I subscribed to NFL Network finally in 2007. And fell in love with these shows. I could waste an entire day watching these on demand. Both seem outdated today. But in January 2007 it was the latest in cable tech. Funny.
How could they not mention the 1959 Packers? Probably the first prominent turnaround in NFL history. A team that had not had a winning season since 1946, went 1-10-1 in 1958, then Lombardi comes in, and the team goes 7-5, were in the NFL Championship Game in 1960, NFL Champs in 1961, and the dynasty was off and running.
@@bryanglass5818 Absolutely not. For one thing, that team resembles more of the 1970 Dolphins that had a ton of talent but it was adding a coach that turned them around. The 75 Colts were a strip-down, build back up job that was magnificent. Also, the turnaround concept leans more toward a single year turnaround. The Packers took 3 years to win the championship. 1999 Rams went from 4-12 to BOOM Super Bowl win. That's number one period.
Well you literaly just said it. This is a video about single season team turnarounds. You’re talking about a few seasons’ span. A 6 win increase is not significant enough to get on this list.
The 2008 Dolphins were the ultimate iconoclast. They tried one thing that no one at the pro level had seen before, and it worked for one year and one year only. (Shocked that they ONLY mentioned Favre, that was also the year the Patriots went 11-5 with Matt Cassel, but because of the Dolphin Wildcat they somehow were kicked out of the playoffs.)
Yeah the Dolphin one had some luck with perfect timing, Brady was hurt so Patriots weren't the powerhouse they were the year before, The Jets did have Farve but they were collapsing late that season and the Bills weren't going anywhere that year.
My favorite little nugget about that season is prior to them unveiling it in the regular season, that offense got absolutely drilled in practice whenever they pulled it out. To the point the defensive players was mocking the idea of it even existing as an idea by the coaches. They underestimated just how much knowing what it was in those practices, seeing it drawn up in team meetings, how much that made a difference. It certainly wasn't that easy for many teams in the league. Teams studied it as if it was upwards of 80% of the Dolphins playbook, when it simply was a change up at times. That's how shook up much of the league seemed to be. Though it was a flash in the pan, it was still one of the more exciting things you'd ever seen and took advantage of the talent they had.
The Chiefs organization for the last decade should be added to an updated list. They went from being 2-14 season under Romeo Cornell, the center of a murder-suicide involving a player, and a campaign to Blackout Arrowhead because of poor play to ... never having a losing season, playoff contenders, hosting 5 straight AFC Championship games, 3 AFC Division titles, 2 Superbowl wins, 3 Superbowl appearances. What a turnaround for sure!
Maybe he beats his dogs, and we dont know if he is a good person, but I think Kurt Warner is the real deal. If you ever watched, "The Brady Six" documentary about the six QBs taken before Tom, one of those guys was Marc Bulger, who took over for Warner after he got hurt. Bulger had immediate success, and was given the starting job over Warner, even when he returned healthy. In that doc, they have a sideline camera, and after Bulger leads the Rams to a TD, Warner is THE FIRST guy to congratulate him, and honestly, seemed more excited than Bulger was. NO BACK UP, especially an MVP and Superbowl winning one, who lost their job to injury, would be like that. Bledsoe sure as hell wasnt that way to Brady. That says so much about Kurt Warner. Little ego, and team first. Watching him in that REALLY impressed me.
@@chocolatetownforever7537 The only thing I know about Warner in terms of "negativity" he was rather grumpy towards a young Larry Fitzgerald. Larry had caught a meaningless TD and was essentially thinking high of himself in a bad loss and Warner basically said are you here for stats or are you here to win? And that one moment changed Larry into the man we've known as a selfless type player, and arguably is one of the biggest reasons why they would eventually be in the SB. Changed the mindset. And again, that's the meanest thing I can think of is questioning a mans commitment based on the situation. Which is wild when you consider its Larry Fitzgerald. The best thing I think Kurt did, and this is something that attaches super well to your Bulger comment, is the Eli Manning situation. Manning goes in, struggles pretty bad in a losing streak. Kurt told the staff, do not put me back in. Keep the young guy out there and let him take his lumps. And that clearly was huge in terms of helping Eli understand the adversity he'd face in the pros, knowing that the coaching staff wasn't going to give up on him. To be a guy who was a starter and be selfless enough to do that? I don't know many in history who could have made that decision.
