Top 10 Biggest All-Time Letdowns by NFL Teams
Summary
Several NFL teams with high preseason expectations have suffered dramatic collapses since 2000. Examples include the 2002 Rams, derailed by Kurt Warner’s injury, and the 2022 Broncos, who crashed after acquiring Russell Wilson. Other notable letdowns were the star-studded 2011 “Dream Team” Eagles, the 2023 Eagles’ late-season implosion, and the 2024 Jets’ disastrous campaign with Aaron Rodgers.
Injuries often catalyzed these failures, as with the 2008 Cowboys, 2017 Giants, and 2024 49ers. Poor roster moves and internal dysfunction also played roles, seen with the 2003 Raiders, 2010 Vikings, and 2024 Bengals’ defensive woes. Even recent champions like the 2022 Rams experienced historic declines, proving preseason hype guarantees nothing in the NFL.
Many teams have justified offseason hype, as experts will agree these teams have a shot to win it all. This NFL season was no exception. Preseason odds had the Chiefs, Lions, and Ravens as Super Bowl favorites, and all three could miss the playoffs. Here are the NFL’s most notable letdown teams since 2000.
2002 St. Louis Rams
After going 14-2 the previous year and losing to the Patriots in the Super Bowl, the Rams returned with vengeance on their minds. But the season unraveled quickly as Kurt Warner, the two-time MVP, missed ten games due to injury, St. Louis started 0-5, and couldn’t score or defend. Marc Bulger took over at quarterback and rallied the Rams to a 7-9 finish, but a team full of future Hall of Famers failed to reach the playoffs.
2003 Oakland Raiders
In 2002, Rich Gannon was named MVP. The Raiders added some veterans the following season to go with the 17-year-old QB. Jerry Rice and Tim Brown were the main targets. The AFC champs were just 2-5 when Gannon went down with an injury. The defense’s Hall of Fame-bound Rod and Charles Woodson couldn’t help the freefall. Oakland would finish 4-12.
2008 Dallas Cowboys
After a 13-3 season with Tony Romo, the Cowboys thought they were on the cusp. A finger injury sidelined Romo for three games, but he led Dallas to an 8-4 record by December. A few weeks later, the Cowboys were 9-7 and got blown out 44-6 by the Eagles in the finale. This is the team that had Pacman Jones and Terrell Owens, who were cut soon after.
2010 Minnesota Vikings
Brett Favre unretired for a third time to join the Vikings, and the hopes of a Super Bowl were sky high. The previous season, the Vikings were 13-3 and so close to reaching the big game. Veterans convinced Favre out of retirement, and the team reacquired Randy Moss via trade, but those moves backfired. Moss clashed with head coach Brad Childress and only played four games before being waived. The Vikings finished 6-10, and Favre finally retired for good after the season.
2011 Philadelphia Eagles
After three straight playoff appearances, the Eagles assembled a ‘dream team’ roster.
Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, rising corner Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, D-linemen Jason Babin and Cullen Jenkins, and guard Evan Mathis were part of an offseason haul. The biggest catch, QB Michael Vick. Despite being in the top ten for offense and defense, the Eagles went 8-8, missed the playoffs, and led to Andy Reid leaving a season later.
2017 New York Giants
The Giants came into the 2017 season as one of the top five preseason favorites to win the Super Bowl. The G-men were 11-5 the previous season, and there was hope they could duplicate and perhaps go deeper. Instead, Odell Beckham Jr.’s season-ending injury, coupled with poor free agent production, led to a rapid decline. They started 0-5, fired the coach and GM, and wound up 3-13 on the season. Since then, they haven’t had a double-digit win season.
2022 Los Angeles Rams
The Rams were fresh off a Super Bowl championship and looked poised for a successful title defense. They added a few pieces, including WR Allen Robinson to complement Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, and Aaron Donald. But the Rams started 3-6, lost Stafford, Kupp, and Donald to injuries. The Rams finished 5-12, the worst Super Bowl title defense ever.
2022 Denver Broncos
The Broncos made a massive splash trading for Russell Wilson in the offseason. Denver became a powerhouse and was considered an AFC favorite to win the Super Bowl. A new head coach in Nathaniel Hackett, and it looked like things were turning around in Colorado. Instead, it was a disastrous season as the Broncos went 5-12 and Hackett became just the third HC since the merger to be fired before his first season ended. What was worse, the Broncos traded their first-rounder for Wilson, which ended up being the fifth overall selection (CB Devon Witherspoon).Â
2023 Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia entered the year as the NFC favorites and started the season 10–1 after wins against the Chiefs and Bills in back-to-back weeks. But trouble lay ahead as the defending NFC Champs would lose five of the last 6 games, including blowouts against the 49ers and Cowboys. Matt Patricia was demoted as DC and replaced by Sean Desai. It didn’t help as the Eagles would implode and lose in the first round to Tampa Bay.
2024 New York Jets
Aaron Rodgers gave the Jets four plays in 2023, but hype still built for his return around a strong defense in 2024. The end result: a worse record than Zach Wilson’s final two seasons at the helm. The Jets slunk to 5-12, with Rodgers starting every game, and dysfunction reigned behind the scenes. Woody Johnson’s meddling reached new levels. The owner went around his GM (Joe Douglas) to fire Robert Saleh, after impeding his staff previously, and was accused of using Madden ratings in personnel decisions. The Saleh firing and a midseason trade for Davante Adams brought no turnaround, and the team’s new regime is releasing Rodgers — 16 years after cutting Brett Favre.Â
2024 Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow was back after a season-ending wrist injury and had an MVP-type season. He led the NFL in touchdown passes (43) and yards (4,918), and longtime teammate Ja’Marr Chase won the triple crown via his catches-yards-TDs sweep. Trey Hendrickson also paced the NFL in sacks, with 17.5. But the Bengals would only go 9-8 as the defense was atrocious, ranking 25th overall. They lost three games on the final play.  Years after going to the Super Bowl, Cincinnati has struggled to return to the playoffs.
2024 San Francisco 49ers
The 2024 49ers were coming off a Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs, but many pieces were returning, and many felt San Francisco was destined to return and win a title. But not only did the Niners miss Dre Greenlaw, who tore his Achilles in that Super Bowl, but the Niners played much of the season without All-Pros Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams, and Brandon Aiyuk. Deebo Samuel was a shell of himself, while Brock Purdy was average without his weapons. After three straight NFC title game berths, the 49ers went 6-11 — last in the NFC West.
