The 15 Worst Teams in NFL History...or at Least Since Super Bowl I

As fun as it might be to dredge up information on teams that played before most of us were born, I decided this list is best served by avoiding teams from 1952.  Instead, I've taken the Top-15 from Super Bowl era teams.

For the nostalgia buffs, I did include a bonus list of teams that were close to cracking the top, or that would have made it with a larger playing window.  I did exclude the 1982 season.  This list is for actual NFL teams, not games played by replacement players.

Some of these were difficult calls, and in a few cases I wrapped consecutive seasons together.  I hope you enjoy your trip down memory lane...

Dishonorable Mentions...the Next 10

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8 Oct 2000: Tshimanga Biakabutuka #21 of the Carolina Panthers carries the ball during a game against the Seattle Seahawks at the Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers defeated the Seahawks 23-3.Mandatory Credit: Scott Halleran /Al

10. 2010 Carolina Panthers (2-14): If not for an odd win over the 49ers (and beating the hapless Cardinals) the Panthers would have made the top-15.

9. 1976 Seahawks (2-12): Wins over the 0-14 Bucs and 4-12 Falcons kept this team from cracking the top-10.  That, and a last-look at the 1969 season.

8. 1942 Detroit Lions (0-11)

7. 1944 Brooklyn Tigers (0-10)

6. 1968 Philadelphia Eagles (2-12): More on this in a later slide.

5. 1982 Colts (0-8-1): This was the strike-shortened season, so I dropped it here.

4. 1960 Cowboys (0-11-1): Obviously the Cowboys expansion season was saved from the main list by virtue of their pre-merger status.  The one thing they did get right...they changed their original nickname from the "Rangers" to avoid being confused with the baseball franchise.

3. 1943 Chicago Cardinals (0-10)  

2. 1944 Card-Pitt (0-10): This was the temporarily merged Chicago Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers.  They were so bad that they became known as the "Carpets."  After their third game, three players were fined $200 for "indifferent play" (the fines for two players were later rescinded, but the third player was fired).  They completed just 31 percent of their passes, resulting in 8 TDs and a still-standing record of 41 INTs.  They also set a record-low punt average of 32.7 yards per kick, and their kicker missed 4 of 15 PATs.  The were outscored 328-108.

1. 1934 Cincinnati Reds (0-8): In 1934, the football team was also known as the Reds...joining St. Louis and Pittsburgh as cities where the football and baseball teams shared the same nickname (the Bengals didn't begin play until 1968).  The baseball team didn't fare much better in 1934, as they ended up last in the NL with a 52-99 record, 42 games out of first place.  The baseball Reds did average more points per game, though, as the football team scored just one touchdown and one field goal all season.  Their defense gave up 243 points, solidifying their spot as the worst team in the history of the NFL.  The team was mercy-killed after eight games (reportedly for not paying league dues), and the independent St. Louis Gamers played the last three games of their schedule, winning one more game than the Reds.

15. Tie: 1969 Chicago Bears (1-13), '69 Pittsburgh Steelers (1-13)

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

5 NOV 1995: PITTSBURGH RUNNING BACK ERRIC PEGRAM, #20, IS WRAPPED UP BY MARTY CARTER, #23, AND JIM FLANIGAN, #99, OF CHICAGO IN THE SECOND QUARTER AT SOLDIER FIELD IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Stockman/ALLSPORT

What better way to work in an extra team...have a tie at the end.  Besides, these games were so long ago that I don’t think anyone will put up much of a fight.  These two teams certainly didn't.  

The Bears and Steelers didn't face off against each other in 1969 to decide who was worse, so they get to share the honor of being tied for the last spot.

This was a tough call, as I had to exclude the 1968 Philadelphia Eagles (2-12).  Their season was so bad that at the last game of the season, the upset and disgruntled fans booed and threw snowballs at Santa Claus.  

14. 2000 San Diego Chargers (1-15)

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24 Dec 2000: Junior Seau #55 of the San Diego Chargers moves for the ball with Rogers Beckett #42 and Jerome Bettis #36 of the Pittsburgh Steelers at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The Steelers defeated the Chargers 34-21.Mandatory Credit: J

The Chargers needed a 17-16 home victory over the Kansas City Chiefs to avoid the first 0-16 finish in the NFL.  They were coming off an 8-8 season and expected to perform better.  I was tempted to move them up the list, but this season was sandwiched between two respectable years.  Without a few tough breaks they could have won three or four games...

