The National Football League has taken over as the nation's most popular sport. There isn't an institution in the country that does not have a revered football program or a favorite football franchise. Patrons across the United States funnel themselves into state of the art football stadiums to cheer on their favorite teams every week during football season. Without further ado, check out all 32 NFL teams ranked by their fan base below. The three factors include fan equity, road equity, and social equity.
First and foremost, this particular ranking system is not based on franchise popularity, emotional connection to a particular organization, or win/loss ratio. This is a data-based analysis utilizing a system called Fanalytics that measures three factors of each and every team's fan engagement with the NFL organizations they follow the closest.
These three factors include fan equity, road equity, and social equity. Fan equity is determined by home-game revenue that is generated by fans that wish to support their favorite team in a live setting. Road equity is determined by a fan bases willingness to travel outside of their home field to watch their team perform. Lastly, social equity is a fan's engagement with their favorite team via an online community. These factors allow us to reveal which fan bases willingness to spend money to support their favorite teams and their nationwide appeal.
The Tennessee Titans are still a fairly new NFL franchise being that they were originally the Houston Oilers and relocated to Nashville in 1997. It doesn't help that the franchise has also never won a single Super Bowl since the team's original conception back in 1960. The last time the Titans were able to make it to the NFL postseason was back in 2003 when they defeated the Baltimore Ravens in an AFC Wild Card game but lost to the New England Patriots who made it to the Super Bowl that same year.
It's been rough being for fans of the Titans but, the franchise appears to be determined to develop a winning culture for their fans to support. With Marcus Mariota and Derrick Henry running the offense and an aggressive defense behind them, the Tennessee squad could be back in the playoff picture sooner rather than later. The Titans ranked 28th in fan equity, 30th in social equity, and 30th in road equity making them dead last in the overall fan ranking system.
Some of you might be scratching your heads and wondering how a Super Bowl contending team could be ranked 31st in fan base rankings. To let it be known this data was gathered prior to the start of the 2018-19 NFL season when the Rams had only two seasons in their new hometown of Los Angeles. When the Rams moved from St. Louis to Los Angeles back in 2016, it severely damaged their fanbase who originally thought that owner, Stan Kroenke was going to keep the franchise in Missouri but, decided to relocate the team and move them to the west coast.
The Rams first season in LA didn't go quite as planned as the team ended the season third in the NFC West with a record of 4-12. Since then, the team has become a powerhouse in the league and has won over the community in Los Angeles. If the Rams do end up Super Bowl victors in the upcoming weeks, we can expect their data analysis to differ than of what was taken before the start of the season. The Los Angeles Rams ranked 32nd in fan equity, 32nd in social equity, and 22nd in road equity prior to the beginning of the season.
The Kansas City Chiefs is another NFL franchise on the rise in today's professional football climate. The performance of second-year quarterback Patrick Mahomes II has provided the franchise with the spark that they needed to help the team rise to prominence once again. Not only did he put on a dazzling display of trick throws and impossible completions, but Mahomes also racked up 50 touchdowns and put up 5,097 yards in the regular season alone this year.
It looks like the Chiefs have found a franchise quarterback in the 23-year-old from here on out. Unfortunately, prior to the beginning of the season, the Chiefs' overall fan engagement was one of the worst in the entire NFL. Despite ending the 2017-18 NFL season with a division-topping record of 10-6, the organization was unable to corral fans into supporting their success. With the arrival of Patrick Mahomes, things are sure to change for the franchise come next season. The Kansas City Chiefs ranked 29th in fan equity, 28th in social equity, and 28th in road equity.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are in an interesting place right now so far as how they're going to move forward as a team this upcoming off-season. The Jags appear to be confused about whether or not they will be keeping quarterback Blake Bortles at the helm of the team's offense after going 5-11 on the season and coming off an AFC South topping record of 10-6 a year ago.
However, the team's prized cornerback, Jalen Ramsey, has become a media darling in recent years and provides the team with national coverage for his blunt and sometimes hilarious pre and post-game interviews. But yet that isn't enough to keep the Jaguars from being one of the worst ranked fan bases in the country with a fan equity ranking of 30th in the league, 31st in social equity, and 23rd in road equity.
