Detroit Lions
The absolute disgust this man is radiating is an all-too-familiar look for fans of the Detroit Lions. Did you know that the Lions are the only non-expansion team in the NFL that hasn’t appeared in the Super Bowl since its creation? Yikes. 62 years have passed since Detroit’s NFL Championship victory over Cleveland (of course). Shall we pile on? The lousy Lions haven’t won a playoff game since 1991 — currently on a nine-game losing streak — and that remains their only postseason victory since the 1957 NFL Championship. With their lack of postseason success, an 0-16 season in 2008, and a 2-14 mark in ’09, it’s remarkable the Lions have any fans left at all.
Image Source: Detroit Free Press
Atlanta Hawks
Trae Young may be surprised to see himself here, but he shouldn’t be. Like most Atlanta-based teams in recent years, the Hawks are used to heartbreak. While the Hawks were a playoff team as recently as the 2016-17 season, the franchise hasn’t appeared in an NBA Finals since 1961 — the second-longest drought in the sport. Making matters worse, Hawk fans will have to live the next 15 or so years knowing that their team could have had Luka Doncic — a budding superstar who they drafted No. 3 Overall in 2018, only to trade him for Young.
Image Source: AP
Seattle Mariners
This image must crush Mariner fans. Jay Buhner, bottom left, hit 40-plus homers three years in a row and is an afterthought in this picture. If you don’t know who these guys are, we’ll tell you. Edgar Martinez — Hall of Fame DH, two-time Batting Title champ. Randy Johnson — HoF pitcher with five Cy Young Awards, 303 wins, and 4,875 strikeouts. Ken Griffey Jr. — HoF outfielder with an MVP, 630 homers, and 10 Gold Gloves. Alex Rodriguez — a three-time MVP with 696 homers, 3,115 hits and over 2,000 RBI…
With all of these players on their roster, the Mariners failed to reach the World Series. In fact, since joining MLB in 1977, the Mariners have never advanced to the World Series. Despite employing some of the greatest players of all-time — including Ichiro Suzuki, 2001 AL MVP — Seattle has failed at every turn. The last time the Mariners reached the postseason was 2001 — a record setting 116-win season which ended with a loss to the Yankees in the ALCS.
Image Source: Bleacher Report
Toronto Maple Leafs
A member of the Original Six — Bruins, Blackhawks, Canadiens, Red Wings, Rangers — that made up the NHL until 1967, the Maple Leafs are a storied franchise. And while it’s true the franchise claims 13 Stanley Cups, none have been won since the league expanded past the Original Six. For a country that prides itself on hockey, Canada has to be feeling let down by the Leafs. The 13-time champs haven’t even reached the Stanley Cup Finals since the ’67 triumph — but have lost in the Conference Finals five times. Toronto’s 52-year stretch without reaching the Stanley Cup is the longest in the league, topping the Coyotes (40 years) and Islanders (35). Hell, the Leafs have failed to win a SERIES in 15 seasons.
Image Source: Sportsnet
Charlotte Hornets
Imagine being a downtrodden Hornets fan. After first becoming a fan when the Hornets were formed in 1988, you were crushed when the franchise relocated to New Orleans in 2002. But wait! A franchise is returning to Charlotte in ’04…as the Bobcats? Even with Michael Jordan at the helm and the Bobcats’ name thrown out in favor of a return to the Hornets (’14), the franchise can’t win. The then-Bobcats/now-Hornets haven’t won a playoff series in 16 years — tied for the longest stretch in the league — and have finished with a winning record three times since 2001.
