Enter at Your Own Risk: Ranking the NFL's Most Ridiculous Fanbases
There's more to the NFL than simply the teams, the players and how they perform. Often, you hear about the most loyal fan bases around the league; "The Cheeseheads are so loyal!" "There's nothing like Pittsburgh fans!" and "You gotta love those New Orleans Saints fans!" But how often do you hear about those brutal, bizarre-acting monsters that call themselves fans.
I'm talking about the fans that will spot a rival fan from afar and not stop until every Coors Light in a one-mile radius is emptied onto their heads. The fans that yell taboo profanity from their seats in stadiums until the ushers have no choice but to kick them out.
If you don't support the local team, these are the fans whose beer-dumping, curse-yelling attitude evokes fear in you to the point where you'd rather just sit home and watch the games from your house...and that may be a good call.
Here is the official list. Where does your team rank?
32. Carolina Panthers Fans
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Am I reading that sign correctly. "Thank You J.Fox 2002-2010. Luck To You + Us"
Maybe the sign would be better if it read "Thank you god for blessing us with a tandem of running backs oozing with potential, one of the most explosive receivers in the league, and scattered studs on the defensive side."
Good luck to John Fox, and good riddance!
He wasted the talents of all of these players. Sure, he was good,from 2002-2004, but times change, strategies change, and he isn't capable of making corresponding changes, at least for the Panthers. What type of fan base would provide people who would actually produce such a sign?
There's one team I'm not afraid of.
(Please note that I have compiled evidence to reach my conclusion that Carolina sits at this position, and the sign is not my only point of evidence.)
31. St. Louis Rams Fans
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No, actually. No you're not.
The fans may soon become better, as Sam Bradford is a bright, bright light at the end of a long, dark tunnel, but even then, this list isn't about being a good, loyal fan base. It is about being a gruesome, pitiful fan base, and right now, the Rams just aren't that.
30. Cincinatti Bengals Fans
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She does know that Carson Palmer is a Cincinatti Bengal, not a Cincinatti Wizard. Right?
There's really not much to say about the Cincinatti fan base.
They are, surprisingly, widespread. Through travels and meeting new people, I have encountered Bengals supporters all over the country, but at the games, they are most definitely not the kind of fans that would make you opt to watch from home instead.
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29. Jacksonville Jaguars Fans
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Jacksonville fans are not angry. They don't care that Maurice Jones-Drew's talent is being wasted with poor personnel, or so it seems...
Well, they don't seem angry, which explains why they sit so low on the list.
28. San Diego Chargers Fans
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If that's what they have to do to get attention, then they are clearly deserving of this spot on the list.
It's not that the Chargers fans are bad, it's just that they're nothing special. They're not known, not scary.
27. Houston Texans Fans
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The Texans are the newest franchise in the NFL, so there's no saying that they won't become fierce, but they're just not there yet.
Yes, yes, I am well aware of the random explosion of Andre Johnson, when he ripped off Cortland Finnegan's helmet and destroyed Tennessee's corner back, but Andre Johnson is a player, maybe a great player, but not a fan.
26. Arizona Cardinals Fans
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Really? Do you still believe in Skelton?
Cardinals fans are good in terms of loyalty, but lack in gruesomeness. They'll come out every Sunday, fill up most of the stadium, cheer all day...but I am most definitely not, by any means, afraid to be around them if I'm an opposing fan.
25. Kansas City Chiefs Fans
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Cassel and Bowe and Charles, Oh My!
I guess that kind of works. The three have developed extraordinary chemistry, Bowe receiving 15 passing touchdowns from Cassel, and Jamaal Charles second all-time in yard per carry in a single season, just 0.02 yards per carry away from the Jim Brown.
Finally, the fans have a reason to believe, a reason to come out every weekend, and though they may have a reason to become an intimidating fan base, the supporters of the Chiefs are just not there right now.
24. Seattle Seahawks
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I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE THINKING: PLEASE READ ON BEFORE JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS.
