NFL fan base confidence rating: Where does your team stand?

As the NFL turns its attention toward coaching changes, roster shakeups, the Super Bowl and draft season, fan confidence varies wildly from city to city. Below, Yardbarker NFL writers ranked every NFL fan base on a simple scale: "1" means sky-high confidence, while "5" represents a franchise staring into the abyss. 

(2025 regular-season record in parentheses.)

NFC East

DALLAS COWBOYS (7-9-1) | Fan base confidence rating: 4 | Even the most optimistic Cowboys fan knows the team is languishing in mediocrity, without a clear path forward. QB Dak Prescott had the second-highest expected points per attempt (106.8), but without a league-average defense or cohesive plan around him, the ceiling will remain low for the Cowboys.

NEW YORK GIANTS (4-13) | Fan base confidence rating: 1 | It may be hard to understand why a fan base that just watched their team go 4-13 is confident, but hiring a new head coach with the 14th-most wins in NFL history will make any downtrodden fan optimistic. With John Harbaugh now at the helm, the needed change is coming to the Giants as the franchise tries to reclaim its glory days. With a young core headlined by QB Jaxson Dart, Harbaugh is poised to mold the team into a winner that Giants fans can enjoy.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (11-6) | Fan base confidence rating: 2 | Ask Eagles fans about their underwhelming one-and-done in the playoffs and it may sound like the fan base is at its lowest. But the Eagles are coming off winning their second Super Bowl championship in a decade, and the excellent roster will largely remain the same next season. If the team can fix its offensive issues, the Eagles should be back in the championship hunt in 2026.

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (5-12) | Fan base confidence rating: 3 | Washington football fans have experienced the depths of hell, and while their 5-12 season was anything but delightful, the team is only a year removed from an NFC Championship Game appearance. Yes, a roster overhaul is needed, but with QB Jayden Daniels set to return from injury, there’s no reason Commanders fans should think they’re returning to their darkest days. They have the QB; it’s time to properly build around him. — Conor Killmurray

NFC West

ARIZONA CARDINALS  (3-14) | Fan base confidence rating: 5 | There's not much for Cardinals fans to be pleased about. Arizona has not appeared in the playoffs since the 2021 season and finished this season on a nine-game losing streak. With QB Kyler Murray’s future in doubt and a vacant head-coaching position after the firing of Jonathan Gannon, the Cardinals appear to be stuck until significant changes are made.

LOS ANGELES RAMS  (12-5) | Fan base confidence rating: 2 | It's hard not to be confident in the Rams as they sit one win from the Super Bowl. QB Matthew Stafford led the NFL in passing TDs (46) and passing yards (4,707), while wide receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams led the league in receptions (129) and TD catches (14), respectively. An inconsistent stretch entering the playoffs and the uncertain future of Stafford are concerns, but there is a lot to like about the direction of this franchise.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS  (12-5) | Fan base confidence rating: 3 | The 2025 season was another instance of the 49ers falling short under head coach Kyle Shanahan. A late-season surge and the team’s ability to overcome key injuries throughout the season cannot be ignored. However, the $120M mistake with WR Brandon Aiyuk and two lopsided losses to the Seattle Seahawks in two of their last three games ended the season on a sour note.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS  (14-3) | Fan base confidence rating: 1 | How can this be anything but a 1 for the Seahawks under second-year HC Mike Macdonald? On the heels of their first Super Bowl appearance since the 2014 season, the Seahawks are led by their league-leading defense (16.6 PPG) and WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who recorded a league-best 1,793 receiving yards. Quarterback Sam Darnold, a nice surprise, completed a career-high 67.7% of his passes during the regular season. — Colby Colwell

NFC North

CHICAGO BEARS (11-6) | Fan base confidence rating: 1 | How could this be anything but a 1 after the magical season from head coach Ben Johnson and QB Caleb Williams? Williams, who nearly led the Bears to the NFC Championship Game and was brilliant in the clutch all season, is on a trajectory to become one of the few elite QBs in the NFL. If the Bears can improve their pass rush, they’ll be a top Super Bowl contender in 2026.

DETROIT LIONS (9-8) | Fan base confidence rating: 3 | The Lions won’t panic about missing the playoffs this season because of the many injuries they suffered, but fans can’t be as confident as they were heading into the previous two offseasons. The defense is a major question with defensive tackles D.J. Reader and Roy Lopez, linebacker Alex Anzalone, cornerback Amik Robertson and edges Marcus Davenport and Al-Quadin Muhammad set to hit free agency, and fans should not be thrilled about Drew Petzing taking over as offensive coordinator after his disappointing stint in Arizona. 

