The 10 Greatest Comebacks in Sports History
Sports fans love dominance, but nothing captures attention quite like an incredible comeback. When a team or athlete refuses to quit and somehow turns defeat into victory, those moments become part of sports history.
Across every league and era, there have been games and series that looked completely over, until something extraordinary happened.
From impossible playoff rallies to shocking championship turnarounds, here are 10 of the greatest comebacks in sports history.
10. Buffalo Bills vs Houston Oilers (1993)
The largest comeback in National Football League history happened during the 1993 AFC Wild Card Game.
After falling behind 35–3, the Buffalo Bills looked finished. But backup quarterback Frank Reich led an unbelievable rally, scoring 38 unanswered points.
The Bills stunned the Oilers 41–38 in overtime, completing the biggest comeback the NFL has ever seen.
9. Cleveland Cavaliers vs Indiana Pacers (2017)
During Game 3 of the 2017 NBA Playoffs First Round, the Cavaliers trailed by 26 points late in the third quarter.
Led by LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, Cleveland stormed back with a furious fourth-quarter run.
The Cavs ultimately won 119–114, one of the largest postseason comebacks in NBA history.
8. Liverpool F.C. vs AC Milan (2005)
The 2005 UEFA Champions League Final is widely considered one of soccer’s greatest matches.
AC Milan dominated the first half, building a 3–0 lead and appearing on their way to an easy victory.
But Liverpool stunned the football world by scoring three goals in just six minutes during the second half. The match eventually went to penalties, where Liverpool completed the miracle comeback to lift the trophy.
The night is still known simply as “The Miracle of Istanbul.”
7. Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees (2004)
For decades, the Red Sox were haunted by the so-called “Curse of the Bambino.”
Then came the 2004 American League Championship Series.
Trailing the Yankees three games to zero, Boston looked eliminated. No MLB team had ever come back from that deficit.
But the Red Sox won four straight games, shocking their rivals and making baseball history.
They went on to win the 2004 World Series, ending an 86-year championship drought.
6. Tiger Woods (2019)
Not all comebacks happen within a single game.
After years of injuries and personal struggles, many believed Tiger Woods would never win another major championship.
But at the 2019 Masters Tournament, Woods stunned the golf world.
With a final-round surge at Augusta National Golf Club, he captured his fifth Masters title, completing one of the greatest career comebacks in sports history.
5. Golden State Warriors vs Sacramento Kings (2023)
In the 2023 NBA Playoffs First Round, the defending champion Warriors fell behind the Kings 2–0 in the series.
Facing intense pressure, Golden State responded with championship experience and clutch performances from Stephen Curry.
The Warriors eventually won the series, highlighted by Curry’s 50-point Game 7, the highest-scoring Game 7 performance in NBA history.
4. Chicago Cubs vs Cleveland Indians (2016)
The 2016 World Series featured one of baseball’s most dramatic turnarounds.
The Cubs trailed the series 3–1 and appeared on the verge of extending their infamous championship drought.
Instead, Chicago rallied to win three straight games, including an unforgettable Game 7 extra-innings victory.
The triumph ended a 108-year championship drought, the longest in major North American sports.
3. New England Patriots vs Atlanta Falcons (2017)
No Super Bowl comeback has ever matched this one.
In Super Bowl LI, the Falcons jumped out to a 28–3 lead in the third quarter.
But quarterback Tom Brady led an incredible rally, guiding the Patriots to 31 unanswered points.
New England ultimately won 34–28 in overtime, completing the largest comeback in Super Bowl history.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors (2016)
The 2016 NBA Finals featured the first comeback from a 3–1 deficit in NBA Finals history.
Led by LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, Cleveland defeated the record-setting Warriors in Game 7.
James’ iconic chase-down block remains one of the most famous plays in basketball history.
The victory delivered Cleveland its first NBA championship and cemented the comeback as one of the greatest ever.
1. New York Mets vs Boston Red Sox (1986)
The 1986 World Series Game 6 produced one of the most unbelievable finishes baseball has ever seen.
Down to their final strike, the Mets rallied with a series of hits before a slow ground ball from Mookie Wilson rolled through the legs of Boston first baseman Bill Buckner.
The Mets won the game and eventually the series.
Decades later, it remains one of the most shocking collapses and comebacks, in sports history.
Why Comebacks Define Sports
Dominant victories may look impressive, but dramatic comebacks create unforgettable memories.
They remind fans why sports are so compelling: no game is truly over until the final moment.
And somewhere in the future, another team or athlete will likely pull off an impossible rally that earns a place on this list.
Which comeback do you think is the greatest in sports history?
Image Credit Wikimedia Commons Ryosuke Yagi
