There always is that one team that people love to hate.
Reddit user KMHokies35 asked fans in an online survey about what team they despised the most. The final results were put on a graphic of a map the United States. Though geography and long-time rivalries appeared to play a big part, there are some surprises after the final vote was tallied.
New York does not love the New England Patriots, which is not a shocker because of rivalries with the Jets and Giants. In return, nearly all of New England despises the Jets.
Indiana’s disdain for the Pats can also be explained by New England’s fierce rivalry with Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts throughout much of the 2000s.
But why does Florida hate the Patriots so much? The conference rivalry with the Miami Dolphins might have something to do with it, but it still seems strange considering the Dolphins are one of three teams in the state along with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Other results are more obvious. The Tennessee Titans once played in Houston as the Oilers, so naturally their fans don’t like the Houston Texans, the city’s new team.
The West Coast proves to be a civil war between fans of the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. If both teams stay in contention for a few more years, that hatred has the chance to burn even deeper.
As long as the NFL is around, rivalries, petty or not, will never cease to exist.
