5 Greatest Comebacks in NFL History

When the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII, they had to erase a fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime before coming away with the win. Amazingly, that was the second time in five years that the Chiefs trailed the 49ers in the fourth quarter only to come back and win. Still, historic as those victories are, they do not crack the list of the greatest comebacks in NFL history.

The biggest comebacks during the regular season in 2023 were orchestrated by the New York Giants and Denver Broncos, both of whom overcame 21-point deficits to pull out wins. But those games aren’t close to making this list.

You only have to go back one more season, to 2022, to find a comeback that made this list. Of course, it’s still hard to imagine any comeback overtaking the No. 1 game on this list.

Now, here are the five greatest comebacks in NFL history.

5 Greatest Comebacks in NFL History

5. AFC Divisional Playoff: Indianapolis 45, Kansas City 44 (down 28 points)

Jan. 4, 2014 in Indianapolis

Kansas City led 38-10 early in the third quarter and it looked like the Chiefs would easily advance to the divisional round.  However, Andrew Luck and the Colts quickly scored 21 points to close the lead to 41-31 going into the fourth quarter. Indianapolis then put together a 90-yard drive that culminated with a bizarre but fortuitous play. Running back Donald Brown fumbled the ball but it bounced into Luck’s hand and he took it into the end zone, making the score 41-38. The Colts ultimately went ahead 45-44 with 4:21 left in the game thanks to a 64-yard pass from Luck to T.Y. Hilton. They stopped the Chiefs on the next drive and were able to run out the clock.

4. Detroit 31, San Francisco 27 (down 20 points)
Dec. 22, 1957 in San Francisco

Both the 49ers and Lions finished 8-4 in the NFL’s old Western Conference and had to meet in a one-game playoff to determine who would play in the NFL Championship Game. When the 49ers went in leading 24-7 at the half, they were so confident that the Lions players could hear them laughing at halftime in San Francisco’s Kezar Stadium. Early in the third period, the 49ers kicked a field goal to extend its lead to 27-7, but would not score again. Lions backup quarterback Tobin Rote led an angered and reenergized Detroit team as they scored 24 unanswered points to shock the 49ers and pull off an amazing comeback. In the NFL Championship Game, the Lions beat the Browns 59-14 to win the last title in the franchise’s history.

3. Minnesota Vikings 39, Indianapolis Colts 36 (down 33 points)

Dec. 17, 2022, in Minneapolis

While this did not occur in the playoffs, it makes this list because the Vikings were down 33-0 at halftime and it appeared they were on the verge of losing their third loss in five games. Then the Minnesota defense shut down the Colts in the second half and worked their way back in methodical fashion, finally tying the game with 2:15 left. The teams traded eight-play drives that ended in punts in overtime before the Vikings put together a six-play, 60-yard drive that culminated with a 40-yard Greg Joseph field goal for the win that also clinched the NFC North for Minnesota.

2. AFC Wild Card: Buffalo 41, Houston 38 (down 32 points)
Jan. 3, 1993 in Buffalo 

From a pure points perspective, this is the biggest comeback (or choke job depending on which team you root for) in NFL history. Houston jumped out to a 35-3 third-quarter lead and it looked like the Bills' run of consecutive Super Bowl appearances would end at two. Then backup quarterback Frank Reich and the Buffalo defense gelled as the Bills scored 35 unanswered points to take a 38-35 lead with 3:08 left in the fourth quarter. Houston was able to tie the game with a field goal and send it into overtime. The Oilers got the ball first but their drive was cut short when Nate Odomes intercepted Warren Moon’s pass. Odomes’ return and a facemask penalty put the Bills on the Houston 20-yard line and Steve Christie booted a 32-yard game-winning field goal two plays later. The win propelled Buffalo through the playoffs as it went to the Super Bowl for the third straight year in a row.

1. Super Bowl LI: New England 34, Atlanta 28 (OT) (down 25 points)
Feb. 5, 2017 in Houston (NRG Stadium) 

In the previous 50 Super Bowls, the largest deficit any team had ever overcome was 10 points. The fact that the Patriots were down 25 points in the middle of the third quarter and came back to send the first Super Bowl into overtime puts this one at the top of the list.

— Written by Aaron Tallent, who is part of the Athlon Contributor Network. Tallent is a writer whose articles have appeared in The Sweet Science, FOX Sports' Outkick the Coverage, Liberty Island and The Washington Post. Follow him on Twitter at @AaronTallent.