Cleveland Browns’ fans know full well the heartache they have gone through since the team was reinstated into the NFL in 1999. Over more than two decades, the Browns have never won their division, have made the playoffs three times, and have won just one postseason game.
But when seen in stark numbers compared to other teams in the league, it makes the pain of rooting for the forlorn franchise even more jarring. In fact, it may be worse than one might have thought.
The Athletic has revealed stats showing how disappointing the Browns have been since 2000, with the worst winning percentage by far in the NFL over that time, at .343.
“Being a sports fan in Cleveland is not for the faint of heart. The Browns? They are why you need a distraction. I recently asked those fans to explain how it feels to cheer for the worst (by a lot) NFL team of the 21st century. The Browns have been so bad that even if they go 17-0 in 2026, they will still be 32nd on this list,” Jacob Robinson wrote.
It is notable that the gap between the dead-last Browns and the next-to-last team, the Las Vegas Raiders franchise, is larger than the gap between the second-ranked Pittsburgh Steelers and the top-ranked New England Patriots. The Raiders have a .390 winning percentage since 2000, slightly behind the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 30 (.394).
If there is any optimism to be drawn from the chart, it’s that the No. 29 team, the Detroit Lions, at .399, found their way out of the wilderness and have been a playoff team and a Super Bowl contender for the past few seasons. However, the New York Jets are next on the list (.418), and they have the longest current playoff drought in pro sports.
The Browns certainly are not helped in this ranking by their 1-31 combined record during the 2016 and 2017 seasons. They have been faring better since then, with playoff appearances in 2020 and 2023, but the past two seasons sent them back among the worst teams in the league.
Fortunately, things may be looking up with their latest excellent rookie class from the 2026 NFL Draft. If they can get better play from one of their 42 starting quarterbacks since 1999, either Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders, a legitimate turnaround may be in store this season.
That 17-0 record may be out of the question, but the Browns could make some strides on this list in the near future.
NEXT: Analyst Reveals Browns' Floor And Ceiling In 2026
