Top 10 Worst Seasons by an NFL Team

The Top Ten

  1. 2008 Detroit Lions

    Detroit finished the season 0-16, becoming the first NFL team to lose all 16 regular season games. The team allowed 517 points while scoring 268. Head coach Rod Marinelli was fired following the season.

    By far the worst season, losing every game and allowing the second-most points all time. However, jdsoaresfamily2 you are wrong, they actually won their full pre-season and were considered early playoff favorites.

    The worst of the worst. Possibly the worst franchise in all pro sports since 1960 sunk to an all-time low in 2008 (0-16). And the stench of the Matt Millen era will linger for a couple more years.

    To lose a majority of games is one thing. It becomes one hell of a feat to lose every single game in the season and setting a new record in the process.

  2. 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

    The Buccaneers went 0-14 in their inaugural season. The offense scored 125 points, the lowest in the league, while the defense allowed 412. John McKay served as the first head coach in franchise history.

    They were a first-year expansion team, so I guess they have an "excuse", unlike the Lions.

  3. 2007 Miami Dolphins

    Miami ended the season 1-15 under head coach Cam Cameron. Their only victory came in overtime against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 15. The team allowed 437 points while scoring 267.

    I still have respect, but this was bad.

    It was kind of funny just listening to guys ask, "Is this the week the Dolphins finally win a game?"

  4. 2017 Cleveland Browns

    The Browns completed the season 0-16 under head coach Hue Jackson. Cleveland finished with a point differential of minus 176, the worst in the league. Linebacker Joe Schobert was selected to the Pro Bowl.

    (Sarcasm alert) Congrats Cleveland, you have completed a perfect season. You've made history. Congrats on joining the other elite team known as the 2008 Lions. This has to be one of the biggest accomplishments in the last decade for you guys. You should hang a banner to honor your accomplishment.

    Lost every game. Blew leads to the Jets, Vikings, Lions, and Packers. Choked miserably against the Titans and Steelers. Got destroyed by the Bengals, Texans, Ravens, and Bears.

    Had Hue Jackson as a 1-31 coach and still kept him around. DeShone Kizer at QB. Weren't favored in any game all season in 2016 or 2017. They should have just stayed defunct.

  5. 2000 San Diego Chargers

    San Diego finished 1-15, with their only win coming against the Kansas City Chiefs. The team averaged just 13.6 points per game, last in the league. Head coach Mike Riley was dismissed after the season.

    Ryan Leaf as QB. Jermaine Fazande leads the team in rushing with only 368 yards. I think that's enough to qualify this team as the worst team ever. I don't think any team in NFL history has ever shown as much offensive ineptitude as the 2000 San Diego Chargers.

  6. 1980 New Orleans Saints

    The Saints ended with a 1-15 record, the worst in franchise history at the time. New Orleans allowed 487 points, ranking last in the NFL. Dick Nolan was fired after 12 games and replaced by Dick Stanfel as interim coach.

  7. 2016 Cleveland Browns

    Cleveland went 1-15, matching the worst record in franchise history at the time. Their only win came in Week 16 against the San Diego Chargers. The Browns were outscored by opponents 452 to 264.

    They haven't won a game in a year and a half. Something has to be wrong with the management, it's that simple. Fire the lot of them and start over. Couldn't do any worse than they are doing now. They did better when they first started back.

    As a Browns fan, I am a bit shocked to not see them on here at least three times.

  8. 1989 Dallas Cowboys

    In Jimmy Johnson's first season as head coach, the Cowboys went 1-15. Their only win came against the Washington Redskins in Week 9. Dallas ranked near the bottom of the league in both scoring offense and scoring defense.

  9. 1991 Indianapolis Colts

    The Colts finished with a 1-15 record under head coach Ron Meyer, who was fired during the season. Their only win came against the New York Jets in Week 10. Indianapolis scored just 143 points across 16 games.

  10. 2001 Carolina Panthers

    Carolina finished with a 1-15 record, their worst season at the time. The team's lone win came in the opener against the Minnesota Vikings. George Seifert was fired as head coach after the season.

    11. The Newcomers
  11. ?

    2023 Jacksonville Jaguars

    Jacksonville finished 9-8, missing the playoffs after losing five of its final six games. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for 21 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. The team ranked 13th in total offense and finished second in the AFC South.

    During the 2023-24 season, the Jacksonville Jaguars went from having a record of 8-3 all the way to 9-8 by losing 20-28 to the Tennessee Titans, which was one of the biggest chokes of the NFL season.

    They were also eliminated from participating in the playoffs, letting the Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Houston Texans enter instead.

    It felt so good that the Titans won and let the Steelers go to the playoffs. The Jags definitely deserved to get the Terrible Towel thrown at them!

