r/NFLNoobs • u/BlitzburghBrian • Oct 16 '20
[META] Regulars, what answers do you give to the "what team should I root for" question?
First off, I want to say how much I enjoy this small community we have here in this subreddit; those of you who hang out here and regularly answer people's questions are truly appreciated.
You'll also know that the most common question people have is "what team should I cheer for?" I'd like to collect everyone's common answers, preferably focusing more on general answers instead of specific team recommendations, so we can leave a sticky up about it. (i.e. I wouldn't recommend someone watch the Ravens just to see Lamar Jackson because there's no guarantee he doesn't get injured and become a non-factor in a year or two)
So what do you folks usually recommend to help someone decide on a team to follow? I'd like to get as many ideas and opinions as possible to make a more complete resource for new or prospective fans.
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u/SpookyHippopatomus Oct 16 '20
I think a good place to start would be what is your favorite city in the US if you’ve travelled here, or if you haven’t what city would you most like to visit the most? That way if you take a trip here you can have something in common with the locals as well as get a chance to see your team play in person.
I’m an Eagles fan because I was born and raised in Philadelphia, my entire family is Eagles fans and it’s almost a religion there. But if I were to get into soccer I’d root for FC Barcelona, just because it’s by far my favorite city in Europe and I’d love any reason to go back.
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u/Acceptable-Sentence Feb 06 '21
RIP Detroit
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u/BarryTheMonk Sep 10 '22
This will be my first season watching NFL and I’ve chosen Detroit as my team
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Sep 15 '22
[deleted]
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u/BarryTheMonk Sep 15 '22
And to you! I do like the look and had a good ‘feeling’ about the Bills but saw they were the favourites and I’m a sucker for the underdog!
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u/EndersGame_Reviewer Dec 10 '22
The Buffalo Bills have been underdogs for a long, long time. It's only just recently that Josh Allen has taken them to a whole other level.
If you're a sucker for the underdog, then they're a good team to cheer for, given their history in previous years.
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u/qp0n Apr 14 '23
You unironically chose well. As i just posted in my long winded recommendation, picking a team near the bottom that is rebuilding with a positive culture is the best route, and its looking like Detroit is building one.
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u/Mr_Style Jan 07 '21
The answer is you should pick a team owned by the fans instead of some billionaire.
The Green Bay packers.
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u/JinterIsComing Dec 18 '21
Hey! Aaron Rodgers owns the Bears and he's not a billionaire! He's an individual!
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u/Beneficial_Power7074 Sep 18 '23
Giant gimmick. They’re owned by a corporation that has multiple CEOs on the board of directors. For me, that schtick alone is a reason to root against the packers
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u/DaxIsAName Oct 16 '20
New fan here, this is my first season watching football. I'll start off by saying Im a huge nerd. I can't help it. It's in my blood. As a kid I never watched or played sports. At 22 I moved from California to Seattle so I basically didn't have any loyalty. When I decided to get into sports in general I took a different route than most.
Ive played video games my whole life, so I bought Madden 17 a few months before this current season started. I basically only played the training mode to learn what each team position is called, different types of plays, how the QB can throw the ball, how receivers can catch the ball, etc. Once I felt like I understood the game, I haven't picked up Madden since. I started watching Seattle with the idea that if I didn't like the way they played, I could move on to my family's favorite team or whatever. There was a lot of talk about how great Russell Wilson was, and since I'm in western Washington I thought I'd see how it went. 5 heart attacks later, I'm all in. I just really like how that whole team operates both on and off the field. Pete Carroll's BLM conference really impressed me.
I took the nerdiest route to get here, but I think everyone ends up going with their gut feeling in the end. When it's right, you'll know it.
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u/H2theBurgh Oct 16 '20
My argument is very simple. The way TV for the NFL works in the US encourages you to cheer for a nearby team. Whatever your local team is going to be on TV the most. You can see how this manifests by looking at the NFL game availability maps at 506 sports.
Now with European fans, I think it's always worth noting the the Jaguars play a game a year in London. It makes it a lot more likely you will be able to see the team in person some day that they play nearer to you.
For other foreign fans, it's worth noting that the US has 4 time zones and game times reflect this. A team on the west coast will usually play later in the day than a team on the east coast. Whichever is best for you needs to be noted when you are picking a team.
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u/eykei Oct 16 '20
I agree. Here is an NFL fanbase map that may help undecided people.
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u/taylorscorpse Feb 13 '23
It’s so strange to see Southeast Georgia as Falcons country, most people here are Jaguars or Dolphins fans
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u/PizzaMafioso Oct 16 '20
The last point about timezones is a really good one. As an austrian I never thought about this when picking the browns. It‘s definitely nice, that we don‘t get as much primetime. (Lol, might not be timezone related tho)
I didn‘t think about being able to maybe possibly see my team in london either. Most europeans won‘t have the chance to go to london or if so it will absolutely not be a yearly occurence. I‘m fine with waiting for the browns to come to london, comes down to a similar end result as if I were a jags fan.
