NFL

How many wild-card teams have won the Super Bowl in NFL history?

Just one wild-card team remains following the opening round of the NFL playoffs.

Share
NBC Universal, Inc.

Six wild-card teams entered and just one remains.

The No. 6 Washington Commanders are the lone wild-card team still alive in the NFL playoffs entering the Divisional Round. The NFC's No. 5 Minnesota Vikings and No. 7 Green Bay Packers, along with the AFC's No. 5 Los Angeles Chargers, No. 6 Pittsburgh Steelers and No. 7 Denver Broncos, all suffered season-ending road losses on Wild Card Weekend.

But the Commanders advanced beyond the opening round with a 23-20 victory over the No. 3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Zane Gonzalez's walk-off field goal at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, gave Washington its first playoff win since the 2005 season.

As the lowest-seeded team remaining in the NFC, Jayden Daniels and Co. will next visit the top-seeded Detroit Lions. Detroit is coming off a first-round bye following a 15-2 regular season.

Washington sits three wins away from its first Super Bowl title since the franchise's 1991 championship season. But just how many teams have been able to go from wild card to Super Bowl champion? Here's what to know:

When were wild cards added to the NFL playoffs?

The wild-card format was first introduced in 1980, when one more team from each conference could qualify for the playoffs in addition to six total division champions. Two more wild-card teams were added in 1978 and then again in 1990, bringing the playoff field to 12 teams.

The NFL realigned to eight four-team divisions when the league expanded to 32 teams in 2002. The playoff field remained at 12 teams, though, with a total of four wild cards.

In 2020, the NFL added a third wild-card spot to each conference, awarding a first-round bye to only the No. 1 seeds.

Has a wild-card team ever made, won the Super Bowl?

There have been 11 wild-card teams to play in the Super Bowl, and more than half were crowned champions.

The Minnesota Vikings' hot season came to an end after falling - not so graciously - to the Los Angeles Rams in the final wild card game.

Who's the last NFL wild-card team to make, win the Super Bowl?

The 2020 Buccaneers stand as the most recent wild-card team to both make and win the Super Bowl. Tom Brady and Co. entered the playoffs as the No. 5 seed following an 11-5 regular season. 

Tampa Bay defeated No. 4 Washington, No. 2 New Orleans and No. 1 Green Bay en route to Super Bowl 55, where the Bucs crushed the NFL-best Kansas City Chiefs 31-9 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. The Bucs were the first team in NFL history to play a Super Bowl at their home stadium.

How many NFL wild-card teams have won the Super Bowl?

Tampa Bay became the seventh wild-card team to win the Super Bowl. The first team to achieve the feat was the 1980 Oakland Raiders, who took down the Philadelphia Eagles 27-10 in Super Bowl 15 as a No. 4 seed.

Here’s a full look at the seven wild-card teams to win it all:

1980 Oakland Raiders, No. 4 seed: 27-10 over Eagles in Super Bowl 15

1997 Denver Broncos, No. 4 seed: 31-24 over Packers in Super Bowl 32

2000 Baltimore Ravens, No. 4 seed: 34-7 over Giants in Super Bowl 35

2005 Pittsburgh Steelers, No. 6 seed: 21-10 over Seahawks in Super Bowl 40

2007 New York Giants, No. 5 seed: 17-14 over Patriots in Super Bowl 43

2010 Green Bay Packers, No. 6 seed: 31-25 over Steelers in Super Bowl 45

2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, No. 5 seed: 31-9 over Chiefs in Super Bowl 55

How many NFL wild-card teams have made the Super Bowl?

In addition to the seven winners, four other wild-card teams have reached the Super Bowl and lost.

The 1975 Dallas Cowboys were the first wild-card team to reach the Super Bowl. As a No. 4 seed, Dallas won two playoff games before losing 21-17 to Pittsburgh in Super Bowl 10.

Here are the four wild-card teams that fell short in the Big Game:

1975 Dallas Cowboys, No. 4 seed: 21-17 to Steelers in Super Bowl 10

1985 New England Patriots, No. 5 seed: 46-10 to Bears in Super Bowl 20

1992 Buffalo Bills, No. 4 seed: 52-17 to Cowboys in Super Bowl 27

1999 Tennessee Titans, No. 4 seed: 23-16 to Rams in Super Bowl 34

The Philadelphia Eagles advanced to the divisional round after beating the Green Bay Packers in the wild card round.
Contact Us