Biggest Second half Comeback in NFL history covers Buffalo Bills vs. Houston Oilers 41-38 score in 1993. Bills made 38 points after halftime.
In the match between the Bills and the Oilers, Reich achieved 4 second-half touchdown passes, with three going to Andre Reed and one to Don Beebe. This made the Bills take a 38-35 lead with 3:08 left in the game after a 17-yard touchdown pass to Reed.
The Oilers, led by Warren Moon, then tied the game with a 63-yard drive that ended in an Al Del Greco field goal, sending the game into overtime. Houston had the ball first, but Moon’s pass was intercepted by Nate Odomes, which gave the Bills possession at the Oilers’ 20-yard line.
Steve Christie then kicked a 32-yard field goal to finish the incredible rebound. The Bills went on to reach their third consecutive Super Bowl a few weeks later.
Likewise, the Minnesota Vikings achieved the biggest recovery in NFL history by coming back from a 33-0 halftime deficit to win the NFC North title.
In the game, Cousins achieved four touchdown passes in the second half as the Vikings erased a 36-7 deficit and scored the final 32 points.
Largest 4th Quarter Comeback in NFL History
Biggest comeback in NFL history 4th quarter comprises 1994 St-Louis Cardinals vs. Buccaneers (31 – 28) and New York Jets vs. Dolphins (40-37).
In the match held on 23 Oct 2000 between Miami Dolphins and New York Jets, the Jets made a stunning recovery from a 30-7 deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat the Miami Dolphins 40-37 in overtime.
Vinny Testaverde’s five touchdown passes contributed to the historic win, with John Hall sealing the victory with a 40-yard field goal in overtime. Testaverde, Sage Rosenfels, and Tua Tagovailoa are the only players in the 30 years to throw 4 touchdowns in the last quarter.
On November 8, 1997, the St. Louis Cardinals made NFL history by making the largest fourth-quarter rebound. They overcame a 28-3 deficit to defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-28.
Neil Lomax threw three touchdown passes, the Cardinals secured the win when the Buccaneers missed a 53-yard field goal attempt in the final moments.
On December 1, 1985, the Minnesota Vikings made a stunning recovery against the Philadelphia Eagles. Tommy Kramer contributed a 42-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Carter with just 1:11 remaining in the game, securing a 28 – 23 victory.
Other Last Quarter Rebounds List
- Los Angeles Rams vs. Green Bay Packers in 1952, 30 – 28
- Minnesota Vikings vs. Indiana Polis Colts in 2022, 39 – 36
- Seattle Seahawks vs. Denver Broncos in 1979, 37 – 34
- Houston Olivers vs. Cincinnati Bengals 1979, 30 – 27
- Detroit Lions vs. San Francisco49ers 1957, 31-27
- Philadelphia Eagles vs. Chicago Cardinals 1959, 28 – 24
In the game between Indianapolis Colts and Kansas City Chiefs in 2013, the Colts pulled off a remarkable rebound by overcoming a 28-point deficit to beat the Chiefs 45-44.
Andrew Luck threw for 443 yards and four touchdowns, with a fumble recovery for a touchdown. TY Hilton achieved 224 yards and two touchdowns, leading the match to a solid victory.
| Teams | Date |
| San Diego Chargers Vs Denver Broncos (24 – 35) | October 15, 2012 |
| Detroit Lions Vs Dallas Cowboys (34 – 30) | October 2, 2011 |
| New York Giants Vs San Francisco 49ers (39 – 38) | January 5, 2003 |
| Indiana Polis Colts vs Buffalo Bills | September 21, 1997 |
| Houston Oilers Vs Buffalo Bills (41 – 38) | January 3, 1993 |
| Los Angeles Rams Vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (31 – 27) | December 6, 1992 |
| Tampa Bay Buccanees Vs St. Louis Cardinals (31 – 28) | November 8, 1987 |
| Los Angeles Raiders Vs Denver Broncos (30 – 27) | Septermber 26, 1988 |
Biggest Comeback In Super Bowl
Greatest Super Bowl comeback in NFL history includes Chiefs vs. SF 49ers in LIV (31 – 20) and Patriots vs. Seahawks in XLIX (28 – 24).
Led by Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LIV, the Kansas City Chiefs managed a remarkable rebound. They overcame a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
They defeated the San Francisco 49ers by 31-20. This victory ended the Chief’s 50-year championship drought and marked a long-awaited SB win for head coach Andy Reid. He had previously lost a Super Bowl as the coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.
New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts
New Orleans Saints made a significant comeback against the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV on February 7, 2010. The Saints were led by Drew Brees.
