Every NFL team wants to matter. But while a few franchises are printing relevance every season, others are begging the football gods for a shred of national attention, a playoff push, or at least a viral training camp clip.
This ranking isn’t about talent or wins—it’s about who needs to matter the most. Whether because of a cringey past, an aging legacy, or just flat-out irrelevance, here’s how desperate each team is to be noticed again.
32. Kansas City Chiefs
When you’re the main character of the NFL and Taylor Swift is at your games, desperation isn’t even in your vocabulary. They’re living in the spotlight and renting out space in everyone else’s head.
31. San Francisco 49ers
They’re almost always in the conversation, even when they are short. With a loaded roster and endless NFC title game appearances, they’re doing fine in the relevance department.
30. Philadelphia Eagles
They live in a massive market with a rabid fanbase and no shortage of drama or star power. Even their offensive line coach trends on social media—this team is far from forgotten.
29. Dallas Cowboys
They haven’t been to a Super Bowl in nearly 30 years, but somehow they’re always the story. America’s Team doesn’t need relevance—they are relevance, whether you like it or not.
28. Cincinnati Bengals
With Joe Burrow under center and a Super Bowl appearance in recent memory, they’re one of the NFL’s cool kids now. They’ll always have something to say as long as he stays healthy.
27. Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen gave this fanbase hope and primetime real estate. They’re more concerned with finally getting over the hump than clawing for attention.
26. Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson alone keeps them in the headlines. This team is too consistently good ever to feel irrelevant.
25. Detroit Lions
After years in the basement, they finally matter again—and they’re milking it for all it’s worth. Still, that underdog energy is starting to feel like a performance.
24. Miami Dolphins
They flash every offseason and ride a wave of hype into September. But things tend to fall apart when the lights come on in December.
23. Los Angeles Rams
That Super Bowl win feels like it was ten years ago, and their fanbase is still mostly tourists. They’re trying to claw their way back into the conversation.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers
They’ve got six rings, but recent seasons have been more about mediocrity and quarterback question marks. You get the sense they’re trying to prove they still belong in the elite club.
21. Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders sprinted away from the Dan Snyder era and ended up with a generational talent in Jayden Daniels. It’s still early, but they may be relevant for a long time.
20. Green Bay Packers
Post-Rodgers life is going better than expected, but they’re eager to prove they don’t need a Hall of Famer to stay relevant. Jordan Love might be the ticket back to national respect.
19. Denver Broncos
It’s been a rough ride from Super Bowl champs to a national punchline. However, the Bo Nix era may be changing things in Denver.
18. New Orleans Saints
Life after Brees and Payton has been anything but glamorous. The Saints are stuck in limbo, craving relevance like it’s 2009 again.
17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Brady era brought them some time, but it’s quickly expiring. They need a new identity before they fade back into the shadows.
16. Seattle Seahawks
They’re still coasting off the Legion of Boom era in the minds of some fans. This team is solid, but they’re fighting to be more than just “pretty good.”
15. Los Angeles Chargers
Despite having a star quarterback and endless talent, no one talks about them. They’re desperate to matter, and their social media team is working overtime.
14. New York Giants
Outside of one good playoff run, they’ve mostly been an NFC afterthought in recent years. In a city that demands excellence, they’re trying hard to return to being taken seriously.
13. Minnesota Vikings
They’ve always been good, but never great—and the Cousins era felt like a prolonged shrug. They’re dying to prove they can win when it matters.
12. Atlanta Falcons
Since 28-3, this team has been trying to find itself again. Now they’re hoping a rookie QB can spark some national relevance.
11. Tennessee Titans
They peaked a few years ago and have been sliding toward obscurity ever since. It’s clear they’re trying to retool, but the league isn’t exactly watching closely.
10. Carolina Panthers
They’re rebuilding again (again), and you can practically feel the front office’s panic. Relevance feels like a distant memory from the Cam Newton years.
9. Cleveland Browns
They’ve got a controversial QB and a fanbase that’s been through it. This team wants so badly to matter, but the results rarely match the ambition.
8. Indianapolis Colts
They’ve been in quarterback purgatory since Luck retired. They’re banking everything on Anthony Richardson (or Daniel Jones?) to return the juice.
7. Las Vegas Raiders
They’re in Vegas now, but all flash and no substance only gets you so far. This franchise is thirsty for relevance—and not in a subtle way.
6. Jacksonville Jaguars
![Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) heals in a pass while running routes during the seventh organized team activity at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. Monday, June 2, 2025. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]](https://thequickreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Untitled-design-2025-06-03T174157.208-1024x658.png)
They had a brief playoff moment, but the buzz cooled fast. They’re desperate to stay powerful, not just for a one-season highlight reel.
5. Arizona Cardinals
They’ve been off the grid ever since the Kyler Murray contract drama. With a new regime and a long rebuild ahead, they’re waving frantically for anyone to care.
4. Chicago Bears
The Justin Fields era didn’t pan out; now it’s Caleb Williams’ time. The NFL is always better when the Bears are good, but it’s been a while.
3. New York Jets
They want to matter badly, but every year ends in heartbreak and memes. The Rodgers experiment was one last desperate Hail Mary at legitimacy, and look how that turned out.
Read More: 24 Athletes Who Desperately Wanted to Be Loved
2. New England Patriots
Post-Brady life has been bleak. Belichick is gone, the dynasty is over, and this team is clawing for any attention.
Read More: 15 NFL Fanbases That Deserve Some Good Luck in 2025
1. Houston Texans
Yes, they finally have a quarterback and some buzz. But after years of irrelevance and dysfunction, they’re lunging toward the spotlight like it’s oxygen.
