There are a lot of fans out there who’re pretty down — either from disappointment or sheer despair. I’m just curious whose has it worse. Only vote for your own if you really REALLY think you deserve it.
tough call
I’d say Jacksonville
Jacksonville. Why are the Saints on there? They’re not doing great, but they might win their division, and they’ve been consistently very good for the last several years.
On the logic that higher expectations that aren’t met might be more painful than low expectations that are met. That’s one reason for the poll, actually.
I almost voted Jacksonville until I realized I couldn’t feel sorry for people who don’t exist, which also rules out Tennessee. Raider fans are Raider fans and thus have only themselves to blame. Redskins fans…eh, fuck 'em. Saints and Niners supporters get no sympathy for their very-recently-stellar teams regressing to the mean, and Bears fans can always take solace in a neverending supply of Jay Cutler jokes.
So, it’s the Jets fans who get this Charger fan’s pity points. No offense meant to the Gang Green faithful — as a lifelong Mets fan, I come by it naturally. 
I voted for the Redskins (and sorry PC police, I did use “Redskins.” It’s hard to argue it’s all that much of a slur when Native Americans use that name for some of their sports teams themselves.)
The owner Dan Snyder is a complete buffoon. You can fire the GM. You can fire the coach. You can fire the personnel staff. But you can’t fire the owner. I think he’s still in his 40’s, so they are stuck with this for years and years.
Bill Simmons had a column in Grantland this week naming Daniel Snyder as the Worst American Professional Sports Owner, a sentiment with which I heartily agree. But I live too close to the awful Native American Slurs fans to have any sympathy for them.
Disclaimer - I’m a Lions fan.
Detroit Lions or Cleveland Browns. They are the only two original teams to never make a Super Bowl.
Sure the Lions are winning now and are likely playoff bound this year. They’ve never been to a Super Bowl. In the Super Bowl era they have a 1-10 playoff record. In 48 years of the Super Bowl that’s one playoff victory… and frequently humbling playoff losses. The Lions head coach with the most wins (and responsible for 4 of their ten playoff appearances and lone playoff win) has a losing record. It’s 23 years since the last playoff win. Oh and let’s not forget 0-16.
The Browns have a better franchise winning record but a longer playoff drought. Even with the period there wasn’t a team, they still have more playoff appearances and playoff wins than the Lions. All but one playoff appearance was before the rebirth of the Browns though. Less total futility for a long stretch of current futility.
I can’t see anyone else living up to that level of deep seated disappointment and despair. It takes decades for that despair to really take hold.
As an aside, I love me the Bill! Most underrated sports columnist out there IMHO.
I think I’ll have to vote for the Jaguars. They are one of three teams to have never drafted a hall of famer in the draft (as contrasted to the 1974 Steelers who drafted 4 future hall of famers in one draft). They haven’t had a winning season since 2007 where they won a wild card.
I think the runner up would have to be Tampa Bay. They have the second lowest winning percentage in the NFL (might be lowest again since Houston is so far 7-7 this year). Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 208- 323-1 (Winning Percentage of .392). They also hold the record for most consecutive losing seasons at 14.
Hmm, maybe I should flip that and put Tampa Bay first and Jacksonville second. 14 years. That’s someone’s entire child hood spent watching a team fail to even win more games than they lose.
The team is doing well at the moment but I have found myself rooting for the Detroit Lions just because I feel that city deserves a break.
I gotta vote for the team that’s been awful. You’re having a bad year? Happens to everyone. You’re having a bad decade? That’s what really hurts.
Has to be the Philadelphia Eagles. They’ll likely have gone 11-5 this season and will probably not make the playoffs.
You said, “preferably not your own” and these days the Titans are not “my own” any longer. Since Bud died and the nay-saying “fans” ran Fisher off, the Titans have gone to Hell in a handbasket. I have quit watching their “games” on TV even. Sad!
Browns.
Need to redo the poll. If Browns were in it, it would be a clear winner
I’m filled with pity for Lions fans.
It has nothing to do with football. I pity them for living in Detroit.
I’m gonna go with Buffalo. The one bright spot in their history is losing four Super Bowls in a row, of which they were only really competitive in one. Other than that, they have been pretty crap as a whole and have some of the most loyal fans I have ever seen.
I picked the Raiders, just over the Jets.
The Jets have a pretty decent owner, which means they could turn things around if they hire the right GM. But as long as any Davis is running the Raiders, I don’t see them getting much better… even though Derek Carr looks like a keeper at QB.
The Jags seem to be winning the poll, but you know… I like what I’ve seen of Blake Bortles and still think Gus Bradley is a good coach. I’m not giving up on them yet.
Redskins.
Not going to vote in the poll, since that team name does not appear.
Another vote for the Cleveland Browns. Their absence from this thread’s list is puzzling.