Green Bay Draws Massive Audience as Commanders Fall on Thursday Night

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.