In every NFL season, there’s at least one former bottom-dweller who rises to the top and gives the other bottom-dwellers hope. 2024’s leader in the “Why Not Us?” sweepstakes were the Washington Commanders, who rose from a 4-13 mark under Ron Rivera to a 12-5 regular-season mark, and a trip to the NFC Championship Game, under new head coach Dan Quinn. Pretty good for a franchise that has had more name changes (two) than playoff wins (one) in the new millennium.
Maybe the 2025 New England Patriots can become that team now. Matching 4-13 records in Bill Belichick’s final season, and Jerod Mayo’s only season as head coach don’t present a ton of encouragement, but no other NFL team did more to ostensibly improve its prospects in the offseason.