NFL

20 Hyped-Up ‘Super Teams’ That Fell Flat On Their Faces

Darren Ryding - October 3, 2024

NFL

20 Hyped-Up ‘Super Teams’ That Fell Flat On Their Faces

Darren Ryding - October 3, 2024

The idea of a ‘super team’ is always exciting, but things can go wrong so quickly. A team’s front office throws millions of dollars into high-priced personnel in an effort to win immediately. But this doesn’t always work out. Sometimes a team falls out after a promising start.

Fans of other teams often love it when these so-called ‘super teams’ collapse because it’s humiliating. Realistically, just not many of these all-in attempts work out with a title in tow. Check out 20 super-hyped teams that fell flat on their faces via Sportscasting.

20. Cleveland Browns (2021)

The Browns had high hopes before the 2021 season after a playoff win in 2020. After years of being one of the worst franchises in the league, they finally reached the postseason. Now it was time to build on their momentum and do it again. They suffered a narrow loss to the Chiefs on an opening day before a three-game winning streak. This excited fans, but their joy dissipated (via Sports Illustrated).

Cleveland was unable to sustain consistency throughout the season, costing them in one of the most competitive divisions in the NFL. The rejuvenated Bengals soared ahead alongside the Ravens. Meanwhile, the Browns fell flat on their faces. The likes of Odell Beckham Jr. failed to contribute in a wasted year.

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19. Los Angeles Angels (2021)

Shohei Ohtani was the most exciting player in MLB in 2021. Meanwhile, Mike Trout has long been viewed as the best player in MLB. Both of these men play for the L.A. Angels but some reason, the franchise can’t win. Indeed, many believe that Trout will never win a World Series with the Angels (via Desert Sun). He has only made a single postseason series appearance with them.

It’s a shame because he’s such a brilliant player. Furthermore, Ohtani’s efforts earned him the AL MVP award following a historic season. With these two stars, many casual observers assumed the Angels were a super team but that wasn’t the case. They fell flat on their faces and failed to be competitive again.

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18. New England Patriots (2007)

Tom Brady doesn’t have many regrets from his glorious career, but the end of the 2007 season is one of them. The Patriots had a unique opportunity to become the first undefeated team since the 1972 Dolphins. However, they faced the New York Giants in the Super Bowl and fell flat on their faces.

In the end, the Giants won 17-14. On paper, the Patriots were a much better team. They won every regular-season game as they steamrolled the league. Nonetheless, the Giants seized the day and snatched victory from their rivals (via Boston.com). Furthermore, the rest of the league was probably thankful, as the Pats had enough success and didn’t need immortality as well.

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17. Miami Heat (2011)

The NBA loves a super team, but it’s amazing how many fall flat on their faces. That’s what happened to the Heat after they signed LeBron James. They added him to a stacked roster that also included Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. Needless to say, they were the favorites to win the Finals in 2011. In the end, they failed miserably.

They finished the regular season with the third-best record in franchise history. The Heat battled their way through to the Finals where they faced the Dallas Mavericks. Most people favored the Heat but they lost the series. Dallas won 4-2 and humiliated Miami’s heavy spending (via Bleacher Report). Of course, the Heat bounced back to win the following season.

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16. Jackson-Wink MMA (2021)

There was a time when many top fighters fought out of Jackson-Wink but those days are in the past. The Albuquerque gym built its reputation off of champions like Jon Jones and Holly Holm. However, in recent years, things haven’t run smoothly. First, high-profile star Donald Cerrone had a dispute with coach Mike Winkeljohn and left.

Then several other fighters departed. A crisis occurred when police arrested Jones in Las Vegas for domestic violence. Winkeljohn suspended his membership from the gym. However, co-owner Greg Jackson said he would still train the star. Their divided approach hasn’t helped Jackson-Wink to move forward. Now, other teams are the most popular MMA gyms in the States.

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15. Brooklyn Nets (2013)

There was no good reason on paper why the Nets fell flat on their faces. The franchise had three of the best players in the league on their roster in Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Terry (via ESPN). But they never clicked into gear and creaked their way through the regular season. Brooklyn finished with a 44-38 record as they made the playoffs.

They needed to win now because they crippled their finances to bring in those star players. However, that’s not what happened. In the end, they crashed out in the second round after the Heat blew them away. Garnett was terrible throughout the year while Pierce was average. Brooklyn fell flat because their team didn’t click together and they weren’t dedicated to the cause.

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14. AC Milan (2005)

AC Milan was the best soccer team on the planet in 2005. Their lineup included all-time-greats like Andrea Pirlo, Kaka, and Paolo Maldini. Analysts favored them to win the Champion’s League when they blazed their way to the final. They faced a resurgent Liverpool in Instanbul and expected to win easily against the Reds.

