Some NFL teams rebuild, reload, and rise again. Others hit the reset button so many times, it’s worn out from overuse. These are the franchises that always seem to be planning for a brighter future but never quite get there.
From quarterback drama to front office turnover, here are 15 NFL teams stuck in an endless rebuild.
15. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams went all-in for a Super Bowl, got it, and immediately fell apart like a Jenga tower. Now they’re trying to patch things together on the fly with duct tape and late-round picks.
14. New Orleans Saints
The post-Drew Brees era has been a long stretch of salary cap gymnastics and quarterback auditions. The Saints refuse to tear it all down, but also can’t seem to move forward.
13. New York Giants
Every time the Giants draft a new quarterback or hire a new coach, fans are told it’s a fresh start. The problem is, every “fresh start” looks a lot like the last one.
12. Chicago Bears
The Bears are forever in search of a franchise quarterback and a modern offense. They’ve been rebuilding since the ’80s and still haven’t figured out how to score more than 20 points a game.
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tom Brady gave them a brief break from mediocrity, but now it’s back to the usual confusion. With no clear quarterback plan and cap issues galore, they’re right back in rebuild mode.
10. Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders love a splashy move, but they never seem to stick with anything long enough to build real momentum. Whether it’s swapping quarterbacks, head coaches, or cities, the reset button is always within arm’s reach.
9. New England Patriots
Life without Brady has been rough, and Belichick’s departure didn’t make it any easier. The Patriots keep trying to find the next guy under center, but so far, it’s been a carousel of mediocrity.
8. Denver Broncos
The Broncos have been trying to replace Peyton Manning for nearly a decade, and well… They’ve cycled through quarterbacks like socks and still haven’t found a winning formula.
7. Tennessee Titans
The Titans are the NFL’s version of a shrug emoji— always stuck in mediocrity. They keep swapping out parts but never seem to find the one that actually moves the needle.
6. Carolina Panthers
Every season in Carolina feels like the start of something new, and then it ends in disappointment. With constant quarterback changes and coaching turnover, the rebuild never really gets off the ground.
5. Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals had a moment of promise with Kyler Murray, but it’s been downhill since. They keep changing coaches and philosophies like it’s a game of musical chairs.
4. Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers always look like they’re one step away from greatness, and then the season starts. From late-game collapses to bizarre injuries and coaching confusion, they’ve made spinning their wheels into an art form.
3. Indianapolis Colts
Since Andrew Luck walked away, the Colts have been on a quarterback speed-dating spree. Nothing sticks, and their rebuild strategy is basically “try again next year.”
2. New York Jets
The Jets have had so many top draft picks, you’d think they’d stumble into success eventually. But year after year, they somehow find new ways to reset the rebuild clock.
Read More: Ranking the 32 NFL Starting Quarterbacks by Pure Talent
1. Cleveland Browns
The Browns are the blueprint for the eternal rebuild—new quarterbacks, new coaches, new front offices, same results. Even when things start to look up, it all comes crashing down just in time for another fresh start.
Read More: 10 NFL Teams That Have Been Stuck in Mediocrity for Way Too Long