Cleveland Browns fans have almost made it a running joke to display their discontent with their franchise's performance over the past decade plus. For some reason, the Cleveland Browns can never get it together. Honestly, we're not exactly how the organization's front office isn't embarrassed by the team's performance every season but, this year the team almost had a .500 season after going 7-8.
Fortunately for the Browns, former Oklahoma quarterback, Baker Mayfield, has been able to provide the franchise with the spark that they needed to start winning some games after going 0-16 in the 2017-18 NFL season. Honestly, we shouldn't expect much from a team who's won only eight games over the past three NFL seasons but somehow their not dead last in fan base rankings. The Cleveland Browns ranked 24th in fan equity, 20th in social equity (most likely because the entire nation was laughing at them), and 31st in road equity.
First and foremost, we'd like to mention that the Los Angeles Chargers actually spent a total of 56 years in San Diego before being ripped from the city and relocated to Hollywood in 2017. Which makes this guy's sign all the more amusing and why the Chargers have such a poor fan base ranking, to begin with. The Chargers are a football franchise that glides under the radar for most casual NFL fans mainly due to the team's weak public perception. Year in and year out, the Chargers find themselves in the playoffs but, can never make it over the hump to get in the Super Bowl conversation.
Not to mention, Dean Spanos is despised by most San Diegans today, the team plays in one of the smallest stadiums in the league in the Dignity Health Sports Park that only seats 27,000 patrons while their LA neighbors in the Rams play in the cozier LA Coliseum that seats over 78,000 fans. We're not sure what the Chargers have to do to grow their fan base but, we suggest winning a Super Bowl might be a good start to support the team's overall fan engagement with the franchise. The Los Angeles Chargers are ranked 26th in fan equity, 26th in social equity, and 16th in road equity.
The Cincinnati Bengals is another NFL organization that doesn't evoke that much emotion out of casual football fans as well. The team rarely makes it to the forefront of nationally televised games, and year in and year out they appear just... average. The Bengals do have a solid quarterback in Andy Dalton but not too many weapons have been placed around him to help him excel and put the Bengals back in the playoff picture.
After finishing the season dead last in the AFC North with a record of 6-10, it might be time for the Bengals to make some drastic moves in order to continue generating a high-level of revenue from fans. The Bengals haven't been media-relevant since the days of Chad Ochocinco and need a boost in their athletic talent. We'll see what the Bengals can muster up in the upcoming off-season. With that said, the Cincinnati Bengals ranked 27th in fan equity, 21st in social equity, and 20th in road equity.
For some reason, it appears that the Arizona Cardinals have made their organization comfortable with being mediocre. Over the past several off-seasons, the team has failed to make any major moves to help the franchise regain one their once prominent level of play. And with 35-year-old Larry Fitzgerald on the verge of hanging up his cleats for good, we're not sure if the franchise is going to find some to help Fitz and the Cardinals be competitive next season.
Also, the Cardinals finished their season with an NFL-worst record of just 3-13. Plainly, the organization's execution to win games isn't acceptable and we can understand why fans wouldn't want to attend games to watch their team lose. Hopefully, the Cardinals do right by Larry Fitzgerald and get him some help so that they can compete. The Arizona Cardinals ranked 19th in fan equity and 24th in both social and road equity.
Just one season ago, the Minnesota Vikings ended the regular season with a record of 13-3 and were Super Bowl contenders. The Minnesota franchise had a chance to win it all but lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Conference Championship game. One season later, the Vikings ended their season with a record of 8-7 and didn't even make it into the postseason. Not to mention, the franchise has had four different starting quarterbacks over the past three seasons including Case Keenum, Sam Bradford, Teddy Bridgewater, and now Kirk Cousins.
Maybe it's the team's indecisiveness as to who's going to lead the offense that has led them astray but when you're front office is shaky so is your fanbase. Indecisiveness coming from a sports franchise is never a good look which is why the Minnesota Vikings are ranked 21st in fan equity, 29th in social equity, and 15th in road equity.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are another sports franchise that has become accustomed to their fans showing up in hopes that their team loses. Over the past two seasons, the Bucs have had a season-ending record of 5-11 leaving them in dead last of the NFC South division. So, it's understandable as to why many of their followers are fed up. Earlier this season, the Ryan Fitzpatrick show took off after his swaggy outfits became a trend during his post-game interviews providing the Bucs with a little bit of a shine. Unfortunately, we can't say the same for his overall play as he and Jameis Winston battled it out for starting quarterback honors.
