The 10 Worst NFL Franchises Over The Past 10 Years

It’s not hard to find the worst teams in the NFL over the last ten years. Most of the time, they have gone through a few quarterbacks and head coaches. They have also picked within the top 10 of the draft multiple times. Sometimes a bad team is only bad for a few seasons and then after drafting in the top 10 a few times they are able to build a good team through the draft. What’s the old saying you have to be bad before you are good? Or sometimes a team is bad and they just stay bad either by having a hard time getting players to want to come sign with them or draft a few busts in the early rounds. Here are the ten worst teams the last ten years. (I did not count a playoff berth for a team that has already clinched a playoff spot or is on its way to clinching a playoff berth for this 2014 season.)

10. Miami Dolphins (70-89) 2 seasons over .500 and 1 playoff apperance.

In 2005 the Dolphins hired Nick Saban hoping to get them to the playoffs. Saban didn’t lead the Dolphins to the playoffs and left after three seasons to go coach the University of Alabama. The next year without Saban the Dolphins went (1-15), there worst record in franchise history. The Dolphins then brought in legendary Bill Parcells as Executive Vice President of the team to help right the ship. Parcells then cleaned house by getting rid of the GM and head coach. He picked who wanted in charge at head coach and at starting quarterback (team signed Chad Pennington). In Parcells first season the team he built went (11-5). That was the Dolphins last season over .500. The Dolphins look to be on the right track with their 3 year quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

9. Kansas City Chiefs (67-92) 4 seasons over .500 and 3 playoff apperances.

The Kansas City Chiefs over the last ten years were a good team, then midway through the ten years were a bad team and now they are back to being a good team. In 2005 the Chiefs went 10-6 and missed the playoffs. They were only the 4th team in since 1990 to go 10-6 and not make the playoffs. In 2008 the Chiefs went through some what a rebuilding process after coming off a (4-12) season in 2007. They got rid of some of the older players on the team. In 2008 they were the youngest team in the league with the average age of 25.5 years old. In 2010 they got back to the playoffs but lost in the Wild Card game. The 2012 season was the Chiefs worst season in the last 10 years, they went (2-14). The very next year in 2013 the Chiefs brought in Andy Reid to be there head coach. Reid led the chiefs to the playoffs in 2013. Over the last 10 years the Chiefs have had Dick Vermeil, Herm Edwards,Todd Haley, Romeo Crennel and Andy Reid as there head coach.

8. Washington Redskins (64-95) 3 seasons over .500 and 3 playoff appearances.

The Redskins went (10-6) in 2005, but lost in the Divisional playoffs. Then they went (5-11) in 2006 because of an inconsistent offense. The 2007 season saw the Redskins go back to the playoffs but lost in the Wild Card game. Following the 2007 season Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs retired. The Redskins then brought in Jim Zorn. The 2008 season started a string of losing season, 2008 (8-8), 2009 (4-12), 2010 (6-10) and 2011 (5-11). In 2010 the Redskins fired Jim Zorn to hire Mike Shanahan. In 2012 the Redskins traded up in the draft to pick former Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III. In Griffins first season he led the team to a playoff appearance but last year the Redskins finished (3-13) and are currently (4-11) this year.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (65-94) 2 seasons over .500 and 2 playoff appearances.

The last ten years for the Jaguars have been a tale of two teams. The Jaguars were in the playoffs in 2005 and 2007, but recently they have Jacksonville fans haven't had much to cheer about. In 2007 the Jaguars looked like a team on the rise with David Garrard at quarterback and a two headed monster at running back with Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew. The 2008 Jaguars failed to live up to expectations. They finished with a (5-11) record. The 2008 season also marked the end of possibly the greatest Jaguar of all time, Fred Taylor left to go sign with the New England Patriots. In 2009 the Jaguars brought in a new owner to try to help them. The new GM (Gene Smith) led the team in the wrong direction. In 2009 the Jaguars saw fewer fans attend the games, which resulted in local blackouts on the television. Since 2009 there have been rumors of the team moving or sold to another owner. The rumors of the Jaguars relocating are still active today. Since 2010 the Jaguars have gone (22- 57).

6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (63-96) 4 seasons over .500 and 2 playoff appearances.

The 2005 season the Buccaneers went to the playoffs but lost in the Wild Card game. The following year was a down year; the Buccaneers finished (4-12). The Buccaneers were in a good position though in the 2007 season. They had the number four draft pick and selected Gaines Adams. They also had money to spend so they brought in Jeff Garcia, Kevin Carter, Cato June and Luke Petitgout. The Buccaneers already had a running back when they selected Cadillac Williams in the 2005 NFL draft. After improving through free agency and the draft the Buccaneers went back to the playoffs in 2007 but lost again in the Wild Card game again. In 2008 Head Coach Jon Gruden was fired. Gruden led the Buccaneers to its only Super Bowl championship in 2002. Raheem Morris took over as head coach and made some big roster changes. Morris got rid of long time Buccaneers linebacker Derrick Brooks, Joey Galloway and Jeff Garcia.  The team signed Byron Leftwhich and drafted Josh Freeman. In Morris’ first year as head coach, the Buccaneers finished (3-13). That was the team's worst record since 1991. The Buccaneers came out and surprised the NFL by going (10-6), but they missed the playoffs. Since the Buccaneers played so well the following year many expected the same from them in 2011 but they struggled. They started (4-2) but then lost 10 games in a row. They finished the season (4-12). The team fired Morris after the 2011. Greg Schiano took over as head coach and has suffered the same luck Morris suffered. Schiano only coached for two years and the team went (11-21) in those two seasons. This year is Lovie Smith’s first year as coach. The Buccaneers are currently (2-13).

