The top 10 longest championship droughts in NFL History

By Jason Bolton August 21, 2024 00:14

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.