Why the NFL Has More Mismanaged Teams Today Than Ever Before

The National Football League (NFL) is a multibillion-dollar powerhouse, synonymous with strategic brilliance, dazzling athleticism, and nail-biting competition. But for every well-oiled dynasty like the Kansas City Chiefs or New England Patriots, there seems to be a growing number of teams that bumble their way through seasons with head-scratching decisions, missed opportunities, and questionable leadership.

Is the league simply more competitive today, or are certain teams genuinely mismanaged? To answer that, let’s dive into the key factors behind the increasing number of underperforming and mismanaged NFL franchises.

The Complexity of Modern NFL Management

Running an NFL franchise today is like piloting a spaceship compared to the simpler mechanics of the league decades ago. Front offices now deal with layers of complexity: salary caps, free agency, analytics, player development pipelines, and growing media scrutiny. These additional pressures have exposed the gaps in leadership and decision-making across many organizations.

Case in Point: Teams like the Cleveland Browns (pre-2020 resurgence) and New York Jets have spent years mired in dysfunction due to mismanagement at nearly every level—from hiring inexperienced coaches to overpaying for mediocre talent.

Shortened Timelines and the Impatience Epidemic

The NFL is no longer a league where coaches and GMs are given years to build a program. Owners, fanbases, and media outlets demand instant success, often pressuring teams into making short-sighted decisions.

Take the Arizona Cardinals, who fired head coach Steve Wilks after just one season in 2018, despite inheriting a weak roster. While they eventually hit gold with Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray (briefly), their impatience reflects a league-wide trend. Teams pull the plug on personnel far too quickly, often leading to a revolving door of instability.

The Result: Constant turnover in coaching staffs and front offices means players are perpetually learning new systems, and organizations struggle to establish a coherent identity.

Analytics: A Blessing or a Curse?

Analytics have revolutionized the way teams approach football, offering data-driven insights into everything from play-calling tendencies to player evaluations. Yet, not every team knows how to wield this powerful tool effectively.

Some franchises dive headfirst into analytics without understanding how to balance them with traditional football instincts. Others dismiss analytics altogether, clinging to outdated methods. Both extremes result in poor decision-making.

Example: The Detroit Lions under Matt Patricia (2018-2020) were notorious for stubbornly clinging to a rigid “Patriot Way” system, ignoring data-driven trends that could have helped the team adapt to modern NFL strategies.

Ownership: The Root of All (Mis)Management

One of the most significant factors in a team's success—or failure—is ownership. Good owners hire competent executives, stay out of day-to-day decisions, and foster a culture of excellence. Bad owners? They meddle in operations, hire unqualified friends, and prioritize profit over performance.

The Usual Suspects:

• Dan Snyder's Washington Commanders (now under new ownership): Decades of chaos, poor hires, and scandal turned a once-proud franchise into a laughingstock.

• The Dallas Cowboys: Jerry Jones’ dual role as owner and GM has led to questionable draft picks and coaching hires, despite the team’s vast resources.

Drafting Woes: A Talent Identification Problem

The NFL draft is the lifeblood of any franchise, offering a pipeline of young talent to rejuvenate rosters. But many teams struggle to consistently identify and develop talent, leading to years of underwhelming results.

Why do some teams succeed while others fail? It boils down to scouting, organizational philosophy, and patience. Teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers excel at drafting and developing players, while others, like the Las Vegas Raiders, have consistently whiffed on first-round picks, setting the franchise back years.

Exhibit A: The Raiders’ 2020 first-round picks, Henry Ruggs III and Damon Arnette, both faced off-field issues that derailed their careers. This kind of mismanagement in talent evaluation speaks to deeper systemic problems.

Coaching Carousel: A Recipe for Chaos

The NFL coaching carousel is spinning faster than ever. Teams often make rash decisions, either hiring flashy names with no experience or promoting assistants who aren't ready for the spotlight.

The result? A growing number of teams with mismatched coaching philosophies and inconsistent game plans. For example, hiring Urban Meyer in Jacksonville was a gamble that quickly imploded, leaving the Jaguars in disarray (until Trevor Lawrence and Doug Pederson arrived to stabilize the ship).

The Influence of Public Perception

In the age of social media and 24/7 sports coverage, public perception plays an outsized role in NFL management. Owners and GMs are hyper-aware of how their decisions will be judged by fans, analysts, and influencers.

Sometimes, this leads to panic moves, like overpaying for a high-profile free agent to appease the fanbase or drafting a "name" player instead of addressing critical roster needs.

A Perfect Example: The New York Giants drafting Saquon Barkley second overall in 2018 was a flashy pick that thrilled fans but raised eyebrows among analysts. While Barkley has been spectacular, the Giants neglected to address foundational issues on their offensive line and defense, delaying their rebuild.

The Role of Legacy and Reputation

Franchises with a winning legacy often feel pressured to maintain their status, sometimes leading to poor decisions aimed at recapturing past glory. Conversely, perennial underdogs often operate with a "loser's mindset," making safe but uninspired moves that perpetuate mediocrity.

The Chicago Bears, for instance, have long been plagued by an inability to find a franchise quarterback, cycling through disappointing picks and trades while clinging to a defense-first identity that no longer fits the modern NFL.

Competitive Balance: The Parity Problem

The NFL’s salary cap and draft system are designed to promote parity, but they also punish poorly managed teams. Franchises that fail to draft well or overspend in free agency find themselves trapped in a cycle of mediocrity, unable to escape the consequences of their missteps.

Teams like the Houston Texans and Carolina Panthers have struggled to rebuild after making costly mistakes with draft picks and contracts. Even when they get it right, it can take years to recover from previous blunders.

Is There Hope?

Despite these issues, the NFL remains a league of opportunity. Turnarounds can happen quickly when the right people are in charge. Just look at the Cincinnati Bengals, who went from perennial underachievers to Super Bowl contenders under the guidance of Joe Burrow, Zac Taylor, and a revamped front office.

Conclusion

The NFL has more mismanaged teams today not because the league is worse, but because it’s more complex and competitive than ever before. Ownership mistakes, impatience, misuse of analytics, and poor drafting have all contributed to a growing divide between well-run franchises and those stuck in perpetual dysfunction.

However, the beauty of the NFL is its unpredictability. Even the most mismanaged teams can find redemption with the right combination of leadership, talent, and a little bit of luck. As fans, we can only hope that our favorite teams end up on the right side of history.

Which team will be the next great redemption story? Only time will tell. Until then, buckle up and enjoy the chaos—it’s all part of the NFL’s charm.