On paper, Milan was a much better team. They blazed to a 3-0 lead in the first half and it looked like the game was over (via The Guardian). But then Liverpool produced one of the greatest comebacks ever. Milan stumbled and fell flat on their faces before a total collapse. In the end, Liverpool won the game after a penalty shootout. It was high drama and a wasted opportunity for Milan.

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13. Phoenix Suns (2021)

The Suns blazed their way to the NBA Finals in 2021. Many fans believed this was Chris Paul’s redemption. as he had never won a championship ring. This was also a great opportunity for the Suns to finally break their streak of postseason heartbreak. They never won the title before but one Greek star and his team stood in their way.

Phoenix faced the Milwaukee Bucks in the Finals and soared to an early lead (via Sporting News). They won the first two games and fans were talking about a blowout. However, the Bucks rebounded with Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the charge. ‘The Greek Freak’ put on a glorious Game 6 display to seal the rings for his team. It was a devastating blow for the Suns and Paul yet the Bucks earned their victory.

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12. SBG Ireland (2020)

Straight Blast Gym rose to prominence alongside Conor McGregor. The Dublin MMA team had several fighters on the UFC roster. In McGregor’s words, they were here to “take over.” Meanwhile, head coach John Kavanagh won plaudits for his role in the team’s success. But in recent years, SBG Ireland has lost credibility. Gyms rise and fall with the success of their fighters.

McGregor’s failure to evolve is one reason why Kavanagh’s reputation took a dent. Meanwhile, non-Irish fighters like Brad Katona and Johnny Walker suffered losses after training in Dublin. Kavanagh also had a dispute with Cage Warriors promoter Graham Boylan, preventing his fighters from competing on one of the biggest promotions in Europe. Also, high-profile coaches departed and accused Kavanagh of a lack of loyalty (via MMA Fighting).

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11. Cleveland Cavaliers (2009)

This was a massive season for the Cavs but it didn’t end well. They fell flat on their faces after securing the best regular-season record in the league. With an aging Shaquille O’Neal, this was LeBron’s final season before his move to Miami (via Bleacher Report). If they won the Finals in 2009 he might even have stayed. The entire course of NBA history may have been different.

However, they crashed out in the conference semifinals against the Celtics. Fans dispute whether or not Cleveland was a super team. Sure, there were several aging athletes on their roster. But their 61-21 record proved their ability to win every week. There was no good reason to lose to the Celtics because on paper the Cavs were much better.

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10. Barcelona (2020)

Barcelona is one of the most famous teams on the planet. The Catalan giants attract some of the best players in the world. Meanwhile, they enjoyed the services of Lionel Messi for almost two decades. But he departed after the club fell flat on their faces. The ineptitude behind the scenes was something remarkable. They lacked a coherent vision and struggled financially.

Fans still expected Barcelona to be competitive on the field but they felt apart. They flopped in the Champion’s League and failed to contend in La Liga. It was disappointing for their fans because they stuck with them through thick and thin. Meanwhile, Messi signaled his intention to leave after carrying the team for so long. This was a massive blow because of his status as an all-time great (via Sky Sports).

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9. Pittsburgh Steelers (2020)

The Steelers stunned in 2020 after starting the season 11-0. Sure, they weren’t exactly a super team but they still found ways to win every game. That was until they fell flat and went on an inglorious losing streak. A lot of that was down to their quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The quarterback had some of the worst games of his life as the Steelers lost four of their last five games.

Finally, they crashed out in the Wild Card round. The Cleveland Browns humiliated Pittsburgh as Roethlisberger played horribly (via CBS Sports). All of their wins through the first 11 games meant nothing now. To be fair, they flattered to deceive as they snuck their way through those games. But it was still crazy that a team with such a long winning streak could have such a meltdown.

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8. Los Angeles Lakers (2003)

The Lakers had one of the most stacked rosters in their history in 2003. Shaquille O’Neal was at the height of his powers while Kobe Bryant was reaching an elite level. Karl Malone even left the Jazz to secure an elusive ring before retirement. They even had defensive wizard Gary Peyton. This was a super team in every sense of the term but they still didn’t win the championship.

They made it to the Finals but fell flat in the series. The Pistons almost swept them as they won 1-4 overall. It was a strange year for the Lakers because Malone’s presence in the team was divisive. He made headlines after appearing to hit on Bryant’s wife (via Sportscasting). The Lakers had multiple future Hall of Famers in their ranks while the Pistons only had one.

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7. Manchester United (2021)

United fell into disarray after the departure of long-serving coach Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013. After running through managers, the front office finally settled on former player Ole Gunnar Solksjaer. He helped them to a second-place finish in 2020 and there was hope of continued progression. They brought in young stars like Jadon Sancho as well as team icon Cristiano Ronaldo.

However, it soon became clear they weren’t up to the task. A humiliating defeat to Liverpool set the wheels in motion. Then they fell flat in a crushing loss to lowly Watford. This signaled the end of Solksjaer’s tenure. United fans felt devastated because the team didn’t meet their expectations. They faced another season in the wilderness without any kind of identity (via The Times).

