Being an NFL fan is tough, especially when your team is no better than a dumpster fire. Obviously, being a fan involves immense amounts of emotion, but I want to take the emotion out of it. My question is, statistically speaking, what NFL fanbase has had it the roughest. I set out to find that answer using The Suffer Index so that you can boast about how good or bad you, as a fan, have it. If you think your team has it rough just wait until you get to the top, or what most would consider the bottom, of this list.
The Process
I created seven different categories to measure the overall suffering of a fanbase.
The categories are as follows:
Regular season wins = 3 points
Winning Seasons = 5 points
Post Season Appearances = 6 points
Post Season Wins = 8 points
Championship Appearances = 10 points
Super Bowl Appearances = 12 points
Super Bowl Wins = 15 points
I also included the average division finish for teams that deserved a mention. (Scaled 1-4)
Keep in mind the lower your team’s score is, the more suffering you’ve done as a fan over the last 15 years.
Also the years I looked at were 2005-2019. I didn’t want to count a year that’s only halfway done and wanted a more recent representation for fan’s misery.
With that being said, let’s look at the results.
32. New England Patriots: 1,096 Suffer Index Score
Are we really surprised that the Patriots are the easiest team to be a fan of? This total score doesn’t even include the three Super Bowl wins in the early 2000s. They’ve played in six Super Bowls since 2005, winning three of them. They literally scored the highest in every single category and have an average finish of 1.06 in their division. Oh yeah, they’ve also had double-digit wins every single year since 2005. Did I mention the 10 AFC championship games they’ve played in? Being a Patriots fan quite possibly may be the best thing in sports, even if you might be called a bandwagon.
31. Pittsburgh Steelers: 767 Suffer Index Score
The first thing I want you to notice is the gap between the Steelers and Patriots. Now that that’s out of the way, we can look at the Steelers past 15 seasons. They’re 2nd in regular-season wins, 5th in postseason appearances, 3rd in playoff wins, 3rd in championship game appearances, and 2nd in Super Bowl appearances and wins. To put a little cherry on top, the Steelers haven’t had a losing season since 2005 either. Safe to say if you’re a terrible towel waving Steelers fan you’ve been pretty lucky over the years.
30. Seattle Seahawks: 737 Suffer Index Score
Seahawks fans have had a lot to cheer for over the years. They rank 6th in regular-season wins, 2nd in postseason appearances and wins, and are tied in 2nd for winning seasons. They’ve won all three NFC championship games they’ve played in and won one Super Bowl. They also own the NFC West, with an average finish of 1.73. The 12th man seems to have it pretty good.
29. Indianapolis Colts: 700 Suffer Index Score
Going from hall of fame quarterback, Peyton Manning, to could’ve been hall of fame quarterback, Andrew Luck, seems like a pretty good time to me. The Colts have the 3rd most regular-season wins, 4th in postseason wins, tied for 2nd in playoff appearances, and have played in three AFC championship games. Their two Super Bowl appearances leave them tied for 4th. The Colts fanbase has only had to deal with three losing seasons during the last 15 seasons. Being a Colts fan isn’t all that bad.
28. Green Bay Packers: 699 Suffer Index Score
The Packers are eerily similar to the Colts. Going from hall of fame QB to hall of fame QB is amazing, and the Packers fanbase has experience with it firsthand. They’re 4th in wins, tied for 4th in postseason wins, and have experienced their fair share of winning seasons. The thing that sets the Packers apart, is the five NFC championship games they’ve played in 15 years. Talk about owning a division, the packers have an average finish of 1.86 in the NFC North, which is actually the same as the Colts in the AFC South. The Packers fanbase is unbelievably spoiled, but they wouldn’t let you know that.
