List of largest comebacks in NFL games

This is a list of the largest deficits overcome to win NFL games, from the regular season or 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 17 occurrences (two in the playoffs).^[1]

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

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 postseason comeback was made by the Buffalo Bills, who overcame a third-quarter deficit of 35–3 to defeat the Houston Oilers 41–38 in overtime during 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 third-quarter deficit against the Atlanta Falcons to win in overtime 34–28.

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 fourth quarter, the Vikings outscored Indianapolis 36–3; they scored five touchdowns in seven possessions. In overtime, Minnesota drove 60 yards and Greg Joseph won the game on a 40-yard field goal with three 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 third quarter to begin the comeback. Buffalo took the lead on Andre Reed's third touchdown catch with 3:08 to in the fourth quarter, 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 seconds left in the second 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 two points with 5:40 to play in the fourth 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 third quarter, New England scored 25 unanswered points from four offensive drives. They tied the game with 57 seconds left 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 a road team. The Titans ran no further plays in Cleveland territory after taking their 25-point lead in the second 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 fourth-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 third quarter, tying the game on a field goal with four 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 third 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

• Comeback (sports)

Notes

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