What’s the Biggest Blowout in NFL History?

The biggest blowout in NFL history happened on December 8, 1940, when the Chicago Bears beat the Washington Redskins 73-0.

The 1973 Miami Dolphins

On December 2, 1973, the Miami Dolphins played the New England Patriots in what would become the biggest blowout in NFL history. The Dolphins won the game by a score of 52-0, and the Patriots didn’t score a single point. It was a complete rout.

The 1972 perfect season

The 1972 Miami Dolphins season was the perfect season. The team completed the regular season with a record of 14–0, and then won all three post-season games, including Super Bowl VII, to finish 17–0. The only loss of the entire season was a 24–21 blunder in week two against the Kansas City Chiefs. This was also Don Shula’s second year as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins.

The 1973 season

The 1973 Miami Dolphins season was the team’s eighth, and fourth in the National Football League (NFL). The Dolphins went 12–2 in the regular season and won all three post-season games, including Super Bowl VIII, to finish 17–0. The achievement is considered one of the best in sports history.

The 1973 Dolphins are the only team to win every game in a season from opening day through the NFL’s championship game, a feat that has since been equaled only once (by the 1992 San Francisco 49ers). Don Shula’s squad remains one of only two teams ever to finish a perfect regular season and then go on to win a Super Bowl (the other being the 2007 New England Patriots), and also one of only three teams ever to win more than one Super Bowl (the others being the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers).

The 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers

The 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers had the biggest blowout in NFL history when they beat the San Diego Chargers by a score of 51-0. The Steelers had a lot of talent on their team and they were able to take advantage of the Chargers’ mistakes. The Chargers had no answer for the Steelers’ offense and the game was over by halftime.

The 1975 season

The Steelers entered the 1975 season as the two-time defending Super Bowl champions. They were looking to become the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls. The season started out promising, as the Steelers won their first four games. But then they suffered a string of injuries, including to star quarterback Terry Bradshaw. The team struggled to find its footing and finished the season with a 9–5 record. In the playoffs, they were beaten by the Oakland Raiders in the Divisional Round.

The 1976 season

The 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise’s 44th season in the National Football League (NFL). The season concluded with the team winning its first Super Bowl title, defeating the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl X.

The 1976 Steelers entered the season as defending AFC champions, having won their third AFC title in four years the previous season. They posted a 10–4 regular season record before advancing to the AFC Championship Game, where they defeated the Oakland Raiders en route to their first Super Bowl appearance. In Super Bowl X, which was played at Miami’s Orange Bowl, the Steelers defeated the Dallas Cowboys 21–17 to become champions.

This was one of two seasons, along with 1972, in which Pittsburgh had a losing record at midseason (3–4) but still went on to win the Super Bowl. They began 2-4 but finished 8-2 over their last ten games.

The 1985 San Francisco 49ers

On November 10, 1985, the San Francisco 49ers beat the New Orleans Saints by a score of 48-0. It was the biggest blowout in NFL history at the time. The 49ers were the defending Super Bowl champions and they were just getting started. They would go on to win the Super Bowl that year.

The 1984 season

The San Francisco 49ers entered the 1984 NFL season as the two-time defending NFC champions and had high expectations. They did not disappoint, winning their first ten games and finishing the season with a record of 15-1. Their only loss came in Week 12 to the eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Raiders. The 49ers bounced back with four straight wins to close out the season, including a 34-9 drubbing of the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship game.

The 1985 season

The 1985 San Francisco 49ers season was their 36th season in the National Football League (NFL). The team was looking to improve on their 10-6 record from 1984 and win their first Super Bowl.

The 49ers began the season by winning their first 9 games. They then defeated the New York Giants in a much-anticipated match-up between the NFC’s top two teams. The 49ers then won their final 6 games of the season to finish with a league-best 15-1 record. In the playoffs, they defeated the rival Los Angeles Rams 28-0 in the NFC Championship Game and then routed the Miami Dolphins 38-16 in Super Bowl XIX, becoming the first team ever to win 15 games in a single season.

Quarterback Joe Montana was named MVP of both the regular season and Super Bowl. The victory gave San Francisco its second Super Bowl title (after XV), cementing their status as an elite NFL team of the 1980s.

The 1986 New York Giants

The 1986 New York Giants are the biggest blowout in NFL history. The team went on to win the Super Bowl that year, but their regular season was a different story. They finished the season with a record of 14-2, but their two losses were by a combined score of 66-0.

The 1985 season

The 1986 New York Giants season was the 62nd season for the team in the National Football League. The Giants finished the year with a record of 14-2, winning their second consecutive NFC East title and finishing first in conference. They won their first twelve games of the season before losing to the Washington Redskins on December 14. They defeated the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, and then defeated the Denver Broncos 39-20 in Super Bowl XXI, becoming only the second team ever to win consecutive Super Bowls (the latter as defending champions, which had never been done before). As of 2019, they are also one of five teams in NFL history to have won at least 14 games in a season and not go undefeated (joining the 1984 San Francisco 49ers, 1985 Chicago Bears, 1998 Denver Broncos and 2002 Oakland Raiders).

The 1986 season

In 1986, the New York Giants finished the regular season with a 10-6 record and qualified for the playoffs as a wildcard team. They went on to win Super Bowl XXI, beating the Denver Broncos 39-20.

The 1986 season was notable for several reasons. First, it was the year that Giants quarterback Phil Simms had his breakout season. He was named NFL MVP and led the league in passing yards (4,044) and touchdown passes (21). Second, it was the year that Giants head coach Bill Parcells won Coach of the Year honors.

And finally, it was the year that saw the Giants win their first Super Bowl title in franchise history.