Dallas Cowboys helmet – . Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Updated February 3rd, 2015
Attention NFL purists, this piece is for you.
The 2014 NFL season has, unfortunately, concluded, but it certainly lived up to the hype. Millions witnessed the New England Patriots defeat the Seattle Seahawks in one of the most shocking endings to a Super Bowl in the history of the game.
This ranking of all 32 franchises has been updated to include the total accomplishments, or lack thereof, of every team from the 2014 season. A few franchises climbed this all-time ranking, while others fell because of how this season played out.
A large portion of this country lives for the NFL and are already beyond excited for the 2015 season. I share that enthusiasm, not only for the NFL, but for its history.
In this instance, for quantifying that history. I believe it to be a shame that MLB has preserved its history so well that its ancient heroes are fondly remembered and its legendary teams revered, while NFL history sits in relative obscurity. This history remains there, even when one of the more discussed topics in NFL circles is debated: Which franchise is truly the greatest in NFL history? Mind you, professional football has no New York Yankees. To answer this, the entirety of the sport’s history must be accounted for.
With that in mind, I set out to definitively answer the elusive ‘greatest’ NFL franchise debate. My goal was to shed some light on NFL history, and subsequently on every NFL franchise. This list isn’t the byproduct of arguments between fans or some run of the mill ranking of franchises based almost entirely on how many Super Bowl trophies each franchise has collected.
Anyone can look up those numbers and anyone can form a baseless opinion. I dug much deeper, because that is what the NFL, and its history, deserves.
This debate, over which NFL franchises really are the greatest, has been raging for decades. Many fans claim their favorite team to be the ‘greatest’ of all-time, but that term is no doubt subjective. Understandably biased fans weigh certain aspects of NFL history differently, which obviously results in different interpretations of which franchise truly is the greatest.
My goal was to put together an objective look at this age-old debate. I accomplished this by using a weighted system, taking into account the numerous factors that I believe represent what greatness actually means in this context. For these rankings, previously subjective categories have been given baseline point totals.
Those point totals have been applied to the entirety of each of the NFL’s 32 current franchise’s collective histories. How the numbers shook out are not opinion, merely numerical fact. This ranking is reflective of all 32 NFL franchise’s overall relative greatness, as defined by the following categories.
Point Breakdown:
Super Bowl Championship (1966-Present): 20 Points
World Championship (1920-1965): 12 Points
Conference Championship (1960-Present): 10 Points
Division Championship: 6 Points
Playoff Appearance: 4 Points
Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee (Main Contribution): 8 Points
AP MVP* (1957-Present): 6 Points
AP Offensive POY (1972-Present): 4 Points
AP Defensive POY (1971-Present): 4 Points
*There is some debate over when the recognized MVP award was first given out. There were MVP-type awards handed out in the 1940’s but most NFL historians agree on 1957 as the official first year for the award. 1961 was the first official AP MVP but back to 1957 is typically recognized — and is in this ranking.
Icons: To aide in the visualization of each franchise’s greatness I’ve included four ‘icons’ for each franchise. The bolded NFL icons throughout this list are players, coaches, and owners that transcended the game of football into mainstream culture, changed the way the game was played, were vital to the NFL’s growth, or were so great at their role that even a survey course of NFL history would be incomplete without their name.
Note (ATTN: Former AFL franchises): Each franchise’s “Established” date refers to when they joined the NFL, not necessarily when it was formed. This is because this is a ranking of the greatest franchises in NFL history — not professional football history. The same concept applies to the “icons.” Reaching stardom in the AFL or any league other than the NFL is not accounted for here as this list purely accounts for success in the NFL.
You will not find a more comprehensive or fair analysis or ranking of all NFL franchises, in terms of all-time greatness, anywhere on the internet. That is a promise.
How does your favorite team stack up?
Next: Predictably, the new franchises
Let the ranking begin!
