As the first week of January approaches, every NFL fan knows that it is time to gear up for the playoffs. A total of 14 teams make it to the NFL playoffs (7 from each Conference) to compete for a chance to play for the prestigious Vince Lombardi Trophy at the Super Bowl. There are a few teams who are no strangers to the playoffs while there are some for whom playoff appearances are rarer. With the expansion of the number of playoff teams from 12 to 14 in 2020, more teams now get a chance to compete to become Conference champions and ultimately play the NFL Super Bowl.
Historically franchises like Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys have dominated playoff appearances since before the National Football League merger in 1966. However, in the modern era of NFL franchises like the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots have held consecutive playoff appearances. As the latest NFL playoffs are on the horizon, here is a look into teams with the most number of playoff appearances since 2010:
1. Kansas City Chiefs - 12 appearances
With 12 playoff appearances since 2010, the Kansas City Chiefs make it to the list of teams with the most playoff appearances in the last decade. The Chiefs hold an active streak of being divisional champions in the American Football Conference West division consecutively since 2016. The Chiefs continue to dominate the AFC West Division with their latest Super Bowl win coming in the 2023 season. Mahomes' arrival in 2018 has made Kansas City a perennial Super Bowl contender, winning three Lombardi trophies in the span of six years (2018-2023).
2. Green Bay Packers - 12 appearances
The Packers are one of the oldest teams in the NFL and the team with whom legendary NFL coach Vince Lombardi won the first-ever Super Bowl and the second one consecutively. The Green Bay Packers are great performers in their NFC North division, winning it 8 times since 2010. With 12 playoff appearances since 2010, the Packers have maintained a good record although their last Super Bowl win was in 2010.
3. New England Patriots - 11 appearances
New England Patriots took the NFL by storm in 2001 when quarterback Tom Brady arrived on the scene. They had an impeccable record of not missing a playoff for an entire decade from 2010 to 2019. With 6 Super Bowl titles to their name, the Patriots have been one of the most successful NFL franchises. The Patriots have won the American Football Conference 5 times since 2010 with a record of 10 playoff appearances since then. However, since the departure of Tom Brady, the Patriots have only been able to make it to the postseason once (2021).
4. Seattle Seahawks- 10 appearances
Seattle Seahawks is a franchise that enjoyed immense success in its division during the 2010s. The decade saw the Seahawks making it to the playoffs 9 times with 5 consecutive playoff appearances from 2012 to 2016. Seattle won its only Super Bowl in 2013 with a commendable defensive performance.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers- 10 appearances
The Steelers are no strangers to the NFL playoffs with one of the highest playoff appearance records with 35. Since 2010, the Steelers have made it to the playoffs 9 times under the leadership of Mike Tomlin, who has never had a losing season in his entire head coaching tenure. The Steelers have a record of not registering 12 or more losses in a season, ever since the expansion of the game schedule to 16 games in 1978.
6. Baltimore Ravens - 10 appearances
Formed in 1996, the Baltimore Ravens have been an ideal franchise since its inception. The Ravens have made it into the postseason 16 times in the 21st century, with 9 of their appearances coming since 2010. Ravens have been a perennial playoff team since two-time MVP Lamar Jackson came to Baltimore in 2018.
7. Philadelphia Eagles - 9 appearances
Philly's has been a constant presence in the postseason since 2017, missing the playoffs only once in 2020. The Eagles also won the franchise's first Super Bowl in the 2017 season. Under Jalen Hurts' leadership, Philadelphia has been a major threat in the NFC for the past half a decade, making it to the Super Bowl once (2022) during that span.
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