The Vault · 20 stories, 1993 to 2026 · insights on every team

THE GREATEST COMEBACKS, TOLD IN THREE ACTS

Pick a league and a team. Insights show what the record says about every team: how often it climbs out of the Hole, and from which kind. Stories are the greatest comebacks, told in three acts and graded by how rarely a team in that spot wins.

20 comebacks
NBA · May 25, 2002Miracle1 in 623
Down 21 entering the fourth quarter of a conference final. Boston scored 41.Boston Celtics 94, New Jersey Nets 90
NFL · December 17, 2022Miracle1 in 500
Thirty-three to nothing at the half, and the Vikings won.Minnesota 39, Indianapolis 36 (OT)
College Football · September 3, 2017Miracle1 in 460
Down 34 in the third quarter. Rosen faked the spike.UCLA Bruins 45, Texas A&M Aggies 44
NFL · January 3, 1993Miracle1 in 400
Thirty-two points down, and the Bills won in overtime.Buffalo 41, Houston 38 (OT)
NBA · December 9, 2004Miracle1 in 300
Thirteen points in thirty-three seconds.Houston 81, San Antonio 80
NFL · February 5, 2017Miracle1 in 250
Twenty-five down in the third quarter of a Super Bowl.New England 34, Atlanta 28 (OT)
NBA · May 7, 1995Miracle1 in 200
Eight points in nine seconds at Madison Square Garden.Indiana 107, New York 105
MLB · August 5, 2001Miracle1 in 186
Down 12 runs in the seventh to the 116-win Mariners. Cleveland won.Cleveland Indians 15, Seattle Mariners 14 (11)
NFL · September 18, 2022Miracle1 in 107
Down 21 entering the fourth quarter. Tua threw four touchdowns in it.Miami Dolphins 42, Baltimore Ravens 38
NBA · April 15, 2019Historic1 in 90
Thirty-one down to the champions, in their building, in the playoffs.Los Angeles 135, Golden State 131
Soccer · May 7, 2019Historic1 in 80
Three goals down from the first leg, four to nothing at Anfield.Liverpool 4, Barcelona 0 (4-3 on aggregate)
College Football · January 4, 2006Historic1 in 68
Down 12 with six minutes left in the national championship. Vince Young.Texas Longhorns 41, USC Trojans 38
NBA · May 19, 2026Historic1 in 60
Down 22 with eight to play. The Garden stood up.New York 115, Cleveland 104 (OT)
NBA · November 27, 1996Historic1 in 56
Down 36 at halftime. The largest comeback the NBA has ever seen.Utah Jazz 107, Denver Nuggets 103
College Football · October 28, 2017Stunner1 in 43
Down 11 with six minutes left to the No. 2 team in the country.Ohio State Buckeyes 39, Penn State Nittany Lions 38
NFL · December 13, 2018Stunner1 in 29
Down 14 with six minutes left at Arrowhead. Rivers went for two.Los Angeles Chargers 29, Kansas City Chiefs 28
NFL · January 18, 2015Surge1 in 22
Down 12 with five minutes left in a conference final. Then the onside kick.Seattle Seahawks 28, Green Bay Packers 22 (OT)
MLB · October 27, 2011Surge1 in 15
Down to the last strike, twice.St. Louis 10, Texas 9 (11)
College Football · January 1, 2007Surge1 in 15
Down 7 with a minute left. The hook and ladder, and the Statue of Liberty.Boise State Broncos 43, Oklahoma Sooners 42 (OT)
MLB · October 17, 2004Rally1 in 6
Down a run in the ninth to Rivera, and down three games to none.Boston Red Sox 6, New York Yankees 4 (12)