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There are 32 teams in the NFL. That means for every historically great team, like the Green Bay Packers, Baltimore Ravens, and New England Patriots, there have to be other teams that have struggled a lot more than they've thrived. Certain teams throughout the NFL's history have seemingly always been bottom dwellers because they have struggled in the draft, made poor free-agent decisions, or not had the culture to sustain winning ways. In this article, we are going to look at the five worst franchises in NFL history according to ChatGPT. Artificial intelligence provided the ranking, and we provided our own analysis backing up or disagreeing with the results. So, check out the gallery below to see the five worst NFL franchises ever.
1. Cleveland Browns
ChatGPT analysis:
- Notable Issues: The Browns have one of the most tortured fan bases in the NFL. They’ve had numerous years of mediocrity or worse, including a 1-31 stretch from 2016 to 2017. Despite the team's rich history, which includes NFL championships in the 1950s and 1960s, their modern-day struggles (particularly after their 1999 re-expansion) have been brutal.
- Key Failures: Poor drafting, unstable quarterback play, and constant coaching turnover have been major issues. The franchise is also known for botched player evaluations (e.g., passing on potential stars like Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson).
ClutchPoints' analysis: The Cleveland Browns have been around for a long time. They were formed as a part of the AAFC in 1946, and they joined the NFL in 1950. They won the championship in all four of their AAFC years, as well as their first year in the NFL. Three more championships followed in the '50s and '60s, as the Browns were a legitimately solid team up until the 21st century.
Jim Brown, for example, was the NFL's first G.O.A.T. The legendary running back still ranks among the best players in NFL history, too. However, things have been horrendous in Cleveland during the entirety of the 21st century. In 1996, the team moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens, but Cleveland was able to get their Browns back in 1999.
Ever since play was resumed in Cleveland, the team has missed on draft pick after draft pick. In fact, a number of the worst NFL Draft busts ever were the Browns' selections. Johnny Manziel, Brady Quinn, Trent Richardson, Justin Gilbert, Brandon Weeden, Gerard Warren, Corey Coleman, Tim Couch, and Courtney Brown were some of the biggest draft mistakes that come to mind, the latter two of which were first-overall picks.
Even someone like Baker Mayfield was viewed as a failure in Cleveland before he went on to find success elsewhere. The quarterback is one of just 67 players to start behind center since the team came back in 1999. That is far and away the most in the NFL over that period. Even now, the team is struggling to find a signal-caller. They signed Deshaun Watson to one of the biggest NFL contracts ever despite the off-the-field controversy he was involved in, and Watson has done next to nothing since signing that deal.
Cleveland has only made the postseason three times this century. The lowest of their many lows was a 1-31 stretch. The Browns have the number two overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and fans have to be worried about another draft bust coming their way.
There is no doubt that the Browns have been by far the worst team during the 21st century, but they did have some failures before then, too. Notably, the Denver Broncos gave them problems in the '80s. John Elway's squad led “The Drive” in the 1986 AFC Championship Game, and Cleveland lost to Denver via “The Fumble” in the 1987 AFC Championship Game. Those were two improbable wins for Denver that now are remembered as two of the most iconic football moments ever. The Broncos even beat the Browns in the AFC Championship Game one more time in 1989, just to rub salt in the wound.
2. Detroit Lions
ChatGPT analysis:
- Notable Issues: The Lions have had one of the longest playoff droughts in NFL history, with just one postseason win since 1957. While they’ve had occasional flashes of greatness, they’re often mocked for their consistent mediocrity and frequent struggles to build a competitive team.
- Key Failures: The Lions have never won a Super Bowl and only appeared in one (Super Bowl XXXIV). The team has also seen multiple coaching changes and has struggled with high-profile draft busts, including the selection of quarterback Joey Harrington in the early 2000s.
ClutchPoints' analysis: The Detroit Lions are one of two teams to go winless in a 16-game season (The Browns being the other team). Like Cleveland, things haven't been pretty for most of the 21st century, or really throughout any of their history. Prior to the 2023-24 season, the Lions hadn't won a playoff game since 1991. In fact, their 2023 and 1991 playoff victories are their only postseason wins since 1957.
The Lions have had some megastars, such as Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson, and Barry Sanders. Stafford is in the 5,000-yard passing club, Johnson was often viewed as the best receiver in football during his entire career, and Sanders is an all-time great running back who even has a 2,000-yard season to his name. Stafford won a Super Bowl after he was traded away from the team, though, and Johnson and Sanders retired way too early while still in their primes. Despite being in the NFL since the '30s, too, the rest of the list of the best players in Lions history is pretty underwhelming.
The difference between the Lions and the Browns is Detroit is one of the best teams in the NFL now. Even after a shocking Divisional Round loss to the Washington Commanders this year, the Lions still had 15 wins and completed one of their best seasons ever. They should be a powerhouse for years to come, especially on the offensive end of the football. However, they've been arguably even worse historically. The Lions have separate playoff droughts of 16 seasons, 12 seasons, 11 seasons, seven seasons, 11 seasons, and six seasons.
With an all-time winning percentage of only .455, the Lions would get our vote for the worst NFL franchise ever, regardless of how entertaining and dominant they were for most of 2024. The only thing boosting the Lions' resume is three championships and four championship appearances in a six-year stretch during the early '50s before the Super Bowl era. The team won another championship in 1935, too.
