Fansided
Fansided

The Top 10 worst-to-first seasons in NFL history

By Erik Lambert

PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 24: Jake Elliott #4 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates with teammates after making a game winning 61 yard field goal against the New York Giants on September 24, 2017 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 24: Jake Elliott #4 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates with teammates after making a game winning 61 yard field goal against the New York Giants on September 24, 2017 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
11 of 11
Next
28 Nov 1999: Kurt Warner #13 of the St. Louis Rams passes the ball during a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Trans World Dome in St. Louis, Missouri. The Rams defeated the Saints 43-12. Mandatory Credit: Elsa Hasch /Allsport
28 Nov 1999: Kurt Warner #13 of the St. Louis Rams passes the ball during a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Trans World Dome in St. Louis, Missouri. The Rams defeated the Saints 43-12. Mandatory Credit: Elsa Hasch /Allsport /

No. 1: 1999 St. Louis Rams

Amazingly enough, the Patriots turnaround was even overshadowed by the team they played that year. No one will ever top what the St. Louis Rams did in 1999. Here’s a team that had not made the playoffs the entire decade. They were 4-12 the year before and then endured the brutal gut punch of losing their newly-acquired quarterback Trent Green in the preseason to a torn ACL. Everybody felt the season was over before it had even begun.

Their last hope was that maybe, just maybe backup Kurt Warner could at least be functional in as the starter and maybe their talented team could get them to the playoffs. They had no idea what was coming. Warner had refined his game both in the Arena League and NFL Europe before becoming the backup in 1998. He was far more prepared than anyone gave him credit for and he proved it by throwing 41 touchdown passes and winning the league MVP award.

The one move that defined the 2018 NFL season for all 32 teams. dark. Next

St. Louis beat Minnesota in a 49-37 shootout, hammered their way past Tampa Bay 11-6 in the NFC championship, and stopped Tennessee one yard short in the waning seconds to preserve a 23-16 win in the Super Bowl. There have been worsts-to-firsts before and since, but none can ever match what that team accomplished.

Home/Power Rankings