The top 10 longest championship droughts in NFL History

The top 10 longest championship droughts in NFL History

The top 10 longest championship droughts in NFL History

Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images

The championship droughts in the NFL partially explain how difficult and unpredictable professional sports can be. The desire to win a championship, for fans at least, can be generational, and most teams are lucky if they go no more than decades without one. Why they happen would be a dissertation topic, ranging from managerial choices to player performance or injuries, not even counting what most franchises consider their curse's wretched parable. This article elucidates the ten NFL teams stuck in abysmal runner-up purgatory, going deep into each team's history and why they remained unable to capture a coronation needed so much.

1. Arizona Cardinals

  • Last Championship Win: 1947
  • Last Time They Won a Super Bowl: 76 years

The title is held by the Arizona Cardinals, with a drought extending for 72 years since their lone league championship in 1947. The last time they won was in 1947 when the team cheered from Chicago as a Cardinals franchise against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cardinals reached the Super Bowl in 2009 but came up a few plays short and have been unable to overcome that hurdle ever since.

2. Detroit Lions

  • Last Championship Win: 1957
  • Last Championship: 66 years

The Lions are synonymous with disappointment, particularly in the Super Bowl era; they've never played in one. The Lions are also home to what their most zealous supporters call the "Curse Of Bobby Layne," a reference to an elite quarterback traded in 1958. Although viewed as mere superstition, the infamous comment by Layne that Detroit wouldn't win for 50 years proved correct in part since the Lions have had difficulty securing longer-term success with unproductive drafting and management decisions contributing to their struggles. 

3. Cleveland Browns

  • Last Championship Win: 1964
  • Last Championship: 60 years ago

The Cleveland Browns last won the championship in 1964 after beating Baltimore Colts. Since then, the franchise has had a rocky journey of numerous actuals and reboots. The Browns have been to the AFC Championship several times, just in far less painful form, usually crashed and burned than anything Miami had done. Alone, those are traits that have spelled a fairly lengthy history of failure for the guy at the top and in their defense, being able to count on any real stability from the head coach or quarterback is part of this franchise-instilled recipe.

4. Minnesota Vikings

  • Last Championship Win: 1969
  • Years Since Last Title: 55 years

The team hasn't won an NFL title since 1969, two seasons before the Super Bowl era. Heartache has found the Vikings many times, from a ridiculous Hail Mary game against the Cowboys in 1975 . The team's playoff misfortune has resulted from bad luck, missed chances, and QBs not coming up clutch over the last 12 years.

5. Buffalo Bills

  • Last Championship Win: 1965 (AFL)
  • Seasons Since Last Championship: 59

The team won its last championship in 1965 when the Bills were a part of the American Football League (AFL). The Bills made it to the Super Bowl four times in a row from 1990-1993 but failed to win any of them, with their most tragic defeat coming when they lost to the Giants by just one point at Sun Devil Stadium (Arizona) on January 27th game-ending field goal. A prolonged drought for the Bills has meant a series of close calls and an overall lack of playoff success since their heyday as perennial Super Bowl contenders, making it 13 seasons between playoff appearances.

6. Atlanta Falcons

  • Last Championship Win: None

The Atlanta Falcons are the only franchise with zero championships in its history. They came closest in Super Bowl LI after they infamously let a 28-3 lead slip away against the New England Patriots. The Falcons have been to the big dance a few times, but they've failed each time to convert on their opportunities.

7. Cincinnati Bengals

  • Last Championship Win: None

The Cincinnati Bengals and the Falcons of their era have never won a championship. The Bengals went to the Super Bowl in 1981 and 1988 but lost both events to the San Francisco 49ers. A rollercoaster past for the Bengals, stretches of good with long patches of mediocrity. Frustratingly, despite recent upticks under head coach Zac Taylor and quarterback Joe Burrow bringing hope to the eyes of Bengals fans so often, the team at large cannot get their hands on a demolition derby trophy when it counts.

8. San Diego Chargers

  • Championship history: Last title win 1963 (AFL)

San Diego Chargers (last won in 1963, AFL years). They made the Super Bowl in 1994 but lost to the San Francisco 49ers. While the Chargers have been known for strong offensive sides, they've typically buckled in crucial stretches, which has resulted in their lengthy title-less windows. The team's recent move to Los Angeles has also added a new tier of complication concerning their fan base and identity.

9. Tennessee Titans

  • Previous Championship Win: 1961 (AFL as Houston Oilers)
  • Since the Last Championship: 63 years

The Houston Oilers, now the Tennessee Titans, last claimed a title in 1961. The team has seen its share of controversies over the years, notably a move to Tennessee and an ensuing name change. In 1999, the Titans made it to the Super Bowl, barely losing in a match against the St. Louis Rams by one yard.

