Best all-time NFL records

[RedinTexas]

****Updated through 2023-24 season****

The NFL began in 1920 and there are only 2 teams that remain from the original league, the Bears and the Cardinals. There have been 49 NFL teams that folded and all existing teams started in widely varying years. Because of that, teams have played wildly different quality of opponents and widely varying numbers of games. However, given all of that, here are the top 10 teams in all-time winning percentage:

1) Dallas Cowboys - 562-413-6 .576 (up .002 from last year)

2) Green Bay Packers - 799-598-38 .570 (down .001 from last year)

3) Baltimore Ravens - 256-194-1 .569 (up .008 from last year)

4) New England Patriots - 541-433-9 .555 (down .006 from last year)

5) Chicago Bears - 793-634-42 .556 (down .002 from last year)

6) Miami Dolphins - 496-399-4 .554 (up .002 from last year)

7) Kansas City Chiefs - 532-439-12 .547 (up .001 from last year and up one spot in these standings)

8) Minnesota Vikings - 523-435-11 .545 (down .007 from last year and down one spot in these standings)

9) San Francisco 49ers - 586-501-14 .539 (up .003 from last year)

10) Pittsburgh Steelers - 671-578-22 .537 (up .001 from last year)

The Bears and Packers both benefited from playing a lot of bad teams that folded shortly after founding. The Ravens were established in 1996, but were actually the Cleveland Browns, so they were a fully formed franchise from the very start and did not suffer the pains of an expansion team.

[I removed the speculation here about where we might finish in the next season. I'll come back and address that sometime before next season starts.]

I also broke down the numbers into the NFL divisions and found the following winning percentages:

1) NFC North .532 (unchanged)

2) AFC West .521 (down .001 from last year)

3) NFC East .520 (unchanged)

4) AFC East .508 (unchanged)

5) AFC North .508 (up .002 from last year)

6) NFC West .490 (up .001 from last year)

7) AFC South .484 (unchanged)

8) NFC South .442 (down .001 from last year)

The AFC West is also the only division in which every team is over .500. The NFC South is the only division in which every team is under .500.

Finally, I don't know whether this last comparison is meaningful, but in all-time records:

1) AFC .507 (unchanged)

2) NFC .502 (down .001 from last year)

[Direckshun]

This is outstanding information.

[wazu]

What I see is the Chiefs are the winningest team in the toughest division in the best conference.

[RedinTexas]

I should have included in the all-time wins rankings:

13) Denver Broncos - 500-456-10 .523

14) Oakland Raiders - 497-458-11 .520

17) Los Angeles Chargers - 478-477-11 .501

[notorious]

Originally Posted by RedinTexas

I should have included in the all-time wins rankings:

13) Denver Broncos - 500-456-10 .523

14) Oakland Raiders - 497-458-11 .520

17) Los Angeles Chargers - 478-477-11 .501

The last 20 years have been HARD on the Raid.

[Mile High Mania]

Originally Posted by notorious

The last 20 years have been HARD on the Raid.

Hell, over the last 30 years... 24 of their seasons have been .500 or less. That's insane to think about with them still being over .500 in all-time wins.

[MarkDavis'Haircut]

Originally Posted by notorious

The last 20 years have been HARD on the Raid.

But good for the wallet. No expensive playoff tickets.

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by MarkDavis'Haircut

But good for the wallet. No expensive playoff tickets.

Just wait for the first playoff home game prices in that 6 billion dollar Roomba......

[tyecopeland]

Originally Posted by Bowser

Just wait for the first playoff home game prices in that 6 billion dollar Roomba......

Just don't hold your breath for it.

Or do, nobody would mind one less raider fan.

[MarkDavis'Haircut]

Originally Posted by Bowser

Just wait for the first playoff home game prices in that 6 billion dollar Roomba......

Patience is a virtue.