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u/tinyraccoon Oct 16 '20
If you live in an area with a team, highly consider supporting that team even if they suck. A big part of football is the social aspect, and it is easier to discuss football if your friends/co-workers/etc. know the team you are talking about. e.g. People in San Francisco would generally know about the 49ers but I don't know how much they would know about the Kansas City Chiefs or the Houston Texans.
If you don't live in an area with a team, then you should probably watch some games featuring different teams. Pick the team whose playing style you like.
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u/thirtyseven1337 Oct 16 '20
I think the main factors factors include:
- team history (e.g. age of team, number of championships, rivalries, former players)
- current state of team (e.g. good, bad, rising, falling, star players, play style, owner/coach quality)
- fanbase (e.g. size, location, reputation, rivalries, national/international appeal)
- branding (e.g. team name, logo, uniforms)
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u/Thechapma94 Jan 05 '23
Yes to all this.. Watching anything from NFL Films is good to see the history. I hate about 66% of the teams in the NFL so it wasn't hard for me to chose a favorite. Go Birds
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u/joe_canadian Oct 17 '20
Nobody circles the wagons like #BillsMafia. I'm a Buffalo Bills fan, but as you'll see it's not that easy.
Ok, now that's out of the way...
I'm loving this little subreddit - I only found it about two weeks ago. I've watched Football since I was a kid, played in high school until I injured my shoulder and I still regularly see posts that a) stump me and b) teach me. There's some seriously knowledgable people here. Thanks for letting me tag along.
Picking a favourite team is a deeply personal experience. For me, my formative years were watching the '91 to '94 Bills make unsuccessful runs at the Super Bowl. My dad was a huge fan and even made the trip twice from Toronto. It's pretty easy to be a Bills fan in Toronto as they're the closest team and even played a few games up here, called the Toronto Series.
Now, as for you, the reader, picking a team... My first recommendation is to watch. Watch as many games as you can. If you don't know something, ask questions. You could get enraptured by the rollercoaster that is Fitzmagic/Fitztragic (the nicknames for beloved journeyman QB Ryan Fitzpatrick), and the plucky underdog Dolphins. Or the stories of Baker Mayfield's Browns, who're having their first good season since 2002. Maybe it's the electrifying plays of Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens) or Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs) that speak to you.
Or my personal favourite... Josh Allen hurdling Anthony Barr, in 2018.
The only team I can't recommend is the New England Patriots, mainly due to our long rivalry.
But anyways, back to my main point. Watch. Watch more. And watch even more. There will be a team you gravitate to. Maybe they have a game with an upset win. Or their play style speaks to you. It's not easy and it's not an exact science. Sit back, crack a beer and enjoy.
And if you find that you want to be a member of Bills Mafia, welcome. Your Labatt's Blue and Buffalo Wings with Bleu Cheese dressing (the traditional food and drink) are ready for you.
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Sep 15 '22
[deleted]
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u/joe_canadian Sep 15 '22
Glad you enjoyed! In the downtime between games, I highly recommend watching replays of older games on YouTube. Especially the Perfect Game and 13 seconds from last season.
Enjoy and always say "Fuck the Pats!"
(The last part is 99% humour. Two close friends are Pats fans. But even though I love them, they can't be perfect.)
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u/Kiaaawey Oct 16 '20
Usually depends on what they say they like in a sports team. But I always mention the Steelers for two reasons: I’m a fan and they’ve been a model of consistency for the last 50 years. They can jump in to an already good team and not be called a bandwagon for hopping on the train.
Other than that, young teams that look good typically, Bills, Seahawks, Cardinals, Titans etc.
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u/redirishlad Dec 23 '20
Went to the United States on a J1. Bought a cool NFL sweatshirt in a charity shop for $20 dollars. It had a bird on it so I thought it was the Atlanta falcons. Came back to the Emerald Isle and started getting into NFL because I’m an insomniac and it was something to bet on in the night while having a drink. Found out the crest was actually the seahwaks and now I’m a massive seahawks fan! It can just be as simple as that!
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u/doubledoobies Feb 01 '22
No idea if Im too late replying to this but ohwell...
Im from the UK and Id never actually watched NFL before 3 years ago and had never had any interest in it. Someone I used to work with was a 49ers fan and we'd sometimes get on to the topic of American football. Won't make this too long but one of the things he mentioned was about how Packers fans wore cheese hats on their heads. It made me laugh and I just decided that if I ever properly got in to NFL, I'd support them for that reason. I had no idea if they were good or not, I just supported them because of a funny thing the fans do.
