Lions Now Possess Longest Playoff Win Drought

Read more on the Detroit Lions now laying claim to the longest playoff win drought in the NFL.

The Detroit Lions now own one of the longest streaks in the NFL, and it's for something that no franchise desires: The longest streak without a playoff victory. 

The Cincinnati Bengals, which previously possessed the longest drought in the league without a postseason win, ended their 31-year winless streak Saturday by defeating the Las Vegas Raiders, 26-19.

Detroit hasn't won a playoff game since beating the Dallas Cowboys, 38-6, on Jan. 5, 1992, in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs.

That Lions team was led by Wayne Fontes, and finished with a 12-4 record and in first place in the then-NFC Central division. The roster featured the likes of Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders, standout linebacker Chris Spielman, who currently serves as special assistant to Lions team president Rod Wood, and longtime left tackle Lomas Brown. 

Since then, the organization has made just eight playoff appearances, with the last one having come during the 2016 season.

The franchise has endured a rough patch since that last trip to the postseason, with only one winning season and four straight losing campaigns, including a 3-13-1 finish in 2021.

The NFL team now with the second-longest playoff win drought: The Miami Dolphins, which last won a playoff game on Dec. 30, 2000, in overtime against the Indianapolis Colts.