This probably goes without saying, but plenty of people hate the New England Patriots. If you didn’t know that, we’d like to know how long you’ve called that rock you just crawled out from home.
The Patriots’ reputation outside of New England is complicated, at best. Sure, they’re great, so that breeds contempt. However, they’ve also been known to bend the rules — or at least it certainly seems that way to many — which doesn’t sit well.
That’s why it really shouldn’t come as any surprise that Sports Illustrated has labeled the Patriots the most hated team in the NFL.
“The Patriots’ recent title — and the issue of deflated footballs that hung over it — may have tipped the scales in the court of public opinion,” SI.com’s Chris Burke wrote.
Burke also added: “Winning amid controversy has added numbers to the anti-Patriot crowd. Those numbers will keep growing, too, so long as New England stays a title contender.”
Seems fair enough, no? In addition to labeling the Patriots the NFL’s most hated team, SI.com also named Bill Belichick the league’s most hated coach.
“If we’re talking about the NFL coach who is most hated outside of his own building, there’s no doubt that Belichick gets the vote,” Doug Farrar wrote. “Between Spygate and Deflategate, his constant on-field trickery, his generally moribund press conferences and his undeniable football genius, Belichick is the guy most football fans love to hate, even if there is a grudging respect for his accomplishments.
The key qualifier there, of course, is “outside of his own building,” as Belichick’s reputation within the organization and in his locker room remains as good as it ever was — and for good reason.
In addition to four Super Bowl wins, Patriots faithful can take solace in the fact that SI.com named the Philadelphia Eagles the NFL’s most hated fan base.