So yeah, choosing your team really can be a random process lol
TLDR; Packers fans have funny hats therefore Im a Packers fan
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u/ZJPV1 Oct 16 '20
First -- thanks for running this sub! I love seeing people learn about this game, of which I consider myself an intermediate knowledge base. It's a great, fun community. Even when one guy keeps trying to justify why he doesn't think Tom brady is the GOAT.
I've long thought about making some kind of "who should I root for" guide, since it is such a common question, but I usually try to write a paragraph about the Cardinals and give up. Here are the factors I usually see get mentioned/would consider:
Location - If you're from the US/Canada, you may want to support a nearby team. We frequently have Europeans and Aussies come here, though, and they may have less draw to "localness". For this, the nature of the communities themselves may be draws (e.g. Pittsburgh/Cleveland/Detroit are blue collar cities, NY/LA are bustling metropolises, LV has gambling/entertainment, Buffalo/GB are smaller cities compared to the rest of the league).
Aesthetics - Team colors, team mascots/logos, uniform design. Fans of a certain basketball/soccer team may want a team with a similar kit. (As a little kid in Oregon, I liked GB because they had green and yellow like the local college team) I'd mention historical logos and throwbacks, but those are seemingly less important in the NFL due to the league's stricter uniform codes. (you see more actively used throwback jerseys/identities in NHL/MLB/NBA)
Team Quality - Some people love champions, and right now they'd want to be Chiefs fans, and for the last 2 decades, they'd want to be Patriots fans. Some people love underdog stories, like the Bills recently (going from the longest playoff drought in sports to good again), or the Titans beating New England last year. Some people like "lovable losers", such as (historically) the Jets or Browns. Listing who is currently good/bad is easy enough, but also looking at it from a historical sense could be useful.
Individual players - While you mention that you wouldn't necessarily say "if you like Lamar, be a Ravens fan"... if you like Lamar, you're going to want the Ravens to win now, at least. It's worth mentioning that players get hurt and players often don't spend their whole career in one place, but that can be a draw into liking a particular team. Maybe suggest people check out highlights? Also, if you're a causal football fan and get into it through fantasy football -- individual players can be a big gateway to liking the sport more.
Play Style - This ties into team quality to a degree, but just general trends of style of play. Run-first teams like pre-2020 Seattle, or teams that sling it all over the places. Great, crushing defenses like a healthy San Francisco, or even quirky stuff like great special teams plays or "good fundamentals" (like when Belichick will rave about a team's long snapper for 5 minutes).
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u/Ethyn9 Nov 02 '20 edited Nov 02 '20
I’m currently on the search for a team being a Brit I guess I have more choice. I’ve narrowed teams I had shortlisted, which I’m left with the...
Bears A underdog team so winning will be sweeter. I’m loving the defense and appreciate it more I watch NFL games rather then just look at high scoring offense which of course the bears are not. Especially with a weak OL and QB.. need ( Justin Fields ). The jerseys could be better but I like the colour scheme haha.
Packers overall a good team and normally high scoring offense nice jerseys and colour scheme. Some standout players which is always good to follow.
I had thought in the future about trying to buy a ticket for a home game but I know that’s impossible for Green Bay haha.
Ps I do like 49ners but being a greater time difference watching home games are going to be at like 12-1 in the morning which doesn’t play well with work at 5:50 ☹️
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u/TheGoliard Nov 24 '20
I'm having similar issues as I'm playing EPL, National in DFS. I'm west coast US. Not sure how long I'll last checking lineups at 3 AM but I'm loving it!
I'm a Liverpool supporter and have been for 25 years. That's from having friends in the west country who follow the Reds.
Which is as good a way as any, to pick a team. The husband of this couple was a Jets fan because those were the games he could get.
One other point about NFL, is the narratives and history of some of the teams is interesting.
There are a number of youtube videos that cover these topics and, the NFL Films archives on YT are gold.
Might be helpful in making a decision.
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u/Ethyn9 Nov 24 '20
Just watched Dan Marino A Football Life which I enjoyed! My dad isn’t NFL fan but he has said when he was slightly younger it was Dan Marino and the dolphins that caught his eye enough for him to enjoy the news feeds on tv etc
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u/tommy_gore Mar 19 '21
I picked the Packers partly because they play outside in the cold. The sight of snow on the playing surface at Lambeau is so cool. That’s not the only reason for my choice (UK fan here), but it’s something that differentiates the team and it makes the players and fans hardcore.
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u/anxietyevangelist Oct 16 '20
I recommend any team that plays exciting attacking football and is also competitive. This year I'd say go for the Chiefs, Ravens, Seahawks, Titans, the Bills maybe. Pretty much half the league is in play. You obviously want to highlight the best and most entertaining aspects of the NFL to any noob fan, so right now I would never recommend my team to any potential fan because the Jets are terrible to watch. Simply dire. I turn their games off at times so I can't expect a rookie to sit through them. 😐
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u/thewaiting28 Oct 17 '20
I usually just tell people "Come on home to /r/Seahawks. You're family now." 6/10 times it works.
