Except... this is the NFL, and everybody goes back. Look at the Patriots - they seemed unconquerable for twenty years in a row, and now they look like the worst-team-on-Tecmo-Bowl Patriots. Their fans don't seem to be abandoning the team, and they have really good reasons to do so (emerging powers in their division, a failed first-round QB, little to be optimistic about on either side of the ball, not a free agent destination).