GREEN BAY PACKERS (9-7-1) | Fan base confidence rating: 2 | Green Bay fans might be disappointed with head coach Matt LaFleur after the Packers blew a 21-3 lead to the Bears in the wild-card round, marking the fifth straight season of failing to reach the NFC Championship Game, but this team is built to contend for a Super Bowl next season. After LB Micah Parsons suffered a torn ACL in Week 15, the Packers lost their last four games in the regular season. Getting Parsons and tight end Tucker Kraft back from injury will propel Green Bay to the top tier in the NFC. 

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (9-8) | Fan base confidence rating: 3 | This could easily be a 4, but patience is necessary here after QB J.J. McCarthy threw 11 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions and missed games because of injury in his first season as a starter. The Michigan product deserves another year to prove he can be a franchise QB, and the defense should be a top unit if Brian Flores returns as DC. Note: Vikings fans will be distraught if Sam Darnold leads the Seahawks to a Super Bowl. — Jack Dougherty

NFC South

ATLANTA FALCONS (8-9) | Fan base confidence rating: 3 | After failing to get any more than a cursory glance from John Harbaugh, the Falcons successfully pivoted to candidate No. 2 in their head coach search, another former AFC North coach in Kevin Stefanski, who was fired by the Cleveland Browns. His arrival may have QB Kirk Cousins, who he worked alongside in 2018-19 with the Minnesota Vikings, reconsider wanting to leave in free agency. Stefanski’s track record of emphasizing the run also implies even bigger things could lie ahead for star running back Bijan Robinson, which should be cause for celebration among Falcons fans.

CAROLINA PANTHERS (8-9) | Fan base confidence rating: 2 | The Panthers nearly pulled off one of the biggest upsets in playoff history against the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round, proving head coach Dave Canales has Carolina trending in the right direction heading into his third season. The front office’s decision to take things cautiously with QB Bryce Young, who has been frustratingly inconsistent since his 2023 rookie season, is also a positive. The Arizona Cardinals with Kyler Murray and the Miami Dolphins with Tua Tagovailoa serve as cautionary tales in handing out massive QB extensions.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (6-11) | Fan base confidence rating: 3 | Despite missing the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season, the Saints ended the season on a high note, going 5-3 over their last eight games — including a four-game win streak from Weeks 14-17. Plus, they may have found a long-term answer at QB in rookie Tyler Shough. He was part of a rookie class ESPN ranked as the best in 2025, which, for a team that had no playoff aspirations entering the season, is a mark of success. With the right offseason moves, New Orleans can contend for a division title in 2026, something that would have felt impossible after the team fell to 1-8 on Nov. 2.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (8-9) | Fan base confidence rating: 4 | Tampa Bay’s four-year run atop the NFC South ended, raising questions about this roster’s contending window and whether it may have closed. Head coach Todd Bowles is 36-36 (including playoffs) in four seasons, and QB Baker Mayfield struggled during the team’s 2-7 finish, completing 62.4 percent of his pass attempts for 1,774 yards (6.5 yards per attempt) and 14 total touchdowns. (He also had 11 turnovers.) Per Sports Info Solutions, wide receivers Emeka Egbuka (65.6 percent) and Mike Evans (66.7 percent) had the lowest catchable ball rate among wideouts and tight ends with at least 60 targets during the regular season, further highlighting Mayfield’s concerning decline. — Eric Smithling

AFC East

BUFFALO BILLS (12-5) | Fan base confidence rating: 3 | Bills fans must be wondering what more it is going to take to finally get back to a Super Bowl. That has become more complicated recently after the firing of head coach Sean McDermott and owner Terry Pegula’s disastrous presser. With QB Josh Allen heading into his age-30 season, a sense of urgency exists. 

MIAMI DOLPHINS  (7-10) | Fan base confidence rating: 4 | Dolphins fans are restless. They should be. The team hasn't won a playoff game since the 2000 season. The team fired head coach Mike McDaniel, and QB Tua Tagovailoa’s future with the team remains uncertain after his benching for rookie Quinn Ewers for the final three games. 

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS  (14-3) | Fan base confidence rating: 1 | Anything besides a 1 would be a disservice to the incredible job by head coach Mike Vrabel. One win away from its first Super Bowl appearance since the 2018 season, New England has exceeded expectations.  QB Drake Maye is an MVP candidate, and the third-ranked defense (17.8 PPG) has shone.

