Sports and Media
Have the Buffalo Bills Ever Won a Super Bowl: A Complete History
Himani Verma
Contributor
Have the Buffalo Bills ever won a Super Bowl? Despite a loyal fanbase and four consecutive championship appearances in the 1990s, victory has remained elusive. As the team builds a powerhouse roster, could their long-awaited triumph be near? Explore their journey, setbacks, and hopes for the future.
The Buffalo Bills are one of the most recognised teams in the National Football League (NFL). Over the years, they have built a loyal fan base and delivered memorable performances. However, one of the most frequently asked questions about the team is: have the Bills ever won a Super Bowl?
The answer is no—the Buffalo Bills have never won a Super Bowl. Despite reaching the championship game four times in consecutive seasons during the early 1990s, they were unable to secure a victory.
Buffalo has come close on several occasions, and with a talented roster led by Josh Allen, their chances remain high. The team has built a strong foundation and is considered a Super Bowl contender each season.
While they have not yet won a Super Bowl, the franchise’s history of resilience and determination suggests that a championship win could be in their future.
This article explores the history of the Buffalo Bills, their Super Bowl appearances, and their journey as a franchise.
The origins of the Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills began playing in 1960 as a founding team of the American Football League (AFL). They were led by head coach Buster Ramsey and joined the NFL in 1970 after the AFL and NFL merged. In their first two seasons, the Bills had records of 5–8–1 and 6–8 under Ramsey. However, they won back-to-back AFL titles in 1964 and 1965 with quarterback Jack Kemp and coach Lou Saban. Since then, the team has not won a league championship.
Running back O. J. Simpson became the face of the Bills for most of the 1970s, and he famously broke the NFL's single-season rushing record in 1973. After the AFL-NFL merger, the Bills became the second NFL team to represent Buffalo, following the Buffalo All-Americans, a founding team of the league. Buffalo had been without a team in the NFL since the All-Americans folded in 1929. Before the Bills, there were a few other professional football teams in the city, such as the Indians/Tigers in the 1940s and another team called the Bills in the late 1940s in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC).
In the 1970s, after the merger, the Bills were mostly average, but they still had standout players like O. J. Simpson. The team nearly fell apart in the mid-1980s, but after the collapse of the United States Football League (USFL), the Bills rebuilt by drafting top players like Jim Kelly (who initially played for the USFL), Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith, and Darryl Talley. This led the Bills to become a strong team again in the late 1980s and 1990s under head coach Marv Levy. During this time, the Bills reached the AFC Championship game four times in a row, but unfortunately lost all four Super Bowls, a record they still hold.
The rise of their division rival, the New England Patriots, led by Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, made it difficult for the Bills to reach the playoffs in the 2000s and 2010s. The team went without a playoff appearance for 17 consecutive seasons between 2000 and 2016, the longest active playoff drought in major professional sports at that time.
In the early 2000s, Mike Mularkey was the Bills’ head coach. He coached the team in 2004 and 2005, with the team going 9–7 in 2004 but missing the playoffs, and 5–11 in 2005. He resigned after the 2005 season. From 2006 to 2009, Dick Jauron coached the Bills. The team had three seasons with a 7–9 record, and Jauron was fired after a 3–6 start to the 2009 season. Perry Fewell served as interim coach for the rest of the season with a 3–4 record.
From 2010 to 2012, Chan Gailey took over as head coach. Under his leadership, the Bills had Ryan Fitzpatrick as their quarterback. However, after three consecutive last-place finishes in the AFC East, Gailey was fired.
Doug Marrone became the Bills' head coach for the 2013 season. The Bills had a 6–10 record in 2013 and improved to 9–7 in 2014. Marrone decided to step down after the 2014 season. On October 8, 2014, the Buffalo Sabres owners, Terry and Kim Pegula, were approved to acquire the Bills, becoming the team’s second ownership group after the founder Ralph Wilson. After Kim Pegula suffered a brain injury in 2022, a portion of her stake in the team was transferred to her daughter Laura. In December 2024, a 20% share in the team was sold to a group of private investors and former Toronto athletes Jozy Altidore, Vince Carter, and Tracy McGrady.
Before the 2015 season, the team hired former Jets head coach Rex Ryan. The Bills went 8–8 in 2015 and 7–9 in 2016. Ryan was fired with one game left in the 2016 season, and Anthony Lynn took over as interim coach for the rest of the season.
Under head coach Sean McDermott, the Bills broke their playoff drought, making it to the playoffs six times in the next seven seasons. In 2018, they drafted quarterback Josh Allen with the seventh overall pick. The Bills won their first division title and playoff games since 1995 in the 2020 season. This was helped by the departure of Tom Brady from the AFC East, as well as the Bills' core players like Allen, Stefon Diggs, Matt Milano, and Tre'Davious White. In 2020, the Bills made it to the AFC Championship for the first time since 1993 but lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 38–24.