Image Source: Charlotte Observer
Jacksonville Jaguars
Between the Hornets and the Jaguars, it seems like teams that don teal can’t have nice things. Upon joining the NFL in 1995, the Jaguars bucked the norm of expansion teams struggling early-on and reached the playoffs in four of their first five seasons. Since then, however, the team has largely stunk. Between 2000-20, the Jags have reached the postseason three times and have claimed just one AFC South crown. And while the franchise did reach the AFC Championship in ’17, it has been a very long 20 years. From 2011-16, the team won no more than five games (twice) and had five head coaches. Additionally, in the years following the AFC Championship appearance, the Jags have shipped out their best talent and are back to being a poor team. Who knows, maybe the rumored move to London will happen soon if the team continues to lose.
Image Source: USA Today
Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers became a team only after future MLB Commissioner Bud Selig acquired the Seattle Pilots in bankruptcy court and moved the team to Milwaukee. Throughout the Brew Crew’s tenure in Milwaukee, the team has had a decent amount of stars — Rollie Fingers (MVP, Cy Young Award), Robin Yount (MVP), Pete Vuckovich (CYA), Ryan Braun (MVP), Christian Yelich (MVP) — but wins have not been easy to come by. After their lone World Series appearance in 1982, a seven-game loss to the Cardinals, the Brewers didn’t return to the postseason until 2008. Through the ’20 season, the franchise has won a pitiful two postseason series.
Image Source: Mark Brown/Getty Images
Washington Wizards
Believe it or not, there was a point in time when Washington — then known as the Bullets — was a title contender. Between 1974-79, Washington reached the NBA Finals three times. The Bullets defeated Seattle in ’78 to claim their first and only title. However, in the 42 seasons that have occurred since that triumph, the franchise hasn’t advanced to another Finals. From Michael Jordan returning to the NBA as an old man, to Gilbert Arenas sputtering out of favor, to John Wall playing a mere 73 games since ’17 — the Wizards have gone through a rough stretch.
Image Source: Getty Images
Arizona Cardinals
With Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins on the roster, the future is beginning to look bright for the Arizona Cardinals. However, despite a few successful seasons sprinkled in over the past decade, Arizona has long been a losing franchise. Dating back to the pre-Super Bowl days, the Cardinals haven’t won a title — then known as the NFL Championship — since 1947. That 72-year drought is the longest in the league, 10 years longer than the Lions run of ineptitude. All three teams that are in the NFC West with Arizona — 49ers, Seahawks, Rams — have won the Super Bowl.
Image Source: Arizona Republic
Texas Rangers
Throughout Major League Baseball, only six franchises have never won a World Series. Of those six, the Rangers have been around the longest. Established in 1961, the Rangers failed to even reach the postseason until 1996 and didn’t win their first series until 2010…that is miserable. Making matters worse, the franchise reached back-to-back World Series in 2010-11. After falling to the Giants in five games in ’10, the Rangers were one strike away from claiming the title the following year — and then they choked, twice. It will take a long time for Ranger fans to get over that loss, one made worse by the in-state Houston Astros cheating their way to a World Series in ’17.
Image Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Sacramento Kings
The shot that haunts Sacramento. From the time Sacramento became home to the Kings in 1985 to present day, the photo above is the single-most important moment in 35 years for the franchise. Up until this Robert Horry dagger, Sacramento had gone through a terrible stretch. From its Sacramento debut in ’85 through the ’97-98 season, the Kings failed to finish above .500. By 2000, however, the team was a rising power. The ’01 Kings won 55 games and the franchise’s first playoff series in 20 years before being swept by the Lakers.
The following season, the Kings were on the brink of beating the defending champion Lakers until shoddy officiating and Horry took over. The 61-win Kings blew 2-1 and 3-2 series leads and eventually lost Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals on their home floor. The Lakers would go on to win their third title in a row en route to a three-peat. Since that moment, the Kings have won just two series. They haven’t reached the playoffs since 2006, haven’t sniffed the Finals in 70 years, and have watched the rival Lakers (6) and Warriors combine for nine titles.