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6. Brooklyn Nets (2020)

The Nets tried to build a super team in 2019 but things didn’t go as smoothly as planned. Sure, they brought most of the components to New York but they couldn’t get them all on the court. They signed the likes of Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and James Harden over two years. However, injuries prevented their stars from making the kind of impact they dreamed of.

Brooklyn improved in 2020 and enjoyed better luck. They made it to the postseason with most of their roster intact. First, they took on the Celtics and won the series. Then they came up against the Bucks in the Conference semifinals. Milwaukee was the eventual overall winner but Brooklyn still felt disappointment. They had one of the most stacked rosters in the league and still couldn’t win (via Sportskeeda).

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5. New York Yankees (2020)

Everybody associates the Yankees with winning at all costs. They’re also capable of extraordinary meltdown. The New York franchise was disappointing in 2020 after they limped into the Wild Card round. Too many of their star players failed to produce and this infuriated the fanbase. They want their athletes to show passion, but the Yankees failed to do this.

They swept the Indians before taking on the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays were eventual World Series finalists but the Yankees didn’t test them. The Yankees lost the series across five games of insipid performances. These defeats left critics questioning the future of the franchise as well as Aaron Boone’s tenure as manager (via ESPN).

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4. L.A. Clippers

The Clippers are an organization familiar with pain. After all, Los Angeles is a purple-and-gold town. For generations, supporting the Clippers was a curse. The Lakers were dominant and won 17 titles while the Clippers never even made it past the third round. However, 2020 was supposed to be different. After acquiring Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the franchise had true star power.

That’s why it was so disappointing when they lost in the conference semifinals to the Denver Nuggets. Their long-suffering fans had high hopes but the Clippers couldn’t match them (via L.A. Mag). They fell flat at the worst possible time. After winning three of the first four games, they lost in seven. It was an appalling collapse but one the world saw coming.

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3. Dallas Cowboys (2020)

2020 was supposed to be an exciting year for America’s Team. Mike McCarthy arrived as their new head coach. Meanwhile, Dak Prescott was emerging as a top quarterback. He had exciting weapons like proven Ezekiel Elliot, Amari Cooper and rookie CeeDee Lamb. Their fans hoped they would be contenders even if they didn’t win the Super Bowl.

Unfortunately, the Cowboys didn’t even come close. They lost Prescott during Game Five after he fractured his ankle. This was a devastating blow because they lost one of their leaders as well as an elite athlete. Andy Dalton stepped up as a replacement but had injury problems too. Meanwhile, their other performers failed to deliver and the season fell flat. It was another wasted year (via USA Today).

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2. Liverpool (2020)

Liverpool won the league for the first time in 3o years in 2019. The global health crisis prevented them from celebrating in front of their fans. But their passionate supporters hoped to see them repeat the feat the following season. The team gambled early after the departure of Dejan Lovren. The center-back wasn’t a guaranteed starter but he provided valuable depth. This was a turning point in their year.

Star defender Virgil Van Dijk suffered a horror leg break against Everton. Meanwhile, their other defenders also had injury woes. This forced Jurgen Klopp to put his players out of position and to play unproven youngsters. Ironically, they started the year well but fell flat after the loss of Van Dijk. They scraped their way into the top four and secured Champion’s League qualification (via The Guardian).

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1. Los Angeles Rams (2021)

NFL teams constantly look toward the future. Nothing obsesses them more than drafting the next franchise quarterback. However, the Rams took a different approach in 2021. They tried to assemble the strongest roster possible by trading away valuable draft picks. First, they secured the services of Matthew Stafford from the Lions. In the middle of the year, they acquired Von Miller from the Broncos.

This was supposed to be a super team with the ability to win immediately (via The Guardian). They started the season strong with seven wins in their first eight games. But then Stafford suffered a decline with pick-sixes all over the place. He threw three in three weeks. To put that into perspective, Aaron Rodgers has only thrown three his entire career. The Rams have time to turn their season around but a three-game losing streak is still ominous.

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20 Hyped-Up ‘Super Teams’ That Fell Flat On Their Faces

20 Hyped-Up ‘Super Teams’ That Fell Flat On Their Faces

20. Cleveland Browns (2021)

19. Los Angeles Angels (2021)

18. New England Patriots (2007)

17. Miami Heat (2011)

16. Jackson-Wink MMA (2021)

15. Brooklyn Nets (2013)

14. AC Milan (2005)

13. Phoenix Suns (2021)

12. SBG Ireland (2020)

11. Cleveland Cavaliers (2009)

10. Barcelona (2020)

9. Pittsburgh Steelers (2020)

8. Los Angeles Lakers (2003)

7. Manchester United (2021)

6. Brooklyn Nets (2020)

5. New York Yankees (2020)

4. L.A. Clippers

3. Dallas Cowboys (2020)

2. Liverpool (2020)

1. Los Angeles Rams (2021)

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