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List of NFL franchise post-season droughts
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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 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 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
| Tied for longest drought in team history -- |
|---|
| Team | Last appearance in post-season | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| New York Jets ^ | 2010 AFC Championship | |
| Atlanta Falcons | 2017 NFC Divisional | |
| Indianapolis Colts | 2020 AFC Wild Card | |
| New Orleans Saints | 2020 NFC Divisional | |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 2021 AFC Wild Card | |
| Arizona Cardinals | 2021 NFC Wild Card | |
| Tennessee Titans | 2021 AFC Divisional | |
| New York Giants | 2022 NFC Divisional | |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 2022 AFC Championship | |
| Cleveland Browns | 2023 AFC Wild Card | |
| Miami Dolphins | 2023 AFC Wild Card | |
| Dallas Cowboys | 2023 NFC Wild Card | |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2024 NFC Wild Card | |
| Minnesota Vikings | 2024 NFC Wild Card | |
| Baltimore Ravens | 2024 AFC Divisional | |
| Detroit Lions | 2024 NFC Divisional | |
| Washington Commanders | 2024 NFC Championship | |
| Kansas City Chiefs | Super Bowl LIX | |
| 2025 playoff teams | ||
| Los Angeles Chargers | 2025 AFC Wild Card | |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 2025 AFC Wild Card | |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 2025 AFC Wild Card | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 2025 NFC Wild Card | |
| Green Bay Packers | 2025 NFC Wild Card | |
| Carolina Panthers | 2025 NFC Wild Card | |
| Buffalo Bills | 2025 AFC Divisional | |
| Houston Texans | 2025 AFC Divisional | |
| Chicago Bears | 2025 NFC Divisional | |
| San Francisco 49ers | 2025 NFC Divisional | |
| Denver Broncos | 2025 AFC Championship | |
| Los Angeles Rams | 2025 NFC Championship | |
| New England Patriots | Super Bowl LX | |
| Seattle Seahawks | Super Bowl LX |
Playoff game victory droughts
Longest active playoff game victory droughts
Sortable table, click on the header arrows.
| ¤ | Tied for most consecutive losses in team history | ♣ | Most consecutive losses in NFL history (9) -- |
|---|
| Seasons | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| since win | Team | Last playoff game win | Loss streak | Playoff losses – teams | Seasons since win | Team | Last playoff game win | Loss streak | Playoff losses – teams |
| Miami Dolphins ^ | 2000 AFC Wild Card | 6 ♦ | 2000 – Oakland | ||||||
| 2001 – Baltimore | |||||||||
| 2008 – Baltimore | |||||||||
| 2016 – Pittsburgh | |||||||||
| 2022 – Buffalo | |||||||||
| 2023 – Kansas City | |||||||||
| Las Vegas Raiders ^ | 2002 AFC Championship | 3 ♦ | 2002 – Tampa Bay | ||||||
| 2016 – Houston | |||||||||
| 2021 – Cincinnati | |||||||||
| New York Jets ^ | 2010 AFC Divisional | 1 | 2010 – Pittsburgh | ||||||
| Arizona Cardinals | 2015 NFC Divisional | 2 | 2015 – Carolina | ||||||
| 2021 – L. A. Rams | |||||||||
| Carolina Panthers ^ | 2015 NFC Championship | 3 ¤ | 2015 – Denver | ||||||
| 2017 – New Orleans | |||||||||
| 2025 – L. A. Rams | |||||||||
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 2016 AFC Divisional | 7 ♦ | 2016 – New England | ||||||
| 2017 – Jacksonville | |||||||||
| 2020 – Cleveland | |||||||||
| 2021 – Kansas City | |||||||||
| 2023 – Buffalo | |||||||||
| 2024 – Baltimore | |||||||||
| 2025 – Houston | |||||||||
| Atlanta Falcons | 2017 NFC Wild Card | 1 | 2017 – Philadelphia | ||||||
| Indianapolis Colts | 2018 AFC Wild Card | 2 | 2018 – Kansas City | ||||||
| 2020 – Buffalo | |||||||||
| Los Angeles Chargers | 2018 AFC Wild Card | 4 ¤ | 2018 – New England | ||||||
| 2022 – Jacksonville | |||||||||
| 2024 – Houston | |||||||||
| 2025 – New England | |||||||||
| Minnesota Vikings | 2019 NFC Wild Card | 3 | 2019 – San Francisco | ||||||
| 2022 – N. Y. Giants | |||||||||
| 2024 – L. A. Rams | |||||||||
| Tennessee Titans | 2019 AFC Divisional | 3 ¤ | 2019 – Kansas City | ||||||
| 2020 – Baltimore | |||||||||
| 2021 – Cincinnati | |||||||||
