The Miami Dolphins were already the NFL team furthest removed from their last playoff win. But with the Washington Commanders’ 45-31 upset victory over the Detroit Lions, the Dolphins are now tied for the longest conference championship appearance drought too.
Washington is headed to the NFC Championship for the first time since January 1992. That was the longest streak of conference championship absences in the NFL, just one year longer than the Dolphins, who last played in the AFC Championship in January 1993.
With the Commanders now scratched from the top, here’s the list of teams that are decades removed from being on the doorstep of the Super Bowl.
AFC/NFC Championship Game appearance droughts
- Miami Dolphins: 32 seasons (last appearance: 1992)
- Cleveland Browns*: 32 seasons (last appearance: 1989)
- Dallas Cowboys: 29 seasons (last appearance: 1995)
- Houston Texans: 23 seasons (last appearance: Never)
- Las Vegas Raiders: 22 seasons (last appearance: 2002)
(*the Browns didn’t exist for the 1996, 1997, and 1998 seasons)
Postseason victory droughts
- Miami Dolphins: 24 seasons (last win: 2000 Wild Card)
- Las Vegas Raiders: 22 seasons (last win: 2002 AFC Championship)
- New York Jets: 14 seasons (last win: 2010 Divisional)
- Chicago Bears: 14 seasons (last win: 2010 Divisional)
- Arizona Cardinals: 9 seasons (last win: 2015 Divisional)
- Carolina Panthers: 9 seasons (last win: 2015 NFC Championship)
- Denver Broncos: 9 seasons (last win: Super Bowl L)