13 Most Unbreakable Records in NFL History

During more than 100 NFL seasons, fans have seen some amazing feats. From impressive individual efforts to seriously stacked rosters, records have been set and then broken time and time again. Over the years, rules have changed, and plays have evolved. But, some records are just unbeatable. 

Here is our list of 13 of the most unbreakable records in NFL history.  

Most Coaching Victories – Don Shula, 347

It would make sense that the man with the most games coached (526) holds this record, but Bill Belichick looked like he was closing in on this one before his retirement at 333 total wins. But, the legendary New England coach couldn’t match what Shula achieved by his retirement in 1995. Plus, a perfect 1972 season in Miami is unmatched, so Shula is the only coach in NFL history to go undefeated.

Most Consecutive Starts for a Quarterback – Brett Favre, 297

Despite a separated shoulder, multiple concussions, a sprained knee, a broken thumb, and some personal grief, Brett Favre wasn’t going to let anything stop him from setting this record. The then-41-year-old would’ve likely hit 300 regular-season games if it wasn’t for a shoulder injury that made him sit out in 2010 against the New York Giants. Favre admits there were some games in his career he probably should have sat, but, hey – you can rest when you retire.

Most Sacks in a Single Game – Derrick Thomas, 7

In 2022, there was an average of 1.96 quarterback sacks in a game. If a defensive player is on fire, they will be lucky to get two or more. But, when Derrick Thomas took the field for the Kansas City Chiefs on November 11th, 1990, the Seahawks were not ready for what was to come. With a whopping seven sacks against quarterback Dave Krieg, Thomas set a record that’ll be tough to beat. Believe it or not, the Chiefs lost that game, 17-16. In the last four seconds, Krieg was able to narrowly evade what would have been Thomas’s eighth sack to launch a game-winning touchdown pass. 

Least Amount of Yards Gained in a Single Game – Seattle Seahawks, -7

No, that’s not a typo. The record for the least total yards gained in a game is negative seven. And it happened in 1979 to the Seattle Seahawks against the Rams. It comes as no surprise that the Seahawks lost that game, 24-0 at the Seattle Kingdome. The real question is, should fans get a refund if their team has negative yards at a home game?

Most Consecutive Losses – Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 26

Let’s keep the positive vibes going! If you thought your team has had a rough season recently, try two in a row without a win. Soon after the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, the Bucs were the new kids on the block in 1976. And they wanted to come in and make their name known, they just did it differently than planned. From 1976 to 1977, the Bucs lost 26 games in a row: 0-14 in ‘76 and 0-12 in ‘77 when they lost to the Bears at home. So next time you complain about your team’s rough season, try putting it into perspective.

Most Safeties in a Game by a Single Player – Fred Dryer, 2

Safeties are statistically the least common method of putting points on the board. With only 6.8% of regular-season NFL games including a safety, a defender deserves their flowers anytime they can force it. So, how about a whole bouquet for Fred Dryer? In 1973 against the Green Bay Packers, this Los Angeles Ram defensive end made history by registering two safeties – more impressively, they were in the same quarter. They were the only two safeties of his career, but they etched him into the record books. He’s also likely the only player on this list who went on to become a TV actor, but that’s a story for another day.

Most Consecutive Road Wins – San Francisco 49ers, 18

Winning on the road in the NFL is tough. Except for the ‘88-’91 San Francisco 49ers, apparently. 18 away games in a row with a win is beyond impressive. The next team to even come close to matching or beating that record was the Patriots in 2016-2017, with 14 consecutive road wins before a 20-27 loss in Miami. But with a dynamite roster of Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, that 49ers team could’ve easily made it to 20 if it weren’t for a 16-14 loss against the New York Giants in 1991.

Most Career Sacks – Bruce Smith, 200

While this isn’t Bruce Smith’s only NFL record, it will be the toughest to break. Smith had a total of 200 sacks in his career, averaging 10 sacks a year for almost 20 years. When he signed with Washington as a free agent, he aimed to surpass Reggie White’s all-time sack record of 198. In Week 14 of the 2003 season, Smith wrote his name in the history books. The Hall of Famer was a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year. 

Most Consecutive Super Bowl Losses – Buffalo Bills, 4

If you’re part of Bills Mafia, maybe skip past this one. This record title could be written as “the only team to advance to four consecutive Super Bowls,” but that’s not as hard to break. To make matters worse, the four losses in a row were the last time the Bills were even in the Super Bowl – dating back to the 1991-1994 seasons. Would it add salt to the wound if we mentioned these were the only Super Bowl appearances for the Bills in franchise history? Okay, we’ll stop.

Most Receptions in a Single Season – Michael Thomas, 149

The 2019 Offensive Player of the Year, Michael Thomas had an unstoppable season for the New Orleans Saints. In 9 of his 16 games, he hit double figures for catches, including an impressive 13 receptions against divisional rival the Atlanta Falcons. His 149 catches in a single season were recently almost contested by Cooper Kupp’s notable 2021 season with 145 total catches. But Thomas still holds the record and likely will for some time.

Most Career Passing Touchdowns – Tom Brady, 649

As the only quarterback to lead the NFL in passing touchdowns in three different decades, all signs point to Brady. Drew Brees and Peyton Manning also have impressive total career stats, sitting at 571 and 539 career passing touchdowns, respectively. And if Patrick Mahomes plans to play for, say, another 16 seasons, then maybe there’s some competition here. But it’s safe to say Tom Brady has this record on lock.

Most Throwing Touchdowns and Catching Interceptions in a Single Game – Sammy Baugh, 4 and 4

Don’t put this one on your 2024 NFL bingo card. Pro Football Hall of Famer Sammy Baugh was a menace on each side of the ball in 1943 – he led the league in pass completions and interceptions produced on defense. Baugh did the unthinkable in a 42-20 win over the Detroit Lions. He threw for 4 touchdown passes on offense and then had 4 interceptions on defense. Oh, did we mention he was also the punter?

Most Consecutive Extra Points Made – Stephen Gostkowski, 479

Remember the good old days of the extra-point attempt coming from the two-yard line? Stephen Gostkowski sure does. For ten years, Gostkowski kicked for the New England Patriots, and for his 2006-2015 years, extra points never fazed him. He made 479 consecutive extra points, which will never, ever, ever be beaten, especially since they moved the kick back to the 15-yard line in 2015. Just ask Gostkowski, whose longest streak was only 44 after it got moved back.