In the 2021 season, the Bills won the AFC East with an 11–6 record. They beat the New England Patriots 47–17 in the Wild Card Round but lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 42–36 in overtime. In the 2022 season, the Bills won the AFC East again with a 13–3 record. That season saw a cancelled game against the Bengals after player Damar Hamlin suffered a life-threatening injury, though he eventually recovered and returned to football. The Bills defeated the Miami Dolphins 34–31 in the Wild Card Round but lost to the Cincinnati Bengals 27–10 in the Divisional Round.
In the 2023 season, the Bills won the AFC East for a fourth consecutive season. In the Wild Card Round, they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31–17 but lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 27–24 in the Divisional Round. The Bills have announced plans to build a new stadium to replace Highmark Stadium, which is set to be ready by 2026.
The Bills' road to the Super Bowl
The 1980s saw the Buffalo Bills steadily improve, setting the stage for their dominance in the early 1990s. Under the leadership of head coach Marv Levy and general manager Bill Polian, the Bills developed one of the strongest teams in the NFL. Their roster included several future Hall of Fame players, such as:
- - Jim Kelly (Quarterback)
- - Thurman Thomas (Running Back)
- - Bruce Smith (Defensive End)
- - Andre Reed (Wide Receiver)
These players played a crucial role in the team’s success, and together, they helped lead the Bills to four consecutive Super Bowl appearances from 1990 to 1993.
Super Bowl XXV (1990 Season) – A Heartbreaking Loss
The Buffalo Bills made their first Super Bowl appearance on 27 January 1991, against the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXV. The Bills were seen as favourites, mainly due to their powerful "K-Gun" offence led by quarterback Jim Kelly.
The game turned out to be one of the closest in Super Bowl history. With just eight seconds left, Buffalo had the chance to win with a 47-yard field goal attempt by kicker Scott Norwood. Unfortunately, the kick went wide right, and the Giants won 20-19, leaving the Bills heartbroken.
Super Bowl XXVI (1991 Season) – A Tough Defeat
The Bills returned to the Super Bowl the following year, facing the Washington Redskins on 26 January 1992 in Super Bowl XXVI. This time, the game was much less competitive. The Redskins dominated from the start, building a 24-0 lead before the Bills could even score. Washington went on to win 37-24, handing the Bills their second consecutive Super Bowl loss.
Super Bowl XXVII (1992 Season) – Costly Mistakes
Determined to claim the title, the Bills made it to Super Bowl XXVII on 31 January 1993, where they faced the Dallas Cowboys. However, mistakes cost them dearly. The Bills committed a Super Bowl-record nine turnovers, including four interceptions thrown by Frank Reich, who was filling in for Jim Kelly.
Dallas took full advantage of these mistakes, winning 52-17, making it the most one-sided loss in the Bills’ Super Bowl history.
Super Bowl XXVIII (1993 Season) – Another Loss to Dallas
The Bills made history by becoming the first team in NFL history to reach four consecutive Super Bowls when they advanced to Super Bowl XXVIII on 30 January 1994. Once again, their opponents were the Dallas Cowboys.
The game was competitive at first, with the Bills leading 13-6 at halftime. However, the Cowboys took control in the second half and won 30-13. This marked the Bills’ fourth straight Super Bowl defeat, a record that still stands.
The Bills’ Resurgence
Things started to change for the Bills in the late 2010s, especially with the hiring of head coach Sean McDermott in 2017. That year, the Bills ended their long playoff drought. But it was the arrival of quarterback Josh Allen in 2018 that really transformed the team into a strong contender.
With Josh Allen leading the offence and a solid defence under McDermott, the Bills have become one of the top teams in the AFC. They have consistently made the playoffs and have won several AFC East division titles.
2020 AFC Championship Game
In the 2020 season, the Bills reached the AFC Championship Game for the first time since 1993. Unfortunately, they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, who then went on to win the Super Bowl.
2021 and Beyond
The Bills have continued to be strong contenders in the AFC, making multiple playoff appearances. Despite their success, they have not yet won a Super Bowl and are still searching for their first championship victory.
Final thoughts
So, have the Bills ever won a Super Bowl? The answer is no. However, the team has had many significant achievements, including four consecutive Super Bowl appearances, multiple division titles, and a loyal fan base known as "Bills Mafia".
Even though the past Super Bowl losses are a big part of the team’s story, the future looks bright. With strong leadership, talented players, and a dedicated fan base, the Buffalo Bills continue to chase the Super Bowl victory they have yet to achieve.
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