The Most Successful NFL Teams
In the world of football, there are a lot of great teams to follow. Some of them are the Philadelphia Eagles, the Arizona Cardinals, and the Denver Broncos. But there are some others that deserve a mention. Let’s explore them a little bit more in this article.
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are one of the original teams of the American Football League. They played their first game in 1960. Their franchise was founded by Bob Howsam, a baseball and basketball minor league baseball owner, who had built Bears Stadium in the 1940s.
The team was awarded an AFL charter on August 14, 1959. In the years to follow, Denver’s on-field success was limited, as they finished with a 39-97-4 record in their first eight seasons. This marked the worst of all the AFL’s eight original teams.
After a two-year playoff drought, the Denver Broncos returned to the postseason in 1977. They defeated the Cleveland Browns in a memorable game. The victory earned them a berth in the play-offs for the next three seasons.
The Denver Broncos made it to the Super Bowl in 1998, defeating the Atlanta Falcons. It was the second of two Super Bowl victories for the team during the ’90s.
During the ’80s, the Broncos advanced to the playoffs six times. During this time, the team had its first Super Bowl-winning quarterback. He was named Super Bowl MVP.
John Elway led the offense in the 1980s. He threw for 336 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl XXXIII.
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots have a history of success that’s second to none in the NFL. Their team has won six Super Bowls and has appeared in 11 other playoff games, including six divisional championships.
In addition to their winning history, the Patriots have also been able to keep their financial status high due to a frugal approach to spending. This has helped them stay the dominant force in the NFL, as well.
Despite the fact that the Patriots have failed to make the playoffs on two occasions since 2011, they’re still expected to make their fifth straight appearance. Currently, the Patriots hold the second-highest valued franchise in the NFL. They are estimated to be worth around $3.4 billion.
As of now, the Patriots have won six Super Bowls, including one in 2003 and 2004. They are tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most Super Bowl victories in the NFL.
They’ve also appeared in seven other Super Bowls, including the 2002 and 2004 Super Bowls. During the 2003 and 2004 seasons, the Patriots won back-to-back Super Bowls, making them the first team in history to win three in four years.
In addition to their record-setting Super Bowl victory, the Patriots also set a number of other records during the decade. In 2007, the Patriots set the NFL record for most wins in a season.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a team that has played in the National Football Conference (NFC) of the National Football League (NFL). They have one Super Bowl and eight NFL championships to their credit.
Chicago is home to a major sports franchise, as well as a huge fan base. The Bears are a successful team, but they have not been able to make the playoffs in the last four years. In fact, they have only made the postseason three times since the 1992 season.
However, they have dominated the league in the early years of the league. They were ranked number one in the NFL for most seasons from 1921 to 1929.
George Halas was the head coach and general manager of the Bears in the 1920s and early 1930s. He was also known as “Papa Bear” in Chicago. He also served as a traveling secretary.
The Bears’ early success came from a player-coach team led by George Halas. He won an APFA championship in his first season as a player-coach with the Bears. He also defeated the Portsmouth Spartans in the first indoor NFL game at Chicago Stadium.
Halas also served as a traveling secretary, but he was the team’s player-coach from 1940 to 1967. His tenure as a player-coach was highlighted by the team’s seven-game win streak and two NFL titles.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a perennial favorite to play in the NFL playoffs. Currently, they rank first in FOX Sports’ power rankings.
However, the Eagles have seen a lot of ups and downs in their time in the league. They have won three championships in the pre-Super Bowl era, but have yet to win a Super Bowl.
In 1980, the Eagles won their first championship in two decades. They defeated the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship game. After a close loss to the Raiders in the XV Super Bowl, the team went on to win the NFC East and take a shot at the Super Bowl.
The Eagles entered the postseason as a wild card in four straight years. Andy Reid, the Eagles’ head coach, led the team to eight playoff berths in the next 10 seasons.
However, a 4-12 season in 2012 was a major disappointment for the Eagles. They made a brief return to the playoffs in 2013, but they missed out in the opening round.
Last year, the Eagles went into the season with new head coach Nick Sirianni and a new offensive system. Carson Wentz was a promising sophomore quarterback who showed a lot of promise. He was also injured early in the season. But he helped lead the team to its first NFC Playoffs win.
Pittsburgh Steelers
When it comes to the most successful NFL teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers stand tall as one of the greatest. They have a long history of winning championships, and have even been the only team in the league to win back-to-back Super Bowls.
The team has been around for a long time, and is still owned by the Rooney family. The team has won numerous championships, and is a perennial playoff contender. Some of the best teams to play for the Steelers include those from the early 1950s through the present.
In the 1970s, the Steelers dominated the AFC and won four Super Bowls. During that time, they also won eight consecutive playoff appearances, becoming the first team to do so in the NFL.
Another record for the Steelers was their seven AFC Central titles. This was the most wins for a divisional champion since the merger of the AFC and the NFFL in 1970.
The Steelers defense is known for being aggressive, and it was led by future Hall of Fame linebacker Greg Lloyd. Dick LeBeau served as defensive coordinator for the Steelers from 1995-97.
Kenny Pickett continues to impress, and he threw a touchdown pass in the Steelers win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. He has extended his streak of not throwing an interception to four games.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are one of the most successful NFL teams of the last two decades. They have won two Super Bowl titles, have been to three AFC Championship games, and earned four consecutive postseason appearances.
The Ravens are owned by Steve Bisciotti, who purchased a majority share of the club in 2004. At the time, he also had an option to purchase the remaining 51% for $325 million.
With a strong defense and great players, the Ravens have had many successes in the NFL. The 2000 team is regarded as the best team in franchise history. Their defense broke two NFL records and held opponents to 165 total points.
The team was also notable for its defense, winning the AP NFL’s best defense award. In addition, the team’s defense was ranked in the top five for total yards allowed in six of its 10 seasons.
The team won its first playoff game in 2002 and advanced to the AFC championship game. They lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the final round. This was the Ravens’ only playoff loss in eight seasons.
They were also the youngest team to win a Super Bowl. In fact, the only other NFL team to win multiple Super Bowls is the New England Patriots.
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals have had some of the most exciting teams in NFL history. They have won a division title and appeared in Super Bowl XLIII. Their history goes back to 1898. In addition, they are the oldest team in the league.
During World War II, the Cardinals remained in operation. After the war, owner Charles W. Bidwill built a winning team. He bought the Cardinals for $50,000.
Larry Wilson played for the Cardinals from 1960 to 1972. He had 800 interception yards. During that time, the Cardinals had three playoff appearances. However, they lost to other teams.
Kurt Warner led the Cardinals to a 9-7 record in 2008. He won the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award. But he left the Cardinals after the season.
Patrick Peterson played for the Cardinals from 2011 to 2020. He has eight consecutive Pro Bowl appearances. He has become one of the most talented quarterbacks in the N.F.L.
The Cardinals have one of the top defenses in the league. They are second in third down percentage, adjusted net yards per attempt, and takeaways.
Carson Palmer has the best total quarterback ranking. His adjusted net yards per attempt lead the league.