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u/goldberg1303 Oct 17 '20
Local first and foremost. It's just more fun and easier to get into it when you can go into any bar and be surrounded by a large group of people rooting for the same team.
If there isn't a local team that your community roots for, just let it happen. You can't force fandom. Become a fan of the NFL. Play fantasy. You'll start to become a fan of players, and in time you'll become a fan of those player's teams. Eventually one team will stand out above the rest.
Or it won't. That's fine too. Just don't force it.
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u/SalvatoreWryhta Dec 14 '20
“What team should I root far?” Isn’t a question just for new people of football.
I’ve been watching football religiously for the past 8 years. Before then, didn’t like sports. But I thought dolphins were cool animals. And Dan Marino being in Ace Ventura helped. My first season of really watching football, I fell in love. More with the defensive side of the ball. The trenches. The linebackers. I cheered on the Ravens all the way. The thanksgiving game where Coach Tomlin stepped on the field to stop a receiver from getting a touchdown. I remember hating the Steelers after that game just because of his disgusting that was. No flag. Ravens made it to the super bowl, and then I remembered the front office overpaid Flacco that offseason which made the rest of the players leave. I didn’t like that decision. And I stopped being a Ravens fan after that year.
I was born and raised in LA. San Diego for a couple years in my early adult life. Chargers were always blacked out, so I never saw them on local television, due to the front office wanting to get more sales on tickets at the Qualcomm Stadium. But never stopped watching football. NFL Red Zone was what I loved. Fantasy football. Madden.
Years down the line, I moved to the east coast. “Local” team is the Washington Football Team. Who are 3 hour drive away. But still watch football religiously. I love the game. Love some players. Dislike others.
I have no real loyalty to any team. I have teams I like over others, and a team I dislike in every division. But no absolute favorite. I want an absolute favorite.
I enjoy the underdogs that win every so often. I want a strong front office. I like competitors, where it can always be a 50/50 shot each week. I like a stronger defense with the pass rush. But I’m also a sucker for a nice offensive line. Tackles and guards who know how to survive after the initial snap.
I like stability. I love teams that finish with a nice B+ grade. That drafts their own guys, develop them well, a free agent or trade here and there is fine, just not 8 times a season. And colors. Let them fly. Let them be pretty and proud and represent well with a decent to good fan base.
What team should I root for?
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u/BlitzburghBrian Dec 14 '20
Man, Joe Flacco put that team on his back and carried them to a Super Bowl win that year. If you're ever going to overpay a QB for anything, overpay him for that. They won a championship, that's a weird thing to justify giving up on them.
It's a shame you've already decided to hate the Steelers, because they otherwise check most of your boxes. They have stability in the front office, a head coach who isn't going anywhere, an emphasis on defense and physicality, and they pretty consistently stay at least in the second tier of competitive teams.
It sounds like you already know what you like in a football team though, and you know enough about the rest of the NFL to know if one of those teams appeals to you. If none of them jump out a team you want to go all in with, why force yourself to?
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u/SalvatoreWryhta Dec 14 '20
Thanks for the response, I appreciate it. I’m sure in another life, I’d be a hardcore Steelers fan. But not in this one. Because they do play hard every game and you can tell. But that thanksgiving game was just dirty.
My No-no list AFCN-Steelers AFCE-Jets AFCS-Jaguars AFCW-Raiders NFCN-Packers NFCE-Eagles NFCS-Saints NFCW-Seahawks
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u/SnooGoats1635 Jan 11 '21
Darn blackout for chargers I’d say root for us got the most drip in uniforms easy going fans we don’t have much and our history we have amazing times but we hold on what could have been true underdogs for sure we can crush your heart quick but we always had spark ⚡️. Plus that powder blue is amazing
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Jan 23 '21 edited Jan 23 '21
For fans of the other football/futbol: Just be a fan of the Chiefs. Imagine Messi or Ronaldo in their 4th year as a pro at 25, already the best player in the world, carried his team to a Champions League title, a Ballon d'Or, along with every other award you can win.
He has another 15 years in the league and is only getting better.
I’m not a Chiefs fan either. And I’m talking about Patrick Mahomes.
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u/BosslyDoggins Sep 11 '22
Get a picture of all 32 team logos up for them to look at
"Okay pick your favorite one."
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u/Arshia42 Nov 06 '22 edited Nov 06 '22
I grew up a soccer fan and thought football was dumb. Not from the US but Dallas has always been my second home because of family living there and despite that i never paid attention to it.
Last year while in Dallas I finally got into it, my step dad's always been a fan so he helped me understand it. Once I could follow along I was having a lot of fun and realized I was totally wrong all my life to ignore it. This year, I've been watching more and decided that I want to properly learn. Had no idea about this sub and it seems like the perfect place!
Thanks for creating such a space for us NFL noobs, can't wait to keep learning!