10. New York Jets

  • Last Championship Win: 1968
  • Lions: 56 years

The New York Jets last won a title in 1968, when quarterback Joe Namath guaranteed his team's victory heading into Super Bowl III. However, since then, the Jets have been unable to find sustained success, as they've had a revolving door of coaches and not much consistency at quarterback. The Jets have been a team that has long tormented their fans, who 13 years ago were rejoicing for the first time in this country's history.

The longest championship droughts in NFL history remind us of the steeplechase teams must clear to win. Ranging from the Arizona Cardinals' 76-year wait to the New York Jets and their quarter of a century without a title, these clubs have had their fair share of heartbreaks or forced themselves onto innumerable family tree branches seeking any scrap meriting historical expectations. With the NFL always changing, fans hope that one day their favorites will shake off history's shackles and celebrate with a championship once more.


SHOP Mystery Signed Memorabilia

LATEST

  • NEWS
  • |
  • ARTICLES
  • |
  • VIDEOS
img_articles

Top 5 Fantasy Steals of 2024

img_articles

Everything you need to know about Brittany Mahomes

img_articles

Who is Robert Saleh's wife? Everything you need...

img_articles

Fantasy Football Week 6 Redraft

img_articles

Fantasy Football Top Week 6 Pick-Ups

img_articles

How Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield & his family upl...

img_articles

Are Eagles' AJ Brown and Kelsey Riley still tog...

img_articles

Is Ravens' Zay Flowers single?

img_articles

Who is Chiefs WR Rashee Rice's dad?

img_articles

Does 49ers' Brock Purdy have a sister?

img_articles

Colin Kaepernick's difficult adoptive family life

img_articles

Randi Mahomes' continuous support for Chiefs' P...

img_articles

Who are Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel's parents?

img_articles

Claire Kittle and 49ers TE George Kittle's rela...

img_articles

Bengals QB Joe Burrow's relationship status

img_articles

Top 10 Indianapolis Colts of All Time

img_articles

Top 10 New York Giants of All-Time

img_articles

Top 10 Miami Dolphins of All-Time

img_articles

Top 10 Denver Broncos of All Time

img_articles

Top 10 Carolina Panthers of All-Time

img_articles

Top 10 Atlanta Falcons of All Time

img_articles

The alleged reason behind Travis Kelce & Kayla ...

img_articles

Kylie Kelce's intriguing 2024 Net Worth

img_articles

How many kids does Chiefs' Andy Reid have?

img_articles

Are Ryan Fitzpatrick and Liza Barber still marr...

img_articles

How did Johnny Manziel's Dad, Paul Manziel, sup...

img_articles

Did Jameis Winston steal the crab legs back in ...

img_articles

Who is Aidan Hutchinson's mom, Melissa Sinkevics?

img_articles

What were Travis Kelce's College Drug Charges

img_articles

Odell Beckham Opens Up About Retirement Rumors

img_articles

Antonio Brown's horrid 'lesbian' WNBA claim

img_articles

Which NFL team is the least popular?

img_articles

Taylor Swift Responds To Travis Kelce Break Up ...

img_articles

Who is Shawn Kelce? Exposing The Myth of The Tr...

img_articles

Is 49ers QB Joshua Dobbs married?

img_articles

Baker Mayfield's Net Worth in 2024

img_articles

Are 49ers' Nick Bosa and Chargers' Joey Bosa It...

img_articles

How Jayden Daniels Fast Star Compares to RGIII

img_articles

Top 10 Seattle Seahawks of all time

img_articles

Who is Randy Moss' wife? A look at Lydia Moss' ...

img_articles

Are Bills' Josh Allen and Hailee Steinfeld stil...

img_articles

Who is DeMeco Ryans's wife? A look at Jamila Ry...

img_articles

The numbers behind Travis Kelce's slow start in...

img_articles

Will the Dolphins lose Skylar Thompson for a si...

img_articles

Packers, Matt LaFleur may have found a new QB1 ...

img_articles

Has Bo Nix fully acclimated to the Broncos syst...

img_articles

How bad was Sam LaPorta's injury in Lions' win ...

img_articles

Who's to blame for the Browns' tough loss to th...

img_articles

Will 2024 be the Cowboys' year amid Dak Prescot...

img_articles

Why is Rashee Rice the Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes'...

FAN ARCH PODCAST NETWORK

nothing

Mystery Signed Memorabilia

//script of featured and trending tab div