32. Houston Texans: 28 Points
Houston Texans helmet: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Established 2002 – The Texans are the youngest team in the NFL and haven’t been particularly successful overall — only two playoff appearances. So they haven’t compiled much history yet; landing them dead last in these rankings.
Time will tell if they’ll climb higher. It should be noted that the Texans are still too young to have sent a player to the Hall of Fame. At least they can definitively claim that they currently boast the league’s top defensive player in J.J. Watt. He’s already won two AP Defensive Player of the Year awards at the age of 25.
Points added in the 2014 season: 4
Icons: J.J. Watt, Andre Johnson, Matt Schaub, Mario Williams
Jacksonville Jaguars helmet: Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports
31. Jacksonville Jaguars: 36 Points
Established 1995 – The Jaguars haven’t seen much high-end success since joining the NFL but they have seen six postseasons thanks mostly to their squad of the late 1990s.
Twice they’ve been within a game of the Super Bowl, but they have some work to do if they want to climb this list anytime soon. All of their hope rests in the right arm of Blake Bortles now. They’ve yet to send a player to the Hall of Fame.
Points added in the 2014 season: 0
Icons: Mark Brunell, Jimmy Smith, Fred Taylor, Tony Boselli
Carolina Panthers helmet: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
30. Carolina Panthers: 68 Points
Established 1995 – The other team to come into the NFL in 1995 has actually had three separate rosters find relative success in its young history, with six playoff appearances and one conference championship.
The Panthers haven’t been able to get over the hump yet, but the future looks incredibly bright with Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly leading both sides of the ball. They have a chance to be the NFC North’s best team of the foreseeable future. There have been no Hall of Fame inductees for the Panthers at this point in time.
Points added in 2014 season: 10
Icons: Steve Smith, Sam Mills, Julius Peppers, Muhsin Muhammad
Atlanta Falcons helmet: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
29. Atlanta Falcons: 104 Points
Established 1966 – The Falcons have been around for a long time — for the entirety of the Super Bowl era. But they have failed to win the big game, losing to the Broncos in their only appearance.
They claim only two Hall of Fame inductees, so in terms of points-per-year (based on this ranking system) they’re possibly the least ‘greatest’ team in NFL History. They have been to the playoffs 12 times and Matt Ryan may be the quarterback to finally lead them to the promise land. Maybe. Here’s to a better 2015 season.
Points added in the 2014 season: 0
Icons: Deion Sanders, Claude Humphrey, Tommy Nobis, Jeff Van Note
Next: Joe Didn't Guarantee This
New York Jets helmet:
Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
28. New York Jets: 130 Points
Established 1970 – The Jets are one of most underachieving teams in NFL History. Sure, they had Joe Namath, the guarantee, and the monumental Super Bowl championship that helped break down the door between the AFL and NFL.
Since then, they’ve been lackluster to say the least. Some people confuse the Jets as one of the more historic franchises in league history because they reside in New York City — and well because of Broadway Joe.
Look at the facts, it’s been 40 years since they’ve been to the big game and they have put only five players into the Hall of Fame. They have one Super Bowl victory and 12 playoff appearances.
Points added in 2014 season: 0
Icons: Joe Namath, Curtis Martin, John Riggins, Weeb Ewbank
New Orleans Saints helmet: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
27. New Orleans Saints: 136 Points
Established 1967 – The Saints have had some success since joining the NFL. They’ve won a Super Bowl and are currently one of the more competitive teams in the league. But with only 10 trips to the playoffs in over 45 years, their entire history isn’t exactly overwhelming.
Although, their current squad may contain a few Hall of Famers. So they most likely will climb this list in the coming years. Drew Brees’ numbers will have him up there with the all-time greats once he finally hangs ‘em up; and I suspect the same for Jimmy Graham’s numbers, too. They currently have three players in the Hall of Fame.