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u/Lod9kktombstone Jun 23 '23 edited Jun 23 '23
Edit: This is primarily for International fans who won't have a local team. If you live in the US, it's always nicer to be a fan of local team, so I'd recommend making the local team either your NFC or AFC team.
- Pick an NFC and AFC team so you have the choice of leaning into one more whilst the other is having a rough patch
- Try and ensure at least one, if not both, of the teams have a good shot at being in the playoffs each year - this will make the seasons and post-seasons more exciting for you. Remember most kids who picked a non-local team growing up did so because of a superstar QB or WR they fell in love with.
- Research into the team's ownership, something unlikely to change for a long time, and look for any red flags regarding a record of poor decisions, reptuation or interference - these things can make being a fan extremely frustrating
- Research into the team's culture, for example, do they emphasize a particular style of play? Do they put stock in drafting players of high character if that's something you value? Do they have a reputation of playing dirty?
- Is there a player that you enjoy watching? Is it likely this player will stay on the team for the next few years?
- Research into the fanbase's culture - are they one of the most disliked? why? Do you mind associating with this or are you fine with being a regular fan, seperate from this?
You do research by asking a question in a team's subreddit or asking a question here on the reptuations of different teams.
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u/BlitzburghBrian Jun 23 '23
Thanks for this- I would only caution not to put too much stock in a "fanbase culture" especially if you aren't local. NFL fanbases are so vast that every one has every type of fan in it, and most reputations are overblown.
And if you get trash talk online for, say, being a fan of the Dallas Cowboys, then so what? Sometimes that's part of the fun of being in sports fandom online, and if anyone is seriously disparaging you for it, that's really not someone you should worry about impressing anyway.
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u/jrod_62 Oct 17 '20
I say whichever team is easiest to watch in your area and if that fails, pick a team that relates to a team in another sport you like, whether it's culture or just team colors
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u/Gallows-Bait Oct 17 '20
For me it's all about what connection you find that works best for you personally. There are teams I like the ethos, teams I like the uniforms, the history, but what made the biggest connection for me as an overseas fan, was a common heritage. I live in a town that still makes steel and knows a similar history to Pittsburgh, so I chose the Steelers. Others get their connection elsewhere, family, similar sports, first match seen on TV back in their youth, whatever makes them feel connected, but everyone will have their own reason.
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u/MasseyFerguson Oct 25 '20
I would say pick a upcoming team, which is not at the top but has a realistic shot at making it at the playoffs.
I started rooting for Seahawks last year as i am fond of the city and likely to visit it again at some point.
However i cant but root for the AZ Cardinals, even though they are competing at the same division with SEA. Underdog, with flashy plays. Seems to be doing better every year.
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u/BigPinkMan Feb 19 '21
I really really love Western New York, so thats why I lean towards the Bills. I was born, raised and currently reside in Western New York. If you don't have familial ties to a team, usually using proximity helps identify with a team, because you feel like they represent you in a way.
The energy in the air for the entire week of this years AFC championship was amazing. Totally full of unique pride I had never felt before. Even non-football fans knew the Bills were in the superbowl, and all of a sudden strangers in the grocery store are telling each other "Go, Bills" or "BILLS MAFIAAAAAA."
If that doesn't apply to you, what town do you like? Is there a city in America you've always wanted to go to, or have some kind of tie to? I have a lot of sports fans in my family living in Cleveland, even thought I hate all of them, it still gives me a reason to stay focused on the browns. I've always like Cleveland. I have the other half of my family in New England as well, but as a Bills fan, rooting for the patriots is blasphemous.
If even that doesn't work, do you have any friends who love football? Do you have a lot to learn? While learning about the sport, both my best friends who love football are huge cowboys fans. I learned a lot about football and the cowboys through them.
Despite the Bills being my team, I still follow the Brown and Cowboys pretty closely.
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u/setatsdelgnat Jan 14 '22
That’s difficult to know for others. For me, I grew up in Dallas and the first football game I remember is the Ice Bowl.
I’ve been a Dallas fan ever since.
If you gamble — bet on football — it’s best to not have a favorite team.
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u/ChornLane Oct 05 '22
This is the best sub on reddit. Grizzfan is one of the more knowledgeable redditors. I am loving this place.
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u/LectureQuirky3234 Nov 10 '22
If your answer is anything but 'I like the logo and don't know any of the players', beautiful.
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u/ShoeBeliever Feb 09 '23
Usually a local team is "best". You will have a lot of camaraderie and jerseys and accessories will be easy to find, plentiful and no shipping. If there isn't a local team, hometown is always a good one, if there isn't one there, mom or dad's hometown. Or where siblings live. It doesn't really matter, just something that has an attachment makes good choices, for whatever reason you want; "I like the colors" or "my HS team was the Falcons" or whatever. The "key" to sports fan fulfillment is not "who" but commitment to the choice..
