Five NFL Teams People Love to Hate

Which teams would make your list?

If you are a hardcore fan of the NFL you obviously have your favorite team. Although most of us will watch every game we can just because, well football. As we watch all thirty-two teams, there are those we like and those we hate. Then there are those that we rout to lose because we would rather anyone win but them. Here is a list of the top five teams that are known as some of the most hated in the NFL.

Five NFL Teams People Love to Hate

5. The Cleveland Browns

Now yes, at first you may say, how could you hate such a down trodden little team. But taking into account all factors, it begins to make sense. As with a lot in the NFL the fan-base says a lot about how we think about a team. The Browns are a unique case, they are basically a second coming of the same team. For this alone some people don’t like them, though truly, the fans have no control over what owners and the NFL agree to as far as moving and dissolving teams. However, there are those who look at the rabid fans in the Dawg Pound as Johnny-come-lately fans and even though you tend to feel sorry for the hapless Browns, you tend to giggle when they lose.

4. The San Francisco 49ers

This love/hate relationship is one of those that came from a team being so unstoppable in their best years that the hate was real unless you were a fan of the team. Back in the days of Joe Montana and then almost-as-good Steve Young. The Niners were almost a sure lock against most of their opponents, then huge favorites in the Super Bowls. Remember 1989? 55-10? That was painful to watch if you were hoping they would lose. They haven’t had that kind of win streak for a long time. However now they are getting more hated for non-football related stories, but they still make the list.

3. The Oakland Raiders

I have heard more than one person say while watching the game, I want anyone to win other than the Raiders. One thing you have to give to the team, is they don’t have a lot of band-wagon jumper fans. Raiders fans are loyal, loud, and they are obnoxious, all of which is great. Also have you seen how the fans dress up? That is a fan base.

There is another reason however and that is the reputation. The Raiders had for a long part of their history, straight up, they played dirty. They took cheap shots with every intend of hurting other players in an era where the rules were not set up to protect the players as much as it is now. That reputation stayed with them even when they cleaned up their play and still resonates with old school fans and newer fans learn by example and just carry the hatred for the team along.

2. The Dallas Cowboys

Well yes, when you call yourself “America’s team” you are kind of asking for it. You are going to get a lot of Americans who disagree with you. However to be fair, there is a lot of hatred for this team because they have been very good. The 70s rivalry with the Pittsburgh Steelers meeting in not one, not two, but three Super Bowls is the stuff fans dream of. Talent and wins aside, there is a large ego on this team, as the saying goes ‘Everything is bigger in Texas.’. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shows that in spades, from the incredibly extravagant AT&T stadium, to the money he has to put into players. Ergo, even when warranted from success is a turn-off to a lot of people and makes the Dallas Cowboys one of our favorites to hate.

1. The New England Patriots

Yeah, you had to know it would end here. There is no middle ground with this team, you either love them cause you are a fan of theirs, or you can’t stand them for everything they are. Let’s go through this, yes they have rings, but how many of them would they have if they never cheated. No I am not looking for the argument, well they didn’t or hey other teams have done stuff. That is not the point of this article, it is one of the reasons why they are hated.

Adding to that is their owner Robert Kraft doesn’t seem to mind what their reputation is so long as they get rings. So the bottom line makes him money and he laughs all the way to the bank, but your team doesn’t have respect. The worse part of their cheating is, as much as I loathe to say it, unneeded. They have talented players, so it’s just mind-boggling, you have this much talent and you still want to cheat? Other owners get very mad when a member or coach does something that brings ridicule on their team. Mr Kraft seems to thrive on it, almost enjoy it. Which is fine, his decision but this is what you get. So they get yet another top spot, and it is here on my list.

Thank you for reading, feel free to comment and enjoy the games.