Knicks' victory takes them off the list of longest title droughts
Before Saturday night, the last time the Knicks won a title was 1973.
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It's been a long time coming for the New York Knicks.
On Saturday night, New York defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals. While any championship is special, this one is particularly noteworthy. It breaks one of the few championship droughts of 50 years or more in American sports.
Now, the Knicks can happily roll their "years since we won a title" counter to "zero" and leave the category of teams no franchise wants to be a part of. Here are other teams in the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL whose title droughts have reached or exceeded 50 years -- including teams 50 or older that have never won a title.
NBA
The Kings were called the Royals and based out of Rochester the last time they won a title. NBA Photo Library/NBAE via Getty Images Sacramento Kings: 75 years
If you look in the annals of NBA playoff history, you won't find the Kings winning the 1950-51 NBA Finals. And yet they did... as the Rochester Royals. The future Kings had four Hall of Famers on the roster: Bob Davies, Red Holzman, Arnie Risen and Bobby Wanzer. The team they defeated in seven games in the Finals? The New York Knickerbockers.
Atlanta Hawks: 68 years
The Hawks, who were then based out of St. Louis, defeated the Boston Celtics in the 1958 NBA Finals. This wasn't just any Celtics team, by the way. This was the Bill Russell-Bob Cousy Celtics, coached by Red Auerbach. The Hawks had future Hall of Famer Bob Pettit, however, and he balled out, scoring 50 points and pulling down 19 rebounds in the decisive Game 6.
Utah Jazz: 51 years
The Jazz seemed like they could win a few titles in the late '90s. They made the 1997 and 1998 NBA Finals behind the duo of Karl Malone and John Stockton... and ran into Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls both times.
LA Clippers: 55 years
Not only have the Clippers never won a title, they've never even played in a title game. The farthest they've gotten? The 2020-21 Western Conference finals, where they lost to the Phoenix Suns. Speaking of the Suns...
Phoenix Suns: 57 years
Despite having players like Charles Barkley and Kevin Durant on their rosters throughout the years, the Suns haven't won a title since their inception in 1968. They made the Finals three times (1976, 1993 and 2021) but lost in six games each time.
NFL
The last time the Arizona Cardinals won a title, they were still in Chicago. Getty Images Arizona Cardinals: 78 years
The Cardinals hold the unfortunate distinction of having the longest title drought of the four leagues, last winning in 1947 in a title matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. This was before the NFL's championship game was called the Super Bowl. Also, the Cardinals played in Chicago. Their quarterback, College Football Hall of Famer Paul Christman, went 3-for-14 with 54 yards passing and two interceptions. Fortunately for the Cardinals, halfback Elmer Angsman was on fire, rushing for 159 yards and two touchdowns.
Detroit Lions: 68 years
The Lions used to be quite the powerhouse, winning NFL titles in 1952, 1953 and 1957. Sadly, the last title turned out to be the start of their drought. It was a pretty dominant game for Detroit, though, as it beat the Cleveland Browns 59-10. Quarterback Tobin Rote went 12-for-19 for 280 yards and four touchdowns, adding one on the ground as well. The Lions picked off the Browns five times, with defensive back Terry Barry returning one for a touchdown.
Tennessee Titans, 64 years
Then known as the Houston Oilers, the franchise still doesn't have an actual NFL championship -- its 1961-62 victory over the then-San Diego Chargers was in the American Football League. The 10-3 victory was highlighted by a 35-yard touchdown pass from George Blanda to Billy Cannon. An unusual side note: The Oilers took Mike Ditka that season in the AFL draft... but he signed with the Chicago Bears, who selected him in the NFL draft.
Los Angeles Chargers: 62 years
Another AFL championship squad, the Chargers (then based in San Diego) had the league's best offense and went 11-3. Their victory in the 1963 AFL Championship against the then-Boston Patriots was a laugher. The Chargers scored 21 points in the first quarter and never looked back, downing the Patriots 51-10.