| Cleveland Browns | 2020 AFC Wild Card | 2 | 2020 – Kansas City | ||||||
| 2023 – Houston | |||||||||
| New Orleans Saints | 2020 NFC Wild Card | 1 | 2020 – Tampa Bay | ||||||
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 2022 AFC Wild Card | 2 ¤ | 2022 – Kansas City | ||||||
| 2025 – Buffalo | |||||||||
| New York Giants | 2022 NFC Wild Card | 1 | 2022 – Philadelphia | ||||||
| Dallas Cowboys | 2022 NFC Wild Card | 2 | 2022 – San Francisco | ||||||
| 2023 – Green Bay | |||||||||
| Cincinnati Bengals | 2022 AFC Divisional | 1 | 2022 – Kansas City | ||||||
| Green Bay Packers | 2023 NFC Wild Card | 3 ♦ | 2023 – San Francisco | ||||||
| 2024 – Philadelphia | |||||||||
| 2025 – Chicago | |||||||||
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2023 NFC Wild Card | 2 | 2023 – Detroit | ||||||
| 2024 – Washington | |||||||||
| Detroit Lions | 2023 NFC Divisional | 2 | 2023 – San Francisco | ||||||
| 2024 – Washington | |||||||||
| Baltimore Ravens | 2024 AFC Wild Card | 1 | 2024 – Buffalo | ||||||
| Washington Commanders | 2024 NFC Divisional | 1 | 2024 – Philadelphia | ||||||
| Kansas City Chiefs | 2024 AFC Championship | 1 | 2024 – Philadelphia | ||||||
| Philadelphia Eagles | Super Bowl LIX | 1 | 2025 – San Francisco | ||||||
| 2025 playoff winners | |||||||||
| Buffalo Bills | 2025 AFC Wild Card | 1 | 2025 – Denver | ||||||
| Houston Texans | 2025 AFC Wild Card | 1 | 2025 – New England | ||||||
| San Francisco 49ers | 2025 NFC Wild Card | 1 | 2025 – Seattle | ||||||
| Chicago Bears | 2025 NFC Wild Card | 1 | 2025 – L. A. Rams | ||||||
| Denver Broncos | 2025 AFC Divisional | 1 | 2025 – New England | ||||||
| Los Angeles Rams | 2025 NFC Divisional | 1 | 2025 – Seattle | ||||||
| New England Patriots | 2025 AFC Championship | 0 | 3-game win streak | ||||||
| Seattle Seahawks | 2025 NFC Championship | 0 | 2-game win streak |
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 |
|---|
| Seasons | Team | Last appearance in | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Divisional playoff game | Result | ||
| Miami Dolphins | 2000 AFC | Lost vs. Oakland | |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 2002 AFC♦ | Won vs. N. Y. Jets | |
| New York Jets | 2010 AFC | Won vs. New England | |
| Arizona Cardinals | 2015 NFC♦ | Won vs. Green Bay | |
| Carolina Panthers | 2015 NFC♦ | Won vs. Seattle | |
| Atlanta Falcons | 2017 NFC | Lost vs. Philadelphia | |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 2017 AFC♦ | Lost vs. Jacksonville | |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 2018 AFC | Lost vs. New England | |
| Indianapolis Colts | 2018 AFC | Lost vs. Kansas City | |
| Minnesota Vikings | 2019 NFC | Lost vs. San Francisco | |
| Cleveland Browns | 2020 AFC | Lost vs. Kansas City | |
| New Orleans Saints | 2020 NFC | Lost vs. Tampa Bay | |
| Tennessee Titans | 2021 AFC♦ | Lost vs. Cincinnati | |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 2022 AFC | Won vs. Buffalo | |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 2022 AFC | Lost vs. Kansas City | |
| Dallas Cowboys | 2022 NFC | Lost vs. San Francisco | |
| New York Giants | 2022 NFC | Lost vs. Philadelphia | |
| Green Bay Packers | 2023 NFC | Lost vs. San Francisco | |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2023 NFC | Lost vs. Detroit | |
| Baltimore Ravens | 2024 AFC | Lost vs. Buffalo | |
| Detroit Lions | 2024 NFC♦ | Lost vs. Washington | |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 2024 AFC♦ | Won vs. Houston | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 2024 NFC | Won vs. L. A. Rams | |
| Washington Commanders | 2024 NFC | Won vs. Detroit | |
| 2025 Divisional playoff teams | |||
| Buffalo Bills | 2025 AFC | Lost vs. Denver | |
| San Francisco 49ers | 2025 NFC | Lost vs. Seattle | |
| Houston Texans | 2025 AFC | Lost vs. New England | |
| Chicago Bears | 2025 NFC | Lost vs. L. A. Rams | |
| Denver Broncos | 2025 AFC♦ | Won vs. Buffalo | |
| New England Patriots | 2025 AFC | Won vs. Houston | |
| Seattle Seahawks | 2025 NFC♦ | Won vs. San Francisco | |
| Los Angeles Rams | 2025 NFC | Won vs. Chicago |
- 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.