This show on NFL network and Prime 9 on MLB network were the best sports shows of the 2000s. They were always on at the most clutch times and would show like 20 episodes in a row lol I've watched over 100 episodes of both shows and I'm still finding ones on RU-vid I'm pretty sure I've never seen
Joey Thomas- I'm a Chicago Bears fan & hate the Green Bay Packers with a passion, but, I'm willing to put that on the figurative back-burner, for now & say that I completely agree with you on that one. If I were to come up with a Top-10 list of all-time greatest team turn-arounds in NFL history, that would most certainly be on mine.
@@MRB16th- Agreed. I'm a Chicago Bears fan & hate the Green Bay Packers with a passion, but, I'm willing to put that on the figurative back-burner & say that I completely agree with you, as well on that one. Joey Thomas was right...
The 1976-79 Bucs need to be #1. How do you go from 1-26 and scoring 7 or less points(with 11 shutouts) in over 50% of their games to knocking on the door of the Super Bowl 2 seasons later and not be considered the biggest turnaround in NFL history?
@@yepitsme4065 um, the Rams have been around since the 30's. The Bucs were an expansion team in 1976 back in the day when the expansion player pool consisted of has beens and never was'. Then they lost their first 26 games and they were so incredibly bad. I mean baaaadddd. 16 of their first 28 games they scored 7 points or less including 11 shutouts then 2 years later they're knocking on the door to the Super Bowl. The fact that they did this all from scratch is astounding. If you can't see that you're either just a hater or ignorant of how hard it was for expansion teams to compete in those days.
It doesn't matter if the Rams had been around for a thousand years, worst to champion in 1 year is far better than over multiple years. @@Rockhound6165
The 72 steelers really were something special in Pittsburgh. The steelers hadn't won a playoff game in franchise history, but thanks to franco Harris, and the steel curtain, Pittsburgh went 11-3, and made the afc championship game
The updated version should include the 2018 Chicago Bears season. From 5-11, to12-4 was incredible and all because of one coach and one player Khalil Mack.
@@tonyarceneaux286 what do you mean? Well, his first season no one knew the kind of tricks he had up his sleeve. Hence why he had some plays that worked when they really shouldn’t have. He kinda was being cute. Then in the off-season they found out his tricks and that’s why some of the plays seemed stupid or asenine in my opinion.
When I found out about the Faulk trade, (my Fave NFL a player) and Tory Holt drafted to the Rams, and based on Trent Green and Isaac …. I picked them to make the SuperBowl. I wrote it down, I wish I said “WIN”. Then Green goes down, Im glad I saved the prediction, cause I almost threw it away
The 2004 Pittsburgh Steelers from a disappointing 6-10 season in 2003 to a franchise best 15-1 record in 2004. The 2004 Steelers season is a credited to several items: - A running game reborn with the addition of Duce Staley and the rebirth of the Bus Jerome Bettis after Staley got injured. - A rejuvenated defense anchored by linebackers Joey Porter and James Farrior and had new stars born such as linebackers Clark Haggans and Larry Foote, a safety named Chris Hope and some safety from USC named ...Troy Polamalu, who would go on to become one of the greatest safeties in NFL History. - A change in coordinators - Ken Whisenhunt being promoted to Offensive Coordinator replacing Mike Mularkey who left to become the head coach of the Buffalo Bills and the return of defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau to Pittsburgh. - The most important a rookie QB Ben Roethlisberger - who never lost a game and took the Steelers all the way to the AFC Championship Game that season. Even though the Steelers didn't win the SuperBowl that year, that 04 team rejuvenated football in Pittsburgh once again.
This is a list about teams that were bad for years who suddenly got good. Not consistently great teams that had a bounce back year after one fluky bad season.