Points added in 2014 season: 0
Icons: Drew Brees, Jim Finks, Rickey Jackson, Archie Manning
Tampa Bay Buccaneers helmet: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 142 Points
Established 1976 – The Bucs definitely have some history to dissect as they have won a Super Bowl. But they are also notorious for putting, arguably, the worst team in NFL history out on the field when they first joined the league. Other than those two squads they’re not incredibly historic one way or the other.
The “Tampa Two” defense did catch on though and impacted professional football quite profoundly. So there’s that. They have three players in the Hall of Fame and have seen the postseason 10 times. 2014 was a tough year in Tampa and 2015 isn’t looking a whole lot brighter.
Points added in 2014 season: 0
Icons: Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp, Lee Roy Selmon, John Lynch
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
25. Cincinnati Bengals: 144 Points
Established 1970 – The tiger striped-domed footballers from Cincy have sent only one player to the Hall of Fame in their entire history. One player, offensive tackle Anthony Munoz. They’ve lost two Super Bowls but have won two AP MVP awards.
There isn’t too much else to note about their history. I mean, maybe the Ickey Shuffle should get them a few points; they need all the help they can get. They do have 13 playoff appearances under their belt. Quarterback Andy Dalton led them to the postseason in 2014. Can he lead them further in the near future?
Points added in 2014 season: 4
Icons: Anthony Munoz, Boomer Esiason, Corey Dillon, Ken Anderson
Next: The Best of the New Franchises
Baltimore Ravens helmet: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
24. Baltimore Ravens: 152 Points
Established 1996 – The Birds of Baltimore are an incredibly successful team. They will keep steadily climbing this list as more of their dominant defensive players of their recent history become Hall of Fame eligible.
In terms of points-per-year (in these rankings) they’re one of the ‘greatest’ teams in NFL history. That’s hard to argue with. In their short history they’ve seen a ton of success.
They already have two Super Bowl trophies, 10 playoff appearances and one Hall of Fame inductee. Plus, they have the highest postseason winning percentage in NFL history. By the time Joe Flacco retires do not be surprised if they’ve jumped up a few more spots.
Points added in 2014 season: 4
Icons: Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Jonathan Ogden, Jamal Lewis
San Diego Chargers helmet: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
22. (TIE) San Diego Chargers: 200 Points
Established 1970 – The Chargers have put together a so-so history. They’ve sent eight people to the Hall of Fame and have one conference championship to their credit. They lost the only Super Bowl that they have made it to; getting blown out by the 49ers.
For the past decade they’ve been fairly successful but many believe they’ve continually underachieved. They’re no strangers to putting together strong regular season records followed by short stints in the postseason. In their history they’ have amassed 13 playoff appearances.
Points added in 2014 season: 8
Icons: Junior Seau, Kellen Winslow, Dan Fouts, LaDainian Tomlinson
Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
22. (TIE) Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans: 200 Points
Established 1970 – This franchise has seen a lot of ups and downs throughout their history in the NFL. To be honest, most of their history is centered around individual skill player’s success. Oh, and that one time Kevin Dyson was tackled at the one yard line as time expired in Super Bowl XXXIV.
Sorry for bringing it up Titans fans, I just had to. They have had two AP MVP winners and currently have eight players in the Hall of Fame. To go along with that player success, they’ve seen a respectable 16 postseasons as well. They also boast a shocking five Offensive Player of the Year Awards — tied for most in NFL history.
Points added in 2014 season: 0
Icons: Earl Campbell, Warren Moon, Bruce Matthews, Mike Munchak
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
20. (TIE) Chicago/St.Louis/Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals: 202 Points
Established 1920 – The Cards have moved many times throughout their history as a franchise. They stand as proof that this ranking system does not just reward the age of franchises or translate that age into ‘greatness.’ However, they did impressively claw their way into the postseason in 2014. Look for them to competitive again next year.
They’ve been around since 1920, when the NFL was formed, but they still come in very low in this ranking. They boast only nine playoff appearances all-time and have had twelve players inducted into the Hall of Fame. They have zero Super Bowl championships but did take home two World Championships a long time ago…an underwhelming amount of success considering their age.
