2017 NFL fan base rankings: Cowboys beat out Patriots, Packers for top spot
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2017 Fan Base Rankings
After years of debating who has the NFL's best fan base, four of our writers here at CBSSports.com -- Ryan Wilson, John Breech, Jared Dubin and Sean Wagner-McGough -- decided to settle things this week by ranking the NFL's 32 fan bases from worst to first.
The NFC East came away as the big winner in our rankings. On the other hand, though, the teams in Los Angeles managed to flame out.
To see where each is ranked, be sure to check out the entire slideshow.
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No. 32: Rams
These two might actually be the only fans the Rams have left after last year's disastrous 4-12 season. If the team's goal was to make a good first impression during their return to L.A., they failed miserably.
There's going to be some serious pressure on new coach Sean McVay to turn things around, because if he can't, the Rams might not have enough fans left to fill their new stadium when it opens in 2020.
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No. 31: Chargers
The Chargers couldn't even fill a 27,000-seat stadium for their first preseason in Los Angeles, which either means all their fans are in San Diego or that no one in Los Angeles cared enough to attend.
Both those things seem bad.
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No. 30: Jaguars
The fact that the Jaguars have any fans left after making everyone sit through three years of watching Blake Bortles play is a minor miracle.
The upside to being a fan in Jacksonville is that there's a swimming pool in the stadium and swimming pools make everything better, even constant losing.
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No. 29: Titans
You never hear much about Titans fans, and that's probably because they've been spending the past 20 years trying to figure out what animal their mascot is. Is he a cat? Is he a lion?
Nope. He's a raccoon, and fans seem to love him.
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No. 28: Buccaneers
Buccaneers fans, there is one small silver lining to your ranking: You don't have the worst fan base in Florida. That honor belongs to the Jaguars, who checked in at No. 30 in the rankings.
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No. 27: Cardinals
It seems the joke is on both of these fans since both of their teams rank in the bottom six of our fan base rankings.
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No. 26: Texans
The Texans are the one team that shouldn't be feel bad about their low ranking here. After all, the franchise has only existed since 2002, which means they've only had 15 years to create fans.
That's actually impressive when you compare it to a team like the Rams, who have existed since 1937, but still managed to be ranked last here.
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No. 25: Colts
The sad thing for the Colts this year is that the guy in the Andrew Luck jersey might actually end up playing QB for Indy at some point because it's starting to look more and more like Luck might miss time.
If Colts fans jump ship this year, it's because the front office is practically begging them to with the way they're handling the team's quarterback situation.
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No. 24: Falcons
We ranked the Falcons at 24 because we thought putting them at No. 25 would be a horrible reminder of the 25-point lead that they blew in Super Bowl LI, and we don't want to be those people that keep bringing up the the fact that the Falcons blew a 28-3 lead during the second half of the Super Bowl.
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No. 23: Dolphins
The nice thing about Dolphins fans is that they still seem to have a good sense of humor about life even though the team hasn't won a playoff game in 17 years.
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No. 22: Vikings
This photo is basically proof of what we've all thought for years: Half of all Vikings fans might actually be Vikings.
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No. 21: Bills
If these rankings had been based on which fan base loves Zubaz pants the most, the Bills definitely would've finished at No. 1.
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No. 20: Lions
If you're wondering why these guys look so sad, it's probably because the Lions have never been to a Super Bowl and haven't won a playoff game since January 1992, which everyone in Detroit remembers because it's the only postseason game the Lions have won since 1960.
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No. 19: Jets
It's probably going to be a long season for Jets fans, so drinking by yourself in a homemade bar outside the stadium might not actually be a bad idea.
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No. 18: Panthers
This photo is basically a metaphor for how NFL fans in Charlotte have embraced the Panthers and Sir Purr.
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No. 17: Bengals
Bengals fans have now suffered through 26 straight seasons without a playoff win, and if you're wondering what keeps them going, it's the motto on that sign. Life could be worse -- they could be Browns fans.
