Which NFL Teams Have The Most Ties In History?
Join us as we explore the riveting topic of tied games, with insight into each team’s record and an explanation of the current regulations.
In the National Football League (NFL), ties occur when both teams have scored an equal number of points at the end of regulation time. While ties are relatively uncommon in the NFL, they can have a significant impact on the outcome of a season or game. Understanding which teams have the most ties in history is important in evaluating team performance and predicting future outcomes. So, without further ado, let’s find out the NFL teams with the most ties.
Which NFL team has the most ties in history?
The top five NFL teams with the most ties in history are the Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, and Detroit Lions. According to Pro Football Reference, Chicago has the record for the most ties in NFL history. The Bears have recorded 42 stalemates. The Cardinals follow closely behind with 41, with the Packers back in third with 38. The Giants and Lions round out the top five with 34 ties each.
NFL Teams with the Most Ties
| Team | Ties | Wins | Losses | W-L% | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 42 | 786 | 624 | 0.557 | 1920 | 2023 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 41 | 581 | 790 | 0.424 | 1920 | 2023 |
| Green Bay Packers | 38 | 790 | 590 | 0.572 | 1921 | 2023 |
| New York Giants | 34 | 715 | 638 | 0.528 | 1925 | 2023 |
| Detroit Lions | 34 | 579 | 702 | 0.452 | 1930 | 2023 |
| Washington Commanders | 29 | 625 | 630 | 0.498 | 1932 | 2023 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 27 | 613 | 630 | 0.493 | 1933 | 2023 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 22 | 661 | 571 | 0.536 | 1933 | 2023 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 21 | 604 | 592 | 0.505 | 1937 | 2023 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 16 | 612 | 510 | 0.545 | 1946 | 2023 |
| Cleveland Browns | 14 | 548 | 528 | 0.509 | 1946 | 2023 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 12 | 521 | 433 | 0.546 | 1960 | 2023 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 11 | 516 | 425 | 0.548 | 1961 | 2023 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 11 | 497 | 458 | 0.52 | 1960 | 2023 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 11 | 478 | 477 | 0.501 | 1960 | 2023 |
| Denver Broncos | 10 | 500 | 456 | 0.523 | 1960 | 2023 |
| New England Patriots | 9 | 537 | 420 | 0.561 | 1960 | 2023 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 8 | 547 | 493 | 0.526 | 1953 | 2023 |
| Buffalo Bills | 8 | 462 | 495 | 0.483 | 1960 | 2023 |
| New York Jets | 8 | 421 | 537 | 0.44 | 1960 | 2023 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 6 | 550 | 408 | 0.574 | 1960 | 2023 |
| Tennessee Titans | 6 | 470 | 490 | 0.49 | 1960 | 2023 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 6 | 383 | 493 | 0.437 | 1966 | 2023 |
| New Orleans Saints | 5 | 403 | 460 | 0.467 | 1967 | 2023 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 5 | 385 | 463 | 0.454 | 1968 | 2023 |
| Miami Dolphins | 4 | 485 | 393 | 0.552 | 1966 | 2023 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 1 | 243 | 190 | 0.561 | 1996 | 2023 |
| Houston Texans | 1 | 142 | 195 | 0.422 | 2002 | 2023 |
| Carolina Panthers | 1 | 212 | 237 | 0.472 | 1995 | 2023 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 1 | 383 | 358 | 0.517 | 1976 | 2023 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1 | 299 | 442 | 0.404 | 1976 | 2023 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 0 | 189 | 261 | 0.42 | 1995 | 2023 |
Analysis and Insights
Compared to other teams in the league, the top five teams with the most ties have significantly more ties than the rest of the league. The next highest team, the Washington Commanders, has 29 ties, which is 15 fewer than the Lions’ total of 34. The Pittsburgh Steelers, Los Angeles Rams, and San Francisco 49ers are the only other teams with more than 20 ties in NFL history.
Why do some NFL teams have more ties than others? There are several reasons, but here’s the big one: the first 11 teams on the list have been around for longer than the rest. That’s right, they’ve been in the game for decades. Most of them date all the way back to the 1920s and 1930s. That means they had a lot more games than others before the NFL implemented a new rule in 1974, the fifth quarter. This allowed a 15-minute overtime period to settle tied regular-season games. So, if two teams couldn’t settle the score in the allotted 60 minutes, they would have a chance to keep playing until one of them scored first.
Definition and Explanation of NFL Ties
In the context of NFL games, a tie occurs when both teams have scored an equal number of points at the end of regulation time. Ties were more common in the early days of the NFL, but rule changes in the 1970s and 1980s have made ties less frequent.
Since the overtime came into play in 1974, there have been 29 tied games in the NFL. In 2017, the league shortened the extra period from 15 minutes to 10 minutes for regular season games to reduce the risk of injury. The Green Bay Packers hold the record for the most ties with six in this period.
Historically, ties have been a unique aspect of NFL games. They have contributed to some memorable moments in the league’s history. In fact, in a 2014 regular-season matchup between the Carolina Panthers and the Cincinnati Bengals, the two teams finished 37-37.
Compared to wins and losses, ties have a relatively small impact on a team’s overall record and performance. However, ties can be an important factor in breaking ties between teams with similar records or playoff chances.
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