Seasons since win | Team | Last playoff game win | Loss streak | Playoff losses – teams |
AFC/NFC Divisional playoffs game appearance droughtsEdit
This is also a list of the last time a particular club won a wild card playoff game or had a first-round bye.
| Template:0^Template:0 | Longest drought in team history |
| Template:0♦Template:0 | First round bye |
- Template:Note label The Las Vegas Raiders last appeared in the AFC Divisional playoff game as the Oakland Raiders.
AFC/NFC Championship game appearance droughtsEdit
This is also a list of the last time a particular club won a divisional playoff game.
| Template:0^Template:0 | Longest drought in team history |
| Template:0†Template:0 | Tied for longest drought in team history |
- Template:Note label The Browns were dormant from 1996–1998. Since returning Template:Age years ago, the Browns have never played in an AFC Championship Game.
- Template:Note label The Las Vegas Raiders last appeared in the AFC Championship Game as the Oakland Raiders.
- Template:Note label The Los Angeles Chargers last appeared in the AFC Championship Game as the San Diego Chargers.
Super Bowl appearance droughtsEdit
This is also the last time club won AFC or NFC championship game.
- Template:Note label The Browns are considered to have suspended operation from 1996–1998. Since returning in 1999, or Template:Age ago they have never appeared in the Super Bowl, while the franchise that moved in 1995, has made two appearances in the Super Bowl since the relocation controversy.
- Template:Note label The Washington Commanders last appeared in the Super Bowl as the Washington Redskins.
- Template:Note label The Los Angeles Chargers last appeared in the Super Bowl as the San Diego Chargers.
- Template:Note label The Las Vegas Raiders last appeared in the Super Bowl as the Oakland Raiders.
Super Bowl or NFL championship win droughtsEdit
This list also counts all seasons since a team last won the league championship or Super Bowl. Of active NFL teams, 20 have won the Super Bowl, 7 have not won a Super Bowl, but have won an AFL or NFL championship pre-merger, and 5 have not won any championship or Super Bowl.
NFL or AFL Championship pre-1970s mergerEdit
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Seasons | Team | Last League championship crown pre-merger (1920–1969) |
Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Age | Arizona CardinalsTemplate:Ref label | 1947 NFL championship | Template:Nfly | |
| Template:Age | Detroit Lions | 1957 NFL championship | Template:Nfly | |
| Template:Age | Tennessee TitansTemplate:Ref label | 1961 AFL championship | Template:Afly | |
| Template:Age | Los Angeles ChargersTemplate:Ref label | 1963 AFL championship | Template:Afly | |
| Template:AgeTemplate:Ref label | Cleveland Browns | 1964 NFL championship | Template:Nfly | |
| Template:Age | Buffalo Bills | 1965 AFL championship | Template:Afly | |
| Template:Age | Minnesota Vikings | 1969 NFL championshipTemplate:Ref label<ref>Also lost Super Bowl IV pre NFL-AFL merger</ref> | Template:Nfly |
- Template:Note label Team won as the Chicago Cardinals in 1947.
- Template:Note label Team won as the Houston Oilers in 1961.
- Template:Note label Team won as the San Diego Chargers in 1963.
- Template:Note label Super Bowl was first played in 1967, while the final official NFL or AFL championship game pre-AFL-NFL merger were played in 1969.
Super Bowl win droughtsEdit
This list counts all seasons since a team last won the Super Bowl.
- Template:Note label The Browns suspended operation from 1996–1998. Since returning in 1999, or Template:Age years ago they have never won the Super Bowl, while the franchise that moved in 1995, has won the Super Bowl twice since the relocation controversy.
- Template:Note label Team won Super Bowl XVIII as the Los Angeles Raiders.
