List of NFL franchise post-season droughts
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 78 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 27 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 droughts
Post-season droughts
| ^ | Longest drought in team history |
Playoff game victory droughts
Longest active playoff game victory droughts
Sortable table, click on the header arrows.
| ^ | Longest drought in team history |
| ♦ | Most consecutive losses in team history[3] |
| ¤ | Tied for most consecutive losses in team history |
| Seasons since win |
Team | Last playoff game win | Loss streak | Playoff losses – teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Miami Dolphins ^ | 2000 AFC Wild Card | 6 ♦ | 2000 – Oakland 2001 – Baltimore 2008 – Baltimore 2016 – Pittsburgh 2022 – Buffalo 2023 – Kansas City |
| 23 | Las Vegas Raiders ^ | 2002 AFC Championship | 3 ♦ | 2002 – Tampa Bay 2016 – Houston 2021 – Cincinnati |
| 15 | New York Jets ^ | 2010 AFC Divisional | 1 | 2010 – Pittsburgh |
| 10 | Arizona Cardinals | 2015 NFC Divisional | 2 | 2015 – Carolina 2021 – L. A. Rams |
| 10 | Carolina Panthers ^ | 2015 NFC Championship | 3 ¤ | 2015 – Denver 2017 – New Orleans 2025 – L. A. Rams |
| 9 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 2016 AFC Divisional | 7 ♦ | 2016 – New England 2017 – Jacksonville 2020 – Cleveland 2021 – Kansas City 2023 – Buffalo 2024 – Baltimore 2025 – Houston |
| 8 | Atlanta Falcons | 2017 NFC Wild Card | 1 | 2017 – Philadelphia |
| 7 | Indianapolis Colts | 2018 AFC Wild Card | 2 | 2018 – Kansas City 2020 – Buffalo |
| 7 | Los Angeles Chargers | 2018 AFC Wild Card | 4 ¤ | 2018 – New England 2022 – Jacksonville 2024 – Houston 2025 – New England |
| 6 | Minnesota Vikings | 2019 NFC Wild Card | 3 | 2019 – San Francisco 2022 – N. Y. Giants 2024 – L. A. Rams |
| 6 | Tennessee Titans | 2019 AFC Divisional | 3 ¤ | 2019 – Kansas City 2020 – Baltimore 2021 – Cincinnati |
| 5 | Cleveland Browns | 2020 AFC Wild Card | 2 | 2020 – Kansas City 2023 – Houston |
| 5 | New Orleans Saints | 2020 NFC Wild Card | 1 | 2020 – Tampa Bay |
| 3 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 2022 AFC Wild Card | 2 ¤ | 2022 – Kansas City 2025 – Buffalo |
| 3 | New York Giants | 2022 NFC Wild Card | 1 | 2022 – Philadelphia |
| 3 | Dallas Cowboys | 2022 NFC Wild Card | 2 | 2022 – San Francisco 2023 – Green Bay |
| 3 | Cincinnati Bengals | 2022 AFC Divisional | 1 | 2022 – Kansas City |
| 2 | Green Bay Packers | 2023 NFC Wild Card | 3 ♦ | 2023 – San Francisco 2024 – Philadelphia 2025 – Chicago |
| 2 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2023 NFC Wild Card | 2 | 2023 – Detroit 2024 – Washington |
| 2 | Detroit Lions | 2023 NFC Divisional | 2 | 2023 – San Francisco 2024 – Washington |
| 1 | Baltimore Ravens | 2024 AFC Wild Card | 1 | 2024 – Buffalo |
| 1 | Washington Commanders | 2024 NFC Divisional | 1 | 2024 – Philadelphia |
| 1 | Kansas City Chiefs | 2024 AFC Championship | 1 | 2024 – Philadelphia |
| 1 | Philadelphia Eagles | Super Bowl LIX | 1 | 2025 – San Francisco |
| 2025 playoff winners | ||||
| 0 | Buffalo Bills | 2025 AFC Wild Card | 1 | 2025 – Denver |
| 0 | Houston Texans | 2025 AFC Wild Card | 1 | 2025 – New England |
| 0 | San Francisco 49ers | 2025 NFC Wild Card | 1 | 2025 – Seattle |
| 0 | Chicago Bears | 2025 NFC Wild Card | 1 | 2025 – L. A. Rams |
| 0 | Denver Broncos | 2025 AFC Divisional | 1 | 2025 – New England |
| 0 | Los Angeles Rams | 2025 NFC Divisional | 1 | 2025 – Seattle |
| 0 | New England Patriots | 2025 AFC Championship | 1 | 2025 – Seattle |
| 0 | Seattle Seahawks | Super Bowl LX | 0 | 3-game win streak |
| Seasons since win | Team | Last playoff game win | Loss streak | Playoff losses – teams |
AFC/NFC Divisional playoffs game appearance droughts
This is also a list of the last time a particular club won a wild card playoff game or had a first-round bye.
