NFL or widely known as the National Football League is an American professional football league. This league consists of 32 teams, which are equally divided between the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). The NFL is one of the highest professional levels of American football globally and is also one of the major North American professional sports leagues.
Each season of the NFL begins with a pre-season of three weeks in August, and then this preseason is followed by the 18-week regular season, which usually runs from early September to early January. Each team in NFL plays 17 games, having one BYE week. New York City is the headquarters of this league in this NFL Tier List.
Key Points
- We have a total of 32 teams on our list.
- They have been ranked according to their performance and history in NFL.
- In the highest ranks, we have the likes of Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
- You can find teams like Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions in the lowest ranks.
Summary
Check the table below for a brief summary of our rankings.
| S Rank | A Rank | B Rank | C RanK | D Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams | Arizona Cardinals | Cleveland Browns | Seattle Seahawks | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| Buffalo Bills | Los Angeles Chargers | Minnesota Vikings | Atlanta Falcons | New York Jets |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Green Bay Packers | San Francisco 49ers | Philadelphia Eagles | Houston Texans |
| Dallas Cowboys | Baltimore Ravens | Indianapolis Colts | Denver Broncos | New York Giants |
| Tennessee Titans | Pittsburgh Steelers | Carolina Panthers | Washington Commanders | |
| Las Vegas Raiders | Kansas City Chiefs | Chicago Bears | Detroit Lions | |
| Cincinnati Bengals | New England Patriots | Miami Dolphins | ||
| New Orleans Saints |
S Tier
S Tier.In the S-tier we will be ranking those teams which are the best in the NFL, The teams that are going to be ranked in this tier of ourlist are the teams with a high-rank rate and wins and the ones whose performance is over the top. Viewers love to see these teams perform and fight for the win.
Los Angeles Rams
Los Angeles Rams is one of the best and most professional American football teams based in the metropolitan area of Los Angeles. The franchise was founded in 1936 and is known as Cleveland Rams in Cleveland, Ohio. The Rams also compete in the National Football League as a member of the NFC, also called the National Football Conference West division.
The franchise also won the 1945 NFL championship game and after that, it moved to Los Angeles in 1946 paving the way for the Cleveland Browns of the All-American Football Conference and becoming the only NFL championship team that has played seasons in another city.
| Championships | 4 |
| GPs | 1217 |
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are the second-best and most professional American football team in this NFL tier list based in the metropolitan area of Buffalo. The Bills is a member club of the league’s American Football Conference (AFC) East division, and it also competes in the National Football League. The Bills joined the NFL in 1970. It draws much of its fanbase from Western New York.
The franchise is owned by Terry and Kim Pegula, who purchased the bills after the death of its original owner, Ralph Wilson, back in 2014. Also, the Bills are the only NFL team to play home games in the state. The Bills started to play competitively in 1960 by becoming the charter member of the American Football League under the supervision of head coach Buster Ramsey.
| Championships | 2 |
| GPs | 965 |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers based in Tampa, Florida, is a professional American football team in NFL tier rankings. Being a member club of the league’s National Football Conference (NFC) South division, the Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL). The club went on to play its first season in the American Football Conference (AFC) West division along with Seattle Seahawks by joining the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team.
The Glazer family owns the club. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have won two Super Bowl championships and are one of the two NFL franchises that remained undefeated in multiple Super Bowl appearances. As with many other teams, they too had a stroke of bad luck. Unfortunately, they were regarded as the perennial losing franchise by suffering 26 consecutive losses in their first two seasons and 14 consecutive losing seasons during the years 1983-1996.
| Championships | 2 |
| GPs | 742 |
Consider Reading: GFuel Tier List
Dallas Cowboys
This American football team, which is based in the Fort Worth metroplex in Dallas, competes in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference League Ease division. Mike McCarthy is the head coach of the Cowboys, and the team is headquartered in Frisco, Texas.
The Cowboys as an expansion team in 1960 joined the NFL. In 2002, the streak of 190 consecutive sold-out and post-season games began. The Cowboys made it to the Super Bowl eight times and have won five of those Super Bowl appearances.
| Championships | 5 |
| GPs | 964 |
A Tier
A Tier.In the A tier we will be ranking those teams that are above the average. These teams have the potential to be in the S tier, but due to a lack in their performance, these teams have made their spot in the A tier. The teams ranked in the A tier are mostly the ones above the average, or we can say the ones who can and have the potential to make their way to the S tier.
Arizona Cardinals
So, this American professional football team is based in the metropolitan area of Phoenix. The Cardinals compete as the National Football Conference (NFC) West division in the National Football League (NFL tier rankings). The team was recognized as the Morgan Athletic Club in 1898. It is an amateur football team based in Chicago, and it joined the NFL on September 17, 1920, as a charter member.