Points added in 2014 season: 4
Icons: Charles W. Bidwell, SR., Aeneas Williams, Dan Dierdorf, Larry Fitzgerald
Next: A Few Franchises That Know What It's Like To Get Their Hearts Broken
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
20. (TIE) Seattle Seahawks: 202 Points
Established 1976 – The defending NFC champs have added a lot of points to their ‘greatness ranking’ over the past two seasons, obviously. The Seahawks came up short in Super Bowl 49 this past season, but won Super Bowl 48. Because of that, there are now only 13 teams left that haven’t won a Super Bowl. They’re a young and talented team led by an exciting quarterback — Russell Wilson.
So they, like the Ravens, have major potential to climb this list significantly over the next decade. Don’t be surprised if the ‘Legion of Boom’ adds to their three all-time NFC Championship banners. There are three Seahawks in the Hall of Fame and they’ve seen the playoffs 14 times as a franchise.
Points added in 2014 season: 20
Icons: Steve Largent, Walter Jones, Cortez Kennedy, Shawn Alexander
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
19. Kansas City Chiefs: 220 Points
Established 1970 – The franchise that plays at notorious Arrowhead Stadium played in the first ever Super Bowl, but came up short. The Chiefs do have a Super Bowl Championship to their credit and have put 11 people in the Hall of Fame. They haven’t had incredible success since their early days. Although, they boast one of the leagues most boisterous and proud fan bases which translates into an intimidating home crowd on Sundays.
Good news for Chiefs fans is that Andy Reid seems to have the franchise headed in the right direction at the moment. They may be on the upswing as they look to add to their 13 all-time playoff appearances.
Points added in 2014 season: 8
Icons: Hank Stram, Derrick Thomas, Bobby Bell, Len Dawson
Buffalo Bills helmet: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
18. Buffalo Bills: 246 Points
Established 1970 – Just imagine where the Bills would be on this list if they had won two or three of their four consecutive Super Bowl appearances in the early 90s. Unfortunately, they lost all four and their history is drastically different based on the outcome of those games.
Although they’ve retained a loyal fan base and seem to have put together a talented young squad. The future may be bright in Buffalo. They have had two AP MVPs and ten names inducted into the Hall of Fame. They’ve also been to the playoffs 13 times, but not once in this millennium — yikes.
Points added in 2014 season: 8
Icons: Bruce Smith, O.J. Simpson, Jim Kelly, Andre Reed
Detroit Lions helmet: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
17. Detroit Lions: 302 Points
Established 1930 – Detroit’s professional football team is another example that the age of a franchise doesn’t guarantee a high ranking of ‘greatness’ in this system. The Lions did have tremendous success in the 1950s; winning all four of their World Championships in that decade. But since then…it’s been rough. Really rough.
Despite being in the NFL for the entirety of the Super Bowl Era, they’ve never made it to the big game. But they have been to the playoffs 17 times and boast a respectable 14 players in the Hall of Fame (with Calvin Johnson on the way, someday). But the Lions have had almost no, truly, successful seasons in the days of color TV.
For such a proud city, that’s a tough pill to swallow. At least they had the immaculate Barry Sanders in the 90s. 2014 was a better year as the Lions made the playoffs. Could this be sign of great things to come for Detroit?
Points added in 2014 season: 4
Icons: Barry Sanders, Alex Karras, Bobby Layne, Calvin Johnson
Next: Tom Terrific and Super Bowl Bill
Philadelphia Eagles helmet: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports
16. Philadelphia Eagles: 330 Points
Established 1933 – The Eagles are another example of a very old franchise that does not find itself high on this list. Quite frankly, for all the attention that the Eagles have received over the years they’ve hardly lived up to it. The team with one of the most patriotic mascots of all has yet to win a a Super Bowl; they lost both of their appearances.
They have sent only nine players to the Hall of Fame, despite their long tenure in the NFL. But they have managed to make it to the playoffs an impressive 26 times and they did win three World Championships, to go along with three conference championships. But overall, they’re far from a historic NFL superpower.
