1. Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs
2. Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers
3. Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams
4. Sean Payton , Denver Broncos
5. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers
6. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
7. Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles Chargers
8. Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns
9. Mike McCarthy, Dallas Cowboys
10. Doug Peterson, Jacksonville Jaguars
Most people are probably asking: “What is the Logan Mankins Curse?” The Logan Mankins Curse refers to a player who played for the Pats during the Brady-Belichick era, but did not win a ring. I call it the Logan Mankins Curse because he was drafted by the Pats in 2005 (right after they won 3 Super Bowls from 2001-2004) and was traded away weeks before the 2014 season (in which the Pats won the first of 3 Super Bowls from 2014-2018). I want to be clear: this is not named after him as a slight or because he was bad. Logan Mankins is a Hall of Fame worthy player and one of the best Pats of all time. His career with them just happened to be during the 9 season span they didn’t win (2005-2013).
I will be ranking players based on how good they were with the Pats, not how good their careers were overall.
1. Randy Moss, WR
One of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history and he was arguably at his best with the Pats. It’s such a shame they couldn’t get a ring for an all-time great player.
2. Logan Mankins, Guard
As talked about in the intro, this guy was a beast. He was a six time All-Pro with the Pats and he deserved a ring more than anyone else on this list.
3. Wes Welker, WR
A better regular season version of Julian Edelman, Welker was the perfect complement to Randy Moss and thrived while playing with Brady. He came up short twice with the Pats.
4. Aaron Hernandez, TE
He is now remembered for the awful things he did off the field more than anything else. On the field, he was super talented and along with Gronk gave the Pats a devastating TE combo.
5. Brandon Meriweather, Saftey
He was a very underrated player and could absolutely lay guys out. People don’t play the game like him anymore due to rule changes.
6. BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Running Back
An all-time nickname (Law Firm), hard running style, and lack of fumbling made him a great fit in New England. He brought that great hard-nosed running style before we had LeGarrette Blount.
7. Danny Woodhead, Running Back
He was such a gritty and talented pass catcher who complemented the Pats playing style so well.
8. Aqib Talib, Corner Back
He only played here a year, but was an All-Pro and Pro Bowler for us.
9. Brandin Cooks, WR
He also came in for just a year, but helped us get to a Super Bowl as our WR1 when Edelman was out in 2017.
10. Matt Cassell, QB
He was better after the Pats, but still managed to come in and lead the Pats to 11 wins after Brady went down in 2008.
Bonus Fun Fact: In doing the research for this blog, I realized that during the 2010 season, the Pats had Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, Deion Branch, Kevin Faulk, Rob Gronkowski, and Aaron Hernandez all at the same time. I know that some players were early in the careers and some later, but to have all that talent on the same team is crazy. And it’s no surprise Brady won MVP that year.
1 Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
2 Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins
3 CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
4 Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
5 AJ Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
6 Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
7 Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders
8 Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Bucs
9 DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
10 Garrett Wilson, New York Jets
There are many reasons why most Patriots fans, including myself, believe Drake Maye will fair much better than Mac Jones. Below are my reasons, some obvious and some not so much.
Drake Maye has much more talent than Mac Jones. Physically he is slightly bigger at 6’4″, 230 lbs vs Mac at 6’3″ 220. He also is much more athletic and has such a better arm than Mac does.
Maye also produced in a much harder situation than Mac. Mac was aided by the greatest college football coach ever and maybe the greatest wide receiver room in college football history. Maye dealt with much more difficulty and still stood out.
Maye seems like intangibly he is also better than Mac. Mac had a tendency to pout and have poor body language, whereas Maye seems to have a better attitude, which I think is important. When the going gets tough, you want a QB who weathers the storm instead of complaining about the storm.
For all of Mac’s shortcomings, he really had no help offensively, as the Pats have had the worst offensive skill talent in the league since Brady left and their offensive line play was poor too. They are still very much a work in progress, but they did use significant draft capital on WRs and Oline this year. Hopefully, the Pats will continue to build the offense around Maye and give him viable options and protection.
Maye also benefits from not being the heir apparent franchise QB to Tom Brady. That is nearly an impossible role to live up to and Mac didn’t come close. Now that Pats fans have endured a couple shitty seasons, their expectations are not as high as the immediate Post-Brady era.
