X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Sell The Team! Ranking The NFL's Five Worst Owners

Daniel Snyder - NFL Owner Washington Commanders

Which NFL owners should sell their teams? RotoBaller ranks the NFL's five worst owners who consistently alienate fans, and hurt their franchises on and off the field. Most hated NFL owners.

A bad NFL owner is typically characterized by a combination of factors that hinder the success and stability of the franchise they oversee. In this article, we will take a closer look at the NFL's five worst owners.

A good owner can provide stability, vision, and resources to build a successful team, while a bad owner can create chaos and dysfunction with poor decision-making or a too-frugal financial approach. The five owners on this list have been identified as some of the worst in the NFL, due to their poor track record of running their respective franchises.

From meddling in personnel decisions to failing to invest in their teams financially, the owners on this list have routinely made missteps that have negatively impacted their franchises on and off the field. Some have simply struggled to build a winning culture, while others have alienated their fanbases with their behavior and comments. In this ranking of the five worst owners in the NFL, we will take a closer look at each of these five owners in more detail, and explore their - largely negative - impact on their teams and the league as a whole.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

#5. Jimmy Haslam III, Cleveland Browns

Jimmy Haslam promised change for the long down-trodden Browns when he bought the team from Randy Lerner in 2012. However, it's been more of the same for the struggling Cleveland franchise during Haslam's tenure, as the organization has gone a woeful 59-118-1 in his 11 years at the head of the table.

Haslam's ownership tenure has been marked by losing on the field and bad decisions off it. The Browns have hired five head coaches during Haslam's time owning the team, four of whom were fired and have subsequently never been NFL head coaches again. The fifth - current Cleveland HC Kevin Stefanski - has squeaked out a winning record (26-24) at the helm of the Browns, though he's now suffered two consecutive losing seasons since going 11-5 during the 2020 COVID campaign.

While the coaches put in position by Haslam have been largely underqualified to run a team, they haven't had much help from the organization's player personnel decisions. The team's draft picks and trades have been largely disastrous, and include a litany of disappointing players selected in the first round, including Johnny Manziel, Baker Mayfield, and Justin Gilbert.

As if the horrible coaching hires and terrible draft choices weren't enough, Haslam most recently led the charge to bring disgraced and controversial quarterback Deshaun Watson to Cleveland in a package that included sending three first-round draft picks to the Houston Texans and inking Watson to a contract with $230 million full guaranteed.

 

#4. Dean Spanos, Los Angeles Chargers

Nepotism seems to be a recurring theme when talking about some of the NFL's worst owners and that's the case with Dean Spanos, who inherited the Chargers franchise from his father, Alex Spanos.

Owners that move their teams are always the target of hate from hometown fans and Spanos has certainly drawn the ire of the San Diego faithful for moving the Chargers to Los Angeles in 2017. San Diego was the Chargers' home since 1961, but Spanos relocated the franchise when attempts at building a new, tax-payer-funded stadium in San Diego repeatedly fell through.

Instead of working for a resolution in their home base of nearly six decades, or simply putting up the financing for a stadium himself, the notoriously-thrifty Spanos opted for the financial benefits of sharing a stadium with the Rams in L.A., where visiting fans routinely take over the Chargers' "home" games.

In addition to spurning an entire community, the Spanos-led Bolts have routinely put a mediocre product on the field, despite having the services of players such as Phillip Rivers, LaDanian Tomlinson, and Antonio Gates for extended periods of time. That legacy of underachieving has now extended to a current Chargers core that includes Justin Herbert and Keenan Allen.

 

#3. Stephen Ross, Miami Dolphins

Not only have the Miami Dolphins only made two playoff appearances during Stephen Ross' 14 years as the owner of the beloved franchise, but his tenure as the Chairman and Managing Partner of the 'Fins has been marked by controversy, questionable practices, and ineptitude of epic proportions.

Ross has reached a level of infamy among NFL owners for his sleazy tactics. An allegation from former Miami head coach Brian Flores - who overachieved with a pitiful Dolphins roster - that Ross offered him a bribe to tank games in 2019 in order to land a high draft pick, led to Flores filing a racial discrimination lawsuit against the league.

In an investigation stemming from that lawsuit, it was discovered that Ross had impermissible communications with both Tom Brady and Sean Payton, which led to a $1.5 million fine and six-month suspension for Ross, as well as the loss of a 2023 first-round draft pick for his team. Ross' poor decision-making and willingness to bend or even outright break the rules have led to legal ramifications for the NFL, while also putting the Dolphins at a competitive disadvantage on the field.

 

#2. Cal McNair, Houston Texans

Another bumbling buffoon that's running an NFL franchise simply thanks to his DNA, D. Cal McNair doesn't technically own the Houston Texans yet - his mother Janice McNair still owns the team - but Cal has been running the day-to-day of the organization since his father Bob McNair passed away in 2018. The results haven't been pretty.

