Jim Cramer compares NFL playoff teams to stock picks

CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Friday compared all NFL 14 teams competing in the playoffs to some of his top stock picks.

“As I was reviewing this weekend’s slate of six games and the 14 teams that made the playoffs, I realized many of them are reminiscent of my favorite companies,” he said. “Tonight, I want to show you the comparisons, like how we do fantasy stock football at the start of every season, because it’s a great way to teach you more about the stock market.”

1. Kansas City Chiefs — Nvidia: As the defending champions this season, Cramer likened the team to semiconductor giant Nvidia, which he called the defending champion of the S&P 500. The Chiefs haven’t always looked great this season, Cramer said, just as Nvidia’s stock suffered for some of last year. But now the stock has broken hew highs, and Cramer said Chiefs fans should hope their team’s performance follows the same trajectory.
2. Miami Dolphins — Tesla: Like the electric vehicle manufacturer, Cramer said the Dolphins are known for their speed. And like Tesla, the team’s performance is not consistently reliable.
3. Cleveland Browns — Berkshire Hathaway: The Browns remind Cramer of Berkshire Hathaway’s legendary holding company, finding a few solid players like Warren Buffett finds good value stocks.
4. Houston Texans — Take-Two Interactive: Given the inexperience of the team’s “rookie quarterback” and “first-year head coach,” Cramer said he thinks the Texans are likely to see major success next year. He compared them to Take-Two Interactive because although the stock is currently performing decently, it’s likely to explode when its widely-anticipated new Grand Theft Auto game comes out.
5. Pittsburgh Stealers — U.S. Steel: Cramer said he doesn’t think the Steelers have a great shot against the Bills. Like U.S. Steel’s stock — which is being acquired by Japan’s Nippon Steel — they’ve done well but it’s time to find the next opportunity.
6. Buffalo Bills — Meta: To Cramer, the Bills seem primed for a great run, just like Meta which is “firing on all cylinders.”
7. Green Bay Packers — Disney: Like Disney, the Packers are an “iconic outfit” trying to forge a new identity and return to prominence.
8. Dallas Cowboys — Amazon: Cramer called the Cowboys’ offense “hot and cold,” just like Amazon’s retail business. The team’s defense is more dependable, he said, like revenue from Amazon Web Services.
9. Los Angeles Rams — Netflix: Like Netflix, the Rams are about show business, Cramer said.
10. Detroit Lions — Uber: Uber has been a tough stock to own until it saw a significant rise last year, Cramer said. Like the stock, the Lions have performed poorly in years past, but now seem like a “legitimate contender.”
11. Philadelphia Eagles — Johnson & Johnson: On paper, Cramer’s favorite football team should be performing well, but he said it seems like there’s something holding them back. So the Eagles remind him of Johnson & Johnson, a solid pharmaceutical company held back by a slew of lawsuits.
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Intel: According to Cramer, Intel outperformed market expectations like the Buccaneers managed to make playoffs.
13. San Francisco 49ers — Apple: Like Apple, Cramer said the NFL’s number one seed is a good bet even though some critics may believe otherwise.
14. Baltimore Ravens —Microsoft: The Ravens “very well may be the best in show,” Cramer said, which is why he likened the team to Microsoft, a Big Tech giant that’s seen major success this year due to its early bet on OpenAI.

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Disclaimer The CNBC Investing Club Charitable Trust holds shares of Nvidia, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Disney and Microsoft.