5. Buffalo Bills (62-97) no seasons over 500 and no playoff appearance.

The Bills are still looking for that franchise quarterback to replace Jim Kelly, that’s been since 1996 when Kelly retired. The last ten years the Bills have been stuck in the middle of the pack struggling to get to the top and into the playoffs. Over the last ten seasons the Bills went 2005 (5-11), 2006 (7-9), 2007 (7-9), 2008 (7-9), 2009 (6-10), 2010 (4-12), 2011 (6-10), 2012 (6-10), 2013 (6-10) and currently this year the Bills are (8-7). The Bills have gone through 5 head coaches, Mike Mularkey, Dick Jauron, Perry Fewell (coached 7 games in 2009 replacing Jauron who was fired midway through the season), Chan Gailey and current head coach Doug Marrone. The Bills have also had 10 different quarterbacks start at least one game over the last ten years; Kelly Holcomb, J.P. Losman, Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brian Brohm, Tyler Thigpen, EJ Manuel, Thaddeus Lewis, Jeff Tuel and Kyle Orton. Until the Bills have their franchise quarterback they will be stuck in the middle of the league for a long time.

4. Detroit Lions (55-104) 2 seasons over .500 and 1 playoff appearance.

In 2005 the Lions were a mess. They went (5-11) on the season. Then in 2006 it got worse, they went (3-13). Then came 2007 and things were looking up for the Lions. The Lions had the second overall pick in the draft and selected wide receiver Calvin Johnson. They started the season (6-2) but then ended the season (7-9). If the 2005 and 2006 season were bad then the 2008 season was awful. The Lions became the only team in NFL history to go (0-16) on the season. The 2009 and 2010 season the Lions built their way up from being one of the worst teams in the league. In 2009 the Lions hired a new head coach, offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator. They also had the first pick in that draft and they selected quarterback Matthew Stafford to team up with Calvin Johnson. The Lions went (2-14) in Stafford’s rookie season but things were looking up. The Lions also had the second overall pick again in the 2010 draft and selected defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. The Lions were hoping the trio of Suh, Stafford and Johnson could get them to the playoffs and that's just what they did. The 2011 Lions made it to the playoffs for the first time since 1999. They lost in the Wild Card game against the New Orleans Saints. The Lions are back in the playoffs this year and look to go farther than the Wild Card matchup led by Stafford, Johnson and Suh.

3. Cleveland Browns (54-105) 1 season over .500 and no playoff appearance.

The Browns began the 2005 season with a new coach in Romeo Crennel. Crennel didn’t turn this team around in one season though. In his first two seasons the Browns went a combined (10-22) but then in 2007 the Browns went (10-6) under new starting quarterback Derek Anderson, but they failed to make the playoffs. It was the Browns best record since 1994. That year the Browns also sent six players to the pro bowl. The Browns had high expectations for the 2008 season but players playing bad and a few injuries led to the Browns finishing (4-12). The Browns used four different starting quarterbacks that year; Derek Anderson, Bruce Gradkowski, Brady Quinn and Ken Dorsey. Crennel was fired after the season. The Browns posted consecutive (5-11) seasons in 2009 and 2010. In 2012 the Browns were sold Jimmy Haslam. Many hoped that with the new owner the team would be better. The Browns struggled the last two seasons. This year though the Browns are (7-8) but will miss the playoffs. The Browns show hope of turning the franchise around.

2. St. Louis Rams. (49-109-1) no seasons over .500 and no playoff appearances.

The last ten years for the rams have been a lot different than the greatest show on turf team from the early 2000s. The Rams went backwards in 2006 they went (8-8), then 2007 (3-13), 2008 (2-14) and in 2009 (1-15). The Rams have had bad luck with starting quarterbacks getting injured. Marc Bulgar had his fair share of injuries when playing with the Rams from 2002 until his last season with the Rams in 2009. The Rams went (1-15) in 2009 which gave them the number one overall pick. They selected Sam Bradford to replace Bulgar. The first few seasons for Bradford started off good but he has now missed the last two seasons because of an ACL injury costing him all of the last two years. In 2012 the Rams brought in Jeff Fisher to be the new head coach. The Rams have shown they can beat the good teams. They went (7-8-1) in 2012 and (7-9) last year. This year they are (6-9), Fisher has built a solid defense this year and with a chance to improve their offense in the offseason this team could be on the rise once again.

1.Oakland Raiders (47-112) no seasons over .500 and no playoff appearances.

The number one worst team the last ten years was pretty obvious. The Raiders have not had a winning season since 2002 when they went to the Super Bowl.  Since 2005 the Raiders have had 7 different head coaches; Norv Turner, Art Shell, Lane Kiffin, Tom Cable, Hue Jackson, Dennis Allen, and current head coach Tony Sparano who replaced the fired Dennis Allen midway through this year. The Raiders have had multiple top 10 picks the last ten years with most of them turning into draft busts. For the Raiders to get back on track and get back to the old Al Davis “Just win baby” days they need to draft better. Once they find the right head coach they have a chance of returning back to the glory days of when the Raiders were the best team in the league but until then they could continue to be near the bottom of the standings every year.