List of largest comebacks in NFL games

Quarterback Kirk Cousins led the Minnesota Vikings on a record-breaking comeback from a 33–0 deficit in 2022.

This is a list of the largest deficits overcome to win NFL games, from either the regular season or the postseason. Wins after trailing by 25 points or more have been rare in NFL history, with only nine in over 100 years, including four in the postseason. There have also been two ties after trailing by such a deficit. Comebacks from exactly 24 points behind have been relatively common, with seventeen occurrences (two in the playoffs).[1]

The record for the largest NFL comeback is held by the Minnesota Vikings, who overcame a third-quarter deficit of 33–0 to defeat the Indianapolis Colts 39–36 in overtime during the 2022 NFL season. The Colts have been featured in three of the top six comebacks, having also won from 28 points behind and lost from 26 points ahead. The biggest playoff comeback was made by the Buffalo Bills when they won from 35–3 back in the 1992 wild card round, while the biggest Super Bowl comeback came in Super Bowl LI, when the New England Patriots erased a 28–3 deficit against the Atlanta Falcons.

Quarterback Matt Ryan started on both the losing Falcons team in Super Bowl LI and the beaten Colts team in 2022. By contrast, head coach Marv Levy led the Bills to two of the three biggest comebacks of the 20th century.[2]

Largest deficits overcome to win

Largest deficits overcome to win NFL games
Rank Largest deficit Season Week Winning team Losing team Venue Scores Notes Ref
1 33 points 2022 15 Minnesota Vikings Indianapolis Colts U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota Colts led
33–0
Vikings won
39–36 (OT) 		The current NFL record. Minnesota gave up return touchdowns from a blocked punt and an interception and trailed 33–0 at halftime. Between 8:22 to play in the 3rd quarter and 2:15 to play in the 4th quarter the Vikings outscored Indianapolis 36–3; they scored five touchdowns in the space of seven possessions. In overtime, Minnesota drove 60 yards and Greg Joseph won the game on a 40-yard field goal with 3 seconds left in the extra period. [3][4]
2 32 points 1992 Wild Card Buffalo Bills Houston Oilers Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York Oilers led
35–3
Bills won
41–38 (OT) 		Playoff record. Backup quarterback Frank Reich led the Bills to four touchdowns between 8:52 and 2:00 of the 3rd quarter to begin the comeback. Buffalo took the lead on Andre Reed's third touchdown catch with 3:08 to play, before the Oilers forced overtime with a field goal. Nate Odomes intercepted a Warren Moon pass early in overtime and Steve Christie won the game with a 32-yard field goal. Popularly known as "The Comeback." [5][6]
3 28 points 2013 Wild Card Indianapolis Colts Kansas City Chiefs Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana Chiefs led
38–10
Colts won
45–44 		The largest comeback not requiring overtime. Starting with 11:47 remaining in the 3rd quarter, Indianapolis scored five touchdowns while conceding only two field goals. After the Colts took the lead with 4:21 remaining, Kansas City drove into Colts territory before turning the ball over on downs. Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck threw for four touchdowns on the day and scored another on a fumble recovery. [7][8]
1980 14 San Francisco 49ers New Orleans Saints Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California Saints led
35–7
49ers won
38–35 (OT) 		After trailing by 28 points at halftime, San Francisco scored four unanswered touchdowns in the second half and tied the score with 1:50 to play. After forcing a New Orleans punt on the first possession of overtime, the 49ers drove for Ray Wersching's game-winning field goal. [9][10]
5 27 points 2022 Wild Card Jacksonville Jaguars Los Angeles Chargers TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, Florida Chargers led
27–0
Jaguars won
31–30 		After throwing four interceptions, the Jaguars found themselves in a 27–0 deficit approaching halftime. Starting with a touchdown with :28 left in the 2nd quarter, Jacksonville then outscored the Chargers 31–3 for the rest of the game. The Jaguars successfully converted a two-point conversion after scoring a touchdown, cutting the lead to 2 points with 5:40 to play in the 4th quarter. After forcing a Chargers punt, the Jaguars drove for Riley Patterson's 36-yard winning field goal. [11][12]
6 26 points 1997 4 Buffalo Bills Indianapolis Colts Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York Colts led
26–0
Bills won
37–35 		Between 2:12 to play in the 2nd quarter and 1:14 to play in the 4th quarter, Buffalo outscored Indianapolis 37–3. Trailing by eight points, the Colts drove for a late touchdown but failed on a game-tying two-point conversion attempt. [13][14]
7 25 points 2016 Super Bowl New England Patriots Atlanta Falcons NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas Falcons led 28–3
Patriots won 34–28 (OT) 		Super Bowl record. Starting with 2:06 to play in the 3rd quarter, New England scored 25 unanswered points from four offensive drives. They tied the game with 57 seconds remaining in regulation, then won it with a touchdown on the first drive of overtime. [15][16]
2014 5 Cleveland Browns Tennessee Titans LP Field, Nashville, Tennessee Titans
led 28–3
Browns
won 29–28 		Largest comeback by the away team. The Titans ran no further plays in Cleveland territory after taking their 25-point lead in the 2nd quarter. Cleveland scored 26 unanswered points, beginning 12 seconds before halftime and finishing with 1:09 left in the game. [17][18]
1987 9 St. Louis Cardinals Tampa Bay Buccaneers Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri Buccaneers
led 28–3
Cardinals
won 31–28 		The largest 4th-quarter comeback. Starting with 12:42 remaining in the game, St. Louis scored 28 unanswered points to take the lead with 2:01 to play. A 53-yard field goal attempt by Buccaneers kicker Donald Igwebuike struck the crossbar as time expired. [19][20]

