Starting an NFL season 0-2 can quickly put a team under pressure, but history shows that losing the first two games does not necessarily mean the season is over.
Since 1990, 35 of 288 NFL teams that started a season 0-2 have recovered to make the playoffs, a postseason success rate of approximately 12.2%.
That works out to roughly one out of every eight 0-2 teams reaching the postseason.
How Often Do 0-2 NFL Teams Make the Playoffs?
The historical numbers show just how difficult it is to overcome an 0-2 start.
Since the NFL expanded its playoff format in 1990:
0-2 teams: 288
0-2 teams that made the playoffs: 35
Playoff percentage: 12.2%
In other words, nearly 88% of teams beginning a season with consecutive losses have failed to reach the postseason.
However, the NFL’s current 17-game regular season and expanded 14-team playoff format give struggling teams more opportunities to recover than they had under previous formats.
Have Any 0-2 NFL Teams Won the Super Bowl?
Yes. Not only have teams recovered from 0-2 to reach the playoffs, but several have gone all the way and won the Super Bowl.
Three notable Super Bowl champions started their seasons 0-2:
1993 Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys lost their first two games before recovering to finish 12-4 and eventually defeating the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVIII.
2001 New England Patriots: New England opened 0-2 before beginning its turnaround and eventually defeating the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI, giving the franchise its first Super Bowl championship.
2007 New York Giants: The Giants started 0-2 but reached the playoffs as a wild-card team. New York eventually completed one of the most memorable postseason runs in NFL history by upsetting the previously undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.
Recent NFL Teams Have Recovered From 0-2
An 0-2 comeback isn’t limited to older NFL history.
During the 2024 season, the Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Rams and Denver Broncos all started 0-2 and still managed to reach the NFL playoffs.
Those examples demonstrate that an 0-2 record remains recoverable, particularly with seven playoff teams qualifying from each conference under the current postseason format.
Is an 0-2 NFL Team Eliminated From Playoff Contention?
No. An 0-2 team is nowhere close to being mathematically eliminated.
With a 17-game regular season, a team starting 0-2 still has 15 games remaining. A strong run can quickly change the standings, particularly if the team wins divisional and conference games that factor into playoff tiebreakers.
The problem is historical probability. While there is plenty of time remaining, only about 12% of 0-2 teams since 1990 have ultimately qualified for the postseason.
That makes Week 3 particularly important for teams trying to avoid falling to 0-3.
What About NFL Teams That Start 0-3?
Falling to 0-3 historically makes the path considerably more difficult. At that point, a team has already lost nearly 18% of its 17-game regular-season schedule and has significantly less room for error.
An 0-2 team can realistically return to .500 with consecutive victories. An 0-3 team requires a longer winning streak just to get its season back on level footing.
That is why games involving 0-2 teams in Week 3 can feel like early-season playoff games even though mathematical elimination remains months away.
Can an 0-2 NFL Team Still Make the Playoffs?
Absolutely.
NFL history shows that 35 teams since 1990 have started 0-2 and still made the playoffs, representing approximately 12.2% of all teams with that start.
More impressively, the Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots and New York Giants have demonstrated that an 0-2 start doesn’t even eliminate a team from eventually winning the Super Bowl.
The odds aren’t favorable, but with 15 regular-season games remaining after an 0-2 start, there is still plenty of football left to determine a team’s season.