The NFL is a brutal league, but some teams have had it worse than others. Whether it’s bad luck, boneheaded decisions, or just outright supernatural forces working against them, these franchises have suffered through years (or decades) of football misery.
We’re counting down from “mildly cursed” to “somebody definitely made a deal with the devil and got scammed.” Let’s get into it.
10. Buffalo Bills – The Super Bowl Sad Boys
Look, making it to four straight Super Bowls is impressive. Losing all four? That’s just cruel. The Bills were so close in the early ‘90s, but the Football Gods had other plans (including Scott Norwood’s infamous “wide right” moment). They’ve been good in recent years, but until they finally win a Lombardi, this curse isn’t totally dead.
9. New York Jets – Butt Fumbles and Bad Decisions
The Jets have been an elite disaster for decades. Their last Super Bowl win? 1969. Since then, it’s been a mix of horrific draft picks (looking at you, Zach Wilson), terrible coaches, and the infamous Butt Fumble. Even Aaron Rodgers tearing his Achilles four snaps into his Jets career felt like the universe was just trolling.
8. Detroit Lions – A Lifetime of Losing (Until Now?)
The Lions spent decades as the NFL’s biggest punchline. Wasting Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson? Check. A perfect 0-16 season? Oh yeah. Decades of front office incompetence? You bet. But maybe the curse is lifting—Dan Campbell and Jared Goff actually made Detroit relevant again. We’ll see how long it lasts.
7. Minnesota Vikings – The Playoff Chokers
The Vikings have been painfully good at almost making history. Four Super Bowl losses, heartbreaking NFC Championship disasters, and the worst-case scenario in just about every big moment. The “Minneapolis Miracle” was cool, but they immediately got smoked in the next round, so… still cursed.
6. Atlanta Falcons – 28-3. That’s It. That’s the Curse.
No amount of therapy can erase the horror of Super Bowl LI. The Falcons led 28-3 against the Patriots, then collapsed in ways that defy science. Atlanta sports in general have been rough, but this was their peak moment of pure, unfiltered football pain.
5. Cleveland Browns – The Factory of Sadness
Cleveland has so much bad history. The Drive. The Fumble. The fact that their team literally left and won a Super Bowl somewhere else. They finally got a playoff win in 2020, but let’s be honest—between QB disasters and endless dysfunction, the Browns are still a cursed franchise.
4. San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers – The Bad Luck Kings
The Chargers might actually have the worst luck in sports history. They’ve had Hall of Fame talent but always find a way to blow it. Insane injuries? Check. Mind-numbing playoff chokes? Double check. That time they had the No. 1 offense, defense, and still missed the playoffs? Yeah, this team is hexed.
3. Cincinnati Bengals – Close, But No Cigar
The Bengals have been right there but never quite finished the job. The ‘80s saw them lose two Super Bowls to Joe Montana, and in 2022, they let the Rams steal a ring. Add in decades of mediocrity and being the NFL’s least-functional franchise until Joe Burrow arrived, and you’ve got a serious curse.
2. Arizona Cardinals – The League’s Oldest Losers
The Cardinals have existed since 1898 and have one championship. In 1947. They have the worst all-time winning percentage of any franchise, and when they do get close, heartbreak follows. That Larry Fitzgerald Super Bowl moment? Instantly erased by a Steelers game-winning TD. If any team has a built-in excuse for failure, it’s these guys.
Read More: 10 Cities Where Pro Sports Misery Never Ends
1. New Orleans Saints (Before 2009) – The Original Cursed Franchise
Before they won their Super Bowl, the Saints were the NFL’s ultimate joke. Fans wore paper bags. They were called the “Aints.” They once had a QB run the wrong way for a safety. And let’s not forget the countless playoff disasters even after their championship (like the Minneapolis Miracle and the infamous no-call against the Rams). Even when they were good, something always went wrong.
Read More: The Holy Roller: A Game-Changing Fumble
