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The most hated NFL teams in each state

By D. Simone Kovacs - August 7, 2014
Most Hated NFL Teams In Each State

While geography and old rivalries generally play a large part in deciding which NFL team each state hates the most, one Redditor’s survey revealed a few surprises.

Kmhokies35 asked fellow Reddit users to share which NFL team they hated the most in an unofficial poll and then created an infographic of the United States from the responses.

Surprisingly, while New England pretty much hates the New York Jets, almost everyone in the world hates the New England Patriots. They were the most-hated team in Asia, South America, and in three U.S. states.

Broken down in alphabetical order, these are the NFL’s most-hated teams:

Atlanta Falcons

The New Orleans Saints’ biggest rival, it makes sense that Louisiana and Mississippi listed the Falcons as their least favorite team.

Chicago Bears

Not surprisingly, Michigan and Wisconsin hate the Bears.

Dallas Cowboys

Despite being “America’s team,” the Cowboys have their haters in New Jersey, Virginia, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania. When looking at the most-hated teams by continent, the Cowboys are not too loved in Africa, either.

Denver Broncos

And Arkansas and Missouri hate Colorado.

Green Bay Packers

Everyone’s a Packer Backer–except Minnesota and Illinois that is.

Houston Texans

While Tennessee might have originally gotten their Titans from Houston, they don’t seem to be very happy about it. Along with Kentucky, they really don’t like the Texans.

Minnesota Vikings

North and South Dakota are tightly knit in their hatred of the Vikings.

New England Patriots

Besides the world, New York, Indiana, and Florida also hate this Massachusetts team.

New Orleans Saints

Basically the whole Southeast hates the Saints, excluding Florida and their home state of Louisiana, of course. Alabama, Georgia, and both Carolinas are holding onto a regional rivalry, naming the Saints their most hated team in the NFL.

New York Jets

New England hates the Jets, one of their biggest rivals, with Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire all listing them as their most-hated team.

Oakland Raiders

Kansas, Wyoming, and Colorado have it out for the Raiders and their Raider Nation

Philadelphia Eagles

Texas, with all their love of football, doesn’t like the Eagles. Along with Oklahoma, they named the Philadelphia based team as their most-hated.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Of course, the Steelers are hated by local rivals, Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland. However, they’re also hated by Arizona and New Mexico, most likely due to the Cardinals’ Super Bowl loss to the Steelers in 2009 still burning in recent memory.

San Francisco 49ers

Basically all of the Northwest, excluding California, hates the 49ers-Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana along with Iowa and Nebraska thrown in. Oh, and apparently Australia hates them, too.

Seattle Seahawks

Unsurprisingly, while the Northwest hates the 49ers, the Southwest hates the Seahawks. California, Utah, and Nevada named them as their most-hated team.

Whether because of their likeability or because no one cares enough about them to really loathe them, these teams didn’t make it to the number one most-hated spot of any state:

Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, San Diego Chargers, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins.

View Comments (70)

Comments (70)

I live in Utah, and I’ve never heard anyone even suggest that they might dislike the Seahawks. The Cowboys and Patriots seem to have far more hate here than any other team.

I’ve lived in SLC since last September and I have to agree with you. Most people here seem to be Broncos fans (me included) so they tend to hate the Broncos AFC rivals the most.

Haha:-) I was thrilled to see Utah on the “hate” list for the Seahawks! I’m a life long Eagles fan, but I hate Seattle FAR more than the Cowboys! (Maybe hate is too strong a word… they’re just my least favorite team.) To their credit they have been playing well the last couple years. Still, Fly Eagles, Fly! :-)

Don’t hate the pats cause they are good hate them cause they are cheaters and they get more calls for them and less on them just cheaters

The Cowboys (unlike the Atlanta Braves) have NEVER referred to themselves as “America’s Team.” The New York Giants are America’s Team, just as the New York Yankees are. Most overrated? Not even close. New York Jets, every year. When the Cowboys had a berth in the NFC title game stolen from them by gutless officials after a horrendous call, how many millions of fans around the nation cheered? They are the NFL’s Most Hated Team, clearly. Much of that hate is simply jealousy, however.

mike 1246 obviously is likely from the Ohio-Pittsburgh (Northwest Territory) area, not a viable Ohio metro area… Loyalties are convoluted in the hick towns where you pick your team based only on their NFL success not local allegiance… Sort of like me picking Canada as my country because they have a superior health plan. I am Ohio and I proudly support my teams …

I live in Montana and didn’t understand the basics of football, at all – until my then-future-husband agreed to teach me the fundamentals of the game in exchange for my silence/discontinued nagging. This was in the mid seventies, and the Dallas Cowboys were his all-time favorite team.