| † | Tied for longest drought in team history |
|---|
| Seasons | Team | Last appearance in | |
|---|---|---|---|
| conference championship game | Result | ||
| Cleveland Browns ^ | 1989 AFC | Lost vs. Denver | |
| Miami Dolphins ^ | 1992 AFC | Lost vs. Buffalo | |
| Dallas Cowboys ^ | 1995 NFC | Won vs. Green Bay | |
| Houston Texans ^ | 1985Never (enfranchised 2002) | a — | |
| Las Vegas Raiders ^ | 2002 AFC | Won vs. Tennessee | |
| Los Angeles Chargers ^ | 2007 AFC | Lost vs. New England | |
| New York Jets | 2010 AFC | Lost vs. Pittsburgh | |
| Chicago Bears | 2010 NFC | Lost vs. Green Bay | |
| New York Giants | 2011 NFC | Won vs. San Francisco | |
| Indianapolis Colts | 2014 AFC | Lost vs. New England | |
| Arizona Cardinals | 2015 NFC | Lost vs. Carolina | |
| Carolina Panthers | 2015 NFC | Won vs. Arizona | |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 2016 AFC | Lost vs. New England | |
| Atlanta Falcons | 2016 NFC | Won vs. Green Bay | |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 2017 AFC | Lost vs. New England | |
| Minnesota Vikings | 2017 NFC | Lost vs. Philadelphia | |
| New Orleans Saints | 2018 NFC | Lost vs. L. A. Rams | |
| Tennessee Titans | 2019 AFC | Lost vs. Kansas City | |
| Green Bay Packers | 2020 NFC | Lost vs. Tampa Bay | |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2020 NFC | Won vs. Green Bay | |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 2022 AFC | Lost vs. Kansas City | |
| Baltimore Ravens | 2023 AFC | Lost vs. Kansas City | |
| San Francisco 49ers | 2023 NFC | Won vs. Detroit | |
| Detroit Lions | 2023 NFC | Lost vs. San Francisco | |
| Buffalo Bills | 2024 AFC | Lost vs. Kansas City | |
| Washington Commanders | 2024 NFC | Lost vs. Philadelphia | |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 2024 AFC | Won vs. Buffalo | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 2024 NFC | Won vs. Washington | |
| 2025 Conference finalists | |||
| Denver Broncos | 2025 AFC | Lost vs. New England | |
| New England Patriots | 2025 AFC | Won vs. Denver | |
| Los Angeles Rams | 2025 NFC | Lost vs. Seattle | |
| Seattle Seahawks | 2025 NFC | Won vs. L. A. Rams |
- The Browns were dormant from 1996–1998. Since returning years ago, the Browns have never played in an AFC Championship Game.
- The Las Vegas Raiders last appeared in the AFC Championship Game as the Oakland Raiders.
- 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.
| Seasons | Team | Last appearance | NFL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| season | Result | |||
| Detroit Lions | Never (Enfranchised pre-Super Bowl) | z — | ||
| Cleveland Browns | Never (Enfranchised pre-Super Bowl) | z — | ||
| New York Jets | Super Bowl III | 1968 | Won vs. Baltimore Colts | |
| Minnesota Vikings | Super Bowl XI | Lost vs. Oakland | ||
| Miami Dolphins | Super Bowl XIX | Lost vs. San Francisco | ||
| Washington Commanders | Super Bowl XXVI | Won vs. Buffalo | ||
| Buffalo Bills | Super Bowl XXVIII | Lost vs. Dallas | ||
| Jacksonville Jaguars | Never (enfranchised 1995) | z — | ||
| Los Angeles Chargers | Super Bowl XXIX | Lost vs. San Francisco | ||
| Dallas Cowboys | Super Bowl XXX | Won vs. Pittsburgh | ||
| Tennessee Titans | Super Bowl XXXIV | Lost vs. St. Louis Rams | ||
| Houston Texans | Never (enfranchised 2002) | z — | ||
| Las Vegas Raiders | Super Bowl XXXVII | Lost vs. Tampa Bay | ||
| Chicago Bears | Super Bowl XLI | Lost vs. Indianapolis | ||
| Arizona Cardinals | Super Bowl XLIII | Lost vs. Pittsburgh | ||
| New Orleans Saints | Super Bowl XLIV | Won vs. Indianapolis | ||
| Indianapolis Colts | Super Bowl XLIV | Lost vs. New Orleans | ||
| Green Bay Packers | Super Bowl XLV | Won vs. Pittsburgh | ||
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Super Bowl XLV | Lost vs. Green Bay | ||
| New York Giants | Super Bowl XLVI | Won vs. New England | ||
| Baltimore Ravens | Super Bowl XLVII | Won vs. San Francisco | ||
| Carolina Panthers | Super Bowl 50 | Lost vs. Denver | ||
| Denver Broncos | Super Bowl 50 | Won vs. Carolina | ||
| Atlanta Falcons | Super Bowl LI | Lost vs. New England | ||
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Super Bowl LV | Won vs. Kansas City | ||
| Cincinnati Bengals | Super Bowl LVI | Lost vs. L. A. Rams | ||
| Los Angeles Rams | Super Bowl LVI | Won vs. Cincinnati | ||
| San Francisco 49ers | Super Bowl LVIII | Lost vs. Kansas City | ||
| Kansas City Chiefs | Super Bowl LIX | Lost vs. Philadelphia | ||
| Philadelphia Eagles | Super Bowl LIX | Won vs. Kansas City | ||
| Super Bowl LX teams | ||||
| New England Patriots | Super Bowl LX | TBD | ||
| Seattle Seahawks | Super Bowl LX | TBD |
- The Browns are considered to have suspended operation from 1996–1998. Since returning in 1999, or 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.
- The Washington Commanders last appeared in the Super Bowl as the Washington Redskins.
- The Los Angeles Chargers last appeared in the Super Bowl as the San Diego Chargers.