@@phantompinoy the term WORST to FIRST is the category. It means you went from WORST to FIRST in one year. Who cares that the Bills matched their best record ever?
Other turnarounds that deserve mention: * The 1945 Cleveland Rams (after having gone into recess in 1943 due to the exodus of personnel to war service, and otherwise being a very poor team, won the championship with a rookie quarterback, Bob Waterfield) * The 1947 Chicago Cardinals (won the championship two years after a 29 game losing streak, including winless seasons in 1943 and 1944 - the latter as a combined team with the Steelers) * The Packers under Vince Lombardi (team had finished 1-10-1 and dead last in 1958, then went 7-5 in 1959 and were beaten in the 1960 Championship Game, then went on to win five NFL championships and the first two Super Bowls) * The 1970s Steelers (after having one prior playoff appearance in 1947 and being perennial cellar-dwellers, went on to win four Super Bowls in six years) * The 1980s 49ers (after finishing 2-14 and dead last in 1979, went on to win four Super Bowls in the decade) * The 1992-1995 Cowboys (after finishing 1-15 and dead last in 1989, went on to win three Super Bowls)
1:38 The 1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 6:10 The 1997 New York Jets. 9:29 The great Memorial Stadium turnaround of 1975. 13:48 The 2006 New Orleans Saints (Rest In Peace Tom Benson). 16:59 The start of Miami's Don Shula dynasty! 21:20 Wow, it's the 2008 Miami Dolphins! 24:35 The 1981 San Francisco 49ers! 28:58 The 2001 New England Patriots! 34:12 Okay, now that's the cue I'm looking for, the 1999 Indianapolis Colts. 39:49 The Greatest Show on Turf!
The original version that premiered in 2007 had that 1996 Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars at number 5, before they were replaced by the 2008 Miami Dolphins in the updated version (the 1996 Jaguars and Panthers segment is on RU-vid though).
I agree, cant believe they let Schottenheimer go after what he was able to do in 04 05 and 06. Didnt we get to the Divisional round twice? Mini dynasty
The 2019 49ers would absolutely be in the top 3 in an updated list I think. Yes, even despite blowing the double digit lead in the Super Bowl. Going from 4-12 to 13-3, and statistically being the strongest team in the league, AND going to the Super Bowl and being up 20-10 in the second half, is a legendary turnaround
I totally agree with the final four on this list, I turn around season for a team should not just be about getting a winning record, it literally should be about winning it all.
Good list. I'd probably put the 1981 49ers behind the 99' Rams, but other than that, solid list. Besides all the stuff everyone knows about Walsh, Montana, and The Catch in 81', it was how terrible everything had been to end that decade, and even the lack of talent when Walsh arrived, which makes that 81' Super Bowl run even more improbable. The franchise had been so bad for so long that it wasn't a given that a GM/Coach in Walsh could save it, let alone make them champions, and revolutionize the way the game is played. That 81' team was one of the more impressive champions of those 49er teams, not only due to the turnaround, but because this was really Joe Montana, Dwight Clark, and a mostly young and very much rebuilt defense. Lott, Rice, Craig, Taylor, all those guys were still a few or several years away from joining the team. Great team..
The 1981 Giants and Jets. Both went 4 12 in 1980 to make playoffs after long droughts. Ny jets 1969 , NY giants 1963. Jets bets packers 28 3 in week 16 to clinch the playoffs for both themselves and the Giants
That'd be a good idea for a list. Without all the "comedians" of course. Three examples come to mind of the top of my head. The first is the one mentioned on this list the 1999 Falcons from 14-2 and a SB appearance to 5-11. While they didn't make the playoffs the 2008 Browns going from 10-6 to 4-12. Lastly, and one which pains me to say, the 2003 Raiders who went from 11-5 and a SB appearance to 4-12.
The 8 weeks ago we stood in this same spot speech by Jonathan Vilma was in 2006 playoffs vs Pats. Jets had played and beat the Pats in New England in week 10 and now the playoff game was 8 weeks later in New England (same spot).
