The Most Annoying Football Fans According to NFL Fanatics

Football season is back once again and with it comes all of the excitement and annoying things fans do each year. From forgetting to set up their fantasy football lineup to stealing player giveaways from kids at games, there are plenty of times we find ourselves annoyed by fellow football fans. 

We know many of users who play our solitaire games love football. That’s why we set out to find which NFL fan base fans find the most annoying. We surveyed football fans across the country and asked which activities they find annoying in both fantasy football and while at or watching games. We also asked fans which of those same activities they are guilty of themselves. Using those responses, we assigned scores to each team based on their fans’ answers to rank fan bases from most to least annoying. Read on to see where your team ranks!

Key Takeaways

• Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals fans are the most likely to take away a player giveaway from a kid. 
• Houston Texans fans are the least likely to boo the other team.
• The most annoying fantasy football behaviors include quitting early in the season and taking too long to pick during the draft. 
• The most annoying fan behaviors include getting really drunk at the game, stealing player giveaways from kids, and heckling.
• According to 1 in 5 fans, it's more annoying when their fantasy team loses than when their NFL team loses.

The Most Annoying NFL Fan Bases, According to Fans

Football season has begun and that means it is only a matter of time before Americans experience all the highs and lows associated with being a fan. From sacks and fumbles to missed field goals and dropped passes, there is a lot that fans can find annoying on the field, but the irritation doesn’t stop there. Each season fellow fans get under each other’s skin through trash talk, getting too drunk in the stands, and more.

At the top of our ranking is the Cincinnati Bengals fan base who admitted to doing more annoying behaviors than any other fan base. The Bengals are one of the top fan bases to trash talk home team fans while at an away game and are among the most likely to steal a player giveaway from a kid.

Next up on the list is the Atlanta Falcons fan base. The fan base is one of the most likely to try and start the wave at a game as well as wear a jersey for a team not playing at a game they attend. While both of these activities do not bother every fan, about 1 in every 6 says it is annoying. 

For 3rd place we head further south to Jacksonville, FL. Jaguars fans are among the most likely to spend most or all of the game on their phones. They are also the second most likely to block your view at a game while holding up a sign. 

The Least Annoying NFL Fan Bases, According to Fans

If you are trying to plan which games to attend this season, consider watching your team face off against one of the least annoying fan bases. Coming in at the top spot is the New York Jets fanbase, who is among the least likely to boo their own team. 

In 2nd is the Washington Commanders who are among the most likely to be respectful of home team fans while at away games, so you don’t have to worry about trash talk from visiting fans.

The team with the 3rd least annoying fan base resides in Houston, TX, as Texans fans are among the least likely to boo the other team. 

While they didn’t claim the top spots for least annoying, the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers fan bases are among the least likely to heckle other fans and/or players. In addition, Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers fans are the most likely to put their phone away while at a game. 

The Most Annoying Fan Behaviors

Now that we have covered which teams have the most and least irritating fans, here is a look at which activities are likely to label you an “annoying fan.” Fans agree the worst things you can do to get under other people’s skin, is to get really drunk at a game or steal a player giveaway from a kid. 

Following closely behind is heckling other fans and/or players. Heckling is a tradition that spans nearly all sports and for some people, it is considered a part of the game. 

“You win as a team, you lose as a team.” It’s a phrase many of us have heard before, and for some fans this is their mentality while cheering on their favorite team. That’s likely why 1 in every 3 fans find it annoying when people change teams when their team begins playing badly. Similarly, nearly 3 in 10 people hate when fans boo their own team. 

The NFL Fan Bases Fans Find Most Annoying at Fantasy Football

Another aspect of the football season that gets fans all across the country fired up is fantasy football. For the 1 in 2 Americans who play, the game adds an additional layer to the sport as they draft players from other teams and rely on expert opinions and gut instincts to win each week. 

Once again, there are more factors than what happens on the field that can irritate fans. Leading the way as the most annoying is the Los Angeles Chargers fanbase, who admitted to doing more annoying behaviors than any other fan base. While they are the most likely to take part in fantasy football, they are also among the most likely to admit they take the game too seriously. 

Next up on the ranking is the Cincinnati Bengals fan base as they are among the most likely to pick players up off waivers while in the losers’ bracket of the playoffs and often use the full time available for each draft pick. 

In 3rd for the most annoying at fantasy football is the Denver Broncos fan base. You may want to avoid joining a league with a Broncos fan, as they are among the most likely to celebrate when their opponent’s best player gets hurt. 

The NFL Fanbases Fans Find Least Annoying at Fantasy Football

While some fantasy football participants tend to take the game too seriously, others are just here for a good time. Of all of the fan bases, New Orleans Saints fans are the least likely to be found annoying. This could be in part due to the number of fans who participate however, as Atlanta Falcons and Saints fans are the least likely to participate in fantasy football. 

Next up is the San Francisco 49ers fan base, who are among the least likely to forget to pay league dues and rarely forget to set their lineup each week. In 3rd, we found a team returning to the least annoying rankings. Houston Texans fans are among the least likely to celebrate an opponent’s best player getting hurt and do not typically only draft their Texans players. 

Coming in 4th is the New England Patriots fan base. The Patriots have been one of the most hated teams in the league for years, with the Bill Belichick and Tom Brady duo winning six Super Bowl titles, it’s easy to understand why. But Tom Brady has retired and Patriots fans are now earning a title of least annoying . . . in fantasy football at least. Patriots’ fans are among the most likely to stick by their fantasy team regardless of how they are playing. 

The Most Annoying Fantasy Football Behavior

There are a lot of little things that fantasy football participants can find annoying, but we set out to find the most common behaviors that could keep you from being invited to play again next season. According to fans, quitting early in the season is the most irritating thing you can do. 

If you want to avoid aggravating your fellow opponents, do your homework before the draft. Fans agree the second most annoying thing you can do is to take too long when it’s your turn to pick a player. The work doesn’t stop there though, as the 3rd most annoying thing you can do is forget to set your lineup. 

For some fans, fantasy football can at times be more important than their NFL team’s game. When it comes to picking sides, 1 in 5 fans say it’s more annoying when their fantasy football team loses than when their NFL team loses. In fact, 3 in 10 fans say if they were forced to choose, they would rather not be allowed to tailgate anymore than to have to stop playing fantasy football. 

If you have yet to join in on the fantasy football fun, you’re not alone, as 1 in 5 people say their friends and/or family have tried to pressure them into playing. If you do decide to join though, you could be a part of the 1 in 2 players who say they have won their fantasy league. 

Conclusion

Playing online, whether it’s fantasy football or a game of cards, can be competitive, relaxing, and fun despite annoying behaviors from those playing along. In fact, a solo game of cards can be a great escape that allows you to enjoy strategy and competition without dealing with the stress of other people’s behaviors.

When you’re looking to game online without the worry of other people taking too long on their turn or being bad sports, try your hand at a game of solitaire or hearts. You can play at your leisure whenever and wherever you like—it might even be a great strategy to block out those annoying fans during halftime.

Methodology

In this study, we surveyed fans of each NFL team to determine which fan base fans find most annoying. We asked questions about things fans find annoying in general and while participating in fantasy football. We also asked fans which of these things they are guilty of doing themselves. 

To build our ranking, we assigned points to each “annoying activity” fans admitted to doing and then averaged the scores for all fans of each team. Those with higher scores were dubbed most annoying, while those with lower scores received the title of least annoying.