Ranking the Greatest Sports Turnarounds This Century
The 2025 Indiana football team represents the culmination of one of the most impressive turnarounds in sports history.
After years as a complete afterthought on the gridiron, the Hoosiers have become a national powerhouse in just two seasons under head coach Curt Cignetti, washing away decades of futility during a 16-0 run to the national title.
This year's Super Bowl-bound New England Patriots have raised eyebrows as well, crashing the title round behind Drake Maye and a galvanizing head coach in Mike Vrabel.
With those impressive reversal of fortunes front and center, we've taken a deep dive into some of the other memorable sports turnarounds of the 21st century, ranking the 20 greatest based on the climb from their rock-bottom moment to their subsequent peak.
20. 2013 Auburn Tigers (College Football)
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The Rock Bottom: Just two years removed from a 14-0 run and a national championship with Cam Newton under center, the Auburn Tigers had tumbled all the way to a 3-9 record and 0-8 showing in SEC play in 2012. That precipitous fall from grace cost Gene Chizik his job, and his former offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn was hired from Arkansas State to replace him ahead of the 2013 season.
The Turnaround: Unranked to open the year, the Tigers suffered an early road loss to LSU but ripped off an eight-game winning streak to close out the regular season, culminating in a 34-28 victory over Alabama in the Iron Bowl highlighted by the legendary "Kick Six" return. A win over No. 5 Missouri in the SEC championship ran the win streak to nine and earned Auburn a spot in the national championship, and while the Tigers fell to Jameis Winston and Florida State, it still stands as a remarkable turnaround.
19. 2025 New England Patriots (NFL)
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The Rock Bottom: Immediately following the end of the Tom Brady era in 2020, the New England Patriots managed just one postseason appearance in five years and tumbled all the way to a 4-13 record in 2023. That earned them the No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft, which they used on quarterback Drake Maye, but the early return was another 4-13 finish in 2024 and what looked like a multi-year rebuild.
The Turnaround: In his second season, Maye took a massive step forward, throwing for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns while leading the NFL in completion percentage (72.0) and passer rating (113.5). His improvement and the hiring of head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels led to a NFL record-tying 10-win improvement, and their victory over the Chargers in the Wild Card Round was their first playoff win since the 2018 Super Bowl. After a rock fight in the snow with the Broncos, they're headed for a rematch of Super Bowl XLIX with the Seattle Seahawks.
18. 2007-08 Baylor Bears (College Basketball)
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The Rock Bottom: The bottom doesn't get much lower than the tragedy that rocked the Baylor basketball program in 2003, when Patrick Dennehy was murdered by teammate Carlton Dotson. That was followed by allegations of improper payments and failure to report positive drug tests, and head coach Dave Bliss was forced to resign. A series of sanctions were handed down by the NCAA, including probation through 2010, a ban on nonconference games for the 2005-06 season and two years of reduced scholarships and recruiting budgets.
The Turnaround: Few new coaching hires have inherited anything like what Scott Drew walked into when he took the Baylor job, and he won just 21 games in his first three seasons. However, that win total jumped to 15 during the 2006-07 season, and the following year the Bears made their first trip to the NCAA tournament since 1988. Now in his 23rd season as Baylor's head coach, Drew has rebuilt the program into a perennial contender, tallying 13 trips to the NCAA tournament and winning a national championship during the 2020-21 season.
17. 2003 Carolina Panthers (NFL)
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The Rock Bottom: After a season-opening win over the Minnesota Vikings, the 2001 Carolina Panthers lost their next 15 games to finish squarely in the NFL cellar. Their defense was passable, but the offense was a mess, averaging just 15.8 points per game behind quarterback Chris Weinke (54.3 cmp%, 2,931 yards, 11 TD, 19 INT) and a running back room that managed only three touchdowns.
The Turnaround: The Panthers selected Hall of Fame defensive end Julius Peppers with the No. 2 pick in the 2002 draft, and the team improved to 7-9 under new head coach John Fox. That offseason, they signed quarterback Jake Delhomme and running back Stephen Davis in free agency, and an improved offense helped them finish 11-5 and win the NFC South title. They beat the Cowboys and upset the Rams and Eagles to reach the Super Bowl, but finished on the wrong end of an Adam Vinatieri game-winning field goal in a 32-29 loss to the Patriots.
16. 2021 Cincinnati Bengals (NFL)
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The Rock Bottom: After five playoff trips in five years, the Cincinnati Bengals steadily slid into irrelevance, bottoming out with a 2-14 finish in 2019 when they were held under 20 points in 11 of their 16 games. Quarterback Andy Dalton was five years into a six-year, $115 million extension and exiting his prime, opening the door for a change under center.
