If there’s one thing Americans are passionate about, it’s football. From the NFL to kid’s flag football, the sport brings out the best and the worst in us. Fans spend thousands each year on jerseys, concessions and tickets to games. A recent poll showed that 37% of Americans picked football as their favorite sport. That’s not even to mention the Super Bowl and the fanfare that goes into it. They engage in discourse online and love the rivalries like the one between the Chiefs and the Raiders. Recent championships like the one between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs brought in record numbers of viewers as the first Super Bowl where two brothers (Travis and Jason Kelce) competed against each other. But it’s not just the NFL.

Americans are also passionate about college football. Alumni and students cling tight to their alma mater and mascot, and often passionately cheer on teams long after they’ve graduated. You may be tired of hearing about teams like Alabama, Clemson and Georgia, but their passionate fan base is part of what keeps them as contenders for the championship every year. An outcry by fans, coaches and players even reached the committee and convinced them to change the championship to a playoff system rather than a rating system. 

So who are America’s darlings when it comes to football? This varies depending on which generation you’re asking. To find the answer, we used YouGov’s survey of the opinions of Baby Boomers. We also searched social media sites like Reddit to determine why some teams are liked and others aren’t, and who the favorite players are. Finally, we put together a list of the 20 least popular teams in football, according to the Baby Boomer generation. They are ranked in order from most popular to least popular. We also only looked at teams that were recognized by 3/4 of the generation, so their fame score was 75% or above.

Why We’re Covering This

In 2023 (the last football season), the global football market reached 3.44 billion United States dollars. Experts expect that the industry will be worth almost five billion by 2032. Fans estimate they will spend around $750 each year watching games. That’s a lot of money to the average football fan, but when your team has a great season, you can’t miss it. Our goal at 24/7 Wall Street is to make sure the money you invest in sports is worth pulling out of your bank account.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Percentage of Baby Boomers who ranked the team as popular: 39%

According to the team’s website, fans rank Derrick Brooks as the favorite player of all time. Second is Mike Alstott, third is Ronde Barber and fourth is S. John Lynch. The team has won two Super Bowl titles, one in 2003 and another in 2021. Current quarterback Baker Mayfield can be a polarizing figure, but the team is one of the franchises that went undefeated in Super Bowl runs.

19. Baltimore Ravens

• Percentage of Baby Boomers who ranked the team as popular: 38% 

Fans rank Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Jonathan Ogden, Terrell Suggs, Marshal Yanda, Lamar Jackson, Justin Tucker, Haloti Ngata, Peter Boulware and Chris McAlister as the top ten players on the Baltimore Ravens. They are a relatively new franchise and played their first season in 1996. Despite that, the Ravens managed to win Super Bowl titles in 2001 and 2013. 

18. Los Angeles Rams

• Percentage of Baby Boomers who ranked the team as popular: 37% (tied)

We have a three-way tie for number 18 between the Rams, Lions and Cowboys. Favorite players on the Los Angeles Rams include Aaron Donald, Eric Dickerson, Marshall Faulk, Deacon Jones, Kurt Warner, Jack Youngblood, Isaac Bruce, Merlin Olsen, Jackie Slater and Orlando Pace. The Rams won two Super Bowls in 2000 and 2022, and two NFL championships in 1945 and 1951, before the Super Bowl was established.

17. Detroit Lions

• Percentage of Baby Boomers who ranked the team as popular: 37% (tied)

The Lions had a Cinderella run in the playoffs this year, with superstar rapper Eminem supporting his hometown team. Fan favorites on the field include Altie Taylor, Ndamukong Suh, Mike Lucci, Yale Lary, Ed Flanagan, Chris Spielman, Roger Brown, Paul Naumoff, Larry Hand and Jeff Backus. The Lions have never competed in a Super Bowl but did win four NFL Championship Games between 1935 and 1957.