- Template:Note label Team won Super Bowl XXVI as the Washington Redskins
Super Bowl crown droughts by divisionEdit
Cities/regions awaiting first Super Bowl crownEdit
Listed according to seasons waited. Current NFL cities/regions only.
| City/region | Seasons waited | Conference title(s) | Team(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | Template:Age | None<ref>Detroit won four NFL champions pre-Super Bowl era.</ref> | Detroit Lions (1966–present) | Played in the 1991 and 2023 NFC Championship Games. NFL championship won in 1935, 1952, 1953, and 1957. |
| Buffalo | Template:Age | 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 | Buffalo Bills (1966–present) | Played in Super Bowls XXV, XXVI, XXVII, and XXVIII. Last AFL championship won in 1965 (pre-merger). Buffalo's previous NFL franchise, the Buffalo All-Americans, claimed an unrecognized 1921 championship. |
| Atlanta | Template:Age | 1998, 2016 | Atlanta Falcons (1966–present) | Played in Super Bowls XXXIII and LI. |
| Minneapolis–St. Paul | Template:Age | 1969, 1973, 1974, 1976 | Minnesota Vikings (1966–present) | Played in Super Bowls IV, VIII, IX, and XI. NFL championship won in 1969 was last title before formal AFL–NFL merger later in 1970. |
| Cincinnati | Template:Age | 1981, 1988, 2021 | Cincinnati Bengals (1968–present) | Played in Super Bowls XVI, XXIII and LVI. Previous NFL team, the Cincinnati Celts, never won an NFL title. |
| Cleveland | Template:Age | None | Cleveland Browns (1966–1995, 1999–present) | Played in the 1986, 1987, and 1989 AFC Championship Games. Last NFL championship won in 1964 (pre-merger). |
| Houston | Template:Age | None | 31 Oilers seasons (1966–1996) and Template:Age Texans seasons (2002–present) | Played in the 1978 and 1979 AFC Championship Games. The Oilers franchise in Houston won the AFL championship in 1960 and 1961 (pre-merger). To date, the Texans have never played in the AFC championship. |
| Phoenix | Template:Age | 2008 | Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals (1988–present) | Played in Super Bowl XLIII. |
| Jacksonville | Template:Age | None | Jacksonville Jaguars (1995–present) | Played in the 1996, 1999 and 2017 AFC Championship Games. |
| Charlotte | Template:Age | 2003, 2015 | Carolina Panthers (1995–present) | Played in Super Bowls XXXVIII and 50. |
| Nashville | Template:Age | 1999 | Tennessee Oilers/Titans (1998–present) | Played in Super Bowl XXXIV. |
| Las Vegas | Template:Age | None | Las Vegas Raiders (2020–present) |
Division title droughtsEdit
Listed according to seasons waited.
| Template:0^Template:0 | Longest drought in team history |
**Does not include the three seasons (1996–1998) during which the franchise suspended operations.
Historical team droughtsEdit
Closest approaches without winning the Super BowlEdit
Counted from the first Super Bowl season, 1966, to present.
| Team | Wild Card Template:Ref label appearances | Divisional Template:Ref label appearances | Conference Championship appearances | Super Bowl appearances | Fewest wins short of Super Bowl title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings | 16 | 23 | 10 | 4 | 1 win short: 1969, 1973, 1974, 1976 |
| Buffalo Bills | 13 | 15 | 8 | 4 | 1 win short: 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 11 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 win short: 1981, 1988, 2021 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 8 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 win short: 1998, 2016 |
| Carolina Panthers | 4 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 win short: 2003, 2015 |
| Tennessee Titans | 15 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 1 win short: 1999 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 10 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 1 win short: 1994 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 6 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 win short: 2008 |
| Cleveland Browns | 6 | 9 | 5 | - | 2 wins short: 1968, 1969, 1986, 1987, 1989 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 7 | 6 | 3 | - | 2 wins short: 1996, 1999, 2017 |
| Detroit Lions | 10 | 5 | 2 | - | 2 wins short: 1991, 2023 |
| Houston Texans | 8 | 6 | - | - | 3 wins short: 2011, 2012, 2016, 2019, 2023, 2024 |
- Template:Note label First round in the 1982 playoffs for the Vikings, Bengals, Falcons, Chargers, Cardinals, Browns, and Lions.
- Template:Note label Second round in the 1982 playoffs for the Vikings and Chargers.
Longest NFL / AFL / Super Bowl championship droughts through historyEdit
This list only shows droughts of 30 or more seasons for teams. A championship is considered as winning an NFL Championship (1920—1969), AFL Championship (1960—1969), or Super Bowl Championship (1966—present). Active droughts are listed in bold type.