Note: ChatGPT was wrong in saying the Lions made Super Bowl XXXIV. Detroit has never appeared in the Super Bowl before. ChatGPT also mistakenly said Detroit only has one playoff win since 1957, when they actually have won three games during that span.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars
ChatGPT analysis:
- Notable Issues: The Jaguars were an expansion team in 1995 and enjoyed early success, making the AFC Championship game in just their second season. However, they’ve been unable to sustain that success, with frequent down years and poor overall management.
- Key Failures: Despite a few bright spots (such as a trip to the AFC Championship in 2017), the Jaguars have struggled with coaching instability, draft misfires, and a lack of consistent quarterback play. They also faced financial issues and a fanbase that has not been consistently engaged.
ClutchPoints' analysis: While the two teams before them on this list have been around for a long time (and therefore been bad for a long time), the Jacksonville Jaguars are one of the newer teams in the NFL. They've been bad basically since almost the beginning, though, and they don't have championships from the NFL's infancy to fall back on, either.
The Jaguars actually got out of the gates hot. After joining the NFL in 1995, they actually made the playoffs in four of their five first seasons. That included AFC Championship Game appearances in 1996 and 1999. It has been bad ever since then, though.
The Jaguars have only won 42.4% of their games, which is the third-worst mark in the NFL. Jacksonville had a winning percentage of .292 from 2008-2016, and after a surprising run to the AFC Championship Game in 2017, they reverted back to their losing ways. The team went 15-50 (.231) from 2018-2021. Even now, the team has underwhelmed in comparison to expectations.
Former number-one pick Trevor Lawrence was viewed as a can't-miss prospect, but he has been mediocre at best. Fellow number-one pick Trevon Walker is starting to figure things out (double-digit sacks in each of the last two seasons), but he was even viewed as one of the biggest draft reaches ever, and he is certainly unheralded compared to the average first-overall pick. Along with the Lions, Browns, and Houston Texans, the Jaguars are one of four franchises that have never even gone to the Super Bowl.
4. Washington Commanders
ChatGPT analysis:
- Notable Issues: Once a proud franchise with three Super Bowl titles in the 1980s and early '90s, the Washington team has fallen on hard times. In the last few decades, their decline has been marked by dysfunctional ownership, lack of success on the field, and constant turmoil off the field.
- Key Failures: The team has been underperforming for years, and the infamous tenure of former owner Daniel Snyder only made things worse. Washington has also had serious struggles with draft picks, quarterback play, and coaching stability, leading to consistent underachievement.
ClutchPoints' analysis: The Washington Commanders, like the Lions, have actually had a great 2024, but that doesn't erase their history. Franchise struggles aren't always because of the failures of players and coaches. Oftentimes, ownership plays a part, and that has certainly been the case for the Commanders. Everything was ugly with Dan Snyder running the franchise, including an inappropriate and disturbing workplace culture that occurred under his reign.
The Commanders/Washington Football Team/Redskins have been consistently average to below average during the 21st century. Until this season, the 2005 season was the only one during the 2000s where they won a playoff game. Luckily, Jayden Daniels looks like the answer at quarterback, but poor quarterback play/luck has plagued the team for a long time.
Robert Griffin III was a bright spot there for a short while, but his career was, of course, altered quickly because of injuries. Joe Theismann was a great quarterback, too, but even his career was prematurely ended because of a gruesome injury.
Luckily, the team did win three Super Bowls during their heyday in the '80s and '90s. However, they also are tied for the longest postseason drought ever, as they didn't make the playoffs once from 1946-1970 (25 seasons).
5. Buffalo Bills
ChatGPT analysis:
- Notable Issues: While the Bills enjoyed an incredible run of dominance in the early '90s with four consecutive Super Bowl appearances, the team has generally been mediocre, with long playoff droughts after their peak years. They’ve struggled to find a consistent quarterback and have been largely irrelevant for decades.
- Key Failures: The Bills' post-1999 decline was marked by poor drafts and coaching instability. However, they’ve seen some resurgence in recent years, especially with quarterback Josh Allen, but their long history of struggles still impacts their overall legacy.
ClutchPoints' analysis: It is unfortunate to see the Buffalo Bills listed among the worst NFL franchises ever because they had the potential to have one of the best dynasties ever back in the '90s. During that time, they went to four straight Super Bowls, but they lost all four of them.
While the team was blown out in the latter three of those championship series, as it started to seem that there was some sort of Super Bowl curse, they nearly won Super Bowl XXV. Instead, Scott Norwood's would-be-game-winning kick went wide right and became one of the most infamous Super Bowl moments ever. The miss has been attributed to failures ever since. The team was so close to greatness, but their struggles in the big dance have cast a permanent shadow over the team.
The Bills never recovered from their Super Bowl curse, as evidenced by their struggles during the 21st century (pre-Josh Allen). Buffalo endured a 17-season playoff drought. Struggles were preventlant before the '90s, too, as the team missed out on the postseason in 18 out of 21 seasons from the late '60s to the mid-'80s, dating back to their AFL days. Speaking of the AFL, the Bills did at least win two championships during their days in that league.
