Nothing shakes the sports world more like a legendary and often unexpected comeback. While some teams seem to lead the charge, astonishing moments in the history of American Football prove that no win is ever truly secured, and an unexpected performance from a seemingly weak team can change everything. The following comeback moments pay tribute to determination, strategy, and in some cases, also a bit of luck. While American Football never gets boring, these games are what fans live for and make NFL history.
Comebacks to Win Big
Comebacks are undoubtedly the most exciting part of any sports event, for the teams, the fans, and especially for bettors. While sports betting has become increasingly popular in the US, legal sportsbooks operating from Arizona are on the rise. Sports Betting Expert Toby Tustin-Durant from PokerStrategy.com has evaluated the best Arizona Sportsbooks for 2025 that offer welcome bonuses and fast payouts. With being able to access some of the most competitive betting platforms in the country, the next comeback with a major win might be just around the corner.
Betting on a team or player is hardly about belief and hope, but about following the stats and analyzing the players. To ensure a safe bet, fans need to be updated with the latest events, like an injury, player change, or even weather reports. While according to these updates, outcomes might be easy to predict, comebacks aren’t. And this is exactly what makes these games so lucrative. Since they are so hard to predict and unexpected, betting on the underdog can result in the biggest wins. Here are the 4 most legendary comebacks that could have earned bettors a fortune.
1. The Buffalo Bills: 1993 against the Houston Oilers
For decades, the 1993 Bills vs. Oilers game held the trophy of the NFL’s greatest comeback. In their AFC Wild Card game against the Oilers, Buffalo Bills’ kicker Steve Christie inched a 32-yard field goal through the uprights in overtime.
Although they were down 35-3 early in the third quarter, the Bills managed a comeback, led by backup quarterback Frank Reich. He managed to score four touchdowns. The Oilers’ defense was a problem, and the turnovers they suffered forced them to completely turn the game on its head. The Bills eventually finished the game with a 41-38 win in overtime.
Reich didn’t only help the Bills to a comeback; in 1984 he was also the orchestrator of the biggest college football comeback for Maryland.
2. The Vikings: 2022 against the Colts
While the game of 1993 long remained in the book of history in the league, an event in December 2022 changed everything. Then, new NFL history was made with the Minnesota Vikings outperforming the Bills.
Although the Vikings were lagging behind the Indianapolis Colts with 33-0 at halftime, they came around in the second half. Hiding in the locker room, quarterback Patrick Peterson said during half-time “You just need five touchdowns,” encouraging his teammates “That’s nothing”.
With a 460-yard throw by Quarterback Kirk Cousins and four touchdowns later, the Vikings proved themselves and clawed their way back into the game. After a tie at 36, they eventually won 39-36 in overtime. This was a 33-point comeback that broke all previous records.
3. New England Patriots: 2017 against Atlanta Falcons
The New England Patriots were still trailing the Atlanta Falcons 28-3 in the third quarter. Social media and sports betting books exploded, and Falcons’ fans were already celebrating a secured victory.
But then Tom Brady went to put the Falcons into place. Leading up to Super Bowl LI, Bardy spent 16 hours per day on football, and it paid off. He not only led the Patriots to 25 unanswered points but also tied the game at 28 and forced the very first overtime in Super Bowl history. In overtime, it was James White who scored the game winning touchdown.
This game was what turned around Tom Brady’s football career. With his 466-yard performance, he sealed his status as one of the greatest NFL players ever.
4. Cleveland Browns: 2014 against the Tennessee Titans
A comeback that is worth mentioning is when the Browns eliminated a 25-point deficit to defeat the Titans with 29-28. It was only week 5 of the 2014 NFL season when the Browns made it into the history books.
The first half didn’t look very promising for the Browns. They were down 28-3, but they came back strong in the second half. Cleveland scored 26 unanswered points, capped by a Travis Benjamin touchdown catch with only 1:09 to play. His second touchdown secured the win and led Cleveland to the biggest comeback in NFL history.
Quarterback Brian Hoyer also played an important role, leading his team with a strong defense in the final minutes despite an earlier interception. He helped seal the win for NFL history.
Expect the Unexpected
While these epic moments not only wrote NFL history, they also show that a win is never truly secured. For bettors, comebacks like these have real implications. Following the development of the game and understanding the shifts in the moment and adapting betting options can lead to unexpected and massive wins. Even if a team is down by four touchdowns, it doesn’t mean that the bet is lost.
