NFL history is filled with dynasties and dramatic turnarounds, but it also carries the weight of long, unforgiving losing streaks. In a league built on parity, some franchises have still endured stretches where defeats piled up week after week.
These were shaped by rebuilding years, quarterback instability, front-office missteps and seasons where hope faded early. Each loss added pressure, turning Sundays into tests of patience rather than expectation.
Among those dark chapters, one franchise stands apart for how long the losses lasted. Its streak has become a benchmark for futility, often cited whenever teams flirt with history for the wrong reasons.
Which NFL teams have the longest losing streaks?
Some of the NFL’s most stubborn skid marks come from eras long past, where franchises nearly vanished from the win column. The Chicago Cardinals, now the Arizona Cardinals, endured the longest losing streak in league history, dropping 29 games across four seasons from 1942 to 1945 before finally breaking through with a victory at Wrigley Field.
That sequence, deep in the heart of World War II, stands as a stark reminder of how tumultuous the league could be in its early decades. Not far behind in infamy are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, whose fledgling franchise lost 26 straight games through their first two seasons in 1976 and 1977, a mark that still defines the modern era’s worst skid.
Expansion woes, talent gaps and the brutal grind of the schedule combined to keep Tampa Bay searching for answers well into its early history. The NFL’s recent decades haven’t been immune to misery.
The Jacksonville Jaguars suffered a 20-game losing streak spanning the 2020 and 2021 seasons, illustrating how quickly a combination of injuries, coaching turmoil and roster turnover can sabotage a young franchise’s momentum.
Losing streaks are more than just stats; they often reflect seismic shifts within a team’s structure. Whether rooted in expansion disadvantages, front-office dysfunction or cascading injuries, these streaks underscore how fleeting success can be in a league built on parity.
| Team | Season(s) | Losing streak |
| Chicago Cardinals | 1942 1943 1944 1945 | 29 games |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1976 1977 | 26 games |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 2020 2021 | 20 games |
| Oakland Raiders | 1961 1962 | 19 games |
| Detroit Lions | 2007 2008 2009 | 18 games |
| Houston Oilers | 1972 1973 | 17 games |
| Dayton Triangles | 1927 1928 1929 | 17 games |
| Washington Redskins | 1960 1961 | 17 games |
| Houston Oilers | 1982 1983 | 17 games |
| St. Louis Rams | 2008 2009 | 17 games |
| Cleveland Browns | 2015 2016 | 17 games |
| Cleveland Browns | 2016 2017 | 17 games |
| Rochester Jeffersons | 1922 1923 1924 1925 | 16 games |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 1969 1970 | 16 games |
| Miami Dolphins | 2006 2007 | 16 games |
| Oakland Raiders | 2013 2014 | 16 games |
| Buffalo Bills | 1970 1971 | 15 games |
| Carolina Panthers | 2001 | 14 games |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 1936 1937 | 14 games |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 1943 1944 1945 | 14 games |
| Buffalo Bills | 1976 1977 | 14 games |
| New Orleans Saints | 1980 | 14 games |
| Baltimore Colts | 1981 | 14 games |
| New England Patriots | 1990 | 14 games |
| Houston Texans | 2013 | 14 games |
| Chicago Bears | 2022 2023 | 14 games |