This will be the most controversial, but I think Maye will actually benefit from not having the greatest coach of all time lead the Patriots. The Bill vs Tom debate created lots of controversy and pressure for everyone in Foxboro. I believe it influenced Bill to go for broke in terms of winning and he simply tried a quick reload, instead of a full on rebuild that the Pats realistically needed. Now that he’s gone, they can focus on rebuilding correctly and getting back to winning championships.
Below are the top 10 sports cities in the United States. Factors included how many Big Four teams each city had, the passion of the fanbases, the success of the teams, whether teams have recently left there, and whether teams in the city exist that no one cares about. Just because a city has a lot of teams does not automatically put it on here. Having no teams in a sport goes against you, but also having a team that no one cares about (i.e. the Angels in LA) hurts a city’s ranking.
Titletown is an easy top choice. First off, Boston has the best sports fans in the entire world. All four sports teams in the city are heavily followed and cared about. No NFL team has won more Super Bowls than the Patriots and they boast the greatest football player and coach of all time. The Red Sox have the most famous stadium in all of American sports and have won more World Series this century than any other team. The Bruins are the oldest American team in the NHL and hockey in Massachusetts is massively popular. Last, but not least, no NBA team has won more championships than the Celtics. In addition to the great teams, Boston has had the best collection of athletes out of any city and Boston’s Sports Mount Rushmore of Tom Brady, Bill Russell, Ted Williams, and Bobby Orr is light years ahead of anyone else’s.
Chicago is a great sports town that has five franchises that are deeply cared about. The Bears are one of the oldest NFL teams. Despite not having a lot of success, they are a well-known and cared about team in the city. The Cubs play in the 2nd most famous stadium in American sports and have tons of history and great players. The White Sox are not as prestigious as the Cubs, but still have a loyal following. The Blackhawks are an Original Six NHL team and the had the only NHL dynasty this century. The Chicago Bulls are one of the best NBA teams of all time. They also had the greatest NBA player and maybe athlete of all time in Michael Jordan.
The Giants are one of the best NFL franchises of all time and had the greatest defensive player ever in Lawrence Taylor. However, the Jets are an embarrassment that taints NYC’s football image. The Yankees are an all-time great sports franchise and the best franchise in MLB history. No other team boasts the championships and players that have come through the Bronx. Their logo has become a cultural symbol, which speaks to the success of the team. The Mets have struggled though and slightly bring down New York’s baseball rating. The Rangers are an Original Six team, the Islanders had one of the best dynasties in NHL history, and the Devils have also had success making the city’s hockey teams extremely impressive. Basketball is a different story as the Knicks and Nets are two of the most under performing franchises in any league. NYC also gets points for having Madison Square Garden, which is the most famous arena in the world. In terms of fans, people go to games, but a fair share don’t seem to be true fans and are mainly just there to have something to do.
As annoying and downright messed up as Philly fans can be, you have to concede that they love their teams as much as any other city does which boosts their score. The Eagles have a long history, some great players, and some recent success. The Phillies have a loyal following and are currently an exciting team. The 76ers are an all-time NBA franchise and have had many great players. The Flyers are one of the most legendary non-Original Six teams.
Detroit is extremely underrated as a sports city. The Lions have had iconic players like Barry Sanders, but not much success until lately. That being said, there were reports this year that Detroit’s drop in crime was due to the Lions being so good. The Red Wings are an Original Six team and one of the best teams in NHL history. The Pistons have had some all-time teams and the Tigers are one of the oldest teams in the MLB.
It all starts with the Broncos in Denver. They have had the privilege of two of the greatest QBs of all time and their team has had a lot of success. The Avalanche have historically been good, and are currently filled with stars. The Nuggets are probably the best team in the NBA right now and have the best player in the league. The Rockies lag behind the rest of the teams, but having been to a game at Coors Field, it’s a pretty cool place to watch a game.
The first city on this list without 4 major teams. The fact they made it, speaks to the success of their teams. The Steelers may be the most impressive NFL Franchise ever in terms of how much they’ve won and the legends that have put on the black and gold. The Penguins likewise have been super successful and have had some of the greatest NHL players ever. The Pirates also have a rich history and some all-time greats, even if they haven’t had the same recent success as the other two.
