In a week, the Dallas Cowboys and all other teams in the NFL will take the field to begin the 2023 regular season in right earnest.
There will be banter as some teams move up the ladder, and there will be recriminations as others fall by the wayside. However, if gambling.com’s study is to be believed, we already know who will be the most insufferable among the fans: win or lose.
They did a study and found that Dallas Cowboys top the list of the most annoying fanbase among the NFL. The study says:
“The data was gathered using the social media listening tool Linkfluence by analyzing the total amount of posts made which included the word “Annoying” along which with the fans of each team in the same post.”
Based on the above cateogry, here are the top five in this category.
#1 Dallas Cowboys
They are America’s team, and everyone in America hates them. Over 15,000 posts on social media said that they’re the most annoying team.
There might be reasons for that. The Cowboys are not the team with the most Super Bowl wins. They are not the oldest team either. What they are, though, is the richest team in the league. That, of course, makes them come across as annoying to other teams.
Many fans of the team also have a high view of the team, even though their achievements this century have been paltry. Considering NFC Championships and Super Bowls, they have been utterly unsuccessful.
However, it seems that whether successful or not, they remain relevant. That’s something the Cowboys have always succeeded in doing under Jerry Jones.
#2 Philadelphia Eagles
It seems the NFC East attracts a lot of annoying fans. The Cowboys are not the only team right at the top of the list. The Philadelphia Eagles follow closely with nearly 14,000 posts on social media that casts them unfavorably.
The Eagles have a rabid fanbase. They were the NFC champions last season and won their first Super Bowl, beating the legendary Tom Brady-led New England Patriots. Recent success might be one of the reasons why they’re found insufferable by other fans.
Also, some of the celebrations and destruction to property seen in the aftermath of the team’s success have created a negative impression of the fanbase around the league.
Throw across having a jail in their old stadium to apprehend misbehaving fans, we can understand why the tag follows them.
#3 Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are third on the list and the first team from the AFC to make it here, with more than 12,000 posts.
They have been one of the unluckiest team in NFL history, having been to four Super Bowls but not winning one. Stuck for years struggling behind the perennial champions of the New England Patriots, they have become the top dogs in the AFC East now.
Just as their luck would have it, the AFC is stacked with exemplary quarterbacks now. Even though they have Josh Allen, they have run up against Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow, who have thwarted their designs.
Given how passionate the Bills Mafia is, it’s not unsurprising to see their frustrations spill over and come across as annoyance.
#4 Kansas City Chiefs
If anyone has a reason to be smug in recent years, it’s the Kansas City Chiefs fanbase.
They have made getting to the AFC Championship game kind of a habit, and under Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes, they have been to three Super Bowls and won two. They’re the reigning champions with quality all over the field.
So, it’s hardly surprising that they have more than 10,000 posts calling them annoying. However, for a franchise that went half a century without winning a championship, one could argue that their fans deserve a break.
Unfortunately, for the rest of the fans, the trend does not look like reversing anytime soon. Even after losing Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins, they went on to lift the Lombardi Trophy. The killer mix of coach and quarterback seems to be creating a dynasty there.
#5 Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are the most storied team in the NFL. They have the most titles of all time. However, if we look at the Super Bowl era, they just have four championships. Remove the first two editions, and we’re left with two. Nothing to sniff at, but certainly not the best-performing team in the league.
However, what might make them annoying is not just their history but their fortune in recent years of having two of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. From Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers, they have had three decades of elite quarterback play.
Their fans might have become conditioned to winning. With Jordan Love taking the helm now, things could change. If it does not, then the Packers would have made lightning strike twice at the same place.
Beyond the top five above, the Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears, New York Jets, New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens complete the top 10.