However, the Buccaneers do have potential but it's up to the team's front office if they want to invest in the team's future to help them become relevant once again. With such a dope stadium the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have ranked 25th in fan equity, 25th in social equity, and a surprising 11th place in road equity.
The Houston Texans are on the verge of becoming one of the NFL's premier teams with top tier talent like Deandre Hopkins, J.J. Watt, and second-year quarterback Deshaun Watson leading the offense. Strangely, Watson was not at the forefront of the media conversation this NFL season as the sophomore racked up a total of 26 touchdowns and had an overall quarterback rating of 103.1.
The Texans have the star-power and expertise to become great and have a semi-sturdy fellowship despite being the NFL's youngest franchise. The Houston Texans were originally formed back in 2002 and has had a growing fan base ever since, especially with Texas being a football-centric state. The Texans were ultimately ranked at the 22nd slot with a fan equity ranking at the 14th slot, 11th in social equity, and dead last 32nd in road equity.
You'd think with a fan base that treats every game like it's Halloween and travels so well with their team would rank a lot higher than 21st overall, right? Guess again. Unfortunately, with the Oakland Raiders playing their last game in Oakland this past December and moving to Las Vegas in 2020, the Raiders' fan base could be imploding right before own eyes. Not to mention, the team's performance over the past several seasons have been downright embarrassing. The Raiders finished the 2018-19 season with a division-worst record of just 4-12 after trading away high-level talent in Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper.
Even though the Oakland Raiders have been an extreme disappointment and suffer from leadership issues, somehow fans still show up for them. The Oakland Raiders ranked 31st in fan equity, 19th in social equity, and 4th in road equity (Raider fans travel well, there's a Black Hole in every city).
The Detroit Lions have struggled immensely over the past decade and with the recent retirement of their star wide receiver Calvin 'Megatron' Johnson back in 2016 and the departure of Ndamukong Suh in 2014. The Lions have struggled to sign elite talent and continue to let high-level players walk right out of their organization's doors with little to resistance. This season alone the Detroit Lions finished in last place of the NFC North division with a losing record of 6-10.
We've got to admit the NFC North is full of elite competition with the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, and Minnesota Vikings all more notoriously prevalent than their Detroit counterparts but somehow the Michigan-based football squad still gets their fans to home games regularly. The Detroit Lions ranked 20th in fan equity, 15th in social equity, and 19th in road equity.
The Carolina Panthers are a sneakily successful football franchise that sometimes goes unnoticed by casual football fans. The football squad has a freak of nature quarterback in the 6'5, 245lb Cam Newton that has the ability to do it all. Newton has a rocket of an arm and better mobility than any other speedster quarterback in the league. Unfortunately, the Panthers were not able to clinch a playoff berth this past season as the team ended the season with a record of 7-9.
The Carolina Panthers were able to reach the big dance recently but lost Super Bowl 50 to the Denver Broncos in 2015 which definitely had an impact on the team's current fan base. Ultimately, the Carolina Panthers ranked 22nd in fan equity, an impressive 4th in social equity, and 27th in road equity.
Buffalo Bills fans are some of the most loyal in the entire NFL. Especially being that the team hasn't clinched a playoff berth in nearly two decades. It's hard to believe that Bills fans are willing to sit in the rigid cold week in and week out to watch their team underperform but somehow, they still hold their city's football franchise near and dear to their hearts. This season, the Buffalo Bills ended their season in third place of the AFC East with a losing record of 6-10.
The dismal performance of quarterback Nathan Peterman allowed the franchise to enter mainstream media talks but for all of the wrong reasons. Eventually, the Bills cut ties with Peterman and allowed quarterback Josh Allen to take the reigns at the starting quarterback position. If the Bills ever want to return to those glory days of the '90s, they'll have to make some drastic changes to their overall football culture. With that said, the Buffalo Bills ranked 17th in fan equity, 22nd in social equity, and 14th in road equity.
The Legion of Boom might not be any longer and Marshawn Lynch might not provide the franchise with comedic relief but the Seattle Seahawks are still a dangerous football franchise to match up against regardless of their competition. Earlier this season, many football and analysts and fans alike counted the Seahawks out but, with a surge late in the NFL season that allowed the team to clinch an NFC Wild Card position.
Unfortunately, the Seahawks lost in the final remaining seconds of the game to the Dallas Cowboys eliminating Russell Wilson and the Hawks from possibly making a third Super Bowl appearance in five years. Since the arrival of Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson, the Seahawks have been thriving and will remain a playoff contender as long as the two are on the same page. The Seattle Seahawks rank 18th in fan equity, 8th in social equity, and 25th in road equity.
Despite the Baltimore Ravens struggles early in the 2018-19 NFL season, the Maryland football organization was able to end their season at the top of the AFC North division with a record of 10-6. The Ravens ended their season on a three-game winning streak but couldn't get past the Los Angeles Chargers that dominated the squad in the AFC Wild Card game, ending their season after a 23-17 loss.
However, the Ravens have some decisions to make this off-season, as NFL newcomer Lamar Jackson, has proved that he is capable of being the franchise's starting quarterback. So, where will this leave Joe Flacco? On the sidelines obviously but, can this depth chart change result in tension in the Ravens' locker room? Only time will tell. The Baltimore Ravens rank 6th in fan equity, 16th in social equity, and 29th in road equity.
After ending the season with an AFC East worst 4-12 record, the New York Jets have officially gutted their coaching staff and hired ex-Dolphins head coach, Adam Gase to lead their organization. From a spectators standpoint, the Jets appeared to be unmotivated and lackadaisical throughout the entire season so, leadership is definitely a necessity for the franchise. Also, the team lacks standout talent and depth, the Jets will remain New York's red-headed stepchild if they continue down this path of mediocrity.
Somehow, the New York Jets still have a rather loyal fan base due to the stubbornness of New York residents but, how long can that last if the team continues to end up on the losing end of the stick every football season? Ultimately, the New York Jets were ranked 13th in fan equity, 17th in social equity, and 17th in road equity but, prior to the beginning of the 2018-19 NFL season. We have a feeling that after this season's performance, the team could have possibly take a dive in fan rankings later this year.
Miami's never been known as an authentic sports city due to the many activities the city has to offer its patrons. Not to mention, Miami, Florida is a vacation destination that many across the nation flock to for its beaches and nightlife. Somehow, each and every week during football season, the Miami Dolphins are able to fill seats at Hard Rock Stadium. And that's despite their mediocre play, the Dolphins have been able to encapture their fans' loyalty.
The Miami Dolphins ended their season with a record of 7-9, second in the AFC East, behind the dominant force that is the New England Patriots. The Dolphins have been making some changes to their coaching staff and probably want to find an alternative to starting quarterback, Ryan Tannehill, who appears to not have the ability to lead a football franchise to the postseason. But, as previously stated, the Dolphins fans show up as the team ranked 15th in fan equity, 23rd in social equity, and 9th in road equity.
The Atlanta Falcons' Super Bowl LI loss to the New England Patriots was one of the most devastating losses the football franchise has ever experienced. Unfortunately, the Falcons have not been able to return to Super Bowl form ever since. However, the Falcons are in one of the most difficult divisions in all of football with competition like the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints rivaling the organization in the NFC South.
This year the Atlanta Falcons ended their season 7-9 and couldn't clinch a playoff berth. Julio Jones struggled early on to find his way into the endzone while the Falcons defensive intensity varied from game to game. The Falcons have potential to be great, they just have to come together as a collective and trust the process. Prior to the beginning of the 2018-19 NFL season, the Atlanta Falcons ranked 23rd in fan equity, 10th in social equity, and 13th in road equity.
Early in the 2018-19 NFL season, the Washington Redskins were on a course to become one the league's most dominant football squads. Adrian Peterson performed at a high level rushing for 1,000 yards and scoring seven touchdowns while the Redskins defense remained rather average allowing opponents to score nearly 23 points per game.
