Buffalo Plus: "The League: The 5 BEST and 5 WORST Franchises in the NFL"

Release Date: June 24, 2025
Hosts: Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, Dan Fetes

Episode Overview

This episode of Buffalo Plus brings together insiders Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, and Dan Fetes to debate and rank the five best and five worst franchises in the NFL as of summer 2025. With decades of Bills and league coverage, they weigh factors like on-field success, organizational stability, cultural identity, fan engagement, and recent decision-making, along with behind-the-scenes insights (sometimes as granular as the media lunch quality!). The trio lively debates each selection, referencing both historic and present-day context, and invite listeners to respond with their own picks.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Criteria for Ranking Franchises

• Emphasis on recent years, not just legacy or distant past success.
• Consideration of on-field results, organizational stability, front office quality, ownership, culture, facilities, and fanbase.
• “Bad franchises” are often those repeating mistakes or avoiding resets, while good franchises show adaptability and sustained performance.

The 5 Best NFL Franchises (2025 Edition)

1. Baltimore Ravens

• Unanimous Top 5 pick by all hosts.
• Praised for front office stability and sustained success through changing eras (Flacco to Lamar Jackson).
• Strong defensive identity, adept acquisitions (e.g., bringing in Derrick Henry), and savvy moves (Kyle Hamilton, Patrick Queen, Marlon Humphrey, etc.).
• “Harbaugh has been there forever… They got their act together.” – Mike [03:23]
• Ravens sometimes criticized for inability to “get by the Chiefs,” but acknowledged as a model franchise.
• Noted for excellent stadium atmosphere and fan engagement.

2. Kansas City Chiefs

• Recognized as the current “model dynasty” (comparable to Patriots a decade prior).
• Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, and GM Brett Veach spotlighted as key to success.
• Outstanding at adapting rosters and overcoming weaknesses (notably on offensive line).
• “They are what the Patriots were a decade ago.” – Dan [08:51]
• Great stadium and fan culture reminiscent of a college environment.

3. Buffalo Bills

• Cited as a “top five franchise” thanks to organizational transformation, front office stability, and the Josh Allen era.
• “Developing the players with the coaches, like they've grown together. Like what Sean McDermott was when he came here isn't what he is now.” – Dan [12:18]
• Facility upgrades and strong culture highlighted (Micah Hyde praised the shift post-Rex Ryan).
• Ownership (Pegula family) willing to spend aggressively, a “big difference-maker.”
• Sustained competitiveness, but still a Super Bowl appearance away from “the next level.”
• “Shortcuts, short and long-term success.” – Dan quoting Sam Presti, in praise of the Bills’ rebuild and culture [18:10]

4. Philadelphia Eagles

• Praised as potentially the “gold standard” of organization and spending in pro sports.
• Owner Jeffrey Lurie credited: “I think right now he's the best owner in pro sports.” – Mike [19:43]
• Repeat excellence with different coaches and QBs; aggressive in free agency and draft.
• Willingness to “admit mistakes and move on” (Justin Jefferson/Jalen Reagor, Carson Wentz trades).
• “They're willing to put the cash out,” setting the bar for resourcefulness.

5. Debate for the Final Spot

Primary Contenders:

• Green Bay Packers: Consistency, no single owner, excellent drafting, seamless QB transitions (Favre-Rodgers-Love). “You know what you're going to get with Green Bay—a respectable team every year.” – Dan [23:39]
• Detroit Lions: Praised for recent culture change and expected long-term trajectory, but hosts note shorter sample size (only 2–3 years of success). “They have pulled themselves out of the pit.” – Jenna [25:45]
• Los Angeles Rams: Mike’s pick based on recent Super Bowl wins and enduring coaching/front office stability, though others question their long-term plan post-Stafford.

Other Mentioned:

• San Francisco 49ers for consistent contention, but recent turbulence and cap issues noted.
• Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers as “ascending” or “falling,” but not top five.

Personal Rankings (as shared by hosts at [33:55]–[34:44]):

• Jenna: Chiefs, Eagles, Bills, Ravens, Lions
• Dan: Eagles, Chiefs, Bills, Ravens, Packers
• Mike: Eagles, Chiefs, Bills, Ravens, Rams

The 5 Worst NFL Franchises (2025 Edition)

1. Cleveland Browns

• Universally considered the worst, mainly for fully guaranteeing Deshaun Watson’s contract, repeated organizational missteps, and mishandling quarterbacks.
• “They made him the first player with a fully guaranteed contract. It was a disastrous decision.” – Mike [39:43]
• Lost Baker Mayfield, who is now thriving elsewhere. Ownership, draft, and cap management called “bad.”

