With 14 groups about to embark on a playoff journey to the Tremendous Bowl, we are able to’t ignore the 2023 NFL season losers. Who have been essentially the most disappointing groups, gamers, and coaches? Thankfully, no workforce completed with one of many worst NFL records of all time. However there have been nonetheless some apparent losers this season who in all probability want they might have a do-over or make some modifications.
In fact, anyone can take a look at the standings and select the worst groups. Nonetheless, we needed to dig somewhat deeper and do a full evaluation of the present season to give you the true 2023 NFL season losers. Right here is the checklist we got here up with of essentially the most spectacular failures and largest losers of the 2023 NFL season.
Invoice Belichick
This might probably be the top of Invoice Belichick’s time in New England after what has been hands-down his worst season with the Patriots. Clearly, issues haven’t been the identical since Tom Brady left. However the Patriots have been a minimum of aggressive in previous seasons, going 25-25 with one playoff look over the past three years.
However a 4-13 document and a last-place end within the AFC East are unacceptable. The Patriots have been held to seven factors or much less six instances this season, together with two shutouts. His legacy might not be tarnished due to one unhealthy season, however it seems his tenure in New England will finish with a whimper.
Austin Ekeler
Earlier than the season, Austin Ekeler hoped to get a profitable contract extension that by no means got here. As an alternative, he’ll enter free company as a soon-to-be 29-year-old, undersized working again who’s coming off the worst season of his profession. To be honest, it’s not his fault solely for the reason that Chargers have been collectively among the many largest losers within the NFL this season.
Nonetheless, Ekeler is a loser within the sense that he went from being among the many league’s greatest working backs to being an afterthought in lower than a yr. Reasonably than a long-term deal, Ekeler is more likely to get a one-year prove-it contract from some workforce in free company, which is definitely not what he envisioned at the beginning of the season.
Sean Payton
The coach who as soon as served a one-season suspension for his position in a bounty scandal is as soon as once more embroiled in a scandal. The Broncos and Sean Payton are going through questions over whether or not they have been allowed to bench Russell Wilson after Wilson refused to renegotiate his contract midseason.
There’s additionally the problem of Payton not placing Wilson and the Broncos in one of the best place to succeed. Plus, a few of Denver’s shut losses in 2023 that in the end saved the Broncos out of the playoffs could be attributed to poor teaching selections. Briefly, Payton has a variety of inquiries to reply about his first season in Denver.
Carolina Panthers
Whereas no person was anticipating any miracles out of the Panthers, they certainly ought to have carried out higher than 2-15, particularly after a considerably respectable 7-10 marketing campaign in 2022. For the second straight season, Carolina needed to fireplace a coach in the midst of the season, which speaks to poor management on the greater ranges of the group.
The kicker is the Panthers received’t even get the primary total decide within the draft as a result of they traded it to Chicago to get Bryce Young. That’s the punch line of Carolina’s 2023 season and why the Panthers are among the many largest losers.
Arthur Smith
As anticipated, Arthur Smith was fired after going 7-10 with the Falcons for the third straight season. Smith confirmed a profound stage of incompetence all through the season. It was virtually as if he was new to the sport and wanted NFL plays explained to him.
He refused to get the ball to his workforce’s prime playmakers like Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts, virtually ignoring Robinson at instances regardless of utilizing a top-10 decide on him. The NFC South was there for the taking this season, just for Smith and the Falcons to go 1-4 down the stretch with losses to all three of Atlanta’s division rivals.
In a yr wherein a number of head coaches have been fired midseason, Smith could have truly had the worst teaching job in all the league.
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