The fan base of the Seattle Seahawks is one of the best in the league. The whole "12th man" thing provides incredible motivation, and every seat is filled with a yelling fan during every game, pushing them through to the second round of the playoffs, but most importantly, the fans are humble.
They don't yell at opposing fans, evoke fear, or anything of that sort. They're really one of the best group of fans you could ever ask for, but for this article, they unfortunately fall to No. 24.
23. Tampa Bay Bucaneers
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I looked for a while, and that is the scariest picture I could find of a Bucs fan.
Josh Freeman is convincing the people of Tampa Bay that there is a dim light at the end of the tunnel. Wait, actually, the Bucs have a fan base much bigger than just Tampa Bay. I've lived near New York all my life, and have encountered tons of Bucs fans.
These people, however, are not the people I fear. When the Bucs lose (which used to be quite often), these aren't the fans that I'm afraid to still try and talk to.
22. Atlanta Falcons Fans
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Matt Ryan is (deep, deep breath), the best home quarterback in the NFL, which explains why he wasn't playing in a Wild Card game. Maybe the fans help him to have just one loss at home in his three-season career, but they aren't all that talked about.
Well, talked about or not, they're definitely not scary.
21. Miami Dolphins Fans
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I'm not really sure whether all of the people I see wearing 'Fins apparel are true fans, or just like those eye-popping colors. Regardless, they don't scare me. Not one bit.
Enough said.
20. Cleveland Browns Fans
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Disregarding that picture, we finally get to the teams that show some intensity as a group of fans.
Cleveland fans have always been true to their team, but never at a frightful level. The most intense they've ever been was during LeBron's return to Cleveland, but even if I were a Heat fan, I wouldn't have been afraid to go to the game.
Oh, and as a side not, that is not even the same sport. So unless Cleveland Browns fans hated Miami Dolphins fans because of LeBron somehow, number 20 is a good spot for them.
19. Tenessee Titans Fans
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The Titans are just an embarrassing team right now, and that has brought the fans down with them. If not for the 2010 Disaster, as I have deemed it, they'd be a few slots up higher on this list. Something is up in Tennessee. They better figure it out soon.
18. Dallas Cowboys Fans
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This may just be more of a "compared to the rest of the NFC East" thing, but when I think Cowboys, I think drama, Jerry Jones, huge stadium, Jessica Simpson, the T.O. show, etc.
The only thing not there is ferocious fans. They like their 'Boys, and they are (were) America's team, but the intimidation factor is not there.
17. Denver Broncos
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This is where, in my opinion, the fans get to the level where they can be considered hardcore. Through the next 17 slides, each team will progressively get more bizarre and frightening.
To kick off the top 17, the Broncos fans sit in. I've been the away fan at a Denver game before. Sure, they talked, which fans wouldn't? However, I wouldn't say I was afraid to be there.
16. New Orleans Saints Fans
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Don't get me wrong—Saints fans are very good and loyal fans. But when I think of New Orleans, I think of fans that just want to root for their own team and party like crazy.
The high spot is just because the costumes and the noise must freak you out a little. Just a little.
15. Indianapolis Colts Fans
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Of last year's two Super Bowl teams, the Colts get the edge on this list, even if not on the scoreboard.
Their attitude takes a turn and they begin to focus on the failures of the opponent. Hey, it may not exactly be in Peyton Manning's ethical values that he's built up over the years, but the fans find a way to make it work
14. Washington Redskins Fans
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Redskins fans have always had that violent attitude, and it's probably largely because of the players on their team. These big, Donovan McNabb, Jason Campbell type quarterbacks, and hard-hitting backs, such as Clinton Portis, have a physical play-style that has rubbed off on the attitude's of the fans.
13. San Fransisco 49ers Fans
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Another team that's always had pretty aggressive fans.
Let's just say that when they show opposing fans in the stands at a 49ers game on TV, they don't look too comfortable. The home fans don't look too comfortable either, seeing as they're not sure whether Troy Smith or Alex Smith well be under the center the next snap—but the opposing fans are definitely uneasy.
12. Detroit Lions Fans
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How can you not be at least a little gruesome with Ndamukong Suh on your roster? The rookie slammed quarterbacks into the ground 9 times this season and made 60 total defensive tackles.
Before this, though, Lions fans have been intense. Maybe it's the notorious city of Detroit, their long history and the days of Barry Sanders, or maybe it's just inexplicable, but the Lions fans are pretty intense.
11. Pittsburgh Steelers Fans
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When drafting the list for this article, it was extremely difficult to put Pittsburgh at number 11, but then I finished the draft and realized why.
Things like the Santonio Holmes Super Bowl catch, Big Ben's bad boy image, Mike Tomlin's professionalism, and, well, good football, basically entitle Steelers fans to be overconfident. But now, we round the top ten...
10. New York Giants Fans
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What the hell is he doing?...
Finally, we reach the top ten, and what better team to start it off with than the New York Giants fans. Being a native New Yorker, I unfortunately am surrounded by Giants (and Yankees) fans day in and day out.
To this day, I still work recklessly to coin the term "G-Men Cycle."
G-Men Cycle: Glad you asked. The G-men cycle is the cycle of which the Giants fans will always follow. It basically goes like this: If the Giants are beating, say, the Eagles, 24-3 near halftime of their Week 15 matchup, it's ALL you hear about. Phone calls, text messages, Facebook statuses. Basically, think of any means of communication, and the Giants fans will be in your ear at any high point of the game. If they lose the game, say, 37-31 on a punt return touchdown, I'm convinced that they go into hibernation. The phone calls stop, the texts stop, the commotion all together shuts down.
And then they win the next game, and for a week, you've been condemned to listening to their complaints about how incredible their coach is and how Eli Manning makes receivers good. Stop. Please. Just Stop.
9. New York Jets Fans
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Maybe it's just something about those New Yorkers...
As a die hard Jets fans, it won't be easy to write in such a way about my own team—but here goes.
The Jets fans (sigh) take trashiness to a whole new level. I take part in it myself, I must admit. After a NYJ victory, my favorite activity is to look out of my brother's passenger window and yell immature profanity to the fans of the team that just lost. Quite honestly, it's just plain mean.
I'm not alone though. I'm a typical Jets fan, actually. Everyone else in the car, along with all the other fans at the game, take part in similar activities. Basically, if you're visiting New Meadowlands, where a paper bag over your head.
8. Chicago Bears Fans
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Bears fans are just cocky, and their attitude is shown off by it. If an obvious call is made that isn't in their favor, the fans erupt as if there's something else that can be done. Well, there isn't.
They're good now, but I think a lot of people will agree with me when I say that they are over rated, and actually are under-performing, considering the depth of their roster.
Often, gruesome approaches work as fans. With the Bears, I don't personally believe it does.
7. Buffalo Bills Fans
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WHAT?! THE BILLS ARE IN THE TOP 10?!
As a Jets season ticket holder, I get a nice visit from the Buffalo Bills every year. I've heard rumors that the Buffalo fans were comically rude supporters, but I didn't believe it. Like you right now, I was thinking, C'mon. No way. It's just the Bills.
And then it happened. In my section, there were three men, about 35-40 years old, and they were Bills fans. The Jets got off to a phenomenal start, as you may remember, and when the Bills finally scored a touchdown, they turned back (they were near the front of the section) and one of them loudly yelled the following:
"WHOOO! LET'S GO BILLS! THE JETS GOT NOTHIN' ON US! WE RUN THE AFC EAST, LET'S GO BABY!!!!" (Obviously, there was some profanity mixed in with the speech that I opted not to include in the article.)
I'm still wondering how they walked out of the stadium without a single scratch on their face. And why the Bills went 4-12. And why the Jets won that game, 38-7. I really really hope they enjoyed that one touchdown.
6. Green Bay Packers Fans
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The Packers are one of the few teams that would be in this spot if this list was a loyal fan ship list, but here they are in terms of bizarreness.
To start off, the whole Cheese-Head thing is just a little bit ridiculous. As much as no one wants to put down the fans of the Frozen Tundra, we all know it's true.
