The NFL is massively popular throughout the U.S., yet many states don’t have a single team within their borders. Meanwhile, several states boast two, even three teams. So which states are blessed with so much great pro football to choose from? And could there be hope for some states to finally get their second or even their very first team any time soon? Of the 32 NFL football teams in the United States, 15 have an entire state to themselves, according to 1keydata: Some states enjoy more than one, or even multiple teams, according to AS: Twenty-eight states have no NFL team at all. However, it’s not as bad as it looks in some regions, though. South Carolina doesn’t have a team within its borders, but the Panthers do claim to represent the Palmetto state as well. Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont all fall under the intended umbrella of the New England region represented by the Patriots. Many people within those states choose to support other teams, however, due to the heavy Boston-area culture surrounding the team. The following unlucky states lack an NFL team to call their own: The bulk of these NFL-free states have some fairly obvious teams to support. They also often have strong support for their college football programs with high attendance to match. The NFL is the most popular sport in the U.S., but there is much more to football than just the biggest pro league.Most U.S. states have a single NFL team
Several states have two or more NFL teams
The NFL is popular nationwide but many states have no team of their own
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There are 32 teams in the National Football league currently in 2021.
Did you know that there were originally 14 teams, when the league was founded as the American Professional Football Association in 1920.
Through the 1920s, there was a series of expansions, with many teams only lasting a single season.
For the 1927 there was a large shift, with the number of teams getting cut from 22 to 12. The main deciding factor was eliminating that were struggling financially. This also geographically re-centered league activity from the original Midwest area to the East Coast.
By the mid-1960s, the newly-formed American Football League (AFL) rivaled the NFL in prime-time television spots, and there was stiff competition for attracting new talent. The first AFL (9 teams) – NFL (15 teams) championship game was played in 1966.
NFL teams listed by state
Which state are your favorite football teams located in?
State Name | NFL Team(s) |
Arizona | Arizona Cardinals |
California | Los Angeles RamsLos Angeles ChargersOakland Raiders San Francisco 49ers |
Colorado | Denver Broncos |
Florida | Jacksonville JaguarsMiami Dolphins Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Georgia | Atlanta Falcons |
Illinois | Chicago Bears |
Indiana | Indianapolis Colts |
Louisiana | New Orleans Saints |
Maryland | Baltimore Ravens |
Massachusetts | New England Patriots |
Michigan | Detroit Lions |
Minnesota | Minnesota Vikings |
Missouri | Kansas City Chiefs |
New Jersey | New York Giants New York Jets |
New York | Buffalo Bills |
North Carolina | Carolina Panthers |
Ohio | Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns |
Pennsylvania | Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers |
Tennessee | Tennessee Titans |
Texas | Dallas Cowboys Houston Texans |
Washington | Seattle SeahawksWashington Football Team (formerly Redskins) |
Wisconsin | Green Bay Packers |
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The following sections highlight which states have more than one NFL team:
How many states have two NFL teams?
Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas all have 2 NFL teams.
What state has three NFL teams?
Florida, with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Miami Dolphins, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Which state has the most NFL teams?
California is the state with the most NFL teams, clocking in with 4: the Los Angeles Rams, the Los Angeles Chargers, the Oakland Raiders, and finally the San Francisco 49ers.
See also our list of NFL Teams in Alphabetical Order