Buffalo is a weird place to be a football fan. You’ve got the snow, the tables, and a team that somehow manages to be both the most resilient and the most heartbroken franchise in American sports history. When you look at the list of buffalo bills seasons, it isn’t just a spreadsheet of wins and losses. It’s more like a jagged EKG of a city’s collective heart.
Most people just think of the four Super Bowl losses in the 90s. Honestly, that’s such a surface-level take. If you really dig into the years, you see a team that basically invented modern offensive football, survived a playoff drought that lasted nearly two decades, and is currently anchored by a quarterback who plays like he’s trying to tackle the entire planet.
The AFL Glory Days (1960–1969)
The Bills didn't start in the NFL. They were charter members of the American Football League (AFL) back in 1960. Those early years were kinda rough—Buster Ramsey’s first squad went 5-8-1—but things flipped fast when Lou Saban took over.
1964 and 1965. Those are the years you need to remember. The Bills won back-to-back AFL Championships, beating the San Diego Chargers both times. It’s funny because Buffalo is often called a "city of no championships," but that’s technically wrong. They have two. Jack Kemp was under center, Cookie Gilchrist was bruising people on the ground, and the defense was legitimate. In '64, they went 12-2. They were the kings of the AFL before the merger even existed.
Then, the slide happened. By 1968, they were 1-12-1. That dismal record gave them the first pick in the 1969 draft, which they used on a guy named O.J. Simpson.
The Electric Company and the Lean Years
The 70s were... complicated. You had "The Electric Company"—the offensive line that "turned on the Juice." In 1973, Simpson rushed for over 2,000 yards in just 14 games. Think about that for a second. That’s a 143-yard average per game. It’s insane.
But despite the individual greatness, the team struggled to find a post-season rhythm. They made the playoffs in '74 but got bounced by Pittsburgh. Most of the late 70s and early 80s were spent in the basement of the AFC East, save for a few bright spots under Chuck Knox. The 1984 and 1985 seasons were particularly brutal: 2-14 in back-to-back years. The team was on the brink of collapse.
The K-Gun and the Four Super Bowls (1990–1993)
Then came Marv Levy and Jim Kelly. This is the era everyone talks about. Starting in 1988, the Bills became an absolute juggernaut. They won the AFC East five times in six years.
- 1990: 13-3 record. The "Wide Right" game against the Giants.
- 1991: 13-3 record. Lost to Washington.
- 1992: 11-5 record. The year of "The Comeback" against Houston (down 35-3 and won). Lost to Dallas.
- 1993: 12-4 record. Lost to Dallas again.
It is easy to meme the four losses. But no other team in the history of the NFL has gone to four straight Super Bowls. Not the Brady Patriots, not the Mahomes Chiefs. The mental toughness required to lose the biggest game on earth and then come back and win the conference again the next year—three times in a row—is basically superhuman.
The Drought (2000–2016)
After Wade Phillips left in 2000, the lights went out in Buffalo. For 17 years, the Bills didn't see a single playoff game. It was the longest active drought in the four major North American sports.
We saw a revolving door of coaches: Gregg Williams, Mike Mularkey, Dick Jauron, Chan Gailey, Doug Marrone, Rex Ryan. We saw "The Music City Miracle" in 1999, which felt like a curse. We saw 7-9 seasons until the numbers started to blur together. Fans still showed up, though. They jumped through tables in the parking lot because if the team wasn't going to provide the impact, the fans would.
The Sean McDermott and Josh Allen Era (2017–Present)
Everything changed in 2017. Sean McDermott arrived, and somehow, with a 9-7 record and a little help from the Cincinnati Bengals, the drought ended. Then, in 2018, they drafted a kid from Wyoming named Josh Allen.
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Since then, the list of buffalo bills seasons has looked a lot more like the early 90s.
- 2020: 13-3, reached the AFC Championship.
- 2021: 11-6, the "13 Seconds" game in KC (still a sore subject).
- 2022: 13-3, another division title.
- 2024: 13-4, ending with a brutal loss to the Chiefs in the conference title game.
As we sit here in early 2026, the Bills just finished another wild ride. The 2025 season saw them go 12-5, and most recently, Josh Allen—the reigning NFL MVP—put the team on his back in a 27-24 Wild Card win over the Jaguars. It was the franchise's first road playoff win since 1992.
Key Stats Across the Decades
| Era | Notable Record | Key Achievement |
|---|---|---|
| The AFL Start | 1964 (12-2) | AFL Champions |
| The Juice Era | 1973 (9-5) | O.J. Simpson 2,003 rushing yards |
| The Glory Years | 1990 (13-3) | First of four straight Super Bowls |
| The Dark Ages | 2000-2016 | 17-year playoff drought |
| The Modern Era | 2024 (13-4) | 5th consecutive AFC East Title |
What's Next for the Bills?
The team is currently moving into a new stadium in Orchard Park for the 2026 season. It’s a literal new chapter. If you’re tracking the list of buffalo bills seasons for your own records or just to argue with friends at a bar, the big takeaway is consistency. Under McDermott, they’ve become a perennial powerhouse again.
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The narrative is no longer "Will they make the playoffs?" It’s "Can they finally win the one that matters?" With Allen at the helm, the window is wide open.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Researchers:
- Study the 1990-1993 roster: It wasn't just Kelly; it was the "No-Huddle" K-Gun offense that changed how the NFL is played today.
- Watch the 2017 Week 17 highlights: If you want to understand why Buffalo fans are so obsessed, watch the locker room reaction when they finally broke the drought.
- Keep an eye on the 2026 stadium opening: This shift from the old Highmark to the new facility marks a massive financial and cultural shift for the franchise.
The history of this team is a cycle of extreme highs and gut-wrenching lows. But looking at the numbers, they've spent more time being competitive than most people give them credit for. Buffalo isn't just a team that loses Super Bowls; it's a team that refuses to stay down.