* - 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 - Miami Dolphins
1971 - Baltimore Colts
1972 - None
1973 - None
1974 - Buffalo Bills
1975 - None
1976 - New England Patriots
1977 - None
1978 - Miami Dolphins
1979 - None
1980 - None
1981 - Buffalo Bills, New York Jets
1982 - *
1983 - None
1984 - None
1985 - New England Patriots, New York Jets
1986 - New York Jets
1987 - None
1988 - None
1989 - None
1990 - Miami Dolphins
1991 - New York Jets
1992 - Buffalo Bills
1993 - None
1994 - New England Patriots
1995 - Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins
1996 - Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Colts
1997 - Miami Dolphins
1998 - Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots
1999 - Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
2000 - Indianapolis Colts
2001 - Miami Dolphins, New York Jets
2002 - None
2003 - None
2004 - New York Jets
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.