Instead, they settled for acquiring the top pick in the 2001 NFL Draft.  They would trade that pick to the Atlanta Falcons, who drafted Michael Vick.  Moving down to the fifth spot, they drafted LaDanian Tomlinson who helped transform the fortunes of the team.

13. 1981 Baltimore Colts (2-14)

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25 Nov 1984: Running back Marcus Allen of the Los Angeles Raiders (top) sails over for a touchdown during a game against the Indianapolis Colts at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. The Raiders won the game 21-7. Mandatory Cre

Before the season began, second year head coach Mike McCormack thought the Colts could challenge for a playoff spot. Baltimore began and ended the season with one-game winning streaks, beating the 2-14 Patriots by one point in the first game and by two points in the season finale.

The 14 games in between proved problematic, though, particularly for the defense.  This was likely the worst modern-era defense in the NFL, surrendering an NFL record  533 points.  Every team scored at least 23 point on them.

The offense wasn't much better, as they were ranked 26th in the league.

After the last game McCormack said, "We had a helluva start and a helluva finish."  I'll give you one guess what happened to him on Black Monday.  He was brought in to coach the Seahawks following the 1982 work stoppage, leading them to a 4-3 record.

The Patriots get a dishonorable mention here, as they only notched two victories and lost to the Colts twice.  However, they put up 322 points while only allowing 370.  They were competitive in almost every game, saving them from making this list.

12. 2001 Carolina Panthers (1-15)

Rick Stewart/Getty Images

09 December 2001: Chris Weinke # 16 of the Carolina Panthers throws a pass against the Buffalo Bills during their game at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. Buffalo won 25-24. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Rick Stewart/Allsport

The Panthers were the first NFL team to lose 15 straight games in one season.  They started off strong, beating the Vikings 24-13.  That's where the fun ended, though.  

This team had a hard time scoring points, and an even tougher time keeping their opponents from putting them up.  This franchise continued a Jekyll and Hyde routine for most of the decade.

11. 1996 New York Jets (1-15)

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

27 Oct 1996: Defensive tackle Bernard Wilson of the Arizona Cardinals chases after running back Adrian Murrell of the New York Jets during a game at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. The Jets won the game 31-21. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Allsp

The 1996 Jets team was trying to rebound from their franchise-worst performance in 1995.  When Rich Kotite took over for Pete Carroll, he led the team to a 3-13 record.  Things didn't go well, though, and Kotite was let go at the end of the season.

Their offense struggled under Neil O'Donnell, who was fresh off a Super Bowl appearance with the Steelers.  The defense had even more problems, surrendering 454 points.  

Things began to turn around in 1997, though, under new head coach Bill Parcells.

10. 1971 Buffalo Bills (1-13)

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ORCHARD PARK, NY - SEPTEMBER 11: JP Losman #7 and Eric Moulds #80 of the Buffalo Bills butt helmets after Losman threw his first career touchdown pass against the Houston Texans on September 11, 2005 at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York.(Phot

The Bills had one thing going for them this season...balance.  Not only were they dead-last in offense, they had the worst defense, too.  At least it saved them from the whole offense blaming the defense, and vice versa carousel.

To be fair, the team lost several close games...which kept them early in the list.  Then again, their offense pitched four shutouts, and they lost by a total of 120-0 in those contests.  In the other 10 games they were only outscored 274-184.

The QB committee combined for 12 TD passes and 32 interceptions.  At least they had O.J. Simpson coming into his prime.  This was his third NFL season, and he rushed for...well, he came up short of the 750-yard mark. 

9. 1989 Dallas Cowboys (1-15)

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18 Nov 1996: Running back Herschel Walker of the Dallas Cowboys comes up short on this touchdown attempt from Troy Aikman during the first half of the game between the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers game at Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas. Mandatory

Coming off a three-win season in '88, the Cowboys were sold to Jerry Jones early in 1989.  His first move garnered scorn from those faithful to the "Star," as he fired Tom Landry...who had coached the team since their inception in 1960.

He hired Jimmy Johnson to assist with the turnaround.  The biggest note from '89 was sending Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings; they received eight draft picks and five veteran players, which allowed Jones to rebuild the franchise and turn them into a dynasty in the '90s.

The Cowboys defense was just plain bad in '89, and their offense would have had to improve to reach that level of performance.  However, most fans would put up with a year like the '89 Cowboys if it led to the success they saw for the next decade...eight playoff appearances and three Super Bowl victories.

