The NFL playoffs are here. The race for the Super Bowl has never been more exciting. 14 of the 32 teams will have the opportunity to make the run for the Lombardi Trophy. The NFL playoffs will begin on Saturday, 11 January 2025 with the Wild Card round. And the Super Bowl will be happening on Sunday, 9 February 2024 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
This is the right moment to revisit the past and understand how the NFL teams have fared in the postseason. Let’s get into it.
5 NFL teams with the most playoff appearances
#5 - Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams were founded as the Cleveland Rams in 1936. They made their first playoff appearance in the year 1945 against the Washington Redskins. Since then, they have moved to St. Louis and again relocated to Los Angeles. They have made 33 trips to the postseason, winning two NFL championships (before the AFL-NFL merger) in 1945 and 1951. In the Super Bowl era, they’ve won the Lombardi Trophy two times, once in 2000 and another in 2021.
#4 - New York Giants
The Giants rule New York. The franchise has a total of 33 playoff appearances. They made their first visit to the postseason in 1933 against the Chicago Bears, where they lost 23-21. Their most recent appearance in the NFL playoff came in January 2023, when they exited in the divisional round against the Eagles. The Giants were a dominant force under HC Bill Parcels, winning two Super Bowls in 1987 and 1991. Eli Manning led the franchise to two more Super Bowls in 2008 and 2012.
#3 - Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the most celebrated franchises in NFL history. They have made the trip to the postseason a total of 35 times. They were led by two legendary quarterbacks Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger and have won six Super Bowls overall. They have yet to have a losing season since 2003.
#2 - Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys are one of the most dominant teams in the NFL. America’s team has been to the playoffs 36 times. Their first trip to the postseason was in the year 1966 against the Green Bay Packers where they lost 34-27. Their most dominant run came in the 1990s under Troy Aikman, who led them to three Super Bowl victories. Their last playoff appearance came in January 2024 when they lost in the Wild Card Round to the Packers.
#1 - Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers have a rich tradition of winning. While they’re a small market team, unlike the Dallas Cowboys or the San Francisco 49ers, the team has been one of the most successful franchises in the NFL.
They have the most playoff appearances with 37. Their first trip to the postseason came in 1936, before the AFL-NFL merger, against the Boston Redskins. Their last playoff appearance came in January 2024 when they lost in the divisional round to the San Francisco 49ers.
Excited for the NFL season? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor to simulate your team's journey and explore Playoff Chances for detailed insights on your favorite team's or rival's playoff prospects!
Teams ranked by playoff appearances in NFL history
The NFL Playoff appearances for all the respective 32 teams in the NFL as of week 17 of the 2024 NFL season are listed in the table below.
| Team | Playoff Appearances |
| Green Bay Packers | 37 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 36 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 35 |
| New York Giants | 33 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 33 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 32 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 31 |
| Cleveland Browns | 30 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 30 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 29 |
| New England Patriots | 28 |
| Chicago Bears | 28 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 27 |
| Washington Commanders | 26 |
| Tennessee Titans | 25 |
| Miami Dolphins | 25 |
| Buffalo Bills | 24 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 23 |
| Denver Broncos | 22 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 21 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 20 |
| Detroit Lions | 20 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 16 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 16 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 14 |
| New Orleans Saints | 14 |
| New York Jets | 14 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 14 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 11 |
| Carolina Panthers | 8 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 8 |
| Houston Texans | 8 |
Which NFL team has played in the most playoff games
The Dallas Cowboys are the leaders in terms of playing the most number of playoff games by the end of the 2024 regular season. They have featured in 67 postseason games and have won 36 of them. They are closely followed by the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers who have played in 64 and 63 postseason games respectively (via Pro Football Reference).
FAQs
A. Tom Brady is the winningest QB in NFL history with 251 wins.
A. Tom Brady has started in 48 playoff games and won 35 games.
A. The New England Patriots have the longest playoff streak for 11 seasons spanning from 2009 through 2019.
A. The Dallas Cowboys won their last Super Bowl (Super Bowl XXX) on 28 January 1996, against the Steelers. The Cowboys won 27-17.
A. Tom Brady has won the most Super Bowls (7) in the history of the NFL.
A. The Miami Dolphins hold the record for the longest drought since their last playoff win with 23 seasons.