Cleveland Browns: 61 years
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Browns had a lot of success when Jim Brown was running the ball. He led the league with 1,446 yards rushing in the 1964 season but had a career-low seven rushing touchdowns. In fact, Brown didn't score a single touchdown in the Browns' 27-0 win over the Baltimore Colts in the title game, although he did rush for 114 yards and add another 37 in the air.
Buffalo Bills: 60 years
The Bills were the last team to win an NFL or AFL title in the 1960s and still be cursed, with their 23-0 win over the Chargers in the AFL Championship game still their most recent title. Quarterback Jack Kemp was named MVP, although his stats (8-for-19 with 155 yards, a touchdown and an interception) were somewhat muted.
Atlanta Falcons: 60 years
The Falcons have made two Super Bowls during their 60-year history and lost both. The 1998-99 season ended in a 34-19 defeat against the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXIII, but things looked to be changing for the better as the 2016-17 team went up 28-3 against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI. Unfortunately for the Falcons, they were on the wrong end of one of the greatest comebacks in sports history, losing 34-28.
Cincinnati Bengals: 58 years
The Bengals have come achingly close to winning a Super Bowl three times. They lost Super Bowl XVI to the San Francisco 49ers 26-21, fell to the 49ers in Super Bowl XXIII 20-16 and were defeated by the Los Angeles Rams 23-20 in Super Bowl LVI. Their margin of victory was one point less each time.
New York Jets: 57 years
The Jets front-loaded their franchise's championship success, winning Super Bowl III against the Colts in 1969. To this date, that's the last time they even made a Super Bowl.
Minnesota Vikings: 57 years
Though they've never won a Super Bowl, the Vikings did beat the Browns in the 1969 NFL Championship game, the last NFL championship before the NFL-AFL merger.
Miami Dolphins: 52 years
The Dolphins weren't perfect during the 1973-74 season, following up their undefeated campaign with a 12-2 record, but they were still the team to beat. They defeated the Vikings 24-7 in Super Bowl VIII but have made only two Super Bowls since then.
MLB
Satchel Paige got a well-deserved World Series win in 1948 with Cleveland. Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images Cleveland Guardians: 77 years
The Guardians defeated Boston to win the 1948 World Series... the Boston Braves, that is. Cleveland's 1948 squad was loaded, with Hall of Famers Lou Boudreau, Joe Gordon, Bob Lemon and Larry Doby all contributing to a 97-58-1 season. Negro Leagues legend and future Hall of Famer Satchel Paige also made his MLB debut in the rotation.
Milwaukee Brewers: 57 seasons
No World Series wins yet for the Brewers, though they did come close in 1982. The Brew Crew couldn't hold up against the St. Louis Cardinals, however, dropping the World Series in seven games.
San Diego Padres: 57 seasons
Though the Padres made two Fall Classic appearances, it just served to highlight their World Series drought. The team managed a single win against the Detroit Tigers in 1984 and was swept by the New York Yankees in 1998.
NHL
The Leafs' last title came when goalies weren't required to wear masks. Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images Toronto Maple Leafs: 59 years
The Maple Leafs are second on the list of all-time Stanley Cup wins with 13. The problem? The last one came in the 1966-67 season. That's after the team won five Cups in the 1960s, too.
Buffalo Sabres: 55 years
One of the few teams never to win a Stanley Cup, the Sabres last made the Final in the 1998-99 season, losing to the Dallas Stars in six games.
Vancouver Canucks: 54 years
The Canucks have come painfully close twice to winning a title, losing two seven-game series to the New York Rangers in the 1993-94 season and the Boston Bruins in 2010-11.
Philadelphia Flyers: 51 years
It looked as if the Flyers were about to start a true dynasty in the '70s, winning the Stanley Cup in 1973-74 and 1974-75. They've made the Stanley Cup Final six times since then but haven't managed to finish the job. Their last appearance was during the 2009-10 season, where they lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games.