The Turnaround: The trajectory of the franchise changed when quarterback Joe Burrow was taken No. 1 overall in the 2020 draft. He looked the part of a future star as a rookie until his season came to an abrupt end in Week 11 with a torn ACL and MCL. Despite that setback, he returned strong in 2021 with a 4,611-yard, 34-touchdown performance, and the Bengals won the AFC North title. A dramatic overtime win against the Chiefs in the AFC championship game earned the Bengals their first trip to the Super Bowl since 1988, and while they fell to the Rams, it was still a staggering two-year turnaround.
15. 2008 Tampa Bay Rays (MLB)
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The Rock Bottom: From their inaugural season in 1998 through the 2007 campaign, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays averaged 97 losses per year and never finished higher than fourth in the AL East standings. Wade Boggs collecting his 3,000 hit as a member of the team was their crowning achievement over a decade as complete afterthoughts.
The Turnaround: A rebrand to drop the "Devil" from their nickname and the arrival of franchise cornerstones Evan Longoria and David Price took the Rays to new heights in 2008. Longoria won AL Rookie of the Year and Price was the X-factor as a September call-up turned closer in October. They won 97 games and the AL East title, upending the White Sox and Red Sox in the postseason before falling to a stacked Phillies team in the World Series.
14. 2022-23 LSU Lady Tigers (Women's College Basketball)
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The Rock Bottom: After 21 seasons as the head coach at Baylor, Kim Mulkey took over as LSU's head coach prior to the 2021-22 season. She inherited a Tigers program that was coming off a 9-13 finish, had missed the NCAA tournament three years in a row, and had not won an NCAA tournament game since 2014.
The Turnaround: Despite losing nine players from the 2021-22 team, Mulkey immediately turned the tides, with a 26-6 record and a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament in her first season. That success laid the foundation for the following year, and led by Maryland transfer Angel Reese (23.0 PPG, 15.4 RPG) and freshman Flau'jae Johnson (11.0 PPG, 5.9 RPG), the Tigers went 34-2 and knocked off Caitlin Clark-led Iowa to capture the program's first national championship.
13. 2005-06 Carolina Hurricanes (NHL)
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The Rock Bottom: The Carolina Hurricanes made a surprise run to the 2002 Stanley Cup finals as the league's worst division winner, with their 91 points checking in seventh in the Eastern Conference. However, they tumbled to the bottom of the Southeast Division standings the following year and were a non-factor again during the 2003-04 campaign before the lockout hit during the subsequent offseason.
The Turnaround: A breakthrough season from Eric Staal (45 goals, 55 assists) and a fantastic playoff run from goalie Cam Ward (15-8, 2.04 GAA, .920 SV%)—both recent first-round picks by Carolina—helped propel the Hurricanes to a title run on the other side of the lockout. Adding veterans Cory Stillman and Ray Whitney in free agency also paid dividends, while Rod Brind'Amour won his first of back-to-back Selke Awards.
12. 2019-20 Los Angeles Lakers (NBA)
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The Rock Bottom: Going all the way back to the early days of professional basketball when they were still playing in Minnesota, the Lakers never had a playoff drought of more than two years prior to missing the postseason six times in a row from 2014-19. That stretch featured four of the six lowest win totals in franchise history, including a 17-65 finish during the 2015-16 season amid Kobe Bryant's farewell tour.
The Turnaround: The final season of that six-year drought was the first season LeBron James suited up for the Lakers, but he did it as the leader of a young, unproven roster that featured Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball. An offseason trade to acquire Anthony Davis in exchange for a package that included Ingram and Ball pushed them over the top, and they improved from 37 to 52 wins on their way to an NBA title in the COVID-19 playoff bubble.
11. 2017 Houston Astros (MLB)
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The Rock Bottom: Very few teams in professional sports history have embraced the idea of tanking quite like the Houston Astros did when they stripped their roster to the studs in the early 2010s. They trudged through a three-year stretch with 106, 107 and 111 losses at the apex of their futility, stockpiling high draft picks and turning veterans into prospects along the way.
The Turnaround: The Astros emerged from their tanking with a homegrown core that included first-round picks George Springer, Carlos Correa, Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker, along with carryover star Jose Altuve. They made the playoffs sooner than expected as a wild card team in 2015, took a step backward in 2016, then began a run of seven straight ALCS appearances with a World Series title in 2017. The sign-stealing scandal has since tainted that ring, but it does little to water down the drastic overall nature of their franchise turnaround.
