What’s the Longest Losing Streak in NFL History?
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The Pittsburgh Steelers currently have the longest losing streak in NFL history.
The NFL’s Longest Losing Streaks
The NFL’s longest losing streaks:
-The Chicago Bears hold the record for the longest losing streak in NFL history, having lost 26 games in a row in 1976-77.
-The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the second-longest streak, having lost 21 games in a row from 1976 to 1977.
-The Miami Dolphins have the third-longest streak, having lost 20 games in a row from 1971 to 1973.
The Teams with the Most Consecutive Losses
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers currently hold the record for the most consecutive losses in NFL history, having lost 26 games in a row from 1976 to 1977. The Bucs’ record is also the longest losing streak in the history of any major North American professional sports league.
The second-longest losing streak in NFL history belongs to the Detroit Lions, who lost 24 games in a row from 2007 to 2009. The third-longest streak is shared by the expansion Cleveland Browns, who lost 20 games in a row from 1999 to 2000, and the Dallas Cowboys, who lost 20 games in a row from 2001 to 2002.
There have been several teams with long losing streaks that have come close to matching or surpassing the Bucs’ record, but none have been able to do it. The longest such streak belongs to the New Orleans Saints, who lost 21 games in a row from 1980 to 1982. The Saints’ streak is the longest losing streak by any team in NFL history that did not result in a winless season.
The Biggest Comebacks in NFL History
It’s hard to imagine a team going 0-16 in a season. It’s even harder to imagine a team losing 33 games in a row. Yet, both of these feats have been accomplished in the NFL. In 2008, the Detroit Lions went 0-16, becoming the first team in NFL history to do so. And, in 2011, the Indianapolis Colts lost their first 13 games before finally winning against the Houston Texans in Week 15.
The Lions and Colts are far from alone when it comes to long losing streaks. Below is a list of the 10 longest losing streaks in NFL history:
1. Detroit Lions – 26 games (2007-2009)
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 25 games (1977-1978)
3. Indianapolis Colts – 23 games (2011-2012)
4. Cleveland Browns – 21 games (2016-2017)
5. St. Louis Rams – 20 games (2009-2010)
6. Philadelphia Eagles – 18 games (1968)
7. Pittsburgh Steelers – 17 games (1963)
8. Green Bay Packers – 16 games (1988)
9. Cincinnati Bengals – 15 games (2002)
10. New York Jets – 14 games (1975-1976)
