The coaching staff is just one reason to hate the Patriots. Elsa/Getty Images
At this time of year everyone has some kind of ranking published for all 32 NFL teams. I didn’t want to be left out, thus I bring to you the 32 NFL teams ranked by “hateability”.
Sure, I might have made up the word hateability, but I saw that somebody had done a likeability ranking a few years ago and I didn’t want to copy them.
So here are are 32 NFL teams ranked from least hated to most, and a quick reason why.
32) Cleveland Browns - You can’t hate them. Feel sorry for them? Sure. Hate? Naw.
31) Kansas City Chiefs - The Chiefs fans are really nice and Andy Reid seems like everyone’s favorite uncle.
30) Buffalo Bills - When you lose four super bowls, and then don’t do anything after that, nobody hates you, they just laugh at you.
29) Seattle Seahawks - Lucky for the Seahawks the departure of Richard Sherman has moved them way up the list. Of course, some people don’t like Pete Carroll, but those people are asses. Also, Russell Wilson seems cool.
28) Chicago Bears - Sweetness, the Refrigerator and the Super Bowl Shuffle made everyone a Bears fan, despite Jim McMahon being a total tool.
27) Jacksonville Jaguars - They burst on the scene as an expansion franchise and then sucked for a long time, but with a killer defense and running attack it’s safe to say that nobody gives a bleep about the Jags.
26) Indianapolis Colts - If you hate Andrew Luck you probably hate babies, kittens and old people.
25) Miami Dolphins - Dan Marino made everyone a Dolphins fan. Of course everyone hated them for the two years that Nick Saban was their coach, but that was only temporary.
24) Atlanta Falcons - It’s not that people hate the Falcons, it’s just that nobody likes a choker.
23) Green Bay Packers - You would think that a team with such a winning tradition would be more hated, but everyone loves cheese and beer and that’s what most of the fans bodies are made of. They would be higher on the list if Jim McMahon hadn’t played there in 1995 and 1996.
22) New Orleans Saints - The Saints sucked for so long we all just got used to feeling sorry for them.
21) Houston Texans - Speaking of feeling sorry for a team…
20) San Francisco 49ers - A lot of reasons to like this team but they tumbled down this list after adding Richard Sherman.
19) Arizona Cardinals - Nobody cares enough about the Cardinals to hate them. They’d probably be higher but Jim McMahon played for them in 1994.
18) Denver Broncos - Everyone loves John Elway and Peyton Manning. Also, they have cool colors and you can get high during the game.
17) Baltimore Ravens - Lets be real, the average person probably hates this team because of Ray Rice, but they should hate them because of that stupid pregame dance Ray Lewis did for years.
16) Los Angeles Rams - The greatest show on turf was pretty fun to watch, but even their own fans don’t care enough to bother going to the games. It’s not really hate it’s more apathy with this squad.
15) Tennessee Titans - Bud Adams was a horrible owner, but most people outside of Houston didn’t care about that. That said, just about everyone grew to hate Jeff Fisher.
14) Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Hard Knocks made people like this team a bit more than they probably should. Winston is really easy to hate, especially after watching him eat all those Ws. In fact, this might not be low enough after rewatching.
13) Carolina Panthers - Cam is prone to a hissy fit after a loss. Nobody likes a hissy fit.
12) Minnesota Vikings - Purple is ugly (sorry Prince...RIP). Also, Jim McMahon played for the Vikings (1993) so that’s enough of a reason to hate them.
11) Detroit Lions - People love Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson, but the fact that this crap team is forced down our throats every Thanksgiving makes everyone hate them.
10) New York Jets - Most people only hate the Jets because they are in New York. Case in point, if they were the St. Louis Jets, nobody would care about this team enough to hate them.
9) Los Angeles Chargers - A lot of folks don’t like Phillip Rivers, and that’s fine. But the real reason people hate the Chargers? Jim McMahon played for them (1989).
8) New York Giants - I think most people feel sorry for Eli Manning because he looks like he’s lost all the time, but the real reason people hate the Giants is ODB. And also, because they play in in a different state, despite being called the NEW YORK Giants, they play in New Jersey.
7) Cincinnati Bengals - Boomer Esiason was easy to hate, but so was Pack Man Jones, and all of the legal problems the Bengals players have had over the years.
6) Oakland Raiders - I’ll probably get death threats from their fans just for having them this low, but my goodness, just pick a city to play in already (and stay there). Also Gruden in the booth calling games is great, Gruden on the sidelines calling plays is a jerk.