Unfortunately, Redskins' head coach, Jay Gruden, made some rather questionable decisions throughout the season hurting the team's fan base stock. Initially, he signed linebacker, Reuben Foster who was accused of domestic violence but had the charges dropped after being signed to the ball club. Gruden also refused to sign quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, after the team struggled to find a starting quarterback. The Redskins suffered many of PR nightmares but, this past season's debacles were among the worse in the entire league this year. The Washington Redskins ranked 10th in fan equity, 27th in social equity, and 8th in road equity.
The Indianapolis Colts began their season 1-5 and were counted out by sports analysts and fans alike. Somehow, the team was able to nine out of their last ten games before scraping into the playoffs this season. The Colts were able to take care of the Houston Texans in their AFC West Wild Card head-to-head but, were eliminated but the Kansas City Chiefs in their AFC Divisional game.
The Indianapolis Colts are definitely going to be a team everyone should keep an eye out for this upcoming off-season and early in the 2019-2020 NFL season. Andrew Luck is officially back and the Colts defense is playoff ready. Ultimately, the Indianapolis Colts were ranked 11th in fan equity, 18th in social equity, and 10th in road equity prior to the beginning of the 2018-19 NFL season.
The San Francisco 49ers have always had one of the most loyal fan bases in all of sports. The Bay Area-based football organization is one of the most successful franchises in all of football with a total of five Lombardi trophies the team has been able to capture throughout their illustrious history. However, fans these days might be riding off the high of the team's '80s and '90s Super Bowl victories.
This past season, the San Francisco 49ers ended their season with a record of 4-12 after their star quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a season-ending injury early in the year. The 49ers have the potential to be something special but they lack depth. We'll see what the team can cook in the future as the Niners ranked 2nd in fan equity, 9th in social equity, and 26th in road equity.
Any sports fanatic that's willing to wear a huge slice of swizz cheese on their heads in public is definitely loyal. And with the Green Bay Packers being fan-owned, the football franchise is one of the most respected in all of football. The Packers have had an established a winning culture since their conception back in 1919. The Green Bay Packers have won a total of four NFL Championships with their latest coming in 2011 led by Aaron Rodgers.
However, this past season the Green Bay Packers struggled to gather wins in bunches and ultimately fired their famed head coach, Mike McCarthy, after starting the season 4-7-1. The Packers have the talent to still remain elite but, something is going on internally with the team that the general public is unaware. Yet the Green Bay Packers are ranked 8th in fan equity, 7th in social equity, and 18th in road equity.
The Denver Broncos is another franchise that has established a winning culture for their organization. Not to mention, their fans' willingness to sit in the blistering cold at that insane altitude in order to watch their team during their home games. With three NFL Championships under their belt and having two Hall of Fame quarterbacks in John Elway and Peyton Manning lead their team to the Super Bowl has allowed their fan base to be rather braggadocious.
Unfortunately, this season the Denver Broncos ended their season with a losing record of 6-10 and couldn't clinch a playoff berth. The Broncos are currently having issues at the quarterback position and wish to improve so, we should expect the team to make a move in the upcoming NFL Draft or in free agency this upcoming off-season. Overall, the Denver Broncos were ranked 5th in fan equity, 5th in social equity, and 21st in road equity prior to the beginning of the 2018-19 NFL season.
The New Orleans Saints might have surpassed the point of fandom for the city of New Orleans. During Hurricane Katrina, the Mercedez-Benz Superdome became a safe haven for New Orleans residents affected by the devastating natural disaster. Saints' quarterback, Drew Brees, has on his way to becoming a Hall of Fame quarterback and the team has been a Super Bowl contender year in and year out.
Even though the New Orleans Saints have only a single Super Bowl victory under their belt, which took place in 2010, there's just something everyone admires about the football franchise. Is it their passion, their high-caliber talent, or their loyal fan base? If you'd ask us we'd say all of the above. The New Orleans Saints ranked 9th in fan equity, 14th in social equity, and 7th in road equity.
Only one season ago, the Chicago Bears finished dead last in the NFC North division with a record of 5-11. One year later, the Chicago Bears ended the regular season atop of the NFC North with a record of 12-4 and are now in contention of a Super Bowl in their future. Second-year quarterback, Mitchell Trubisky, was able to lead the team offensively while the acquisition of Khalil Mack helped the Bears become the defensive powerhouse the football franchise is known for.
The old school Chicago Bears fans are riding high on their 1986 Super Bowl victory while new-age fans are waiting for the team to rise to championship prominence once again. Only time will tell what the Bears will be able to bounce back after Cody Parkey's 'double-doink' missed field goal kick that eliminated them from this year's playoffs. Prior to the beginning of the 2018-19 NFL season, the Chicago Bears were ranked 4th in fan equity, 12th in social equity, and 12th in road equity.
Historically, the Pittsburgh Steelers are amongst the elite football franchises in the NFL for many reasons. Their winning history, their defensive mindset, high-caliber talent, and of course, their loyal fan base. Over the course of the team's history, the Steelers have been able to hang up a total of six NFL Championship banners in their home stadium. And just like anything else, everyone wants to associate themselves with the winners and that's exactly what the Steelers organization has built with their fan base.
Unfortunately, after Steelers running back, Le'Veon Bell, held out the entire season and Antonio Brown looking for a trade, the team's A-list talent is dwindling and dwindling fast. We're not sure if the Steelers can remain elite if they lose any more of their top-tier talent. The Pittsburgh Steelers ranked 16th in fan equity, 3rd in social equity, and 6th in road equity.
The New York Giants might not be relative in regards to their winning ways as of late but, the team always finds a way into the conversation when it comes to the media. It seems like no matter how much the team suffers, the Giants find a way to headlines. This past season, the New York Giants ended their season in last place of the NFC East with a record of 5-11 but yet, have some of the league's most desired and entertaining top-tier talent in Odell Beckham Jr. and rising star Saquon Barkley.
Some Giants fans are stating that Eli Manning's days might be numbered in New York but have remained loyal to Manning for bringing the Big Apple two NFL Championships in 2008 and 2012. The Giants have the talent, they just need guidance if they want to become an NFL powerhouse once again. The New York Giants were ranked 7th in fan equity, 13th in social equity, and 3rd in road equity.
We here at BuzzFuse are definitely hardcore sports enthusiasts but, we believe that Philadelphian sports fanatics might have become accustomed to taking things a little too far when it comes to their beloved sports franchises. First and foremost, there is no sports victory that could ultimately justify fans eating any type of poop but somehow after the Philadelphia Eagles won their first Super Bowl in 2018, one particular fan took to the street to do just that.
Prior to winning Super Bowl LII, the Philadelphia Eagles had made many playoff appearances but couldn't get over the hump. The Eagles winning that championship let us know why some sports franchises can't have nice things and it's because of their crazed and insanely inappropriate fans. With that said, the Philadelphia Eagles ranked 12th in fan equity, 6th in social equity, and 2nd in road equity.
The New England Patriots are currently the most dominant team in football. Since Tom Brady's first Super Bowl appearance in 2002, the Patriots have made nine appearances in the Super Bowl and won a total of five times. What Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have been able to build over the past two decades is something we've never seen in professional football and should be respected. So, of course with the team's success in recent history, of course, they've accumulated more fans across the globe than any other team today.
The New England Patriots will be taking on the Los Angeles Rams in the coming weeks and we could be looking at a 'last dance' situation for Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. In time, we'll see if the Patriots will become Super Bowl LIII victors but for now, we do know that they have one massive fan base. Prior to the beginning of the 2018-19 NFL season, the New England Patriots were ranked 3rd in fan equity, 1st in social equity, and 5th in road equity.
We should have all seen this one coming... America's Team. Some even call them, God's Team, the Dallas Cowboys. If there is any sports franchise in the history of the world that has one of the largest and most pretentious fan bases in existence it's the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys have been able to rack up a total of five NFL Championship and have always been a focal point for media personalities to comment on.
With Cowboys' owner, Jerry Jones, acting as general manager and head coach Jason Garett officially on the hot seat, the Dallas Cowboys will remain at the forefront of professional football news for any move that they choose to make. The Dallas Cowboys were able atop the NFC East with a record of 10-6 this past season but the Los Angeles Rams were too much for the highly-praised franchise to handle in the NFC Divisional round game. It doesn't matter if the Dallas Cowboys win or lose, their fan base is loyal to the soil. Ultimately, the Cowboys ranked 1st in fan equity, 2nd in social equity, and 1st in road equity.
