NFL
The last time a Wild Card team made it to the Super Bowl
The the 2025 NFL postseason will feature 14 teams with the first favorites in the AFC and NFC are already emerging.
The 2024-25 NFL postseason get underway this weekend with 14 teams dreaming of the ultimate prize - a place at Super Bowl LIX, set for 9 February at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
The 14 teams that sealed their ticket to the postseason, including six wild cards are: the Detroit Lions (1), Kansas City Chiefs (1), Buffalo Bills (2), Baltimore Ravens (3), Houston Texans (4), Los Angeles Chargers (5), Pittsburgh Steelers (6), Denver Broncos (7) plus wild card teams: the Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, Washington Commanders, Los Angeles Rams and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
2024-25 NFL playoffs
AFC playoffs:
- (1) Kansas City Chiefs | They rest during the Wild Card, by obtaining the AFC 1 Seed
- (7) Denver Broncos vs. Buffalo Bills (2)
- (6) Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens (3)
- (5) Los Angeles Chargers vs. Houston Texans (4)
NFC playoffs:
- (1) Detroit Lions | Rest after being the No. 1 seed
- (7) Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles (2)
- (6) Washington Commanders vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3)
- (5) Minnesota Vikings vs. Los Angeles Rams(4)
The last time Wild Card teams made it to the Super Bowl
Of the 14 teams that qualified for this year’s playoffs, only two have failed to make it to the Super Bowl: the Houston Texans of the American Conference and the Detroit Lions of the National Conference.
In contrast, the Kansas City Chiefs could achieve a three-peat in this LIX edition and the Minnesota Vikings are the team that has waited the longest for another stab at winning the Vince Lombardi Trophy - their last Super Bowl appearance was 48 years ago.
The wild-card format was first introduced in 1970. The last wild-card team to make it to the Super Bowl was the Bucs in 2020. A total of 11 wild-card teams have reached the Super Bowl since 1970, with seven of them lifting the trophy.
Wild-card teams in the Super Bowl
- 1975 Dallas Cowboys lost 21-17 to the Steelers
- 1980 Oakland Raiders beat the Eagles 27-10
- 1985 New England Patriots lost 46-10 to the Bears
- 1992 Buffalo Bills lost 52-17 to the Cowboys
- 1997 Denver Broncos beat the Packers 31-24
- 1999 Tennessee Titans lost 23-16 to the Rams
- 2000 Baltimore Ravens beat the Giants 34-7
- 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Seahawks 21-10
- 2007 New York Giants beat the Patriots 17-14
- 2010 Green Bay Packers beat the Steelers 31-25
- 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Chiefs 31-9
| American Conference | National Conference |
|---|---|
| Kansas City Chiefs | SB LVIII (2024) | Philadelphia Eagles | SB LVII (2023) |
| Denver Broncos | SB L (2016) | Los Angeles Rams | SB LVI (2022) |
| Baltimore Ravens | SB XLVII (2013) | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | SB LV (2021) |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | SB XLV (2011) | Green Bay Packers | SB XLV (2011) |
| Los Angeles Chargers | SB XXIX (1995) | Washington Commanders | SB XXVI (1992) |
| Buffalo Bills | SB XXVIII (1994) | Minnesota Vikings | SB XI (1977) |
| Houston Texans | No Super Bowl appearances | Detroit Lions | No Super Bowl appearances |
Which NFL team has played the most Super Bowls?
Curiously, the team with the most Super Bowl appearances, the New England Patriots (11), failed to make it to the postseason after finishing 13th in the AFC (4-13).
The Steelers have been to eight Super Bowl games, as have the Cowboys, the Broncos and the 49ers.
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