* - A players' strike in 1982 reduced the regular season to nine games. Thus, the league used a special 16-team playoff tournament just for this year. Division standings were ignored, Miami had the best record of the division teams.
Wild Card Winners by Year
1970 - None
1971 - None
1972 - None
1973 - None
1974 - None
1975 - None
1976 - None
1977 - None
1978 - Atlanta Falcons
1979 - None
1980 - None
1981 - None
1982 - *
1983 - Los Angeles Rams
1984 - Los Angeles Rams
1985 - San Francisco 49ers
1986 - Los Angeles Rams
1987 - New Orleans Saints
1988 - Los Angeles Rams
1989 - Los Angeles Rams
1990 - New Orleans Saints
1991 - Atlanta Falcons
1992 - New Orleans Saints
1993 - None
1994 - None
1995 - Atlanta Falcons
1996 - San Francisco 49ers
1997 - None
1998 - San Francisco 49ers
1999 - None
2000 - St. Louis Rams
2001 - San Francisco 49ers
2002 - None
2003 - Seattle Seahawks
2004 - St. Louis Rams
2005 - None
* A players' strike in 1982 reduced the regular season to nine games. Thus, the league used a special 16-team playoff tournament just for this year. Division standings were ignored.