Being a Boston sports fan, I’ve been lucky enough to never really worry about the word “tank.” In Titletown, even suggesting a team should tank is enough to get you laughed out of the room. Every season, Boston fans expect their teams to at least make the playoffs, and if the roster is good enough, to win a championship.
Unfortunately for fans elsewhere, it’s not always that simple. Most fans are lucky to see their team win one championship, let alone the number Boston fans have experienced over the last two decades.
The issue comes when your team is among the league’s worst, like the Raiders or Giants are this year. At that point, is it OK for a team to tank?
I’ve been consistent with my stance over the last two years, when the Patriots won four games in back-to-back seasons, earning top-five picks in each draft. I believe fans can root for their team to tank. However, I don’t believe it’s right for a professional sports team to do so.
This past Sunday, the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders played with the loser likely ending up with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Leading up to the game, both teams ruled out star players, seemingly to weaken their rosters and increase their chances of losing.
That became apparent when the Raiders ruled out star edge rusher Maxx Crosby, placing him on injured reserve and ending his season. Normally, a move like that makes sense when a player is hurt. However, Crosby said all week he was good to go and didn’t want to miss the final two games.
After being placed on IR, reports said Crosby left the Raiders’ facility immediately. He later posted on social media of himself playing basketball. The Raiders went on to lose 34-10 and are now one loss away from securing the No. 1 overall pick.
What gets lost in all of this is the fans. People spend hard-earned money on tickets, merchandise and travel to watch star players compete. When someone like Crosby is ruled out for reasons that appear strategic rather than medical, fans are left paying full price for a watered-down product.
Fans want the top pick — I get it. Mock drafts are fun. Imagining which player could transform your franchise is exciting, and mock trades are endless. But for the integrity of professional sports, tanking by teams should not be allowed.
At the end of the day, players and coaches are competing for jobs, contracts and pride. Asking them to lose on purpose undermines the entire product. Fans can dream about the future all they want, but teams owe it to the league, their players and the game itself to compete honestly until the final whistle.
Luckily for Patriots fans, there will be no top-five or top-10 pick this year, and the tank discussion can be left to another franchise.
