I’m sure you’re familiar with the NFL, and in particular with the NFL playoffs. Everyone knows that each year, only 12 teams make it to the playoffs and have a chance of making it to the Super Bowl. But before the playoffs begin, a whole lot of teams have already been eliminated from contention.
That got me wondering: which of these teams has never made the playoffs? Given how difficult it is to make it to the playoffs, there must be some teams out there who have never had the honor of qualifying for the playoffs. So, I decided to investigate.
First, I took a look at some of the younger NFL teams like the Jaguars, Texans, and Panthers. While none of these teams have been around for that long, they’ve still had plenty of chances to make the playoffs. The Panthers actually made it to the Super Bowl in 2003 and went 15-1 in the 2015-16 season, but somehow never qualified for the playoffs.
So, it’s not just the younger teams who haven’t made the playoffs. I decided to try and find some older teams who haven’t made it, and sure enough the Chicago Bears and the Cleveland Browns both fit the bill. The Bears, one of the founding franchises of the NFL, have won a staggering nine championships in their illustrious history, but somehow have not been able to make the playoffs.
I thought surely something was wrong with the Bears and Browns, and so I kept looking. Eventually, I stumbled upon the Detroit Lions, who have existed since 1930 and surprisingly have never qualified for the playoffs. It’s been a long and arduous journey for them, with periods of success followed by decades of disappointment. But, last year the Lions finally had a winning season, which showed me that they’re still determined to reach the playoffs.
I was amazed at how many teams hadn’t made the playoffs, especially some of the oldest ones. It goes to show that making it to the playoffs in the NFL is no easy feat, and it’s certainly not something to take for granted. Even the most successful teams can struggle to get in, so it’s important to appreciate it when you have a chance to make the playoffs.
Now that I had identified the teams that had never made the playoffs, I wanted to understand why. After doing some research, I found out that it’s usually a combination of bad luck, bad coaching, and bad decisions made by a team’s front office. The positive side of the equation is that, when a team makes the proper adjustments, it can go from a perennial loser to a serious playoff contender very quickly.
It’s sad that some teams have failed to make the playoffs, but it’s also inspirational to see teams that are still battling and striving to reach the playoffs despite their struggles. The Detroit Lions may not have made it yet, but with some hard work and perseverance, they could end their playoff drought in the near future.