This team is one of the oldest and still running professional football teams in the United States. The Arizona Cardinals won two National Football League (NFL) championships; they won both titles while the team was in Chicago. In 2012, it became the first NFL franchise to lose 700 games since its inception. The Arizona Cardinals also hold the record for the only NFL team who never lost a playoff game at home, which makes this team an above-average team and made a spot for itself in the A tier.
| Championships | 2 |
| GPs | 1412 |
Los Angeles Chargers
After the Cardinals, Los Angeles Chargers have booked their spot in the A tier. It is also an American professional football team situated in the metropolitan area of Los Angeles.
The Chargers compete as a member of the West Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers were founded in Los Angeles in 1959, and they started playing as a charter member of the American Football League (ALF) in 1960. In 1961, the chargers relocated to San Diego to become the San Diego Chargers, but after spending 56 seasons in San Diego, they relocated back to Los Angeles in 2017.
| Championships | 1 |
| GPs | 966 |
Green Bay Packers
Another professional American football team on the NFL Tier List was also known as the Green Bay Packers situated in Green Bay. Wisconsin competes in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the North Division of the National Football Conference (NFC).
In NFL, the Green Bay Packers are the third-oldest franchise referring back to 1919. It is also the only non-profit community-owned major league professional sports team in the United States. The Green Bay Packers have won 13 league championships, the most in NFL history, with nine pre-Super Bowl NFL titles and four Super Bowl victories. Moreover, in 1966 and 1967, the Packers won the first two Super Bowls and were the only NFL team to defeat the American Football League.
| Championships | 13 |
| GPs | 1418 |
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens is also one of those 32 professional American football teams situated in Baltimore. The Ravens also compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a mighty member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North Division. The Ravens team was established in 1996.
Later, after its establishment, the owner of the Cleveland Browns announced relocating the franchise from Ohio to Baltimore in 1995. The team is owned by Steve Bisciotti and has a value of $2.98 billion, making the Baltimore Ravens the 33rd most valuable sports franchise in the world. Despite the early struggles of the Ravens in the late 1990s, the Baltimore Ravens have been one of the more successful franchises since its establishment. The Ravens have also qualified for the playoffs in the NFL 13 times since 2000, along with two Super Bowl titles.
| Championships | 2 |
| GPs | 434 |
Tennessee Titans
We also have one more professional American football team in our A tier of NFL tier rankings known as Tennessee Titans, which is in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans is also a member of the South Division American Football Conference (AFC) and compete in the National Football League (NFL). They are originally known as the Houston Oilers. This team was founded by Bud Adams in 1959. he also remained the owner of this team until he died in 2013. The Titans started to play in 1960.
The reason for their spot in the A tier is that the Titans won the first AFL championships in 1970. Apart from this, they also won four division titles, and then they joined the National Football League as a part of the AFL-NFL merger. They made consecutive playoff appearances so many times between the years 1978 and 1980.
| Championships | 2 |
| GPs | 966 |
Las Vegas Raiders
Las Vegas Raiders was founded on January 30, 1960, situated in the metropolitan area of Las Vegas but was originally based in Oakland, California. Raiders also compete in the National Football League (NFL) West division as a member club of the league’s American Football Conference (AFC). The Las Vegas Raiders initially played their first season game on September 11, 1960.
The Las Vegas Raiders had a very poor performance in the first three years of their operation between the year (1960-1962). They faced many financial difficulties during this time. With the introduction of their new head coach, who was also the eventual owner, the Raiders started to show improvement in their performance. After several years of improvement, the Raiders reached the postseason for the first time in 1967.
| Championships | 4 |
| GPs | 966 |
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals also compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the North division of the league’s American Football Conference (AFC). When the American Football League (AFL) approved the franchise headed by Brown, this led to the foundation of the Bengals in 1967.
The reason they were placed in the A tier is that the Cincinnati Bengals won the AFC championship 3 times in the years 1981, 1988 and 2021. The period of the 1990s and 2000s was of great struggle for the team. The Bengals officially have no general manager, but the day-to-day operations are dealt with by its owner Mike Brown.
| Championships | 0 |
| GPs | 853 |
New Orleans Saints
So the last team in our A tier is the New Orleans Saints. a professional American football team located in New Orleans. This team also competes in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the South division league’s National Football Conference (NFC). The team Orleans Saints is named after the heritage of jazz music and the spiritual hymn “When The Saints Go Marching In”.