10. 2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA)
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The Rock Bottom: LeBron James helped make an also-ran Cleveland Cavaliers team a perennial playoff contender over the first seven seasons of his NBA career, but he was unable to deliver a title before joining the Miami Heat in free agency. The Cavs dropped from 61-21 to 19-63 immediately following his departure, and went a combined 97-215 over the four seasons he spent in South Beach.
The Turnaround: After his four-year stint in Miami, James returned to the Cavaliers for the 2014-15 season, and he immediately led them to the NBA finals where they fell to the Golden State Warriors in six games. They added Mo Williams, Channing Frye and Richard Jefferson during the offseason to fill out the roster around the "Big Three" of James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, and they came back from down 3-1 to the 73-win Warriors in the finals to capture the first and only title in franchise history.
9. 2015 Kansas City Royals (MLB)
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The Rock Bottom: In the 28 seasons that followed the Kansas City Royals winning the 1985 World Series title, the club had more seasons with 90-plus losses (11) than they did with a winning record (7), and they did not make the playoffs once in nearly three decades. From 2004 through 2012, they averaged 96 losses and were a consistent cellar dweller in the AL Central standings.
The Turnaround: The Royals improved to 86-76 in 2013, finishing with a winning record for the first time in a decade, and that was the springboard to a wild-card berth and surprise World Series run in 2014. They were bested by Madison Bumgarner and the Giants in seven games, but returned to the Fall Classic in 2015 as a 95-win division champion and steamrolled the Mets. It was a largely homegrown roster built on defense and a rock solid bullpen, with veteran additions Johnny Cueto, Ben Zobrist, Kendrys Morales and Edinson Vólquez helping to push things over the top.
8. 2008-09 Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL)
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The Rock Bottom: The Pittsburgh Penguins won back-to-back Stanley Cup finals in 1990 and 1991 to kick off a run of 11 straight playoff appearances, but when that streak ended, the franchise fell off a cliff. They finished at the bottom of the Atlantic Division standings three years in a row, and were the worst team in hockey during the 2003-04 season with 58 points and a negative-113 goal differential.
The Turnaround: That terrible three-year stretch led the Penguins selecting Marc-Andre Fleury (No. 1 overall in 2003), Evgeni Malkin (No. 2 overall in 2004) and Sidney Crosby (No. 1 overall in 2005), and that trio quickly became the foundation of a young team on the rise. The Penguins returned to the playoffs during the 2006-07 season, reached the final the following year, and hoisted the cup the year after that, with Malkin leading the NHL in assists (78) and points (113), while Crosby became the youngest captain to win a cup.
7. 2006 New Orleans Saints (NFL)
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The Rock Bottom: The 2005 New Orleans Saints were a team without a stadium in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, splitting their home games between the Alamodome in San Antonio and LSU's Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge. They finished 3-13 and missed the playoffs for the fifth year in a row, and at the end of the season they fired head coach Jim Haslett and cut ties with longtime quarterback Aaron Brooks.
The Turnaround: On Jan. 18, 2006, the Saints hired Sean Payton to be their next head coach, and two months later they signed quarterback Drew Brees to a six-year, $60 million deal in free agency. In his first season in New Orleans, Brees led the NFL in passing yards (4,418), and the Saints made a massive leap to a 10-6 record and the NFC South title. They went on to reach the NFC championship for the first time in franchise history, and three years later they were Super Bowl champions.
6. 2013 Boston Red Sox (MLB)
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The Rock Bottom: The 2011 Boston Red Sox had a 1.5-game lead in the AL East standings entering September, but a 7-20 final month knocked them out of the postseason and cost manager Terry Francona his job. He was replaced by Bobby Valentine, and the 2012 season was an unmitigated disaster. The clubhouse was in a constant state of turmoil, Valentine feuded with players and the media, a trio of high-priced stars were dumped on the Dodgers in August and the end result was a 69-93 record and a last-place finish in the AL East.
The Turnaround: Valentine was fired after one season and replaced with John Farrell, and the front office went to work rebuilding the clubhouse culture. David Ross, Jonny Gomes, Mike Napoli, Shane Victorino and Ryan Dempster were all signed in free agency, giving the team a collection of respected veteran voices. The turnaround was immediate, as they won 97 games and the AL East title before joining the 1991 Minnesota Twins as the only teams to go from a last-place finish to a World Series win.
5. 2001 New England Patriots (NFL)
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The Rock Bottom: The New England Patriots signed franchise quarterback Drew Bledsoe to a record 10-year, $103 million extension prior to the 2001 season, but they had tumbled from a Super Bowl appearance in 1996 to a 5-11 record in 2000, and had missed the playoffs in back-to-back years. When Bledsoe suffered a significant injury in Week 2, it looked like it would be another lost season for a franchise trending in the wrong direction.
