In the fast-paced, high-scoring world of professional football, few games stand out more than the rare defensive battles that end with almost no points. The lowest-scoring games in NFL history reveal how weather, defense, and pure grit can shape unforgettable moments on the gridiron. From 0-0 ties in the early days to the nail-biting 3-0 showdowns of the modern era, these contests showcase football at its toughest and most unpredictable.
Lowest-Scoring Game in NFL History
Throughout the entire course of NFL history, 73 games have ended 0-0. However, that has not happened since the Giants and Detroit Lions did so in 1943. Similarly, five NFL games in history have finished with a score of 2-0. Again, this has not happened post-merger, with the last such game coming in 1938 between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers.
The lowest NFL score in post-merger history is 3-0. In the Super Bowl era, it has happened just six times. The first one came in 1971 when the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Packers with a fourth-quarter field goal by Fred Cox.
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In 2023, we saw the first 3-0 game since 2007. The Minnesota Vikings and Las Vegas Raiders played out a scoreless game for 58 minutes until Greg Joseph opened the scoring with a field goal. Minnesota put the game away with an interception. The previous 3-0 game had been between the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Miami Dolphins during a torrential downpour. In that game, Jeff Reed kicked a 24-yard field goal with 17 seconds remaining.
What NFL Scores Have Never Happened?
A number of scores have never occurred in NFL history, including a team finishing with just a single point. That’s because the only way to score one point is for a defense to record a safety on an extra-point attempt, a scenario that has never happened.
The lowest possible score in which a team could finish with just one point is 6-1, since a one-point play can only follow a touchdown.
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As for more realistic outcomes, the lowest score to never occur in NFL history is 14-8. There are multiple ways this score could happen, for example, the winning team could score two touchdowns, or one touchdown with a two-point conversion and two field goals.
Meanwhile, the losing side could reach eight points either by scoring a touchdown with a two-point conversion or by kicking two field goals and recording a safety.
A full list of all scores to have never happened can be found on nflscorigami.com.