Not surprisingly, football carries this Texas city’s sports culture. The Cowboys are the most expensive sports franchise in the world (and it isn’t even close). They have had amazing players and tremendous success, despite underwhelming the past 30 years. The Mavericks are a popular team and like the Cowboys, are buoyed by an extremely famous owner. The Rangers just won their first World Series and appear on the come up. The Stars lack behind the others, but the fact a Texas city can support a hockey team and they get lots of people at their games is impressive in itself.
Had the Commanders not had an awkward last 5 years and a terrible owner who made the team a laughing stock, they may be higher. They still have had success in their history with three Super Bowls and people care about the team. The Capitals have a deep following, which has been aided by an all-time great player in Alexander Ovechkin. The Nats likewise are well liked and have had recent success. The team that lacks behind all the others is the Wizards, which is one of the worst franchises in the NBA.
The Bay Area barley sneaks in because they have such large discrepancies between their teams. The 49ers are one of the most popular franchises in the NFL and have had many all-time greats. On the flip-side, the Raiders abandoned Oakland for Vegas. For baseball, there is a similar situation playing out. The Giants are a legendary team and have had a lot of recent success, but the Oakland A’s want to leave Oakland even though no one else wants them, creating an awkward situation for everyone. The Golden State Warriors dominated the NBA for a decade, forming the best dynasty since the 90s Bulls and are super popular. The Sharks are not very popular and bring the overall area down.
This is an odd list to make as opposed to my list on most hated teams in sports. Most fans really only like the teams that they root for, and anyone outside of that is either irrelevant or hated. This list is the teams that fans of other organizations like for various reasons.
Army Black Knights Football and Navy Midshipmen Football (tie)
This one speaks for itself. The fact all the people on these teams are joining the military to fight for our country, makes them so easy to root for. The legendary game they play each year is also one of the best events in sports.
Buffalo Bills
They are loveable for two reasons: their fans and the fact they keep coming up short. You can make the argument that Bills fans are the best in all of sports. Despite the terrible upstate New York weather, they come out to games in full force. The lack of success in big moments also leads fans of other teams to feel for the Bills
Boston Red Sox
For years they were the loveable losers, bound by the Curse of the Bambino. They have shaken off that curse this century, but still have fans all over the country and are a well-liked team. Having the most iconic stadium in sports in Fenway Park helps their mystique.
Green Bay Packers
Despite being a super successful franchise, they are not hated at all. The combination of being from a small city, being owned by shareholders rather than a billionaire, and the iconic Lambeau Field make the Packers easy to like.
Chicago Cubs
They have a lot of the same traits as the Red Sox with having overcome a long drought and having a legendary stadium.
UConn Huskies Basketball
They are the anti blue blood college basketball program. Whereas other successful CBB teams have an air of superiority, they have been spectacular the past 25 years, but still feel like a blue collar program
Detroit Lions
This is a team that has long suffered from not achieving despite having great players like Calvin Johnson and Barry Sanders. They are a legendary franchise that’s easy to root for.
St. Louis Cardinals
An iconic franchise with some of the best jerseys in sports makes them easy to like. The backdrop of their stadium and the surrounding area is also awesome.
Oregon Ducks Football
This is mainly due to their connection with Nike. Oregon is known for having such cool uniforms and going against the traditional teams like Michigan and Alabama, and it’s super interesting.
Being a hated team in sports gets more of a bad rap than it should. It’s better to be hated as a sports team than to be irrelevant and not talked about (think Los Angeles Angels or Atlanta Falcons). Below are the most hated teams in American sports:
Dallas Cowboys
They are the most popular team in the most popular sport in America, the highest valued sports franchise in the world, and the most hated team in sports. The Cowboys get talked about so much despite not having accomplished anything notable in the past 30 years. That’s an easy team for fans to hate.
New York Yankees
The evil empire. The championships. The pinstripes. The Yankees are an iconic franchise. People all over the world wear their hat to the point that their logo is more so a fashion statement and representation of New York City than just a sports team. Even though they have underwhelmed the past decade plus, they will forever be near the top of this list.
Duke Blue Devils Basketball
Much like the teams above them, no matter how good or bad Duke is any given year, their reputation automatically makes people hate them. An elite university and elite basketball program that wins so much is the perfect villain college basketball needs.