- 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 | ||
| Arizona Cardinals | 1947 NFL championship | ||
| Detroit Lions | 1957 NFL championship | ||
| Tennessee Titans | 1961 AFL championship | ||
| Los Angeles Chargers | 1963 AFL championship | ||
| Cleveland Browns | 1964 NFL championship | ||
| Buffalo Bills | 1965 AFL championship | ||
| Minnesota Vikings | 1969 NFL championship |
- Team won as the Chicago Cardinals in 1947.
- Team won as the Houston Oilers in 1961.
- Team won as the San Diego Chargers in 1963.
- 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 droughts
This list counts all seasons since a team last won the Super Bowl.
| Team in 2025 Playoffs |
|---|
| Seasons | Team | Last Super Bowl crown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| (1966–present) | Season | ||
| Arizona Cardinals | Never (Enfranchised pre-Super Bowl) | — | |
| Detroit Lions | Never (Enfranchised pre-Super Bowl) | — | |
| Buffalo Bills | Never (Enfranchised pre-Super Bowl) | — | |
| Tennessee Titans | Never (Enfranchised pre-Super Bowl) | — | |
| Los Angeles Chargers | Never (Enfranchised pre-Super Bowl) | — | |
| Minnesota Vikings | Never (Enfranchised pre-Super Bowl) | — | |
| Atlanta Falcons | Never (enfranchised 1966) | — | |
| Cincinnati Bengals | Never (enfranchised 1968) | — | |
| Cleveland Browns | Never (Enfranchised pre-Super Bowl) | — | |
| New York Jets | Super Bowl III | ||
| Miami Dolphins | Super Bowl VIII | ||
| Las Vegas Raiders | Super Bowl XVIII | ||
| Chicago Bears | Super Bowl XX | ||
| Washington Commanders | Super Bowl XXVI | ||
| San Francisco 49ers | Super Bowl XXIX | ||
| Carolina Panthers | Never (enfranchised 1995) | — | |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | Never (enfranchised 1995) | — | |
| Dallas Cowboys | Super Bowl XXX | ||
| Houston Texans | Never (enfranchised 2002) | — | |
| Indianapolis Colts | Super Bowl XLI | ||
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Super Bowl XLIII | ||
| New Orleans Saints | Super Bowl XLIV | ||
| Green Bay Packers | Super Bowl XLV | ||
| New York Giants | Super Bowl XLVI | ||
| Baltimore Ravens | Super Bowl XLVII | ||
| Seattle Seahawks | Super Bowl XLVIII | ||
| Denver Broncos | Super Bowl 50 | ||
| New England Patriots | Super Bowl LIII | 2018 | |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Super Bowl LV | ||
| Los Angeles Rams | Super Bowl LVI | ||
| Kansas City Chiefs | Super Bowl LVIII | ||
| Philadelphia Eagles | Super Bowl LIX |
- The Browns suspended operation from 1996–1998. Since returning in 1999, or 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.
- Team won Super Bowl XVIII as the Los Angeles Raiders.
- 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 | |
| NFC North | XLV — Packers | |
| AFC North | XLVII — Ravens | |
| AFC East | LIII — Patriots | |
| NFC South | LV — Buccaneers | |
| NFC West | LVI — Rams | |
| AFC West | LVIII — Chiefs | |
| NFC East | LIX — Eagles |
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 | None | Detroit Lions (1966–present) | Played in the 1991 and 2023 NFC Championship Games. NFL championship won in 1935, 1952, 1953, and 1957. | |
| Buffalo | 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 | 1998, 2016 | Atlanta Falcons (1966–present) | Played in Super Bowls XXXIII and LI. | |
| Minneapolis–St. Paul | 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 | 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 | 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 | None | 31 Oilers seasons (1966–1996) and 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 | 2008 | Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals (1988–present) | Played in Super Bowl XLIII. | |
| Jacksonville | None | Jacksonville Jaguars (1995–present) | Played in the 1996, 1999 and 2017 AFC Championship Games. | |
| Charlotte | 2003, 2015 | Carolina Panthers (1995–present) | Played in Super Bowls XXXVIII and 50. | |
| Nashville | 1999 | Tennessee Oilers/Titans (1998–present) | Played in Super Bowl XXXIV. | |
| Las Vegas | None | Las Vegas Raiders (2020–present) |
Division title droughts
Listed according to seasons waited.
| ^ | Longest drought in team history | † | Tied for longest drought in team history -- |
|---|
| Franchise | Most recent division title | Year | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Browns^ | AFC Central | 1989 | ** |
| Las Vegas Raiders^ | AFC West | 2002 | |
| New York Jets | AFC East | 2002 | |
| Miami Dolphins^ | AFC East | 2008 | |
| Los Angeles Chargers^ | AFC West | 2009 | |
| New York Giants | NFC East | 2011 | |
| Indianapolis Colts | AFC South | 2014 | |
| Arizona Cardinals | NFC West | 2015 | |
| Atlanta Falcons | NFC South | 2016 | |
| Washington Commanders | NFC East | 2020 | |
| New Orleans Saints | NFC South | 2020 | |
| Tennessee Titans | AFC South | 2021 | |
| Green Bay Packers | NFC North | 2021 | |
| Cincinnati Bengals | AFC North | 2022 | |
| Minnesota Vikings | NFC North | 2022 | |
| Dallas Cowboys | NFC East | 2023 | |
| San Francisco 49ers | NFC West | 2023 | |
| Buffalo Bills | AFC East | 2024 | |
| Baltimore Ravens | AFC North | 2024 | |
| Houston Texans | AFC South | 2024 | |
| Kansas City Chiefs | AFC West | 2024 | |
| Detroit Lions | NFC North | 2024 | |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | NFC South | 2024 | |
| Los Angeles Rams | NFC West | 2024 | |
| 2025 Division champions | |||
| New England Patriots | AFC East | 2025 | |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | AFC North | 2025 | |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | AFC South | 2025 | |
| Denver Broncos | AFC West | 2025 | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | NFC East | 2025 | |
| Chicago Bears | NFC North | 2025 | |
| Carolina Panthers | NFC South | 2025 | |
| Seattle Seahawks | NFC West | 2025 |
**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 appearances | Divisional 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 |
- First round in the 1982 playoffs for the Vikings, Bengals, Falcons, Chargers, Cardinals, Browns, and Lions.