Image Source: Lakers Nation
Cincinnati Bengals
It’s not only the terrible teams that have miserable fan bases — just ask the Bengals. Dating back to 1981, Cincinnati has had two MVP quarterbacks — Ken Anderson (’81) and Boomer Esiason (’88) — and has reached the Super Bowl on two occasions. Unfortunately, both trips to the Super Bowl (’81, ’88) ended in losses to the San Francisco 49ers. Since the loss in ’88, the true misery has set in. After a Wild Card triumph over the Houston Oilers in ’89, the Bengals haven’t won another playoff game. 29 years, eight postseason games, eight losses. Even the Lions have won a playoff game in that time.
Image Source: Reddit
San Diego Padres
Nice bubble, Machado. San Diego’s $300 million man can’t blow a bubble or come through on his promises — remember that time he bet a group of Dodger fans his entire contract that he would win a World Series before the Dodgers? Nice one. Anyways, San Diego fans haven’t had much to cheer about since the Padres debuted in 1969. The franchise has appeared in the postseason six times in 52 years, and has zero championships to its name. In two World Series appearances, the Padres are 1-8. Since their last trip in 1998, the franchise has seen the Dodgers claim three pennants and the 2020 World Series, the Giants win three WS (’10, ’12, ’14), and the Diamondbacks win one (’01). While things are definitely on the up and up, it has been a tough franchise to support through 50 years of pain.
Image Source: The San Diego Union Tribune
Minnesota Timberwolves
You have to feel bad for fans of the Timberwolves. Despite having Kevin Garnett — a Hall of Fame forward — on the roster for most of his prime, the franchise never advanced to the NBA Finals. In fact, since joining the league in 1989, Minnesota has won just two playoff series. With Garnett as its star, Minnesota won at least 50 games four times from 1999-04. In ’04, Garnett was named MVP and led the T-Wolves to 58 wins. That team advanced to the Western Conference Finals — after winning the franchise’s only two series — before falling to the Lakers. In the 16 years following that loss, the franchise has returned to the postseason one time. 31 years, zero trips to the Finals. Adding to the pain? Fans had to watch Garnett win a title with the Celtics and Kevin Love win with the Cavaliers after leaving Minnesota.
Image Source: Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
Atlanta Falcons
We truly feel bad for people who root for the Falcons. The team has been around since 1966 and is yet to win a Super Bowl. That’s bad, but there are also six other franchises — 12 total — that have never won in 54 years. What separates the Falcons is that they should have a ring. 28-3.
28-3. That was the lead Atlanta held over New England in Super Bowl LI (2016). A victory seemed imminent…until it wasn’t. New England scored 31 unanswered in an OT win. The franchise also reached the Super Bowl in ’98 (lost to Denver), drafted Michael Vick and watched him go to jail during his prime, and has failed to win with an all-time receiver (Julio Jones) and an MVP quarterback (Matt Ryan).
Image Source: Todd Kirkland/Getty Images
Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles weren’t always a sad franchise. From 1960-83, Baltimore was one of baseball’s great teams. Six trips to the World Series resulted in three titles (’66, ’70, ’83). The team won 90-plus games 17 times, including a ridiculous stretch from 1969-71 in which Baltimore won 109, 108, and 101 games. While that is undeniably incredible, that is also where the good times end. Although there have been some nice runs over the past 37 years, Baltimore hasn’t returned to the World Series since its last title.
In that time, its AL East rivals have taken over. The Yankees have claimed five World Series, the Red Sox have won four, the Blue Jays have two titles, and even the Rays — established in 1998 — have appeared in two World Series. How bad has it been? Even the crosstown rival Nationals won their first title in 2019. Since 2000, the Orioles have lost 90-plus games 11 times — including 115 losses in 2018.
