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Now that the NFL season has arrived, the battle between teams – and their fans – is ready to reignite.
Franchises with the biggest fanbases aren’t always the best, and some organizations in smaller markets have a greater reach than their state lines. So, which team has the largest group of supporters?
While it is a tough thing to quantify, internet searches offer a glimpse at which teams are sparking the most interest. Here’s a look at what the numbers say about NFL teams’ popularity nationally and by state:
The Dallas Cowboys remain “America’s Team,” at least in terms of search trends.
USA TODAY obtained Google data from 2017 through 2022 and found the following 10 teams as the ones searched most often:
For a look at which NFL teams are trending right now, click here.
Who is the most popular NFL team in the country? What about in your state?
The answers may (or may not) surprise you.https://t.co/Fk8t3uqxiu
The Cowboys are the most popular team in the most states. Dallas was the most popular search result dating back to 2017 in seven states, including Texas.
The Patriots and Seattle Seahawks are next on the list. Unsurprisingly, the Patriots are the most popular team in all six New England states, while the Seahawks are well-represented with four states in the Pacific Northwest, along with Alaska.
Along with the Cowboys, the 49ers, Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns and Tampa Bay Buccaneers prevailed in states that are home to multiple NFL teams. That left teams like the New York Giants, New York Jets, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers and Miami Dolphins without a single state.
Here is the full breakdown of the most popular NFL teams by state, according to Google trends data, with 25 of the 32 franchises making the cut: