Which NFL teams will always be considered iconic?

Robbieac said:

According to you and your arbitrary criteria, Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls would not be iconic either....

So if it were up to you, you would leave the NFL team with arguably the GOAT coach and GOAT player in the NFL from the "iconic" list.

In addition, you would leave the NBA team with the arguably GOAT player in the NBA from the "iconic" list.


Take off the homer glasses. Please consider that maybe.....just maybe......there are franchises that are on par with our Cowboys....

Click to expand...

Imo, there are only two real iconic NBA teams, Lakers and the Celtics.

Blackspider214 said:

It's hard to add them since they fell off the map for almost 30 years. The other teams named at least have been to Super Bowls in this Super Bowl era. Storied franchises for me were successful in both eras.

Click to expand...

Buuuuut, how many franchises have left their city with the city being allowed to keep the franchise’s name, colors, and history?

The question asked in the title is "Which NFL teams will ALWAYS be considered Iconic?"

And when it comes to the Pats, I've come to the conclusion that... I don't know!

The Pats are very successful; probably the most successful team in the NFL as it stands today.

But success =/= iconic. Yes, you'll need success to be considered an iconic NFL franchise, but it's not the only thing you'll need.

Being iconic is much more about brand and legacy. And as it stands right now we don't really know if the Pats brand and legacy survives without Brady and Belichick.

And if it doesn't, then is it really the Pats legacy? Or is it Tom and Bill's?

Shane612 said:

Imo, there are only two real iconic NBA teams, Lakers and the Celtics.

Click to expand...

I agree and this helped me come to the realization I posted just above.

MJ's Bulls are Iconic. But by no means are the Chicago Bulls an Iconic Franchise.

If the question in the title was "Which NBA teams will always be iconic?", the Bulls would not be one I'd throw out because of the word "always".

StarBoyz83 said:

The stealers and pats legacies are forever tainted though. Especially the stealers.

Click to expand...

May be only to true football nerds.
To average fans, their cheating scandal ain't no big thang.

Sarge said:

Aside from the Steelers, they’ve won more Super Bowls than anyone. Hate them all you want, those are iconic numbers.

Click to expand...

I agree. It is iconic for that time period.
Where were the Patriots before Brady and Bellichick arrived?

Shane612 said:

May be only to true football nerds.
To average fans, their cheating scandal ain't no big thang.

Click to expand...

They were given their last 2 superbowls is why I don't like the stealers..the pats superbowls are more legit wins.

DAL
CLE
PATS
STLRS
LV-OAK
NY
49ER
BEARS

StarBoyz83 said:

They were given their last 2 superbowls is why I don't like the stealers..the pats superbowls are more legit wins.

Click to expand...

Ok. Maybe I don't remember too well.
They were given their last two SBs?
hmmmm.....

Shane612 said:

Ok. Maybe I don't remember too well.
They were given their last two SBs?
hmmmm.....

Click to expand...

Yes by the refs especially the one vs seattle. That one was unbelievable. If they won legitimately I'd have no problem with the stealers besides their dirty play.

ScipioCowboy said:

Buuuuut, how many franchises have left their city with the city being allowed to keep the franchise’s name, colors, and history?

Click to expand...

I am thinking when you watch any football game that you are watching some variation of Paul Brown's offense.

Shane612 said:

I agree. It is iconic for that time period.
Where were the Patriots before Brady and Bellichick arrived?

Click to expand...

Where have the Cowboys been for the last 20+years? That logic goes both ways.

Cowboys
Steelers
Packers
49ers

these are the tier one teams in term of storied history all throughout multiple decades in the NFL. I see people adding in Pats. Not body cared about the Pats pre Brady and no one will care about the Pats after a few season of no Brady. sure their other teams that have a popular history during certain times in the NFL, but no others have the history of the 4 teams i named above

About half the teams. NFL is big in America.

There was a time in which the Browns were the team to beat.

Like it or not. The Pats are the new, iconic.

plasticman said:

About half the teams. NFL is big in America.

There was a time in which the Browns were the team to beat.

Click to expand...

Ah, the good ole days when guys played for the love of the game & not money.

JBS said:

Always is a long time. If the Cowboys go 100+ years without a championship, they probably won't be considered iconic any longer

Click to expand...

Well we are a quarter of the way there.

Kwyn said:

If we’re just talking iconic franchises, I have it like this

1. Packers
2. Bears
3. Steelers
4. Cowboys
5. 49’ers

If we’re talking greatest franchise ever, it gets more complicated

Super Bowl Era

1. Steelers
2. Cowboys (only ahead of Pats because we had two great runs instead of one)
3. Patriots
4. Packers
5. 49’ers

Pre-Super Bowl Era

1. Packers
   
2. Bears
3. Browns
   
4. Giants
5. Colts (Big drop-off after the Giants)

Click to expand...

Interesting list. To me Pre Super Bowl era is a thing, but there were only 12-16 teams and the league was not even full integrated.
The Super Bowl era also needs to include the Commanders & Broncos. If you go from the beginning of the league through 1991, the Skins have more SB's than the Cowboys.
The Broncos have been to 8 Super Bowls just like the Cowboys, they have made it to the Super Bowl in the 70,80,90, & 2010.. We haven't.

SB Era list
Patriots- Tied for SB Wins, Been to 11 SB's
Steelers- Tied for most SB Wins. Consistent org. 3 Coaches over the past 50 years. Let that sink in.
Cowboys- 5 SB wins. 25 year drought from even making a Championship game. It is only about legacy. If I was honest, they should be lower.
Broncos- Been the SB over 4 Decades.
Niners- 5 SB Wins, 2 heart breaking losses.
Giants- 4 Wins. Beat the Pats twice.. .(thank you).
drop off (not in any particular order after this.....)
Commanders- 3 SB's in the 80. Made it to 5. They had an amazing legacy in the 70's & especially 80's into very early 90's.
Raiders - 3 SB's 76,80, 84.. It has been a while.
Ravens- I would have to say a great organization since the move from Cleveland. They are building a great tradition.

Robbieac said:

The Pats “may” have pushed their way into the group? Lolololololololol....



I am pretty sure that having more Super Bowl wins and more Super Bowl victories than ANY other team in NFL history makes the Patriots “iconic”.

Only an absolutely blind homer would consider any other option.


“The Patriots “may” have broken into the list. Ya know, maybe right below the Bears, Raiders, and possibly the Browns....”


Good grief guys. Accept reality for what it is. Tom Brady and his Patriots have accomplished more in 18 years than the other NFL teams (including our Cowboys) accomplished in 50!!!

Of course the Patriots are now “iconic”.

Click to expand...

You have to give it up to the Pats. 11 SB appearances.
Some of us fans ares stuck in the Jerry Jones vortex. Just because he calls us America's team does not make it so.
25 years of not even making a league championship game is amazing.
I mean forget making a SB or even winning one. We have not even been good enough to even play to get into one. Think about that ...
Since the 1995 season we have not been relevant.

The 49ers were a huge nothing until Joe Montana's 1981-1990 run. You can't really argue that they're iconic but the Patriots aren't at this point.

Kwyn said:

1. Steelers
2. Cowboys (only ahead of Pats because we had two great runs instead of one)
3. Patriots
4. Packers
5. 49’ers

Click to expand...

The Pats single run pretty much spans the duration of both Cowboys runs. The only thing making people think the Pats aren't iconic is because it's newer - but every year that 20 year run falls into the past will make it's significance grow exponentially. 15 years from now, they will top everyone's list.