Five Greatest Playoff Comebacks in NFL History

The NFL playoffs are among the most exciting events in all sports, and the games typically produce some memorable moments each year. 

There are certainly some Super Bowl favorites set to take the field when the playoffs begin, but surprise teams always seem to pop up and make a run. Another common occurrence during the NFL playoffs is the opportunity for an enormous comeback.

If you are wondering, “What is the greatest comeback in NFL history?” then you have come to the right place. Hopefully, you didn’t suffer a bad beat at the sportsbook by being on the wrong side of these comebacks. 

According to Safest Betting Sites, these are five of the greatest comebacks during the playoffs in NFL history. 

Top Five Biggest NFL Playoff Comebacks

Coming up with the top 10 biggest comebacks in NFL history is a daunting task in itself, but we have taken it a step further. We have looked at the best comebacks and put together a list of the top five biggest NFL playoff comebacks. 

These were all memorable games that saw one team rally from a big deficit to advance to the next round. One of these games was also a Super Bowl matchup, adding to the greatness of this accomplishment. 

January 3, 1993: Buffalo Bills 41, Houston Oilers 38

The biggest comeback in NFL playoff history occurred in the AFC Wild Card Game on January 3, 1993. The Houston Oilers appeared to be advancing to the AFC Divisional Round before they were stunned by the Buffalo Bills.

Houston opened up a 35-3 lead with 8:53 remaining in the third quarter before things fell apart in a hurry. The Oilers only managed a field goal from that point on, while the Bills put up a whopping 36 points.

Current Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich led the charge for Buffalo, throwing four touchdown passes in the third quarter or later. The Bills took a 38-35 lead on Houston when Andre Reed hauled in his third touchdown reception of the game. 

January 4, 2014: Indianapolis Colts 45, Kansas City Chiefs 44

The Kansas City Chiefs held a 38-10 lead with just over 11 minutes remaining in the third quarter in the AFC Wild Card Game in 2014. Quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Alex Smith would both throw four touchdown passes in this game, but Luck and the Colts took control of the game late.

Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton had a career performance in this game, hauling in 13 receptions for 224 yards. Hilton also caught the game-winning touchdown pass with just four minutes left in the game to steal the game away from the Chiefs. 

February 5, 2017: New England Patriots 34, Atlanta Falcons 28 (OT)

On February 5, 2017, the Atlanta Falcons were just 17 minutes away from winning the Super Bowl. Atlanta held a 28-3 lead over the New England Patriots, and everything appeared to be going right for the Falcons.

Then Patriots quarterback Tom Brady started to heat up, and the Falcons continued to throw the ball as if they were losing. What transpired was 31 unanswered points from the Patriots and heartbreak for the Falcons.

Brady threw for 466 yards and two touchdowns in the win, and James White had 14 receptions for 110 yards. White-capped off the comeback by scoring a two-yard touchdown run in overtime to give the Patriots the Super Bowl title. 

The Atlanta Falcons have not won a playoff game since that Super Bowl loss, while the Patriots would win another title in 2019. 

January 12, 2020: Kansas City Chiefs 51, Houston Texans 31

One of the biggest NFL playoff comebacks of all time happened a season ago in an AFC Divisional Round game. The final score might not indicate that a comeback occurred, as the Chiefs rallied and then never looked back.

The Houston Texans jumped out to a 24-0 lead just minutes into the second quarter before the Chiefs stormed back in a big way. Kansas City muffed two punts early in the game, and the Texan’s defense was dominant in the early going.

Some questionable coaching decisions from Bill O’Brien opened the door for Kansas City, and the Chiefs took full advantage. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw five touchdown passes for the Chiefs, and Kansas City would ride the momentum to a Super Bowl victory. 

January 5, 2003: San Francisco 49ers 39, New York Giants 38

The New York Giants took a 38-14 lead over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Wild Card Game, but things started to unravel near the end of the third quarter. 49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia had one of the best games of his career, and it came against one of the best defenses in the NFL.

Giants quarterback Kerry Collins got off to a great start but could not make big plays down the stretch. 

Wide receiver Terrell Owens was the real star for the 49ers in this game, hauling nine receptions for 177 yards. Owens also scored a pair of receiving touchdowns in one of the best games of his career.

Giants kicker Matt Bryant had a chance to salvage the Giants’ game late, but he missed a 42-yard field goal that would have given New York the victory. 

Wrapping It Up 

These top five NFL playoff comebacks have produced some of the most memorable moments in sports over the years. Pulling off one of these comebacks on the biggest stage gives sports fans memories to last a lifetime.

These top five NFL comebacks were all memorable in their own right and propelled many teams to deep playoff runs. With the playoffs set to begin in a few short weeks, we have the potential to see another remarkable comeback to add to the list. 

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