Largest deficits overcome to tie

Largest deficits overcome to tie NFL games
Rank Largest deficit Season Week Away team Home team Venue Scores Notes Ref
1 31 points 1960 12 Buffalo Bills Denver Broncos Bears Stadium, Denver, Colorado Bills led 38–7
tied 38–38 		AFL game. Denver scored 31 unanswered points starting late in the 3rd quarter, tying the game on a field goal with 4 seconds left in the game. No overtime was played.[a] [22][23]
2 28 points 1948 2 Philadelphia Eagles Los Angeles Rams Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California Eagles led 28–0
tied 28–28 		Beginning with approximately two minutes to play in the 3rd quarter, and finishing with fewer than 30 seconds to play, the Rams scored four unanswered touchdowns. Philadelphia missed a potential game-winning 52-yard field goal as time expired. No overtime was played.[a] [24][25]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b Overtime was not used in professional football for regular season games until the NFL adopted it in 1974.[21]

References

  1. ^ 2022 NFL Record and Fact Book (PDF). NFL. 2022. pp. 307–309. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  2. ^ Goldberg, Dave (September 23, 1997). "Buoyant Bills". Murfreesboro Daily News-Journal. AP. p. 3B.
  3. ^ "Indianapolis Colts at Minnesota Vikings - December 17th, 2022". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  4. ^ "Comeback king Vikings set NFL rally record in win vs. Colts". ESPN. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  5. ^ "Wild Card - Houston Oilers at Buffalo Bills - January 3rd, 1993". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  6. ^ Wilner, Barry (January 4, 1993). "Reich strikes again in Bills' record rally". Fresno Bee. Associated Press. pp. C1, C4.
  7. ^ "Wild Card - Kansas City Chiefs at Indianapolis Colts - January 4th, 2014". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  8. ^ Wells, Mike (January 11, 2019). "Andrew Luck's masterpiece: Comeback vs. Chiefs in '13 playoffs". ESPN. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  9. ^ "New Orleans Saints at San Francisco 49ers - December 7th, 1980". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  10. ^ "Trailing by 28, 49ers stun Saints in overtime 38–35". Modesto Bee. Associated Press. December 8, 1980. p. D-1.
  11. ^ "Los Angeles Chargers at Jacksonville Jaguars - January 14th, 2023". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  12. ^ "Chargers blow 27-point lead, Jaguars advance in AFC playoffs". ESPN. January 15, 2023. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  13. ^ "Indianapolis Colts at Buffalo Bills - September 21st, 1997". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  14. ^ "Buffalo comes from 26 back to defeat Indianapolis". North County Times. Associated Press. September 22, 1997. p. C-6.
  15. ^ "Super Bowl LI - New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons - February 5th, 2017". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  16. ^ "Super Bowl LI box score". footballdb.com. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  17. ^ "Cleveland Browns at Tennessee Titans - October 5th, 2014". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  18. ^ Sessler, Marc. "Browns' record road comeback stuns Titans". nfl.com. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  19. ^ "Tampa Bay Buccaneers at St. Louis Cardinals - November 8th, 1987". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  20. ^ "Cards rally from 28-3 deficit to win". Wichita Eagle. Associated Press. November 9, 1987. p. 9C.
  21. ^ "NFL's first experiment with OT". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  22. ^ "Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos - November 27th, 1960". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  23. ^ "Broncos tie Bills via furious rally". Delaware Morning News. AP. November 28, 1960. p. 25.
  24. ^ "Philadelphia Eagles at Los Angeles Rams - October 3rd, 1948". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  25. ^ Finch, Frank (October 4, 1948). "Waterfield's passes give Rams 28–28 tie". Los Angeles Times. pp. IV-1, IV-3.