- Second round in the 1982 playoffs for the Vikings and Chargers.
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.
| Seasons | Team | Previous title | Drought streak | Next title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **** | Chicago/St. Louis/Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals | 1947 | 1948—present | — |
| **** | Detroit Lions | 1957 | 1958—present | — |
| **** | Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Titans | 1961 | 1962—present | — |
| **** | San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers | 1963 | 1964—present | — |
| **** | Atlanta Falcons | — | 1966—present | — |
| **** | Buffalo Bills | 1965 | 1966—present | — |
| **** | Cleveland Browns | 1964 | 1965—1995, 1999—present | — |
| **** | Cincinnati Bengals | — | 1968—present | — |
| **** | New York Jets | 1968 | 1969—present | — |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 1960 | 1961—2016 | 2017 | |
| **** | Minnesota Vikings | 1969 | 1970—present | — |
| **** | Miami Dolphins | 1973 | 1974—present | — |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1969 | 1970—2018 | 2019 | |
| Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams | 1951 | 1952—1998 | 1999 | |
| **** | Los Angeles/Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders | 1983 | 1984—present | — |
| New Orleans Saints | — | 1967—2008 | 2009 | |
| Pittsburgh Pirates/Steelers | — | 1933—1973 | 1974 | |
| Boston/New England Patriots | — | 1960—2000 | 2001 | |
| **** | Chicago Bears | 1985 | 1986—present | — |
| Washington Redskins | 1942 | 1943—1981 | 1982 | |
| Denver Broncos | — | 1960—1996 | 1997 | |
| Seattle Seahawks | — | 1976—2012 | 2013 | |
| Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts | 1970 | 1971—2005 | 2006 | |
| **** | Washington Redskins/Football Team/Commanders | 1991 | 1992—present | — |
| **** | San Francisco 49ers | 1994 | 1995—present | — |
| **** | Carolina Panthers | — | 1995—present | — |
| **** | Jacksonville Jaguars | — | 1995—present | — |
| **** | Dallas Cowboys | 1995 | 1996—present | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **** | Detroit Lions | 1957 | 1958—present | — |
| Chicago/St. Louis/Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals | 1947 | 1948—2007 | 2008 | |
| **** | New York Jets | 1968 | 1969—present | — |
| **** | Cleveland Browns | 1969 | 1970—1995, 1999—present | — |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1969 | 1970—2018 | 2019 | |
| **** | Minnesota Vikings | 1976 | 1977—present | — |
| New Orleans Saints | — | 1967—2008 | 2009 | |
| Pittsburgh Pirates/Steelers | — | 1933—1973 | 1974 | |
| **** | Miami Dolphins | 1984 | 1985—present | — |
| Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Titans | 1962 | 1963—1998 | 1999 | |
| Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts | 1970 | 1971—2005 | 2006 | |
| **** | Washington Redskins/Football Team/Commanders | 1991 | 1992—present | — |
| Atlanta Falcons | — | 1966—1997 | 1998 | |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 1988 | 1989—2020 | 2021 | |
| **** | Buffalo Bills | 1993 | 1994—present | — |
| **** | San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers | 1994 | 1995—present | — |
| **** | Jacksonville Jaguars | — | 1995—present | — |
| San Francisco 49ers | — | 1950—1980 | 1981 | |
| **** | 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 |
|---|
| Team | Streak lasted | Last win | Games lost | Playoff losses | Opponent | Next win | Team | Streak lasted | Last win | Games lost | Playoff games | Opponent | Next win |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | 51 years | 1947 NFL Champ. | 1948 NFL Champ. | ||||||||||
| 1974 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 1975 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 1982 1st Round | Eagles | ||||||||||||
| Vikings | |||||||||||||
| Rams | |||||||||||||
| Packers | 1998 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| Atlanta Falcons | 8 years | 2004 Divisional | 2004 NFC Champ. | ||||||||||
| 2008 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2010 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 2011 Wild Card | Eagles | ||||||||||||
| Cardinals | |||||||||||||
| Packers | |||||||||||||
| Giants | 2012 Divisional | ||||||||||||
| Baltimore Ravens | |||||||||||||
| 2 (3 loss) streaks | 7 years | 2001 Wild Card | 2001 Divisional | ||||||||||
| 2003 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2006 Divisional | Steelers | ||||||||||||
| Titans | |||||||||||||
| Colts | 2008 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| 5 years | 2014 Wild Card | 2014 Divisional | |||||||||||
| 2018 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2019 Divisional | Patriots | ||||||||||||
| Chargers | |||||||||||||
| Titans | 2020 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| Buffalo Bills | 24 years | 1995 Divisional | |||||||||||
| 1996 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 1998 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 1999 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2017 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2019 Wild Card | Steelers | ||||||||||||
| Jaguars | |||||||||||||
| Dolphins | |||||||||||||
| Titans | |||||||||||||
| Jaguars | |||||||||||||
| Texans | 2020 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| Carolina Panthers ^ | |||||||||||||
| 2 (3 loss) streaks | 8 years | 2005 Divisional | 3 | 2005 NFC Champ. | |||||||||