| ♦ | First round bye |
- a The Las Vegas Raiders last appeared in the AFC Divisional playoff game as the Oakland Raiders.
AFC/NFC Championship game appearance droughts
This is also a list of the last time a particular club won a divisional playoff game.
| ^ | Longest drought in team history |
| † | Tied for longest drought in team history |
- a The Browns were dormant from 1996–1998. Since returning 27 years ago, the Browns have never played in an AFC Championship Game.
- b The Las Vegas Raiders last appeared in the AFC Championship Game as the Oakland Raiders.
- c The Los Angeles Chargers last appeared in the AFC Championship Game as the San Diego Chargers.
Super Bowl appearance droughts
This is also the last time club won AFC or NFC championship game.
- a The Browns are considered to have suspended operation from 1996–1998. Since returning in 1999, or 27 years 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.
- b The Washington Commanders last appeared in the Super Bowl as the Washington Redskins.
- c The Los Angeles Chargers last appeared in the Super Bowl as the San Diego Chargers.
- d The Las Vegas Raiders last appeared in the Super Bowl as the Oakland Raiders.
Super Bowl or NFL championship win droughts
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 merger
| Seasons | Team | Last League championship crown pre-merger (1920–1969) |
Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78 | Arizona Cardinals[a] | 1947 NFL championship | 1947 |
| 68 | Detroit Lions | 1957 NFL championship | 1957 |
| 64 | Tennessee Titans[b] | 1961 AFL championship | 1961 |
| 62 | Los Angeles Chargers[c] | 1963 AFL championship | 1963 |
| 58[d] | Cleveland Browns | 1964 NFL championship | 1964 |
| 60 | Buffalo Bills | 1965 AFL championship | 1965 |
| 56 | Minnesota Vikings | 1969 NFL championship[e][5] | 1969 |
- a Team won as the Chicago Cardinals in 1947.
- b Team won as the Houston Oilers in 1961.
- c Team won as the San Diego Chargers in 1963.
- e Super Bowl was first played in the 1966-67 season, while the final official NFL or AFL championship games pre-AFL-NFL merger were played in 1969.
Super Bowl win droughts
This list counts all seasons since a team last won the Super Bowl.
- d The Browns suspended operation from 1996–1998. Since returning in 1999, or 27 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.
- f Team won Super Bowl XVIII as the Los Angeles Raiders.
- g Team won Super Bowl XXVI as the Washington Redskins
Super Bowl crown droughts by division
| Division | Last Super Bowl crown | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| AFC South | XLI — Colts | 19 |
| NFC North | XLV — Packers | 15 |
| AFC North | XLVII — Ravens | 13 |
| AFC East | LIII — Patriots | 7 |
| NFC South | LV — Buccaneers | 5 |
| AFC West | LVIII — Chiefs | 2 |
| NFC East | LIX — Eagles | 1 |
| NFC West | LX — Seahawks | 0 |
Cities/regions awaiting first Super Bowl crown
Listed according to seasons waited. Current NFL cities/regions only.