27. Baltimore Ravens: 667 Suffer Index Score
For being one of the youngest franchises in the league, the Baltimore Ravens fanbase has seen a lot of success. They’re 5th in regular-season wins and tied for 5th in postseason appearances, but they’ve managed to win just as many playoff wins as the Colts and Packers. What’s even more impressive is that they’ve done it while playing in the same division as the Steelers. Ravens fans witnessed three AFC championship games, which resulted in one Super Bowl. The purple and black have given their fans a lot to cheer for.
26. New Orleans Saints: 627 Suffer Index Score
It seems that the formula for franchise success is to have one or even two hall of fame quarterbacks and a hall of fame head coach. That doesn’t stop with the Saints, who’ve had the Drew Brees, Sean Payton combo to look forward to year in, year out. If not for a couple of 7-9 seasons, the saints would find themselves lower on this list. A Saints fan might try to tell you how bad they have it, but let them know they’ve actually got it really good. They are tied at 6th in regular-season wins, and three of their postseason appearances have resulted in at least a conference championship appearance. Don’t let them fool you, their fandom is probably in a better spot than yours is.
25. Denver Broncos: 593 Suffer Index Score
The Broncos are an interesting team because a lot of their points come from the Peyton Manning era. Four seasons of double-digit wins, two resulting in Super Bowl appearances. They’ve only had a winning season six times in 15 seasons, but half of those winning seasons ended with at least an AFC championship game. They are 9th in regular-season wins and pretty average across the board, but their average finish in the AFC West is 2.06. That’s what the Broncos are though, average. If not for Payton Manning, the Broncos fans would definitely have a lower misery index score, but overall they’ve had it pretty good.
24. Philadelphia Eagles: 589 Suffer Index Score
The Eagles finally got to the promised land in 2018, which pushed them down the rankings. It also helps that they play in the NFC East and have an average finish of 2.2. The Eagles find themselves in 11th for regular-season wins, giving them nine winning seasons over the last 15. They’ve reached the playoffs eight times, but have only managed seven wins during that time. They do have two conference championship appearances, with one giving them their first-ever ring. The most obnoxious fans in the league have been pretty lucky over the years.
23. New York Giants: 566 Suffer Index Score
The Giants are one of the more surprising teams on this list based on where they rank. They rank 16th in regular-season wins, but they have something a lot of other teams don’t, which is multiple Super Bowl Trophies. In their six trips to the playoffs, they managed to win eight playoff games. Oh yeah, all those eight playoff wins came en route to winning the Super Bowl. So while the Giants haven’t had the same kind of regular-season success as these other teams, they make the most of the chances they get. Giants fans, I would gladly take two Super Bowls for less regular-season wins.
22. Kansas City Chiefs: 560 Suffer Index Score
Much like the Eagles, the Chief’s recent success has pushed them down the board. They rank 14th in regular-season wins and also have eight playoff appearances to go along with their ten winning seasons. A big reason why they are where they are is because of their inability to be successful in the postseason, only having five playoff wins in their eight trips. The good thing for the KC fanbase is that the Chiefs look like they’ll be in the company of the Patriots and Steelers soon.
21. Los Angeles Chargers: 527 Suffer Index Score
The common thread with the teams in this section is playoff failures. You first saw it with the Chiefs and it’s popping up again with the Chargers. The Chargers have the 10th spot in terms of regular-season wins but have only won five playoff games in 6 trips to the playoffs. The Chargers share the same average finish in the AFC West with 2.26. There’s no doubt that if the emotion was calculated into the total, they would be higher on this list. All in all, Chargers fans, the 100 of you that is, you’ve been a pretty run of the mill team that’s only relevant because you lose close games in fun ways.
20. Dallas Cowboys: 516 Suffer Index Score
If your a Cowboys fan reading this, I’m sorry you’re only at number 20. The Cowboys are the definition of underachieving and it’s no more evident than looking at their number eight ranking in regular-season wins and nine winning seasons, but then realizing they’ve only been to the playoffs six times and have amassed three wins during that time. If you want to know how bad it really is look at this fact; the Cowboys have an average division finish of 2.13, while the Giants, the number 23 team on the misery index, and the Eagles, the number 24 team, have an average finish of 2.46 and 2.2 respectively. Listen Cowboys fans, all you need is a few more postseason wins and you’ll be sitting pretty in the high 20’s, but unfortunately, it’s better to be a Giants or Eagles fan than it is a Cowboys fan.