The Turnaround: In Bledsoe's absence, the starting job was handed to second-year backup Tom Brady, who had served as the team's fourth-string quarterback as a rookie. Brady steered the team to an 11-3 record as the starter, throwing for 2,843 yards and 18 touchdowns. After knocking off the Raiders in the infamous "Tuck Rule" game and Steelers in the AFC championship, the Patriots bested Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk and the high-powered Rams in a 20-17 game that was capped off by a 48-yard field goal from Adam Vinatieri as time expired. Just like that, a dynasty was born.
4. 2007-08 Boston Celtics (NBA)
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The Rock Bottom: The glory years of the 1980s and the team's last championship during the 1985-86 season were but a distant memory for the Boston Celtics two decades later. A 24-58 record and last place finish in the Eastern Conference standings during the 2006-07 campaign was the peak of their futility, as that represented the second-worst record in franchise history.
The Turnaround: Director of basketball operations Danny Ainge set to work on a bold push to build a title contender during the 2007 offseason. Ray Allen was acquired from the Sonics on draft night for No. 5 overall pick Jeff Green, Delonte West and Wally Szczerbiak. A month later, Al Jefferson, four other players and two first-round picks were traded to the Timberwolves for Kevin Garnett. That tandem, alongside Paul Pierce, gave them a true "Big Three" and they immediately jumped from 24 to 66 wins. A six-game finals victory over the rival Lakers, including a 131-92 blowout in the clincher, capped off one of the most impressive one-year turnarounds in sports history.
3. 2016 Chicago Cubs (MLB)
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The Rock Bottom: There are a lot of rock bottom moments to point to during a 108-year run of futility for the Chicago Cubs, including an epic collapse in 1969, heartbreak in the 1984 NLCS and the "Steve Bartman incident" in 2003. After getting swept in the first round of the playoffs in 2007 and 2008, then sliding down the standings in the years that followed, the front office committed to a full-scale rebuild and bottomed out with 91, 101 and 96 losses in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
The Turnaround: The hiring of Theo Epstein to pilot the front office, the signing of Jon Lester to a six-year, $155 million deal during the 2014 winter meetings and the debut of Kris Bryant as baseball's most hyped prospect early in the 2015 season can all be pointed to as turning points for the long-suffering franchise. After jumping from 73 to 97 wins and reaching the NLCS in 2015, everything came together during a magical 2016 season, with a World Series Game 7 for the ages the only fitting end to their long-awaited title.
2. 2025 Indiana Hoosiers (College Football)
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The Rock Bottom: More so than perhaps any program in the country, the Indiana Hoosiers have always been a "basketball school" with football historically an afterthought. From 1995 through 2018, they had one winning season, and by 2022 they had tumbled back to a 2-10 record while also becoming the first D-I program with 700 losses that same year. A 4-8 finish in 2022 and a 3-9 finish in 2023 marked the end for Tom Allen, and left one of the nation's least attractive head coaching positions vacant.
The Turnaround: A former Alabama assistant with head coaching stops at IUP, Elon and James Madison, Curt Cignetti was named to the post on Nov. 30, 2023, and he immediately made headlines with a level of confidence that bordered on cocky in his early interactions with the media. He backed it up with an 11-2 record and a trip to the College Football Playoff in his first year, and that proved to be the appetizer to 2025's main course. The Hoosiers finished off a dream run to the national title with perfect 16-0 record and a dominant roster, headlined by Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza. Cignetti's 27 wins over the last two years are more than the Hoosiers had the previous seven seasons combined.
1. 2015-16 Leicester City (Premier League)
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The Rock Bottom: After a 10-year hiatus, Leicester City returned to the Premier League for the 2014-15 season, but it looked like their stay would be short-lived when they spent much of the year at the bottom of the table. A late surge helped them finish 14th in the standings and avoid relegation, but there was little reason for optimism.
Entering the 2015-16 season, they had 5,000-to-1 odds to win the Premier League, and were widely viewed as one of the favorites for relegation. To put that figure into perspective, the Indiana football team checked in with 100-to-1 odds to win the national championship at the start of the 2025 season.
The Turnaround: The turnaround truly began at the end of the 2014-15 season, when they won seven of their final nine matches in the push to avoid relegation. With a 13-1-6 start the following year, they became the first team in Premier League history to be in last place on Christmas one year, and first place on Christmas the following year.
Behind stellar seasons from Jamie Vardy (24 goals, 11-match goal streak) and Riyad Mahrez (17 goals, 11 assists), they never slowed after that hot start. On May 2, 2016, they officially clinched the most unlikely Premier League title of all-time, and went on to a 23-12-3 season for this century's most stunning sports turnaround.
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