TEAM SUPER BOWL HISTORY
Have the Houston Texans Ever Been to a Super Bowl?
No. The Houston Texans have never played in a Super Bowl. Houston has also never reached the AFC Championship Game, going 0–7 in the Divisional Round through the 2025 season.
There is no single conference-title loss to explain. The barrier has repeated across Gary Kubiak, Bill O’Brien and DeMeco Ryans teams, with different quarterbacks and different defenses. Houston has reached the NFL’s final eight seven times without surviving that weekend.
Super Bowl records reviewed through Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026; playoff runs reviewed through the 2025 season.
- Super Bowl Titles
- 0
- Super Bowl Appearances
- 0
- Conference Championship Games
- 0
- Closest Season
- 2011 / AFC Divisional
Houston Keeps Running Into the Divisional Round
The Texans began play in 2002 and reached the Divisional Round for the first time after the 2011 season. T.J. Yates was the third quarterback to start that year, yet Houston stayed within one score of Baltimore late. That 20–13 loss remains the closest final margin of the seven attempts.
Later teams arrived with more offensive firepower or stronger quarterback play. Deshaun Watson’s 2019 Texans led Kansas City 24–0. C.J. Stroud and Ryans reached the round in three straight seasons from 2023 through 2025. The route kept ending before the AFC title game.
DIVISIONAL ROUND RECORD
Every Houston Texans Divisional Round Appearance
| Season | Round | Opponent | Result | Final score | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | AFC Divisional Round | Baltimore Ravens | Loss | Baltimore Ravens 20, Texans 13 | M&T Bank Stadium |
| 2012 | AFC Divisional Round | New England Patriots | Loss | New England Patriots 41, Texans 28 | Gillette Stadium |
| 2016 | AFC Divisional Round | New England Patriots | Loss | New England Patriots 34, Texans 16 | Gillette Stadium |
| 2019 | AFC Divisional Round | Kansas City Chiefs | Loss | Kansas City Chiefs 51, Texans 31 | Arrowhead Stadium |
| 2023 | AFC Divisional Round | Baltimore Ravens | Loss | Baltimore Ravens 34, Texans 10 | M&T Bank Stadium |
| 2024 | AFC Divisional Round | Kansas City Chiefs | Loss | Kansas City Chiefs 23, Texans 14 | Arrowhead Stadium |
| 2025 | AFC Divisional Round | New England Patriots | Loss | New England Patriots 28, Texans 16 | Gillette Stadium |
Houston’s First Try Is Still Its Closest Finish
The Texans lost 20–13 at Baltimore after the 2011 season. Arian Foster ran for 132 yards, and Houston’s defense kept the game within reach despite four turnovers. The Ravens never led by more than 10.
Houston had the ball twice in the final five minutes with a chance to tie. Ed Reed intercepted Yates on the first opportunity, and the last drive ended on fourth down. Other Texans teams built larger early leads, but none finished a Divisional Round game closer.
RUN-BY-RUN HISTORY
Houston’s Divisional Round Attempts, Explained
2011 SEASON · Baltimore Ravens
AFC Divisional Round
Baltimore Ravens 20, Texans 13
- Date
- January 15, 2012
- Location
- M&T Bank Stadium · Baltimore, Maryland
Turning point: Ed Reed intercepted T.J. Yates with Houston driving for a tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
Houston survived an early 17–3 deficit because Foster kept producing and the defense stopped Baltimore from running away. Four turnovers were too much to overcome. The Texans still had two late possessions within one score, which is why the first attempt remains the closest.
2012 SEASON · New England Patriots
AFC Divisional Round
New England Patriots 41, Texans 28
- Date
- January 13, 2013
- Location
- Gillette Stadium · Foxborough, Massachusetts
Turning point: New England scored 21 unanswered points after Houston pulled within four at halftime.
The Texans entered with Matt Schaub healthy and trailed only 17–13 at the break. That was the opening. Tom Brady drove three straight touchdown possessions in the second half, and Houston spent the rest of the afternoon answering a margin that kept growing.
2016 SEASON · New England Patriots
AFC Divisional Round
New England Patriots 34, Texans 16
- Date
- January 14, 2017
- Location
- Gillette Stadium · Foxborough, Massachusetts
Turning point: A Brock Osweiler interception early in the fourth quarter gave New England the short field it used to pull away.
Houston’s top-ranked defense intercepted Brady twice and kept the game within one score through three quarters. The offense could not match that work. Osweiler’s third interception ended the last realistic push, and the final margin became wider than the first 45 minutes felt.
2019 SEASON · Kansas City Chiefs
AFC Divisional Round
Kansas City Chiefs 51, Texans 31
- Date
- January 12, 2020
- Location
- Arrowhead Stadium · Kansas City, Missouri
Turning point: Kansas City answered Houston’s 24–0 lead with 41 consecutive points.
Watson and the Texans scored three touchdowns and a field goal before Kansas City settled into the game. Then the speed changed. Patrick Mahomes threw four touchdowns in the second quarter, and Houston went from controlling the afternoon to trailing before halftime.
2023 SEASON · Baltimore Ravens
AFC Divisional Round
Baltimore Ravens 34, Texans 10
- Date
- January 20, 2024
- Location
- M&T Bank Stadium · Baltimore, Maryland
Turning point: Baltimore scored 24 unanswered points after a 10–10 halftime tie.
Stroud’s rookie season reached halftime even with the AFC’s top seed. The Ravens changed the game with Lamar Jackson’s legs and a defense that shut out Houston after the break. The first Ryans-Stroud playoff run ended with a clear second-half gap.
2024 SEASON · Kansas City Chiefs
AFC Divisional Round
Kansas City Chiefs 23, Texans 14
- Date
- January 18, 2025
- Location
- Arrowhead Stadium · Kansas City, Missouri
Turning point: Patrick Mahomes found Travis Kelce for the fourth-quarter touchdown that pushed Kansas City’s lead to nine.
Houston pressured Mahomes and stayed within one score into the fourth quarter. The Texans also left points behind with missed kicks and could not turn eight sacks of Stroud into enough sustained offense. Kansas City’s final touchdown created the separation Houston never recovered from.
2025 SEASON · New England Patriots
AFC Divisional Round
New England Patriots 28, Texans 16
- Date
- January 18, 2026
- Location
- Gillette Stadium · Foxborough, Massachusetts
Turning point: New England intercepted C.J. Stroud four times in the first half, including a pick-six that created a lead Houston never erased.
Houston reached the Divisional Round for the third straight season, but the offense placed too much weight on its defense. Stroud’s four first-half interceptions let New England control the terms of the game. The Texans stayed within range after halftime without producing the clean offensive stretch needed to threaten the lead.
Seven Tries, No Breakthrough
Houston’s seven losses include three to New England, two to Baltimore and two to Kansas City. The 2019 collapse at Arrowhead carried the biggest swing, but it was not the only type of defeat. Some Texans teams could not protect the ball. Others stayed close until the favorite separated after halftime.
The three straight trips from 2023 through 2025 changed the scale of the opportunity. Stroud and Ryans made reaching the Divisional Round feel repeatable. The last loss showed how quickly another trip can end when the offense gives away four first-half possessions.