19. Atlanta Falcons: 514 Suffer Index Score
If emotions were taken into account, the Falcons would be top ten, fortunately, or unfortunately, however you choose to see it, they sit at number 19. They sit at number 12 on the regular-season win total ranks, which is odd considering how few winning seasons they have. Like the Broncos they hold only six winning seasons in the past 15, which begs the question as to why they’re six spots higher. The answer is pretty simple: the playoffs. The Falcons have only been able to muster up four playoff wins during their six postseason runs, but the silver lining is they played in two NFC championship games and one Super Bowl. Both, likely, still sting, but at some point Falcons fans you’re going to have to get over it. The Falcons are only going higher on this list in the coming years, so don’t get your hopes up Falcons fans.
18. Carolina Panthers: 505 Suffer Index Score
A 15 win season, Two NFC championship games, a Super Bowl appearance, has catapulted the Panthers down a couple of spots on this list. They’re 15th in regular-season wins and average everywhere else. The one standout is that they’ve had five winning seasons, but six attempts at the postseason, actually winning five games. The Panthers are a very middle of the road team and it shows with their ranking. Panthers fans, you don’t have a lot to be angry or joyous about.
17. San Francisco 49ers: 497 Suffer Index Score
There isn’t much to say about the 49ers other than it’s a miracle you’re not higher on this list. With a ranking of 22nd in regular-season wins, it would seem all but probable that you would end up in the top ten of misery, but alas you are not. That can be attributed to the great postseason success of the franchise. With four total winning seasons and playoff appearances since 2005, the Niners managed to snag seven victories. Those wins led to four NFC championship games and two Super Bowl appearances. On the bright side San Fran, you can say you’ve been to a Super Bowl more recently than a lot of teams, on the other hand, your team hardly ever makes it to the playoffs.
16. Chicago Bears: 479 Suffer Index Score
The Bears probably the most average team in the NFL, so it’s fitting that they hold the 16 spot in the ranking. They rank dead middle in terms of regular-season wins but have managed six winning seasons and four playoff appearances. The thing that sets them apart is that they’ve played in two NFC championship games and a Super Bowl, so it hasn’t been all that bad. Overall, Bears fans you have been rewarded the most average misery of a fanbase, not high enough to ask for pity and not low enough for you to celebrate. You, my friends, are in misery purgatory.
15. Minnesota Vikings: 478 Suffer Index Score
Historically, the Vikings have let their fanbase downtime and time again. The only problem, though, is that they do it in the postseason, which you have to be good enough to get to. The Vikings are 13th in regular-season wins, which have given them eight winning seasons, six playoff runs, and a grand total of three playoff victories. Their average finish of 2.33 in the division is also extremely middle of the road. Nothing the Vikings do stands out, but they do get some style points with how they’ve won their playoff games. It’s the three playoff wins in 15 years that put the Vikings in this spot. I have to feel utterly defeated if I’m a Vikings fan because of how brutally mediocre this team is.
14. Arizona Cardinals: 457 Suffer Index Score
The Cardinals are a very very average football team. They sit at 20th in regular-season wins, and had it not been for two trips to the NFC championship game and one Super Bowl, they would find themselves in the top ten of the list. They’ve totaled five winning seasons, four of which lead to a playoff birth, and have actually been pretty good in the playoffs considering. They find themselves in healthy company with the same number of playoff wins as the Panthers, Chiefs, and Chargers despite going to the playoffs less. I wouldn’t say being a Cardinals fan is exciting, but at least you got to witness Larry Legend and Kurt Warner for a couple of years. A few more regular-season wins would be a nice touch to an impressive playoff resume.
