Kings make playoffs: 12 longest active playoff droughts in professional sports

The Sacramento Kings have clinched a playoff berth, ending the longest playoff drought in the four major North American sports leagues, as they haven’t been to the playoffs since the 2005-06 season. This comes after the Seattle Mariners previously held that record until they reached the playoffs in 2022. The New York Jets top the updated list of 12 active longest postseason droughts between the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. Still, hope could be on the way for Gang Green as Aaron Rodgers has stated his intention to play for the team in 2023.

The Buffalo Sabres have mostly finished in last place or close to last in their division since 2011. The Sabres’ playoff drought is the longest in NHL history and will likely move to 12 seasons in a couple of weeks, as they’ll need a lot of help to get into the postseason in 2023. The Tigers haven’t made the playoffs since they had Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander in their starting rotation. However, things might be changing for the Baltimore Orioles, as they have one of the game’s most exciting young groups of players, and they went 83-79 in a loaded AL East in 2022.

The Kansas City Royals reached baseball’s mountaintop in 2015, winning the World Series a year after they lost in seven games on baseball’s grandest stage. However, they held one of the worst records in baseball in 2022. The Pittsburgh Pirates earned three playoff appearances in a row (2013-15), but they haven’t recovered since the Cubs beat them in the 2015 NL wild-card round. The Denver Broncos haven’t made the playoffs since their triumphant Super Bowl win to cap off the 2015 campaign. They hired Super Bowl-winning head coach Sean Payton during the offseason believing that he’s the missing ingredient for them to reach the playoffs.

The Charlotte Hornets nearly squeaked into the playoffs in 2022. They made the Play-In Tournament but were blown out in the opening game. The Red Wings’ 25-year playoff streak ended, and the franchise hasn’t been too accustomed to the recent stretch. The Lions were just a game away from making the playoffs in 2022, finishing 9-8 as a Seattle Seahawks loss in the final week of the season would have sent them into the postseason. The Texas Rangers were a postseason mainstay last decade, clinching a berth five times in seven seasons, but they still finished the 2022 season toward the bottom of the league.



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