Then again, there is good reasons for the Green Bay fans resonating such extreme levels of spirit. The Folks of Wisconsin, besides the NCAA team, don't have professional franchises in other sports. Logically, Packers fans should be insane. If there were no New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Knicks, Nets, Rangers, Devils, Mets, or Yankees, I'd bet the Giants would be the craziest fans in the NFL.
The Packers now find themselves in an NFC championship, so their approach is obviously working.
5. New England Patriots Fans
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(Before I begin, it should be noted that I attended the Patriots-Jets game yesterday evening in Foxboro.)
Let me tell you one thing: Patriots fans are not brutal, they don't dump beer on you, get in your face, or anything of the sort. They are really just ridiculous.
With all the costumes and the Foot-Fetish satire, I strongly wondered whether they supported the Pats or just hated the Jets. "45-3!" is all they would say for the beginning of the first quarter. "45-3!"
Right as the Jets took the lead, they turned to "Rex is huge!", "Foot fetish foot fetish!", and other meaningless satirical chants.
Before the Patriots attempted the first of their two attempted onside kicks, the fans started pouring out. To start the game, it was probably 90 percent NE fans, 10 percent NYJ fans. When Sanchez threw a touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes (nicest catch I've seen in person, I should add), over the next few minutes it became 80 percent Patriots fans, 20 percent Jets fans.
When the Jets recovered the first onside kick, it must have been getting closer and closer to 70-30. I also should say that as the Patriots fans took over less and less of the stadium, it got quieter and quieter. I've never been at such a quiet football game.
There was a point, when the Jets recovered the second onside kick with about :30 left in the game, that there were more Jets fans remaining in the seats than there were Patriots fans. It was probably about 55-45.
So there the Pats fans find themselves, astonished by their team's performance, pouring out of Gilette stadium with their absurd posters and ridiculous costumes.
4. Baltimore Ravens Fans
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Ravens fans are both good fans and hardcore fans. They're not ridiculous so that they're not intense, but I would not call them the most humble group.
Most of this, I'm sure, is single-handedly because of Ray Lewis. The veteran MLB has been running the show since 1996, never slacking and never looking back. He has a sure-fire, mentor attitude that helps develop young players and make the fans go absolutely crazy.
Of all the games I've been to, I've been to one Ravens game. And on seven or eight separate occasions, people have been sporting Ray Lewis jerseys at a Jets-Dolphins game, or some other ridiculous combination.
3. Minnesota Vikings Fans
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Vikings fans are pretty notorious. I respect them, however. They show full spirit, dress up in their crazy costumes, and sell out the stadium every game regardless of how good or bad the Vikings are doing. I wouldn't have had to include that last part, but it was a rough year for the Vikes.
I don't think the fans have any inspiration to act insane other then themselves, so that swagger will stick for a while.
2. Oakland Raiders Fans
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When I think Oakland, Raiders fans, or anything-Raiders, I think "dirty." I don't know what it is, but I think other people will agree with me. I don't mean dirty like muddy, lack of cleanliness, I mean hardcore, play by no rules, etc...
When Jason Campbell got traded to the Raiders, he became dirty. Darren McFadden? Dirty. It's almost more like a lifestyle as opposed to an attitude towards the game, but when those fans smear that black and silver paint on, I know I'm dealing with hardcore fans.
1. Philadelphia Eagles Fans
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This is finally my chance to say all that is to be said about Philadelphia fans. To start off, I have absolutely no sympathy for Philly fans. I love Michael Vick, I don't even mind the Eagles, but whether you're dealing with them, the 76ers, Phillies, or Flyers, I can barely stand the fans.
I'm not going to come out and say that they don't love the Eagles, but they seem awfully interested in being above the opponent in an unsportsmanlike way. In every remote area, there are always those few Eagles fans, and you always know exactly who they are. This is because of their excessive pride. Even during down times, they're always there, and they don't stop talking. If the team is playing poorly, your team is doing something worse.
Don't watch out for Eagles fans because they're crazy or dangerous, watch out for them because they are loud, annoying, don't stop talking, and are all together ridiculous. And THAT is why they deserve to be the number one spot on this list.
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