Longest championship droughts, longest playoff droughts
Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
What is the longest championship drought ever? While there are great dynasties throughout sports history, plenty of NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB teams have gone decades without being on top of the world. Whether curses are to blame or just bad management and worse luck, fans put up with a lot.
For many of these teams, these streaks of decades without a championship extend beyond one generation. Fans growing up as children hoping desperately to see their favorite club they were raised to support one day lift the banner declaring the champions. Time flies by and those same fans are capturing their children and even grandchildren in that same feeling.
Of course, some have it worse than others. While championship droughts are the focus, some fan bases have gone more than a decade without even seeing their team in the playoffs. It’s one thing to never hoist the championship trophy and witness a parade, but not even experiencing the brief second of joy from a playoff game makes rooting for teams even more painful.
Longest active playoff droughts in sports
New York Jets (NFL) – 14 years
Buffalo Sabres (NHL) – 13 years
Los Angeles Angels (MLB) – 10 years
Pittsburgh Pirates (MLB) – 9 years
Charlotte Hornets (NBA) – 8 years
Detroit Red Wings (NHL) – 8 years
Denver Broncos (NFL) – 8 years
Here are the longest championship droughts and playoff droughts in the four major American professional sports.
Longest championship drought in NFL
Syndication: Arizona Republic
The Arizona Cardinals have the longest championship drought in the NFL, with their last title coming in 1947 as the Chicago Cardinals. While the Cardinals appeared in Super Bowl XLIII in 2009, their lone Super Bowl appearance, this organization has never hoisted the Lombardi Trophy.
Some believe a curse is a reason for this title drought. Back in 1925, the Cardinals faced the Pottsville Maroons in the 1925 NFL Championship game. Pottsville won the game 21-7, a win that should have secured the championship. However, they were stripped of the title and the Maroons were suspended by the NFL for playing an exhibition game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The NFL then gave the title to the Cardinals.
Of course, the Cardinals aren’t the only franchise with a championship drought beyond 50 years. The Detroit Lions, are one of seven teams without a Super Bowl win. The last time the Lions won a championship came in 1957, when they defeated the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Championship Game.
NFL teams that have never won a Super Bowl
Longest playoff droughts in NFL
Here are the longest active playoff droughts in the NFL entering the 2022 season.
New York Jets – 14 seasons
Denver Broncos – 8 seasons
Carolina Panthers – 7 seasons
Atlanta Falcons – 6 seasons
The New York Jets signed Aaron Rodgers before the 2023 season, hoping he would end the longest playoff drought in the NFL. Instead, the Jets missed the playoffs in 2023 after he suffered an Achilles tear in Week 1. One year later, after firing their general manager and head coach, the Jets were eliminated from NFL playoff contention in 2024 following a Week 14 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
On Dec. 24, 2023, the Detroit Lions officially won the NFC North for the first time in franchise history. The Lions had a six-year playoff drought entering the 2023 season, with many believing the streak would end this year. Sure enough, a streak of 29 consecutive seasons without a division title has drawn to a close.
Who has the longest NFL playoff drought?
The New York Jets have the longest active playoff drought in the NFL, having missed the playoffs in 14 consecutive seasons.
Longest World Series drought in MLB
MLB: World Series-Chicago Cubs at Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians have the longest active championship drought in MLB, with their last World Series title coming in 1948. Cleveland reached the World Series multiple times (1954, ’95, ’97 and 2016). Ironically, the 2016 World Series loss to the Chicago Cubs snapped the longest championship drought ever, with the Cubs going 107 years without a title.
Longest championship droughts in MLB
Cleveland Guardians – 75 years
Milwaukee Brewers – 55 years
San Diego Padres – 55 years
Seattle Mariners – 48 years
Pittsburgh Pirates – 45 years
Baltimore Orioles – 40 years
Detroit Tigers – 39 years
New York Mets – 37 years
Oakland Athletics – 35 years
Cincinnati Reds – 34 years
Minnesota Twins – 33 years
Colorado Rockies – 31 years
Toronto Blue Jays – 31 years
While the Seattle Mariners are far behind some others in the length of their title drought, they are in MLB history for another unfortunate reason. The Mariners went 20 years without reaching the MLB playoffs, it was the longest active postseason drought in the top four American men’s sports before they made the playoffs in 2022.
In 2023, the Texas Rangers won their first World Series title in franchise history. The Rangers franchise first started playing in Texas at the start of the 1972 season, so the Texas franchise did not have one of the longest championship droughts in MLB.
Entering the 2025 MLB season, 13-of-30 teams haven’t won the World Series in more than 30 years.
MLB teams with longest postseason drought
Los Angeles Angels – 10 years
Pittsburgh Pirates – 9 years
Colorado Rockies – 6 years
The Seattle Mariners snapped one of the longest playoff droughts ever in 2022, making it into the MLB postseason for the first time in two decades. The Mariners last made the playoffs in 2001, an unforgettable season for the team. Seattle tied the record for the most wins in an MLB season (116), but lost in the American League Championship Series to the New York Yankees. Seattle then went 20 years without making it back to the postseason, but that streak is now over. When the Mariners hosted the Houston Astros in Game 3 of the American League Division Series in 2022, it was Seattle’s first MLB playoff game since Oct. 18, 2001.