Saint Louis Rams 🐏 1998: under .500 (dead last in the NFC West 😆) 1999: NFL’s number one offense; SBXXXIV champs (Kurt Warner NFL MVP-42 touchdowns; 500 yards and a game winning touchdown-SBXXXIV MVP; Marshall Faulk- 1,000 rushing yards & 1,000 reception yards) Isaac Bruce HOF WR
@@michaelleroy9281 And the Los Angeles Rams 🐏 were Super Bowl champions Thanks to their defense Miller at OLB Donald at defensive tackle Ramsey at cornerback And a pretty good QB WR combo in Stafford and Kupp
Lee Roy Selmon is CRIMINALLY underrated when talking about the greatest defensive players to ever step on an NFL field. He's up there with ANY of the great pass rushers EVER.
Dude, I remember watching NFL Films with my late father, and him absolutely cracking up during the McKay episode where he is complaining about his own team OVER AND OVER, not getting back from the sideline lol. McKay was a great coach, and if I remember right, he had to build that team, not only without free agency, but an expansion draft as well, which is ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. Yet he made them winners. Lastly, his answer to a reporters question about how McKay felt about his team's execution. Im in favor of it, is just priceless lol. What a man.
I never knew OJ Simpson was on the 49ers. Next thing you are going to tell me that the New Orleans Saints were the only team to pass on Lawrence Taylor in the 1981 Draft. ;)
You can’t really blame the Saints for passing on LT because they drafted George Rogers who set a then NFL rookie record of 1674 yards rushing that lead the NFL that year plus people didn’t know that LT would go on to be the greatest defensive player of all time
In an updated list I'd consider the 2019 49ers with 2011 Niners as an honorable mention. In 2011 in just his first year as HC Jim Harbaugh takes them from 6-10 to 13-3 and made it to the conference championship. Then in 2019 which was the bigger turnaround they go from 4-12 to 13-3 and made it to the SB.
@@JahNuhThunDeeTheOneAndOnly Oh, I know. I'd still put them as an honorable mention though. Simply because they improved to 13-3 with a first year HC, and went deep into the playoffs all the way to the conference championship only losing by three.
Nah they should have a segment, because the Raiders went through 13 seasons of decline after losing Super Bowl XXXVII and 2016 was the best turnaround team in franchise history.
An older version of this episode actually had the 1996 Panthers & Jaguars on the list. Two expansion teams have losing seasons their first year in the NFL, then both of them made their Conference Championship games the next year.
George Wilson took the Fins swimming to Don Shula not allowing water on the field during four a days. Went from 3-10-1 in 1969 to 10-5 in '70, 12-4-1 in '71 and 17-0 in '72.
Honorable mention to the 1980 Raiders, yes they were in playoff contention in '79, then they projected to be a old team on the decline who would finish last in their division, but those old veterans put it together and won the SuperBowl
@@Johnmhatheist Idk. Needed QB, and a couple O line men. Didnt take a whole lot to fix them, thats why I said 11. Although 7-9 to Super Bowl champion is very impressive.
25 years before super bowl 36, new england had its turnaround in 1976. The pats went from 3-11 to 11-3 in a flash. That 76 record was the pats best season until 2003
@michaelleroy9281 the pats went 9-7 in 1984. The 85 team shocked a lot of people, but the 76 pats blew everyone's mind. In 75, they were 3-11. The next year, they flipped that record, and were a bad call away from the afc championship
The 2006 Saints should have been number one on this list. With no disrespect, but with what the entire city of New Orleans went through with Katrina and what the Saints did for that city in 2006, no words can describe.
@@orangefox1231 I kind of agree, and Im a Cowboys fan. This show should be next year only after a bad one, because you shouldnt be comparing other turnarounds that had differing periods of time.