Points added in 2014 season: 0
Icons: Chuck Bednarik, Reggie White, Steve Van Buren, Donovan McNabb
Denver Broncos helmet: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports
15. Denver Broncos: 344 Points
Established 1970 – The franchise that John Elway is currently in a state of limbo as Peyton Manning decides if he’s going to continue to play football. They’ve long been a competitive franchise. Historically they’ve been a tough team to play, especially at home.
Since joining the NFL they’ve won the conference championship seven times and snagged two Super Bowl rings (winning them back-to-back). They have only sent a shockingly-low four players to the Hall of Fame, but they have managed to reach the playoffs 21 times. Their three AP MVPs and three Offensive Player of the Year awards are impressive though.
Points added in 2014 season: 10
Icons: John Elway, Shannon Sharpe, Mike Shanahan, Gary Zimmerman
Miami Dolphins helmet: Ron Schwane-USA TODAY Sports
14. Miami Dolphins: 350 Points
Established 1970 – The professional team from southern Florida is the only team to go undefeated for an entire season; accounting for one of their two Super Bowl championships. They have nine Hall of Fame inductees and happen to have had one of the most prolific quarterbacks of all-time — Dan Marino. Infamously though, Marino never brought home a Super Bowl championship.
The lack of championships in Marino’s era (and since) is what’s keeping the Dolphins from nearing the top ten of this list. But they have seen the playoffs 22 times and have been responsible for some of the NFL’s most marquee players and moments.
Points added in 2014 season: 0
Icons: Don Shula, Dan Marino, Bob Griese, Larry Csonka
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
13. New England Patriots: 386 Points
Established 1970 – The brand new Super Bowl Champions are climbing this list. The Pats are the NFL’s only twenty-first century dynasty and their leader Tom Brady will go down as one of the all-time greats — if not the greatest to ever play the game. But it should be known that this franchise has won a conference championship game in four consecutive decades. Now that’s consistency that stretches beyond the 2000s.
Overall, they’ve bagged four Super Bowls and have won a respectable eight conference championships. In their history they’ve seen 22 postseasons. But their severe lack of Hall of Fame inductees (only four all-time) hurts their ranking significantly. That may change in the coming years though as the players that comprised their dynasty become eligible to enter Canton.
The Pats are definitely eyeing a top-10 spot on this ranking and may just get there in the near future. I sure as hell wouldn’t bet against them.
Points added in 2014 season: 40
Icons: Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, Andre Tippett, Tedy Bruschi
Next: Purple People Eaters
Oakland Raiders helmet: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
(TIE) 11. Oakland/Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders: 404 Points
Established 1970 – Despite being so uncompetitive in recent memory, the Raiders have actually put together quite an amazing history. As you can imagine, winning three Super Bowls and sending 15 players to the Hall of Fame certainly helps out their greatness ranking significantly.
Unfortunately they’re known more for their ridiculous yet raucous crowd, “The Black Hole”, and their failings as of late, rather than their overall success as a franchise. They have 18 playoff appearances all-time and were one of the most instrumental AFL teams at the time of the NFL-AFL merger.
The league might not be what it is today without Al Davis and the Raiders.
Points added in 2014 season: 8
Icons: Al Davis, Gene Upshaw, Marcus Allen, John Madden
Minnesota Vikings helmet: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
(TIE) 11. Minnesota Vikings: 404 Points
Established 1961 – The Purple People Eaters are one of the most successful teams in NFL history to never win a Super Bowl. That’s not exactly the moniker that franchises shoot for, but it does show that they haven’t been a doormat since joining the NFL. The Vikings have won a whopping 18 division championships (most in the NFC North) and have earned 27 appearances to the postseason.
Along with that team success they’ve taken home three AP MVP awards, too. They do have an NFL championship under their belt (which some people do not realize) but, like the Bills, lost all four of the Super Bowls that they have played in. They’re rebuilding now but still feature the greatest running back of this generation for the time being — Adrian Peterson. Will he be back in 2014?