16. Dallas Cowboys

• Percentage of Baby Boomers who ranked the team as popular: 37% (tied)

The Cowboys are often loved or hated passionately, depending on the fan. According to the team’s website, the favorite players of all time include Roger Staubach, Bob Lilly, Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, Larry Allen, Randy White, Mel Renfro, Michael Irvin, Tony Dorsett and Rayfield Wright. The franchise has won five Super Bowl titles: 1972, 1978, 1993, 1994 and 1996.

15. New York Jets

• Percentage of Baby Boomers who ranked the team as popular: 36% (tied)

Another tie for the 15th spot between two New York teams and the Cleveland Browns. Formerly the Titans, the New York Jets have a long list of legendary players. They include Joe Namath, Darelle Revis, Curtis Martin, Don Maynard, Joe Klecko, Nick Mangold, Wesley Walker, Al Toon, Kevin Mawae and Wayne Chrebet. The Jets had only one Super Bowl in 1969. This was the third Super Bowl to be played.

14. New York Giants

• Percentage of Baby Boomers who ranked the team as popular: 36% (tied)

Some fans view the following ten as the greatest New York Giants of all time: Lawrence Taylor, Eli Manning, Michael Strahan, Harry Carson, Tiki Barber, Phil Simms, Keith Hamilton, Chris Snee, Amani Toomer and Greg Larson. The team won four NFL championships in 1927, 1934, 1938 and 1956. They also collected four Super Bowl wins in 1987, 1992, 2008 and 2012.

13. Cleveland Browns

• Percentage of Baby Boomers who ranked the team as popular: 36% (tied)

According to the votes of over 4,000 Browns fans, the favorite players to play for the team include Jim Brown, Otto Graham, Joe Thomas, Ozzie Newsome, Clay Matthews, Jr., Nick Chubb, Myles Garrett, Paul Brown, Paul Warfield and Lou Groza. Since their last NFL championship win in 1964, the team has not appeared in a Super Bowl.

12. Ohio State Buckeyes

• Percentage of Baby Boomers who ranked the team as popular: 35%

This is the first college football team to enter the list, and Ohio State is known for its strong football program. Love them or hate them, they’ve produced nine Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees. Favorites include Eddie George, Cris Carter, Jim Marshall, Dante Lavelli, Dick LeBeau, Orlando Pace, Bill Willis, Jim Parker, Lou Groza and Paul Warfield. Ohio State has won eight national championships since the program started.

11. Minnesota Vikings

• Percentage of Baby Boomers who ranked the team as popular: 34% (tied)

Another tie for number 11 between the Minnesota Vikings and the Arizona Cardinals. The team itself has ranked its top 50 players ever, and some on that list include Jared Allen, Steve Hutchinson, Adrian Peterson, Kevin Williams, Antoine Winfield, Gary Zimmerman, Mick Tingelhoff, Doug Sutherland, Randy Moss and Robert Smith. In their 61 seasons of play in the National Football League, the team has yet to win a Super Bowl title.

10. Arizona Cardinals

• Percentage of Baby Boomers who ranked the team as popular: 34% (tied)

According to thousands of fans, the team’s most impactful players include Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, Patrick Peterson, Pat Tillman, Anquan Boldin, Dick Lane, Aeneas Williams, Dan Dierdorf, Larry Wilson and Calais Campbell. Originally the Chicago Cardinals, the team has never won a Super Bowl title and has more losses than wins in franchise history.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars

• Percentage of Baby Boomers who ranked the team as popular: 31%

Fans rank Marcus Stroud, Paul Posluszny, Keenan McCardell, Jalen Ramsey, Calais Campbell, Mark Brunell, Maurice Jones-Dew, Tony Boselli, Jimmy Smith and Fred Taylor as the most influential players the team has seen. Although the Jaguars have made the playoffs eight times, they have not yet played in a Super Bowl, along with three other NFL teams.

