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The Dallas Cowboys, one of the most iconic and popular teams in the National Football League, has the second most playoff appearances to its name with 36, just two behind the Green Bay Packers in first place. The Cowboys made it to the Super Bowl eight times, winning five of those championship games. However, since the start of the new millennium, another team, the New England Patriots, has been much more successful. As of 2026, the Patriots had made the playoffs 29 times.

Over 100 years of history

The origins of the NFL date back to 1920 when the American Professional Football Association was formed as a pro football league. The league renamed itself to the NFL two years later, and the first playoff game was in 1933. Since then, the league has played out its postseason in a single game elimination tournament. In its current format, six out of the 32 teams in the NFL qualify for the playoffs each season. 

Most successful team of the past 20 years

Even though the New England Patriots have made the playoffs ‘only’ 29 times, the team is the most successful in the National Football League in many ways. Perhaps the most important of these is the accolade of having won the most Super Bowls with six (tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers). Most of this success came over the past 20 years under the guidance of head coach Bill Belichick and with all-time great Tom Brady as quarterback.