Has an NFL game ever ended 43–38?

Yes, once. The Saints beat the 49ers 43–38 on November 23, 1969. It was unique score number 674 in NFL history.

Every NFL game that ended 43–38

Datenewest first	Winner43 points	Loser38 points	Wherehome team	Roundplayoffs	Windowstandalone game
Nov 23, 1969	New Orleans Saints	San Francisco 49ers	Saints	—	—

Scores next to 43–38

42–37 happened 3 times
42–38 happened 3 times
42–39 happened once
43–37 happened 4 times
43–39 happened once
44–37 happened once
44–38 happened 7 times
44–39 never

Where 43–38 sits

43–38 was the 674th unique final score in NFL history, first seen in 1969. The league has produced 1,095 unique scores through 18,234 games. See the whole grid →

About the data

Scorigami is a term coined by Jon Bois in 2014; his 2016 video explains the idea. Game data from nflverse and the FiveThirtyEight NFL archive: every NFL and AFL regular-season and playoff game since 1920, Super Bowls included, the AAFC and the Pro Bowl left out. Franchises carry their current name, so the Baltimore Colts count for Indianapolis and the Houston Oilers for Tennessee.

Updated: September 9, 2026