Please keep in mind that his love of the Cowboys was a very rare thing, indeed, here in the State of Montana. The people of Montana tend to align themselves with the Denver Broncos or the Minnesota Vikings. More recently, Seattle has become more of a favorite for many Montanans.

I also spent a lot of time living, attending college and working in Little Rock, Arkansas – prior to Jerry Jones’ acquisition of the Dallas Cowboys and afterwards (mostly in the 1980’s and 1990’s). This was a great time to be a Cowboy fan, because the local TV stations broadcast their games every week – especially after Jerry Jones (an Arkansas native) purchased the team.

It was also during this time that I began to take an interest in the New Orlean’s Saints. Back in the early 1980’s, Arkansas stations broadcast most of the Saints’ games. That was when their owner, Mr. Benson, would carry an umbrella down to the sidelines after every game and twirl it around – kind of like an “umbrella dance” – more affectionately known by the term, “The Benson Boogie”. For some reason, I got a big kick out of the owner, and I began watching more of the Saints’ games.

Nowadays, I consider myself to be a “recovering Dallas Cowboy fan” – not being very happy with many things about the team – especially Tony Romo. The older I have gotten, the more I have been willing to embrace more than just one NFL team. I was thrilled when Seattle won the Super Bowl this year – even if I really like and respect Peyton Manning.

Final comment: It is fair to say that the vast majority of Montana residents despise the Dallas Cowboys, with the vast majority of Montanans aligning themselves with the Denver Broncos or the Minnesota Vikings – and to a lesser extent, the Seattle Seahawks. On a more personal note: I will always root AGAINST the Pittsburgh Steelers, the New York Giants and the San Francisco 49’ers. No matter how great their teams (and players) may be, I simply cannot find it in my heart to actually like them or to root for them

The Vikings are the most popular team in North Dakota and South Dakota. I live in Fargo, and previously lived in Bismarck. I can honestly say the whole state of North Dakota is totally Vikings country. The most hated teams are either the Packers or Cowboys. I don’t know where the person who created this came up with Vikings as most hated in the Dakotas. It’s just plain wrong.

This is insanely stupid. No one at all in NC hates the saints. No one. Not one person. I called everyone tonite and except for Michael Jordan ( who wouldn’t take my call) , it is clear that the San Francisco 49ers are the most hated team.

This has to be wrong even tho I am not a Viking fan but south dakotans love the Vikings.

I live in Minnesota and I think the Vikings are the most hated team here. living in the north, it’s hard to find someone that likes the Vikings, including myself… packers rule!

I also appreciate that the most hated team in Wisconsin is the bears, the packers REAL rival!

Just saw this map today & was surprised by the Dakotas. Got a theory: I hunch the Packers were a big-time favorite in ND and SD for many decades prior to the Vikings. When the Vikings showed up in the early 60s, Dakotans didn’t switch allegiances but accepted them as the hated rivals of their long-time faves. (Sort of like people in SW Ontario who still cheer for the Tigers and hate the Blue Jays). Maybe if you live in Grand Forks or Fargo it’s different cuz you’re right on the Minnesota border, but I kinda get it. Kinda.

Washington, D.C. IS The Nation’s Capital, therefore, The Washington Redskins ARE America’s Team !!!

you people are stupid and not true fans how can you switch liking teams when ever you want ive been a redskin fan for 35 years and i will stay one forever

billy is right. That’s what a fan(atic) is. God Bless You Billy. Redskins Forever !!!