| City/region | Seasons waited | Conference title(s) | Team(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | 60 | None[6] | Detroit Lions (1966–present) | Played in the 1991 and 2023 NFC Championship Games. NFL championship won in 1935, 1952, 1953, and 1957. |
| Buffalo | 60 | 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 | 60 | 1998, 2016 | Atlanta Falcons (1966–present) | Played in Super Bowls XXXIII and LI. |
| Minneapolis–St. Paul | 60 | 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 | 58 | 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 | 57 | 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 | 55 | None | 31 Oilers seasons (1966–1996) and 24 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 | 38 | 2008 | Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals (1988–present) | Played in Super Bowl XLIII. |
| Jacksonville | 31 | None | Jacksonville Jaguars (1995–present) | Played in the 1996, 1999 and 2017 AFC Championship Games. |
| Charlotte | 31 | 2003, 2015 | Carolina Panthers (1995–present) | Played in Super Bowls XXXVIII and 50. |
| Nashville | 28 | 1999 | Tennessee Oilers/Titans (1998–present) | Played in Super Bowl XXXIV. |
| Las Vegas | 6 | None | Las Vegas Raiders (2020–present) |
Division title droughts
Listed according to seasons waited.
| ^ | Longest drought in team history |
**Does not include the three seasons (1996–1998) during which the franchise suspended operations.
Historical team droughts
Closest approaches without winning the Super Bowl
Counted from the first Super Bowl season, 1966, to present.
| Team | Wild Card [a] appearances | Divisional [b] appearances | Conference Championship appearances | Super Bowl appearances | Fewest wins short of Super Bowl title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings | 16 | 21 | 9 | 4 | 1 win short: 1969, 1973, 1974, 1976 |
| Buffalo Bills | 14 | 16 | 7 | 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 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 win short: 2003, 2015 |
| Tennessee Titans | 15 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 1 win short: 1999 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 11 | 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 | 8 | 6 | 3 | - | 2 wins short: 1996, 1999, 2017 |
| Detroit Lions | 10 | 5 | 2 | - | 2 wins short: 1991, 2023 |
| Houston Texans | 9 | 7 | - | - | 3 wins short: 2011, 2012, 2016, 2019, 2023, 2024, 2025 |
Longest NFL / AFL / Super Bowl championship droughts through history
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 history
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.
| Seasons | Team | Previous appearance | Drought streak | Next appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 68 | Detroit Lions | 1957 | 1958—present | — |
| 60 | Chicago/St. Louis/Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals | 1947 | 1948—2007 | 2008 |
| 57 | New York Jets | 1968 | 1969—present | — |
| 53 | Cleveland Browns | 1969 | 1970—1995, 1999—present | — |
| 49 | Kansas City Chiefs | 1969 | 1970—2018 | 2019 |
| 49 | Minnesota Vikings | 1976 | 1977—present | — |
| 42 | New Orleans Saints | — | 1967—2008 | 2009 |
| 41 | Pittsburgh Pirates/Steelers | — | 1933—1973 | 1974 |
| 41 | Miami Dolphins | 1984 | 1985—present | — |
| 36 | Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Titans | 1962 | 1963—1998 | 1999 |
| 35 | Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts | 1970 | 1971—2005 | 2006 |
| 34 | Washington Redskins/Football Team/Commanders | 1991 | 1992—present | — |
| 32 | Atlanta Falcons | — | 1966—1997 | 1998 |
| 32 | Cincinnati Bengals | 1988 | 1989—2020 | 2021 |
| 32 | Buffalo Bills | 1993 | 1994—present | — |
| 31 | San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers | 1994 | 1995—present | — |
| 31 | Jacksonville Jaguars | — | 1995—present | — |
| 31 | San Francisco 49ers | — | 1950—1980 | 1981 |
| 30 | Dallas Cowboys | 1995 | 1996—present | — |
Most consecutive post-season losses in team history
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 2025-26 playoffs
| ^ | Denotes active drought |
Longest post-season droughts in team history
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 2025-26 playoffs
| ^ | Denotes active streak |
|
|