| 2008 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 2013 Divisional | Seahawks | ||||||||||||
| Cardinals | |||||||||||||
| 49ers | |||||||||||||
| years | 2015 NFC Championship | ||||||||||||
| 2017 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2025 Wild Card | Broncos | ||||||||||||
| Saints | |||||||||||||
| Rams | TBD | ||||||||||||
| Chicago Bears ^ | |||||||||||||
| 2 (3 loss) streaks | 12 years | 1994 Divisional | |||||||||||
| 2001 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 2005 Divisional | 49ers | ||||||||||||
| Eagles | |||||||||||||
| Panthers | 2006 Divisional | ||||||||||||
| 15 years | 2010 Divisional | 2010 NFC Champ. | |||||||||||
| 2018 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2020 Wild Card | Packers | ||||||||||||
| Eagles | |||||||||||||
| Saints | 2025 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| Cincinnati Bengals | 31 years | 8 | 1990 Divisional | ||||||||||
| 2005 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2009 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2011 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2012 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2013 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2014 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2015 Wild Card | Raiders | ||||||||||||
| Steelers | |||||||||||||
| Jets | |||||||||||||
| Texans | |||||||||||||
| Texans | |||||||||||||
| Chargers | |||||||||||||
| Colts | |||||||||||||
| Steelers | 2021 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| Cleveland Browns | 17 years | 1969 Divisional | 6 | 1969 NFL Champ. | |||||||||
| 1971 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 1972 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 1980 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 1982 1st Round | |||||||||||||
| 1985 Divisional | Vikings | ||||||||||||
| Colts | |||||||||||||
| Dolphins | |||||||||||||
| Raiders | |||||||||||||
| Raiders | |||||||||||||
| Dolphins | 1986 Divisional | ||||||||||||
| Dallas Cowboys | 13 years | 1996 Divisional | |||||||||||
| 1998 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 1999 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2003 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2006 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2007 Divisional | Panthers | ||||||||||||
| Cardinals | |||||||||||||
| Vikings | |||||||||||||
| Panthers | |||||||||||||
| Seahawks | |||||||||||||
| Giants | 2009 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| Denver Broncos | 9 years | 1977 AFC Championship | |||||||||||
| 1978 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 1979 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 1983 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 1984 Divisional | Cowboys | ||||||||||||
| Steelers | |||||||||||||
| Oilers | |||||||||||||
| Seahawks | |||||||||||||
| Steelers | 1986 Divisional | ||||||||||||
| Detroit Lions | 32 years | 1991 Divisional | 9 | ||||||||||
| 1993 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 1994 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 1995 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 1997 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 1999 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2011 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2014 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2016 Wild Card | Redskins | ||||||||||||
| Packers | |||||||||||||
| Packers | |||||||||||||
| Eagles | |||||||||||||
| Buccaneers | |||||||||||||
| Redskins | |||||||||||||
| Saints | |||||||||||||
| Cowboys | |||||||||||||
| Seahawks | 2023 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| Green Bay Packers ^ | years | 2023 Wild Card | 3 | 2023 Divisional | |||||||||
| 2024 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2025 Wild Card | 49ers | ||||||||||||
| Eagles | |||||||||||||
| Bears | TBD | ||||||||||||
| Houston Texans | |||||||||||||
| 2 (2 loss) streaks | 4 years | 2012 Wild Card | 2 | ||||||||||
| 2015 Wild Card | Patriots | ||||||||||||
| Chiefs | 2016 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| 2 years | 2016 Wild Card | 2 | |||||||||||
| 2018 Wild Card | Patriots | ||||||||||||
| Colts | 2019 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| Indianapolis Colts | |||||||||||||
| 2 (5 loss) streaks | 24 years | 1971 Divisional | |||||||||||
| 1975 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 1976 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 1977 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 1987 Divisional | Dolphins | ||||||||||||
| Steelers | |||||||||||||
| Steelers | |||||||||||||
| Raiders | |||||||||||||
| Browns | 1995 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| 8 years | 1995 Divisional | ||||||||||||
| 1996 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 1999 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 2000 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2002 Wild Card | Steelers | ||||||||||||
| Steelers | |||||||||||||
| Titans | |||||||||||||
| Dolphins | |||||||||||||
| Jets | 2003 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| Jacksonville Jaguars ^ | |||||||||||||
| 3 (2 loss) streaks | 2 years | 1996 Divisional | |||||||||||
| 1997 Wild Card | Patriots | ||||||||||||
| Broncos | 1998 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| 8 years | 1999 Divisional | ||||||||||||
| 2005 Wild Card | Titans | ||||||||||||
| Patriots | |||||||||||||
| years | 2022 Wild Card | 2 | |||||||||||