  12. ?

    2023 New England Patriots

    New England ended with a 4-13 record, their worst since 1992. The offense ranked last in the league in scoring with 236 points. Head coach Bill Belichick and the team parted ways after the season.

    The Patriots have been going downhill lately because of Bill Belichick.

    NFL, for the love of God, if you're hearing this, please fire Mr. Belichick because he's basically washed up at this point, and he's making my favorite team lose. We're never gonna make the Super Bowl if he doesn't get his act right.

    Hire a better coach who isn't washed-up or old news. The Patriots haven't had a good season since 2021. I just want to see my team win, not lose.

    13. The Contenders

  13. 1990 New England Patriots

    New England recorded a 1-15 season under head coach Rod Rust. Their only win came against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2. The team scored 181 points while allowing 446.

  14. 1960 Dallas Cowboys

    In their inaugural season, the Cowboys went 0-11-1. Tom Landry served as the team's first head coach. Dallas allowed 370 points while scoring 177.

    Long before they were America's Team, they were just an expansion team. Tom Landry was the head coach, and the team included players like Eddie LeBaron, along with rookies Don Meredith and Don Perkins.

    The Cowboys' only bright spot in their winless season was an exciting 31-31 tie against the New York Giants at Yankee Stadium.

    However, this team also gave up 48 points in a game against the Cleveland Browns. Interestingly, this team was never shut out but didn't win a game either, ending the season with a record of 0-11-1.

    Its Joeysworld

  15. 1995 New York Jets

    The Jets went 3-13 under head coach Rich Kotite. The team finished last in the AFC East and was outscored by 115 points. Kotite resigned at the end of the season.

    Led the Eagles late in the fourth quarter and blew the lead and lost.

  16. 1942 Detroit Lions

    Detroit finished with a record of 0-11. The team scored only 38 points across the season while allowing 247. This remains the lowest-scoring season by a team in NFL history.

  17. 2009 St. Louis Rams

    The Rams ended 1-15, with their only win coming against the Detroit Lions. They scored 175 points, the fewest in the league. Head coach Steve Spagnuolo returned for a second season despite the record.

  18. 2004 San Francisco 49ers

    San Francisco finished 2-14 under first-year head coach Dennis Erickson. They ranked last in the NFC West and scored just 259 points. The team earned the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.

  19. 2006 Oakland Raiders

    The Raiders finished with a 2-14 record, the worst in the league that season. Oakland's offense scored just 168 points, the lowest in the NFL. Head coach Art Shell was dismissed at the end of the season.

  20. 1973 Houston Oilers

    The Oilers went 1-13, finishing last in the AFC Central. Their only victory came against the Baltimore Colts in Week 8. Houston allowed 447 points while scoring 199.

  21. 2002 Houston Texans

    In their inaugural season, the Texans finished with a 4-12 record. The team's first win came in Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys. They ended the season ranked last in total offense.

  22. 1971 Buffalo Bills

    Buffalo finished 1-13 under head coach Harvey Johnson. Their lone victory came against the New England Patriots in Week 10. The Bills were outscored 394 to 184 across the season.

  23. 2012 Kansas City Chiefs

    Kansas City went 2-14 under head coach Romeo Crennel. The team ranked last in scoring offense with 211 points. They held the first pick in the 2013 NFL Draft and selected Eric Fisher.

  24. 1982 Baltimore Colts

    During the strike-shortened nine-game season, the Colts went 0-8-1. The defense allowed 303 points while the offense scored just 139. The team finished without a win and became one of the most lopsided failures of the era.

  25. 1996 New York Jets

    The Jets posted a 1-15 record under head coach Rich Kotite. Their only win came against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 9. They finished with the NFL's worst record and secured the first overall pick in the 1997 NFL Draft.

  26. 2013 Houston Texans

    Houston went 2-14 after starting the season 2-0. Head coach Gary Kubiak was fired in December and replaced by Wade Phillips as interim. The team finished the year on a 14-game losing streak.

  27. 2011 Indianapolis Colts

    With Peyton Manning sidelined due to neck surgery, the Colts finished 2-14. The team's quarterbacks combined for 14 touchdown passes and 19 interceptions. The record secured the first overall pick, which was used on Andrew Luck.

    Sure, they had no Manning, but it's clear that the rest of the team can't operate without him. That horrible record says it all. I mean, how can you be in the Super Bowl 2 years ago and now be worse than the St. Louis Rams, a historically weak team? In fact, how can you be the worst team of 2011?

    They are pretty much just awful, seriously. Even without Peyton Manning, you would think they would win at least one game, but no. They are basically gonna be the laughingstocks of the NFL for a long time. Seriously, guys, 0-12? Give me a break.

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