Points added in 2014 season: 8
Icons: Bud Grant, Alan Page, Fran Tarkenton, Randy Moss
10: Cleveland Browns: 430 Points
Cleveland Browns helmet: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Established 1950-95; 1999-Present – This may be the biggest shocker on this list. You read that correctly, Cleveland made the NFL’s greatest franchises top 10 list. They’re an example of why we must value history when weighing greatness. The Browns have been anything but great for a long, long time.
Many people forget about their extensive history of success. In the 50s and 60s they won four World Championships. Not only that, they have sent 16 players to the Hall of Fame; including what some believe to be the greatest running back of all-time — Jim Brown. Not to mention, they’ve seen the playoffs an impressive 24 times in their history. Will Johnny Manziel lead the Browns back to their former glory, or will they continue to slide down this list?
Points added in 2014 season: 0
Icons: Jim Brown, Otto Graham, Paul Brown, Lou Groza
St. Louis Rams helmet: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports
9: Cleveland/Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams: 450 Points
Established 1937 – The first NFL team to put a design on a helmet, the iconic horns, have won one Super Bowl and two World Championships. They’ve also managed to send 15 players to the Hall of Fame. But their success has been spread out over their long tenure in the NFL.
No one can question that they have been competitive often with 27 playoff appearances under their belt. But what might be most impressive about their history is their four AP MVP awards. Plus Kurt Warner seems to be a lock to make the Hall of Fame at some point; so that won’t hurt their ranking either. Right now the franchise that’s has been mediocre since the days of the “Greatest Show on Turf.” 2015 doesn’t look to be much more exciting in St. Louis.
Points added in 2014 season: 0
Icons: Eric Dickerson, David “Deacon” Jones, Norm Van Brocklin, Kurt Warner
Next: The Lucky Horseshoe
Washington Redskins helmet: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
8. Washington ‘Redskins’: 482 Points
Established 1932 – The franchise with the most politically incorrect team nickname in all of sports has a long history with various points of success and failings. Three Super Bowl wins (with three different quarterbacks), two World Championships and 19 Hall of Fame inductees is the type of success that cannot be ignored.
One must understand that those accomplishments were spread out over an 80 year history. They’ve been great in the past (23 postseason appearances) and could be on the verge of being great again — that is, if Robert Griffin III can stay healthy. But then again, will he even be their quarterback in 2015?. If he can, the soon to be renamed (in my opinion) “Redskins” could be great once more.
Points added in 2014 season: 0
Icons: Sammy Baugh, Joe Gibbs, Sonny Jurgensen, Darrell Green
Indianapolis Colts helmet:
Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
7. Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts: 502 Points
Established 1953 – Their Horseshoe logo is one of the more iconic helmet designs in NFL history. And the Colts’ top two quarterbacks of all-time, Johnny Unitas and Peyton Manning, are just as iconic. Although it should be noted that both quarterbacks played in different cities. This franchise has been blessed greatness with greatness again at the quarterback position with Andrew Luck leading the way.
The Colts have won two Super Bowls and two World Championships, but are eyeing another ring in 2015. They have only sent 11 people to the Hall of Fame, but certainly have more on the way (Manning, Harrison). But a truly shocking statistic is that they have had one of their players win the AP MVP a league high nine times.
That individual success has elevated their ranking significantly but then again, they have made it to 27 playoffs, too.
Points added in 2014 season: 18
Icons: Johnny Unitas, Peyton Manning, John Mackey, Marvin Harrison
San Francisco 49ers helmet: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
6. San Francisco 49ers: 548 Points
Established 1950 – The Niners are one of the league’s most recognizable franchises thanks to their Joe Montana-led dynasty of the 1980s. We cannot forget the unquestionable toughness of their defensive leader Ronnie Lott, either. The 49ers continued their success into the 90s, as they won their fifth Super Bowl with Steve Young at the helm.
