The best and the most infuriating franchise in the league, often in consecutive years. IronCity owns the three highest-scoring seasons ever recorded and lost the first of them in the final. In 2016 the same roster finished dead last. The recovery took one year.
What separates this franchise is one repeated move. The first overall pick has changed hands three times in the seventeen drafts whose order survives. IronCity acquired it twice, in 2018 and 2023, and won the championship both times: Saquon Barkley, then Bijan Robinson. Nobody else has traded up to 1.01 and won. The 2023 to 2025 three-peat is the only one in league history, and Barkley started for all three of those teams plus 2018. Four championship rosters, more than any other player, and all four of them this franchise.
The six titles are not a steady drip. They come in three clusters, 2008, 2017 and 2018, then 2023 to 2025, and the gaps between them are long and bad: four straight years outside the top four from 2019 to 2022, and a dead-last finish in 2016 twelve months before the second cluster started. Ten top-four finishes in nineteen seasons, and nine seasons of nothing at all.
The draft is the engine and it is not close. Plus 1,501 across 188 picks, thirteen hits and three busts, with a first round averaging plus 73, half again the next best. Jonathan Taylor second overall in 2020 became the spine of the three-peat; Hopkins in round two of 2013 returned 274 across eight kept seasons; Ja'Marr Chase and Saquon Barkley both arrived in Alligator slots. Calvin Johnson for nine seasons and A.J. Green for eight say the holding works too.
The one blemish is the door out, and it is expensive. Josh Allen was drafted here in 2019, started six times for minus twelve, and released. Reggie's took him in round four the next year and he has been worth 324 since. Todd Gurley arrived from Pete and left again. On the wire the ledger runs minus 281, so this is a franchise that wins in September and loses slowly through October.
All six positions, in detail. The callout above is the glance.
| Pos | Player | Here | Starts | Titles together | Franchise PAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB | Kyler Murray | 2019–2022 | 40 | — | +67 |
| RB | Jonathan Taylor | 2020–2025 | 70 | 3 | +308 |
| WR | Calvin Johnson | 2007–2015 | 122 | 1 | +377 |
| TE | Rob Gronkowski | 2013–2018 | 73 | 2 | +214 |
| K | Nick Folk | 2013–2024 | 18 | 1 | +20 |
| DEF | Steelers | 2018–2019 | 14 | 1 | +51 |
| Kept | 98 | |
|---|---|---|
| Claimed off the wire | 292 | −281 |
| Traded for | 31 |
Five places. Who, when, and compared to whom.
Five of the six titles were built on a running back.
Every man who started a game in a championship season, in lineup order. Six titles, six drawers.
| Player | Pos | Starts | Points | PAR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jay Cutler | QB | 14 | 317 | 46 | |
| Ben Roethlisberger | QB | 1 | 14 | -4.4 | |
| Carson Palmer | QB | 1 | 7 | -11 | |
| DeAngelo Williams | RB | 10 | 221 | 93 | |