The Saints are among those franchises who had their first several decades very least successful, Unluckily the Saints went on to play 20 consecutive seasons without winning or even qualifying for the playoffs. In 1987, they earned their first winning record and postseason berth, while their win in the first playoff wouldn’t occur until 2000.
| Championships | 1 |
| GPs | 868 |
B Tier
B Tier.So as in the S and A tier we ranked the best and far best teams in the NFL. The B tier of our NFL Tier List includes the teams that are below the average or we can say the mediocre teams. The teams ranked in this tier will be based on our analysis of their performance in the past seasons, championships they won, and the improvement they showed in their performance.
Cleveland Browns
So the first team in our B tier is the Cleveland Browns. A professional American Football team located in Cleveland and named after its co-founder and original coach Paul Brown. The Browns compete as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division in the National Football League (NFL).
Their official club colors consist of the 3 colors that are brown, orange, and white. The Browns are one of the unique clubs in the NFL. The thing that makes this team a unique team in the National Football League is that they don’t have a logo on their helmets.
| Championships | 4 |
| GPs | 1036 |
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings are a professional American Football team currently located in Minneapolis. Like every other member, they also compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Conference (NFC) North Division. Talking about their name Vikings, the team was named after the Vikings of ancient Scandinavia. The Minnesota Vikings were founded in 1960 as an expansion team.
The Vikings are known to have an all-time overall record of 526-442-11. They have the highest regular season and also a combined winning percentage among NFL franchises who have not won a Super Bowl, not only this but they also hold a record for losing most playoffs in the league.
| Championships | 1 |
| GPs | 952 |
San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers also known and written as San Francisco Forty-Niners are an American football team situated in the Bay area of San Franciso. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league’s National Football Conference West division.
The reason for their unique name is that of their founders who arrived during the 1849 Gold Rush in Northern California. San Franciso is one of the 10th oldest franchises in the NFL. The 49ers have won five Super Bowl championships between the years 1981-1994. Apart from this they also won division championships 21 times between 1970-2021, thus making the team one of the most successful teams in the National Football League’s history.
| Championships | 5 |
| GPs | 1084 |
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are also one of the 32 professional American football teams in NFL tier rankings located in Indianapolis. Like all other teams, the Colts also compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the South division of the league’s American Football Conference. The Colts have served as the host team for the National football league Scouting Combine since 1987.
The Indianapolis Colts are known to be one of the three National Football League teams to join the Ameican Football League (AFL) to form the AFC. In Baltimore, the Colts went to the play playoffs ten times and won the NFL championship three times in 1958,1959, and 1968.
| Championships | 5 |
| GPs | 1048 |
Pittsburgh Steelers
Another professional American Football team located in Pittsburgh known as the Pittsburgh Steelers also compete as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division in the National Football League (NFL). The Pittsburgh Steelers were founded in 1933 and added to that the Steelers are one of the seventh oldest franchises in the NFL and the oldest ones in the AFC.
If we compare the Steelers with the other teams of their status, then the Steelers are among those oldest teams that have never won a league championship, whereas the Steelers of the modern era are among those successful franchises who won eight AFC championships.
| Championships | 6 |
| GPs | 1254 |
Kansas City Cheifs
The Kansas City Cheifs was founded in 1959 and are a professional American Football team situated in Kansas City, Missouri. The Kansas City Cheifs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the West division league’s American Football Conference (AFC).
The Chiefs are generally known as the second AFL team to defeat an NFL team in an AFL-NFL world championship game. Moreover, the Cheifs are most probably the first team to appear in the championship game in two different decades. They are also the second team after the Green Bay Packers to appear in more than one Super Bowl.
| Championships | 5 |
| GPs | 966 |
New England Patriots
The last team in our B tier we have the New England Patriots, founded in 1959. A professional American football team located in the Greater Boston area. Like all the other teams, they also compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league’s American Football Conference (AFC) East division.
The Patriots are known for beholding the record for the most Super Bowl wins, appearances, and losses. The franchise enjoyed a successful period of dominance under head coach Bill Belichick from 2001 to 2019. In addition to that, the Patriots also hold the record for the most wins in 10 years followed by the most playoff wins and the longest winning streak of the regular season and playoff games.
| Championships | 6 |
| GPs | 966 |
C Tier
C Tier.As the B tier included the above-average or mediocre teams of the NFL. The C tier of our NFL Tier List includes below-average teams. The teams in this tier are way too far to reach the S or A tier but have the potential to achieve success over time and get a spot in any of the above tiers.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks is the first team in our C tier, a professional American football team located in Seattle. The Seahawks also compete in the National Football Conference (NFC) West division and they joined it in 2002. The Seattle Seahawks entered the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team. The Seahawks are coached by Pete Carroll.