I know somebody else already made mention of it, but, I don't care... If this episode of 'NFL Top 10' were to come out on the NFL Network between mid-2022 & the present day instead of on 4/29/2008, I guarantee you that one of the teams that were ranked between 7-10 would be considered an "honorable mention", or, something like that & be replaced by the 2021-2022 Cincinnati Bengals. You could argue that even though they lost Super Bowl 56, the 2021-2022 Cincinnati Bengals are deserving for a list like this & be able to make a legitimate case for it.
How do you not include Herm Edwards Turning the Jets around from 2-5 to 9-7 and winning the division, and making the playoffs after the "you play to win the game" speech?
The Steelers should be on here when Chuck Noll came to coach for the Steelers. I understand it took them a few years to get all the pieces together but if Noll haven't came to Pittsburgh who knows what the Steelers would've became. Also the fact is that the steelers had only 3 head coaches in the past 53 years tells how good they became when Noll came into the organization.
2023 Houston Texans From 3 straight 10 plus loss seasons, going through 4 different head coaches and trading away their former franchise QB overall a perennial laughingstock. To coming out of nowhere to finish 10-7 clinch a playoff spot, winning the division and winning a playoff game
It’s kinda crazy to think just how many things had to happen that easily may not have for Tom to have the chance to begin with in New England. First Bill noticed that he was still on the board and made the call to draft him even though they already had three QBs and their long term starter. They then in a sense wasted a roster spot to keep him on the roster as a fourth QB because they felt he had potential to grow into something. And then Bledsoe getting hurt leading to Tom getting the chance. And then committing with Tom after they’d extended Bledsoe prior to 2001 season with the biggest contract in league history at the time, although an extremely misleading deal considering it was a ten year deal that the Bills restructured for immensely less like three years into it. But at the same time it’s wild he ever got the deal he did. In the eight seasons prior his completion percentage got to 60% once, he had 20+ TDs 4/8 seasons, in three seasons he had more interceptions than TDs and another he had the same amount, and his rating was in the 60s twice, the 70s three times and the 80s three times with his career high being 87.7 so at the time the guy teceiving the sticker value largest contract in history had never even hit a 90 rating. And in the three playoff trips prior he had more interceptions than touchdowns every time and his best rating was 60.4. So for me it’s doubly interesting to think just how unlikely Tom ever having a chance was mixed with the fascination of how Bledsoe got what he did.
1993 New England Patriots Under .500 1994 New England Patriots 10 win season and an AFC playoff appearance Drew Bledsoe at Quarterback (number one overall draft pick out of Washington State University in 1993) Ben Coates at TE Kevin Turner at halfback Vincent Brisby at WR Michael Timpson at WR Bruce Armstrong at offensive left tackle Willie McGinest at defensive end (number 4 overall draft pick out of USC in 1994) Chris slade at OLB Vincent Brown at ILB Eugene Hurst at Cornerback Week 9 of the 1994 NFL season Bledsoe records 46 completed passes (single game record) & 70 attempted passes (single game record) vs Vikings Including a game winning touchdown pass to Kevin Turner in overtime Foxboro Stadium 🏟 Foxborough,Massachusetts
A couple more: 1956 Detroit Lions and the 1967 New York Giants. The Lions fell to last place with a 3 and 9 record in 1955 and improved to 9 and 3 in 1956 missing the title game by half a game (behind Chicago). The 1966 Giants finished 1-12-1 (their worst ever) and set a record giving up 501 points in a 14 game season that wasn't broken until after the NFL went to a 16 game season, and it took more than 14 games. In 1967, the Giants improved to a 7 and 7 record which was good for second place in their division (NFL Century).
I kinda want to see a top ten team breakdowns After a great season the wheels fall off The 2022 Rams The 2023 Giants 2003 Raiders Age, Contracts, and Luck just finally catch up with these teams
Id have to rewatch it, but I think they left Parcells off the 100 greatest NFL team as a coach. If I am right, its DESPICABLE, because regardless of not winning outside of the Giants, the guy turned around EVERY team he coached for. And we arent talking about 7-9 teams either. Parcells took over PUTRID teams, and turned them around quickly. Belichick is great, but he didnt and couldnt do that.