| 2025 Wild Card | Chiefs | ||||||||||||
| Bills | TBD | ||||||||||||
| Kansas City Chiefs | 21 years | 1993 Divisional | 8 | ||||||||||
| 1994 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 1995 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 1997 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 2003 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 2006 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2010 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2013 Wild Card | Bills | ||||||||||||
| Dolphins | |||||||||||||
| Colts | |||||||||||||
| Broncos | |||||||||||||
| Colts | |||||||||||||
| Colts | |||||||||||||
| Ravens | |||||||||||||
| Colts | 2015 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| Las Vegas Raiders ^ | years | 2002 AFC Championship | 3 | ||||||||||
| 2016 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2021 Wild Card | Buccaneers | ||||||||||||
| Texans | |||||||||||||
| Bengals | TBD | ||||||||||||
| Los Angeles Chargers ^ | |||||||||||||
| 2 (4 loss) streaks | 13 years | 1994 AFC Championship | |||||||||||
| 1995 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2004 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2006 Divisional | 49ers | ||||||||||||
| Colts | |||||||||||||
| Jets | |||||||||||||
| Patriots | |||||||||||||
| years | 2018 AFC Wild Card | 4 | 2018 Divisional | ||||||||||
| 2022 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2024 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2025 Wild Card | Patriots | ||||||||||||
| Jaguars | |||||||||||||
| Texans | |||||||||||||
| Patriots | TBD | ||||||||||||
| Los Angeles Rams | 23 years | 1951 NFL Championship | 1952 Nat. Conf. | ||||||||||
| 1955 NFL Champ. | |||||||||||||
| 1967 NFL W Conf. | |||||||||||||
| 1969 NFL W Conf. | |||||||||||||
| 1973 Divisional | Lions | ||||||||||||
| Browns | |||||||||||||
| Packers | |||||||||||||
| Vikings | |||||||||||||
| Cowboys | 1974 Divisional | ||||||||||||
| border-bottom:2px solid blue" | Miami Dolphins ^ | years | 2000 Wild Card | 2000 Divisional | |||||||||
| 2001 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2008 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2016 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2022 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2023 Wild Card | Raiders | ||||||||||||
| Ravens | |||||||||||||
| Ravens | |||||||||||||
| Steelers | |||||||||||||
| Bills | |||||||||||||
| Chiefs | TBD | ||||||||||||
| Minnesota Vikings | 9 years | 1988 Wild Card | 1988 Divisional | ||||||||||
| 1989 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 1992 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 1993 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 1994 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 1996 Wild Card | 49ers | ||||||||||||
| 49ers | |||||||||||||
| Redskins | |||||||||||||
| Giants | |||||||||||||
| Bears | |||||||||||||
| Cowboys | 1997 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| New England Patriots | 22 years | 1963 Divisional | 1963 AFL Champ. | ||||||||||
| 1976 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 1978 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 1982 1st Round | Chargers | ||||||||||||
| Raiders | |||||||||||||
| Oilers | |||||||||||||
| Dolphins | 1985 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| New Orleans Saints | 32 years | 1967 Enfranchised | |||||||||||
| No Playoff Wins | |||||||||||||
| until 2000 | 1987 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| 1990 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 1991 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 1992 Wild Card | Vikings | ||||||||||||
| Bears | |||||||||||||
| Falcons | |||||||||||||
| Eagles | 2000 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| New York Giants | 18 years | 1938 NFL Championship | 1939 NFL Champ. | ||||||||||
| 1941 NFL Champ. | |||||||||||||
| 1943 East Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 1944 NFL Champ. | |||||||||||||
| 1946 NFL Champ. | |||||||||||||
| 1950 Am. Conf. | Packers | ||||||||||||
| Bears | |||||||||||||
| Redskins | |||||||||||||
| Packers | |||||||||||||
| Bears | |||||||||||||
| Browns | 1956 NFL Championship | ||||||||||||
| New York Jets | |||||||||||||
| 5 (2 loss) streaks | 14 years | 1968 | |||||||||||
| Super Bowl III | 1969 AFL Divisional | ||||||||||||
| 1981 Wild Card | Chiefs | ||||||||||||
| Bills | 1982 First Round | ||||||||||||
| 4 years | 1982 2nd Round | ||||||||||||
| 1985 Wild Card | Dolphins | ||||||||||||
| Patriots | 1986 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| 12 years | 1986 Wild Card | 1986 Divisional | |||||||||||
| 1991 Wild Card | Browns | ||||||||||||
| Oilers | |||||||||||||
| 4 years | 1998 Divisional | ||||||||||||
| 2001 Wild Card | Broncos | ||||||||||||
| Raiders | |||||||||||||
| 5 years | 2004 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| 2006 Wild Card | Steelers | ||||||||||||
| Patriots | 2009 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| Philadelphia Eagles | 12 years | 1980 NFC Championship | |||||||||||
| 1981 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 1988 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 1989 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 1990 Wild Card | Raiders | ||||||||||||
| Giants | |||||||||||||
| Bears | |||||||||||||
| Rams | |||||||||||||