[lawrenceRaider]

Originally Posted by RedinTexas

I should have included in the all-time wins rankings:

13) Denver Broncos - 500-456-10 .523

14) Oakland Raiders - 497-458-11 .520

17) Los Angeles Chargers - 478-477-11 .501

As bad as we've been the last 30+ years, its amazing we are still over .500.

[MarkDavis'Haircut]

Originally Posted by lawrenceRaider

As bad as we've been the last 30+ years, its amazing we are still over .500.

Mark cares more about his WNBA team.

[MarkDavis'Haircut]

Good stuff, Red.

Just one quibble. There were many defunct teams from the 1920s. But remember many a good team from that era shut down due to financial issues. It would be interesting to separate the Bears and Packers' records against the good and bad defunct teams.

[RedinTexas]

Originally Posted by MarkDavis'Haircut

Good stuff, Red.

Just one quibble. There were many defunct teams from the 1920s. But remember many a good team from that era shut down due to financial issues. It would be interesting to separate the Bears and Packers' records against the good and bad defunct teams.

Looking into the records of all the NFL teams I found that every single team with games against defunct teams, except for the Steelers, had their winning percentages reduced by removing those games. Eleven teams had games played against defunct teams, but only 2 of those are currently in the AFC. Of those two teams, the Steeler and the Browns, each played fewer than 50 games against those opponents. On the other end, the Bears, Cardinals, Packers, and Giants each had more than 100 such games. I put together the list again and found the following:

1) Dallas Cowboys - 550-408-6 .574

2) Baltimore Ravens - 243-190-1 .561

3) New England Patriots - 537-420-9 .561

4) Green Bay Packers - 712-573-30 .553

5) Miami Dolphins - 485-393-4 .552

6) Minnesota Vikings - 516-425-11 .552

7) Kansas City Chiefs - 521-433-12 .546

8) Pittsburgh Steelers - 643-556-20 .536

9) Chicago Bears - 696-607-28 .533

10) Indianapolis Colts - 547-493-8 .526

The Chiefs are one position higher in these standings and could actually move up as high as #2 this year with a lot of breaks. It's more likely that we could move up 2 spots at the most.

The divisional breakdown looks like this:

1) AFC West .522

2) NFC North .518

3) NFC East .512

4) AFC East .508

5) AFC North .506

6) AFC South .484

7) NFC West .482

8) NFC South .443

Finally, the breakdown of the AFC and NFC all-time win percentages makes a little more sense:

1) AFC .506

2) NFC .494

[MarkDavis'Haircut]

Originally Posted by RedinTexas

Looking into the records of all the NFL teams I found that every single team with games against defunct teams, except for the Steelers, had their winning percentages reduced by removing those games. Eleven teams had games played against defunct teams, but only 2 of those are currently in the AFC. Of those two teams, the Steeler and the Browns, each played fewer than 50 games against those opponents. On the other end, the Bears, Cardinals, Packers, and Giants each had more than 100 such games. I put together the list again and found the following:

1) Dallas Cowboys - 550-408-6 .574

2) Baltimore Ravens - 243-190-1 .561

3) New England Patriots - 537-420-9 .561

4) Green Bay Packers - 712-573-30 .553

5) Miami Dolphins - 485-393-4 .552

6) Minnesota Vikings - 516-425-11 .552

7) Kansas City Chiefs - 521-433-12 .546

8) Pittsburgh Steelers - 643-556-20 .536

9) Chicago Bears - 696-607-28 .533

10) Indianapolis Colts - 547-493-8 .526

The Chiefs are one position higher in these standings and could actually move up as high as #2 this year with a lot of breaks. It's more likely that we could move up 2 spots at the most.

The divisional breakdown looks like this:

1) AFC West .522

2) NFC North .518

3) NFC East .512

4) AFC East .508

5) AFC North .506

6) AFC South .484

7) NFC West .482

8) NFC South .443

Finally, the breakdown of the AFC and NFC all-time win percentages makes a little more sense:

1) AFC .506

2) NFC .494

Top-notch research, sir.

Bring back the Canton Bulldogs and Providence Steamroller!