13. Houston Texans: 453 Suffer Index Score
The newest franchise in the NFL sits comfortably at 13. Unlike a lot of these other teams, the Texans almost have their entire team history included in this. Taking that into account, it’s not surprising that the Texans have a pretty low score here. They rank 19th in regular-season wins and have eight winning seasons to their name. With those eight winning seasons came six postseason appearances, although they haven’t been able to win much when they get there, totaling four wins. Even still they are the second-lowest AFC South team on this list and have an average finish in the division of 2.33. I don’t know what to tell you, Texans fans, other than keep your head up, maybe you’ll have some more postseason success, or you could end up like the Cowboys.
12. Tennessee Titans: 429 Suffer Index Score
The team formerly known as the Oilers comes in at the number 12 spot. They’re 21st in regular-season wins and pretty middle of the pack elsewhere. Seven winning seasons, which have only amounted to four playoff appearances, is the standout for the Titans. They’ve won three games in their four playoff games, two of them coming in the 2019 campaign, which also gave them a shot at the AFC championship. Oh yeah, of those seven winning seasons, five of them were the result of a 9-7 record. Titans fans, the fact that your team has only finished first in the division in the past 15 seasons is very saddening. You’ve had it rough, but 11 other teams wish they were in your shoes.
11. Cincinnati Bengals: 428 Suffer Index Score
Wow. I honestly think this is generous for the Bungals. When you talk about the Bengals you have to talk about the fact that they’ve been to the playoffs seven times and didn’t win a single one of those games. That is awful. I really don’t know what else to say other than 18th in regular-season wins isn’t all that bad. And hey, at least you’re not the worst team in Ohio, that’s something to brag about. You’ve got Joe Burrow now, so maybe all hope is not lost Bengals fans.
10. New York Jets: 407 Suffer Index Score
The Jets have been and continue to be an abysmal franchise. The only reason they are not lower on this list is because of their two appearances in the AFC championship game. They sit at 23rd in regular-season wins, having five winning seasons, three playoff appearances, and winning four playoff games. To put into perspective how dominant the Patriots are or how bad the AFC East is, the Jets are the second-highest rated team in the division. When the Jets are bad they are horrendous. In seven of the last 15 seasons, the Jets have managed six or fewer wins. If you’re a Jets fan, I’m very sorry for you, but at least you have Adam Gase…
9. Washington Football Team: 361 Suffer Index Score
With a name like Football Team you deserve to be even lower on this list. Imagine being a fan and you have to tell someone that your favorite team’s name is the Washington Football Team. That is absolutely brutal. I know on the last one I said the only reason the Jets were that high was because of the AFC championships, but I really underestimated how bad the rest of the list is. The Football Team ranks 26th in regular-season wins, but oddly enough have seven winning seasons. They’ve appeared in four playoffs, but could only muster one win. With an average finish of 3.2 in the division, the Football Team is the laughing stock of the NFC East, and that’s saying something. To all you Football Teamers out there, maybe one day soon you can root for a team with an actual name.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars: 349 Suffer Index Score
The Jaguars are one of the few teams towards this end of the list with a championship game appearance. That one appearance came in their only winning season since 2007. If the information gathered started in 2008, the Jaguars have a great argument for number one. They rank 28th in regular-season wins, have three winning seasons, but at least all three of those seasons were enough to get them to the playoffs. They one-upped the Jets by only managing more than six wins in 6 seasons. I wish you Jags fans all the luck in the world with whatever 6th round QB you decide to go with. Keep reminiscing the 2017 AFC championship and all the what-ifs because it’s not getting any better.
