Ranking the Most Optimistic Fanbases in the AFC West

The old American Football League.

If you look at the history of pro football and want to find out how the game got to be what it is today, you have to understand how important the old American Football League was to the game's growth.

The AFL was developed by Lamar Hunt, who was in love with professional football but denied an opportunity to buy an NFL franchise.

When his interest reached its zenith, he decided if the NFL wasn't going to let him in, he would start his own league.

That league was the AFL and it went from a start-up competitor to a near-equal with the NFL by the time the merger between the two leagues was complete.

The four teams in the AFC West are all teams that competed in the AFL throughout its existence from 1960 through 1969. No other division can make that claim. The AFC East is close, but the Miami Dolphins were an AFL expansion team that didn't play its first game until 1966.

Whenever any of the AFC West teams compete against each other, the spirit of the old AFL is alive and well.

The Denver Broncos were the least successful of these four teams during the AFL's run, but they have become the most successful of the division's teams and have the most optimistic fan base.

In this piece we look at all four fan bases within the AFC West.

Warning: Links to Reddit contain NSFW language.

4. San Diego Chargers

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The Chargers have been known for their solid offensive play throughout the years. Their ability to light up the scoreboard at key points throughout their existence has given their fans plenty to be excited about.

Chargers fans have long been passionate about their team, and the presence of Philip Rivers at quarterback means they have an excellent chance to win games and compete for a playoff spot.

But Chargers fans are distracted these days, and optimism is not at a high level. That's because the Spanos family has not been able to secure plans for a new stadium in San Diego and there has been significant chatter that the Chargers would leave San Diego and move to Los Angeles.

Rumors involving the Chargers, Oakland Raiders and St. Louis Rams possibly moving to L.A. have been flying for months. Bleacher Report's Jason Cole tweeted last month that the league may favor the Chargers and the Rams both moving to Los Angeles.

Loyal Chargers fans would be crestfallen if their beloved team ever left. As a result, whatever the team does on the field may be secondary to their long-term future.

The Chargers have never won the Super Bowl and have only been to the big game once, where they were dispatched by Steve Young and the San Francisco 49ers following the 1994 season. Chargers fans are always knowledgeable and fairly realistic about their team, but their optimism is regularly tempered by past failures, as noted on this Reddit chain.

3. Kansas City Chiefs

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The Chiefs were Lamar Hunt's team, and the late founder of the AFL and his son, Clark Hunt, have made sure the tradition of the old league endures with this notable franchise.

There's tremendous pride in Kansas City in the Chiefs, even though they have not been back to the Super Bowl since registering one of the great upsets in the event's history when they beat the powerful Minnesota Vikings 23-7 in Super Bowl IV.

It's been 45 years since the Chiefs tasted glory, and their fans are hungry to return to that championship level. They have had several notable seasons over the years—13-3 in 1995, 1997 and 2003—but they all ended in postseason failures.

Chiefs fans tend to find the bright side even when things are not going well. After a tough first quarter of the season that saw them drop three of their first four games, Chiefs fans showed their support by backing placekicker Cairo Santos, who was a perfect 7-of-7 in the Week 4 loss at Cincinnati.

Compared to other fans around the league, Chiefs fans tend to be far less cynical and far more loyal. However, the loss of running back Jamaal Charles to an ACL injury in Week 5 is a devastating blow to this team.

2. Oakland Raiders

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Raiders fans face the same dilemma that Chargers fans face, because their team could leave the Oakland Coliseum for greener pastures.

That has already happened once, when the late Al Davis took his team from Oakland to the Los Angeles Coliseum, where the team played from 1982 through 1994. He moved the team back to Oakland when he got a better stadium deal in his original city, but the Oakland Coliseum does not measure up to other stadiums around the league.

Thirty-three years after the team abandoned Oakland, Mark Davis could pull the team out of Oakland again.

Raiders fans are incredibly loyal, staying with the team after it moved away and came back. The fans are bold, raucous and often seem dangerous, just like the image of the team itself.

The Raiders were once one of the league's glamour franchises, but they have lost 10 or more games in 10 of the last 12 seasons. 

While the team has suffered, the fans remain hopeful. This year's team has shown signs of improvement with Derek Carr at quarterback, Latavius Murray at running back and Amari Cooper at the wide receiver position. The Raiders have the makings of a powerful offense, and that gives their fans hope.

Their past success gives them a feeling of pride that they are never hesitant to show off.

1. Denver Broncos

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The Denver Broncos have been one of the NFL's best and most consistent teams since the mid-1970s, and the home-field advantage they have at Sports Authority Field at Mile High has always been among the best in the league.

Their fans are loud, supportive, intelligent and impactful. Opposing quarterbacks must use a silent count when involved in a close game in the second half because Broncos fans drown out signal calls on a regular basis.

While there was some doubt at the start of the season about the Broncos offense because Peyton Manning might not be able to fire the ball with the same arm strength he once had, the Broncos still appear to have the makings of a solid season because of their defense.

Through the first five games of the season, the Broncos were undefeated and the defense has allowed the fewest yards per game in the league. 

The fans know if the Broncos are going to be a postseason factor this year, the defense must continue to lead the way.

All of the other teams in the AFC West have considerably more problems than the Broncos, and the Denver fans are clearly the most optimistic in the division.