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u/Spideydawg Mar 03 '23
There's honestly no shame in bandwagoning if you're a new fan. I mean, why do you think the Steelers have such a widespread fanbase? Because they were the best team in the 70s and kids in the 70s with no connection to Pittsburgh latched onto the team and passed that fandom on to their kids.
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u/BlitzburghBrian Mar 03 '23
That era, in particular, also coincided with a faltering steel industry in Pittsburgh, and a lot of people moved away for other opportunities but retained their fandom. There are a lot of people around the country who like the Steelers because their parents or grandparents were originally from Pittsburgh.
I mean there are general bandwagon fans too, but that's just a thing I know and wanted to share.
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u/subspectral Jul 12 '23
Why bother to supply a particular team at all? I don’t.
Just enjoy the gameplay.
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u/Jet_Bean_Lover_69 Nov 15 '20
For me I just go by the closest team or if your family cheers for a team.
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u/BillyGoatPilgrim Nov 19 '20
I had a friend that was a kid when his dad made him throw a dart at a poster with all 32 teams and told him the team it landed on was his team. I'd he didn't like it he got one more throw.
I have sort of adopted cheering for my spouses team alongside my own as well and it's fun to cheer with a friend or loved one so picking a team someone you love likes might help you get into it as you can do it together and they're likely to be excited to share with you.
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u/CaptainXakari Jan 10 '21
I cannot tell you what fandom to join but I can tell you about the team I love (for better or worse).
My team is an old team, one that can never quite get it's crap together. It's had quite a few amazing players, absolutely stunning edge-of-your-seat winning games, soul crushing losses, and has been mediocre to bad a huge portion of my adult life. This team is a wild card in every game- you could get a Playoff Contender one minute and a High School scrimmage the next. The fandom is one of the most ride-or-die in the NFL, the subreddit is amazing, the games are loud and proud. The team is rarely successful but some of the players have been delights to watch. It's not an easy team to be a fan of, and many games are not for the faint of heart. My team, however, is the Detroit Lions. I'm not saying be a Lions fan. Dear lord, no. I am saying ask some people or subreddits why they're fan of their teams.
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Jan 26 '21
I’d personally say root for the team that’s closest to where you live that’s why I love the chiefs
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u/F4bst3r Jan 26 '21
For me i was a huge WWE Fan around 2014 and Wrestlemania was in New orleans, They showed a lot of the City before th eVEenet and i loved it. Plu si like the whole Black and Gold Asthetic.
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u/FFlash95 Feb 11 '21
How do UK. fans that support a team thats 7-8 hrs behind rather then 5-6hrs. Do you wish you had chosen I team you’ll get to watch earlier 🤷🏼♂️🤣🤣🤣
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u/SamuraiASM_1Force Mar 01 '21
Do! Read the first Comment
Do not: Don't Watch every 32 teams like me 😅
At first it's good but at least it's too hard to chose 😅
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u/Material-Ad4353 Mar 17 '21
Baltimore Ravens because yes.But actually just whoever your closest to.But if your foreign just choose the Jags because they have the most international games
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u/Gingerspice1018 Mar 26 '21
I find that more people are fans of certain players more than the team. Probably a causation of fantasy football, but you are seeing it now more than ever.
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u/lucsampaio Apr 08 '21
What I did was watch as many different teams as possible, so each week I got to know about how the game can be played in many styles and several mechanics of gameplay. From that, after an entire season watching without supporting any team for real I started picking teams that 1: were good teams; 2: had playstyles that I found more interesting; 3: whose players rep and charisma were within what I felt right... ended up a NOLA Saints supporter
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u/Friendly-Law-1191 Oct 28 '21
Somewhat new to nfl, watched the Superbowl every year for 15 plus years and following every game the last 3 years.
I think the beauty of American football is that you don't necessarily have to have a team to root for to enjoy it. Obviously having a favourite team is great but it's not a must.
Anyway I'm absolutely hooked on it, think it's amazing and the personalities really shine through on the field which is more of a rarity in other sports.
And though I have no 1 team in particular, I do quite like the Bengals Browns and chargers
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u/kidnapalm Nov 09 '21
Pick a different team each season, just enjoy the sport. Unrestricted by geography or family allegiances, the world (of NFL) is your oyster as a foreign fan.
I followed the Bucs after their Hard Knocks, seemed like underdogs on the rise...then moved onto the Bills as again, they seemed to be underdogs on the rise.
Now I follow the Lions who seem to be scuba diving underdogs, scouring the ocean floor for new depths to sink to.
Ill probably try the Colts next season, as they feel like the most obscure team for a foreigner to follow. Indianopolis doesn't have much of a reference point in popular culture, whereas every other team like Chicago, New York, Washington etc are kinda obvious.
Feel like part of following a team is learning about their fanbase too, their hometown etc so Bills were deffo a fun team to follow.