8. 2007 Miami Dolphins (1-15)

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MIAMI - DECEMBER 30: Quarterback John Beck #9 of the Miami Dolphins throws a pass while being chased by defensive end Justin Smith #90 of the Cincinnati Bengals at Dolphin Stadium on December 30, 2007 in Miami, Florida. The Bengals defeated the Dolphins

The Dolphins came as close as a team can come to an imperfect season.  They did not hold a lead at the end of regulation in any single game.

With three games left, though, they were able to squeeze out an OT win vs. the Baltimore Ravens.  The team was in disarray following the departure of Nick Saban the prior year.

The issues were short-lived, though.  Cam Cameron was released as head coach, and Tony Sparano entered the scene along with a new Executive Vice President of Football Operations, Bill Parcells.  In 2008, they added 10 games to their '07 win total.

7. 1980 New Orleans Saints (1-15)

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NORTH CALDWELL, NJ - JUNE 26: (L-R) Eli, Archie and Peyton Manning on the set during a Reebok commercial shoot on June 26, 2006 in North Caldwell, New Jersey. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images for Reebok)

Quick...what is more memorable: The "Aint's" or the paper bags fans wore on their heads to the games?

Archie Manning did what he could, but the team simply didn't have a rushing attack.  Jimmy Rogers was the leading rusher, but he only managed 366 yards.  Manning later called it "The darkest side of football."

6. 1990 New England Patriots (1-15)

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1 Dec 1991: New England Patriots head coach Dick MacPherson looks on during a game against the Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos won the game, 20-3. Mandatory Credit: Tim DeFrisco /Allsport

This was a rough season for the entire organization.  Coach Rod Rust had his one and only season as an NFL head coach, and owner Victor Kiam sold the team the following season.

The season was so bad that players were accused of quitting and not giving effort in most of the losses.  A prime reflection on the season was the Week 15 game.  It was on national TV, and the Patriots were behind 9-0 before the Washington Redskins ran an offensive play.

The season started out decent enough, as they were 1-1 after two games (a 27-24 loss and 16-14 win). However, the 24-point production was their highest of the season, and after the Week 2 win, three players were partly naked and sexually harassed Boston Globe reporter Lisa Olson.

This was a major embarrassment to the organization, and the rest of the season reflected it.  

Olson's fellow Globe reporter did exact some revenge.  Near the end of the season he summarized the team: "The Patriots have out-Murphyed the entire league put together.  If something bad in the game of football can happen, it will not only happen to the Patriots, it will happen in a new and different way. The way things are going, they would be no better than even money in an intrasquad scrimmage. Each week we ask, 'How can things get worse?' and each week they do."

5. 1991 Indianapolis Colts (1-15)

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8 Sep 1991: Running back Eric Dickerson of the Indianapolis Colts runs with the ball during a game against the Miami Dolphins at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida. The Dolphins won the game, 17-6. Mandatory Credit: Jim Spoontz /Allsport

I want to put the Colts second on the list, as they set records for fewest points and TDs scored in a season since the league went to 16 games.  However, the two modern-day imperfect seasons keep the top spots.

RB Eric Dickerson summed their team up pretty well. "Personally, I wouldn't come out and watch a game. No way I'd pay to see someone play the way we are."  

The Colts won their only game of the season in Week 11.  They beat the Jets 28-27, scoring more points than they had in the previous five games combined.

4. 1972, '73 Houston Oilers (2-26)

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HOUSTON - DECEMBER 21: Houston Texans fan Preston Chauvin wears a helmet with a Houston Oilers hat speared onto it as he chats with fans before a game against the Tennessee Titans December 21, 2003 outside Reliant Stadium and the Astrodome in Houston, Te

I would really, really, like to move this team ahead...I mean behind...well, worse than the team on the next slide.  Over a four season stretch, the Oiler were 9-45-2.  I challenge anyone to find a worst stretch...except for maybe the next team on the list.

The offensive line was so bad that Dan Pastorini set a record for the most sacks in 1971.  I know...wrong year.  However, he broke that record in 1972, and broke it again in 1973.

To keep him from breaking ribs, too, his trainers developed the first football-used flak jacket.  Something good did come out of this squad!

3. 2009 St. Louis Rams (1-15)

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 27: Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie #29 of the Arizona Cardinals jumps to intercept a pass over wide receiver Donnie Avery #19 of the St. Louis Rams in the fourth quarter on December 27, 2009 at University of Phoenix Stadiu

The NFC West hasn't exactly been a breeding ground of high-quality football the last several seasons.  Despite that, the Rams entered 2009 after winning three games in '07 and just two in '08.