Image Source: The Ringer
Los Angeles Clippers
Out of all of the miserable fan bases in America, the Clippers’ ‘fan base’ might be the most tortured. Let us start with this question: How — especially if you grew up anywhere near Los Angeles — could you choose to root for the Clippers? They share the Staples Center with the Lakers. If you already forgot, the Lakers recently won their 17th NBA Championship. They also share Staples with the Los Angeles Kings (two Stanley Cups) and the Sparks (three WNBA titles). Even Taylor Swift has more banners in the rafters than the Clippers — of course, that isn’t much of an accomplishment when the Clippers haven’t even advanced past the second-round of the playoffs. Only three teams in NBA history have failed to reach the Conference Finals — the Clippers, Hornets, and Pelicans.
For the handful of Clipper fans that actually exist, 2020 was supposed to be their season. Kawhi ‘No. 2’ Leonard and Paul ‘Way Off P’ George joined the team and established the Clippers as a clear title-favorite. Maybe, just maybe, they would finally win a championship and win a few fake Laker fans over…nah. Instead, the perennial losers did what they do best — choke. 3-1 lead over the Nuggets with a showdown against the Lakers on the line? They didn’t want it. Clippers failed, Lakers prevailed. Such is life as an LA Clipper fan.
Image Source: Reddit
Buffalo Sabres
Approaching a decade of futility, the Buffalo Sabres are turning into the laughing stocks of the NHL. Since the inception of the franchise in 1970, the Sabres have not hoisted Lord Stanley’s Cup. With a drought of 49 years, Buffalo is in the midst of the second-longest stretch of depression in the league — tied with Vancouver and trailing only Toronto (52 years). If Buffalo isn’t able to make the postseason next year, it will mark the 10th year in a row it has fallen short…which would tie the longest such streak in NHL history. With a bevy of top picks and talented youngsters on the team better times are ahead.
Image Source: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates have been a Major League Baseball franchise since 1887. Some of the game’s most legendary figures have donned the black and gold from the very beginning. Longtime fans can hold onto the fact that Pittsburgh has won five World Series, but they are now over 40 years removed from its last. And let’s just say, things have not gone well since 1979. In ’86, the Pirates welcomed a man named Barry Bonds to their Major League roster. Bonds became the league’s best player by ’90 and would go on to win two NL MVPs (’90, ’92) — finished second in ’91 — and led the Pirates to three-straight NLCS appearances (’90-92).
The Pirates somehow allowed the greatest player of all-time — we welcome the discussion — to leave town in ’93. They would go on to post 20-straight losing seasons. Yes, 20. Pittsburgh finally returned to the postseason in 2013 and returned the next two seasons but didn’t advance past the NLDS. You cannot let a generational talent walk away, period.
Image Source: AP Photo/Don Wright
Cleveland Indians
Aside from having a team name that is long overdue for a change — regardless of being in place since 1915 — the Indians have experienced some heartbreaking moments. Between 1920-1994, Cleveland reached the postseason three times. The three trips resulted in two titles (1920, ’48) and a World Series defeat (’54). So, some fans experienced 40 years of failure before Cleveland returned to the postseason in ’95. And as any true fan of the club will tell you, that is when the true heartbreak began.
In a strike-shortened season, Cleveland steamrolled its way to a 100-44 regular season — only to lose to Atlanta in the World Series. After a stunning opening round loss in the ’96 playoffs, Cleveland won the AL Pennant again in ’97…and lost the World Series to the Florida Marlins on a Game 7 walk-off hit. The team has been quite good the past two decades, but not good enough. The most heartbreaking moment of them all? Blowing a 3-1 World Series-lead against the Cubs in 2016. The same Cubs who hadn’t won since 1908. Because of their epic collapse and inability to win one of their final three games against Chicago, the Indians’ World Series drought is now at an MLB-worst 72 years.
