It’s a real thing! Incredibly, 17 of the past 19 years a team has gone from worst to final in the NFL.
In fact, of the 50 teams in league history to go from “worst-to-first,” 27 of them have done so in the past 19 years (2003-21), including an NFL-record three such teams in 2005 and 2006.
Two teams during that span, the 2009 New Orleans Saints and the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles, won the Super Bowl after finishing in last place in their division the season before.
Last year, the Cincinnati Bengals advanced to Super Bowl LVI after finishing in last place in the AFC North in 2020. They became the fifth team since 2000 to advance to the Super Bowl the season after finishing in last place in its division.
| YEAR | TEAM | REC | PREV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Carolina | 11-5 | 7-9 |
| 2003 | Kansas City | 13-3 | 8-8* |
| 2004 | Atlanta | 11-5 | 5-11 |
| 2004 | San Diego | 12-4 | 4-12* |
| 2005 | Chicago | 11-5 | 5-11 |
| 2005 | New York Giants | 11-5 | 6-10* |
| 2005 | Tampa Bay | 11-5 | 5-11 |
| 2006 | Baltimore | 13-3 | 6-10* |
| 2006 | New Orleans | 10-6 | 3-13 |
| 2006 | Philadelphia | 10-6 | 6-10 |
| 2007 | Tampa Bay | 9-7 | 4-12 |
| 2008 | Miami | 11-5 | 1-15 |
| 2009 | New Orleans** | 13-3 | 8-8 |
| 2010 | Kansas City | 10-6 | 4-12 |
| 2011 | Denver | 8-8 | 4-12 |
| 2011 | Houston | 10-6 | 6-10* |
| 2012 | Washington | 10-6 | 5-11 |
| 2013 | Carolina | 12-4 | 7-9* |
| 2013 | Philadelphia | 10-6 | 4-12 |
| 2015 | Washington | 9-7 | 4-12 |
| 2016 | Dallas | 4-12 | 13-3 |
| 2017 | Jacksonville | 10-6 | 3-13 |
| 2017 | Philadelphia** | 13-3 | 7-9 |
| 2018 | Chicago | 13-3 | 5-11 |
| 2018 | Houston | 11-5 | 4-12* |
| 2020 | Washington | 7-9 | 3-13 |
| 2021 | Cincinnati | 10-7 | 4-11-1 |
* Tied for last place
** Won Super Bowl