Commanders Escape the Top 10 Most Hated NFL Teams But Rivalries Are Still Intense
The Washington Commanders may be under fire after a rocky start to the NFL season, but according to a new Hard Rock Bet survey of 2,000 fans, they are not among the ten most despised franchises in the league. The Commanders landed at No. 15 on the list, receiving 5.1 percent of total “hate” votes as the NFL heads into its third week. While Washington drew criticism from fans across the country, the survey revealed that rivalries remain the driving force behind most animosity.
Commanders Fans Target Longtime Rivals
The survey data showed that Commanders fans direct most of their own animosity toward traditional and emerging rivals. The Dallas Cowboys, Washington’s oldest foe, captured 23.1 percent of hate votes among Commanders supporters. The Kansas City Chiefs followed closely at 17.9 percent, fueled in part by the Chiefs’ recent dominance and Super Bowl success. The Baltimore Ravens, Washington’s geographic neighbor and occasional preseason opponent, rounded out the top three at 17.6 percent.
This pattern mirrors a broader league trend where rivalries dominate fan hatred. “Rivalries remain fierce,” the report stated, noting that not a single respondent chose “none of the above” when asked if they despised a team. The NFC East stood out as the league’s most toxic division, with Washington’s rivalry with Dallas earning an extreme hatred score of 46 percent, one of the highest figures in the survey. That intensity underscores just how deeply embedded these rivalries remain, even as player rosters and team fortunes change over the years.
The Commanders’ placement outside the top ten most hated franchises may come as a relief for Washington supporters. Despite being one of the league’s most historic franchises, their recent struggles have kept them under the radar compared to perennial lightning rods like the Cowboys and New England Patriots. Still, the 5.1 percent hatred score suggests Washington remains a team that plenty of fans love to root against.
Cowboys Dominate Hate Rankings
The Dallas Cowboys unsurprisingly topped the national rankings, earning 21 percent of total votes, nearly double the second-place New England Patriots at 11 percent. The Kansas City Chiefs (9.2 percent), Philadelphia Eagles (8.1 percent), and Baltimore Ravens (7.7 percent) rounded out the top five. Successful teams tend to draw more resentment, with six of the top ten franchises having hoisted a Lombardi Trophy in the past two decades.
Some surprising rivalries also emerged in the survey. Atlanta Falcons fans expressed the most hatred for the Arizona Cardinals (35.5 percent), despite the two teams rarely facing each other. Kansas City Chiefs earned 26 percent hatred from Cincinnati Bengals fans, reflecting the two teams’ recent playoff clashes. Even classic rivalries endured, with Chicago Bears fans still disliking the Green Bay Packers at a 31.8 percent rate.
At the other end of the spectrum, the New Orleans Saints ranked as the least despised team, pulling in just 2.5 percent of the vote. That finding reinforces the idea that teams outside the media spotlight or without recent dominance often escape widespread fan animosity.
For the Commanders, finishing outside the top ten most hated list highlights their current place in the NFL landscape, significant enough to stir rivalries but not polarizing enough to draw league-wide ire. As the season progresses and Washington battles divisional foes like the Cowboys and Eagles, those rivalry-driven emotions will undoubtedly intensify.
The data also serves as a reminder of how rivalries shape NFL culture. Whether it is Washington versus Dallas, Cleveland versus Pittsburgh, or Philadelphia versus Dallas, fan passion and animosity keep the league’s narratives compelling. For the Commanders, being ranked 15th may not be flattering, but it speaks to the history and passion surrounding their franchise, proving that even amid ups and downs, Washington remains a team worth watching, and, for some, worth hating.
JJ McCarthy’s Injury Could Derail His Future as Vikings QB
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy will be sidelined with an ankle injury, thrusting veteran Carson Wentz into the starting role ahead of a pivotal stretch of the season.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, McCarthy will be out two to four weeks with a high ankle sprain. After missing his entire rookie year with a meniscus tear, McCarthy’s additional time off is a cause for concern, given he needs to see the field to develop.
“It’s concerning. He’s missed 18 games and played in two; at some point, young quarterbacks need to get on the field. This is an organization and a team [that’s] very good,” ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky said. “They have entrusted the future of the team in his hands. He needs to be on the field to feel the speed of the pass rush, to feel the speed about [passing] windows in the NFL closing faster than college. Not going to overreact and hopefully this is a short-term thing, but the fact that he’s missed 18 games and played in two, that has to be concerning in the building.”
Carson Wentz Could Derail JJ McCarthy’s Development
How Wentz carries the Vikings, currently 1-1, in McCarthy’s absence will play a major role in when the 22-year-old may return.
If Wentz wins out, he may seize the starting reins of a team ready to win now for the rest of the season.
It’s not out of the realm of possibility, considering the Vikings passing game with McCarthy ranks 32nd in expected points added (EPA) — the offense as a whole ranks 31st.
McCarthy hasn’t gotten a fair shake, playing without his starting left tackle, second wide receiver and several other offensive contributors who got injured midgame in Week 2.
But it hasn’t looked good. He’s played one good quarter and struggled for the other seven.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell preached that the offense taking flight is going to take time, but the Vikings cannot afford to get out to a slow start, given the daunting divisional schedule late in the season.
“This is going to be a process for our team,” O’Connell said. “Our young quarterback is going to make some plays. He’s going to make some unbelievable throws. … And then, other times, he’s going to have an attempt and just miss something a little long, and we will go back and try to fix it.”
If Wentz cannot keep the team at or above .500, pivoting back to McCarthy will be an easy call. The 22-year-old will have plenty of runway to develop with the hopes of a late-season push for a wild-card spot.
However, if Wentz wins three or four games and the Vikings are on pace with the rest of the NFC contenders, it would be controversial to hand the keys back to McCarthy while he’s still on his learner’s permit.
Vikings’ Worst-Case Scenario With JJ McCarthy Revealed
If Wentz were to take the job and run with it, which we saw Sam Darnold do a year ago, McCarthy will end his second season in Minnesota with just two career starts.
That’s a serious concern as the Vikings would hope to have a more developed quarterback on a rookie-scale deal at this point in their timeline when they moved off Kirk Cousins.
McCarthy must see the field more once he returns from injury if he’s going to be fully prepared for a pivotal third season under center.
However, the margin of error will be increasingly obsolete as we enter the middle of the schedule.
This was the time for McCarthy to make mistakes, learn and get a feel for the game.
That developmental time now is deferred, either to the middle of the season — which would assume the Vikings are on the outside looking in at the playoff chase — or next year, if the Vikings thrive with Wentz.
