The New England Patriots are not well-liked in many parts of the United States, but you might be surprised to learn that, according to one study, they are the most hated NFL team in only three states.
The study from Sportsinsider.com consists of geo-tagged Twitter data taken since the start of the 2020 NFL season.
Here's the map of each state's most hated pro football team:
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So, to recap, the Patriots are the most hated team in New York, New Jersey and Florida. All of these states make a lot of sense. The Patriots have a historic rivalry with the New York Jets and have played in two recent Super Bowls versus the New York Giants and lost both. Both the Jets and Giants play in New Jersey at MetLife Stadium.
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Florida isn't a surprise, either, considering the Miami Dolphins are also one of the Patriots' oldest rivals. The Patriots also have defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC Championship Game twice (1996 and 2017).
New England Patriots
The Jets are the most hated team in four of the six New England states. The Pittsburgh Steelers are the most hated team in eight states -- the most of any franchise in this study.
It will be interesting to see if the hatred for the Patriots continues to dwindle if the team continues to lose games and no longer ranks as a true AFC contender.