5) Pittsburgh Steelers - Everyone hates winners, and this franchise has done plenty of that. Big Ben’s off the field trouble didn’t help, but Mike Tomlin seems like a good dude, so this could be worse.
4) Washington Redskins - Dan Gilbert is a d bag; plus the name is offensive to plenty of people.
3) Dallas Cowboys - Two words: Michael Irvin. Two more words, Dez Bryant. Last two words: fan base.
2) Philadelphia Eagles - Their fans booed a baby and called an old lady the C word. As if that wasn’t enough, Jim McMahon played there for 3 years (1990-1992).
1) New England Patriots - Oh boy, where do I begin. The coach? The owner? The QB? The bro at tight end? The Cheating? The winning? The success? The fans? All equally great reasons to hate this team.
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How Houston Rockets hold the cards for a franchise-changing summer
May 8, 2025, 5:45 pm
In Houston, the winning standard has been set so high that anything short of World Series contention now feels like failure. And yet, the 2025 Astros find themselves at an unfamiliar crossroads—caught between the fading brilliance of past stars and the uncertain promise of what comes next.
Jose Altuve is at the center of this issue. His early struggles (-0.5 WAR) may indicate more than just a temporary slump. And when he swung at the first pitch after Lance McCullers had just endured a grueling 33-pitch inning on Sunday, it raised a bigger question: who has the influence to talk to Altuve?
The Astros’ culture has long been praised for its accountability, but who inside the clubhouse has the standing to challenge or counsel Altuve or other vets when needed? With so many veteran voices gone, there’s a growing sense that no one does—and that’s a problem. That’s why the idea of bringing back Michael Brantley—not as a player, but as a respected voice—could make some sense. Brantley was always viewed as a quiet leader, and his presence could restore some of the guidance this roster desperately needs.
Batter up?
While the Astros have built a reputation for reviving pitchers' careers, their track record with hitters is far less impressive. There are few, if any, examples of a bat joining Houston and unlocking a new level. That failure in development becomes especially stark when considering how much they’re currently leaning on homegrown youth.
Which brings us to Zach Dezenzo. The 24-year-old rookie is showing he belongs—his .737 OPS makes him one of the more productive bats in a lineup that desperately needs stability while Yordan Alvarez nurses an injury. While Victor Caratini provides the Astros with the ability to switch hit, he's hitting just .217. Dezenzo should be starting every day in left, with Yordan out. Jose Altuve, who has already played too many innings this year, should be shifted to DH duties to ease his physical burden. The Astros should go with Cam Smith in right and keep Jake Meyers in center to round out the outfield.
GM Dana Brown has made clear that he views Dezenzo as a first baseman or left fielder for the future. So why not get him in the lineup while Yordan's out and see what he can do with consistent playing time?
Of course, losing Yordan Alvarez is always going to hurt. But the numbers tell a surprising story. Yordan currently holds a -0.4 WAR, right there alongside Altuve and Christian Walker as the only Astros with negative marks. On paper, the team hasn’t lost much production. But let’s not kid ourselves—Yordan’s mere presence alters how opponents pitch to this team. The lineup without him lacks fear factor, and the margins get razor-thin.
Speaking of margins, one move that may haunt this front office is the decision to sign Christian Walker. The veteran first baseman is hitting just .205 with a .617 OPS—far below the level expected from a player earning $20 million annually through 2027. Compare that to Jon Singleton, who posted better numbers in 2024 and currently boasts an .880 OPS in Triple-A with the Mets organization. Walker's defense is strong, but it's hard to argue that justifies the price tag. Singleton might not be a Gold Glover, or anything close, but he came much cheaper and was quietly more productive with the bat.
No regrets?
There’s also a broader question looming: if fans had known that Altuve’s massive contract extension would potentially cost the team the ability to re-sign current MVP candidates Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman, would they still have supported the deal? Hindsight is cruel, but with Altuve’s decline and Tucker and Bregman thriving, it’s a fair debate. Houston might have paid for the past instead of securing its future.
Big deals on the horizon?
All eyes now turn to owner Jim Crane. This winter, Houston's payroll will have considerable room to maneuver. But will Crane commit to restocking the lineup with All-Star-caliber bats, or will his reluctance to offer long-term deals keep the Astros stuck in a holding pattern? It’s one thing to let players walk. It’s another to fail to replace them.
The Astros still have the bones of a contender, but the road back to dominance is getting steeper. The team can’t simply rely on what used to work. It’s time for difficult conversations, bold lineup changes, and a rethinking of how this organization develops—and retains—offensive talent.
We have so much more to get to. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!
*ChatGPT assisted.
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