One of the best marketed teams, the Redskins fans are loyal and spread so far and wide that it makes it hard for any states to hate them. DC is not a state in the union so it’s unclear whether the survey asked people living in “the district” about hated teams. I lived in that area so I know there are hated teams but the geographic strangeness of team alignments make it hard to find patterns (e.g. Skins play in MD, but MD also hosts the Ravens). The really strong supporters of the Redskins are in Virginia; thats why VA hates the cowboys. Skins have 2 major problems: mediocre to miserable records since their last Superbowl win, and Dan Snyder…. oh and the name is offensive to most americans so they better do something or States will start naming them the SKINheads.

Raider nation reaches far and wide. I’m an American and Dallas is not our team. Raiders are misfits and outcasts. That is who made America, that is what we all came from. Outcasts of other nations. Raider nation 4 ever!! That’s American!! The true American team.

I despise the Cowboys , simply because they have claimed for years to be America’s team. Texas Schram in his time with the Cowboys ran the NFL , now Jerry Jones thinks he runs it , and the competition committee and the commish allow him to influence them just like Tex did , what a bunch of loud mouths the Cowboys are , haven’t won a thing in 18 years and hope they never do again. Go Eagles,Skins & Giants,keep the boys down forever. Don from Texas

I live in Hamilton, Ohio(which is about a half hour driving time north of Cincinnati) and I can agree this area(and the rest of Ohio) hates the Steelers more than any other team. I agree with what user name Steve said, it does seem that a third of people in Ohio are Steelers fans but the other two-thirds of Ohioans are PASSIONATE Steelers haters. I mean HATERS!

Although it seems the Steelers are hated everywhere.

Im Australian. There are 18 teams in the AFL (Australian Rules), nine of them in Melbourne. Everyone who doesn’t support them, HATE Collingwood Magpies. They aren’t the most successful, people don’t like them because they (and their supporters) are cocky when they win and blame the umpires when they don’t. Fremantle supporters share that characteristic.

What about the Ravens? There are plenty of Steelers fans in Ohio (more than Bengals fans, in fact.), Bengals fans, and those Browns fans. Does anyone remember the Ravens bailed on Cleveland and the city was left with a mediocre team (Cheers! I’m a Steelers fan.)? Seems doubtful that the Steelers are the most hated. It’s the Ravens.

No, it’s the Steelers. You have Bengals and Browns fans who while they don’t like each others’ teams, easily unite behind a hatred of Pittsburgh and their bandwagon-jumping fans. If you’re a Steelers fan in Ohio outside the far eastern areas actually near Pittsburgh, you’re probably rooting for them purely because of their tradition or you simply want to piss off Bengals and Browns fans.
There’s still a lot of dislike of Baltimore, especially among older Browns fans, but speaking as a Bengals fan (from a Browns family) I am fairly ambivalent to them and so are many other Bengals fans I know. The hate goes to Pittsburgh.

Thekingofohio777- FYI The RAVENS did not bailed on Cleveland it was never a Cleveland Ravens, you need to do your research before making any dumb comments. The Ravens are established in Baltimore back in 1996 by Art Modell who used to be in the Browns but left and built a better team. Its funny you think the Baltimore Ravens are hated more than Steelers when it’s obvious you dont even know much anything about NFL’s teams. Steelers and Ravens are very similar to each other when it comes to there winning records and how physical they play on field both are champions, because the Ravens is very young team compare to other NFL teams they only have 2 super bowl rings. How many rings does your Bengals have? Oh none and how long have been that team around? Close to 100 yrs?

I like the baltimore ravens and every one here .likes them and we are the biggest rival of pittsburg

Here in KY, we hate the Texans and Cowboys! We seem to love the Titans and the Dolphins!

And I love in Oklahoma and I hate the cowboys soooooooooooo much#!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But we love the eagles :) and Panthers

I live in Illinois but I go for the Seahawks and the bears and I cant believe California hates Seattle seahawks

FYI — Seattle used to be in the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders old AFC West division before the NFL realigned the divisions to four teams each. The Seahawks are also the current rival of the San Francisco 49ers. That’s why there’s no love for Seattle here in California.

