Of the four major American sports leagues, the NFL is generally celebrated for having the most turnover among the successful teams. Because of this phenomenon, every fan can go into the season with some hope that their team can win it all. That's even true for the teams in last place a year ago.

Since the NFL realigned to eight four-team divisions in 2002, 25 teams have gone from worst to first in their division in a single season. There were no such teams in 2024, but the 2023 Texans are a recent example. They improved from a 3-13-1 record in 2022 to 10-7 and an AFC South title.

There are clear indicators that help guide us as to which teams are most likely to go from worst to first. But remember that sometimes teams can take a massive step forward without meeting that criteria. The

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