NFL's most and least optimistic fan bases entering 2026 season: Non-playoff team takes No. 1 spot — SkimNews
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- Casino.ca surveyed 5,000 fans across all 32 NFL teams, identifying quarterback confidence, coaching trust, offseason satisfaction, and directional belief as the common denominators for optimism.
- The New York Jets rank dead last at No. 32, with the source citing 15 consecutive non-playoff seasons and 14 losing seasons since their back-to-back AFC title game appearances.
- The Cleveland Browns rank No. 31 with only two playoff berths since returning to the NFL in 1999, though they hired new head coach Todd Monken and added three rookie receivers this offseason.
- The Seattle Seahawks are tied at No. 2 as defending Super Bowl champions, featuring Jaxon Smith-Njigba, whom the source identifies as the NFL's leader in receiving yards.
- The Philadelphia Eagles rank No. 4, with the source drawing a direct parallel between their turbulent 2025 and the 2023 season that preceded their 2024 Super Bowl win.
- The Denver Broncos rank No. 5, buoyed by what the source calls the NFL's top defense and the offseason acquisition of wideout Jaylen Waddle, though Bo Nix's health is flagged as critical.
Why it matters: The rankings reveal a sharp optimism divide tied to quarterback play and recent results: teams with stable QB-coach combinations and postseason momentum (Seattle, Philadelphia, Denver) sit in the top five, while franchises mired in decade-plus losing streaks (Jets, Browns, Titans) anchor the bottom. The survey gives franchises like Las Vegas and Arizona a measurable baseline for whether their offseason investments — like the Raiders' No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza — are converting into fan belief.
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