Get real! There’s only one NFL team, Packers. Unique with a capital U, Title town for many,many valid reasons. I first came across their unique history reading Time magazine in the Middlesbrough (England) High School library in 1960, & carried on following their exploits in Time after that until Channel 4 started their NFL TV summary programmes in the 1970’s. I would therefore claim to be the longest UK follower of Green Bay’s finest, & simply, no other NFL team can hold a candle up to them … End of. … The rest just fade into insignificance by comparison, with their trumped up airs & phoney claims, sorry.

Pats put in their time: 1960-2000 of misery 4 decades of misery…. Back in the ’90s no doubt NE would be on the no one cares list. Newbes are forgiven, but any long time NFL watcher has to love the turnaround for a hard working staff and team these last 14 years!! Jets fans are also excused… With PT Barbum as their coach these past few years he has stoked the flames of cheater instead of building a team worthy of NY!!

Well said, although the Pats had decent teams with Parcells and Bledsoe in the 90’s with a good showing in Super Bowl 31, in 1997 against Green Bay.

The Seahawks came into the NFL in 1976. Everyone dissed them completely as a nothing team. Today I live in Colorado but have been a Seahawk fan since 1978 when I lived in Seattle area. I don’t hate anyone, even the team unfortunate enough to play against the Seahawks.
Indeed, in those days they looked like a small dog being tossed around the yard by a big dog. Now, they are one of the big dogs and people still believe that the Seahawks are just a “flash in the pan”.

I now live in Vegas…and We have a bar soley for the Seahawks…and I moved from seattle and was very plrased to see that, I just cant believe we could play so good, and there could be so many haters

You guys really have played well :-) As I said in an earlier comment “hate” is too strong a word. They really are a good team :-)

I’ve lived in Vegas too…they have a bar for EVERY NFL team. Some teams like the Broncos and Packers have 5-6 bars dedicated to them

Baltimore Ravens is a good organization it’s a team with winning record and 2 super bowl rings, A team that just got established in 1996 and already accomplished championship. Some NFL teams have been around more than 50yrs. And still has no super bowl ring anyway Google search the Ravens record record to verify. NOT RAVENS FAN… go! Manning (guess which one)

Emma mode- I do believed you about how much we hate the Ravens here in PA. Because they keep winning.

New England Patriots are caught cheating again against the Indy Colts they are a repeat offender what a big dissapointment, I am now an ex patriots fan theres no way I can justify to like this team.

13 teams to have never won any super bowl game. There’s nine teams who have gone and come away losers. The Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, San Diego Chargers, and Tennessee Titans have each lost a single Super Bowl, while the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles are 0-for-2. The Minnesota Vikings and the Buffalo Bills, who have both been to four Super Bowls, have come away with zero championships.

And then there’s four franchises — the Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, and Jacksonville Jaguars — who have never been to the Super Bowl. Cleveland has lost three AFC Championship appearances, Jacksonville two, Detroit one, and Houston has never made it past the AFC Divisional round.

Add everything up, and you’re left with a very unlucky 13 franchises that have never won the Super Bowl.

EMBARRASSING TEAMS…

The Seahawks are one of the few teams that have been in both the AFC and NFC. As a Seahawks hometown fan, I can remember years of being a Raider Hater and a Bronco Buster. As a child prior to the Seahawks, I had to choose teams to like and dislike. For whatever reason I always seemed to dislike the Cowboys. I did tend to like AFL teams. I loved the 72 Dolphins. Seemed like I rooted against the Colts too, beginning with the upstart Namath and his Jets.

People just hate the steelers because of their success, especially the browns and bengals fans, im a huge steelers fan and live in central ohio and this area is split between those three teams….btw i would say the ravens are the most hated here

Human nature tends to hate other people’s or teams success. The records speaks for itself, what’s the Steelers records? The only team with most super bowl rings? I believed a total of 6? And the Ravens have 2 super bowl rings a team that just got established in 1996 compare to others that’s been around 50 yrs. Or so with no super bowl? And so many play off appearance and wins?

good thing the San Diego Chargers aren’t there….they’re my one and only Football team! Go Chargers!!!

How did the RAVENS not make the cut for most hated? Uhh, I can assure you they are the most hated team in Pittsburgh.. Get your facts straight!