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Who were the Top 10 Worst NFL Teams of the Last 10 Years. Which teams were the worst in league history in the past decade
Top 10 Worst NFL Teams of the Last 10 Years
While the top teams in the league are often celebrated and often are the final ones standing in the postseason, the bottom teams typically see their playoff hopes disappear in November. Let’s take a look back at the 10 worst teams in the NFL over the past decade.
No. 10: 2024 Tennessee Titans
Record: 3-14
The 2024 Tennessee Titans hold the top spot on the list. While they finished the season with the No. 1 overall pick, they did have a few bright spots on their roster. Their running back, Tony Pollard, enjoyed an impressive bounce-back season after battling injuries during the 2023 season. Pollard was the heartbeat of the offense, tallying 1,079 yards on the ground and adding 238 yards through the air. They had subpar QB play from Will Levis and Mason Rudolph, which convinced them to draft Cam Ward with their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
No. 9: 2019 Cincinnati Bengals
Record: 2-14
Zac Taylor had a disappointing debut season in Cincinnati. During his first season, the Bengals finished at the bottom of the standings, winning just two games and securing the top pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. However, other previous teams on this list, the Bengals did not sit at the bottom of the team statistics. Their offense tallied the seventh-fewest yards and allowed the eighth-most points. On defense, they had one Pro Bowler, Geno Atkins, who tallied 4.5 sacks and 10 QB hits.
No. 8: 2014 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Record: 2-14
The 2014 Tampa Bay Buccaneers had one of the worst offensive units on this list. Led by Josh McCown (for 11 games), the Buccaneers went 1-10. He posted an 11:14 TD:INT. He was then replaced by Mike Glennon, who won just one of the five games he started. On defense, the Buccaneers allowed the eighth-most points and yards. They were awarded the first overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft and selected quarterback Jameis Winston.
No. 7: 2016 San Francisco 49ers
Record: 2-14
Chip Kelly’s tenure in San Francisco lasted just one season after his disastrous 2016 campaign. During this season, the 49ers won just two games and struggled on both sides of the ball. On offense, the 49ers tallied the second-fewest yards and scored the sixth-fewest points. On defense, the 49ers sat at the bottom of the league, allowing the most points and yards. Their No. 1 running back, Carlos Hyde, led the offense as he scored a team-high nine touchdowns. After the season, the 49ers hired Kyle Shanahan as their next head coach.
No. 6: 2020 New York Jets
Record: 2-14
The 2020 New York Jets had the worst offense in the league. They sat at the bottom in points scored and total yards. On defense, the Jets were slightly better, as they allowed the seventh-most total points. Their offense was led primarily by Sam Darnold, who led them to both of their victories. During this season, Darnold posted a 9:11 TD:INT and a low 32.9 QBR. Linebacker Neville Hewitt was the leader of the defense as he tallied 134 combined tackles. They were on track to go winless but were able to win two of their final three games, which moved them to the No. 2 spot in the 2021 NFL Draft (where they selected Zach Wilson).
No. 5: 2018 Arizona Cardinals
Record: 3-13
Like the 49ers earlier in this list, Steve Wilks’ tenure in Arizona lasted just one season. In 2018, the Arizona Cardinals had high expectations for their rookie quarterback Josh Rosen, whom they selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. However, Rosen was unable to adjust to the NFL as he led the Arizona offense to score the fewest points and tally the fewest yards. Running back David Johnson had a productive season, tallying 1,386 total yards with 10 total TDs. After this season, the Cardinals hired Kliff Kingsbury as their next head coach and drafted Kyler Murray with the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
No. 4: 2023 Carolina Panthers
Record: 2-15
The 2023 Carolina Panthers had decent expectations entering the season, with former first overall pick Bryce Young slated to be the team’s QB1 and Frank Reich as the head coach. However, Young was unable to adjust to the professional level as they lost their first six games. The Panthers opted to fire Reich after the first 11 games (1-10 record,) and he was replaced by Chris Tabor. Overall, their offense scored the second-fewest points while their defense allowed the fourth-most points in the league.
No. 3: 2020 Jacksonville Jaguars
Record: 1-15
Doug Marrone’s final season in Jacksonville ended in a disappointing campaign. In 2020, the Jaguars won just one game and eventually finished with the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Their lone victory came in Week 1 when they defeated the Colts 27-20. Over their final 15 games, they only scored more than 20 points six times. In this season, the Jaguars relied on three quarterbacks (Gardner Minshew II, Mike Glennon, Jake Luton). This combination led the third-lowest scoring offense in the league.
No. 2: 2016 Cleveland Browns
Record: 1-15
The 2015 Cleveland Browns were near the bottom of the league in nearly every statistic. Their offense (that had three quarterbacks throughout the season) scored the second-fewest yards and tallied the third-fewest yards. Cody Kessler saw the majority of the opportunities and went 0-8 with a 6:2 TD:INT. On defense, the Browns allowed the third-most points and the second-most yards. Their lone victory came in Week 16 against the San Diego Chargers (20-17).
No. 1: 2017 Cleveland Browns
Record: 0-16
The lone winless team on this list holds the No. 1 spot. The 2017 Cleveland Browns were unable to find much success on both sides of the ball. On offense, DeShone Kizer saw most of the starts under center and went 0-15 with an 11:22 TD:INT. His 22 interceptions led the league. Their offense scored more than 20 points just four times. On defense, the Browns allowed the second-most total yards in the league. With the first pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Browns selected quarterback Baker Mayfield.