| Steven Jackson | RB | 7 | 128 | 35 | |
| Mewelde Moore | RB | 6 | 93 | 13 | |
| Willie Parker | RB | 4 | 48 | -4.3 | |
| Rashard Mendenhall | RB | 1 | 4 | -6.3 | |
| Le'Ron McClain | RB | 1 | 0 | -12 | |
| Tim Hightower | RB | 3 | 25 | -13 | |
| Calvin Johnson | WR | 15 | 186 | 47 | |
| Kevin Walter | WR | 11 | 113 | 10 | |
| David Patten | WR | 1 | 6 | -5.9 | |
| Domenik Hixon | WR | 1 | 3 | -6.2 | |
| Santana Moss | WR | 12 | 105 | -7 | |
| Justin Gage | WR | 3 | 20 | -8 | |
| Roy Williams | WR | 5 | 29 | -18 | |
| Mason Crosby | K | 1 | 11 | 2.6 | |
| Jeff Reed | K | 15 | 120 | -3.6 | |
| Tennessee Titans | DEF | 13 | 95 | 2.9 | |
| Washington Redskins | DEF | 1 | 3 | -3 |
| Player | Pos | Starts | Points | PAR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Brady | QB | 15 | 335 | 24 | |
| Tyrod Taylor | QB | 1 | 31 | 7 | |
| Todd Gurley | RB | 15 | 321 | 160 | |
| Leonard Fournette | RB | 12 | 181 | 51 | |
| DeAndre Washington | RB | 2 | 15 | -5.6 | |
| Jordan Howard | RB | 13 | 131 | -8.0 | |
| Doug Martin | RB | 4 | 31 | -13 | |
| DeAndre Hopkins | WR | 15 | 215 | 85 | |
| A.J. Green | WR | 15 | 152 | 22 | |
| Paul Richardson | WR | 5 | 44 | 3 | |
| Mike Williams | WR | 1 | 2 | -6.3 | |
| DeVante Parker | WR | 7 | 46 | -16 | |
| Martavis Bryant | WR | 7 | 30 | -31 | |
| Rob Gronkowski | TE | 13 | 158 | 71 | |
| Hunter Henry | TE | 2 | 21 | 7.5 | |
| Tyler Kroft | TE | 1 | 8 | 1 | |
| Josh Lambo | K | 2 | 15 | -2.6 | |
| Dustin Hopkins | K | 1 | 5 | -2.8 | |
| Chris Boswell | K | 1 | 8 | -4 | |
| Blair Walsh | K | 6 | 40 | -14 | |
| Giorgio Tavecchio | K | 6 | 34 | -16 | |
| Jaguars | DEF | 12 | 195 | 53 | |
| Panthers | DEF | 3 | 33 | 7.6 | |
| Lions | DEF | 1 | 5 | -8.1 |
| Player | Pos | Starts | Points | PAR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Fitzpatrick | QB | 1 | 13 | -13 | |
| Tom Brady | QB | 15 | 308 | -44 | |
| Todd Gurley | RB | 14 | 314 | 136 | |
| Saquon Barkley | RB | 15 | 275 | 83 | |
| Ito Smith | RB | 1 | 12 | 0.1 | |
| John Kelly Jr. | RB | 1 | 5 | -8 | |
| Marshawn Lynch | RB | 1 | 4 | -9.3 | |
| Jordan Howard | RB | 15 | 138 | -53 | |
| DeAndre Hopkins | WR | 15 | 206 | 61 | |
| A.J. Green | WR | 9 | 104 | 16.8 | |
| DaeSean Hamilton | WR | 2 | 15 | -4.8 | |
| Geronimo Allison | WR | 1 | 1 | -8 | |
| Maurice Harris | WR | 1 | 1 | -9.1 | |
| Marquise Goodwin | WR | 2 | 9 | -11 | |
| Chris Godwin Jr. | WR | 6 | 37 | -18 | |
| Mike Williams | WR | 5 | 26 | -25 | |
| Dede Westbrook | WR | 4 | 13 | -26 | |
| Taylor Gabriel | WR | 4 | 12 | -26 | |
| Dallas Goedert | TE | 1 | 0 | -5.1 | |
| Vernon Davis | TE | 1 | 0 | -7 | |
| Rob Gronkowski | TE | 14 | 83 | -23 | |
| Mason Crosby | K | 13 | 128 | 17.0 | |
| Dan Bailey | K | 3 | 22 | -2.1 | |
| Titans | DEF | 1 | 8 | -2.2 | |
| Steelers | DEF | 4 | 33 | -15 | |
| Jaguars | DEF | 11 | 95 | -22 |
| Player | Pos | Starts | Points | PAR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Richardson Sr. | QB | 4 | 81 | 1 | |
| Gardner Minshew II | QB | 1 | 11 | -10 | |