They have sent 14 players to the Hall of Fame and have had five AP MVPs and five Offensive Player of the Year awards. They still come in at sixth on this list because they didn’t have much success during their first couple decades in the league.
They would be even higher on this list had they been more consistent from the beginning. The team is in a bit of a transition period and the future isn’t exactly clear in San Francisco at the moment. They have 26 playoff appearances all-time.
Points added in 2014 season: 8
Icons: Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, Bill Walsh, Steve Young
5. Dallas Cowboys: 590 Points
Dallas Cowboys helmet: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Established 1960 – “America’s Team” has been incredibly successful since joining the NFL in 1960 and they’re as iconic as professional sports franchises can get. But despite their iconic stature, the last 15 years or so they’ve continually underachieved. Although 2014 was a good year in the Big D, they’ve yet to follow up their early-90s dynasty with a dominant squad.
They have five Super Bowls under their belt, the second most all-time conference championships (10), and the most division championships (22). They have reached the playoffs 31 times — good for second in NFL history. Plus, they have 14 Hall of Fame inductees. Their current running back DeMarco Murray was also 2014’s AP Offensive Player of the Year.
Currently, team owner Jerry Jones is scrambling to get them back atop the hill. He is sticking with Tony Romo at the quarterback position for the next few years. Will they live up to their billing as “America’s team” over the next decade or continue to slip-up? In 2014, they showed a lot of signs of improvement and Cowboys fans should be excited for 2015. Not to mention the Cowboys are closing in on jumping the franchise in the No. 4 slot on this ranking.
Points added in 2014 season: 22
Iconics: Tom Landry, Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith
Next: Made of Steel
Chicago Bears helmet: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
4. Chicago Bears: 602 Points
Established 1920 – The Monsters of the Midway were the most dominant team in the NFL for it’s first 40 years; winning eight World Championships. They are the winningest franchise of all-time (in total wins) and have had some of the game’s most iconic figures come through — Sid Luckman, Gale Sayers, Harold “Red” Grange, Mike Singletary, Brian Urlacher, the list goes on and on.
In the Super Bowl era, they haven’t experienced the same level of success that they were accustomed to. Of course they did win the Super Bowl in 1985 and recorded the “Super Bowl Shuffle” for all of our viewing pleasure. They have been very competitive in many other recent seasons, too.
They’ve sent the most players in NFL history to the Hall of Fame (27) to go along with 25 postseason appearances. Their hopes have been resting in an inconsistent, but talented, offense led by their polarizing quarterback Jay Cutler. Will he be the man in Chicago moving forward? If the Bears don’t figure it out quick they’ll drop down this list — perhaps as soon as the conclusion of the 2015 season.
Points added in 2014 season: 0
Icons: George Halas, Walter Payton, Dick Butkus, Mike Ditka
Pittsburgh Steelers helmet: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
3. Pittsburgh Steelers: 640 Points
Established 1933 – The Steelers are the greatest team of the Super Bowl era. Hands down, it isn’t even up for debate. They’ve won the most games since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger and an NFL-high six Super Bowls — four during their dynasty run in the 70s.
They have been consistently strong for years and have 28 playoff appearances all-time to show for it. They’ve sent 21 players to the Hall of Fame and have won an impressive eight conference championship games. True to their hard-nosed defensive style they have won a league-high seven Defensive Player of the Year awards.
If you’re wondering, it’s their lack of success in the first forty years of their existence that keeps them from being higher on this list; and possibly even atop it. The Steelers are surging toward steeling the second spot on this list. The franchise at number 2 in these rankings better look out; Pittsburgh could take their spot after the 2015.
Points added in 2014 season: 18
Icons: Chuck Noll, Art Rooney, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Greene
New York Giants helmet: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
2. New York Giants: 646 Points
Established 1925 – It may surprise some to see the New York Football Giants ranked ahead of the 49ers, Bears, Cowboys and Steelers on this list, but a detailed look at their success confirms their rightful place among the NFL’s elite franchises.
