Likability Index: Final rankings for all 32 franchises
Welcome to theScore's Likability Index, wherein we rank teams in several completely subjective categories to determine the NFL's most likable team.
- Uniforms
- Fan Experience
- Management
- Players
- Final Verdict
Teams are ranked below based on the average of their scores across our four primary categories.
T-31. Washington Redskins
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
23 | 29 | 32 | 32 |
Aside from the relatively mediocre uniform design, there just wasn't much working in the Redskins' favor here. The likability of both management and players ranked dead last among the league's 32 teams, due mostly to the constant circus surrounding both owner Daniel Snyder and quarterback Robert Griffin III.
T-31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
32 | 31 | 23 | 30 |
Alarm-clock jerseys, attendance woes, an uninspiring head coach, and a quarterback with a checkered past (to put it politely) land the Buccaneers in a tie for least likable team in the league.
30. Tennessee Titans
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
28 | 28 | 29 | 29 |
The Titans' roster is devoid of star players, their general manager has a terrible track record, their head coach is 3-25 over his last 28 games in charge of an NFL franchise, and their ownership situation is muddier than any in the NFL. There's just not a lot for fans to latch onto.
29. St. Louis Rams
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
25 | 30 | 30 | 26 |
Die-hard Rams fans fighting to keep the team in St. Louis deserve all the credit in the world, but this franchise can't shake the look and feel of a sinking ship. It starts at the top, where the owner is doing everything he can to relocate and the head coach hasn't topped .500 in half a decade.
28. Cleveland Browns
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
30 | 11 | 31 | 28 |
The new uniforms, dysfunctional management team, and a less-than-exciting group of players bring the Browns' overall ranking down, but the fans have always been among the league's best. Cleveland could easily have been in the last spot overall were it not for the Dawg Pound.
27. Cincinnati Bengals
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
27 | 26 | 22 | 22 |
Andy Dalton personifies the Bengals' likability: he's average enough to drag his team out of the basement, but nowhere near good enough to ascend to the top of the pile. Considering the Bengals' brutal history, this could be seen as progress. Very slow progress, but progress nonetheless.
T-25. Atlanta Falcons
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
22 | 32 | 19 | 22 |
If the Atlanta Falcons were an ice cream flavor, they would be vanilla. Their star player lacks personality and their fans are so quiet that management pumped in artificial crowd noise. Vanilla's not a bad flavor, but there are many better choices.
T-25. Jacksonville Jaguars
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
30 | 24 | 10 | 31 |
Ultimately, the newfound confidence instilled by an impressive management regime is what's going to lead this team back to contention before long. That's something fans can be excited about, regardless of the horrendous new uniforms and largely unknown roster.
24. Miami Dolphins
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
19 | 25 | 26 | 22 |
Head coach Joe Philbin is totally uninspiring, with his bland style of management highlighted on HBO's "Hard Knocks." Dennis Hickey is doing his best to erase the poisonous work of former general manager Jeff Ireland, but still needs time. And if the fans would arrive sometime approaching kickoff, this organization would be higher on the list.
23. Detroit Lions
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
20 | 23 | 27 | 14 |
Calvin Johnson is one of the league's most entertaining players, helping the Lions overcome a bland color scheme and inept management. Detroit could ascend through the rankings if they continue to operate an up-tempo, pass-heavy offense.
22. San Francisco 49ers
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
7 | 19 | 28 | 25 |
The iconic uniforms will always earn the 49ers points in this kind of exercise, but the increasingly uninspiring front-office staff drags their ranking down much further than expected. Running one of the NFL's best head coaches out of town is a significant factor here, and Jim Tomsula's introductory press conference in replacing him was beyond ridiculous.
21. San Diego Chargers
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
18 | 26 | 20 | 14 |
Much like the Chargers' on-field success in the past few seasons, their likability is middle-of-the-pack. The players land a high grade due in large part to the sheer toughness with which the franchise quarterback plays the game, but the awful stadium situation drags down the overall fan experience.
20. Baltimore Ravens
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
20 | 13 | 25 | 12 |
It says something when the Ravens – a team with one of the best general managers of all time in Ozzie Newsome – get their worst score for management. That something is that this team bungled the Ray Rice situation from beginning to end, and still has a long way to go in earning back trust.
19. Oakland Raiders
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 20 | 24 | 20 |
The silver-and-black uniforms will always make for one of the NFL's best looks, but Mark Davis's presence at the top of the organization is anything but inspiring. The Raiders' league-worst stadium situation also loses them points for fan experience despite having a dedicated and iconic following.
18. New York Jets
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
15 | 18 | 21 | 10 |
Darrelle Revis's return to New York improves an already strong defense. Although the fans can be obnoxious at times, no one can deny their faithful passion for the game. General manager Mike Maccagnan must prove he can undo a number of toxic moves made by former GM John Idzik.