| Redskins | 1992 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| Pittsburgh Steelers ^ | years | 2016 Divisional | 7 | 2016 AFC Champ. | |||||||||
| 2017 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 2020 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2021 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2023 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2024 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2025 Wild Card | Patriots | ||||||||||||
| Jaguars | |||||||||||||
| Browns | |||||||||||||
| Chiefs | |||||||||||||
| Bills | |||||||||||||
| Ravens | |||||||||||||
| Texans | TBD | ||||||||||||
| San Francisco 49ers | 4 years | 1984 | |||||||||||
| Super Bowl XIX | 1985 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| 1986 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 1987 Divisional | Giants | ||||||||||||
| Giants | |||||||||||||
| Vikings | 1988 Divisional | ||||||||||||
| Seattle Seahawks | 21 years | ||||||||||||
| 1987 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 1988 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 1999 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2003 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2004 Wild Card | Dolphins | ||||||||||||
| Oilers | |||||||||||||
| Bengals | |||||||||||||
| Dolphins | |||||||||||||
| Packers | |||||||||||||
| Rams | 2005 Divisional | ||||||||||||
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | |||||||||||||
| 2 (3 loss) streaks | 18 years | 1979 Divisional | |||||||||||
| 1981 Divisional | |||||||||||||
| 1982 1st Round | Rams | ||||||||||||
| Cowboys | |||||||||||||
| Cowboys | 1997 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| 3 years | 1999 Divisional | ||||||||||||
| 2000 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2001 Wild Card | Rams | ||||||||||||
| Eagles | |||||||||||||
| Eagles | 2002 Divisional | ||||||||||||
| Tennessee Titans ^ | |||||||||||||
| 5 (3 loss) streaks | 17 years | 1961 AFL Championship | 1962 AFL Champ. | ||||||||||
| 1967 AFL Champ. | |||||||||||||
| 1969 AFL Divisional | |||||||||||||
| Raiders | |||||||||||||
| Raiders | 1978 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| 3 years | 1988 Wild Card | 1988 Divisional | |||||||||||
| 1989 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 1990 Wild Card | Bills | ||||||||||||
| Steelers | |||||||||||||
| Bengals | 1991 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| 8 years | |||||||||||||
| 1992 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 1993 Divisional | Broncos | ||||||||||||
| Bills | |||||||||||||
| Chiefs | 1999 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| 13 years | 2003 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| 2007 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2008 Divisional | Patriots | ||||||||||||
| Chargers | |||||||||||||
| Ravens | 2017 Wild Card | ||||||||||||
| years | 2019 Divisional | ||||||||||||
| 2020 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2021 Divisional | Chiefs | ||||||||||||
| Ravens | |||||||||||||
| Bengals | TBD | ||||||||||||
| Washington Commanders | 19 years | 2005 Wild Card | 2005 Divisional | ||||||||||
| 2007 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2012 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2015 Wild Card | |||||||||||||
| 2020 Wild Card | Seahawks | ||||||||||||
| Seahawks | |||||||||||||
| Seahawks | |||||||||||||
| Packers | |||||||||||||
| Buccaneers | 2024 Wild Card |
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 |
|---|
| Team | Longest streak with | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| no post-season appearances | Seasons | 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 | ||||
| New York Jets | 2011–present^ | 15 | ||||
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1972–1985 | 14 | ||||
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1983–1996 | 14 | ||||
| Cincinnati Bengals | 1991–2004 | 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 | 1970–19772009–2016 | 8 | ||||
| Minnesota Vikings | 1961–1967 | 7 | ||||
| Miami Dolphins | 2009–2015 | 7 | ||||
| Carolina Panthers | 2018–2024 | 7 | ||||
| Dallas Cowboys | 1960–1965 | 6 | ||||
| Baltimore Ravens | 1996–1999 | 4 |
| Team | Longest streak with | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| no post-season victories | 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 | |||
| Miami Dolphins^ | 2001–present^ | 25 | |||
| Buffalo Bills | 1996–2019 | 24 | |||
| Indianapolis Colts | 1972–1994 | 23 | |||
| Las Vegas Raiders^ | 2003–present^ | 23 | |||
| Los Angeles Rams | 1952–1973 | 22 | |||
| New York Giants | 1959–1980 | 22 | |||
| Cleveland Browns | 1995, 1999–2019 | 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^ | 15 | |||
| Atlanta Falcons | 1966–1977; | ||||
| 1979–1990 | 12 | ||||
| Dallas Cowboys | 1997–2008 | 12 | |||
| Carolina Panthers | 2016–present^ | 10 | |||
| Houston Texans | 2002–2010 | 9 | |||
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 2008–2016 | 9 | |||
| Minnesota Vikings | 1961–1968; | ||||
| 1989–1996 | 8 | ||||
| Baltimore Ravens | 2002–2007 | 6 |
References
References
- "Season Index". Sports Reference LLC.
- (November 5, 2015). "NFL Playoff Picture". National Football League.
- The record for most consecutive losses in NFL history is nine.
- "Super Bowl List". Sports Reference LLC.
- Also lost [[Super Bowl IV]] pre NFL-AFL merger
- Detroit won four NFL champions pre-Super Bowl era.
Info: Wikipedia Source
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