Bills’ Super Bowl Drought Haunts Franchise as Playoffs Begin

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills, a franchise synonymous with heartbreak, are once again chasing their elusive first Super Bowl victory as the 2024-25 NFL playoffs kick off. Despite four consecutive Super Bowl appearances in the early 1990s, the Bills remain one of 12 NFL teams never to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.

The Bills’ legacy is defined by their four straight Super Bowl losses from 1990 to 1993, a record that still haunts the franchise and its fans. Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly, who led the team during that era, reflected on the pain of falling short. “There’s always that – ‘but you didn’t win the Super Bowl,'” Kelly said in the documentary *Four Falls of Buffalo*.

The most infamous moment came in Super Bowl XXV, when kicker Scott Norwood missed a 47-yard field goal attempt with eight seconds remaining, sealing a 20-19 loss to the New York Giants. “I almost relate it to being in some kind of accident where it’s almost shock,” Norwood recalled in the documentary. “Sorrow, I guess, and disappointment in letting down teammates.”

Buffalo’s subsequent Super Bowl losses were equally devastating. They fell 37-24 to Washington in Super Bowl XXVI, 52-17 to the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XXVII, and 30-13 to the Cowboys again in Super Bowl XXVIII. Despite their dominance in the AFC during that period, the Bills became known as the “greatest losers” in NFL history.

Now, under the leadership of quarterback Josh Allen and head coach Sean McDermott, the Bills are aiming to rewrite their narrative. The team has made the playoffs in six consecutive seasons, including five straight AFC East titles. However, they have yet to advance beyond the AFC Championship Game, falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020.

As the 2024-25 playoffs begin, Buffalo fans are hopeful that this year’s squad can finally break the curse. The Bills face the Denver Broncos in the Wildcard Round, with a potential rematch against the Chiefs looming in the AFC Championship Game. “It hurt me then, it still hurts me now,” said Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas, reflecting on the four Super Bowl losses. “I’m still upset about losing four Super Bowls. I went to all four!”

For a franchise with a storied yet painful history, the quest for a Super Bowl victory remains as urgent as ever.