Cleveland Browns: A Decade of Hope Shattered
Five years ago, the Cleveland Browns were a beacon of hope. They had hit a string of successful draft picks, made the playoffs, and finally found a serviceable quarterback in Baker Mayfield. The once-perennial doormat of the AFC North seemed poised for a renaissance, brimming with salary cap space and the potential to make significant moves. However, one singular decision has since detonated the franchise. In 2022, the Browns traded three first-round picks to Houston for Deshaun Watson and signed him to a fully-guaranteed, five-year, $230m contract. Three years later, this trade stands as one of the worst in the history of professional sports. Watson, who was suspended for allegations of sexual misconduct, has been a shadow of his former self, ranking as the worst starter in the NFL before tearing his Achilles last season. The ethical considerations of the deal only add to the nightmare. Cleveland fans have been combing through the fine print of Watson’s contract, desperately hoping to find a way out. Unfortunately, unless the Browns are willing to take a massive financial hit, Watson will remain a significant burden on the team’s cap for years to come. This leaves the Browns with no established quarterback, negligible cap room, and a roster riddled with holes. The prospect of trading Myles Garrett for draft picks and tearing down the roster to rebuild seems like the only viable path forward, but it’s a long and arduous journey to shake off the weight of Watson’s contract.
Pittsburgh Steelers: The Quagmire of Mediocrity
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a good team, yet their hopelessness lies in the lack of a clear path to improvement. They have been a perennial playoff presence, but their postseason performances have been consistently underwhelming. Mike Tomlin, a coach known for his regular-season acumen, has an abysmal 8-11 playoff record, including a 0-5 mark in the past eight years. The team’s recent playoff defeats have been marked by an uncompetitive edge, raising questions about the future. The Steelers’ defense, once a cornerstone of their success, is aging. Cameron Heyward is approaching 36, and TJ Watt’s slight decline at the end of last season is a worrying sign. Instead of making bold moves, the Steelers appear content to cycle through veteran quarterbacks, with Justin Fields, who lost the starting job to Russell Wilson last season, likely to remain as a backup. Tomlin’s strategy of "internal growth" and a reliance on an outdated offense and aging defense may keep the team in the playoffs, but it offers little hope of genuine contention. The Steelers are stuck in a rut, and the persistent mediocrity is taking a toll on their fanbase.
New York Jets: The Dysfunction Continues
The New York Jets’ perpetual malaise can be traced directly to their owner, Woody Johnson. When Johnson briefly stepped back from the team to serve as an ambassador in the UK, the Jets showed signs of stability and competence under his brother, Christopher. However, since Woody’s return, the team has been mired in chaos. Johnson’s decision to bring in Aaron Rodgers, who effectively ran the team, led to a costly and controversial two-year stint. Rodgers’ control over personnel decisions and his own schedule was deeply unsettling, and the results were disastrous. The Jets have the longest-running playoff drought in the league, having finished above .500 only once since 2011. Johnson’s meddling and his family’s habit of criticizing players, including reportedly telling Mike White "you fucking suck," have created a toxic environment. The owner’s willingness to let his teenage son influence trades based on Madden ratings only adds to the circus atmosphere. Johnson’s reputation as the NFL’s worst owner is well-deserved, with his F grade from players in the Players’ Association’s annual survey and his poor investment in facilities and team culture. Until Johnson addresses his own behavior and considers selling the team, the Jets will remain a franchise plagued by dysfunction and impatience.
New York Giants: A Season of Disappointment
The New York Giants, often sharing the spotlight with their tumultuous neighbors, the Jets, have their own set of issues. After a disappointing 2024 season that garnered viral attention through the HBO series Hard Knocks, owner John Mara faced a tough decision. He chose to retain general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll, a move that showcased his patience and long-term vision. Schoen’s draft success and Daboll’s ability to develop a young quarterback and extract solid performances from an incomplete offense provided a positive foundation. However, their newfound stability comes with a high-stakes mandate: find a quarterback. Mara’s public declaration has intensified the pressure on Schoen and Daboll, who are now working from a position of desperation. The options for a new quarterback are limited, ranging from committing to Sam Darnold, making a costly move up the draft to select Cam Ward, or looking in the bargain bin. The best free agent available after Darnold, Rodgers (if considered), and Wilson is Daniel Jones, a player the Giants themselves were unsure about. The risk of making a hasty, job-protecting decision this offseason looms large, potentially setting the franchise back years.
The Quest for a Franchise Quarterback
The importance of a franchise quarterback cannot be overstated. The Browns, Steelers, Jets, and Giants are all grappling with this critical need. For the Browns, locking into a deal with Deshaun Watson has proven catastrophic. The Steelers, despite their regular-season success, are cycling through veteran quarterbacks without a clear heir in sight. The Jets’ two-year experiment with Aaron Rodgers has left the team worse off, and the Giants are under immense pressure to secure a viable starter this offseason. Each team’s trajectory is heavily influenced by their quarterback decisions. The Browns’ capitulation to Watson’s demands, the Steelers’ reluctance to make bold moves, the Jets’ owner-driven chaos, and the Giants’ desperate search highlight the varying degrees of dysfunction. The common thread is the lack of a stable, long-term solution at the most crucial position in football.
A Future of Uncertainty
As these teams enter the offseason, the path to contention remains unclear. The Browns must navigate the financial and operational fallout from the Watson trade, while the Steelers continue to rely on a defensive core that is aging and may not be sustainable. The Jets’ dysfunction and impatience are major obstacles, and the Giants face a make-or-break situation with their quarterback search. Each franchise’s fanbase is watching closely, hoping for signs of genuine progress. However, the challenges they face—whether financial, cultural, or strategic—are significant. Until they address their core issues and find a franchise quarterback, the cycle of disappointment and hopelessness is likely to continue. The NFL is a league of parity, but these teams are struggling to break free from the cycle of mediocrity and find the stability and success they so desperately need.