Longest NFL / AFL / Super Bowl championship appearance droughts through historyEdit
This list only shows droughts of 30 or more seasons for teams. A championship appearance is listed as appearing in an NFL Championship (1932—1969), AFL Championship (1960—1969), or Super Bowl Championship (1966—present). Active droughts are listed in bold type.
Most consecutive post-season losses in team historyEdit
This is a sortable table of all 32 current NFL teams. Ten teams have multiple losing streaks where they lost an equal number of post season games before breaking the drought.
Updated through the 2024 season
| Template:0^Template:0 | Denotes active drought |
Longest post-season droughts in team historyEdit
Note that the NFL did not institute a permanent playoff tournament until 1967 and that the NFL Championship Game and any impromptu one-game playoffs (played only in the event of a tie atop the division standings) were the only postseason matchups in this era. The Bert Bell Benefit Bowl (aka the Playoff Bowl; 1960–1969) is considered an exhibition game for the purpose of this list.
Updated through the 2024 season
| Template:0^Template:0 | Denotes active streak |
Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2
| Team | Longest streak with no post-season appearances |
Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Commanders | 1946–1970 | 25 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 1949–1973 | 25 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 1948–1971 | 24 |
| New Orleans Saints | 1967–1986 | 20 |
| Denver Broncos | 1960–1976 | 17 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 1961–1977 | 17 |
| New York Giants | 1964–1980 | 17 |
| Buffalo Bills | 2000–2016 | 17 |
| Cleveland Browns | 2003–2019 | 17 |
| Detroit Lions | 1936–1951 | 16 |
| Green Bay Packers | 1945–1959 | 15 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1972–1985 | 14 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1983–1996 | 14 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 1991–2004 | 14 |
| New York Jets | 2011–present^ | 14 |
| Chicago Bears | 1964–1976 | 13 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 1966–1978 | 13 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 2003–2015 | 13 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 1958–1969 | 12 |
| New England Patriots | 1964–1975 | 12 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 1966–1977 | 12 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 2005–2016 | 12 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 1989–1998 | 10 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 1978–1986 | 9 |
| Houston Texans | 2002–2010 | 9 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 2008–2016 | 9 |
| Tennessee Titans | 1970–1977 2009–2016 |
8 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 1961–1967 | 7 |
| Miami Dolphins | 2009–2015 | 7 |
| Carolina Panthers | 2018–present^ | 7 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 1960–1965 | 6 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 1996–1999 | 4 |
| Team | Longest streak with no post-season appearances |
Seasons |
| Team | Longest streak with no post-season victories |
Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | 1948–1997 | 50 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 1933–1971 | 39 |
| Detroit Lions | 1958–1990 | 33 |
| New Orleans Saints | 1967–1999 | 33 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 1991–2020 | 30 |
| Washington Commanders | 1944–1971 | 28 |
| Buffalo Bills | 1996–2019 | 24 |
| Miami Dolphins^ | 2001–present^ | 24 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 1972–1994 | 23 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 1952–1973 | 22 |
| New York Giants | 1959–1980 | 22 |
| Cleveland Browns | 1995, 1999–2019 | 22 |
| Las Vegas Raiders^ | 2003–present^ | 22 |
| New England Patriots | 1964–1984 | 21 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1970–1990 1994–2014 |
21 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 1950–1969 | 20 |
| Chicago Bears | 1964–1983 | 20 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 1985–2004 | 20 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 1961–1978 | 18 |
| Denver Broncos | 1960–1976 | 17 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1980–1996 2003–2019 |
17 |
| Green Bay Packers | 1945–1960 | 16 |
| Tennessee Titans | 1962–1977 | 16 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 1964–1979 | 16 |
| New York Jets | 2011–present^ | 14 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 1966–1977; 1979–1990 |
12 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 1997–2008 | 12 |
| Houston Texans | 2002–2010 | 9 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 2008–2016 | 9 |
| Carolina Panthers | 2016–present^ | 9 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 1961–1968; 1989–1996 |
8 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 2002–2007 | 6 |
| Team | Longest streak with no post-season victories |
Seasons |
See alsoEdit
- List of NFL franchise post-season streaks
- List of last undefeated NFL teams by season
- List of MLB franchise post-season droughts
- List of NHL franchise post-season droughts
- List of MLS club post-season droughts
- List of NBA franchise postseason droughts