Alabama Crimson Tide Football
They are an absolute juggernaut of a program, having dominated college football the past 15 years. Even with Nick Saban leaving, this is a team that everyone will circle on their schedules and fans will live to see them be mediocre.
New England Patriots
The Pats went 4-13 last year, and not a single person outside of New England felt bad after they dominated the most competitive league in sports for two decades. The success they’ve had combined with some “cheating,” has made them one of the most hated teams in America.
Houston Astros
They are newer to this list than most of the other teams on it. The sign stealing scandal is still fresh in so many minds, that they will be hated for years to come.
Texas Longhorns Football
They suffer from a similar “curse” that the Cowboys do. Texas Football is such a big brand, despite not winning a national championship for almost 20 years and people can’t stand it.
Michigan Wolverines Football
Before this year, Michigan was similar to Texas in that they hadn’t won a title in a long time, but were still talked about so much. This year, their cheating scandal combined with their dominating season gives football fans more fire to fuel their hate.
Philadelphia Eagles
This is a rare one, where people mainly hate this team because of how terrible their fans are. Philly easily has the worst fans in sports and it’s on full display at Eagles games.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs are starting to suffer from what the Pats have, where their success is breeding hate. That combined with all of the complaining they do every time the refs don’t bend the rules in their favor, makes them easy to hate.
In the NFL, some positions are of the upmost importance and others are not. Below, I broke down different positions into four separate tiers based on how critical they are to team success:
First Tier Positions: All or most of these must be filled with capable players or it’s unlikely your team will have success. The great ones should be paid a premium and held onto as long as possible:
Second Tier: Important positions, but not required to have studs at. It’s okay to let them walk if the price is too high:
Third Tier: Positions you should not splurge on.
Fourth Tier: Really not important. No explanations needed.
The NFL schedule release being bigger news than the NHL or NBA playoffs shows the popularity of the shield. Some highlights for the Pats and league as a whole:
Patriots
The Pats are tied for the 8th hardest strength of schedule and this will probably be a tough season record wise. The good news is they are starting at rock bottom so they can only go up.
The Pats only “unique” games of the year are a Thursday Night game vs the Jets Week 3 and a London game vs Jags. It makes sense that they aren’t on primetime a lot, but shows how far they have fallen.
Other Highlights
I love that the NFL is now scheduling games whenever they want to. There are two Friday games, including a Week 1 matchup in Brazil and a game on Black Friday. They are also playing two Christmas Day games on Netflix, even though it’s a Wednesday.
The NFL is the most popular league in America and they know it. No matter what day they show a game, people are going to watch.
One thing I don’t get about the NFL schedule is the Monday Night doubleheaders that overlap. I’d understand if they separated them so fans could watch both, but as they are now, fans must choose one or the other, which makes no sense. It’s happening 4 times this year.
Streaming Delimna
The massive news about Netflix showing Christmas Day games emphasizes an annoying trend in sports and streaming in general that is only going to get worse: There are too many streaming platforms people need to pay for. Below are all the streaming services and their prices needed to watch every NFL game next year.
That is crazy. I’ll pay for Sunday Ticket, I have Prime, and I also pay for NFL Plus (another $7 a month to stream games on your phone). For the steaming only games, I’ll have to rely on family, friends, or a local bar- as I’m sure a lot of other people will too.
This all highlights the awkward phase we are in with people moving from cable to streaming. No one under 40 wants to pay for cable, but there are too many streaming services to potentially pay for.
There’s a lot of news about companies bundling services together, especially for sports, and this makes sense. People don’t want to pay for all of these, but if you could somehow bundle all the NFL steamers together, that would be a hot ticket. One day, all the games will probably be streamed, so this will only continue to be a bigger issue.
The Pats have subtly released what seems like a secondary logo (as seen above). It is very odd to release a new logo with absolutely no fanfare whatsoever. Maybe this means they are just experimenting with it and may remove it, if fans aren’t big into it. The current reaction is mostly negative and I have to agree.
The NE is too big and they are trying to do too much by incorporating the Flying Elvis face into the letters while also merging the N and E into one. It’s a little odd, but maybe hints that they are looking for a new logo long term.
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