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The Cleveland Browns have done it again. For the second consecutive year, ESPN ranked Cleveland as the least watchable team in the NFL.
The Browns finished No. 32 in Ben Solak’s ranking of every NFL team by entertainment value. Cleveland landed immediately behind the Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders.
Solak’s explanation was not complicated. Myles Garrett is gone. The excitement surrounding Shedeur Sanders’ first NFL start already has passed. What remains is a team that may struggle to give neutral viewers a reason to surrender three hours of their Sunday.
It is harsh, but the Browns have seen this movie before.
Shedeur Sanders briefly changed the Browns’ entertainment value
Cleveland also entered last season at No. 32 in ESPN’s rankings. At the time, Solak identified Sanders’ first start as the one event capable of making a Browns game worth watching. That moment arrived in Week 12 against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Sanders led Cleveland to a 24-10 victory, briefly giving the Browns exactly the type of national attention they had lacked. Garrett later provided another compelling storyline by chasing the NFL’s single-season sack record. Neither attraction carries the same novelty into 2026.
Sanders is no longer the new quarterback receiving his first opportunity. Viewers have seen him operate Cleveland’s offense and now need something more than curiosity to keep watching.
Garrett, meanwhile, is playing for the Los Angeles Rams after the blockbuster trade that gave Cleveland additional resources for its rebuild. ESPN ranked the star-studded Rams second, creating a particularly cruel contrast for Browns fans.
The player who made Cleveland interesting helped another team become must-see television.
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Browns need a new reason to watch
The ranking does include one small source of optimism. Rookie receiver Denzel Boston has the size and skill set to develop into one of Cleveland’s most entertaining offensive players. A productive partnership between Boston and Sanders could begin changing the perception surrounding the Browns.
Cleveland also has several young players whose development will matter more than the final record. The problem is that development stories usually require patience. Watchability rankings reward immediate fireworks, star power and dramatic finishes.
The Browns are still trying to build toward those things. They can escape the bottom of the ranking by proving Sanders is more than an interesting name, giving Boston opportunities downfield and producing an offense capable of threatening opponents.
Until then, the Browns remain the team ESPN believes viewers should avoid unless they have a fantasy player involved, a personal rooting interest or absolutely nothing else available.
Cleveland does not have to become a contender immediately. It could start by becoming something people want to watch.
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