8. Texas A&M Aggies

• Percentage of Baby Boomers who ranked the team as popular: 30% (tied)

We have another three-way tie for the 8th least popular NFL team ranked by Baby Boomers, and it’s our second college football team to make the list. Located in College Station, Texas, the school’s football program has produced a long list of NFL players, including Jake Matthews, Justin Madubuike, Von Miller, Demani Richardson, McKinnley Jackson, Trayveon Williams, Myles Garrett, Germain Ifedi, Josh DeBerry and Buddy Johnson. The team has won three national championships, in 1919, 1927 and 1939. 

7. Houston Texans

• Percentage of Baby Boomers who ranked the team as popular: 30% (tied)

Texans fans are passionate, and they love their players. Some include J.J. Watt, Andre Johnson, DeAndre Hopkins, Arian Foster, Johnathan Joseph, Brian Cushing, Duane Brown, Jadeveon Clowney, DeMeco Ryans and Shane Lehler in the top ten players of all time. Despite a strong roster, the franchise is the only one to never win a road playoff game, and one of four to never appear in a Super Bowl.

6. Indianapolis Colts

• Percentage of Baby Boomers who ranked the team as popular: 30% (tied)

Despite being tied as one of the least popular teams ranked by Baby Boomers, the Colts have a pretty impressive history when it comes to players. Fans rank Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Johnny Unitas, Dwight Freeney, Adam Vinatieri, Robert Mathis, Edgerrin James, Dallas Clark and Jeff Saturday in their top ten. The Colts have two Super Bowl wins behind them, one in 1971 and another in 2007.

5. New England Patriots

• Percentage of Baby Boomers who ranked the team as popular: 28% (tied)

Tied with another college football team for the 5th most popular spot, the New England Patriots are often known best by the “Deflategate” scandal during coach Bill Belichik and quarterback Tom Brady’s tenure. The Patriots won 11 of 13 division titles and created an impressive resume with the help of players like Brady, Jim Nance, Mosi Tatupu, Wes Welker, Stanley Morgan, Ben Coates, Matt Light, Bruce Armstrong, John Hannah and Logan Mankins. The Patriots have six Super Bowl titles behind them: 2002, 2004, 2005, 2015, 2017 and 2019.

4. Alabama Crimson Tide

• Percentage of Baby Boomers who ranked the team as popular: 28% (tied)

The third and final college football team on our list, Alabama is somewhat of a football dynasty. Under coach Nick Saban the program flourished and won six national titles with him as coach. Overall the program has 18 national championships and has produced NFL players like Derrick Henry, Tua Tagovailoa, Jaylen Waddle, Amari Cooper, Julio Jones, JK Scott, Darn Payne, Mac Jones, Dalvin Tomlinson and Bryce Young.

3. Las Vegas Raiders

• Percentage of Baby Boomers who ranked the team as popular: 27%

The Las Vegas Raiders have three Super Bowl titles and four American Football Conference (AFC) titles. It’s been a long time since they took home the trophy, with their wins coming in 1977, 1981 and 1984. Notable players include Howie Long, Marcus Allen, Cliff Branch, Fred Biletnikoff, Jim Otto, Lester Hayes, Rod Woodson, Derek Carr, Charles Woodson and Steve Wisniewski.

2. Tennessee Titans

• Percentage of Baby Boomers who ranked the team as popular: 26%

The second least popular team on our list is the Tennessee Titans, despite being home to players like Chris Johnson, Bruce Matthews, Steve McNair, Eddie George, Derrick Henry, Jevon Kearse, Keith Bulluck, Derrick Mason, Albert Haynesworth and Jeffrey Simmons. The Titans are one of 12 teams in the NFL to never win a Super Bowl, although they did appear in the event once in 2000.

1. Carolina Panthers

• Percentage of Baby Boomers who ranked the team as popular: 23%

The least popular football team according to Baby Boomers is the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers boast an impressive roster with players like Greg Olsen, Cam Newton, Jordan Gross, Christian McCaffrey, Luke Kuechly, Thomas Davis, Sr., Jake Delhomme, Steve Smith, Sr., Julius Peppers and Muhsin Muhammad. Despite a win of their division in 2003, the Panthers have yet to win a Super Bowl.

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