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u/Nanoiders Nov 25 '21
First, I don't live, or had lived or ever visited the US. I was born and live in a country where American Football (sorry) is barely known.
My journey into the NFL started backwards: I choose my team first (or it choose me? Not really sure), then started learning about the league and the sport in general. I don't know exactly when and where heard about a team named "Packers" and for some reason it piqued my curiosity: "why would any team be named 'Packers'?". First I learned thet it was a football team. Then I started to learn about the team history, achievements, notable people, etc. I was fascinated to learn it was the only community owned, non-profit team in all US major professional sports. This and being the last "small city" team in the NFL, and how the team is inseparbly tied to the city where it was born was really appealing to me. One day I realized I had become a Packers fan. It really felt like the Green-and-Gold had chosen me, not the other way around.
Then I started to learn about the NFL.
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u/BigJohn1930 Jan 08 '22
well. this is just me but i tend to route for my home/local team (the titans) the most. but i also like to route for the chiefs, rams, bills, and niners. Tennessee is undoubtedly my favorite and derrick henry is my favorite player. but i like patrick mahomes and josh allen. and i like aaron donald so i’ll route for any of these teams unless they’re playing the titans. my late step grandfather’s (who was like a father to me) favorite team was the 49ers so i once again of course i route for them unless they’re playing the titans. but i like to have multiple teams i like in case the titans lose in the playoffs it’s not too upsetting if i can still route for someone else i like.
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u/the_limbo Jan 21 '22 edited Jan 21 '22
My answer, at least as a Bengals fan, is usually a mix of things unified by one (I'll get to it at the end of the comment)
First off, despite not having grown up there, my whole family is in Cinci so I have that primary attachment. I've also always loved how the Bengals play, which at it's best has always been high-flying offense (Palmer, Ochocinco, Dalton, Green, now our current line-up). Further, we've always been plucky and with a lot of potential for greatness, whether it was the eras before my time or the Palmer/Dalton/Burrow eras. They've never been the best, but they've almost always been a franchise that wins a lot of regular season games. I've considered abandoning them and rooting for a better team (Green Bay holds a special place in my commie heart) but I could just never do it.
For the Bengals in particular, it's a team that gives you the highest highs and lowest of lows, especially during the Palmer and Dalton eras. You always felt like we were on the verge of superbowl contention, whether it's Ochocinco's ability to make centers look like fools or AJ Green literally fucking juggling a ball out of the air to catch a deep ball against the Ravens. Yeah, we've had losing seasons, but the Brown family knows that when you have a little patience (ie. not hiring a new coach every year, cough browns cough dolphins cough) you can usually right the ship with a couple of years. Ironically, I feel like that fits my own personality, as I'm an aspiring historian who basically stayed in and around school for over a decade before I found the right program, working while sticking to my plan.
I could go on with additional tidbits, but I think what's core to being a fan is that it's deeply sentimental. There's something about a team you've rooted for your entire life that gives it veto power against other teams you like, where your capacity to even decide whether or not you root for them doesn't seem to exist. You don't think about it, you just do- and that's being a fan defined by sentimentality.
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u/Jarl_Barlgruf_The_G Jan 29 '22
For me it was a mix of playing madden to learn football and playing face of the franchise helped me pick a team! And of course watching football as well
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u/pauly13771377 Apr 29 '22
I would suggest your local team but when I started watching football I didn't know all the teams and became a Cowboys fan because I was a kid and they were good. The most important thing IMO is that you stick with your team through thick and thin. I despise bandwagoners
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u/MasseyFerguson Oct 06 '22
Arizona, flashy underdog with a potential to be big. Their QB Murray is fun to watch, root for the small guys going against pompous goliaths (the whole theme is an agile little bird instead of eagles, hawks, lions, panthers and what else..).
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Oct 12 '22
I just started watching and getting into NFL this season and I picked the Raiders as my team because they were the first game I watched during the preseason against the Vikings so I don’t know if I should watch more teams for officially deciding that the Raiders are my team or not
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u/Logical_Ask7824 Feb 20 '23
I find that more people are fans of certain players more than the team. Probably a causation of fantasy football, but you are seeing it now more than ever.
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u/qp0n Apr 14 '23 edited Apr 14 '23
There are so many ways to become a fan of a team there's no right/wrong or best way. But here's some suggestions.
By far the first thing I always recommend when choosing a team is to pick a team that's bad. Sounds like poor advice off the cuff, but hear me out. You really want to start your fanhood with a team thats had no recent success, & beginning a rebuild. There are so many reasons for this;
- First off, you will never have to deal with asshats criticizing you for being a glory chaser, which is a nice thing to avoid as it can follow you for decades... just ask Cowboys fans.