The Seahawks are known to have won 10 division titles along with three conference championships. They have a stroke of amazing luck to get the opportunity to appear in the Super Bowls but were defeated by the Pittsburgh Steelers at Super Bowl XLIX but had a piece of good luck with defeating the Denver Broncos with a margin of 43-8 which led them to their first championship at Super Bowl XLVIII.
| Championships | 1 |
| GPs | 742 |
Atlanta Falcons
After the Seahawks, the Atlanta Falcons are also ranked in the C tier. The Falcons are located in Atlanta and are a professional American Football team that competes in the National Football League (NFL) as a club member of the League’s National Football Conference South division. In 1965 they joined the NFL as an expansion team.
The Falcons have won several division championships in 1980, 1998, 2004, 2010, 2012, and 2016 and also appeared in two Super Bowls. Their first appearance was during the 1998 season in Super Bowl XXXIII and where they lost to the Denver Broncos, and their second appearance was 18 years later in Super Bowl LI.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles are also an American professional football team situated in Philadelphia. They also compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a club member of its East division National Football Conference (NFC). In 1993, the franchise was established.
Since their establishment, the Eagles appeared in the playoffs 27 times and won 14 division titles. They also appeared in four NFL championship games winning three of them not only this, but they also appeared in three Super Bowls winning Super Bowl LII that took place in 2017.
| Championships | 4 |
| GPs | 1270 |
Denver Broncos
The Broncos are a professional American football team situated in Denver. They compete as a member club of the league’s American football conference (AFC) West division in the National Football League (NFL). The team joined the NFL in 1970 and started playing in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League.
The Denver Broncos had a bit of very bad luck in the first 10 years of the AFL and the first seven years in the NFL. They were qualified for their first playoff in 1977, before that they didn’t have any winning season. They have won eight AFC championships and three Super Bowl championships. They also share the record for most Super Bowl losses which makes them place a spot in the C tier.
| Championships | 3 |
| GPs | 966 |
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are located in Charlotte, North Carolina. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of its National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Panthers started playing in 1995 under their original owner Jerry but were announced as the 23rd franchise of the league.
The Carolina Panthers did well in their first two years winning the NFC west but ultimately losing the NFC championship to Green Bay Packers. Till 2003 they did not have any other winning season, but after that, they won the NFC championship game and reached Super Bowl XXXVIII where unluckily they lost to the New England Patriots.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are also an American football team located in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League as a member club of the league’s National Football Conference (NFC) North division. On September 17, 1920, the franchise was founded in Decatur, Illinois. In the NFL the Bears are one of the two remaining franchises founded in 1920.
The Bears have won nine NFL Championships and one Super Bowl, they also hold the record for most enshrinees and they have the most retired jersey numbers in the Pro Football Hall Of Fame. Bears have also held the record for more victories than any other team in the NFL franchise.
| Championships | 9 |
| GPs | 1452 |
D Tier
D Tier.As the C tier included the teams below the average, the D tier is the last and probably includes the worst-rated teams in the NFL, The teams in this tier are the ones with poor performance all over the seasons.
Jacksonville Jaguars
This team is located in Florida, Jacksonville. They are also an American football team that competes as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division in the National Football League (NFL). The owner of the Franchise is Shahid Khan. He purchased the team in 2012 from its original owner Wayne Weaver.
The Jaguars were able to climb their first ladder by qualifying for the playoffs in the NFL during four of their five seasons. In between their second and fifth seasons, the Jaguars were able to make four consecutive playoff runs with two division titles and two AFC Championship Game appearances.
Consider Reading: Sports Youtuber Tier List
New York Jets
The New York Jets are another American football team in the D tier of our NFL Tier List located in the metropolitan area of New York. The Jets are also a member club of the league’s Ameican Football C0nference (AFC) East division and compete in the National Football League (NFL). This franchise is organized legally as a Limited Liability Company under the name New York Jets, LLC.
The Jets were able to appear in the playoffs for the first time in 1968 and then went on to face the Baltimore Colts in the Super Bowl III, as a result, defeating them and becoming the first AFL team to defeat an NFL team in an AFL-NFL World Championship Game. Since then, they have appeared in the playoff 13 times and 4 times in the AFC Championship.
| Championships | 1 |
| GPs | 966 |
Houston Texans
The Texans are also a professional American Football team located in Houston. The Texans compete in the South division of the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league’s American Football Conference (AFC). The Texans started to play in 2002 as an expansion team and thus it makes them the youngest franchise currently competing in the NFL. The Texans struggled very hard in the first decade of their play, but they were finally able to win their first division championship in 2011 and clinch their first playoff berth. The Houston Texans also won five AFC South Championships.