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No. 16: Saints
Getting season tickets to see the Saints means you're basically getting eight extra Halloween parties per year, except these are better than regular Halloween parties because they're located a mile from Bourbon Street.
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No. 15: Chiefs
After being ranked No. 19 in our fan base rankings last year, the Chiefs moved up four spots in 2017, and it's mostly because they bribed us with food. If you've never tailgated in Kansas City, you should probably put that on your football bucket list.
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No. 14: Browns
If you've ever wondered why they call Cleveland the "Factory of Sadness," it's mostly because Browns fans haven't had anything to do for the past 20 years except wander around aimlessly in a Tim Couch jersey that lists every Browns starting quarterback since 1999.
After 18 soul-crushing seasons, Browns fans still care about their team, which is why they're ranked so high.
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No. 13: 49ers
Four years ago, the 49ers were playing in a Super Bowl. Now, fans are just hoping that new coach Kyle Shanahan can turns things around so they don't have to wear bags over their heads anymore.
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No. 12: Redskins
If you're wondering why Redskins owner Daniel Snyder refuses to change the name of his team, just look around the stadium next time you're at FedEx Field.
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No. 11: Ravens
If Joe Flacco's elite-ness is based on how many fans in Baltimore own his jersey, then he might be the best quarterback who has ever played.
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No. 10: Eagles
After the way they booed Roger Goodell during the 2017 NFL Draft, Eagles fans might have actually made some fans of their own. Also, Eagles fans get bonus points because they like to dress up like actual Eagles.
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No. 9: Giants
Although Giants fans are seemingly a peaceful group, all you have to do to get them riled up is ask them how they feel about Eli Manning. At this point, roughly half of them want him gone and the other half want him to stay so he can somehow manage to win a third Super Bowl.
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No. 8: Bears
If John Fox can't turn the Bears around this year, it might be time to hire Little Ditka, which is a move that everyone in Chicago could probably get on board with.
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No. 7: Seahawks
If you're not sure how much the 12th man helps the Seahawks in Seattle, I think this guy is trying to give us a hint.
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No. 6: Raiders
The Raiders probably didn't consult this guy when they decided to make the move from Oakland to Las Vegas.
Of course, Raiders fans don't seem to care where the team plays. The fan base has already supported the team through two prior moves.
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No. 5: Broncos
It's fitting that Broncos fans regularly bring a "defense" sign to each game because the team's defense is the only way Denver is going to be competitive in 2017.
The good news for the Broncos is that even if the team isn't competitive, fans will still show up. The Broncos currently have a sell-out streak that dates back to 1970.
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No. 4: Steelers
Half the reason the towel industry is able to exist in this country is because Steelers fans buy thousands of Terrible Towels every year.
If your fans are keeping an entire part of the fabric industry alive, then they get to be in the top five.
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No. 3: Packers
If you look at that picture, you'll notice that Aaron Rodgers is holding a baby after doing a Lambeau Leap. The Lambeau Leap is one of the coolest traditions in the NFL, and the fact that it might end with a player holding a baby will only add to the lore of the Packers and their fans.
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No. 2: Patriots
You have to give Patriots fans credit, sometimes it's hard to root for a team that's only won five Super Bowls. On the other hand, the Patriots get the second slot here because their fans are vocal. Not to mention, Patriots fans vs. Roger Goodell was one of the most entertaining off-the-field dramas of the past 12 months.
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No. 1: Cowboys
Jerry Jones will tell you that the Cowboys have the best fan base. Cowboys fans will also tell you that the Cowboys have the best fan base, and although we didn't actually think that's what we would end up telling you, that's what we're telling you.
Our four-person panel voted that the Cowboys have the No. 1 fan base in the NFL. Their nonstop optimism played a part in that.
Even though the team hasn't won a Super Bowl since the 1995 season, no fan base talks more about winning next year's Super Bowl than Cowboys fans. It's almost like an eternal optimism that's never quite meant to come to fruition.
Credit: USATSI
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