OT: NFL bluebloods

[Redding Husky]

Just my opinion, in no particular order ...

Steelers
Cowboys
Forty-Niners
Patriots (nouveau riche - most Super Bowls)
Packers
Giants
Broncos
Redskins
Raiders
Bears ("barely" ... lack of success in the modern era really hurts them)

That's 10 out of 32, which is a lot.

Any thoughts?

 

[Adios]

If you want to cut it down, take out the Broncos, Raiders and Redskins. Then you have 7 of 32.

 

[FartMan69]

The first 6 on your list

 

[JMick]

It's generally considered to be:

Steelers
Cowboys
49ers
Packers
Patriots
Giants
Bears

 

[Adios]

Modern era blue bloods (since Super Bowl 1):

Steelers
Patriots
Cowboys
49ers

Historic blue bloods:

Packers
Giants
Bears

 

[Redding Husky]

I agree with everyone. I guess the Redskins, Raiders, and Broncos just miss the cut.

It's an arbitrary line, but that cutoff is probably accepted by most serious fans. The Broncos (with a 3-5 Super Bowl record) are possibly the closest to getting in.

 

[Adios]

The Redskins may also qualify as a historic blue blood, since they have 5 championships, overall. 2 pre-merger and 3 Super Bowl wins. The Giants have a total of 6.

The Lions, Browns and Colts have 4 overall championships each.

 

[Adios]

Giants have 8. Just needed to correct that. But 25% of the league has "blue blood" status. Much more disparity in the NFL than European soccer.

 

[Nostical]

Patriots are the new top blue blood.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

The Raiders had the highest win percentage in North American sports until the mid-late 90s.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

The thing of it is there isn't one NFL franchise that hasn't had at least one (in most cases more than one) extended period of mediocrity or worse.

 

[LRock34]

The Redskins have played in 5 Super Bowls and won 3 and have 2 titles prior to the SB era. They were one of the best franchises of the 80's. They belong.

 

[amory]

Broncos should be in. 3 Super Bowls, all in the last 20 years. Regularly a playoff team. Dedicated fanbase. Good ownership group. Best jerseys.

Raiders and Bears don't make the cut, IMO. Neither do the Redskins. They've sucked forever, their owner is a , and that name is just....let's just call it dated.

 

[Stray_Dog]

Broncos should be in. 3 Super Bowls, all in the last 20 years. Regularly a playoff team. Dedicated fanbase. Good ownership group. Best jerseys.

Raiders and Bears don't make the cut, IMO. Neither do the Redskins. They've sucked forever, their owner is a , and that name is just...let's just call it dated.

Unless the cowboys change their name I'm fine with Redskins!

 

[TheDrifter75]

Unless the cowboys change their name I'm fine with Redskins!

Same with the Bucs, Raiders, Vikings, 49ers, Packers, Celtics, 76ers, Wizards, Padres, Rangers and a plethora of others.

 

[Husky25]

If ownership is a disqualifying characteristic, then that leaves out the Giants.

 

[Scoe]

Giants got 8 championships overall, in a way the Giants are somewhat similar to Uconn, their first 2 Super Bowl teams were juggernauts and lost 2 Super Bowl teams were done mission impossible style. The Giants are villains, if not for the Giants the Pats would have 7 Super Bowls plus and undefeated season, and Montana would have 3 superbowls in a row.

 

[BugsyCT]

Broncos should be in. 3 Super Bowls, all in the last 20 years. Regularly a playoff team. Dedicated fanbase. Good ownership group.

Gotta agree with Denver being in the blueblood category now for those reasons. Won 3, historically lost a bunch of SBs by blowouts, but they were still there. Solid franchise.

Funny that Miami had the only perfect season in the Super Bowl era and isn't even in the discussion. Had a great run in the early 70s & into the 80s with Marino, but no SB titles since 1973. Have had too many lean years since his retirement.

Raiders would no question be there if you asked about bluebloods about 15 years ago. Too many awful years of late(except last year) though.

Niners belong there - 5 SB wins, but are currently a franchise with a horrible front office.

 

[Adios]

Blue bloods are teams that WON titles. Not made it to championship games.

If the Raiders don't make the cut, neither do the Broncos. The Raiders do have an AFL title. The cutoff on my list was 5 championships. I left off the Redskins. They fit in.

 

[Husky25]

Blue bloods are teams that WON titles. Not made it to championship games.

If the Raiders don't make the cut, neither do the Broncos. The Raiders do have an AFL title. The cutoff on my list was 5 championships. I left off the Redskins. They fit in.

The Raiders have 3 Super Bowl Titles. They beat the Vikings, Eagles, and Redskins.

 

[amory]

Blue bloods are teams that WON titles. Not made it to championship games.

If the Raiders don't make the cut, neither do the Broncos. The Raiders do have an AFL title. The cutoff on my list was 5 championships. I left off the Redskins. They fit in.

Blue blood franchises don't relocate every 20 years.

To me, it's more than just championships. It's rock-steady leadership, consistent playoff expectations, etc. Blue blood franchises are the models that those on the outside looking in aspire to be.

I think the Broncos fit that mold, and they have 3 rings. The Raiders are bush league.

 

[Adios]

None of the 8 teams that have 5+ championships relocated. Except the Redskins; in the 1930s.

 

[amory]

None of the 8 teams that have 5+ championships relocated. Except the Redskins; in the 1930s.

Right, but my point was to make a case for why the Broncos belong and the Raiders don't. If you have a set championship number, then who's a blue blood is pretty much set in stone. And that's cool, it's a subjective kind of thing.

But for me, a class organization with recent success (within the last ~30 years) and 3+ championships probably makes the cut.

Patriots
Steelers
Packers
Cowboys
49ers
Giants
Broncos

 

[Redding Husky]

As a Pats fan, I hate the Giants. But you have to give them credit since they're a blue blood both before and after the merger.

There was one lull in Giant excellence: back in the 70's (I graduated high school in 1980), no one that I knew was a Giants fan in the NYC area because they were so bad every year. Everyone was a fan of the Cowboys, Dolphins, Steelers, Raiders, Vikings, etc.

 

[BugsyCT]

As a Pats fan, I hate the Giants. But you have to give them credit since they're a blue blood both before and after the merger.

There was one lull in Giant excellence: back in the 70's (I graduated high school in 1980), no one that I knew was a Giants fan in the NYC area because they were so bad every year. Everyone was a fan of the Cowboys, Dolphins, Steelers, Raiders, Vikings, etc.

Giants had a long lull - they went from 1964-1980 without a playoff appearance. Also went 30 years between NFL titles 1956-1986. Ironically, the best thing that could have happened to them was the Miracle of the Meadowlands in '78. That whole staff got fired and then Ray Perkins was brought in as coach, and he had Parcells on his staff. Rest is history.