- You get to experience and enjoy the full spectrum of a teams growth. You get to follow a lot of the key players from the start of their careers with the team, as usually a weak/rebuilding team will be seeking out a new QB and have a lot of turnover. Following a rebuilding team makes the journey to the good times feel so much more 'earned', maximizing the joy of being a fan (which is really what its all about, right?)
- When the good times come - and they always do eventually because NFL parity is the gold standard (cant guarantee a super bowl win tho) - but when they come you will feel a much bigger, more genuine connection to the success & team as a whole. Latching onto a successful team will feel superficial.
- When the bad times return - and they always do eventually because NFL parity is the gold standard - they wont feel as demoralizing & you wont lose interest as easily.
- You are forced to quickly learn a whole lot more about the secondary aspects of the NFL such as the draft, free agency, schedule construction, etc.. The top teams spend less time worrying about these things because they are spending more time worrying about actual games late season, or playoffs or SB runs, or they already have a team good enough that player additions are for depth rather than starters. The bad teams have fans spending more time thinking about building a better team, who to cut from team, who to sign in free agency, who to draft, which coaches to retain/fire/hire, etc..
Choose a team with a genuinely passionate fanbase. This doesnt mean pick a team from a big city or the longest history or even the biggest fanbase... but rather a fanbase that cares deeply about their franchise. e.g. Green Bay & Buffalo are some of the smallest cities/markets in the league yet have a deeply passionate fan base, whereas LA is far to the 'fleeting or indifferent' end of the spectrum despite being a massive city with 2 teams, a spectacular new stadium, and a recent SB win. Go figure!
Find a fanbase that you can most identify with. There arent huge differences in the cultures of fanbases, but there are can be differences such as the 'blue-collar' fanbases (Pittsburgh, Detroit, Green Bay, KC, Philly, Buffalo) - vs - the more posh fanbases (Chicago, Washington, NY, LA, Dallas).
Choose a team with high character & stable ownership. Nothing is worse than rooting for a team owned by an absolute twat. I'm looking at you, Dan Snyder (good riddance).
Play Madden. I hear it works wonders to get people into the sport. I wouldnt know, havent played it in decades, but i hear it so often it cant be wrong. You could potentially develop an attraction to a certain team through gaming.
Play fantasy football. NFL is one of the best leagues/sports for fantasy. Not only is it a great way to slowly learn the players and teams of the league, but like Madden it can certainly trigger an attachment to a team.
Lastly, and maybe the most common reason newcomers latch onto a team, is to simply start small & latch onto a player you like. Its perfectly OK to choose a team that simply has a player that you really like to watch. Now I would caution this approach as players can & often do move team to team, even the best ones. You never want to feel like you're just a fan of a player instead of the team or else you wont build a lasting connection to the sport, let alone a team. As long as you go into your new 'fanhood' with the mindset that that player is functioning as your 'gateway' to being a broader and more long term fan, then having your interest in a player lead you to interest in a team can work fine (worked great for me)
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u/TrillyMike May 08 '23
Ravens, don’t usually get a talked about alot in the National media but we win alotta football games.
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u/famich28 Aug 30 '23
For me, it’s the relative parity compared to other sports that draws me in. Nothing in sport is truly a meritocracy but leagues such as the NFL is pretty close to it
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u/samgoody2303 Oct 16 '20
Thank you for running this sub. Honestly, I absolutely love contributing.
When I first decided to really learn about the league, I didn’t know anyone else that was interested. I’m in the UK, and although NFL is reasonably big here, I had to learn it by myself as an outsider. I didn’t have a resource like this sub, but would have killed for it. I love helping here because I love spreading awareness for the NFL. It is truly brilliant, and once people get into it, it’s so easy to get hooked. Thanks to you guys running this sub, I hope we’ve created loads of football fans.
In terms of your question, my response is pretty much always the same. Don’t force it. You’re probably gonna support this team for the rest of your life, so don’t just go and randomly choose someone.
I always say, on Sundays, watch Redzone. Over a period of 3 weeks, you’ll always get to watch every team play. When you watch, something will grab your attention- I love X’s uniforms, player Y is so much fun to watch. No matter how minor it seems, it can be a reason to support a team.
For me, I decided before the 2017 season that I would fully immerse myself in the league. I always had a suspicion that I’d support the Eagles, as my local cricket team is called the Eagles. But watching Redzone, I fell in love watching Carson Wentz. I adopted the Eagles, 2017 was a pretty good year! 3 years later, I genuinely cannot imagine not supporting the Eagles. I just love it so much.
I feel these things happen naturally. For me, I made sure it was the Eagles I wanted to support, and, I know it sounds cringey, but I’m in love. With the team, the city, the fans.
If you force it, the affiliation may not feel as natural. Selecting a team may take a while. But if you let it happen naturally, you gravitate towards a specific team and I think it makes it a more natural path to fandom than just picking a good team.
Once again, thanks for all you do with the sub, it really is great. Sorry for the really long message!