17. New Orleans Saints
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
28 | 6 | 17 | 12 |
The Saints check in with some fairly impressive rankings in all categories – aside from those awful uniforms. One of the league's best fan experiences balances that out, however, keeping the team's overall ranking from slipping too far down the board.
T-15. Minnesota Vikings
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
10 | 14 | 17 | 21 |
Minnesota's purple uniforms became a lot more sleek and alluring after Nike's latest redesign. The fans valiantly show up for their club in inclement weather, and are publicly funding the majority of the team's new stadium. With an up-and-coming roster, the Vikings could soon be on the rise.
T-15. Arizona Cardinals
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
26 | 21 | 5 | 10 |
The Cardinals don't impress in the first two categories, but the management and players in place are factors that have to create some excitement for fans. A combination of Bruce Arians and Steve Keim is easily among the most likable front offices in the league.
14. Carolina Panthers
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
24 | 22 | 8 | 6 |
Cam Newton, the reigning Walter Payton Man of the Year, and a head coach who embraced his alternate persona as a gambler ... There's a lot to like here. It's time for Panthers fans to step up and create a significant identity of their own.
13. Chicago Bears
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
3 | 7 | 14 | 27 |
The Bears' classic uniforms and rich fan traditions are a stark contrast to the intense unlikability of Jay Cutler. Essentially, a single player drops this team out of the top 10.
12. New England Patriots
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
13 | 17 | 15 | 5 |
Fans have plenty of reasons to hate the Patriots, but there's also actually a lot to like here. Football inflation levels aside, Tom Brady has developed a strong social media presence. And then there's Gronk. That one's self-explanatory.
11. Kansas City Chiefs
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
14 | 10 | 8 | 17 |
Colorful uniforms, eardrum-shattering crowds, and world-class barbecue all earn the Chiefs significant points. Only a lack of star power on offense keeps the team out of the top 10.
10. Houston Texans
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
12 | 16 | 11 | 6 |
Everything else is near the middle of the pack, but J.J. Watt's presence landed the Texans plenty of points when it came to the player likability rankings. The Texans should be fun to watch on "Hard Knocks" this summer.
9. Philadelphia Eagles
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
11 | 12 | 7 | 14 |
Chip Kelly's innovative (some would call it improvised) roster management could blow up in his face, but for now he gets credit for showing conviction and, for the most part, producing strong results on the field. The Eagles nudge their way into the top 10 as a result.
8. Dallas Cowboys
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
8 | 3 | 13 | 18 |
Jerry Jones is a polarizing figure, but earned mostly positive grades in this exercise. His commitment to doing whatever it takes to maintain the Cowboys' place as "America's Team" is laudable.
7. Buffalo Bills
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
4 | 4 | 11 | 19 |
The Bills gained major points, in large part due to their fans sticking with the club through the NFL's longest playoff drought. When the Bills revamped their uniforms after Nike became the league's provider, their jerseys went from hideous to classic. With one of the league's fastest rosters, the Bills are on the rise.
6. New York Giants
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
9 | 14 | 4 | 8 |
The Giants received high grades for their stable management, appealing aesthetic, and a certain young wide receiver who happens to be very exciting to watch. Their likability is on the upswing.
5. Denver Broncos
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
17 | 9 | 6 | 2 |
Though the uniforms need some work, the Broncos' strong rankings in all other categories combine to place them among the NFL's most likable teams. With Peyton Manning and plenty of star power elsewhere on the roster, Denver checked in with the league's second-most likable group of players.
4. Indianapolis Colts
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
6 | 8 | 15 | 4 |
Slow and steady helps the Colts (nearly) win the race here. Their uniforms are classic, their fans are football-savvy, and their quarterback congratulates opposing defenders after they deliver big hits. It's hard to find anything about the Colts that isn't likable.
3. Seattle Seahawks
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
16 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
If you don't like the Seahawks, you're probably just tired of seeing them dominate your team on the field. The uniforms aren't great, but with the league's loudest fans, a great management team, and plenty of intriguing personalities on the roster, there haven't been many teams more enjoyable to follow over the past few seasons.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
4 | 2 | 3 | 9 |
Steelers fans are despised by rivals, but much of that sentiment is due to jealousy. This is a first-class organization that almost always conducts business intelligently on and off the field. It's no wonder there are legions of Steelers fans across the nation and around the world.
1. Green Bay Packers
Uniforms | Fan Experience | Management | Players |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
The Packers are the closest thing we have to a perfectly run franchise in North American sports. Green Bay is the only publicly owned franchise in major professional sports, rocks iconic green-and-yellow uniforms, and boasts a cunning, calculating general manager in Ted Thompson. A perennial Super Bowl contender led by reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers, the Packers are the most likable club in the NFL.