The thirst is real around the NFL.
The Bears and Panthers' returns to the postseason last season after lengthy droughts (four seasons for Chicago, seven for Carolina) quenched parched fans in Carolina and Chicago. But several clubs have not seen playoff football in quite some time.
It's been four years now since Arizona, Las Vegas and Tennessee made the postseason. The hiatus is five seasons in New Orleans and Indianapolis. The Falcons have been shut out of mid-January football for nearly a decade. No club has had it worse over the last 15 years, though, than the Jets.
While it seems dire for these clubs now, there is hope. Just look to Buffalo, where the Bills endured a 17-year postseason drought but are currently amid a seven-year streak of making the playoffs.
So, which NFL team is in the best position to return to the playoffs in the upcoming season after lengthy stays away? Here are my rankings, from least to most likely to make the postseason.
Last playoff season: 2021
There is no oasis to be found in the desert. Frankly, there's not even a mirage of one right now. Coming off a ghastly 3-14 campaign, Arizona parted with QB Kyler Murray in the offseason, and despite the selection of talented ball-carrier Jeremiyah Love at No. 3 overall, is in no better position to make the playoffs this year. They are rebuilding with a rookie coach (Mike LaFleur) and lack a clear long-term QB1, but their unfavorable situation is in large part a result of the goings-on in the Cardinals' division. Arizona is an afterthought in an NFC West populated by the reigning Super Bowl champs in Seattle, the 2026 title favorites in Los Angeles (hello, Myles Garrett) and perennial playoff contenders in San Francisco. The quality of the Cards' division opponents contributes to their .538 strength of schedule (based on opponents' 2025 winning percentage), tied for third-highest in the NFL. Our own Dan Parr argued last month that Arizona's slate is actually the toughest in the league, with six road games in the first nine weeks and a cruel Week 14 bye. The Cards may well be eliminated from playoff contention by then.
Last playoff season: 2021
As with the Cardinals, Las Vegas suffers from pulling up the rear in one of the toughest divisions in football. The Broncos and Chargers have made the postseason in each of the last two campaigns, while the Chiefs, despite missing the playoffs last year, remain a threat as long as Patrick Mahomes is healthy and Andy Reid is the coach. Things are looking up for the Raiders -- there is a plan at quarterback, with veteran Kirk Cousins set to cede the reins to No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza some time soon, and a fresh face at head coach in Super Bowl winner Klint Kubiak. But despite those additions, the Maxx Crosby retention and other savvy moves, the Raiders are the odd men out in the West. The Raiders' .529 strength of schedule (seventh-highest in the NFL) provides serious headwinds in their sails. The franchise has enjoyed just two playoff berths in the 23 years since its Super Bowl appearance, neither lasting longer than a game. Barring an expedited turnaround, it'll be two in 24 years by season's end.
Last playoff season: 2021
The new-look Titans will boast more than a fresh set of unis in 2026. Former New York head coaches Robert Saleh and Brian Daboll have found new homes in Nashville as head coach and offensive coordinator, respectively, and both veteran shot-callers have imported familiar faces (DE Jermaine Johnson II, WR Wan'Dale Robinson) to build around 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward. Add in this year's fourth overall selection, WR Carnell Tate, and the Titans are flush with enough talent to make a run at the AFC South. It helps that Tennessee's .476 strength of the schedule ranks 25th in the league. But the franchise has been in a rut in recent years, experiencing its worst stretch since the forgettable Munchak-Whisenhunt-Mularkey journey in the early 2010s. That run was followed by four playoff appearances soon after. Could the Saleh hire and Ward selection inspire a new era of winning Titans football? Perhaps, but it'll be tough to break through in their first year together while competing against AFC South rivals Jacksonville and Houston, who have postseason experience, along with another established team in the division (I'll have more on that squad at No. 3 on this list).
Last playoff season: 2010
In the NFL, where parity rules supreme, it's a statistical improbability for a team to go a decade and a half without making the playoffs, but don't tell Gang Green the odds. The second year of the Aaron Glenn era provides New York a solid shot at breaking the streak, with established veteran additions like Geno Smith, Demario Davis and Minkah Fitzpatrick strengthening the roster, and stars Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall back in the fold. In the Jets' way are the defending AFC champion Patriots and perennial postseason participant Bills in the East; that in-division competition is reflected in their .517 SOS (12th in NFL). The odds of New York snapping the streak this year aren't high, but I like its chances better than that of some others. How the AFC's mid-tier squads perform after an offseason of coaching turnover will affect whether there's a runway for the Jets to land in the playoff race.
Last playoff season: 2020
The Colts live in purgatory, hovering around 8-9 or 9-8 every season, no matter who's under center or how recently they were retired. The question at quarterback isn't who will be the starter, but how healthy he will be, as the newly extended Daniel Jones returns from his leg injury to the QB1 role. With a .465 strength of schedule (T-28th in NFL), the Colts are in a good position to challenge once again for the AFC South title. A lighter back half of the schedule gives Indy a break after last year's second-half collapse (seven straight losses after an 8-2 start). But as with the first three seasons of the Shane Steichen era, there is always the possibility that the Colts once again won't get over the hump.
Last playoff season: 2017
Atlanta has finished with a losing record in eight straight seasons, but the Birds have also rarely flamed out. They live in the uncomfortable middle, but the 2026 season presents a great opportunity to break through. The NFC South is up for grabs after Carolina edged Atlanta and Tampa Bay for the division title in a year where all three teams went 8-9. Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts all return as offensive weapons for whichever southpaw is under center, Michael Penix Jr. or Tua Tagovailoa. The Falcons have a .465 SOS (T-28th in the league) and the NFL's easiest schedule, according to NFL.com's Nick Shook, as their most difficult matchups come at home against Baltimore, Chicago and San Francisco in consecutive October weeks. The one problem is the other team in their division looking to end a drought ...
Last playoff season: 2020
The Saints were marching down the stretch last season, winning four of their last five after starting 2-10. In the second year of the Kellen Moore-Tyler Shough era, New Orleans can look at a playoff berth as a real possibility. The Saints have the NFL's second-most favorable schedule in terms of SOS (.434), and like the Falcons, play in a division that has no strong favorite. New Orleans wraps up the season with four of its final five games against division opponents (albeit with three on the road), which could prove important toward playoff positioning. By then, top additions Travis Etienne and Jordyn Tyson will have hopefully developed a rapport with Shough, Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave and Co. New Orleans and Atlanta could be 1A and 1B for this exercise, but the Saints get the edge due to the continuity in staff (Atlanta has a new coach and OC in Kevin Stefanski and Tommy Rees) and the positive momentum built late last season.
