Being an NFL fan is not an easy endeavor. You pour your heart and soul into a team that probably ends their season in some sort of disappointment. But some fanbases do it better than others. So here are the 10 best NFL fanbases in 2024:
And find out if your favorite team is on the list!
10: New York Giants
The Giants are a spoiled fanbase in the sense that most of their Super Bowl victories and playoff success came when the Giants were underdogs, and no one expected it. Because of this, the Giants' fanbase is generally a very optimistic group of people. Even if the team is sitting at 4-8, Giants fans always have something to be optimistic about. And this makes them a lot more fun than Jets fans, but sometimes a bit delusional.
9: Pittsburgh Steelers
On one hand, the Steelers fanbase is one of the league's most populous, and even if they're playing a nearby rival, Acrisure Stadium is always decked out in yellow and black. They don't sell tickets to the other team. But on the other hand, only the Cowboys have more bandwagon fans. At every NFL game, there's always at least one Steelers fan. And the Steelers fanbase is also incredibly spoiled, as the team has been to the playoffs a whopping 33 times and won 6 Super Bowls in the NFL era. So I decided to split the difference and put them at the No.11 spot.
8: Denver Broncos
Denver is one of the toughest road atmospheres to play in, and it's not just because of the altitude. No matter if it's the AFC Championship or a meaningless week 18 game, Empower Field at Mile High is always packed, and Broncos fans will brave the frigid temperatures to cheer on their team. Nevertheless, Broncos fans can sometimes can too emotional, and similarly to Eagles fans, are not afraid to boo their own players. Russell Wilson definitely can't walk the streets of Denver anymore.
7: Detroit Lions
If I were a Lions fan, I would've jumped ship long ago, but Lions fans are extremely loyal to a team that had no playoff wins for over 30 years until just a few months ago. Lions fans embraced the persona of the lovable losers, with their "Rebuilding since 1957" jerseys. But the Lions actually won their division and made it to the NFC championship game in 2023, which has certainly grown their fanbase. And the Lions should be contending for a Super Bowl for years to come, which sounds weird, as the words Lions and Super Bowl are never used in the same sentence.
6: Cleveland Browns
Browns fans have stayed loyal to their team, despite their team giving them virtually nothing to cheer about for the past 25 years. And similarly to the Lions, I would have jumped ship long ago, especially since the Browns organization has been horrendous. But at least the Lions are turning a corner. The Browns are not. Nevertheless, Browns fans are immensely passionate about their snake-bitten franchise and deserve for the Browns to have some actual success.
5: Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings have a substantially-sized and loyal fanbase that has kept rooting for the team despite their lack of playoff victories. The Vikings have even lost more playoff games than any other team, but fans nevertheless flock to U.S. Bank Stadium every Sunday. And their pregame tradition of the Gjallarhorn induces chills in the opposing team's players. Vikings fans are also known for being some of the nicest, but I'm not sure if this stereotype is actually true. Assuming it is, let's put them at the No. 6 spot.
4: Green Bay Packers
The Packers franchise has been a model of consistency throughout NFL history, and their fans are somewhat spoiled because of this. They even threatened to burn down Lambeau Field after the Packers had back-to-back losing seasons. But this also means that they only expect the best from their team, and this certainly puts pressure on the Packers organization to field a good team. Packers fans are also one of the NFL's most passionate, and consistently rank top-five in fan attendance every year.
3: New Orleans Saints
The Big Easy fields one of the NFL's best fanbases, and one of the few rabid warm-weather fanbases. Saints fans live, eat, and breathe football, and make the Superdome one of the loudest and most intimidating stadiums to play at. Even when the Saints were awful during the team's first three decades, and were nicknamed, "The Ain'ts", their fans were still loyal and passionate about their team.
2: Kansas City Chiefs
There is no atmosphere in the NFL like Arrowhead Stadium. It is a truly intimidating road venue to play at, with the frigid temperatures, the sea of red cheering their team on, and of course, going up against one of the NFL's most dominant teams. Chiefs fans even broke the Guinness world record for most noise at an open-air stadium, reaching a deafening 137.5 decibels. Yes, there are plenty of Chiefs bandwagon fans who are very annoying. However, the Chiefs had a very dedicated and loyal fanbase for decades before Patrick Mahomes came along.
1: Buffalo Bills
There is no NFL fanbase like the Buffalo Bills. Bills fans are utterly crazy, jumping through flaming tables to express their love for the Bills. And that's just the parking lot! No matter if it's a high-stakes playoff matchup or a meaningless week 18 game, Highmark Stadium always has a sellout crowd. But unlike Eagles fans, Bills mafia isn't obnoxious or hostile to opposing teams or their own players, except maybe the Chiefs.
Comments