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Last season, the Detroit Lions ended a six-year playoff drought. They won the division for the first time since 1993 when the NFC Central included the same four teams of the NFC North plus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
A heartbreaking second-half collapse in the NFC Championship Game meant that they would extend their streak of 58 straight years without a Super Bowl appearance, the longest in the league. As sad as it was for Lions fans, they had an exciting run. That cannot be said for the four remaining teams that have missed the playoffs for six straight years or longer.
These are the four NFL teams with the longest playoff droughts.
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New York Jets - 13 Seasons
Before Mark Sanchez butt-fumbled himself and into oblivion, he was the last quarterback to lead the Jets into the playoffs. He was once considered "the Sanchize." He presided over winning records in his first two seasons, including an 11-5 record in 2010, the last time the Jets made the playoffs.
But his play was spotty. He never completed more than 57% of his pass attempts in a season, and he threw more interceptions than touchdowns as a Jet. The Jets didn't keep him after their 6-10 season in 2012, and their brief attempt to unseat Tom Brady from atop the AFC East came up empty.
Yet, Mark Sanchez may have been the best quarterback the Jets have had since Brett Favre. Following him, they gave up on Geno Smith after two seasons, enjoyed the highs and lows of Ryan Fitzpatrick, and wasted half a decade on the busts of Sam Darnold and Zach Wilson before watching Aaron Rodgers get injured on his first play in 2023.
Denver Broncos - 8 Seasons
At least the Broncos have the memory of a Super Bowl the last time they made the playoffs way back in 2015. For five straight seasons, the Broncos won the AFC West, starting in 2011 with Tim Tebow behind center. But it was the acquisition of Peyton Manning that turned the Broncos into a true contender.
They won 12 or 13 games every year from 2012 until 2015 and should have won more Super Bowls. But the year they set the record for most points scored in a season, the Seahawks defense intercepted Manning twice, returned one pick for a touchdown, and limited the Broncos to eight points in Super Bowl XLVIII. Finally, the Denver defense won one for Manning in his worst season as a Bronco.
Russell Wilson, who had defeated the Broncos in one of the most embarrassing Super Bowl losses in history, would go on to ruin everything for Denver again nine years later as the disappointing quarterback who didn't live up to his expensive trade cost. He was the latest in a series of quarterbacks that have included Drew Lock, Case Keenum, and Trevor Siemian.
Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chiefs hired Andy Reid in 2013, drafted Patrick Mahomes in 2017, and won the AFC West every year since 2016. The San Diego Chargers in 2009 were the coastal state team to win the AFC West.
Carolina Panthers - 6 Seasons
"Cammy Cam" Cam Newton has been angling for another shot in the NFL. Maybe he should have one. The last time the Panthers made the playoffs, he was the team's leading passer and leading rusher.
Newton even led Carolina to a 15-1 record and an NFC Championship crown in 2015, the year he threw for 3,837 yards, 35 touchdowns (a league-leading 7.1% touchdown rate), and just 10 interceptions while rushing for 636 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Flash forward to today: The Panthers have had a new quarterback for five straight seasons and fired their coach in the middle of the season for two straight years. Time will tell if Bryce Young flames out -- or if he'll make a comeback and win Nickelodeon's Thanksgiving Day NVP and Pro Bowl MVP after leaving Carolina for a division rival.
Atlanta Falcons - 6 Seasons
The Falcons' winningest coach of all time, Mike Smith, has a record of 66-46, so it's no surprise the Falcons would make a list like this. They had plenty of winning seasons with Matt Ryan at quarterback, but they held onto him for too long as he was declining. In Ryan's final four seasons in Atlanta, the Falcons never won more than seven games.
Arthur Smith produced more mediocrity as head coach for the past three years. This offseason, the Falcons decided to change things. They signed a high-end quarterback in Kirk Cousins, who has weapons to throw to in Drake London and Kyle Pitts, and made a change at head coach.
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