In 2024, the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals snapped their postseason droughts. In each of the last three seasons, some of the longest MLB playoff droughts have been snapped.
What is the longest MLB playoff drought?
The Los Angeles Angels have the longest active playoff drought in MLB, having not made the playoffs in 10 years.
NBA teams with the longest championship droughts
NBA: Phoenix Suns at Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings have the longest championship drought in the NBA and had one of the longest playoff droughts in American sports prior to last season. It’s par for the course from a team that has battled to even reach mediocrity during its best seasons in the last two decades.
Basketball fans must go all the way back to the 1951 NBA to find the last Kings’ championship. Keep in mind, that this happened when this franchise played in Rochester, New York as the Rochester Royals. The Royals beat the New York Knicks in seven games to win the 1951 NBA Finals.
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The Kings also have one of the longest playoff droughts in American professional sports. Following the 2021-’22 NBA season, Sacramento has missed the playoff in 16 consecutive seasons. It is the longest playoff drought in NBA history, surpassing the Los Angeles Clippers (15, 1977-19992) and Minnesota Timberwolves (13, 2005-’18).
Longest championship droughts in NBA
Sacramento Kings – 73 years
Atlanta Hawks – 66 years
Phoenix Suns – 56 years
Los Angeles Clippers – 54 years
New York Knicks – 52 years
Utah Jazz – 50 years
Indiana Pacers – 48 years
Brooklyn Nets – 48 years
Portland Trail Blazers – 47 years
The Phoenix Suns have the longest championship drought by a team without a single title. They are one of 11 teams without an NBA championship.
The Boston Celtics ended their 16-year championship drought after defeating the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals. Notably, prior to winning the NBA Finals, Boston sports teams were in the midst of their second-longest championship drought ever.
Which NBA team has the longest championship drought?
The Sacramento Kings have the longest championship drought in NBA history at 72 years. When the Kings last won a championship in 1951, they were known as the Rochester Royals.
Have the Nuggets ever won a championship?
The Denver Nuggets won their first NBA title in 2023 with a win over the Miami Heat in five games. Previously, Denver was one of the NBA teams with the longest championship droughts.
Longest playoff droughts in NBA
Charlotte Hornets – 8 seasons
Detroit Pistons – 5 seasons
San Antonio Spurs – 5 seasons
Houston Rockets – 4 seasons
Portland Trail Blazers – 3 seasons
The Sacramento Kings ended their 16-year playoff drought in 2023, hosting a series in the Western Conference against the Golden State Warriors. Sacramento ended the longest playoff drought in the NBA as did the Cleveland Cavaliers (four years). It was also the first time the Cavaliers made the playoffs without LeBron James since 1998.
Longest Stanley Cup title drought in NHL
NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Tampa Bay Lightning at Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have the longest championship drought in the NHL, a massive fall for a dynasty. From 1917-’67, Toronto won the Stanley Cup finals 13 times, they still have the second-most Stanley Cup wins in NHL history.
Unfortunately, the wheels have fallen off in recent decades. The Maple Leafs have now gone 55 years without being crowned NHL champions. To make matters worse, this team isn’t even coming close to the Stanley Cup finals. In fact, the last time Toronto hosted an Eastern Conference finals game came in 2002.
At least the Maple Leafs aren’t totally alone. The Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks are the other NHL teams to go 50-plus years without winning the Stanley Cup. Sadly for hockey fans in Philly, the Philadelphia Flyers aren’t far behind. Buffalo’s future is bright, but it is currently riding the longest playoff drought in NHL history with 11 consecutive seasons without an appearance in the NHL playoffs.
Longest championship droughts in NHL
Toronto Maple Leafs – 56 years – ACTIVE
New York Rangers – 53 years (1941-1994)
St. Louis Blues – 52 years – (1968-2019)
Buffalo Sabres – 51 years – ACTIVE
Vancouver Canucks – 51 years – ACTIVE
Chicago Blackhawks – 48 years – (1962-2010)
Philadelphia Flyers – 48 years – ACTIVE
The Toronto Maple Leafs have the longest Stanley Cup drought in NHL history. After being eliminated by the Boston Bruins in the 2024 NHL Playoff, the Maple Leafs now haven’t won the Stanley Cup in 56 years. The last time the Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup was in 1967.
The New York Rangers have a 54-year championship drought, which was extended after they lost to the Florida Panthers in the 2024 Eastern Conference Final.
Longest playoff droughts in NHL
Buffalo Sabres – 13 years
Detroit Red Wings – 8 years
Ottawa Senators – 7 years
Anaheim Ducks – 6 years
San Jose Sharks – 5 seasons
The Buffalo Sabres have the longest active playoff drought in the NHL at 13 seasons. The Sabres last played in the NHL playoff in 2011. The Sabres hold the record for the longest playoff drought in NHL history.