| Taylor Heinicke | QB | 1 | 10 | -13 | |
| Matthew Stafford | QB | 9 | 178 | -14.4 | |
| Joshua Dobbs | QB | 2 | 32 | -15 | |
| Jonathan Taylor | RB | 7 | 102 | 21 | |
| Saquon Barkley | RB | 12 | 153 | 19 | |
| Bijan Robinson | RB | 16 | 172 | -7 | |
| Alexander Mattison | RB | 5 | 43 | -11 | |
| Keaton Mitchell | RB | 3 | 19 | -14.3 | |
| Dameon Pierce | RB | 6 | 49 | -17.1 | |
| Deebo Samuel Sr. | WR | 13 | 172 | 54 | |
| Ja'Marr Chase | WR | 15 | 161 | 24 | |
| Jayden Reed | WR | 3 | 45 | 18 | |
| Wan'Dale Robinson | WR | 1 | 2 | -6 | |
| Jameson Williams | WR | 2 | 4 | -13 | |
| Romeo Doubs | WR | 7 | 51 | -13 | |
| Hollywood Brown | WR | 3 | 10 | -17.3 | |
| Jahan Dotson | WR | 9 | 49 | -32 | |
| T.J. Hockenson | TE | 15 | 125 | 28 | |
| Trey McBride | TE | 2 | 20 | 7 | |
| Jake Elliott | K | 14 | 140 | 20 | |
| Riley Patterson | K | 3 | 15 | -12 | |
| Dolphins | DEF | 5 | 102 | 44 | |
| Ravens | DEF | 10 | 143 | 23 | |
| Colts | DEF | 2 | 6 | -18 |
| Player | Pos | Starts | Points | PAR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bo Nix | QB | 7 | 173 | 8.9 | |
| Justin Fields | QB | 3 | 79 | 8 | |
| Kirk Cousins | QB | 1 | 14 | -6 | |
| Jameis Winston | QB | 1 | 19 | -7 | |
| Anthony Richardson Sr. | QB | 5 | 88 | -15 | |
| Saquon Barkley | RB | 16 | 323 | 130 | |
| Bijan Robinson | RB | 16 | 251 | 60 | |
| Jonathan Taylor | RB | 12 | 186 | 41 | |
| Kareem Hunt | RB | 3 | 50 | 15 | |
| Tyrone Tracy Jr. | RB | 2 | 20 | -5 | |
| Ja'Marr Chase | WR | 16 | 260 | 120 | |
| Ladd McConkey | WR | 5 | 53 | 10.5 | |
| Jayden Reed | WR | 10 | 96 | 9.2 | |
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba | WR | 10 | 87 | -3 | |
| Jameson Williams | WR | 3 | 19 | -8 | |
| Deebo Samuel Sr. | WR | 9 | 64 | -11 | |
| Trey McBride | TE | 15 | 126 | 25 | |
| Zach Ertz | TE | 1 | 13 | 4 | |
| Tyler Conklin | TE | 1 | 2 | -2 | |
| Jake Bates | K | 10 | 100 | 11.1 | |
| Jake Moody | K | 5 | 58 | 9.1 | |
| Nick Folk | K | 2 | 10 | -4.5 | |
| Chargers | DEF | 7 | 89 | 10.7 | |
| Rams | DEF | 2 | 20 | -4.0 | |
| Dolphins | DEF | 8 | 75 | -4.2 |
| Player | Pos | Starts | Points | PAR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brock Purdy | QB | 2 | 71 | 28 | |
| Jacoby Brissett | QB | 1 | 22 | 7 | |
| Justin Fields | QB | 1 | 29 | 4 | |
| Bo Nix | QB | 13 | 271 | -13 | |
| Jonathan Taylor | RB | 16 | 313 | 123 | |
| Bijan Robinson | RB | 16 | 291 | 100 | |
| Saquon Barkley | RB | 16 | 196 | 2.6 | |
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba | WR | 16 | 234 | 93 | |
| Ja'Marr Chase | WR | 15 | 174 | 44 | |
| Ladd McConkey | WR | 6 | 51 | -0.3 | |
| Tetairoa McMillan | WR | 13 | 105 | -9.2 | |
| Jameson Williams | WR | 3 | 17 | -9.4 | |
| Trey McBride | TE | 16 | 183 | 71 | |
| Harold Fannin Jr. | TE | 1 | 12 | 2.9 | |
| Eddy Pineiro | K | 5 | 40 | -3 | |
| Jason Sanders | K | 1 | 0 | -8 | |
| Tyler Loop | K | 11 | 81 | -19 | |
| Vikings | DEF | 5 | 60 | 17 | |
| Saints | DEF | 2 | 30 | 11 | |
| Lions | DEF | 4 | 23 | -18 | |
| Jaguars | DEF | 6 | 38 | -22 |