Every NFL team is shooting for the same goal: the Super Bowl. While it’s hard enough to get to the big game, the Playoffs can sometimes be just as difficult. Some teams have enjoyed success, while others have been extremely unlucky. Here are the longest active droughts in the NFL, and each team’s chances of ending them.
The Jets haven’t appeared in the Playoffs since the 2010 season. They currently hold the longest active Playoff drought in the NFL. In fact, they hold the longest active Playoff drought in all four major U.S. sports.
The AFC East is a difficult division to compete in. The Buffalo Bills haven’t missed the postseason since 2018, and the New England Patriots just appeared in Super Bowl LX.
The Jets haven’t held a winning record since 2015, and 2025 was more of the same. They went 3-14, and the defense ranked 31st in points allowed per game (29.6). They also failed to log a single interception, the only team in history to do so. The offense ranked dead last in pass yards per game (140.3) and 29th in points per game (17.6).
With Geno Smith returning and a mass signing of veterans, the Jets seem primed for another rebuild. Head coach Aaron Glenn seems to be on thin ice, and they’ll likely land a top-five pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. It seems like this team is far from ending its Playoff drought.
The last time the Falcons reached the Playoffs was the 2017 season, when they lost in the Divisional Round. That was the year after they lost Super Bowl LI.
Atlanta has gone through some quarterback struggles after Matt Ryan’s tenure ended. They’re holding a competition now between Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa. The roster is talented, but the most important position is still in question.
Luckily for the Falcons, they’re in the NFC South. The division ended in a three-way tie between them, the Carolina Panthers, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who all held 8-9 records.
If Atlanta’s new head coach, Kevin Stefanski, can work some magic, he might find himself atop the NFC South. He led the Cleveland Browns to two Playoff appearances during his six-year tenure. That’s no easy task, and he’s arguably working with a more well-rounded roster now.
It’s not crazy to think the Falcons can make the Playoffs in 2026, but they may not make it far. Whether it’s Tagovailoa or Penix, the QB1 needs to elevate in Stefanski’s offense.
The Colts were so close, yet so far, to a Playoff berth in 2025. They started the year 7-1, and Daniel Jones was legitimately entering top-five QB conversations. After that stellar start, they only won one more game, ending the year 8-9.
Jones suffered a torn Achilles in Week 14, and Indy turned to Riley Leonard and a retired Philip Rivers down the stretch. After a 244-yard, three-touchdown game in Week 10, star running back Jonathan Taylor failed to hit 100 yards in a single game.
The Colts’ entire season collapsed in the blink of an eye, and they’re hoping for a bounce-back. Jones is set to return, and Alec Pierce was re-signed to a four-year, $116 million contract. They did, however, trade Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Keeping up with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans will be a difficult challenge. The former won the division with a 13-4 record, while the latter went 12-5. If the Colts can return to what they were in September and October, they’ll be fine. If not, it’ll be a long season in Indianapolis.
The Saints haven’t made the Playoffs since Drew Brees’ final season in 2020. They’ve struggled to find his successor, but may have finally done so with Tyler Shough. The 2025 40th overall pick showed a ton of promise in his rookie year, throwing for 2,384 yards, 10 touchdowns, and six interceptions in nine starts.
New Orleans signed running back Travis Etienne in free agency and drafted Arizona State’s standout receiver, Jordyn Tyson, eighth overall. They’re setting Shough up for success; the question now lies in his development.
I mentioned the NFC South earlier, and that’s where the Saints have a problem. They finished 2025 with a 6-11 record, but after the Week 11 bye, they went 4-3 to end the season.
Kellen Moore is entering his second year as the Saints’ head coach, and he seemed to be settling in down the stretch. This team has a great chance to make the NFC South extremely competitive. It’s anyone’s division to claim, and New Orleans shouldn’t be counted out.
The NFL is a league full of parity. Any team can break through during any given year. The Patriots proved it last season, and the Washington Commanders did the same in 2024. Some teams have a real shot at turning their luck around in 2026. Probably not the Jets, though.
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