Image Source: AP Foto/Marcio José Sánchez
New York Jets
If the Cleveland Browns didn’t exist, the New York Jets would be the unquestioned No. 1 joke of the NFL. Gang Green is on the verge of missing the playoffs for the 10th year in a row. For a franchise that lauds itself as one of the iconic brands in the league, it has a terrible history of losing. New York’s lone Super Bowl victory came in 1968 — they haven’t returned to the big game since Joe Namath fulfilled his guarantee. The soon-to-be 52-year drought is only surpassed by the Lions. Since Mr. Butt Fumble, Mark Sanchez, led the Jets to back-to-back AFC Championship appearances in 2009-10, the Jets have posted just one winning season. And then there is the Bill Belichick dynamic. You know, the guy who was the Jets head coach for ONE DAY and resigned to join the Patriots? He’s won six Super Bowls.
Image Source: AP Photo/Bill Kostroun
Atlanta Braves
With the exception of Atlanta United (MLS) winning a championship in 2018 in just its second year of existence, no Atlanta team has gotten the job done in quite some time. We’ve discussed the Hawks and Falcons already, and now it’s the Braves’ turn. Like we said earlier, there are different levels of misery. Some fans have to suffer through their team being terrible for years at a time. Others, like Brave fans, suffer due to the team being good enough to compete for titles but ultimately falling short a majority of the time.
During the 1990s and into the early-00s, the Braves were a powerhouse. They won at least 90 games each season from ’91-93, ’95-00, and ’02-05 — ’04 was a strike-shortened season and the ’01 team finished with 88 wins. They had a Hall of Fame coach in Bobby Cox, three Cy Young winners — Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz — and two MVPs (Chipper Jones, Terry Pendleton). Between ’91-99, Atlanta won five NL Pennants but went just 1-4 in the World Series — losing to the dynastic Yankees twice. Before advancing to the NLCS in 2020, the Braves had lost nine-straight postseason series. Adding to the pain, they held a 3-1 series lead over the Dodgers before dropping the final three to the eventual champs. Pain is pain, even when your team is good.
Image Source: Getty Images
Buffalo Bills
Nothing is worse than finishing in second place, just ask Buffalo fans. The Bills have never won a Super Bowl — 54 years of pain and suffering. While the Bills are currently a team on the rise, it won’t mean anything to their fans unless they finally bring home the trophy. From 1990-93, the Bills were the class of the AFC. With Jim Kelly, Bruce Smith, and Thurman Thomas leading the way, Buffalo won the AFC four years in a row. However, in a nightmare straight out of a horror film, the Bills lost all four Super Bowls. A one-point loss to the Giants in Super Bowl XXV was followed by a 13-point loss to Washington and two annihilations at the hands of the Cowboys — 52-17 (XXVII), and 30-13 (XXVIII). After falling heartbreakingly short four times, the Bills have won just one playoff game since 1995.
Image Source: Reddit
New York Knicks
The Jets aren’t the only franchise in New York to disappoint the masses. Currently tied for the longest playoff drought in team history, the Knicks have been kept out of the mix for seven seasons. The good feelings that were built in the early 1970s have evaporated — it doesn’t matter anymore that the Knicks knocked off the Lakers for two titles. It doesn’t matter that the franchise was a player during the 90s — those two losses in the Finals are a thing of the past. When you are the Knicks, it’s about what you’re currently doing. And the sad reality is this — the New York Knickerbockers have been a joke for 20 years. When Kevin Durant picks the Nets over the Knicks, that’s all you need to know.
Image Source: CBS Sports
Cleveland Browns
A pathetic organization from top to bottom, the Cleveland Browns are truly terrible. Hey, don’t blame us…these guys said it. When you think of miserable franchises and crying fans, Cleveland is always at the forefront. The Browns have missed the postseason 17 years in a row. The team hasn’t won a playoff game since 1994 — Bill Belichick was the head coach. From 2008-2019, Cleveland didn’t win more than seven games in a season. Let’s take a look at some of the final records during that stretch, shall we?
2008, 2011, 2013 —– 4-12
2009, 2010, 2012 —– 5-11
2015 —– 3-13
2016 —– 1-15
2017 —– 0-16
That’s right. Over two full seasons, the Cleveland Browns went 1-31.
Image Source: Reddit