The Colts drove 58 yards for a touchdown and suppressed Peyton Manning and the Colts for the rest of the game.
The Saints earned their first championship in 43 years. Brees’s impressive performance, completing 32 of 39 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns, earned him the SB MVP honors which was held in Sun Life Stadium in Miami.
New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks
In Super Bowl XLIX, the New England Patriots made a comeback to beat the Seattle Seahawks 28-24. In that game, the Patriots were down to 24-14.
Tom Brady made a crucial 4-yard touchdown pass to Danny Amendola. Despite two interceptions, Brady finished with 328 passing yards and a career-high four SB touchdowns, securing the Patriots’ fourth championship under coach Bill Belichick.
On January 31, 1988, the Washington team faced the Denver Broncos at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego. Surprisingly, the Broncos led 10-0 after the first quarter.
The Washington staged a remarkable comeback. They scored an astonishing 35 points in the second quarter, setting an NFL playoff record for the most points in a quarter.
Doug Williams had a stellar performance with 340 passing yards and a then-record-tying four touchdowns earning him MVP honors. Moreover, Ricky Sanders achieved 193 receiving yards making a 42-10 win.
| Teams | Date |
| Kansas City Chiefs Vs San Francisco 49ers (31 – 20) | Feb 2, 2020 |
| New Orleans Saints Vs Indiana Polis Colts (31 – 17) | Feb 7, 2010 |
| New England Patriots Vs Seattle Seahawks (28 – 24) | Feb 1, 2015 |
| Washinton Vs Denver Broncos (42 – 10) | Jan 31, 1988 |
| New England Patriots Vs Atlanta Falcons (34 – 28) | February 5, 2017 |
| New York Giants Vs Buffalo Bills (20 – 19) | January 27, 1991 |
Biggest Comeback In NFL Playoffs
Largest NFL postseason comeback includes the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Houston Texans (51 – 31) in 2020 and the Jaguars vs. LA Chargers (31 – 0).
In the NFL postseason game on January 12, 2020, between the Chiefs and Texans, the Texans initially led 24-0. However, the Chiefs, led by their young quarterback Patrick Mahomes, turned the game around by scoring 28 points in the second quarter to lead 28-24 at halftime.
Kansas City’s defense improved in the second half, allowing just one touchdown, and they scored 41 consecutive points to win with a final score of 51-31. This comeback is widely regarded as one of the most significant in NFL history.
Indianapolis Colts vs. Kansas City Chiefs
In the 2014 AFC wild-card game, the Indianapolis Colts achieved a remarkable comeback. They dragged 38-10 in the third quarter, and Andrew Luck threw three of his 4 touchdown passes in the second half.
He also recovered a fumble for a touchdown, narrowing the gap to 41-38. In the end, Luck connected with T.Y. Hilton on a 64-yard pass, securing an outstanding 45-44 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jacksonville Jaguars Vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Similarly, On January 14, 2023, the Jacksonville Jaguars had a solid performance. In his playoff debut, Trevor Lawrence contributed 4 interceptions in the first half as they trailed 27-0.
Lawrence then made history by making four consecutive touchdown passes in the second half. He became the first Quarterback ever to do so in the same game, turning the tide to secure a 31-30 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons
In Super Bowl LI on February 5, 2017, The New England Patriots, led by Tom Brady, faced a huge 28-3 deficit in the third quarter. However, Brady made an exceptional performance, setting records with 446 passing yards, 62 attempts, and 43 completions.
This helped the Patriots make an incredible recovery, winning 34-28 in overtime. This game is remembered as one of Brady’s Legendary moments in the history of the National Football League.
Largest NFL Comeback Deficit
The New England Patriots made the Largest NFL Comeback by erasing a 28–3 deficit. They made a victory against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI 34-28.
Other deficits were made by the Minnesota Vikings overcoming a third-quarter deficit of 33 – 0. They defeated the Indianapolis Colts 39-36.
In overtime, Minnesota drove 60 yards, and Greg Joseph secured the victory with a 40-yard field goal, kicking it through with just 3 seconds left in the extra period.
Likewise, Before the Minnesota Viking’s big recovery in 2022, the Buffalo Bills had the largest playoff rebound, winning from a 35–3 deficit in 1992.
Buffalo Bills achieved the biggest comeback in NFL playoff history. They were trailing 35-3 but managed to turn the game around and win 41-38 in overtime, marking a remarkable 32-point comeback.
Backup quarterback Frank Reich played a big part, and the team’s star players like Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, and James Lofton also contributed to this historic moment in NFL history.