Longest Winning Streaks In NFL History

The NFL was formulated on 17th September 1920 in Ohio, United States, with its original name being the American Professional Football Association. The first president was former athlete and football Player Jim Thorpe, who was instrumental in laying the foundations for the NFL.

12 teams participated in the inaugural NFL campaign in 1920 and comprised of five teams from Ohio, four from Illinois, two from Indiana, and one from Michigan. Two of the original franchises have survived to the present day, the first being the Arizona Cardinals, the other being Chicago Bears.

Despite many years of instability and stiff competition from rival organisations, such as the American Football League (AFL). In 1970, the AFL and NFL merged together with a 26-team league, with NFL name being kept. The league has expanded four times since this merger and continues to be a huge part in US culture.

This section dissects the longest winning streaks in NFL history, from regular season right the way through to the playoffs.

Denver Broncos: 18 wins

Despite only having a 12-4 regular season record, the Broncos triumphed over the Green Bay Packers to win the 1997 Super Bowl. The 18-game winning streak begun on December 21st, 1997, with an emphatic 38-3 win over the San Diego Chargers. This run over two-seasons ended almost a year later, with a 16-20 loss to the New York Giants. Even though the winning streak ended, the Broncos retained the Super Bowl in 1998, defeating Atlanta Falcons 34-19 to cap off a successful season.

Chicago Bears: 18 wins

Tied with the Broncos on 18 wins, Chicago Bears NFL Championship victory in 1933 over the New York Giants was part of a joint club record winning streak. The 1934 season saw the Bears carry on a rich vein of form, winning all 13 regular season matches before it subsequently ending against the Giants in the NFL Championship, with a 13-30 defeat. This was a regular season record that stood for 70 years until it was broken by the New England Patriots in 2004.

3. Chicago Bears: 18 wins

Matching their own record, the Bears replicated this winning streak over the 1941 and 1942 seasons. A run which began against the Cleveland Rams in 1941 and saw the Bears win the NFL Championship over the Giants yet again and ended against the Washington Redskins in a 6-14 loss in the NFL Championship after a perfect 11-0 regular season record in 1942. Despite the disappointment, the Bears reclaimed the NFL Championship in 1943 with revenge over the Redskins with a 41-21 victory.

2. Green Bay Packers: 19 wins

Outright runners up on this list are the first Super Bowl champions, the Green Bay Packers. Even though the 2010 season only saw a four-game winning streak, they managed 19 wins spanning over two seasons in 2010 and 2011, which also saw them claim the Super Bowl against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 31-25 score. This impressive record came to a crashing halt against the Kansas City Chiefs in December 2011, with a 14-19 loss in a campaign which saw a regular season winning streak of 13. 1.

1. New England Patriots: 21 wins

Coming out on top and toppling a 70-year record is the New England Patriots, who also boast the most Super Bowl victories with 6. 15 of the 21 victories came in the 2003 season, beginning against the Tennessee Titans with a 38-30 victory in October. This winning streak ultimately guided the Patriots to a second Super Bowl title with a 32-29 win over the Carolina Panthers. Even though the winning streak ended against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 20-34 loss in October 2004, the Patriots retained the Super Bowl in a 24-21 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.