Hope springs eternal in the NFL, especially when it comes to fanbases that have been wandering in the wilderness for a while. A couple of close wins, a flashy offseason, or a shiny new quarterback, and suddenly the hype train is rolling full speed ahead.
But let’s pump the brakes. Just because a team thinks it’s back doesn’t mean it actually is. Here are 10 NFL teams currently fooling themselves into thinking they’ve returned to greatness.
10. Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders always seem to convince themselves they’re on the verge of turning the corner. New coach, new QB, same old rollercoaster.
9. New England Patriots
The dynasty days are long gone, but the fanbase still talks like they’re going to get back on track ASAP. Unfortunately, the league has moved on—and so should the expectations.
8. Carolina Panthers
It feels like every year is “the year” for Carolina, especially after any change at quarterback. But they keep finding new ways to reset without ever actually progressing.
7. New York Giants
One decent season and it’s suddenly 2007 again in the minds of Giants fans. The reality? They’re still trying to figure out who they are offensively.
6. Denver Broncos
There’s always talk about the Broncos being “a quarterback away,” but somehow that QB never seems to fix the problem. Can Bo Nix do it? Maybe. Every year feels like a reboot with the same disappointing results.
5. Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings love to hover around relevance without ever truly breaking through. A strong record here, a miracle play there, and then the postseason arrives to pop the balloon.
4. Indianapolis Colts
The Colts seem to think they’re just one good season away from returning to contender status. But the endless quarterback carousel and yearly resets keep them stuck in neutral.
3. Chicago Bears
Hope is a powerful thing in Chicago, and every new era brings fresh promises. But until wins start piling up, it’s just another chapter in a very familiar story.
Read More: Ranking the 15 Most Pessimistic NFL Fanbases
2. New York Jets
The Jets always manage to find hype somewhere, whether it’s a flashy free agent or a big-name QB. But history tends to repeat itself—and not in a good way.
Read More: The 15 Biggest NFL Trash-Talkers You Secretly Love
1. Dallas Cowboys
Every season is the season for Cowboys fans, at least until December rolls around. The hype is always high, the headlines are always loud, and the ending is always… familiar.
Read More: 15 NFL Fanbases That Deserve Some Good Luck in 2025