2. New Orleans Saints

• Once mighty with Drew Brees, now “a mess” due to cap mismanagement, failed resets, poor drafting, and questionable facilities.
• “Terrible with the cap, terrible decisions in the draft, doubling down on things and not getting the results.” – Mike [36:17]
• Criticized for refusing to hit reset and sacrificing flexibility for false contention.

3. New York Jets

• Longest playoff drought and persistent dysfunction, despite flashes of talent.
• “Dysfunctional, poor ownership… It's 14 years and counting.” – Mike [47:49]
• Noted for some talented pieces (Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson), but inability to convert into wins or culture shift.

4. Dallas Cowboys

• Cited for perpetual underachievement and self-inflicted drama despite major-market advantages.
• “The Cowboys should not be one of those teams that consistently finds ways to get in their own way.” – Dan [41:02]
• Jerry Jones’s involvement, contract “sideshow,” and no NFC championship appearances in 29 years.
• Comparisons to Bengals (similarly slow to adapt but less resources).

5. Other Notably Poor Franchises

Consensus for fifth spot less clear; top mentions include:

• New York Giants: Recent dysfunction, poor coach/QB turnover (e.g., “Tommy Cutlets under center”), and inability to leverage historic success post-2010.
• Arizona Cardinals & Chicago Bears: Labeled as forgettable/poorly run, especially Chicago for repeating “dumb moves” (stadium uncertainty, coaching carousel).
• Carolina Panthers: “Disaster” under new, inexperienced owner; failed to capitalize since Cam Newton era.
• Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars: Picked for recent instability, “floundering” without progress, and failed coaching hires.

Notable Quotes

• “Shortcuts, short and long-term success.” — Dan quoting Sam Presti on rebuilding the right way [18:10]
• “Crab cakes and football. That's what Maryland does.” — Dan, on Baltimore’s distinctive identity [07:32]
• “They have the longest streak without making the [NFC] championship game… 29 straight years.” — Mike on the Cowboys’ futility [44:50]
• “Spend cash. Over and above, which not everybody does.” — Mike on Pegula and Bills ownership [18:36]
• “That's a layup.” — Jenna on picking the Browns as a worst franchise [39:25]
• “Some owners are cheap… It's Jerry.” — Dan, critiquing Jerry Jones’s self-inflicted Cowboys drama [43:10]

Important Segments (Timestamps)

• [03:07] — Start of ‘Best Franchises’ discussion; Ravens introduction.
• [07:44] — Chiefs and their dynasty credentials.
• [12:01] — Why the Bills are now a top five franchise.
• [19:43] — Eagles’ Jeffrey Lurie as “best owner in pro sports.”
• [23:27] — Packers and the argument for Green Bay.
• [25:35] — Debate on the Lions and whether their run is sustainable.
• [29:14] — Rams discussion as a possible top five organizational example.
• [32:08] — 49ers’ strengths and ongoing contract drama.
• [34:44] — Unanimous selections and each host’s rankings.
• [35:11] — ‘Worst Franchises’ segment start.
• [36:17] — Breakdown of the Saints’ downfall.
• [39:19] — Browns as the “layup” for the NFL’s worst-run team.
• [41:02] — Cowboys labeled as “bottom five” due to wasted opportunities.
• [47:49] — Jets’ failures and inability to capitalize on talent.

Memorable Moments

• Repeated jokes about media lunches (especially Saints’ “saddest box lunch you've ever seen” [36:33]).
• “Crab cakes and football!”—a classic, lighthearted regional reference [07:32].
• Spirited debate over whether the Lions’ recent surge is sustainable or merely a “flash in the pan.”
• Playful ribbing about who’s more optimistic or focused on recent history vs. long-standing achievements.

Final Thought

The episode offers a thorough, fast-paced, and occasionally humorous exploration of NFL franchise health. It balances nostalgia, a journalist’s eye for process, and on-field outcomes, giving fans not just lists but the logic and observations behind them. The conversation underscores how easily a franchise can fall from grace or, with the right leadership, rise to sustained relevance.

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