The Detroit Lions had a 17-point lead on the San Francisco 49ers in Sunday's NFC Championship game, teasing the franchise's first-ever Super Bowl appearance. Instead, as Dan Campbell noted after the game, the Lions had their hearts "ripped out," not only because San Francisco came back to win, but because 2023 may have been Detroit's "only shot" to win it all.
There's no denying the Lions were a successful underdog story this year, winning the NFC North and pulling within one win of the big game just two seasons after finishing 3-13-1. But there's also no denying the sting Motown must be feeling after such a deflating exit. Especially because the Lions added another year to a very long title drought -- the second-longest in the NFL.
Here's a look at the top 10 longest NFL title droughts, including Detroit:
Note: NFL championships predate the Super Bowl, which began with the 1966 season. From 1920-1932, champions were determined by end-of-season win totals. From 1933-1965, playoffs culminated with an NFL Championship. Since then, the Super Bowl has determined the champion, both before and after the NFL's merger with the AFL in 1969.
| Rank | Seasons | Team | Last Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 76 | 1947 | |
| 2 | 66 | Detroit Lions | 1957 |
| 3 | 63 | Never | |
| 4 | 62 | Tennessee Titans (Oilers) | 1961 |
| 5 | 60 | 1963 | |
| 6 | 58 | Atlanta Falcons | Never |
| 7 | 58 | 1965 | |
| 8 | 56 | Never | |
| 9 | 56* | 1964 | |
| 10 | 55 | 1968 |
Note: * The Browns "suspended operations" from 1996-1998 after team ownership moved club personnel to Baltimore to found the Ravens franchise, then returned as a newly stocked Browns team in 1999, thus the absence of three years in their drought.