Head coach Scott Linehan was released four games into the 2008 season, and Jim Haslett mopped up the rest of the season.

Steve Spagnuolo was brought in to coach the Rams and turn the team around.  His team got off to a slow start.  They faced two division rivals in the first four weeks; they lost 28-0 in Seattle in Week 1.  Three weeks later they were shut out by the 49ers, 35-0.

The Rams' lone victory in '09 was a 17-10 win in Detroit (2-14), who was one season removed from an 0-16 record.  St. Louis averaged just 11 points per game, and surrendered the equivalent of almost four TDs.  

The season wasn't all bad news, though.  The terrible finish did net them the top pick in the 2010 NFL Draft and Sam Bradford.  As good as he was last season, the defense has started to respond to Spagnuolo.

The Rams look close to getting back to their winning ways.

2. 2008 Detroit Lions (0-16)

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

GREEN BAY, WI - DECEMBER 28: Dan Orlovsky #6 of the Detroit Lions looses the ball after being tackled by Jason Hunter #57 and Brady Poppinga #51 of the Green Bay Packers on December 28, 2008 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated t

The Lions are the only team to lose 16 games in a season, but that still isn't enough to make the top spot on this list.  

After the season head coach Rod Marinelli wast fired; he compiled a 10–38 record in three seasons.  After a 2-14 finish in '09, their four year total was 12-52.

While their offense was far from adequate, they did score 268 points, which outpaced five other clubs.  Defense was a different story, though.  They surrendered 517 points on the season, which was 50-plus more than any other club.

1. 1976, '77 Buccaneers (0-14, 2-12)

J. Meric/Getty Images

TAMPA, FL - DECEMBER 05: A 'throwback Bucco Bruce Flag' of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers flies over Raymond James Stadium just before the start of the game against the Atlanta Falcons on December 5, 2010 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images)

I just want to start by asking...who thought it was a good idea to have an NFL logo featuring a dude winking with a feather in his cap?  Did they really think the dagger in Bruce's mouth would make up for it?  I'll ignore the big loop earing.

There are some fans that will argue the Lions imperfect season was worse than the Bucs’, but I’m going for quality over quantity.  Whether playing 14, 16, or Roger Goodell’s mythical 18 game schedule, the Bucs would have lost them all.  To make matters worse, the Bucs had a Week Six home game vs. their expansion companion, the Seattle Seahawks, and lost that game, too. 

In the first five games, they were shut-out three times and were outscored 120-26. 

Their eventual margin of defeat was 420-125, with 49 of those points coming in the fourth quarter.  This leads to a margin of defeat of 21.1 points per game.  In 2010, 14 teams allowed fewer than 21.1 points per game.  The Bucs were also outgained 340-214 yards per game.

For those worried about quantity, I expanded this to include the ’77 Bucs.  Prior to going on a two-game winning streak to finish the season, they lost a record 26 straight games.  That should be enough to end the debate.

The saving grace of the early Tampa Bay teams were the many hilarious sound-bites offered by their head coach, John McKay.  He was asked after one of their defeats (duh) what he thought about his team’s execution.  “I’m all for it,” was the reply (to be fair, some people remember it as “I’m in favor of it”).  I don’t have a credible citation for this…it is just one of those comments that sticks with you.

The players had their perceptions, too.  In 2001, Pat Toomay (DL) told the Columbus Dispatch "coach stopped talking to us after the third game.  During the week, he wanted nothing to do with us. I can't blame him, really. We had so many guys get injured that nobody knew who was hurt and who wasn't. By the end of the season we were getting guys out of the Canadian league and off the streets."

Perhaps the Buccaneers would have been better served starting with a CFL team.  To be fair, the expansion draft in ’76 was a far cry from what it was when the Jaguars and Panthers entered the league.  The list of unprotected players was given to the Bucs and Seahawks just 72 hours before their draft.  It was riddled with players that were due to be cut and that had major medical issues that kept them from even reporting to training camp. 

However, there was a WR from USC coming off of his rookie season in Cleveland that was exposed (sorry if that conjures up bad images of Brett Favre).  The Bucs selected Johnny McKay, and John McKay Sr. did get to coach his son for three years.  I couldn't find a comment on whether having his son on the team made the experience more bearable or that much worse.