NEW YORK JETS  (3-14) | Fan base confidence rating: 5 | What else is there to say about the Jets after another wasted season? Even with defensive-minded head coach Aaron Glenn leading the way, the Jets became the first team since 1933 to have zero interceptions in a season. It cannot get much worse if you are a Jets fan, but with two first-round draft picks in 2026 and some young talent on the current roster, there must be a light at the end of the tunnel eventually, right? — Colby Colwell

AFC West

DENVER BRONCOS  (14-3) | Fan base confidence rating: 1 | Broncos fans should remain highly optimistic, even if backup QB Jarrett Stidham doesn’t lead them to an upset over the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, CBS). (Starting QB Bo Nix suffered a broken right ankle in a 33-30 overtime win over the Bills in the divisional round and is sidelined.) With a brilliant head coach in Sean Payton and a deep roster that features cornerback Patrick Surtain II, Denver should remain in Super Bowl contention in 2026. 

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS  (6-11) | Fan base confidence rating: 3 | The Chiefs are entering a reboot after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014. QB Patrick Mahomes — who suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in December — is targeting a Week 1 return. Mahomes alone, though, won't plug all their offensive holes (21.3 points per game in 2025, No. 21 in the NFL).  

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS  (3-14) | Fan base confidence rating: 5 | Good luck to presumptive No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza; the Indiana Hoosiers QB will need plenty of it to make it in Vegas... if the team picks him, as expected. The Raiders have gone 7-27 over their past 34 games and are looking for a new HC after firing Super Bowl XLVIII champion Pete Carroll. 

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS  (11-6) | Fan base confidence rating: 2 | Chargers fans may be growing frustrated that QB Justin Herbert is 0-3 in the playoffs, but the expected hire of Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator could vault the QB to the next level. While McDaniel served as Dolphins HC from 2022-25, he helped Tua Tagovailoa, a less talented QB than Herbert, earn a Pro Bowl nod. Pair better QB play with a stingy defense (20 PPG against, No. 9 in the NFL) and the Bolts should compete for the division crown in 2026.  — Clark Dalton

AFC North

BALTIMORE RAVENS  (8-9) | Fan base confidence rating: 2 | They have a two-time MVP QB in Lamar Jackson in the prime of his career and a recent track record for contention. There is a lot to be said for that and a lot of reasons to be excited about what this team can still do. The Ravens are taking a chance by replacing a successful head coach in John Harbaugh with former Chargers DC Jesse Minter, but sometimes talented teams just need a new voice. 

CINCINNATI BENGALS (6-11) | Fan base confidence rating: 4 | Having a QB as good as Joe Burrow should give a fan base all of the optimism in the world, but the Bengals have made the playoffs just two times in his six seasons, and all of that losing seems to be taking a toll on him. Cincinnati has chased away a franchise QB (Carson Palmer) before because of the franchise’s perpetual losing. Could it happen again?

CLEVELAND BROWNS  (5-12) | Fan base confidence rating: 5 | There is always the chance they can get the new head-coaching hire correct, but the Browns had a pretty good head coach in Kevin Stefanski, who could not consistently win with him and was then fired. There is talent on the roster, but not enough, and certainly not enough at the most important position. Jimmy Haslem’s ownership group rarely gets anything right. 
 
PITTSBURGH STEELERS  (10-7) | Fan base confidence rating: 3 | The team's track record for hiring head coaches is wildly impressive (only Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin since 1969), but Art Rooney II has never actually had to do the hiring. He must get a new coach who can get it right at QB, or the Steelers will continue to tread water.  — Adam Gretz

AFC South

HOUSTON TEXANS (12-5) | Fan base confidence rating: 2 | The Texans won six straight to close the regular season and dominated the Steelers 30-6 in the opening round of the playoffs. DeMeco Ryans went 12-5 in his third season as the head coach in Houston and has led the team to the playoffs all three years. But QB C.J. Stroud has not recaptured his NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year form, a big concern.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (8-9) | Fan base confidence rating: 3 | A promising season took a disastrous turn when veteran QB Daniel Jones suffered a torn Achilles in Week 14. Jones had been enjoying a career revival before that, and he is now headed for free agency. The Colts finished with a losing record after looking like a legitimate contender for three months, and it is impossible to ignore the questions they have at the most important position.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS  (13-4) | Fan base confidence rating: 2 | The Jaguars are coming off a first-round playoff loss to the Bills, but they experienced a complete turnaround under first-year head coach Liam Coen. QB Trevor Lawrence played at an MVP-caliber level while leading Jacksonville to eight straight wins to close the regular season. Given where their team was a year ago, Jags fans should feel plenty optimistic despite the disappointing postseason result.

TENNESSEE TITANS  (3-14) | Fan base confidence rating: 5 | The Titans have a new head coach (Robert Saleh) following their second consecutive season with only three wins. QB Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, struggled during his rookie season, finishing with 3,169 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions. It's far too early to say whether Ward is a legitimate franchise cornerstone, but Tennessee fans do not have much to be excited about heading into next season. — Steve DelVecchio