7. Los Angeles Rams: 344 Suffer Index Score
The Rams are the lowest team on this list with a Super Bowl appearance, but it’s been really really frustrating to be a Rams fan. They are one spot behind the Jags in terms of regular-season wins, having the same number of winning seasons, three, and have made one less playoff, two. The recent Super Bowl is quite deceiving as to how bad the Rams truly are. They boast an average finish of 2.93 in the division, which is on par with the Jets. The good news for Rams fans is that all three of their winning seasons came under current head coach, Sean McVay. Hopefully, your future is bright, because your past is like a black hole of darkness and despair.
6. Miami Dolphins: 339 Suffer Index Score
The Dolphins being this low is odd, considering that they have more regular-season wins than the three teams ahead of them. The difference is their inability to have a winning season result in a playoff appearance is invisible. They’ve had three winning seasons, two playoff attempts, and not a single win to show for it. At least the other teams actually won a playoff game. To you, Dolphins fans, the future under Brian Flores looks promising, but for the sake of your sanity, never look at what came before.
5. Buffalo Bills: 336 Suffer Index Score
Ranked 25th in regular-season wins, the Bills are surprisingly better than I thought. Their three winning seasons, two of which came at 9-7, gave them two chances at the playoffs, both of which they whiffed on. They are the worst team in a terrible AFC East with an average division finish of 3.13. Honestly, if it wasn’t for the Bills Mafia, the Bills might be the most boring franchise of the past 15 seasons. Fear not though, Bills Mafia, your future looks bright with Sean McDermott at the helm. And a PSA to the Bills franchise: do better because you have one of the coolest fanbases around.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 322 Suffer Index Score
The Buccs actually have the 27th most regular-season wins, despite all the years of ineptitude. They have five winning seasons, however, only two of them were because of double-digit win totals. Their zero playoff wins in two tries isn’t terrible, but the 3.2 average finish in the division is. Now that you Buccs fans have Tom Brady, you’re starting to forget where you came from. Let this be a reminder of how bad it can get, also bring back the creamsicle jersey’s to give the rest of the league a little laugh.
3. Detroit Lions: 305 Suffer Index Score
The worst franchise in NFL history is, surprisingly, only the third most suffering franchise of the last 15 years. With a solid ranking of 30th in regular-season wins, the first-ever 0-16 season, and not winning a single playoff game in three attempts, the Lions are very deserving of this spot. They clung onto four winning seasons, two of them at 9-7, which didn’t amount to anything. Throw in the fact they’ve yet to win their division since it dropped from five to four teams, and you’ve got yourself a good ole’ time. Hey, Lions fans don’t look too down, maybe once you try another coach you might be able to win your second playoff game in the Super Bowl era.
2. Las Vegas Raiders: 260 Suffer Index Score
Not a lot of people realize how bad the Raiders really have been. They’ve had a grand total of one winning season since 2005. The Raiders have essentially flown under the radar with how bad they’ve truly been. In 15 years they’ve amassed one playoff appearance and no playoff wins, all while getting better than 3rd in the division one time, 2016. Now, since Al “Bowl Cut” Davis took away your team, it’ll leave you with all the wonderful thoughts about how the Raiders wasted 14 years of your life. It’s only because of the number one team that you’re not talked about more, so be thankful for that.
1. Cleveland Browns: 218 Suffer Index Score
71. That’s the number of wins the Browns have in 15 seasons. To put that into perspective, the Patriots have 184. At a certain point, it’s like beating a dead horse. One winning season, 11 seasons finishing in 4th place, and a stretch of three seasons in which they only won 4 out of 48 games. If there are still any Browns fans out there, I don’t know what to tell you. You’ve faced year after year of absolute hot garbage, yet you still come back. The dedication to the misery is something that no one can take from you. Your loyalty is inspiring. But, your team still stinks. Congratulations on being the most miserable franchise of the last 15 years.
To all the fans out there, I know at times it might seem hard. It might seem like the weight of the entire world is on your shoulders. I just want you to remember one thing: no matter how bad it gets, at least you’re not the Browns. There’s always someone that has it worse, that is unless you’re the Browns, at which point, see a therapist.