They’ve won an NFL-high 11 conference championships. Let that soak in for a minute. They have also won four Super Bowls and four World Championships. That’s a lot of success and it shows their overall consistency.
They have had a lot of individual success as well. With 20 players in the Hall of Fame, two AP MVPs and four Defensive Player of the Year awards. They’ve also been to the playoffs more than any team in NFL history — with 31 appearances. There is a lot of ‘greatness’ packed into their extensive history, which dates back to the early days of the league.
However, 2015 was a rough season for the G-men. How much longer will Tom Coughlin be around? Will he get their success going again in 2015?
Points added in 2014 season: 0
Icons: Sam Huff, Lawrence Taylor, Michael Strahan, Eli Manning
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
1. Green Bay Packers: 738 Points
Established 1921 – There is something poetic about the team from the smallest market in the NFL being atop this list. It’s an ode of sorts to the founding of the NFL; which was comprised of numerous small market teams. Canton, OH., Muncie, IN., Duluth, MN., Rock Island, IL., Kenosha, WI., all had franchises early on, too. How did the Green Bay Packers, who are owned by the fans, not only remain but make it to the top of this list as, statistically, the greatest franchise in NFL history?
Well, they have had numerous periods of greatness (aka success), including their dynasty of the 1960s — which some consider the NFL’s first real dynasty. Prior to that they won a league-high nine World Championships and have won four total Super Bowl Trophies (a trophy named after their legendary coach Vince Lombardi).
Their 13 NFL Championships are the most all-time. They have the second-most Hall of Fame inductees (23) and have made the playoffs 30 times. A total of 17 times they’ve won their division. Their eight AP MVP awards do not hurt their point total either. Green Bay’s combination of ancient, modern, and current success has landed it atop this list. And they’re current roster, led by Aaron Rodgers (the league’s current MVP) shows no signs of slowing down. They were four minutes from making it to the Super Bowl in 2014 and 2015 promises to be just as exciting.
As everyone knows, the NFL starts and ends at the quarterback position. And the Packers’ collection of top-tier quarterbacks, namely Bart Starr, Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, is second to none. They are, or should I say will be, the only franchise with three Hall of Fame, Super Bowl winning, AP MVP quarterbacks.
Don’t forget about Arnie Herber, a Packers quarterback from the 1930s who has a bust in Canton, too. Green Bay may not be your favorite franchise in the NFL, but there is no doubting it’s place among the NFL’s elite. Not to mention, it’s the oldest franchise to stay in one location. And that location is Titletown USA, home of Earl “Curly” Lambeau and the historic stadium built in his name. You hear that Titletown natives? It’s time to add another title to your resume as: The Greatest Franchise In NFL History…for now.
The Packers added a some breathing room between them and the franchises behind them thanks to their successful 2014 season.
Points added in 2014 season: 24
Icons: Vince Lombardi, Don Hutson, Bart Starr, Brett Favre
The question of “which is the greatest franchise in NFL history” has been statistically answered…but that’s not going to stop all of you from debating or arguing is it? I didn’t think so. Feel free to broadcast any opinions in the comment section.
Keep in mind, because of the nature of the NFL, this list is extremely fluid and it will change every year. As NFL history evolves, so does this list. That is what makes this ranking system so interesting, tangible, mindful of the past, and most importantly, current.
Thus, team’s immediate and future success will determine how different this list looks next year and in 10, 25, and even 50 years from now. This point system respects the past, as it should, but it accurately adjusts to weigh the Super Bowl era more (based on available points) than the era that preceded it. History is a combination of today and yesterday — that cannot, and must not, be forgotten.
For a more detailed and comprehensive explanation for the methodology regarding the points system and chosen categories for this piece shoot me an email at dannyzillmerandwords@gmail.com. I’d be more than glad to share my extensive rationale with you, and to hear your thoughts.
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