They are the only franchise that has never appeared in a conference championship game also they have never won a road playoff game. The Houston Texans are also one of the four franchises that have never appeared in the Super Bowl.
New York Giants
The Giants is also an American Football team situated in the metropolitan area of New York. The Giants also compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league’s National Football Conference (NFC) East division.
The New York Giants are one of those five teams that joined the NFL in 1925. They are the only one of that five teams still existing. The Giants are also the league’s longest-established team in the Northern United States. Among all the NFL franchises the Giants are ranked as the third team with eight NFL championship titles winning four in the pre-Super Bowl era and four since the advent of Super Bowl XXI. XXV, XLII, and XLVI. They have 19 overall appearances.
| Championships | 8 |
| GPs | 1387 |
Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders are located in the metropolitan area of Washington. They are also an American football team. The Commanders also compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league’s East division of the National Football Conference (NFC). The franchise is valued at $4.2 billion by Forbes, making it the 5th most valuable team in the league.
The Commanders won the NFL championship game of 1937 and 1942 and also Super Bowl XVII, XXII, and XXVI. Washington has finished the season as runner-up six times losing the title games and Super Bowl VII and XVII. Washington attained all of its championships during the 10 years. The Commanders went to the NFL Championship six times and won two of them.
| Championships | 5 |
| GPs | 1284 |
Detroit Lions
The Lions are a professional American football team located in Detroit. The Lions also compete in the National Football league (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The franchise was founded in Ohio and joined the NFL on July 12, 1930. The team was also renamed the Lions in the reference to the City’s Major League Baseball franchise, the Tigers.
The Lions have four NFL Championship Games between 1933 and 1957, The franchise has only won a single playoff game during the 1991 season since the 1956 championship, holding the record of the league’s longest postseason win drought. They are also the only franchise to not appear in the Super Bowl despite being operational for the entirety of the Super Bowl era.
| Championships | 4 |
| GPs | 1315 |
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are the last team on our D tier. A professional American Football team located in the metropolitan area of Miami. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the East division of league American Football Conference (AFC). The Dolphins are the only team in the division that was not a charter member of the American Football League (AFL). The Dolphins are also one of the oldest sports teams in Florida.
The Dolphins played their first Super Bowl in Super Bowl VI, in which they lost to Dallas Cowboys. The Dolphins also completed the NFL’s only perfect season. They were also the third NFL team to accomplish a perfect regular season and they are also the first team to do so after the AFL-NFL merger, the time known as the Super Bowl era.
| Championships | 2 |
| GPs | 882 |
Comparison Table
| Team | Tier | Championships | GPs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams | S | 4 | 1217 |
| Buffalo Bills | S | 2 | 965 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | S | 2 | 742 |
| Dallas Cowboys | S | 5 | 964 |
| Arizona Cardinals | A | 2 | 1412 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | A | 1 | 966 |
| Green Bay Packers | A | 13 | 1418 |
| Baltimore Ravens | A | 2 | 434 |
| Tennessee Titans | A | 2 | 966 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | A | 4 | 966 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | A | 0 | 853 |
| New Orleans Saints | A | 1 | 868 |
| Cleveland Browns | B | 4 | 1036 |
| Minnesota Vikings | B | 1 | 952 |
| San Francisco 49ers | B | 5 | 1084 |
| Indianapolis Colts | B | 5 | 1048 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | B | 6 | 1254 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | B | 5 | 966 |
| New England Patriots | B | 6 | 966 |
| Seattle Seahawks | C | 1 | 742 |
| Atlanta Falcons | C | ||
| Philadelphia Eagles | C | 4 | 1270 |
| Denver Broncos | C | 3 | 966 |
| Carolina Panthers | C | ||
| Chicago Bears | D | 9 | 1452 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | D | ||
| New York Jets | D | 1 | 966 |
| Houston Texans | D | ||
| New York Giants | D | 8 | 1387 |
| Washington Commanders | D | 1 | 1284 |
| Detroit Lions | D | 4 | 1315 |
| Miami Dolphins | D | 2 | 882 |
Verdict
Concluding everything, the tiers above contains the team that is ranked according to their performances, stats, and past seasons’ result. The S tier includes the teams with the best performance and status whereas the A tier includes the team which are better than other teams in the other tiers but not that much better to reach the S tier.
The B and C tier includes those teams which are above average teams and also the ones below average and lastly the D tier includes those times which are the worst or we can say the teams that have a poor reputation in the NFL. The teams ranked in the following tiers are ranked by our analysis and experience study which can differ from person to person.