One of the best aspects of the NFL is witnessing greatness every season, especially consistent success from the league’s best players. Putting up numbers every year separate the great from the good, or what makes a player elite at their position.
There are plenty of active streaks that are on the line heading into the 2023 season. Some are likely to continue while others will need work to accomplish. Whether the streaks continue or not, they are impressive to retain (even on the losing end of them).
These are the streaks worth monitoring with training camps beginning around the league:
Player streaks
Mike Evans consecutive 1,000+ yard receiving seasons
Evans has played nine NFL seasons and has recorded nine 1,000-yard receiving seasons, the longest active streak in the NFL. A 1,000-yard season would extend the streak to 10, as Evans would join Jerry Rice as the only players ever with 1,000 receiving yards in 10 consecutive seasons.
Derrick Henry consecutive 10+ rushing TD seasons
Henry has five straight seasons rushing for 10-plus touchdowns. Only two other players have active streaks of multiple seasons with 10-plus rushing touchdowns: Jalen Hurts and Austin Ekeler with two.
If Henry rushes for 10-plus touchdowns this season, he’ll become the third player in NFL history to reach the mark in six consecutive seasons — joining LaDainian Tomlinson (nine) and Adrian Peterson (seven).
Patrick Mahomes consecutive 4,000+ yard passing seasons
Mahomes has five consecutive 4,000-yard passing seasons, which was one behind Tom Brady for the longest active streak in the NFL (Brady had six straight). Since Brady retired, Mahomes will be the only player with this active streak heading into the 2023 season.
He has a ways to go to catch Drew Brees, who had 12 consecutive seasons of 4,000-plus passing yards.
Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen consecutive 35+ passing TD seasons
Mahomes and Allen each have three consecutive seasons of 35-plus passing touchdowns, currently tied for the longest streaks in NFL history. They can surpass the mark and sit atop the record books with 35 touchdown passes this season.
The other quarterback with three straight? Drew Brees (2011-2013).
Simmons has three consecutive seasons with five-plus interceptions. He can join Darren Sharper (2000-2003) as the only players since 2000 to reach the mark in four consecutive seasons.
Emlen Tunnell has the longest streak in NFL history with 10, from 1948 to 1957.
Bobby Wagner consecutive 100+ tackle seasons
Wagner has 11 consecutive seasons with 100-plus tackles, or a 100-plus tackle season in every season he’s played in the NFL.
He can become the first player since 2000 to reach the mark in each of his first 12 seasons, and can join London Fletcher (14 consecutive seasons from 2000-2013) as the only players since 2000 with at least 100 tackles in 12 straight years. Derrick Brooks also has 100-plus tackles in 12 consecutive years.
Russell Wilson consecutive 3000+ yard passing seasons
Wilson has 11 consecutive seasons of 3,000-plus passing yards. He’ll need 3,000 passing yards to join Peyton Manning as the only players ever to reach the mark in each of their first 12 seasons.
Tom Brady had the longest streak at 14, but he retired this offseason. Matt Ryan also had a 13-season streak, but he his now an analyst for CBS.
Adams and Diggs each have three consecutive seasons with 100-plus catches. They can become the third and fourth players ever to accomplish the feat in four-or-more consecutive seasons, joining Antonio Brown (six, 2013-2018) and Marvin Harrison (four, 1999-2002).
Myles Garrett consecutive 10+ sack seasons
Garrett has 10-plus sacks in each of the last five seasons, taking over the mantle from Aaron Donald (who had five consecutive seasons from 2017 to 2021).
Reggie White had nine straight 10-plus sack seasons (1985-1993) and John Randle had eight (1992-1999), so Garrett has a ways to go.
Team streaks
Chiefs consecutive seasons with a winning record
Kansas City has a winning record in 10 straight seasons, or each season Andy Reid has been their coach (Reid started with the Chiefs in 2013). The next closest team is the Bills with four.
The Chiefs are the 10th team with 10 consecutive winning seasons in NFL history. The Cowboys have the longest streak at 20 (1966-1985).
Chiefs consecutive seasons making playoffs
Kansas City has made the playoffs in eight straight seasons, doubling the second-longest streak (Bills at four). The streak is tied for the fourth longest in NFL history, and a playoff appearance away from tying the Colts and Cowboys for second with nine.
The Patriots have the longest playoff streak in NFL history at 11 (2009-2019).
Jets consecutive seasons with a losing record
New York has seven consecutive seasons with a losing record, dating back to 2016 (the Broncos are second with six). The Buccaneers have the longest streak without a winning record at 14 (1983-1996).
Jets consecutive seasons missing the playoffs
New York has gone 12 straight seasons missing the playoffs (Denver has the second longest drought at seven). That’s not even close to the all-time mark, set by Washington from 1946 through 1971.
Lions consecutive seasons without playoff victory
Detroit has gone 31 straight seasons without a playoff win while Miami has gone 22 years without winning a playoff game, the longest active streaks in the league. Oakland/Las Vegas has gone 20 straight.
This isn’t even the longest streak without a playoff win in Lions history, as the franchise went 33 straight years without winning a playoff game from 1958 through 1991. The Cardinals have the longest streak without winning a playoff game at 50 years (1948 to 1998).
Lions championship game appearance drought
Detroit hasn’t been to a NFL championship game since 1957, a streak of 65 years. That is the longest streak in NFL history, topping the Cardinals run of 59 straight years from 1949 through 2008.
The Browns have an active streak of 57 years, which is the third longest all-time.
Cardinals championship drought
The Cardinals have a championship drought of 75 years, the longest active streak in the NFL (Detroit is second at 65). That is the longest streak in NFL history.
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Author: Jeff Kerr
July 19, 2023 | 8:48 am
