Could a couple of teams in the NFL go from finishing first in 2024 to last in the 2025 season? This would be flat-out insane, but it can't be ruled out. There really aren't many teams that won their divisions in 2024 at risk of finishing last in 2025, but crazier things have happened in the NFL, and with all of the parity in this league, you just never know.
Depending on what happens, these two teams could have a path to finishing last in their divisions in 2025 after finishing first in 2024.
Could these teams go from first to worst in the 2025 NFL Season?
Detroit Lions (15-2 in 2024)
The Detroit Lions dealt with brutal defensive injuries in 2024, but won enough games to capture the NFC North title. They lost in the first round of the NFL playoffs also also lost Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn to head coaching jobs.
There has to be a huge risk of regression on both sides of the ball because of that. Furthermore, the Lions have an incredibly tough schedule and are in a brutal division with three other teams trending upward.
If the Packers, Vikings, and Bears all play close to their ceilings in 2025, it could be a back-and-forth affair for the division title, and depending on how some tiebreakers fall, the Lions could very well see themselves finishing last.
Los Angeles Rams (10-7 in 2024)
The Rams did finish in third place in the NFC West in the 2022 NFL Season. They dealt with a ton of injuries that year, as QB Matthew Stafford was among those injured, and that is really the basis for this argument. The other three teams in the division would also likely hit their peak, but with the Cardinals trending in the right direction and the 49ers having the easiest schedule in the league, the Rams may have to watch out.
Another big thing here could be Matthew Stafford perhaps having a date with Father Time. I am not rooting for that, obviously, but he is getting up there in age and getting close to 40. At some point, his production is going to dip, and if that comes in 2025, the Rams could be in huge trouble.