There’s no harder league to consistently win in than the NFL.
However, to go an entire season winless is nearly impossible.. Don’t get me wrong, it certainly can be done, and it has been done – but it’s a rarity.
Since 1944, only five teams have endured the agony of losing every single game in the regular season, cementing their place in NFL history.
The 1960 Dallas Cowboys, the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 1982 Baltimore Colts (in a strike-shortened season), the 2008 Detroit Lions, and the 2017 Cleveland Browns are forever etched in the annals of futility.
According to DraftKings, there’s one team in particular that has a better chance than anyone to actually go a miserable 0-17 this coming season.
The Arizona Cardinals find themselves with the “best” odds to finish 0-17, sitting at +1600. Followed by the Houston Texans and the Indianapolis Colts, both of whom are expected to start rookie quarterbacks, with odds of +4000.
Securing the fourth position in DraftKings’ rankings is the Washington Commanders, who face +5000 odds.
The Commanders, led by new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and relying on the unproven quarterback talents of Sam Howell, are embarking on a season filled with uncertainty.
Surprisingly, even the recent Super Bowl champions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, find themselves in the mix with +5000 odds.
As the Buccaneers aim to move forward from the remarkable era led by the legendary Tom Brady, questions loom about their ability to maintain their winning ways with new quarterback Baker Mayfield (or Kyle Trask).
While no team aspires to finish at the bottom of the standings, professional pride runs deep in the NFL, making it highly unlikely that any of these teams will stumble to a 0-17 season.
Nevertheless, if the odds are to be believed, the road ahead for each of these franchises could be filled with immense challenges and long stretches of disappointment.
Quoting a DraftKings spokesperson, they stated, “The odds provided for teams to go 0-17 are indicative of the perceived challenges each franchise may face in the upcoming season.”
“However, it is important to remember that the NFL is a league of surprises, and anything can happen on any given Sunday. We anticipate an exciting and highly competitive season for all teams involved.”