While it's not fair to pin the incredibly disturbing off-field behavior of former franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson on McNair, we can safely lay the blame for numerous other bone-headed decisions at the feet of the 61-year-old Texans CEO, including giving former head coach Bill O'Brien free reign in what amounted to a dual-role as HC and GM.

Under McNair's watch, O'Brien made one of the worst trades in NFL history, sending franchise cornerstone DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for injury-riddled running back David Johnson and a second-round pick. It was just one of multiple egregious trades made by O'Brien who often spent numerous draft picks on veteran players, seemingly without care for Houston's future.

When McNair and the Texans finally did rid themselves of O'Brien, it kickstarted a coaching carousel on the sidelines, a power vacuum in the front office, and horrible play on the field. Houston has gone a combined 11-38-1 since 2020 and is set to have their fifth head coach in four years with DeMeco Ryans in 2023.

 

#1. Daniel Snyder, Washington Commanders

Daniel Snyder not only earns the top spot on this list of the NFL's worst current owners but there's a legitimate argument that he's one of the most awful sports franchise owners of all time. Thankfully for Washington fans, it appears as though his 23-year reign of terror at the helm of one of the NFL's most iconic teams is about to come to an end, as Snyder is reportedly close to selling the franchise, in a move that many speculate was a way for him to avoid being pushed out of the league altogether.

You name it and Snyder has done it, well, except if the "it" is winning. After buying the successful franchise from Jack Kent Cooke in 1999, Snyder proceeded to run the once-proud Washington club in the ground with a carousel of coaching changes, ill-fated free-agent signings, and curious draft picks that's led to just two playoff game wins since he purchased the team.

Snyder routinely made himself the target of fan hatred by coming up with ridiculous schemes that have included suing season-ticket holders, being the first NFL owner to charge an admission price to watch training camp practices, refusing to maintain one of the NFL's worst stadiums and playing surfaces, while literally, allowing fans to be doused by what was believed to be raw sewage. You can't make this stuff up.

While many of the billionaire's greed-driven schemes have rightfully drawn the ire of the Washington faithful, there's also been a more sinister side to his tenure at the helm of the organization.

Snyder fought for years to keep Washington's longtime nickname, which had been considered a cultural relic that was both offensive and hurtful to Native Americans. He has also been alleged to have created and participated in a toxic workplace culture within his organization, which has allegedly included sexual harassment of team cheerleaders and female employees who have worked for the franchise.

Numerous investigations into Snyder's alleged organizational financial and cultural misconduct led to an honest-to-goodness federal inquiry, as well as a $10 million fine from the NFL. The much-maligned Washington owner is reportedly actively searching for a buyer and accepting bids for the Commanders as of this writing. The only downside to the team's eventual sale is that the slimey Snyder will make billions in profit on his initial $800 million purchase of the franchise.

UPDATE: Snyder has reportedly finalized a deal to sell the Washington franchise to a group led by Josh Harris for $6.05 billion.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Shemar Stewart

Not Practicing With College Team
Uchenna Nwosu

Seahawks Place Uchenna Nwosu on PUP List
Taylor Decker

Alim McNeill, Taylor Decker Placed on PUP List
Tyrion Davis-Price

Titans Waive Tyrion Davis-Price
Tre Harris

Chargers Relying on Tre Harris to Be Starting X Receiver
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Expected Back Friday
Micah Parsons

Will Become Highest-Paid Non-QB
MarShawn Lloyd

Vying for RB2 Role
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith Finds End Zone in First Training Camp Practice
Tyler Shough

Pushing for Fully Guaranteed Rookie Deal
Ar'Darius Washington

Goes on PUP List
Lamar Jackson

to be Even Better in 2025?
Tre Harris

Agrees to Terms on Rookie Deal
Justin Herbert

Off to Good Start at Training Camp
Jameson Williams

Earning Rave Reviews from Lions Coaches
Christian Mahogany

Expected to Start for Lions
Zach Allen

an Extension Candidate in Denver?
Zaire Franklin

May Miss Start of Training Camp
Portland Trail Blazers

Damian Lillard Returning to Portland
Mason Taylor

to Play "Crucial" Role in Jets' Offense
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
T.J. Watt

Once Again Becomes Highest-Paid Non-QB
RJ Harvey

Reaches Agreement on Four-Year Rookie Contract
Rashee Rice

Chiefs Believe Rashee Rice Will Receive Two- to Four-Game Suspension
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Hit In Pinky In All-Star Game, X-Rays Negative
MLB

NL All-Stars Win On Tie-Breaker Home Run Swing-Off
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Oneil Cruz

Ties Home Run Derby Distance Record
Cal Raleigh

Wins 2025 Home Run Derby
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF