With the 2024 NFL season just around the corner, we count down some of the worst records in the league since 2000 – with some memorably poor teams making the list.
Worst Regular Season Records In The NFL Since 2000
9. Carolina Panthers – 2023
Last year’s Carolina Panthers just scrape into the list of worst records in the 2000’s, despite having the first pick in the draft where they selected Bryce Young at quarterback.
The Panthers just never really gelled together in 2023 and as a result, they finished the season with an awful 2-15 record – the worst since the NFL switched to a 17 game season.
Carolina sacked head coach Frank Reich midway through the season, continuing a theme of coaching issues in recent seasons with Reich the third to be sacked in the space of five years.
The Panthers set another unwanted record towards the end of last year, becoming the first team since the 2008 Cleveland Browns to be shut out for 0 points in back to back games.
=3. St. Louis Rams – 2009
The 2009 St. Louis Rams ended their campaign with a 1-15 record, thanks to one win against the Detroit Lions which came in week 8.
There wasn’t much hope around the Rams between 2007-09 and it wasn’t too surprising to see them drop one of the worst records in franchise history, having won just four games in the space of two years before.
During the 2009 season, the Rams averaged one of the lowest ever point tally’s per game with a woeful 10.9 PPG – the sixth worst in NFL history.
=3. San Diego Chargers – 2000
The Chargers’ worst season in franchise history came in 2000, with the team (still named San Diego rather than Los Angeles) finished the campaign with a 1-15 record.
San Diego’s only win of the campaign came against the Chiefs in week 11 and it was a close one, with the Chargers only winning by one point thanks to a last minute field goal.
The Chargers’ disappointing season can be summarised by their rushing yards stats, finishing with an average of 66.4 yards per game which is the lowest average by any team in a 16 game campaign by some distance.
=3. Miami Dolphins – 2007
The 2007 Miami Dolphins were an absolute shambles and they finished the season with a 1-15 record that reflected just how poorly they were playing at the time. Their 1-15 record remains a franchise record worst finish.
Miami were lucky to narrowly escape a completely winless season, with their only win in the campaign coming in a week 15 overtime victory against the Baltimore Ravens.
The Dolphins were shut out once in the 2007 season, losing 3-0 to the Steelers in what remains as the joint lowest scoring match in NFL history.
=3. Jacksonville Jaguars – 2020
The 2020 Jacksonville Jaguars are one of just two teams that have ever lost 15 consecutive games to end a campaign, with the other side also on this list in the 2001 Panthers.
Jacksonville just edged past the Colts in a week 1 win, but their season was all downhill from there – losing the next 15 matches to end the campaign 1-15.
One positive did come out of the Jaguars finishing with the worst record, as they earned first pick in the 2021 draft where they selected current quarterback and fan favourite Trevor Lawrence.
=3. Cleveland Browns – 2016
The Cleveland Browns make this list of nine twice, with the 2016 Browns one of many sides to go 1-15 before the league changed to 17 games.
2016 was the 14th season in a row that the Browns failed to make it to the postseason which is a franchise record. The team’s 1-15 record at the time was also a franchise record for the worst in their history.
There was one positive for the Browns to take out of the 2016 campaign though, with offensive tackle Joe Thomas selected for the Pro Bowl for a record breaking tenth straight season.
=3. Carolina Panthers – 2001
The second Carolina Panthers side to make this list is the team from 2001, with the franchise going 1-15 in what is their worst campaign to date since the league merger.
After just seven season’s in the NFL, the Panthers were hoping to build on what had been an impressive year in 2000 when they made it all the way to the playoffs with a 7-9 record.
Instead, the Panthers won their first match of the campaign and followed up with 15 consecutive losses. The 2020 Jaguars are the only other team to have finished the season with 15 consecutive losses.
Despite holding the worst record in the league and one of the worst in NFL history, three Carolina players were selected for the Pro Bowl with tight end Wesley Walls, wide receiver Steve Smith and punter Todd Sauerbun all recognised for their good season.
=1. Detroit Lions – 2008
The first of two teams on this list to go 0-16 in the NFL regular season is the 2008 Detroit Lions.
Detroit made history in 2008, as they became the first side to ever go 0-16 in the league since the new format changed to 16 games in 1978. There has only ever been four teams to lose every game in the regular season since the NFL merger.
Hopes were high for the Lions coming into the 2008 campaign, with the team going unbeaten in preseason hoping to follow on from the year before where they finished 7-9.
The Lions gave away a franchise-record of 517 points over the 16 game stretch, averaging 32 points conceded a game during their worst season in history.
=1. Cleveland Browns – 2017
Unlike the 2008 Detroit Lions, there wasn’t much hope surrounding the Browns when they entered their worst ever season in 2017, with the franchise finishing 1-15 in a similarly disappointing year before.
With the NFL expanding the league to 17 games in 2021, the Browns remain the final team to ever go 0-16 in a regular season.
Sashi Brown took charge of the Browns during their unsuccessful 2016 season but he lasted just over a year in the role, with Cleveland sacking their head coach 13 weeks into 2017.
Brown has one of the worst winning records as a coach in NFL history, losing 28 of the 29 games he took charge of during his time in Cleveland.
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